AT THE SAME TIME
EMPEROR LIANWEI POINT OF VIEW:
night pressed heavy around us. Mei Shen lay curled beneath the soft blankets, her breathing shallow and uneven. I stayed by her side, tracing gentle circles on her back, trying to soothe the storm churning inside her.
But the silence broke, quiet footsteps, hesitant but steady. Huan slipped into the room, eyes wide, clutching a small stuffed dragon he'd made in the palace workshop.
"Papa?" His voice barely a whisper, but it carried the weight of a thousand unspoken worries.
I looked down to see him settle beside Mei Shen, offering the dragon like a fragile peace offering.
She opened her eyes, tired but softer now.
"Thank you, little one." she murmured.
Huan grinned shyly, inching closer, wrapping a small hand around hers. For a moment, the room softened, the tension eased, the fear didn't feel so suffocating. Then Mei Shen's lip quivered, and tears slipped free.
