Empress Chapter 16 (Patreon)

The lively melodies from the festival carried all through the wooded path to Meiling’s remote sanctuary. Distant lotuses chirped while fireflies swirled through the air. The girls had picked up special ingredients for their planned meal at home. Meiling carried a jug of cream and a bundle of fish under one arm while Lee brought with her fresh rice and cakes from the open market. The nightly wind brushed through their hair as they walked and basked in each other’s company, enriched with the scents of coming rain and virgin blossoms. Once back home, the music from the festival faded. The quiet of their solitude hung in the air with tension and promises for their night ahead.

“I’ll start cooking,” Lee said, shooting Meiling a subtle grin. The pair set up their supplies in the kitchen area before Meiling brushed back her hair, the light from the lanterns always making it look more red than usual.

“Sounds good,” Meiling said. Her heart fluttered in seeing Lee’s rosey lips smile. “I should probably clean myself up.”

The pair parted for their tasks. Lee started preparing the food how Meiling had taught her while Meiling made her way to the wash basin. The festival’s activities had left her itchy with dried sweat. Getting cleaned up was a certain necessity that ran through her mind the entire walk home. She stripped off her robe and knelt down by the bronze basin of rice water. Meiling cupped some in her hands and let it wash through her hair and down her back. It chilled her, but she quickly became accustomed to it. The water poured down her body in cupped handfuls. It coursed down her breasts and back. She scrubbed small traces of dirt from her face and arms. It soothed her stomach down to her thighs. Meiling spent special attention cleaning out her lower region and the frail patch of hair surrounding it. After she finished washing the rest of her body, Meiling dipped her feet into the basin to wash away the last remaining grains of dirt, spending additional time polishing her soles and toes with a towel to near perfect presentation.

Meiling covered herself with a white silk hanfu, letting her hair dry by the open window. Tian’s words continued to come back to her like ghosts riding on the nocturne winds. The night was living up to be a dream, though a gnawing feeling in her chest left a sickness rising within that kept surging with her racing thoughts. She stared out into the night. A bright moon lit the way for her to see her mother’s shrine in the distance. She watched it closely, the trees around it shifting and parting for her eyes.

“Mother,” Meiling whispered. She clenched up. Meiling closed her eyes and listened to the soft wind whistling through the trees. “What should I do?” The clean night air cradled her cheek. A cooling sensation against her damp skin resonated throughout, though she gave no shiver. Her wet hair blew up slightly, shifting to the wind.

Lee worked diligently getting everything ready to satiate her spur-of-the-moment idea. She laid steamed rice atop porcelain plates and fish cut out on bamboo mats. Cooked vegetables were organized into small bowls for preparation along with fresh soy sauce. She lit more lanterns and made sure everything was as pristine as she found it by the time she was done.

A bead of sweat fell down the side of Lee’s face. She wiped it away, feeling the moisture between her fingers. Never had she felt anything similar back at the palace. Her mind ventured back from earlier that day. The gold trims. The silk garments and adornments. The heart-thrashing anxiety of getting caught where she was supposed to feel safe. It all made her feel more assured of her decision and left a lingering dread deep within her for what the inevitable sunset of her day would bring. Knowingly stepping back into that cage. A life of everything, yet nothing that mattered. Not after what she had seen, all that she had felt. Never had she had to cook or clean before, yet none of the luxuries enjoyed by Empress Dowager Hong Yuanji came at a cost she was willing to pay. Not for the life she wanted. Not for what she had come to love. Nor for whom.

Lee began bringing the plates of food out into the common room when Meiling entered. She paused. Meiling stood before her, her hanfu left behind. Her body stood bare before Lee, her skin soft and glowed like polished bronze in the light of the fire. Lee’s eyes, though having tasted Meiling’s figure before, still lingered over the sight of her paramour.

