《Sun on Serendib》 Death in His arms(Prologue) ¡°I¡¯m Dying, My Prince.¡± He laid in the man¡¯s arms, with a familiar sword that had been in his chest, laying on the ground beside them, the hilt glittering in the lantern light. ¡°No! You can¡¯t leave like this, you were supposed to win the battle and take me with you.¡± ¡°Some battles are worth losing, especially if it means I can keep you safe, precious.¡± He kissed his lover¡¯s hand and wiped the tears from the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°My prince, when I leave, you must stand up and take credit for my death. This is why you are meant to rule the dynasty. Show everyone who doubted you, that they were wrong and you did what was right for your people. I am not important, find a wife and have children for me, you know I always wanted them anyways.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I can¡¯t live without you, we were supposed to go back to your land and rule together.¡± He smiled at the distressed man in his eyes and reached into his inner robes. He took out a small, jade dragon on a string. It took a lot of effort to string the simple necklace around his lover¡¯s neck but he managed. ¡°See you in the next life, Soulmate.¡± ¡°NO!¡± His Soulmate clutched the pendant and held his hand, not letting go until he stopped breathing and everything went dark. He couldn¡¯t remember if he had heard the man¡¯s angry roar after or if that was an event that he formed a memory around from the stories. Whichever it was, Haoran didn¡¯t care because he knew Sekaran had slaughtered the rest of the army after his death and that he never married. That silly man. Temple at Sunset Haoran woke up in an unfamiliar bed, much different from the one he remembered spending many nights in with the Prince. He had a terrible headache and his chest throbbed with a dull but incessant pain. It seemed to be evening as the Golden Hour had set in and Blue Hour was approaching. That didn¡¯t matter because he had looked across the room and noticed a mirror. At first, he barely noticed himself in the reflection and decided to just ignore that. When he stood up, he realized that his robes were much different than anything he had ever worn before. He had on pastel sage green inner robes and a beautiful outer coat that was black with red and green dragon embroidery. It was delicately crafted and his hair was pulled back in a way that made it cascade down his back and around his shoulders in a comely manner. The look was exquisite. He took a step to look out the window and caught himself with the windowsill. His knees had buckled at the step and a sharp pain shot through his chest. It took a second for the dizziness that followed to dissipate but he was able to regain his sturdy position, looking out the window. What took Haoran by surprise was not the color of the sun but rather the scenery bathed in the reddish light. It was the old temple that he had wanted to see finished. The compound he was staying in seemed to be outside the worship area but close enough to see the gold bell swinging near the entrance. It was just an idea, not put into writing yet when he had last thought about it. How many years had he slept through? What time was it? Where was this place he had only known of in his dreams? A minute passed as he thought about his situation. It became too much to think about at the moment so he turned away from the window. The twinkle of a little bell rang from somewhere near his left hip. He looked down and noticed the black tassel hanging gracefully from his robes. It had a little gold sword, a silver bell with gold detailing, and a red dragon that looked like the one he had given the prince but carved out of a red Jade like material. What a detail? How could he have missed it? Haoran pulled the string up so he could take a better look at the ornaments of the tassel. They were intricately designed and he could tell what two of them meant but the little silver bell confused him. Well, he didn¡¯t exactly know what the other two symbolized but he had an idea or two. His head felt heavy as he stood in that unfamiliar room. The smell of sandalwood incense finally registered in his mind and he felt a pang of sadness at what he had lost. His prince had always loved sandalwood so naturally, he had come to enjoy the scent as well. He looked at his hand and saw the faded scar he had always seen when he looked at his arm. So he was in his body, but how? He was dead and it¡¯s not like he possessed someone so what was happening? After walking to the mirror, he saw himself and admired his looks. It had been a while since he had seen his own dark eyes, straight ebony hair, and the soft features of his face. But something was off and he could tell. Near his collar bones, in his neck, there was a black vein that caught his attention. That was new so he delicately slid his outer coat off and untied his inner robes, revealing his bare chest to the mirror. The gasp came out of Haoran involuntarily as he looked at the angry red and black wound near his heart. It was gross and hurt to look at. He quickly re-tied his robes and decided to leave the room. The door was closed so he went to open it. His hand went through the door. Of course, he was a ghost. This was just great. He shook his head and did the only thing he could do at that moment. He walked through the door and shuddered as his body moved into the solid wood. It was dark in the hallway he found himself in but he saw some light towards the end of it. He ran towards and through the cracked open door. There was a courtyard and a sign that read: Kaiyuan temple. Kaiyuan temple? When did they decide the name? ¡°Young master! Young master!