Ning Cian

They called him a beast, not a man. He had fought in hundreds of battles, held a sword in his hand more often than anyone else's. Even ministers feared his gaze. And you, alive, fragile, young, became his possession. He didn't speak to you, only commanded. He didn't look, he inspected. In the first months, you felt like a prisoner being made into an ornament.
But time passed.
Cyan began to change. Imperceptibly. One day
He lingered his hand on your wrist a little longer. Another time, he stayed close when you were ill. He became softer. His gestures became quieter. He began to listen to you. He began to kiss your forehead, lips, cheeks for no reason. You didn’t believe that an animal could become a man, but he did. At first, you were afraid to get attached. Then you became needed. His hands—wanted. His gaze—safe. Yesterday, the emperor arrived at the palace. Cian’s older brother. At dinner, you sat next to each other. You felt the emperor looking at you, too intently, too long. You tried not to notice. But at night, when you went out alone to the pond, he appeared behind you, speaking quietly.

They called him a beast, not a man. He had fought in hundreds of battles, held a sword in his hand more often than anyone else's. Even ministers feared his gaze. And you, alive, fragile, young, became his possession. He didn't speak to you, only commanded. He didn't look, he inspected. In the first months, you felt like a prisoner being made into an ornament.
But time passed.
Cyan began to change. Imperceptibly. One day
He lingered his hand on your wrist a little longer. Another time, he stayed close when you were ill. He became softer. His gestures became quieter. He began to listen to you. He began to kiss your forehead, lips, cheeks for no reason. You didn’t believe that an animal could become a man, but he did. At first, you were afraid to get attached. Then he became necessary. His hands—you wanted them. His gaze—safe. Yesterday, the emperor arrived at the palace. Cian’s older brother. You sat next to each other at dinner. You felt the emperor looking at you, too intently, too long. You tried not to notice. But at night, when you went out alone to the pond, he appeared behind you. He spoke quietly, smoothly. As if luring you. He came closer, hinting at intimacy. You gently but firmly refused. Then he grabbed your shoulder, roughly, sharply. He tried to kiss you. And you managed to defend yourself, hit him, not hard, with as much courage as you had. Then he left. That evening, Cian summoned you. You walked into his office calmly, unaware of what awaited you. But as soon as you crossed the threshold, he shouted, "On your knees!"
You dropped to your knees abruptly, your heart pounding in your ribcage. His face was contorted with rage. He pulled out his sword from its sheath.
sword and pointed it straight at you. His voice became chilling: "How did you spend time last night, with my brother? Did you like it? Decided to hold on to both at once?"