“Mei…” Lee said on a stuttered exhale. Meiling smiled. She ran her fingers through her hair. Her body was firm and toned, though her skin was as supple as it was sensitive to the touch. Her slender muscles showed as rivets, carving across her body like hills through flowery valleys. Her breasts hung high and far atop her chest. Firm thighs guided the eye to the rich, angelic relief of her womanhood.

“Yeah?” Meiling asked, enjoying Lee’s distracted expression. Lee blushed and pulled her eyes away long enough to set down the plate she was carrying.

“You’re… just… wow.” Lee stroked her hair, her cheeks glowing. Meiling came forward to meet her. She cupped Lee’s face in her hands, staring down into her eyes.

“Not as ‘wow’ as you,” she said. Lee smiled. Her hand raised to touch Meiling’s. She leaned closer to feel Meiling’s body start to press against hers.

“A girl always wants to feel protected…” Lee said. “And loved… You’re perfect. Like a legend.”

“You’re too kind,” Meiling said with a soft chuckle. “I’m no Great Yu, but you’re sweet.” Meiling took Lee’s hand in a gentle grasp. She brought it up to her chest. Meiling watched Lee’s expression darken and heat as she aided Lee in caressing her breast.

“You’re so amazing,” Lee said, breathlessly. Meiling’s hand fell away, leaving Lee running her fingers across Meiling’s breast on her own. She let the delicate skin pass across her fingertips. She cupped and slid her hand down the side. She brushed against Meiling’s nipple, leaving Meiling heaving more heavily to the tingles that taunted her senses. Meiling smiled and brushed her hair, watching Lee linger in the moment.

“So, how do you want me?” Meiling asked. Lee pulled her eyes from Meiling’s chest and looked to the area around them, her cheeks glowing like embers.

“Um, just… I guess just lay down here,” Lee said, stumbling over her words. “Maybe lay out a bed for comfort.”

“I’ll be alright,” said Meiling. She dropped down and laid flat on her back. Lee knelt down beside her. “This okay?”

“If it’s comfortable for you,” said Lee. She still teased her gaze over Meiling’s naked body. As Meiling positioned herself to be the plate for Lee’s meal, Lee leaned in close to her face and brushed her hair away. “Thank you for doing this.”

“You kidding?” Meiling asked. “I’m glad you’re okay with it.” Lee smiled. She leaned in closer to place her lips gently against Meiling’s. Her hand caressed Meiling’s cheek. Meiling’s warm, passionate puffs through her nose teased Lee’s face. Her hand fell down Meiling’s neck and collar to her chest once more. Her palm lovingly embraced Meiling’s heaving breast, firm and especially sizable compared to her own diminutive frame. Sweat trickled down the back of her neck as they kissed, holding it out to keep the moment protected for as long as they could.

“You’re so sweet to me,” Lee said, pulling back with a grin. Meiling smiled back, her own complexion flushed and burning.

“You deserve the best,” Meiling said. “I can’t give you that, but I do what I can.”

“You do more for me than you know,” Lee insisted. “You do more for me than anyone ever has.” Meiling looked off, her lips pulled up, her eyes shimmering in the candlelight.

“Well, same to you,” Meiling said. Lee took her hand. She held it tight and watched Meiling’s naked body glimmer in the dancing orange flickers.

“I hope you’re ready,” said Lee. “Still not that great of a cook, but I did what I could.”

“I’m just laying here,” Meiling said. “You’re the one eating it.” Lee chuckled.

“I’ll feed you,” said Lee. “I made enough for us both. But only if you want it.”

“I’m sure it’s fine. Just enjoy yourself.”

“Only if you do too.”

“Oh, I will, don’t worry,” said Meiling. Lee smirked and fetched the rest of the prepared food out on plates and mats. She brought the assortment out into the room and knelt down next to Meiling’s lying body.

“I’m sure I won’t do this the right way, whatever that is,” Lee said, nervously brushing her hair back.

“Like I know?” Meiling asked.

“I’m just saying.”

