(no subject)
lingfan
pg
please, rest
It had only been a month since he'd been crowned Emperor, and Ling was positive the amount of assassination attempts on his life had doubled. It was draining, having to constantly run in his own palace, to watch Ran Fan leap to the rescue every time and take the life of another person of Xing. He didn't like it, but it had to be done.
But more than the assassinations, it was Ran Fan who worried him the most.
Every time he was attacked, day or night, she was there to stop it. She did not inform him of her schedule and he knew better than to ask, knowing he'd get the same "You do not have the time to worry about me, Your Highness." answer. It had been a straight month of this, and yes there were others around too, but they would come and go, take days off, sleep at night or stay with their families in the day. Not Ran Fan though.
Ling retired to his bed that night, with his hands behind his head unable to sleep. Thinking about her was just making it harder, because for yet another night he could sense her presence close by even though the doors and windows were sealed shut, and there were others standing outside guarding the entrance. Why was she doing this to herself? She knew he'd be fine, so why doesn't she take a break? More than anyone, she deserved it.
He sat up and whispered at the shadows in the ceiling. "Ran Fan, c'mere."
In a flash she was standing by the bed. "What is it, Your Highness?"
Ling sighed at her. "I said come here." He patted the spot on her bed next to him.
Ran Fan blinked in clear surprise. Even though he hadn't been Emperor long enough to have shared his bed with the concubines, she still felt strange being asked to share his bed. "Please, do not be ridiculous! I should not be in your bed, Your Highness." Her voice came out more like a low hiss than she intended.
He smiled weakly. "Consider it an order than. Come sit up here Ran Fan."
She made a face, but slowly complied without a sound. The bed was much softer than she expected. Ran Fan watched Ling lean over and grab a peach off the nearby nightstand.
"Want it?" he offered the fruit to her, holding it mere inches from her face.
She leaned back slightly. "No thank you, Your Highness."
"Are you sure?" his face softened, "You've been working all day, you must be at least a little bit hungry."
She jumped and felt her face flush. Ling was good at reading people (particularly her), but it always surprised her when he was spot on. Again. Ran Fan took the peach out of his hand and slide her mask to the side. "T-Thank you, Your Highness."
He chuckled. "Think nothing of it." Ling noticed the blush on her face as she started eating and smiled to himself. It was good to know that after everything that's happened, she's still the same old Ran Fan.
After taking a few bites, Ran Fan offered the peach back to Ling. "Do you want a bite, Your Highness?"
"Hm..." a playful smile crept up Ling's face, "I think I do." Without another word, he leaned forward and took a bite out of the peach while it was still in her hands. Ran fan nearly dropped the peach out of surprise, her face turning bright red.
"W-What are you doing!?"
"Shhh, if you make too much noise, someone's going to come inside, right?" Ling said playfully to his bodyguard, still in a state of disbelief.
She muttered an apology and took another bite out of the peach, staring at the floor. He couldn't help but smile again, she really was cute when she got flustered like this. Quietly, he moved behind her and loosely wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his head on her shoulder. Ran Fan flushed again, looking at her emperor now on her shoulder.
"Your Highness--!?"
"Don't worry, Ran Fan. No one's going to come in. Just finish your peach and relax for a bit."
She paused, studying his face. Had he been worrying about her? He really shouldn't have been, these duties she'd been doing her whole life. Yes, this past month had been hard, but she knew it was coming. Still, she felt touched by his display of kindness, allowing her to take a midnight snack.
Ran Fan let herself relax, leaning against him ever so slightly. "Thank you, Your Highness."
He smiled. "No need to thank me, Ran Fan."
I'm just glad to know you're alright.
pg
please, rest
It had only been a month since he'd been crowned Emperor, and Ling was positive the amount of assassination attempts on his life had doubled. It was draining, having to constantly run in his own palace, to watch Ran Fan leap to the rescue every time and take the life of another person of Xing. He didn't like it, but it had to be done.
But more than the assassinations, it was Ran Fan who worried him the most.
Every time he was attacked, day or night, she was there to stop it. She did not inform him of her schedule and he knew better than to ask, knowing he'd get the same "You do not have the time to worry about me, Your Highness." answer. It had been a straight month of this, and yes there were others around too, but they would come and go, take days off, sleep at night or stay with their families in the day. Not Ran Fan though.
Ling retired to his bed that night, with his hands behind his head unable to sleep. Thinking about her was just making it harder, because for yet another night he could sense her presence close by even though the doors and windows were sealed shut, and there were others standing outside guarding the entrance. Why was she doing this to herself? She knew he'd be fine, so why doesn't she take a break? More than anyone, she deserved it.
He sat up and whispered at the shadows in the ceiling. "Ran Fan, c'mere."
In a flash she was standing by the bed. "What is it, Your Highness?"
Ling sighed at her. "I said come here." He patted the spot on her bed next to him.
Ran Fan blinked in clear surprise. Even though he hadn't been Emperor long enough to have shared his bed with the concubines, she still felt strange being asked to share his bed. "Please, do not be ridiculous! I should not be in your bed, Your Highness." Her voice came out more like a low hiss than she intended.
He smiled weakly. "Consider it an order than. Come sit up here Ran Fan."
She made a face, but slowly complied without a sound. The bed was much softer than she expected. Ran Fan watched Ling lean over and grab a peach off the nearby nightstand.
"Want it?" he offered the fruit to her, holding it mere inches from her face.
She leaned back slightly. "No thank you, Your Highness."
"Are you sure?" his face softened, "You've been working all day, you must be at least a little bit hungry."
She jumped and felt her face flush. Ling was good at reading people (particularly her), but it always surprised her when he was spot on. Again. Ran Fan took the peach out of his hand and slide her mask to the side. "T-Thank you, Your Highness."
He chuckled. "Think nothing of it." Ling noticed the blush on her face as she started eating and smiled to himself. It was good to know that after everything that's happened, she's still the same old Ran Fan.
After taking a few bites, Ran Fan offered the peach back to Ling. "Do you want a bite, Your Highness?"
"Hm..." a playful smile crept up Ling's face, "I think I do." Without another word, he leaned forward and took a bite out of the peach while it was still in her hands. Ran fan nearly dropped the peach out of surprise, her face turning bright red.
"W-What are you doing!?"
"Shhh, if you make too much noise, someone's going to come inside, right?" Ling said playfully to his bodyguard, still in a state of disbelief.
She muttered an apology and took another bite out of the peach, staring at the floor. He couldn't help but smile again, she really was cute when she got flustered like this. Quietly, he moved behind her and loosely wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his head on her shoulder. Ran Fan flushed again, looking at her emperor now on her shoulder.
"Your Highness--!?"
"Don't worry, Ran Fan. No one's going to come in. Just finish your peach and relax for a bit."
She paused, studying his face. Had he been worrying about her? He really shouldn't have been, these duties she'd been doing her whole life. Yes, this past month had been hard, but she knew it was coming. Still, she felt touched by his display of kindness, allowing her to take a midnight snack.
Ran Fan let herself relax, leaning against him ever so slightly. "Thank you, Your Highness."
He smiled. "No need to thank me, Ran Fan."
I'm just glad to know you're alright.