“Where are you running to now?” Wulin asked as he stalked behind his daughter.

She looked behind her at her father and laughed. “Are you going to catch me, old man?”

Wulin shook his head, amused. “Do you really think those little legs of yours can outrun me?”

Xing Guang stopped running. Turning to her father, she stomped her foot saying, “I’m going to tell daddy!”

Wulin’s body shivered. He rushed up to her and knelt before her, saying, “Please don’t tell on my your highness, your daddy is going to kill me.”

Xing Guang didn’t find his actions funny. Shaking her head, she said, “No can do sir, you will be punished.”

Wulin shook his head and sighed. “My life is so difficult. I think I should just leave.”

Xing Guang frowned. She hugged him, saying, “Okay, okay, I forgive you.”

Wulin smirked as he hugged her. “I’m glad. Let’s go inside and cook. Daddy will be home soon.”

In the forest behind the house, stood someone hiding behind a tree. His hands were on the trunk of a tree, digging into it.

He was dressed in all black and covering his face and hair too. Looking in his eyes, you could see the jealousy and anger broiling, but he had to wait. He wanted to find out what was actually happening in this household.

The sun settled down and with only the moon as light. The man crept up to the house, hiding in the yard, listening to the sounds coming from the house.

Inside…

“Buying clothes for her on this island is becoming a problem. I don’t know how many more times I’m going to have to go back to the kingdom,” Youxian complained.

Wulin was getting ready for work as Youxian watched him dress.

Wulin looked at him, saying, “Stop complaining, there’s nothing you can do. We knew this would happen, eventually.”

Youxian nodded his head. “I know, but still, it’s scary. I have to look over my shoulder at every turn.”

Wulin nodded his head. He walked up to his husband and kissed him. Youxian looked sadder today, so this shouldn’t be his only problem. “Tell me what’s bothering you.”

Youxian took in a deep breath and hugged Wulin. He let his tears fall, saying, “I went to the physician again.”

Wulin’s brows rose. Looking at Youxian, he asked, “Why are you doing this to yourself?”

Resting his head against Wulin’s chest, he said, “I want to carry your child. We’ve been together for almost six years now. Why haven’t I been able to fall pregnant?”

Wulin sighed. It’s not like he wasn’t sad. He loved Youxian just as much as he loved him and if they could have a child together, who knows how their life would be?

Being in hiding for so long made their bond stronger, especially because they relied on each other and no one else.

Kissing him on the lips, he said, “Maybe you’re only meant to carry one child.”

“Why? Why do things never go right for me? Wulin, can’t things go right for me just this once? I’ve never wanted something so much in my life,” Youxian begged.

Wulin had no answer for him. Hugging Youxian, he said, “Everything will be alright.”

*

Wulin walked one mile away from his house, then the man in black came out from the shadows from behind him. Holding a sword in his hand, he unsheathed it, saying, “Five years. Five fucking years.”

Wulin stopped in his tracks. Recognising the voice behind him, he was very calm. Chuckling, he said, “Yeah and?”

The man held the sword against the side of Wulin’s neck, saying, “What makes you think I won’t cut you down right now?”

Wulin turned to face him and said, “Do what you must, but this is the order you gave me, Your Highness.”

“My order?” Changling repeated, confused.

Wulin nodded his head. “It’s very convenient that you’ve forgotten, but let me remind you. On the night of your marriage to your princess, you told me that he’d be very sad after that night and I needed to do everything in my power to keep him safe from those in the palace and you. Haven’t I done that?”

Changling recalled that conversation but grew angry, “Marrying him? Fucking him? Youxian is mine! How dare you defile him?”

Wulin scoffed, “It’s not like I wanted to, but I had to do what I must. Blame me all you want and kill me too, but this is what you wanted.”

Changling clenched his jaw then swung the sheath, hitting Wulin over the head, knocking him out cold. Staring at the blood pooling at his feet, he said, “Get him to the boat and clean this up.”

“Yes! Your Highness,” the men in black said as they came out from the shadows and bowed.

Back at the house…

Changling walked through the house, making his way to Xing Guang’s room. He sat down on the bed beside her and stared down at her with the moonlight shining on her face.

She looked so much like him, but she looked like Youxian too. Lifting his hand, he brushed her hair and felt emotional. ‘How could Youxian do this to me? You’re my princess. My child, the one I wanted once I heard men could fall pregnant. It looks like your daddy knew about you for some time and plotted this against me.’

“Wulin?” Youxian called, sounding not too far from the room.

Changling’s eyes narrowed. He got up and made his way to the door. He could see light moving as he looked out past the door.

He stepped out of the room and saw Youxian rubbing his eyes as he yawned. He quickly made his way towards him, startling Youxian.

Youxian immediately thought someone had broken into their house and from the direction he came from, he said in an eerily calm tone, “It would be wise of you not to have laid a hand on my child.”

Changling grabbed him by the throat and shoved him up against the wall, saying as he took the cloth down covering his face, “Don’t you mean our child?”

Youxian’s eyes widened in horror. “Why is it you?”