Zhan's pov~

"Yibo!"

I said as I ran towards him and quickly held him in my arms, Yibo was screaming and he seemed to be in so much pain that tears slipped his eyes.

I felt like I was being stabbed, I could not see him like that. I quickly cut my hand and placed it on me hand, but as soon as my blood went inside his mouth, he screamed even louder and vomited even more puddle.

My heart sank and tears spilled my eyes as I saw the scene in front of me. My Yibo was in so much pain but there was nothing I could, so I held him close and cried.

Suddenly I felt some presence around me and saw Prince Simon and my brother there, Haoxuan came with Ziyi as well. Ziyi quickly rushed towards me and sat down in front of me, "let me see." She said and I let her check up on now passed out Yibo.

While I stared at him, he was covered in his own blood. I wanted to just take him somewhere far where we won't have to be separated.

I hugged him close as I cried.

"Zhan." My brother came beside me and placed his hand on my shoulder, "Zhan. Does he know?"

I just sat there like a statue, and finally prince Simon spoke, "does he know general!"

In the end I nodded.

Prince Simon spoke again, "And what did he say?"

I did not react, and prince Simon spoke again, "general!"

"Your highness please." My brother said as he stood before him.

Prince spoke, "I can't wait, I need to know that are we in danger or do we have another alliance."

After Ziyi was done with Yibo, I gathered him in my arms and picked him up, before looking at my brother and prince, "we should be prepared now, brother make sure that mom , dad and Illiana are somewhere safe. We should also leave for the borders as soon as possible."

Prince said, "but what about-"

"I'll see to it." I said before I walked away with Yibo.

~~

I took Yibo to a cottage that I had brought long back.

It was nothing special but it was mine, I gently laid him on the bed and sat beside him, Ziyi came with me and so did Haoxuan.

Ziyi said, "this is the curse I was talking about."

I looked at her, believing her, "did you find out about this curse?"

"No, there are no records about it. Only the royal family, The Wang family and the temple know about this curse. And even your blood did not work on him. I mean your blood that could heal any disease, any poison anything caused him so much pain."

I nodded as I stared at the man in front of me. The way Yibo screamed after I made him drink my blood was something I will never forget, he was in so much pain and he had a seizure after drinking my blood.

What was this curse that made me a poison for him?

Ziyi and Haoxuan left after a while and remained by his side; I gently kissed his forehead and held his hand tightly. It was evening when I felt Yibo's hands move.

I quickly sat straight and observed him. Yibo kept his hand over his chest and groaned before he slowly opened his eyes, he tried to sit up and I helped him, however he pushed me away, before he tried to get up.

"Yibo..."

"Don't." Yibo said as he slowly stood up, but he looked so weak, he might not show it but I knew that it was difficult for him to stand.

"Yibo." No reply.

"Yibo please." I said and suddenly Yibo sat down on the bed and kept his head in his head, his shoulder started to shake and I could hear the sobs.

He was crying.

My Yibo was breaking apart in front of me, his heart was shattered and he was having a breakdown. One of the strongest soldiers I ever knew, one of the strongest men, who was often called emotionless, who even I thought was heartless was crying like a baby.

"Yibo darling..." I said as my voice break, I kneeled down in front of him and grabbed his hand trying to shake them off so that I can wipe his tears, but he won't let me. In the end I hugged him tightly.

"Yibo darling, I am sorry, I am so sorry. Please. I love you."

"Don't." He spoke as he broke the hug and moved back. He glared at me with his tear-stained red face before he stood up, "Don't you dare Zhan. You do not love me. All this time you were just acting, just pretending, now I understand why were you so cold to me. I get it why you were so distant.

You liar, you traitor." More and more tears slipped his eyes, "Zhan... god... Zhan..." he said he cried.

I took a step forward towards him but he stepped back and spoke, "do you know where that leaves us?! Do you know that now we are enemies!"

"Yibo."

"Zhan... I love you." Yibo said in his broken voice, "leave this rebellion, I will forget everything, I think of all this as a bad dream. Just come back to my side."

"No."

That single word seemed to have stabbed him in the heart, as he once again kept his hand over his chest, "Yibo, I told you everything, the king..."

"There is no proof! No proof that the emperor is involved! These rebels spread vicious rumours all the time against the royals and nobles! How are you so sure that the king is evil! You are brainwashed!

And as for the people we can bring in new reforms, there is a lot of things we can do why did you had to go and join hands with the rebels."

I clenched my fists and closed my eyes, the one who was brainwashed here was Yibo. It pained my heart to see that just how blind he was to the truth. No matter what I said it was not getting through him.

"Zhan.... Just come with me... I'll forgive you... I will forget everything just..." this time he reached forward and tried to grab my hand but I took my hand back.

"I will not go back with you Yibo. My decision is final."

Yibo was shocked, tears slipped his eyes before he suddenly came forward and grabbed my collar, "have you lost your mind! You will become my enemy; I will have to fight you! You bastard! Zhan..." he voices broke again as he held my face gently and cried, "please... please don't do this, we can leave everything if you want... my title my post my family I can leave everything, but I cannot support you on this.

Please you are doing wrong Zhan. Please open your eyes and see what you are doing...." He said as he hugged me tightly and cried on my shoulder.

I had never felt something as painful as this, Yibo was begging me, pleading me but I can't do anything I gently grabbed him and pulled him back.

I looked him in the eye and then with a broken voice I said, "Yibo.... I can't."

Yibo glared at me before he slapped me right across the face, he suddenly grabbed his dagger and placed it at my neck, "I am giving you last chance Zhan."

I moved forward and his sharp blade pressed against my neck, "do it Yibo.... Because this is the only way you can stop me. I will gladly die by your hands."

I grabbed his hand and pressed the blade more firmly against my neck, till blood came out, "do it Yibo, complete your duty, kill the traitor, do it!"

Yibo pulled his hand back; in the end he couldn't do it.

He took a step back and then another and then another, all while staring at me as if he was taking me in and memorizing everything about me.

"Aren't you going to kill me?" Yibo asked, "I am going to be your biggest enemy."

I smiled, "no... I can't kill you, Yibo. I love you."

Tears spilled from his eyes again before he turned and slowly walked out of the cottage. And I finally broke down.