¡± Haoran turned to his left, shocked that someone was calling to him. He pointed to himself with a ¡°Me?¡±. The young woman nodded, laughing as he slowly walked towards her. She was dressed in a simple pink and green hanfu with her hair in a low bun. He had heard of shamans and spiritually gifted people but he never really believed that they could actually see ghosts. Of course, he knew they existed but she could see him when he could barely see himself in the mirror. Although, she didn¡¯t look much like a shaman to him. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. When he reached her, she smiled and took his hand, examining it in the daylight that was left. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you, master,¡± she said in a calm voice, still fondling his hand. ¡°Do you know me?¡± Haoran asked in a very confused tone. She laughed at him again and started walking away, taking his hand along with her. He had no choice but to follow her. They walked away from the temple and he asked for her name. ¡°I¡¯m Mei Lan. And I already know who you are.¡± He looked at her, confused. ¡°Who am I then?¡± She giggled and said, ¡°Well you¡¯re Song Haoran, the prince born out of wedlock.¡± She smacked a hand over her mouth after saying the last word. Night had fallen and Haoran sat in his room, processing the information he had received earlier. The things he had known for sure were that he was Song Haoran, he had died to the prince¡¯s sword, and that he had been deemed a traitor after his death. It¡¯s not like he didn¡¯t know that he betrayed the empire but he wasn¡¯t a total sell-out. He shook his head and looked out the window. It was late but lanterns had been lit and it didn¡¯t look any later than midnight. He lit a candle in his own room and sat by the window, spacing out. Eight years had passed since he died and Mei Lan didn¡¯t have any news from beyond the empire. Some travelers from the south had come through the trading route but no one like the man he longed for. He turned his attention to the incense burner, laughing at his luck. Who would¡¯ve thought this would be the fate of a man who gave up everything for his person? HIs whole situation was a lot to think about and he felt very overwhelmed. It was time to go to sleep or just rest his head because his thoughts were muddled and the pain in his chest was getting more and more intolerable. Haoran walked to the bed from where he had been sitting by the window. The bedding was white and simple but looked warm. Unlike many of the items, he couldn¡¯t manipulate when he had come out of his room, everything in the room was his and solid. He lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, wishing for sleep to come. After closing his eyes, he tried to meditate instead, hoping to at least calm his wild thoughts. It was then that he realized that rain had started falling. The slow patter of the rain on the roof tiles and the cool breeze that entered the room from the window. Even though he was suffering, he felt relief wash over him like the rain that cleansed the outside world around him. Not long after the rain came, Haoran fell asleep, miserable but in peace. The next morning, the warm sun greeted the sleeping beauty. Its rays of warmth woke the pale man out of a nightmare. ¡°SEKARAN!¡± Haoran sat up, slowly, reaching for something on the table beside his bed. He couldn¡¯t find what he needed so he rested his back against the wall. His adrenaline was pumping and he felt like throwing up because of the headache he had gained overnight. He closed his eyes again, trying to think his way through the pain and figure out why he had woken up so suddenly. Nothing came to mind as he spaced out, only pain. He looked at the ceiling and asked himself what was wrong. In the end, he knew nothing more and gave up. After a few minutes, he got up to go outside. The rain had stopped a few hours before he woke up but it was still wet and muddy outside. Because he was at a temple, he was sure there would be offerings or other times he could manipulate and use. Though it was late in the morning, not many were out in the courtyard or surrounding areas. He walked on the stone path looking at the pretty ornaments on his tassel, not paying attention to where he was walking. When he looked up again, he found himself observing a lecture. The group looked to be in their early teens and it wasn''t that interesting so he just sat against a pillar of the pavilion, dozing off. That was until he heard a familiar voice. ¡°Thank you for participating in the lecture today, it¡¯s good to see youngsters still involving themselves in their history and beliefs.¡± Haoran whipped his head around, getting slightly dizzy from the motion. The man his eyes fell on was slim, calm, and looked a lot older than he remembered him looking. He had dark brown hair with emotional brown eyes that were still speckled with gold. His skin was a beautiful chocolate color that complimented his pretty lips and sharp features. Haoran was sure his eyes were deceiving him. There was no way he was here too. The one who was the hardest to let go of. His a person who he thought he would never see again. He thought he was dreaming so he called out to the beautiful man. ¡°Sekaran~¡± Lantern Light Even though it had been years since they first met, Haoran would never forget that fateful day. He had been in charge of a group of sailors going to the island of Serendib to establish an embassy-like fort near Anuradhapura, outside the capital. The Emperor had personally requested for him to lead the mission because he was a lower-level adviser but also his most virtuous illegitimate son. No one at the time knew of his history and just knew him as a young adviser that was close to the emperor with such insignificant status. He had made a name for himself after stabilizing the community of a village region within the dynasty. Also by using his cultivated powers to defeat beasts and monsters, the people grew fond of him. It was quite a long journey there but when Haoran saw the first glimpse of the shore, he never wanted to leave. The hike from the shore to the city wasn¡¯t too long so they weren¡¯t too exhausted. The group was greeted by a welcoming committee, led by a Chola prince no one had heard of. He looked at the interpreter before looking back to speak. ¡°I am Prince Rajasekaran, of Anuradhapura. It is nice to meet you.¡± Haoran looked at the prince, in awe. Was he speaking their language? He shook his head before responding. ¡°I am Song Haoran, of the Song dynasty. I am here with my men to establish an embassy and the trading loop.¡± The prince nodded before whispering something to an aide. He then left the group and walked towards the palace. A tall, built man led the way while Haoran and his men followed. It was a beautiful palace, so colorful and lively. There were servants everywhere, running to their next task. Haoran looked up and noticed a balcony with a group of people. A beautiful woman was standing at the edge looking down on the courtyard in front of her. She wore an elegant, gold skirt, a Prussian blue blouse, with a colorful, pleated and draped, silk that hung over her left shoulder, creating the allusion of a pretty peacock. The outfit she was wearing made her look like a goddess. She noticed him and smiled as he bowed his head and smiled back. This must be the princess. The group was led through the courtyard to an inner wing. The men were told to exit out a side gate to stay with the other soldiers, while Haoran was to stay in the left wing. It was a little dark but the lanterns in the hall were bright enough. He walked down the hall and found the room he was to stay in. The door creaked slightly but the door was not old. The scent of jasmine filled the air, a small but noticeable touch in the room. He walked in and looked around at the beautiful design. A bed was in the center of the room and it faced north. The room had a vibe that was calming and clean, it wasn¡¯t cozy but it wasn¡¯t uncomfortable. He walked to the bed and laid down, noting the soft squish of the material below him. It was a nice room he could get used to but unfortunately, he would have to get up soon and talk with whoever was in charge. ... This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. By the time business was settled, the sun had set hours before and it was very dark out. The court had discussed the events and plans for the embassy and came to an agreement on what was to happen with it. Haoran walked to his room and was about to walk in when a voice from behind caught him off guard. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a man like you be so gentle with his words,¡± it was the Princess. She walked into view and leaned against the wall, looking effortlessly beautiful. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a woman so beautiful.¡± She blushed but shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m Haoran.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she said with a smirk. He cocked his left eyebrow slightly and sighed. ¡°So, you can speak my language too?¡± He had had to use an interpreter when speaking to the crown prince and generals at the court. She giggled before turning around and walking down the hall in the opposite direction. ¡°I learned with my little brother when we were young.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± He called after her. She looked back at him, the flicker of the lanterns danced in her eyes. ¡°The Princess wing, because I¡¯m Princess Yazhini¡± she replied. It was less than ten seconds when she had walked out of his sight. Haoran sighed again and watched the fire in a lantern dance across the wall near where she had disappeared. He turned to open his own door when he stepped back, almost out of instinct. But he hadn¡¯t stepped into empty space, he had stepped back into someone, that someone being the prince. His head hit the prince¡¯s shoulder and he let out a yelp. They both jumped and Haoran quickly apologized, hoping he hadn¡¯t just seriously offended the prince. Of course, this was how they met for the first time, in a non-professional setting. The prince just smiled and rubbed the back of his neck, straightening his posture to a more relaxed stance. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t see you there. And it¡¯s okay, we both hit each other.¡± The prince had a calm and accepting aura that Haoran didn¡¯t remember feeling when the prince had welcomed them and spoke in the court. He smiled awkwardly here and seemed to be much easier going than he let on. Haoran apologized again and the Prince walked down the hall, stopping at the next door over from Haoran¡¯s. ¡°Goodnight,¡± Haoran barely managed to breathe out before he quickly walked into his room, shutting the door softly, and leaning against it. Wow, could I have messed up worse? He thought. But he hadn¡¯t messed up in the least. This encounter would be one of many bizarre occurrences that the two of them would experience. It only took a minute of dreadful thoughts for him to decide to go to bed. He walked over to the mirror in the left corner, near the bed. There wasn¡¯t much light but he could see himself and he appreciated his own looks. Because he had to be presentable, he had worn a beautiful blue, green, and gray outer robe with simple white inner robes. It was floral but in a masculine way and he loved how the colors went with each other. The front part of his hair was tied up in a neat bun with a decorative hairpiece over it, while the rest hung down like silk against his back. And his face was nothing less than a masterpiece. From his dark and beautiful almond-shaped eyes to the sharp point of his nose, and even his pretty, pink lips, he definitely wasn¡¯t an average-looking person. If he was honest, even he enjoyed his looks when he caught a glimpse of himself in passing. But it wasn¡¯t that he was self-absorbed, he just appreciated the way he looked and was content in what he saw. Haoran slid the outer coat off and undid his hair, the black strands falling gracefully as he did so. He walked over to the bed and watched the candlelight dance for him on the table. It was only a few minutes that he stayed watching the fire but he soon had enough and waved the candle out. The wispy fumes of smoke moved through the air like evil spirits, spindling out and rising. He laid back, looking at the ceiling, and thought about what tomorrow would be like. It would most likely be more meetings and even scouting for an area for the embassy. But he wasn¡¯t too sure, anything could happen because of a mistranslation or miscommunication. This was a worry fit for tomorrow so he sat up and started to meditate. He would need strength and power for the next few days and didn¡¯t know when he would get another chance. With his back straight and his mind clear, he focused on a chant that he would recite under his breath for the rest of the night. By the time the sun rose and the birds started to sing, he felt refreshed and confident, nothing would deter him from getting what he needed and establishing the embassy. Or so he thought¡­ Handle the Heat If not for the scorching sun and their bodies adjusting to their new surroundings, Haoran and his crew would have been much more productive during the day. They had gone out for four hours and came back in terrible condition. Half of his crew got heat exhaustion and it took so much energy to keep his cool as he tried to stay strong. Luckily, the royal family was kind and their soldiers helped assist Haoran¡¯s crew. Meanwhile, the Princess had come to his rescue, bringing water and a cool towel to his room during the day. Though it didn¡¯t seem proper for a lady to come to his room, let alone the princess, he couldn¡¯t do much given his poor state. She didn¡¯t say anything, only coming in to brush hair out of his face and place the cool towel on his forehead. He wanted to thank her but didn¡¯t want to break the silence so he stayed quiet. Promptly after assessing his condition, she left, only to come back with something he couldn¡¯t see in her hand, though she was blushing quite a bit. With a movement to walk back to him, she was stopped, as if someone had caught her hand and pulled her back. There was a quiet exchange between her and the unidentified party who had stopped her before she sighed and handed him the items in her hand. ¡°Thanks, Thambi,¡± she muttered as she left the doorway. Of course, Haoran had no idea who Thambi was or how he would walk into the room, so he watched the doorway curiously. It wasn¡¯t until he saw the man¡¯s long, styled hair, beautifully dark eyes, and chocolate complexion when he realized who had walked in. He wanted to cry and die. The Prince however looked just happy to be there. He smiled a friendly smile at Haoran before walking over. ¡°I¡¯m afraid there are a few things that would cross a certain line if my sister was to continue to help you. So, I am here as a substitute to assist you.¡± The scent of Sandalwood filled Haoran¡¯s senses before he went to get up and properly address the prince. But he was stopped by the prince setting a hand on his shoulder. So he just nodded awkwardly and didn¡¯t fight because he had no energy. He did think it was a little weird that both a princess and a prince were taking care of him instead of a servant or a nurse. Though it wasn¡¯t a significant detail and he proceeded to ignore those thoughts. His majesty had glanced over at the bowl of water and gently lifted the towel from Haoran¡¯s forehead, replacing it with the back of his hand. The light touch was soft and cool like jade on Haoran¡¯s hot skin. He put the towel in the water and peacefully wrung it in his free hand while he looked at Haoran¡¯s face and touched his cheek, comparing the difference in temperature of the two areas. Again, Haoran¡¯s burning skin met the refreshing, almost winter-like touch of the prince¡¯s hand. He shuddered as the prince placed the towel on his forehead with grace. He had done the exact same thing his sister had done, brushed hair out of Haoran¡¯s face, but it felt different when he did it. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The towel was nice and cold compared to the hot air within the room. The prince got up and opened a window, just enough to let in a nice cool breeze. He then walked back to the man he was tending to, his steps soundless and calm. Now, the bottles that had been in his hands when he walked in were open and Haoran got a whiff of the herbal scent of the medicine. He grimaced slightly but pushed the feeling down, convincing himself it would be fine. The prince paused and looked like he was trying to figure out how to phrase his next sentence. After making up his mind, he spoke. ¡°This is a cooling medicine that will help your body cool down and I¡¯m afraid there is only one place that it works the fastest on.¡± The elegant prince felt his cheeks redden slightly as he tried to convey to Haoran that he needed to open his robes to put the medicine on his body. Haoran, on the other hand, was thinking something totally different and the tips of his ears turned pink when he realized where his mind had gone. He internally facepalmed and turned back to the prince, waiting for instruction. Of course, his majesty knew that this would be awkward for the newly acquainted duo but he didn¡¯t want Haoran to suffer for the rest of the day. So, he sighed before speaking again. ¡°I need to, um, put this medicine on your chest. It won¡¯t really do anything to cool you down but your skin will feel cool,¡± He was silent for a second. ¡°May I?¡± he finally asked, with a straight face. Haoran nodded again, too embarrassed to speak to or look at the prince. He watched as the prince came closer and he looked down, not wanting to make unnecessary eye contact. The material of the loose robes Haoran was wearing was thin but not thin enough. The prince couldn¡¯t imagine being in this weather with clothing like that. So, he quickly reached down and opened the white robes, exposing Haoran¡¯s chest to the air. He was stunned for a moment but gained his composure. While Haoran looked soft and powerful, the prince had not expected to see the toned muscles under his loose clothing. He shook his head and poured the oil on his hand, moving towards Haoran¡¯s body. The sensation was cold, in a numbing way that Haoran wasn¡¯t expecting. He sharply took a deep breath in and the prince looked up from where he had rubbed the oil first. They made eye contact and the prince blushed noticeably but Haoran couldn''t focus on his face. ¡°Wow¡­¡± he whispered,, his voice quiet and breathy making the prince¡¯s eyes widen. He shook his wrist and rubbed the medicine on Haoran¡¯s chest in other areas. With each new touch, Haoran¡¯s body burned with a feeling he had never felt before but he brushed it off as a side effect of the medicine. He tried not to breathe as harshly as he first had but the stinging cold of the oil was strong. By the time the prince finished, both of them were red in the face and trying not to look at the other. ¡°It¡¯s done, I¡¯m going to go,¡± the prince said as he got up and walked to the door. ¡°Hey, uh, thank you, your highness. And sorry for troubling you.¡± Haoran looked down when the prince turned around. ¡°No worries, feel free to ask me for anything.¡± There was a certain unreadable look in the prince¡¯s eyes that Haoran couldn¡¯t explain. And before he could thank him again, the prince left, shutting the door swiftly. Glittering Gold Haoran was back on his feet in a day and the rest of his men were more or less ready to work in the heat. They set out to the plot they had selected and a minister from the court came to supervise and authorize the area. The ordeal was simple and they started planning out the base and embassy that day, though it would take quite a while to collect material to construct the buildings. The land was near a hill and a little shack stood near it. The shack was very unstable and small inside, only five men could stand in it comfortably. They planned to build into the hill and build the fort around it but that was going to take a long time. The day was long but the trek back felt longer. And when the group got back to the palace, a court session was held, meaning Haoran had to speak in front of an even bigger crowd. There were more officials, a few servants, and more people overall. They walked in and stood near the right corner of the main room. Then a built man, with toned biceps, wide shoulders, who brought a sense of power and strength stood up from a throne that Haoran had not noticed when he walked in. ¡°My people, as we all know, my father has passed on and my brother has become king in the past years. Though his death brought great sadness, I am happy to say there is happier news. I have come today to welcome our new acquaintances, from a faraway land. This is,¡± He stopped for a second and listened to an adviser at his side before continuing, ¡°Song Haoran from the Song Dynasty.¡± The room, which had been quiet before, resonated with many voices whispering things the group couldn¡¯t catch. It was only when his translator found him, translated what the man had said, and gave him some context, that Haoran realized he was acknowledged by the crown prince, Rajendra Chola II. He noticed the ocean of light brown eyes watching his every movement and took a deep breath before speaking. ¡°Hello,¡± he said very poorly in Tamil before continuing in Chinese, ¡°I have come from the east, sent by my emperor to establish an allyship with the Chola Dynasty, and bring you all closer to the trading route that travels throughout land and sea.¡± The tips of his ears got red and he looked at the translator. That poor man had to process what he said and echoed Haoran¡¯s message in Tamil so the court could understand. Rajendra Chola II grinned a little before saying something to the people around him that Haoran could not understand. When he looked to the translator, the man looked nervous and said something to the people around before telling Haoran what was said. People filed out of the room and the chatter of the room left with them. Apparently, they were invited to a feast that was ¡°planned¡± by the crown prince. Although, the servants who heard the message in its original language had sprinted out, probably heading to start prepping, had shocked faces as they left. The crown prince walked forward, and though he was shorter than Haoran, carried an older brother type of energy as he put an arm around him. The latter jumped internally and walked with the crown prince as he was led through the palace. The poor translator struggled to keep up and it wasn¡¯t until someone caught the crown prince¡¯s arm and joined the conversation that the group stopped walking. ¡°Annan!¡± The crown prince smiled as he looked at the young man who had caught up to them and was standing by his side. ¡°What is it Thambi? Did I miss something?¡± The man was taller than the crown prince and taller than Haoran. He hadn¡¯t looked up at the man¡¯s face but he could already tell who he was. ¡°Oh, Haoran, hello~¡± Haoran looked up and his eyes were blessed by the soft features of the Prince¡¯s face. His smile was warm, the pretty contour of his face enhanced his looks, while his eyes captivated Haoran¡¯s. The crown prince just poked his little brother and said: ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll never forget how the days were before you towered over the general population.¡± The prince laughed a little before responding. ¡°Have some shame, Annan. We have a guest and aren¡¯t you a little too old to be poking your Thambi?¡± The crown prince just rolled his eyes and gave a little nod at Haoran. He whispered in his brother¡¯s ear: ¡°Thambi, I will never stop poking you. It¡¯s too fun to stop.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not five anymore, Annan.¡± They laughed together as Haoran just watched them have a good time and walked with them. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. The two princes wore contrasting outfits, the crown prince in red pants, a bare chest with a gold drape around a shoulder that hung on his wrist, and plenty of glittering, gold jewelry that decorated his figure. While the prince wore blue pants, a light top that covered his body with a few sparkling gems here and there, and minimal jewelry. Both were very handsome and looked amazing together. They walked down the hallway until they came to a beautiful porch-type room where they could lounge. ¡°Haoran, you could stay here with us and chat until the feast is ready, although, I¡¯d have to be your translator for the time being. Or, you could go to your room and wait for a servant to go get you.¡± The prince was very kind with his words. Haoran thought it over and decided he would go to his room. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to trouble you, your highness. I shall go back.¡± He bowed and turned to walk away before the prince could say anything. ¡°That¡¯s the guy they sent? Didn¡¯t he get heat exhaustion after being here for like two days?¡± The crown prince laughed while the prince looked around cautiously. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not very kind, and it¡¯s not like he is used to the kind of heat we have here. Why don¡¯t you give him a chance to win you over before you shoot him down.¡± The crown prince rolled his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not like the Song Dynasty really cares about being allies, they just want power. And I still can¡¯t believe you went to his room to take care of- Hey!¡± The prince pinched the crown prince and they stopped talking. ¡­ Haoran shut the door of his bedroom and leaned against it for minute. He took a few deep breaths, in and out, before moving to the mirror. It was hot in the room, so he took off his outer robes and his inner robes, leaving him standing in the warm room, chest exposed to the air. Why is it always so hot in here? He thought, fanning himself. With a few quick steps, he reached the window and opened it to see something magical. The window faced a beautiful forest that glowed with the setting sun. It was serene and he stood there for a while, cooling off and enjoying the pretty nature. But something caught his eye. It moved so fast he barely noticed it and he had to squint his eyes to find it again. A trail of gold and cool green formed a tail of the creature that disappeared as soon as it had appeared. Haoran tried to look for it again but saw nothing moving in the calm forest. So, he turned back, laid on the bed, and closed his eyes for a little. The journey was long and hard today. We did good work. He thought to himself, humming some tune that had come to him in a dream. The sound of little bells jingled softly at first until all he could hear was the bells. What is this? Friendly Brothers In Others eyes An hour or two passed before someone came to get Song Haoran. He had dozed off but slept light so he heard the knock on the door. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Sir, the feast is about to begin.¡± ¡°Alright, thank you for letting me know.¡± He sat up and rubbed his face before slipping on his inner robes and closing the window. Then with gentle care, he put his outer robes on and smoothed the front panels. After a quick look in the mirror, he walked out of his room, returning to the terrace where he had last seen the two princes. Though some time passed, he hoped they would still be there, talking to each other. Sure enough, there sat the crown prince Rajendra Chola II and prince Rajasekaran Chola. Haoran walked lightly as he approached where they were sitting but the prince noticed him right away. ¡°Song Haoran! There you are, we were waiting to walk to the hall with you.