Lee laid out strips of cooked fish and pork across Meiling’s body. The portions were warm, but no longer hot. Meiling breathed deeply, staring up at the ceiling. Lee decorated her body like an ornate treasure. Rice was carefully domed onto her belly while the meats rested atop her rising breasts. Lee carefully placed the steamed vegetables neatly down her thighs, lingering over Meiling’s soft, plunging nether region. The dense humidity of the candle-lit night and the scents of cooked food left the room baking, highlighting the aroma of passion between the two lovers. Lee drizzled a small trickle of soy sauce over the divided areas. Meiling giggled and squirmed slightly to the cool liquid glazing her skin.

“Tickles?” Lee asked. Meiling smirked and huffed slightly.

“Maybe,” she said. “Don’t worry about me, just enjoy yourself.” Lee put down the saucer and inched closer to Meiling. She picked up a pair of lacquer chopsticks with a delicate pinch, hovering them over Meiling’s face.

“Oh, I will,” Lee said, mirroring her. “Don’t worry.”

Lee elegantly pinched off a small clump of rice from Meiling’s belly with the chopsticks and popped it into her mouth. Her eyes fixed on Meiling’s expression at being her personal plate. Lee’s mind recalled tales of royal figures using commoners for such practices of pleasure and degradation. Though she never imagined that she would partake, the desire to loom over Meiling as such seemed to rush to the forefront of her fantasies. To her, however, there was no ‘noble’ nor ‘commoner’ in the room. There was no abuse of power or overreaching authority of a royal figure. There was simply a girl exploring her fantasies with another who supported her like no other. There was only true, honest affection.

Meiling’s chest rose and fell with great breaths. Her hands clenched. Her naked spot below began to tingle. She smirked and watched Lee enjoy her body in a way she had never given herself over. A delicate trickle of sweat fell down past her collarbone. Watching Lee enjoy a meal eaten off of her body as of she were a slave or prostitute, just a toy to be played with and disregarded as human, ignited the burn glowing within her. Always so powerful, but having her body adored and used as such was as much a rarity as the thought had become a common visitor in her nights spent alone.

“Here,” Lee said. She had a bundle of stringed cabbage and carrot dipped in soy sauce between the tips of the chopsticks. She held it up to Meiling’s lip, who took it in a swift chew.

“Mmm, such a good cook you are,” Meiling said. Lee chuckled. Never in her life before had she been taught, or expected, to cook. Such a compliment coming from an experienced laborer not humoring her royal position came to her like a golden blessing. She smiled and looked back to the meal laid out in front of her.

“You’re sweet,” said Lee. “That must be why it tastes so good.” Lee soaked up more rice with the soy sauce against Meiling’s bare belly and sucked it down. She picked up a piece of pork for herself before feeding one to Meiling. Lee graciously alternated between feeding herself and her lover. Her eyes sparkled at Meiling’s expression watching her when not admiring the toned, muscular body that presented itself so vulnerably for her.

Bit by bit, Lee cleared off Meiling’s body. She took her time. The candles in the room flickered with small gusts as they dipped deeper and deeper into the wax. The sounds of distant, crying cicadas and their own heavy breathing became the music which serenaded the unconventional meal. Lee shifted more frequently in her kneeling position the more of Meiling's body became exposed to her. Ache churned between her legs. Sweat glossed over her skin. Lee laid down the chop sticks to suck the last remaining grains of rice and slices of cut meat directly off of her belly and breasts. She lingered over the spots, letting her lips and tongue tease Meiling’s body as much as the sensation teased her own brimming passion. The pair moaned together.

“Oh, Mei…” Lee said with a heavy breath. Meiling bit her lip. Her hand rose to stroke through Lee’s hair. Lee came up to land an eager kiss against her lips. The kiss melted into the moment, holding out those few seconds for a capsule of time that neither wanted to end. Lee ran her own fingers through Meiling’s hair. She touched down her chest and stomach, tasting as much of Meiling’s body with her own as she could.

