The cell was floor to ceiling stonework, Maomao suspected if they were in a rainy location it would have had moss and dripped, but she would soon find being in a desert it was overheated during the day and lacked insulation at night, the stones only holding the heat for an hour or so after the sun had set. The stones themselves were massive, but poorly mortared, as the sun peeked through here and there. Any attempts to loosen the stones would just get them crushed. With the vast temperature changes she suspected it was a single story, and most likely lacked any sort of basement. The barred windows were well out of reach, but provided airflow, providing an escape for the hottest air in the heat of the day. To her surprise there was a small pile of pillows in one corner, a couple of metal rings along the wall where one could chain up prisoners, and a small hole in the floor of the opposite corner with some sort of running water to carry away waste. Sanitary plumbing was not something she would have expected, but it also lacked any sense of privacy.

'If I could just find something to write with, ' Maomao murmured, Jinshi whirled at the thought, seeing her plan, and also catching a twinge of nostalgia as those were the first words he ever heard from her.

Glancing at the door before proceeding, Maomao 's fingers gently brushed the mortar lines, looking for points of failure. Jinshi watched as the binding crumbled beneath her fingers, she quietly tested it and took a small hairpin from her robe, working it into the crevice. He immediately imitated and began testing himself, looking for places higher than she could reach. Even one successfully stashed weapon could be the difference between life and death. Though he was surprised, Huo took Maomao 's bluff at face value and didn 't search them before dropping them in the cell, but it seemed like he had 'more pressing ' matters to attend to.

The apothecary had now taken an interest in the pillows, working smaller pins into the seam edges, he made a mental note of which ones for his own use and comfort come nightfall. Her cleverness never ceased to amaze him, despite feeling this level of creativity was his fault.

Maomao must have caught the look on his face, rolling her eyes, 'Oh please Jinshi, I grew up in the Pleasure District, and came to you via kidnapping. '

His eyes cast downward, ashamed, he felt a hand brush his cheek, 'At least now I 've got help. '

Pinning her hand with his, he nuzzled it, voice wavering, 'This isn 't- I wouldn 't wish this on anyone. Especially you. '

The pair settled in the pillow nest, Jinshi resting against the pillows and the wall with Maomao safely in his lap. Would she have preferred her own arrangements?

Of course.

Did she think he was going to risk falling asleep here without being in contact with her?

Absolutely not.

Several hours later they could hear the keys clinking and clanking in the lock, the hinges groaned as Huo opened the door with a grin.

'My informants tell me you have yet to make anything official, ' his fingers tapped against his chin amused, 'Perhaps an experiment. Of this evening's offerings I have laced each meal. One with poison, the other with a potent aphrodisiac, choose wisely, ' and with the door creaked and clanged shut as he relocked the cell without so much as a blanket for the shivering Maomao.

She sniffed each one and tasted them. To her surprise they were exquisitely prepared for prison food, both remarkably tasty. Sitting down, she handed one to Jinshi without another thought.

He stared appalled, 'you took the poison one didn 't you!? '

'Duh, I have a resistance to poison, you don 't. '

'And where does that leave me? '

'Eating that one. '

'You 're joking. '

She paused, and lowered her voice so only he could hear between bites, 'Well as far as I can tell you 've threatened to make me your wife more than once, worse comes to worse and

that

happens in an unwanted order, and you 'll be stuck with me. '

It 's like she was describing the weather,

Jinshi growled in frustration, 'I couldn 't live with myself if I forced myself on you. '

She sighed between morsels, 'Jinshi, the only element we 're actually missing here is abortifacients, and I 'm currently poisoning myself, ' she said taking another happy bite, 'we have bigger problems, now eat, it 's impressively flavorful. '

He stared at her aghast. During the Shi clan invasion Suirei mentioned something about a torture chamber of venomous snakes, the guy with the books made a comment at her as well. The prince wondered why she wasn 't starving when the rescue was complete, he now had an inkling.

'It 's

way

better than the grasshoppers you ate at the Verdigris house. '

And there went any semblance of an appetite.

He grimaced and pushed the plate away.

After an hour of trying to get him to eat the guard came and confiscated the dishes and their contents. Maomao would rather have glared at her companion from across the room but the temperature was dropping rapidly and even with his outer Jinka jacket she wasn 't retaining heat the way she needed. Shock of shocks he really didn 't care if he went hungry as long as her needs were met. Spotting her shiver he sighed and motioned her over. Maomao resisted, he considered dragging and pinning her, and thought better. Her teeth were chattering by the time she approached his waiting warmth. It was frustrating how safe she felt under the heating coils that were his arms, nestled up to his neck, his core radiating warmth and lulling her to sleep nearly the moment she stopped trembling.

