Lady Earthquake

Lady Earthquake Chapter 44

"I came as soon as I could," the Fourth Prince said, leaning his cheek against An-Xia's temple. "The whole business could have been settled in five minutes if they had focused on the matter at hand instead of tracing down pointless precedents. Ahhh, you feel...why are you so damp?"

"It is raining. Are you all right?" she asked again, pushing him back to look him over anxiously.

"Perfectly all right. I am to serve without pay for six months, but that is of no consequence. They know I am not likely to starve. Two of them saw my point about 'strategic retreat' and my eloquence saved me from being demoted. At least, I think it was my eloquence."

"You will be returning to the troop? I wish I could go too."

"It will be some weeks before I am permitted to return. It is not as though we are going to be on the front lines."

"Good. The farther you are from glory, the happier I shall be."

He put his hands up to cup her face, his eyes concerned. "What about you? Why does my Earthquake have darkness under her eyes?"

"I...I share a room with Miss Lung. She snores."

Though she delighted in his laughter, she felt a little guilty at making the other woman the cause of it. He had been fond of her once, or so people gave her to believe. "Did you...were you once fond of Miss Lung?"

"Are you jealous?"

"Yes...."

He laughed again and gathered her to his heart. "You have no shame. This is good. Life with you will be easy if you never hide your true self."

"I have always hidden my true self," An-Xia answered.

"Perhaps I simply have the eyes to see within."

"You are so prideful, 'Senior Brother'." When she lifted her chin with her own pride, he tilted her head to the proper angle and kissed her. How could a mouth, she wondered, used for seventeen years for the mundane tasks of eating and talking become a sensitive instrument when played upon by a master? She showed him how well she remembered the first lessons he had taught her and discovered with amazed delight that she could make his body shiver the same way that hers did.

"Remind me to go to jail more often...."

"When can I come home?"

"Home...?" She saw him blink away the dazed expression in his eyes, though his gaze lingered on her mouth. Sun-Sin bit his lip as he put his hands on her shoulders and stepped back. She stood docile, willing to talk for a moment until he should kiss her again. "Yes, quite. Home. Not immediately, I think. No, it is safer for you here."

"Safer? I suppose it is, now that the Third Prince is leaving to take up his command."

"Yes. That reminds me. Why did you send Ganxie and the boy back to the manor? They were supposed to stay here to help you."

"I could not protect them. I felt that the Third Prince would...would hurt them in some way to find out about me. The questions that person asks unnerve me."

"Quickly, tell me everything. The Grand Consort said we could meet only for this little slice of time and we have already wasted...."

"Wasted?"

She took a step closer, reaching up to touch the side of his neck along the edge of his collar. Shaking his head, Sun-Sin caught her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. "Wrong choice of word. Adjutant Shu, report!"

"You cannot have it both ways, your highness. You cannot kiss me and call me by that name."

"You are right. Dizhen, please tell me what my odious half-brother said to you. Every detail may be important."