บท 15: Take a Deep Breath
Lóng Wei let go of her and went to the broad chair to sit on that. His elbow rested on the bolster, his right leg laid straight while his left knee was in the air.
"What is in that basket?" Lóng Wei looked toward the bamboo basket. Li Hua immediately walked to the table and picked it up.
"Fresh cherries, Your Highness," Li Hua answered.
"I want to eat," Lóng Wei said. Li Hua walked near him and got on her knees. She took out one cherry and using the small knife took out the seed from it, before forwarding it to Lóng Wei, who said, "Feed me," and opened his mouth.
Li Hua moved forward on her knees and fed the cherry to Lóng Wei. She continued to feed the Sixth Prince, but her mind was somewhere else.
It would be best if she had not agreed to the Crown Prince's request of shifting to his manor. The Queen's Manor was better. Now, with the Sixth Prince, she was stuck. He was more interested in creating problems for the people than including himself in the palace matters.
"Your focus shall be on me," Lóng Wei stated and she came out of her thoughts.
"His Highness's statements and words are worrisome. I will be punished severely if–" she could not complete her words as Lóng Wei put the cherry in her mouth.
"Who will punish you in my presence? Not even the King can do that," Lóng Wei replied. "Chew," he told her.
Li Hua chewed slowly. Lóng Wei's eyes darted at her lips which turned redder after the juice of cherry touched them. When she licked them, it made him want to kiss her. Deeply.
Li Hua brought the cherry near Lóng Wei's mouth, who leaned back. She moved more towards him and put the cherry in his mouth. Lóng Wei ate that while admiring her features internally.
"Who told you that I like cherries?" Lóng Wei asked out of the blue.
"The assistant chef, Your Highness," Li Hua answered.
"Xiwan!" Lóng Wei said immediately.
"Yes, Your Highness," Li Hua replied.
"Don't talk to him," Lóng Wei stated.
"What does His Highness mean?" Li Hua was confused to hear him.
"I meant what I said. Xiwan is the same age as you," Lóng Wei replied.
'So? If they are the same age then why can she not talk to him?' she thought.
Lóng Wei found her thinking hard. He did not want her to grab men's attention. Why was he not in the Palace when she entered? It was the Prime Minister's fault, who cried in front of the King to send him to the Cold Palace. Such insolent jerks!
"I don't want to eat anymore," Lóng Wei said. "You can eat the rest," he said, looking into the basket.
"Your Highness, I cannot eat the food that is meant to be for the Royal Family," Li Hua told him.
"In other manors that rule worked. My manor, my rules," Lóng Wei said and sat up. His feet landed on the ground and he looked for his shoes which he had thrown earlier recklessly.
Li Hua kept the bamboo basket on the round table and wiped her hand on the dress she had put on. She picked up the shoes and brought them to Lóng Wei.
Getting on her knees, she placed them before his feet. She almost touched his feet to help him wear the shoes when he stopped her.
"I can wear them," he said and bent down. Their faces came closer. Li Hua promptly moved back and lowered her head. "Come, I will show you something," he said and rose to his feet.
"You are not hungry, right? Because it needs a lot of strength," he stated.
"I am not hungry, Your Highness," Li Hua answered. Lóng Wei led the way to an open yard. He went to the small storehouse and brought out a bow and a quiver, full of arrows.
Li Hua was surprised to see that. So, was she supposed to stand with an apple on her head? The Sixth Prince would aim at her and her breath hitched, thinking if he failed to aim, she might die.
"Take it," he told her, forwarding the quiver at her. Li Hua grabbed it and wrapped her arms around it.
The last time she had picked it was when she went to the Shui residence. She used to watch him practicing in the morning for four hours. She had dreamt of an entire life with Feng Lao, but it could not come true.
Lóng Wei pulled the bow and put the arrow on it. He targeted the tree which was in the middle of the yard. She wondered why he did not ask for the wooden targets from the barracks. They were better than the stem of the tree. The arrow might get broken because of its thick stem.
Li Hua got stunned when the arrow pierced through the bark of the tree instead of breaking.
How?
She promptly looked at the Sixth Prince, who took another arrow from the quiver. He shot it and the arrow that was earlier stuck to the thick stem of the tree was pierced from the middle with the second arrow that he had shot a few seconds ago.
"Do you want to try?" Lóng Wei's question brought her out of her thoughts.
"How can I, Your Highness?" She refused politely.
"Until you won't try, you won't know," Lóng Wei answered and grabbed the quiver. He put it on the wooden floor of the patio and took out an arrow from it.
Grabbing Li Hua's arm, he made her stand in front of the tree, ten meters away. "Your Highness, I never did it. I am not suitable for this," Li Hua urged.
"You are more than capable," Lóng Wei stated. "You need to become strong like me."
Li Hua outstretched her arm upon his instruction and then put the arrow. Lóng Wei scratched the middle of his forehead and then stood behind her. His palm rested on her shoulders.
"Relax your shoulders. Straighten your back," he whispered in her ear. Li Hua acted on his instructions.
"Don't be afraid when you are aiming at your enemy. The first step is to end the fear inside you." Lóng Wei's hand rested on hers which was holding the arrow. Li Hua tilted her head to look at him and their eyes met.
"I am handsome, right?" Lóng Wei's lips twisted into a smirk.
Li Hua instantly averted her gaze from him. "Focus just above the arrows where I aimed at," he said.
"Take a deep breath and let it go." Lóng Wei pulled his hand away and stepped back. Li Hua let go of the arrow, but it fell on the floor a meter away from her.
"I am not made for it, Your Highness," she said and forwarded the bow towards him.
"You are made to do everything. Until your arrow reaches that tree, you are not allowed to sit, rest or take meals. I will see you later," Lóng Wei said with a smile and left the yard.
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