There was so much he wanted to say, possibly plan, but between possible eavesdroppers and their current situation her comfort was more important than problem solving. He gently worked any remaining knots out of her hair with his fingers and buried his senses in her scent and warmth. Subconscious seeking to cover her bare arm as much as possible against the cold, while getting his own 'charge ' without food.

The morning light blared harshly through the bars, they stirred to the dragging, groaning metal of the door swing. There was a long pause as the drug lord watched the pair debate how to interact with him. The prince clearly didn 't want to be separate as Huo bade the apothecary to follow. Regardless of the advice being whispered in her ear, the nuzzling in the hair and protective hug and soft looks were undeniably endearing.

Huo bowed slightly and gestured Maomao through the door, she eyed him expecting some form of binding or shackles, but no guards or ruffians followed them. The drug lord offered an arm, and to her own surprise she took it, 'You lied my Dear. '

She stiffened, debating which hairstick was in optimal grabbing range, 'How so? '

He patted her hand on the crook of his arm, 'Your Verdigris upbringing does not carry the same weight as your La Clan heritage young Maomao. '

The apothecary grumbled, and Huo arched his salt and pepper brow, 'I see, a touchy subject perhaps? My apologies. '

The confusion was blatant on her face, 'why are you being so chivalrous Huo? '

'Same reason you haven 't stabbed me with a spare hairpin I presume, our desire for knowledge outweighs the desire for violence. '

She jolted but continued walking, snubbing her nose in the air, 'my desire to leave a crumb trail was more important. '

'Hardly, ' he scoffed playfully, 'The name Maomao is treated as legend in several fringe villages of the West. Word has it you poisoned an entire town of bandits with what was it ' potatoes? '

Her cheeks flushed and she looked off, 'I did what I had to, to survive. '

'Indeed, ' they had been wandering the village, full of people from all over. Some complexions were light, others dark, but clearly as many foreigners as locals of Li. Several children ran up and greeted him warmly, he released her to pick up a small boy, 'How is your rash doing, young man? '

'It 's almost gone! LOOK! There 's even hair growing back! '

'Careful, you grow too much hair you 'll look like a bear! '

'RAWWWWWWRRRRRRR! ' The boy curled his little fingers like claws as the drug lord set him down and he chased the other squealing children away. Maomao blinked at the scene, thoroughly flummoxed.

Huo looked at her thoughtfully, 'His mother gave me permission to try some new remedies on his rash. They had tried everything, and every doctor who was willing to see them, ' he tapped his chin, 'never expected denatured jellyfish to be the key ingredient. '

Ears and tail up she stared in wonder, and then caught herself, 'Did you run tests on anyone else? '

'Didn 't have time, he was fading so quickly. '

'Is that

normally

how you handle things? '

'When I 'm the last resort, yes. The family is always warned of the risk. If they come to me first we are more reserved, careful, but if it 's advanced we ' how did you put it? Do what we can for their survival. '

'Do you at least attempt Western techniques first? '

'Ah, you mean like the surgery implemented by the Kada line? '

Sure, just throw around that secret name like it 's nothing.

'Yes? '

He smirked, 'Why learn from Kada when I 've got western doctors I can learn from directly? '

She was hesitant as they approached a house, he pulled the window open and the smell of disinfectant and iron of blood accosted her nostrils.

'Forceps '

'Yes doctor. '

'Scalpel. Good now lift out the tumor- '

Maomao was suddenly on her tiptoes wishing she could see over the crowd of humans around the table, much to her shock there was more than one woman in the crowd monitoring the patient. One whisked away a tray to sterilize the tools and another entered with a new tray to replace it.

'We have found if a blade touches an unwanted growth and goes back into the body a new growth may start where it touches, ' Huo murmured to her so as not to interrupt the procedure.

'How are the sedatives doing Ying? '

'Just fine Doctor, though I can give a little more if she 's twitching. '

'Perhaps a bit more numbing and paralyzing herbs. '

Slack jawed and sparkling Maomao gawked at the efficiency and teamwork of the Eastern and Western medicines. She felt a hand gently prying at her shoulders, when she attempted a glare his knowing smirk stifled her, 'oh, so you

don 't

want to see the greenhouse? That 's fine, we can stay here then. '

Crap. This is me and Tianyu unchecked.

An internal tug of war of passions ensued. Exploration won out, but not after a very entertaining display of glitches and twitches from the apothecary.

Navigating the town was more socially challenging than physically. His treatment was like that of Dr. Liu or her pops where everyone wanted to give an update or ask about an arising concern. Maomao 's hands twitched at all the puzzles presenting and passing her by.