Lee pulled off of Meiling’s lips and kissed down her neck. Meiling continued to breathe deeply, heavy with scalding heaves. Lee kissed down her chest, across her breast and suckling at her nipples. She trailed down her stomach down to the last remaining portions of her meal. Steamed vegetables rested in a tight triangle over Meiling’s bare pussy, held up by two strong, pressed thighs. Her eyes peeled from Meiling’s stare and onto the area. With what few shreds of cabbage remained, Lee picked at slowly with her mouth. Her lips grazed over Meiling’s thighs, scooping up every last bit. Meiling’s breathing grew louder. Lee’s face pressed deeper into the dip between Meiling’s thighs. As she licked up the last pieces of her meal, her hands rose to rest against Meiling’s thighs. She gently pulled her legs apart, guided by Meiling’s yearnful willingness to abide.

Meiling’s slit glistened in the soft light of the candle. Her blushing pink mound leaked with excitement. Lee smiled. She said nothing as she leaned in closer. Meiling drew in a deep, moaning inhale when Lee’s mouth came in hungry contact with her. Her back arched. Her hands clenched, her arms stiff. Lee wasted no time in indulging her tastes with the best flavor of the night. She kissed against Meiling’s clit, swollen and reaching for her embrace. Her lips connected and locked in with Meiling’s. Her tongue slipped out and ran up and down the length of Meiling’s pussy. She slurped up all of the juices that continued to leak from her lover’s mound.

“Mmmmmooohhhh Lee!” Meiling cried out. Her hips shifted and bucked. Lee held her thighs firmly down as her mouth kept working its magic. Lee’s tongue lit Meiling’s senses ablaze. It pushed in and out before teasing and tasting her perking clit alternatively. She licked more and more feverishly, pushing through Meiling’s passions as she would her own. Their bodies glistened with sweat. Candle light danced and flickered as Meiling’s moans grew louder. Lee’s lips dripped with Meiling’s sweetness. She licked it all up, letting her lover’s flavor trickle down her throat.

Lee’s moan trembled Meiling’s area. Harder and harder, Lee pushed against the spot. Her tongue explored every last burning nerve. She licked up and down from Meiling’s hole to her clit, back and forth with an insatiable hunger. Meiling’s thighs quivered. Her hands balled. Her back arched. Meiling let out a long, crying moan as her body began to spasm. Lee remembered the sounds Meiling once made well, yet they came much harder and louder than before. Slow, lasting seconds ticked by as Lee guided Meiling through her passionate eruption. Meiling’s orgasm surged through her body in waves. Lee stayed below, tasting every last moment. The temperate nectar draped over her tongue like a sheet. She continued to lick and watched Meiling eventually begin to subside from the explosion that tore across her nerves.

When it finished, Lee wiped her chin. She pulled back and smirked, watching Meiling heave through the burn coursing through her. Meiling reached up and ran her fingers through her hair.

“Damn, that was…” Meiling started. She looked up, catching Lee’s longing gaze staring back at her. She sighed with a tired grin. “You’re so amazing.” Lee’s hand brushed over Meiling’s thigh. Her hair hung down in strands, shading her face.

“I’m not done with you yet, Meiling,” Lee said off to one side. Her voice was soft and sweet, Meiling’s name in her mouth whispering with the succulence it felt against her lips.

Lee reached to one side where the jug of cream sat next to a small, porcelain pot. Lee poured the cream into the pot, small enough to fit in one hand. She set it down by Meiling’s calves before retrieving two small plum cakes. She laid them over Meiling’s breasts, positioned right atop her nipples. Meiling breathed deeply once again, the coolness of the treats relieving her briefly of the searing blooming through her body. She looked back at Lee preparing her desert. Meiling smiled warmly behind Lee’s turned back. She watched the wandering goddess indulge herself while exploring her body like a tribute, a carnal relic to which to worship and please.

