Chapter 38: Blood
Tianshi Xue was awakened by the sound of screaming and the ugly sound as something heavy fell to the floor.
"Tsk," was the sound that her lips made as she nestled herself closer to her pillow.
But just then, the pillow moved—more like bolted upright and Tianshi Xue's head fell to the thin mattress. She was still too sleepy to pay attention with what was happening around her. Sleep was still trying to pull her back and she let it.
"Bolin, what the hell are you doing?"
"I am sorry, General," said an apologetic voice which belonged to Feng. "Bolin, Bolin," he whispered although he could be heard by everyone. "Get up already, the general is going to kill you."
With that, there was a groan. "I knew it," said Bolin like he was close to tears. "You killed her, Your Highness. Better you than the emperor. Please, slice my neck already."
"What are you talking about?"
"Blood," Bolin said pointing at the princess. "There's blood."
Prince Qui turned the princess and saw the splotch of red on the white of her dress. It was like his heart stopped beating. "Princess," he said, shaking her shoulder.
"What?" she groaned.
"You're bleeding. Are you alright?"
"What?" she asked again, shifting in her position. That was when she felt something sticky and wet in between her legs. In a second, she was already awake and upright. Was it possible that she got hurt while sleeping? Did she sleep that deeply?
She was also alarmed at the sight of blood that covered her thighs. Her hands shook as she pulled the skirt of her dress.
"Get out!" the prince barked at the two soldiers and when they saw what the princess was doing, they scrambled upwards and closed the door behind them. He turned to the princess. "Are you hurt anywhere?"
She could not even answer him. She lifted it up and the prince turned his face away as she checked her skin. Just then, she felt it, the rush of blood coming from her canal and she groaned. She dropped back down the bed.
"What is it?" Prince Qui asked. "Did I somehow hurt you last night?"
She shook her head, feeling weak. "I think I'm having my period."
The prince blinked at her. "But the blood."
"Maybe it started as soon as I fell asleep. It had been trickling out of me for hours already." She sat up again. "Can you please get me some clothes? I need to take another bath, would that be possible?"
Prince Qui nodded at her with wide eyes. He was taken aback by her saying 'please' that his mind went blank for a second. "Okay."
It was the first time that Prince Qui had seen a woman bleed because of her monthly visitor. He did not know that it would be that much blood.
He gathered everything that the princess would need and helped her up the bed. "Come out when you're ready."
**
Of all the days, Tianshi Xue thought in her mind. In her old body, she considered herself one of the lucky ones that never felt anything when going through menstruation. The day was just like any other normal day.
But the princess' body was one of the unlucky ones. Surely, later on she would feel cramps that would make her want to die instead. She was already feeling sickly and her body felt like it was boiling.
She changed out of her bloodied clothes and wrapped a shawl over her face.
The prince and her left for the river immediately.
**
While the prince and princess headed for the river, the rest of the soldiers and Doctor Jung were getting busy with the ointment. They dugged it out of the ground and was scooping the upper part of the coconut, transferring it to another container.
"How stupid," Aiguo commented under his breath when he had heard of what happened. Thanks to Bolin's scream, he was awakened with less than twenty minutes of sleep.
Bolin only kept his head down but Doctor Jung could not let this pass. He tapped the soldier's head with his palm. "How embarrassing. You call yourself a soldier when you faint at the sight of blood."
"It was not just any blood!" defended Bolin. "It was the Princess' blood. It was like I saw my life flashed before my eyes. I thought she was dead! If she was dead then that would mean that I am also already dead. That's why I fainted."
"Tsk, tsk," said Feng. "You should apologize. I think you alarmed her."
"Yes," he answered gloomily.
**
When Tianshi Xue felt the water on her knees, she knew all she wanted was to stay in it all day. Her body was finally cooling off. The prince stayed on the shore just looking around the place as she washed herself.
After a few minutes, the prince called her back. "That's enough. We should head back already."
Tianshi Xue was only soaking herself at this point but she still grumbled anyway. This time, he let her change her clothes behind a huge tree. She already made sure her ladypart was settled.
"Don't you hurt anywhere?" the prince asked while they were walking back.
Tianshi Xue answered, "A little, on my stomach. On that note, would it be possible that I get a cleaner bathroom?"
The prince sighed. He wanted to answer her that there would be no other bathrooms but he somehow felt sorry for her. He remembered those times when Jinghua was undergoing this. She was so snappy and so emotional.
So he answered, "I'll see what I can do."
When they got back to camp, Bolin immediately apologized to the princess and steered her to one of the seats on the ground. He looked so apologetic that she forgave him. Besides, the apology came with breakfast.
"Did you at least sleep well, Your Highness?" the soldier asked.
She nodded her head. "I got a few hours of sleep," downplaying it. She didn't want to let the prince know that she slept like a baby pillowing on his arm.
"Then I guess our problems with your sleeping is already solved?"
"No," she answered just at the same time the prince did.
What was he saying no for? He was the one who should be grateful that he got to sleep next to her.
In the prince's mind, what was she saying no for? She was the one who got the better end of the deal. I had to stay frozen for hours just so I would not wake her.
They glared at each other but they both knew where they would both end tonight.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone