LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN TIGRESS

But that morning, she received a letter from the Emperor that she is named as the Commander for this expedition and he had arranged an escort for her since she as a female won"t be accepted on s.h.i.+ps as those seafarers are extremely superst.i.tious. For some reason, they believed that having a woman on board will bring terrible luck in any journey especially something important as this.

Xing knew of those superst.i.tions as Haru had told her about it and she had plans to use the new s.h.i.+p he bought recently for herself.

Why the Emperor thought she"d be sharing a s.h.i.+p with those seamen, she couldn"t comprehend. Since when did he thought she"d share s.p.a.ce with a bunch of smelly men who would hate her presence? And why would she need an escort? Since she"ll be leaving through the mountains, she was not even taking Xiao Mei with her and she won"t be able to take anyone else with her unless it is...

As she was in her thoughts guessing who that escort must be, a familiar face with ethereal features and silver hair, came to her view.

"Miss Táng, I"ll be your escort in this tedious journey as a.s.signed by the Emperor" he smiled as the first sunlight after a heavy rain and brought warmth to her heart with a slight bow. Somehow he didn"t have the awkwardness he had last night when he refused to look her in the eyes and looked playful.

"I heard that expedition might take months... Can you really spare your time?", Xing asked with her Amber eyes twinkling taking in the warmth from the handsome face in front of her. She couldn"t hide her excitement.

"I"ll survive", he said walking towards her with a smile Xing had never seen before. It had a childish playfulness with a mature care with it. Xing noticed that these days, he has a different demeanour and also behaviour from before. She couldn"t understand him greatly like before. She felt like she is meeting and getting to know a new person and it made her scared at times. She even felt scared to look him in the eyes fearing that she might see the coldness she saw that day back in his eyes.

Chenglei on the other hand was simply happy that he had convinced his brother to let him join this woman in this journey. He didn"t care if this expedition might take months. The thought that he"d be alone with her in the middle of nowhere where everywhere is surrounded with water, made him happy in his heart. He had noticed that this woman like to live extravagantly. So he even bought a s.h.i.+p from a merchant who was nagging him to buy for a long time, for them to travel. It was a big and resplendent s.h.i.+p; one that would fit the queen she is!

Xing brought Chenglei who had his luggage tied to a horse along with her to the mountain in her backyard. She had sent information to the Ming Manor in Falin already to prepare her luggage for her. So she had nothing to carry. She left Xiao Mei in her Manor to guard it since she cannot follow her through the mountains and she also sc.r.a.ped the idea of bringing a maid with her to the journey since Chenglei is with her.

Chenglei watched her walking in front of him with her hair in a simple hairdo and the Wind blew on her carrying her scent to him.

This woman!

He thought. Last night she washed him from head to toe and he could still feel the warm sensation of her fingers on him. She really has magical fingers and her hands were adorable as they ma.s.saged his scalp. He could not calm down the entire night and sleep also skipped him as he remembered that weird sensation. He wanted more of it.

How do I make you mine? Walking hand in hand with you for the rest of our lives... Wouldn"t that be wonderful?

This day he had to pester his brother to send him with her. " What would I do if both of you are in the sea?", Junjie grumbled.

What a crybaby! It"s not like he lack other advisors and friends for him to rely on other than them. His brother said something weird like the usual week long journey would only take a few hours if it is with her and the s.h.i.+ps can be set to sail on the already set time. He wanted to know how that could even be possible.

Xing who was walking in the front could sense the burning gaze of her man in the back of her head and she felt weird. They used to walk hand in hand in these mountains countless times and now...

My Prince! Will we ever walk hand in hand again?

As they reached the mountains, Xing turned and asked Chenglei to hold on to her sleeves so he might not get lost and he looked back at her unmoving.

Xing took a couple of steps towards him who was holding the leash of the horse in his left hand and he was staring at her making Xing wonder if she had something in her face or something and she checked herself.

"What?", she asked him as his fixed gaze filled with a lot of complex emotions were on her making her ticklish. What is he thinking?
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"Am I a child?", he asked with a bit of annoyance in His tone. Why did she think I"d be willing to hold her sleeves when I want to hold her hands?

"Is he angry I asked him to hold on to my sleeves? Is that demeaning? I even asked the Emperor to do it and he obliged happily. Why is he being difficult?", Xing was thinking.

"Lord Li, I could open portals for us to pa.s.s through on these mountains and if we aren"t holding each other, you and I might end up in different places... ", she tried to explain but all he did was stare at her.

All Chenglei could see was her little pink lips opening and closing for sometime making some sound and he didn"t bother to listen. He was searching for that little birthmark above her lips not knowing she covers it with makeup most times.

Where did it go?

"Not holding the sleeves", he was determined and stretched his right hand at her. Xing was surprised to see his hand stretched towards her and happy too. He wants to hold hands?

It"s been a while she had held his hand and the moment her hand got in contact with his, she felt her heart thump loudly and a surge of warmth spread from her palms in contact with his hand throughout her body.

Wow, it is happening again!

Xing remembered this thumping feeling she used to get before and she couldn"t understand it before but she very well knew what it is now.

I"m in love with him! Oh, Xing! You are not some little girl and this is not the first time you are holding hands but why is that you cannot control your emotions now?

She could feel his heartbeat raising too but his face showed no emotions as he walked silently beside her watching her ears that were red. He didn"t notice theri surroundings blurring or the whispers of other beings saying that they were the lovers who are in a trial but not to touch them since they are protected by two of the great four G.o.ds.

"This is nice", he thought, "Her hands are small and soft even though it has calluses using a sword. I wish to hold it a while longer... Possibly till my last breath!"

Xing stretched the half hour journey for hours and she wanted to hold his hands for a little while more and he didn"t complain that it is taking long either as they walked silently holding their hands, shoulders grazing each other like how they used to in the past.

As they were having a break under a tree eating some snacks and drinking water, Xing felt something a bit thick and sticky dripping on her cheek from above. She looked above to see a honeycomb, a really big one and it was directly above her head.

She was about to touch the honey that was on her cheek to have a taste when she felt the usual warm hand grabbing her wrist. She looked at Chenglei who had a loud heartbeat bending towards her face making Xing wonder if he"s going to kiss her and she closed her eyes instinctively.

Chenglei who saw the alluring honey in her cheek that contradicted with her pale skin and he just wanted to lick it.

He wanted to... Taste the honey, taste her along with the honey and find out who is more sweet. And with no further thought he bent towards her. Only when he was an inch away from her cheek did he got his rationality back and pulled back.

Why am I this attracted to her? Is this l.u.s.t?

He saw her closing her eyes with her cheeks red. "Does she think that I"m going to kiss her?", a teasing smile crept up in his lips.

THIS WOMAN!

"Did something get in your eyes, Miss Táng?", Chenglei controlled his smile and asked with a flat expression. "Here wipe with this", he offered his handkerchief to Xing who was now entirely red out of embarra.s.sment.

This is for making me unable to sleep last night!

"He wasn"t going to kiss me?", Xing opened her eyes to see Chenglei with a flat expression offering his handkerchief pointing at the honey on her cheek. She felt her entire face go red and she immediately wiped the drop of honey on her sleeves,

"I"m going to get me some honey!", she said to get out of that situation and got on that tree.

"Wait!", Chenglei screamed. Won"t the bees sting?

"I"ll get it for you!", he tried to get her down but she didn"t stop and got up on the tree faster than a monkey.

"No wonder that monkey boy is good at climbing trees. He grew up watching you afterall", Chenglei mumbled.

"Act like a woman, woman! Get down!", he gritted his teeth. What if she falls down? And there are a lot of bees.

"I want honey!", Xing replied and got to the branch where the honeycomb is and Chenglei went on panic mode and tried to make fire to get rid of the bees .

But as he watched, she got to the honeycomb and immediately the bees started circulating around her and then kept a distance from a her as she got her hands in the hive got some of it and started eating the honey along with the beeswax all the while sitting comfortably on the tree branch flailing her legs around. The bees went on about their business as if they were offering her the honey.

Wait...what? This woman!

Chenglei chuckled. Divine ruler, is she? Does she own everything? But I want her!

"Want some,Lord Li?", Xing asked looking down from the tree.Eating that sweet honey lifted her mood greatly.

"Get down!", he shouted. He wanted to hug her for some reason.

"Catch me, then", Xing jumped down from the branch and Chenglei even though didn"t expect her to actually jump, caught her.

His hands were around her waist and her arms were are all sticky with the honey dropping from her hand. She had pulled her sleeves up while eating honey.

"Let me down", she said. There were honey around the corners of her lips and she sucked her lips to get the honey in her lips and Chenglei gulped as his throat dried with his eyes focused on the supple lips glistening.

The next moment he pressed her to the tree and covered her lips with his lips and it tasted sweet... Sweet like honey... He wanted more of it and he opened her teeth with his tongue and let it slide on her velvety tongue. And she reciprocated his kiss as her arms wrapped around her neck and her legs around his waist. Her warm breath fell on his face and her short moans rang pleasantly in his ears making him want her more.

Still not enough... His hands that were holding her waist wandered and untied the knots on her waistband one by one as his lips were kissing her exposed neck.

"...Li...Lord Li...", the voice of Xing interrupted the wet daydream Chenglei was having.

"Want some?", her smiling face came to his view and made him frown.

Have I started daydreaming now? She is dangerous!

He took a deep breath. "I cannot let this continue".

"No, let"s move on!", he tried to hold her hand but she pulled her hand away and it did not feel good for him. She didn"t understand why he looked out of it after asking her to get down.

This man and his mood swings!

"My hands are dirty... Let me wash up first. I know a pond nearby. Wait here. I"ll be back in a jiffy!",she smiled ever so sweetly melting his heart.

d.a.m.n vixen!

Xing walked away from him knowing he is following her towards the pond belonging to the G.o.d of marriage.

He made the most beautiful promise there, " You belong to me and I to you ". Also that is where their fate changed when he gave his last breath for her as a kiss of life.

My Prince! Please remember!