Huo glanced at her prickled state, 'Most who enter under duress aren 't itching to help our cause. Perhaps one of those hair sticks was a bit too tight? '

She hissed and he suddenly appeared nose to nose, studying her expression intently, 'or perhaps I was right, you were in the wrong profession. Care to see my pride and joy? '

He stepped back ushering her gaze to not one, but a full street of greenhouses, each as large as one of the storehouses in the palace. Maomao absolutely and utterly lost it, forget sparkles she was emitting fireworks, if Jinshi had seen it he would have concussed himself just to stay sane. The bouncing, the squeals, the desire to rip one of each plant out of its given space and whisk it away. Just when she eased off her hyperventilation she would spot three new plants she 'd never seen before.

The flurry of questions was never ceasing, what is this plant, what does it do? What subtle greenhouse needs does it have? What if you combined it with this other plant? Does mixing separate plants work better or making hybrids? How do you pollinate? Is there one apiary in each greenhouse? How does soil? Hand watering? Drying racks? Helpful bugs-from where!?

With her flurry of questions came suggestions which he was quick to jot down, his smile was as broad as hers as two botanical masters compared their craft. It was dinner time by the time they reached the cell, Huo let out a heavy sigh as he pulled out his keys, fumbling through to the one for the lock. 'Today was fun, I hope we can get past our current state. '

As Huo opened the door he removed her makeshift shawl. She shot him a glare, 'Is there a reason you 're taking that away? '

'Despite enjoying our shared love of botanicals you are -presently- my

prisoner

Maomao. '

She turned and saw a limp pile on the floor, 'Master

Jinshi! '

The door clanged shut as her knees hit the dirt floor at his side. She glared back as she heard the lock clatter into place, but now wasn 't the time for that. 'Let me see you. '

He groaned and rolled so she could see his black eye and split lip, assuming word of such injuries got out, heads were going to roll. She put a hand on his shoulder and he winced, yanking open his robe there was deep bruising around his ribs and clavicle, surprising only on one side though.

Her fingers delicately massaged the edge of the purpling capillaries, 'what have they done to you!? '

'Nothing worse than Basen 's given me, ' he hissed painfully.

Uh huh.

She eyed his rose crested flank, 'Nice try your Majesty, did they remove your robes? '

'Not yet, ' he wheezed.

Maomao tenderly palpated around the ribs.

Potentially cracked but not broken, '

What were they after? '

While he was speaking she managed to produce a basic salve and bandage from ' somewhere, and began treating what she could.

'Wouldn 't say, seemed like they were taking revenge for something but not a single question was asked, when they dropped me back here the only thing the guard said was 'Don 't even think about leaving '. '

'Perhaps because their boss was with me, ' she scoffed and then sighed heavily, 'Jinshi I 'm so sorry, I would 've handled it differently if I knew they were gonna do this to you. '

'I 'm sure he was counting on that, ' he said, putting a hand on hers. Jinshi could see her beating herself up over this, rather than her usual finger on her chin she was full on biting her thumb with her brow knit.

The prince caressed her cheek, 'let 's figure out a strategy after we rest. '

Maomao shivered against the evening air.

I didn 't miss these desert nights,

she groused internally, missing her additional fabric. She felt a hand pulling against hers. Jinshi had removed his outer robe and was trying to bring her under it like a blanket.

'But you 're

hurt. '

'It 's not an injury you can treat any further, and I 'll rest better knowing you 're safe. '

She grumbled as he carefully wrapped himself around her, his arms draping readjusting painfully several times before settling around her exposed waist.

Dinner arrived an hour or so later and Maomao snatched it from the guard, 'Tell your boss I demand supplies for my companion and will

not

offer my expertise until he is sufficiently recovered. '

'Whatever you say pipsqueak, ' the door clanged shut in her face.

*****

Well

that

didn 't go as planned.

Minimal medication, one strip of bandage, and water. Not even soap.

'This is ridiculous Jinshi, you

have

to eat. '

'Then give me the poison one. '

It had been

days.

Three square meals and not a peep from Huo. Plenty of water, sure, but the prince was absolutely refusing and getting weaker by the day.

The plate tapped harshly against the cell floor, 'Moon Prince, your poison taster will

never

willingly hand you food that 's going to hurt you. You don 't have fat to lose, our window of escape will appear at some point and you 'll need your strength when it does.

Who knows

, maybe with you withering away to nothing the increased blood flow may just help you heal at this point. '

'Charging ' was only going to get him so far. Jinshi had never slept as soundly as he had wrapped around his apothecary, it had revitalized him on a level he never thought possible. However, even he knew his body was consuming itself to survive, a content soul doesn 't fill a stomach. With an exasperated sigh of defeat, he opened his hand, the plate weighed heavy as and he took a bite.

Shock of shocks, she was right, it wasn 't like the military rations he had in training or some crusty week old bread. This was a proper meal, warm, juices oozing out of the meat, some sort of saut 'ed sprouts and vegetables properly seasoned. Huo had some very strange standards regarding his prisoners. Jinshi 's stomach finally won out over his emotions and the food was devoured. The juices were tasty enough to wipe off the plate with his finger as his cells demanded every last calorie available.

The prince could feel his body breaking down the nutrients and taking the edge off his physical exhaustion. He wasn 't usually this sensitive to eating or feeling the effects of a meal, but it was a rare day when he was truly this hungry. Sure formal events, ceremonies and banquets required extreme formality, poison risks and fasting, but his apothecary had gotten quite good at sneaking him snacks before his stomach could protest.

Maomao took the plates and set them by the door. She didn 't really want the guards to have another excuse to come closer. They also hadn 't dragged him off after the first day, but the glares said enough. She rubbed her arms absentmindedly and heard the sound of Jinshi 's outer jacket coming off, with a huff, 'I can hear you already Maomao, don 't fight me on this, you 're already eating poison, I 'm not going to have you

freezing

too. '

She rolled her eyes and donned his garment, even with the dirt scuffs on her less-than-fresh courtesan outfit Jinshi considered how adorable she looked. The jacket being grabbed at her sternum with such a small hand coming out of the gaping sleeve.

The apothecary looked him over thoughtfully. 'How 's your shoulder? '

'Less painful each day. '

How many days had it been?

Maomao thought silently.

'Maybe I can negotiate another salve or two, ' her hand was to her chin.

'Don 't give him the satisfaction of your skills. '

'Your health is more important than him getting a few more drugs- '

'That are doing

what

to my people? '

She scowled, muttering, 'We know our team is investigating and it 'll be off the streets soon. '

'Not the point. '

She sighed, 'I also suspect it 's more complex than we 're giving it credit. '

He scoffed, 'How many times do I have to tell you, he was buttering you up. I 've seen it a thousand times. '

The apothecary knelt in front of him and touched his forehead with the back of her hand, ignoring the statement which had already gone round and round angrily and endlessly, 'how are you feeling? '

He blushed as they were nearly nose to nose, she seemed to be observing his eyes very closely, 'W-well now I 'm a bit out of sorts, but overall I feel okay. '

'Does laying on your back hurt? '

Reclining against the cool pillows in the evening air he found himself hissing a bit while he attempted to get comfortable, 'the ribs and shoulder aren 't great, but I 'm not dying. '

Staring, fingers tapping her chin she debated for a moment, his outer robe dragging behind her as a mismatched train of her outfit as she paced. 'Can you press on your ribs and shoulder for me. '

His face told of his pain but he was silent, his fingers systematically pressing and checking the worst of the pain. After a moment he felt a press against his ankle, then his knee his attention whipped to the diminutive woman who was in the process of kneeling between his legs.

'W-what are you doing!? '

'Trying to keep us both warm, ' she said calmly, draping the cloak over his knees as she lowered herself toward his stomach.

He tried to back away, annoyed, she put a hand on his leg, 'Relax Jinshi, I 'm not gonna do anything. '

'What about what I

just ate!? '

'Honestly? '

She stared at him a moment, 'I bet that extra blood flow is gonna go to your injuries more so than your reproductive center. '

'And

what if

it

DOES!? '

Ignoring him completely, her face gently lowered onto his chest, leaning slightly away from the injured side, 'what if it doesn 't? '

His brow was knit so tightly as he fearfully gripped a pillow at his side. Raising her head with a gaze was so calm, her voice nary a whisper, 'How many years have you waited on me, pushed me, pinned me, licked me, bit me and now that you have my permission ' It's like we 're teenagers again. '

'Not here, not like this, ' it was almost a whimper.

'Then don 't, ' she said coolly, 'I 'm just saying if you can 't help it, it won 't change anything. '

She set her head down on his chest and her breath began to even out, as his adrenaline came down his arms wrapped around her diminutive frame, 'Maomao? '

'Mmmm? ' A fading reply.

'You promise? '

'Prmmmmwwwat? ' Clearly words were becoming increasingly difficult.

'You promise when we cross that bridge things won 't change? '

'Mm

hmmm

goseep. ' She mumbled nodding against his chest.

He took stock of their current position, and the state of his own body. If she were awake he suspected she would have blamed his flush on his adrenaline as much as any aphrodisiacs. Did he wanna kiss her? Of course he did, but that wasn 't anything new. He rubbed her back softly, receiving a low hum response on his chest. He suspected if she were a cat it would have been a true purr but he melted nonetheless.

He didn 't expect sleep to overtake him as quickly as it did.