The moon hung high above the imperial palace, casting silver light over the sprawling rooftops and carved eaves. A soft breeze carried the scent of jasmine and incense through the corridors, but to Rui, the air still carried the weight of unfamiliarity.
He sat near the window of his new chambers, gazing out at the foreign city that was now his prison. The walls were gilded with gold, the silks embroidered with dragons and phoenixes—symbols of union, of power. Everything about this place whispered of luxury and wealth, yet Rui felt suffocated.
A soft knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. He didn't answer, but the doors opened regardless.
Li Yuan entered, his crimson robes loose around his frame, his golden eyes catching the flickering candlelight. He carried no weapons, but Rui knew better than to mistake him for anything less than dangerous.
"You should rest," Li Yuan said, his voice smooth as he crossed the room. "Tomorrow will be a long day."
Rui turned away from the window, his silver-white hair cascading over his shoulder. "A long day of being paraded before your court like a conquest?" His voice was edged with ice.
Li Yuan's lips quirked into something between amusement and patience. "A long day of becoming my consort."
Rui exhaled sharply, his hands tightening around the silk of his robes. "Why me?" he demanded. "You have countless beauties in your empire. Why take the prince of a fallen kingdom as your consort?"
Li Yuan studied him for a moment, his gaze unreadable. Then, he stepped closer. Rui tensed but did not move away as the warlord-king reached out, his fingers ghosting over a lock of silver-white hair.
"Because you are different," Li Yuan murmured. "Because I admire strength, and I see it in you."
Rui's breath caught, though he masked it with a scoff. "Strength?" He laughed bitterly. "I lost my kingdom."
"But you did not break," Li Yuan countered, his voice softer now. "You still stand before me with fire in your eyes. That is what interests me."
Rui met his gaze, heart pounding. He hated the way Li Yuan looked at him—not with cruelty, not with pity, but with something worse.
Possession.
"You do not own me," Rui whispered, his voice quiet but firm.
Li Yuan's smirk returned, slow and knowing. "Not yet."
The words sent a shiver down Rui's spine, though he refused to acknowledge it. He had lost his home, his title, and now, even his freedom. But his soul, his will—those were still his.
And he would make sure they remained that way.
Even if it meant playing a dangerous game with the man who had stolen everything from him.