¡± He smiled while the crown prince gave him an unreadable look. ¡°Annan, let¡¯s go, I¡¯m hungry.¡± They both stood up and walked through the palace to where the feast would be held. When they arrived in the hall, the crown prince called an attendant over and whispered something in his ear. The attendant¡¯s eyes widened slightly before he ran off, probably going to the kitchen to fetch something. They were seated and many others walked in minutes later. The setup was simple, everyone sat on the floor as beautiful maids walked in, serving delicious foods that looked nothing like anything Haoran had ever seen. By the time all the food was served, everyone was excited to eat. Haoran looked around himself to get social ques when he realized there were no utensils. The people around him, the princes, and others ate with their right hands and mixed the foods as they pleased. He looked at the food in front of him then watched how the prince ate. Of course, he was beautifully graceful but it was the shape of his hand and how he kept his fingers together for the most part that transformed his hand into a utensil. Haoran turned back to his food and tried to shape his hand like the prince¡¯s, flipping his hand to pick up food. With one deep breath, he picked up some rice and one of the chicken curries to taste. There was a flavor explosion in his mouth of different flavors he had never experienced before but liked immediately. He sighed happily with the first bite before enjoying the food. At some point during the meal, someone had brought him a drink that smelled fermented and herbal. No one else had been given another beverage so he assumed it was special because he was a guest. But something was off, any time he moved towards the cup, the prince watched him with a nervous look as if he was hoping Haoran wouldn¡¯t drink it. That¡¯s weird. He went to take a sip but when he picked up the drink, the prince got up and walked to him. He came behind him and lowered the metal cup, placing his hand over it when it hit a flat surface. He looked at his brother with such a distasteful expression before taking a deep breath. ¡°You said you would wait! Brother, the Crown Prince, what happened to give them a chance?!¡± said the prince in an angry voice that was loud and clear. The crown prince just sat back and just smirked. Haoran just sat there confused and slightly worried because the prince had spoken in Tamil to keep him out of the loop. ¡°Little brother, what¡¯s wrong? I just wanted to give our guest a special drink as a good host.¡± ¡°Annan, I know this is the way you got rid of Aadheeran AnNa.¡± A look of surprise flashed across the crown prince¡¯s eyes before he chuckled and sent a servant to get the goblet of mysterious liquid. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. The prince looked back at Haoran and they made eye contact. He looked away before saying ¡°Poison¡± quiet enough so that Haoran was the only one who heard him. His eyes widen slightly as he looked at the prince and then down at his plate. Because the mood was wrecked by the prince¡¯s outburst, the crown prince called it off and everyone was let but the prince. The doors closed and the prince walked forward, towards where the crown prince was, glaring at him the entire way. His brother just laughed before standing up and walking towards him. ¡°What did you think you were doing just now? This was my chance to get rid of him.¡± ¡°I was trying to s-¡± The prince was cut off by a slap to his cheek. He kneeled on the floor and looked down.¡°That was your first mistake Thambi. I have a plan and I won¡¯t let anyone stand in the way of it. I¡¯m fine with however you want to dress or act or who you want to be around but Thambi, stay out of this. If it really came to it, I would not hesitate to eliminate you to get my way here.¡± He bent down and rubbed his little brother¡¯s cheek, where he had slapped him a minute earlier. ¡°You know how much I care about you, right Sekaran?¡± ¡­ ¡°Thambi?¡± Even though there was a knock on his door, Sekaran still shivered before looking at the door. ¡°Acca?¡± She walked in with a soft smile that left her face almost immediately. She swiftly made her way over and put her cool hand against his left cheek, her eyes worried. He sighed into her touch before moving her hand away and turning away from her. His sister was very attuned to her emotions and others so she just sat where she was and breathed in the silence around them for a minute. Then she moved closer and rubbed his back, making little circles all over. His eyes teared a little but she couldn¡¯t see them. He took a deep breath and they stayed like this for a while. It had been about six years since either of them had seen their mother and that was very hard for Sekaran. He grew up as your standard mama¡¯s boy, always around her. She lived in the main capital where the king had lived when he was still around. He died in battle and so his other older brother became king and lived with their mother in that palace. Before their father had died, he had sent Sekaran and Yazhini to live on Serendib because there were a few problems and they had an unused palace. It was hard for those two and their mother to part but the decision was made for them and within a month, they arrived at the palace, meant to live like adults as youths who were not ready yet. This was why Yazhini had taken on a more nurturing role rather than a friendly one. Though she wasn¡¯t ready to leave, she was his older sister. So she pushed her own feelings down to raise him as a strong man for the future of their family and kingdom. Running In The Night It took a really long time for Sekaran to convince Yazhini to go to the princess wing. She was adamant about staying the night to make sure he slept but he had some things he needed to do. He also felt that they were too old to do that and it would be frowned upon. His sister left reluctantly but not before she made him promise to check in with her if things like this happened again. He shook his head, before reaching over to his bedside. There was a little bottle that he shook the contents out of into his hand. Three little balls of herbs were rattled into his hand. He took two of them and was about to take the third when he heard a loud thud and quick footsteps. Something told him that the guest next door was in danger. He rushed out of his room and snuck into the hallway. There were muddy footprints on the floor and they went past his room in the opposite direction. Sekaran took a deep breath before inching towards the door. He was a meter away when he heard those rushed footsteps again. So he ran for the door, bumped into something when he entered, and ended up pinning someone to the door, a hand over their mouth when he realized what he had done. The footsteps went past the door and he heard a voice mutter: ¡°No! Not that door, it¡¯s the younger prince¡¯s room¡­ Imbecile!¡± Sekaran relaxed a little and shifted his view down to where he noticed Song Haoran staring at him. His complexion flushed pink and he immediately put his hand down before looking at the man he had against the door. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± ¡­ Haoran had simply been waiting. For what? He didn¡¯t know. But he still paced back and forth in his room for a solid ten minutes, trying to remember why he was waiting. It was late and he knew that he should get some rest. And it¡¯s not like he didn¡¯t try laying down. His heart just kept beating fast and he couldn¡¯t wait any longer. In the hall, he had heard running and footsteps so he leaned an ear to the door. He heard voices speaking in a language he didn¡¯t understand, probably Tamil, and noticed that they were speaking in a rushed and quiet manner. The voices seemed to move away from the end of the wing he was in, to somewhere else. He didn¡¯t realize how tense his body had become until leaned against the door, relaxing and trying to prevent getting cramps later. Finally, it was quiet and he was about to return to his bed when a rushing wind seemed to blow past his door. He found this strange and moved to crack the door open slightly so he could see out in the hall. But it wasn¡¯t until the tall man walked in, or more so slid into the room, and closed the door behind him, that Haoran realized he was stuck, pinned against a door, with a hand over his mouth, and his hands on the other person¡¯s chest. Wow¡­ nice pecs. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. His ears felt hot as he looked up at the man who had not quite broken in but had definitely entered. Of course, the owner of the nice pecs had a nice face that came along as a sort of packaged deal. Haoran wanted to cry and die at that moment but he pushed those feelings down as soon as the hand moved from his mouth. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± The prince looked at him and they both felt embarrassed. It was then that he realized that Haoran was still pinned to the door. He backed away and his face went redder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± He scratched the back of his neck and tried to think of a way to explain himself. Haoran just kept looking at him, waiting for a reason or something because he hadn¡¯t expected to experience something so bewildering/Flustering. Sekaran couldn¡¯t think of anything so he just apologized again and looked down. ¡°I was-¡± ¡°I just-¡± They looked at each other, making eye contact. It was then that a feeling bloomed in their chests. Haoran felt the shock wash away as Sekaran¡¯s embarrassment dwindled. ¡°Did you hear the footsteps? I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going crazy anymore.¡± Haoran broke the silence first but neither broke the eye contact. ¡°You aren¡¯t crazy, they were coming for you.¡± ¡­ In the morning, Sekaran was informed, by his trusted servant Iniyan(Anna), that some looters had snuck into the palace grounds and had tried to find Haoran¡¯s room. Of course, Sekaran had had a sneaking suspicion when he heard the footsteps in the hall. After he had made it to Haoran¡¯s room, he somehow managed to convince him to come to his room for the night. And while he tried his best to make the situation not awkward, they still ended up with flushed cheeks. Neither got enough sleep that night but they both pretended they did. Sekaran woke up before sunrise, leaving Haoran alone so they could spare each other some embarrassment. He had gone for a stroll in the courtyard. No attendants were around except for Iniyan. They sat on a bench near the forest around the palace to watch the sunrise. Sekaran took a deep breath to calm down. Haoran would wake up soon and he¡¯d probably want an explanation. It was stressful and now he had one more thing to look out for regarding Haoran. The sun rose and so did everyone else in the palace. Business was carried on as usual as if no disturbances had occurred the night before. Sekaran was suspicious and knew that he must keep Haoran close. So he headed to his room but paused outside of Haoran¡¯s. He knocked gently on the door, not wanting to intrude. But he was met with the beautiful sight that was Song Haoran, his new responsibility.