Lee lifted the pot of cream and slid down to Meiling’s bare feet. Her soles blushed a bright pink with the heat that burned through her whole body. They glistened and rested with such supple innocence and eagerness to fulfill Lee’s sheltered desires. Lee petted the side of them, taking a moment to appreciate their powerful, yet delicate beauty. She bent down to plant a kiss against the tips of Meiling’s toes, feeling their heat brush against her cheeks for a brief, longing second. Lifting the pot, she held the spout over Meiling’s toes.

“Keep them still for me,” Lee said. Meiling breathed deeply upon feeling the warm cream pour from the spout onto the base of her toes. She did as she was told, keeping her feet still while Lee allowed the sweet milk to trickle down her soles. Meiling clenched with a few stray giggles. She smirked and bit her lip, moaning as she watched Lee tenderly bathe her feet in the desert. “That feel nice?”

“Mhmm,” Meiling said, breathing heavily. She watched as Lee cupped one foot in her hands and lifted it slowly.

Lee savored the slight of it lifting closer. Meiling’s foot was relaxed and shined with the sweet cream coating through her toes and down her sole. It made the foot look much more soft and supple and eager for Lee to indulge in its flavor. Lee bowed her head closer. She brought her lips back down to the tips of her toes. She kissed each with a divine affection that teased both of their senses. The burn glowed brighter within her. Meiling’s hand clenched at her side, watching Lee’s devoted expression revel in the searing experience of her foot.

A moan escaped Lee’s lips on a heavy exhale as she parted them against Meiling’s toes. Their warmth seeped through the cream, their scent wafting through and basking against Lee’s face. Lee slipped her lips against the soft, pink bubbles. She let two into her mouth at once, just far enough to feel them inside her and for her lips to fully encase the delicate tips. She suckled. Her eyes closed. She let the warm, plush treat resonate through her, igniting the burning, churning sensations below rage unhindered by societal convention. Another spark surged as she brought her tongue forth. Gently at first, she began licking beneath, bringing her tongue up across the pads to flick off at the ends. Meiling moaned and clenched harder, her eyes glued on watching Lee become lost in her own world of pleasure.

“L-Lee…” Meiling sighed heavily, her mouth open and chest heaving. Lee kept to herself, not even bothering to open her eyes. She pushed forth, licking more of the cream from Meiling’s toes and enjoying more of the latter. She explored every soft, sensitive crevasse with her mouth. Her lips suckled at each, moving from her big toe all the way down to the smallest. Her tongue, giving into her feverish passions, slipped underneath and in between each, tasting every moment of the sweet nectar flourished by the warm, distinct flavor of Meiling’s foot.

Lee cradled Meiling’s foot in both hands, lovingly supportive. She moaned as her lips and tongue suckled every ounce of the cream from between her toes. Long after the milk had been cleaned off, Lee continued to revel in the sensation of Meiling’s foot against her mouth. The humid allure pulsed through her. Her seat shifted against her folded legs, the burning ache becoming omnipresent in her mind. Driven by her own swelling desires, Lee lapped and sucked more and more. She lifted Meiling’s foot higher to run her tongue up her sole from the plush, blushing heel. She indulged in all of Meiling’s sole, tasting the arch all the way to the base of the toes. She licked at the cream like a hungry kitten, letting her passions guide her through unhindered.

The writhing ache quickly returned for Meiling. Harder and faster than before, Meiling’s slit leaked and churned at the feeling of Lee’s tongue bathing her foot in absolute worship. Her hands balled, her fingers gnawing at the floor beneath her. She closed her eyes and succumbed deeper into the rush of sensation. Meiling let out another gasping moan when Lee switched to the other foot. Lee gently lowered the one she had freshly cleaned and rose the other to her lips with the same careful touch. Meiling’s passions pulsed harder. Lee’s tongue exploring her other set of toes, tasting the cream and relishing in their humid flavor, let Meiling shifting against the floor. She pushed her thighs together. Her area dripped with precious nectar. Caught in the moment, the flickering mandarin hue of the candles around her, Meiling gave into her partner’s desires with a fading sense of everything beyond the walls of just them together.

Lee said nothing as she lowered Meiling’s foot back down to the floor. Black strands of hair stuck to the damp, blushing skin of her forehead. Meiling looked up to see Lee crawling closer on her side. The cakes resting atop Meiling’s breasts had begun to grow temperate and moist.

“Lee,” Meiling moaned again. Lee kept quiet, eagerly adding her mouth to Meiling’s stomach. She kissed and licked her way upward. Meiling’s hands found Lee’s back. They removed Lee’s hanfu from her shoulders. Lee kissed higher and stripped away the rest of the garment. Reaching her chest, Lee kissed up to the cakes on Meiling’s nipples. They still looked as sweet as ever, though wildly overshadowed by the heated beauty that resonated from the girl underneath.

Lee’s hand drifted back down Meiling’s stomach. As her lips reached a cake, determined to eat it purely off of her chest, her fingers ventured down to Meiling’s dripping slit. Meiling let out another deep, loud moan at being touched. Her lips parted easily for her lover, her legs spreading ever so slightly. Lee caressed Meiling’s swollen pearl, rubbing it against the pads of her fingers. Her mouth nibbled away at the cake. She let the motions carry her through, far more invested in Meiling’s pleasure than her own.

“Lay still,” Lee whispered. “Just… let me…” Meiling relaxed back. Her toes curled, feeling the slickness of Lee’s saliva still pressed between them. Lee’s lips enveloped Meiling’s nipple through the cake, swallowing the treat as she went. Her tongue teased and brushed against the sensitive nub. She suckled at it, feeling the stiffness of Meiling’s arousal between her lips. Meiling moaned louder still as Lee rubbed her clit harder and faster. Her fingers slipped down and inside her, causing Meiling to draw in a heavy gasp. Meiling’s own hand rested against Lee’s bare back. Relinquishing more of herself to the passions of the night, Lee lapped more at the cake, leaving no trace of it left atop Meiling’s chest.

Meiling’s whining moans carried all through the house, bleeding out into the night air outside. As Lee cleaned off one breast, the small girl quickly straddled Meiling’s hips. She continued to rub her below, alternating massaging her clit and plunging inside of her. Lee pushed her hair out of the way of her face before hungrily lowering her mouth to the other cake. A fiery burn raged between the two. Lee pressed her own naked slit down by Meiling’s, sloppily but effectively rubbing both with one hand. She moaned with her lover. Her mouth came down upon the other cake. She slurped it up quickly, making her way down to the real treat. Her lips and tongue met Meiling’s other nipple, even more stiff than the first one. She suckled at it, letting her teeth brush gently across one side.

“Ohhh Lee!” Meiling cried out. Her body laid back, burning and churning as she gave in and let Lee work stills that she never would have imagined the traveler possessing. Lee’s fingers pistoned her faster and faster. She moaned against Meiling’s nub and stroked her own clit with her thumb. Meiling’s nails gnawed at her back. She held her lover close, her body starting to spasm once again. She cried out into the room fading with the dying light of the candles.

Lee began to join her, feeling the same eruption that pulsed through her paramore. Her thumb stroked her own clit while her fingers worked in and out of Meiling faster and faster. Meiling’s nails sank into Lee’s skin. Meiling threw her head back while Lee rested hers against Meiling’s chest. Together, the pair let out a tandem, moaning cry. Their voices leaked into and echoed through the woods secluding Meiling’s home. Their bodies quaked, their muscles trembling. Lee’s head rose as the two endured another explosive orgasm, sharing intimately the exchange. She kissed up Meiling’s neck. They moaned and panted together, their sweaty bodies locked in a loving embrace.

