Jinshi could still smell herbs in her hair. His hand stroked her chilled bare arm, the other tracing the rises and falls of her low back. He was trying so hard not to wake her, but it was becoming abundantly clear that while the nutrients went a long way to restoring his injuries it was also restoring his vigor. He nuzzled and kissed her hair gently, repeatedly.

The moon was high and the room chilled, they had slept for several hours. His external 'charging ' was very subtle compared to his internal battle. Yes he 'd stuffed his feelings for years, of course he didn 't want to do this here and now, it was cold, they 're in a cell for heaven 's sakes. He took another deep breath of her scent. It calmed him, it burned him like a man parched, like a sip of cool water after days in the arid sand dunes. His hands itched for more skin. This was torture and he knew he needed help, he certainly wouldn 't be okay with her waking up to more intense touch than this. With a heavy sigh he rubbed her back between her shoulders, 'Maomao, ' he whispered, kissing her temple. His grip was firmer on her forearm.

'Maomao please, ' the whisper was urgent.

She stirred, curling closer to his chest and away from the cold, 'Mmmmmm? '

'Maomao something 's ' wrong. '

That woke her up, she rubbed her eyes and immediately started sleepily checking his cheeks and forehead. Her eyes were barely open but even her analytical touch was like fire, he moaned under his breath,

Crap this was a bad idea.

'Jinshi you 're burning up ', her hand brushed his neck, he shuttered. With every breath she was coming to her senses, 'You think it 's the aphrodisiac don 't you? '

He pulled her to him and buried his head in her neck, 'I 'm so sorry. '

'Jinshi you 're okay, you had the wherewithal to wake me up. Now let me help. '

'Nnnoo, ' he tried to squirm away.

She followed by pinning him into the pillows in mount, 'How far can I take this so that you can rest? '

What was that supposed to mean!?

'Jinshi you need a release of some kind, that doesn 't mean you have to be in me or even exposed. There 's no danger here. I can take the lead if you 're scared of pushing too far. '

She hovered over him, his hands not sure if he wanted to push her away or down onto his throbbing frog. Maomao shivered in the cold, she sighed, 'can you please let me be brave? '

'I never wanted- '

Her finger burned against his lips, 'I 'd much rather face this and lose you to starvation. Now you 're overheating and I 'm cold, can I please do something about that? '

He nodded hesitantly and she began untying his sash. She was not unsympathetic to his tremors, loosening the layers around his shoulders. Gently hugging his neck she let her cold stomach rest on his solar plexus, whispering into his hair, 'Is this okay? '

'I know your skin is cold but it feels like fire. '

'Do you want me to pull away? '

'Yes-N-no! I- ' hearing a flustered sigh, he sucked in a panicked breath through his nose as she sealed her lips over his. His hands drove her hips downward and the pressure was glorious. He groaned deeply unsure how to move or how to reciprocate. Reading books was one thing, dealing with actual sensations was another. His hands guided her hips to rock over his as he devoured her lips. Her moan in response had him in an absolute tizzy. ' Her tongue caressed his lips to ask permission. He responded by sitting up, deepening the kiss while l wrapping one arm around her back and the other still rolled her hip.

He flashed to one of his earliest requests when she made chocolate and mentioned it affecting duration. Not that he was well versed in how long that should be, he had already lasted longer than the Western Province encounter. She broke away for air and he was on her neck in an instant, he raked his teeth along the curve of her neck and felt her arch into him. He felt her fiery fingers trace up his neck and along his ear, her moan vibrated his chest and he licked up her neck, nibbling on her earlobe.

She felt his hands going up her skirt, she whispered, 'you don 't have to do that, this isn 't about me. '

Jinshi pulled at her undergarment while devouring her neck, 'I would feel -much less guilty- if you let me do this. '

Now it was Maomao 's turn to squirm. She knew she was opening floodgates but her training didn 't put her in the receiving end. 'Okay, but just the

fiINNNgers! '

His fingers caressed her folds, the foreign touch bursting into fireworks and making her mind fuzzy.

Maybe aphrodisiacs and poisons are closely related?

She moaned and writhed under his touch, finding herself on her back amidst warm pillows. Sparing the Moon Prince a glance, she was right,

he really could bring a nation to its knees

, she arched to his long stroke. His eyes were desperate, starving, drinking her in, rendering her training useless she grasped for the strongest reciprocation she could give.

'Hhhnnnnngggh, ' he arched as her hand found his length.

He tried to pull away, 'Jinshi, I 'm not, ' she arched, 'not going to hurt you. '

Pinning his own hips to the ground he encircled her, one arm around her back, another sliding along her leg up to her hip. She arched again as he licked the divot of her collarbone, she gasped, she fought for her thoughts, 'You 're not going to hurt me, please! '

Her hand traced down his back and went to his hip, he pulled the hip away and shook his head in her shoulder. Maomao relented,

I wish he wouldn 't be so hard on himself.

There were plenty of other ways to work this out, though he clearly was done with the fabric impeding his movement, He shrugged out of the upper robes his muscles taut, starving, rippling in the moonlight. Pausing a moment he looked over her, relaxed but disheveled, breath beginning to even out, her cheeks flushed like she had consumed poison. To his horror she attempted to follow suit and started untying her top, he stayed her hand, shaking his head.

'Don 't you want skin to skin? '

'Let me just- don 't be a courtesan for me, ' he lowered himself and his warm breath made her shiver, 'that 's what I want. '

Her hands braced in his arms, 'I- don 't understand. '

His forehead rested on her collarbone, 'if my body is going to betray me and force my hand I don 't ' I don 't want to be treated like a household chore. '

The heat was welcome as he slowly collapsed onto her, nestling his head into the curve of her neck and making sure some of his weight went through his arms to the pillows beneath her. Her fingers didn 't wander, they rested around his shoulders while she processed.

So he doesn 't want this handled ' efficiently?

'I 'm not shying away, I 'm not fighting you, why can 't I help? '

He clamped down on her shoulder in frustration, her breath caught. Letting go he licked the offended skin, she shivered. He licked again while lifting her closer, the shiver paired with a gasp, he whispered in her ear, 'you 'not fighting ', and you 'wanting more ' ' 'wanting

me

' are two, ' his tongue traced her ear, 'very different responses. '

The shiver traveled all the way to her toes. His smile nestled into her hairline and she tried to anchor herself; his breath traveled over the damp trails on her neck. The apothecary tried to wrangle in her breathing. A slow, deliciously warm hand traveled up her leg, hovering mid thigh for permission, her leg softly fell open. She was being given so much energy it had to go somewhere, her lips sought out his as his fingers sought out her luscious folds. She arched under him in a muffled cry. He almost growled happily as her hips sought rhythm with his hand.

'That 's it, ' he rumbled, discovering a hard nub amidst her petals.

'Hahhhnn, ' she whimpered, he circled and she lurched. He slipped a finger in to find the root of the nub. She grasped his shoulder and writhed, trying not to cry out. A circle and a grounding stroke had her seeing stars, she bit his shoulder and traced his back. His moan vibrated against her chest.

Circle, stroke, arch, circle, stroke, moan, the pattern descended into rhythm. Maomao 's brain had completely fogged over while her muscles seized. Jinshi felt a clench around his fingers, another, a third that held her against him, her limbs trembling. She fluttered around his finger as she slowly collapsed, breath heaving. The moan as he steadily removed his finger was intoxicating. He didn 't want to just hold her with the slick hand.

She watched him lick his fingers, 'what does it taste like? '

He pulled the clean digit from his mouth and nuzzled up to her, pulling her to his chest and entangling a leg between hers. It was a welcome pressure. He hummed, sleepy but content, 'hmmm medicine. '

She huffed and shook her head, cradling his to her chest, 'Liar. '

****

They awoke as entwined as they were when they fell asleep, well, Jinshi did. The gold beads were digging along the side of his face. Her arm was still supporting his neck, her other rested on his forearm at her waist, one leg still up over his. The long time dream was

finally

reality, the desire to wake up to this every morning was like a drink of his favorite wine. He glanced at the pillows and wall beyond and sighed quietly at the circumstances, but for the first time he 'd seen her blush for him the way she did for her plants. And for right now, that 's all he needed.

She stirred beneath him, free limbs stretching like a cat, he took the opportunity to nuzzle and kiss her neck. Her hands were analytically checking his temperature and pulse, 'How are you feeling? '

'Like the only thing wrong with this picture is that we aren 't home. '

'Mmmm yes, sleeping in multi-day old theatrical wear and peasant disguise, ' she bantered with a yawn. Her thumb traced the jewel imprints on the side of his face, amusement glinting in her eye.

'Please don 't put me in that position again, I really don 't want to eat aphrodisiacs under duress. '

She glanced behind him at the circular anchor on the wall, 'So a different position? We could tie you up over there, that would be different. '

'MAOMAO! '

That courtesan humor never seems to land with him.

She shrugged, 'Would have been easier for me, then you couldn 't run away. '

He broke, his soul wandering away to contemplate the meaning of the universe. Maomao swore she heard a bell ring somewhere. She used the opportunity to wiggle out and use the facilities, they had each been respectful of the other by turning their backs, not that he had consumed enough to do much other than urinate. Ever the scientist she noted her core felt like she had a deep tissue workout, she could only imagine when the frog became a factor.

She returned to the pillow corner to give him a turn but he wasn 't mentally back yet. She knelt on the side of the pillow pile.

'Can I ask an uncomfortable question? '

'Better than anyone I know, '

Oh look, he 's back.

The apothecary stared lamely for a moment, 'When did

you

finish? '

Aaaaaand he 's gone again, no, wait.

She 's never seen someone process through a blush.

'You ' actually wanna know? '

'Would I have asked if I wasn 't curious? '

He rolled his eyes playfully and softly brushed some hair behind her ear, 'About the time I found your sweet spot. '

Blushing and looking to the side she startled, 'Really!? Wait- why? '

His eyes were half lidded and his voice quiet, 'It 's not every day my apothecary looks at me like she tasted a new poison. '

Was steam coming out of her ears? Because it certainly felt that way. The floor was suddenly very interesting to look at.

'What 's the matter? Cat got your tongue? ' asked the mischievous imp.

Anything for that glare, huh Master Jinshi?

He grinned in response, arms suddenly appeared around her and she flailed, squealing to get away from the tickle-fingers-of-doom.

The morning shift guards wondered why the night shift was blushing so hard, but didn 't dare ask. All had heard plenty of arguments since their detention, fights, hushed conversations, but laughter was not something they expected to hear. One glanced in the door's high window as the sound subsided with the young performer in the handsome peasant 's lap.

One such argument broke out about an hour later.

'This isn 't some

quirk

like the strategist! Huo has made

dozens

of people disappear! ' he whispered harshly, looming over her as she carved another line into the wall with one of the metal hairpins.

Day 8.

Her voice was also low, but much more deadpan, if not annoyed.

'He knowingly left us

armed

in a cell, with cushions and a toilet, he brings us food- '

'With poison and aphrodisiacs. '

'-to push to an unknown end, yes, ' she sighed, retucking away the weapon.

'We also haven 't seen him since the first day. '

'And he kept mentioning 'pressing matters ' and I said I wouldn 't help if- ' she went quiet as keys jangled on approach.

The lock jangled and clicked, groaning open, 'I bet you two would like to clean up, ' Huo said with a grin.

They exchanged a look before staring at him. He continued, 'I get it, I know- I need to build some trust so would you prefer the stream or my private bathhouse. '

'Stream. ' was in unison with 'Bathhouse. '

Huo laughed at the glares exchanging,

rather jovial for a prison warden.

He bade them follow and the two guards followed behind at a respectful distance.

'I apologize, you two, I was called away and don 't really have a chain of command established here yet, at least not one I could trust with such treasures. '

'Called away for

what

? ' Maomao ventured.

'Oh you would have found it

fascinating

, there 's a village that used to gather minerals from the caves of an old well, but out of nowhere the gatherers started dropping like flies, so they called me in to help. No one was drinking the small pools of water anymore and the minerals that had been harvested weren 't poisonous. '

Maomao 's hand went to her chin as they walked, 'Cause of death? '

He glanced over his shoulder with a smirk, 'Asphyxiation. '

The pair exchanged a glance and Maomao 's gears continued turning, 'You said they were mining, was there an explosion? '

'Nope. But you 're on the right track. I was heading down the ladder when my fire went out. '

Her eyes went wide, 'There was no air left! '

He snapped, 'See, this is why I think you 'd make a great assistant, it took me almost a week to figure this out. '

They approached a fenced-in building and the guards at the door stepped away to open the gate, 'I 'm sure it doesn 't compare to the palace, but we do have salts, soaps and oils if you wish to indulge. '

Maomao looked annoyed, 'Where were all these offerings after your men tortured the Moon Prince? '

He rubbed the back of his head embarrassed, 'Yeah I was already gone when you made your demands, ' his gaze became thoughtful, 'but they desperately wanted their 'pound of flesh ' for their dead friend and all the hardships the palace had caused them over the years. I figured he could take it better than you Dear. '

What are we supposed to do with this information!?

Huo was either an

excellent

liar or he had extended a very strange courtesy. Jinshi 's finger tapped sharply on his crossed arm. Huo 's look hardened, 'Don 't be mistaken, I 've got plenty of archers outside this facility while you two get cleaned up. You hurt any of my men, we will revisit those consequences, you run ' we 'll make sure that isn 't an option going forward. '

Maomao gulped, Jinshi stepped slightly in front of her and put a hand out to protect her. The hardness flashed to amusement, 'And then there 's the valiant Prince, I 'd like to call you something beside your title, but this name she calls you seems a bit too familiar. How would you like to be addressed, your Highness? '

Jinshi was almost growling, 'My title should suffice Drug Lord. '

Huo chuckled, 'Suit yourself, I have a change of clothes for each of you when you 're done and will join you for lunch with a proposal. '

Walking them inside he gestured to the changing rooms, 'Leave your garments in the basket and I 'll have them cleaned. You can decide if you want them back later. I 've been wracking my brain if you two want a separate or shared space, so I hope two baths with a shoji divider in between should be fine? '

They blushed furiously and his brow arched in amusement, 'Uh huh, got it. I 'll be back in an hour to get you for lunch, you have the place to yourselves. '

Staring at each other the wooden gates closed behind them and a large log clunked into place.

After a long beat Maomao shrugged and started heading inside, Jinshi rushed ahead and stopped her, 'What if- '

Her finger was on his lips, her look was dark, 'before you even

start

-ask yourself

why.

Why would he keep us alive all this time when he could have had us beaten, shot, or given a lethal dose in our food. At

no point

has he sought to kill us. '

'No, but he has no problem shooting us down. '

'Sure '

IF

we try to flee. And

IF

we hurt his men, would you not do the same? '

Got me there.

With a huff he headed inside, still looking for assassins, or peeping toms. He glared at the oil tincture collection Maomao was sniffing. 'What are you

doing.

'

'

You

need lavender and chamomile, and epsom salt if - ah there it is. '

They wandered through both sets of changing rooms at Jinshi 's behest, Maomao rolling her

eyes all the way. Coming to the bathing space it was noted that Huo was true to his word, two scrubbing areas and two baths. Oils, tinctures and dry goods lined the dark lacquered wood walls, separated by a paper screen divider which opened up to a garden beyond. Maomao put her hand in the water, the temperature was perfect, if not a tad on the warm side. Opening the tinctures she began dropping the oils in.

'Hey! '

'Shush, ' she scolded, 'You smell bad, I smell bad, and I 'm tired of the paranoia. I 'll be

right there

and you can keep talking if you think I 'm going to drown or some ridiculous notion. '

Ducking around the shoji, her shadow on the paper divider showed her immediately removing layers.

Checkmate, follow me if you dare.

Jinshi squirmed, his face bright red. He stared as her silhouette stepped beyond the morning 's light. After the sounds of silk rustling and swooshing into a basket, he heard the water splashing while she scrubbed up. Nothing left to do but take care of himself he followed suit. His cuts had healed some time ago but his ribs were still fairly sensitive. Though certainly less after last night,

damned aphrodisiac laced nutrients

. Sniffing the bar a couple times he worked up a good lather and went to work. And finally, FINALLY he got to remove the fake scar, the scrubbing was a bit difficult.

'Hey Maomao? '

'Yes Sir? '

'Which oil will get this scar off? '

He heard her stand up and pad her way along the wall, some glass clinking together as she fingered her way across several tinctures. The last panel of the shoji was still in shadow, small fingers wiggled up over the edge with a container, he took it, 'Anything else? '

'Start with that one and let me know. '

The application immediately began softening it, but he definitely let it soak for a few minutes before fully removing the remnants. He used the wait time to clean the rest. There was an impressive amount of grime washed away. The water ran brown as he rinsed. He couldn 't remember the last time that happened. Giving it another round for good measure he heard the padding of feet on tile and the contented sigh of one sinking into a desperately needed soak.

The water was luscious, warm, inviting. The lavender and chamomile scents were soothing, the epsom salt pulling stress and ache from his muscles. Two birds were serenading the morning and a gentle bustle of village life could be heard beyond. The air held the last remnants of coolness from the prior evening but the building itself seemed to funnel and chill the air, wafting them with a gentle breeze in the warm bath.

The knots were unwinding, which was annoying but admittedly clearing his mind, 'So what do you think he 's going to propose? '

He heard the water shift on the other side of the screen, 'Well it sounds like he wants my help with something. '

'Like

hell, '

Jinshi spat.

There was a pause, a divide, Maomao 's voice was calm, but it was like she was shouting across a great distance to his heart, 'I ' think we should hear him out. '

His heart squeezed and his lungs caught, he had ignored every warning on every step of this mission, and

every

time he listened to others it had been a desired result. He ducked his head underwater to get his bangs out of his face, groaning into a cleansing breath, 'What are you seeing that I don 't Maomao. '

She blinked as he used her name, it still wasn 't a common occurrence. 'As I 've said since he walked me around, I think people are disappearing because they are sick and willing to submit themselves to experimentation to fix it. He 's thrown open the doors to all information that proves relevant. Even if it 's taboo by Li 's standards. '

The prince debated what was making him so angry, 'What gives him the right to play 'god '? '

He could almost hear her tilt her head, 'What gives you the right Moon Prince? '

Truth is a double edged sword, with no flat edge to soften the impact. He hissed inwardly at the thought, delivered not with his name, but his title. That loathed title that he wished to abandon more than anything, except when his life was in danger. It was heavy, like armor, protecting his life but weighting on him day in and day out.

The water shifted again, her voice didn 't carry its usual edge, 'Would you agree that part of your authority comes from your access to more information? '

The pause was long and heavy, 'Sure. '

'Do you believe the current leadership would be deposed if wisdom and careful considerations were abandoned? '

He had walked that line of wisdom and power since he first stepped foot in the Rear Palace, hitting its most delicate balances amidst the Shi clan rebellion and the trials of the Western Province. To that end, he did genuinely care about the results of his efforts, he acknowledged not all leaders gave the same courtesy to their people. His answer was painful but honest, 'I would hope so. '

'At any point have you found significant, perspective-altering data from insignificant details or people? '

The Moon Prince stared at the shoji screen, considering he was in a room, naked, with a woman, who was also naked. Conversation subject aside, he was fairly comfortable with the diminutive apothecary from the pleasure district who came into his life all those years ago because of a single ingredient in the consort 's whitening powder. Mind wandering through all the rabbit trails that had saved the country from locust plague, civil war, to his own life from a falling beam.

She added one final point, 'I 'm not saying 'jump at his offer ', all I 'm saying is we should hear him out. '

He searched for a

valid

counter argument, a point to sway her, something to guarantee that she 'd stay on his side.

'

At

his side?

Oh ' that hurt.

'Jinshi? ' he heard her sitting up in the tub. He hadn 't answered for several points.

'Yeah? ' his voice trembled.

'What 's wrong? ' she had tossed the subject aside like her theatrical attire, he could hear the water falling away from her standing form.

'I 'm okay, ' he attempted, she paused, slowly lowering a bit.

'I don 't believe you. '

He rolled his eyes, and wiped a tear, 'I 'm not drowning, I just- am I about to lose you? '

The silence was thick, he felt like the steam rising from the surface was drowning him. For a long beat there was stillness on the other side, then a sudden splash. A couple wet steps and a sizable towel launched over the divider, 'Cover yourself I 'm coming over. '

Despair instantaneously became panic, 'Wha- I. '

He could see her shadow dawning and tying a robe on the other side, 'Are you descent? '

Quickly drowning the towel and wrapping it around his waist he stuttered, 'I- I guess. '

She peeked her head around the divider at the furiously blushing prince, she pulled a stool up to the side of the tub and plopped down, her hand immediately going to his forehead. He couldn 't help but notice how there was zero attempt to towel off, her shoulders soaked from her hair and little wet splotches were all over the robe. Her eyes were intense but calculating, looking at him like she would any puzzle, 'Say that again. '

Eyes downcast, he swallowed, the whirlpool of emotions making words difficult, 'From what you told me Luo 's offering everything I can and more with way less restrictions. '

Blinking, her mind entered the variable to her current calculations.

Why

didn 't

that change her desire to get home?

She sat with that a moment before tucking it away, uttering the self observation, 'Whether I like it or not, there are several people that have become very important to me. '

Maomao brushed some of the wet hair glued to his cheek gently behind his ear, 'And I wouldn 't sleep well if I abandoned them. '

The apothecary had said the same thing about a servant once, he huffed and smiled softly, 'Okay, I 'll listen. '

'That 's all I 'm asking. '