The candlelight flickered around the room. The sounds of their moans faded into heavy breathing. Their tired figures laid with one another. Lee pulled out. Meiling held her close. Neither spoke right away as they fought to catch their breath. Slowly, the lovers collected their senses. Lee laid soft kisses up Meiling’s neck to her cheek. Meiling pulled her closer to kiss her lips, her hand combing through Lee’s tangled, sweaty hair. As the fevers between the two began to break, the heat filling the room softening into a blanket ready to carry them off to sleep, Meiling held Lee tighter. Her eyes began to glisten. Lee looked up when she heard Meiling start sniffling.

“M-Mei?” Lee asked. Meiling looked back at her. Her eyes were pink and puffy. A small tear trickled down one cheek. She gave Lee a somber smile.

“I’m sorry,” Meiling said, wiping her cheek. “That was… incredible, I promise.” Lee sat up.

“What’s wrong?” Lee asked. “Talk to me. You can tell me anything.” Meiling paused. Her hand stroked Lee’s bare back as she held her close.

“I know,” Meiling said. “That’s just it, I…. I’ve never… it’s stupid.”

“Mei,” Lee said. “Come on now. Please.” Lee reached up and ran her fingers through Meiling’s damp, chestnut hair.

“I’ve just never felt this way about anyone,” Meiling said. “It’s all so new to me. I wanted to tell you last time we had spent a night like this together.” Meiling stopped. Lee smiled and kissed her cheek.

“Mei, you are the most amazing person I’ve ever met,” Lee said gently into her ear. Meiling took and held Lee’s hands in her own, looking deep into her eyes.

“I… I want to tell you… to ask you… but I don’t know if I should. I’m scared it’ll just make things harder.”

“You can tell me anything, Mei,” Lee said. “Whatever happens, we can get through it. Together.” Meiling looked down and nodded.

“Lee… I don’t want you to leave,” Meiling said. “I-I know that sounds so incredibly selfish and I never imagined that I would ever be that person, but… I don’t ever want to be away from you. I…” Meiling swallowed in a deep breath, her face burning a brighter red by the light of the candles. “I…  I love you.” A silence came over the room. A smile stretched across Lee’s lips as a tear fell from the corner of her eye. She wiped it away, her breathing stuttered and challenged through a soft cry.

“M-Meiling, I… I’m so happy to hear you say that. I love you too. So much.”

“Then please,” Meiling begged, holding her close. “Please… don’t go. Stay here with me. We can stay together, it doesn’t have to end.” Lee’s mind flashed back to the palace where Sima Yi waited anxiously for her to come back. Her words begging for another few days with Meiling resonated. She heard them as clearly as if she were speaking them into her own ear. Lee shook her head. Through feeling Sima Yi’s disapproval and the complications it would bring to her life as a future Empress, she could only see Meiling. Her future, her life, her happiness, it was all Meiling. The plague on her mind was the secret she had yet to share, the whole reason why she had not committed to staying. It gnawed at her chest. Guilt hollowed through her heart. But as she held Meiling’s hands, listening to her pleas, Lee smiled warmly.

“Mei, I… I should tell you…” Lee started. She paused and swallowed. Images of her parents, her servants, her friend and advisor came into her mind. Her entire life seemed to lay out in front of her. Her past faded to Meiling’s watery, crystalline eyes. I melted into the image of her future, held firmly in Meiling’s loving grasp. What had been became nothing compared to what laid in waiting for her right there in that house. “I… I don’t want to leave either… and so I won’t.” Meiling’s expression lifted. She smiled wide, staring deeply into her eyes.

“Really?”

“I promise,” Lee said. “No matter what, I’ll do whatever I have to to stay here with you. For always. I love you so much, Meiling. You have my word. No matter what happens, you’ll always have me.” More tears streamed down Meiling's cheeks. She wrapped her arms around Lee and buried her face into the crook of her neck. She sniffled and sobbed more the longer she held on, supported by Lee's own embrace. Lee's eyes ached more as well to the soft crying of her lover.

"I... I love you... I love you so much..." Meiling said. Lee reciprocated and held her tight. The pair held each other through the night, crying until sleep eventually swept them into fantastical dreamscapes unmatched by their own unbreakable elation.