"I should reprimand and discipline all of you for being block heads!" Nurse Yi yelled at the four maids.  "The first thing you should have done is help save her from downing, not shriek for help!"  

The four maids stood in a row, all of their heads bowed in shame.  Everything happened so fast that the first thing they did was shriek.  Upon hearing the screams, Nurse Yi who happened to walk by, heard them and ran in to see what was wrong, to find the four girls standing still not knowing what to do.  Nurse Yi, pulled Lihua out of the tub and ordered the maids to help her.  After making sure Miss Lihua was still breathing, they carried her into her bed and sent out for a doctor.  

"If your master happens to fall into a lake, you jump into a lake, even if you don't know how to swim!"  Nurse Yi shouts at them.  "If your master is attacked by a wild animal, you are to jump in and help get the animal off your master's back, if they die, you die.  Do you understand me?"  

"Yes, Nurse Yi."  The four of them said together.  "Master Shiro will be here soon and for that pray that you will only be punished and not beheaded.  You have all heard about Master Shiro affections for Miss Lihua, should something happen to her under your watch, you will not live to see the next sun rise." 

The four of them all fell to their knees in repentance and waited for their judgement from their Master when he came.  First the Doctor arrived and checked Lihua's pulse.  However with all the poison in her body, he could not tell head from tails.  The only thing he knew for sure was that she has been poisoned.  Anyone who saw her face could tell she bared the markings of a poisoned person.  

The doctor sighed heavily.  What can he tell the Hell King that won't get him killed?  He couldn't give her any medicine, for he did not know which poisoned she had ingested so he couldn't prescribe her medicine.  

The doctor waited for an hour and still there was no sign of Hell King.  As he monitored the young miss in bed, he noticed that there was nothing wrong with her except that she was in a deep sleep.  So he decided to leave, just in case the Hell King did show up and wanted more answers and solutions. 

"Nurse Yi, this Doctor has done all that I can."  The doctor said as he packed up.  "There is nothing wrong with the young miss, her body and mind are just tired.  So I observed her for the past hour to make sure that there is nothing wrong, just to be sure.  All she needs is rest." 

"And the medicine?"  Nurse Yi asks. 

"There is no better medicine than sleep.  Let her rest and she'll wake up when she's ready."  

The doctor left and Nurse Yi sat by the bed of Miss Lihua.  Nurse Yi has been with the Shiro household from the moment she was born.  When she was old enough, she became the nurse maid to help raise and take care of Master Takeshi Shiro.  When he went away to the boarder, she took care of his Estates when he was gone and when he came back, he was no longer the same boy who left. The man who came back was battle hardened and cold.  He was clever and decisive. He was disciplined and particular.  

He was especially particular about women.  No matter how beautiful a girl was, none of them could hold a candle to Akria Chen.  She saw how he wooed her and courted her.  Treating her well.  They had hoped to get a Mistress for the house soon after the coronation of the King, however their Master disappeared without a word.  They knew something bad must of happened for him to disappear as he did, but no one could find any clues as to where he could be.  However none of them lost hope that their master would come back.  

And eleven years later, he showed up with a girl he claims is his savior.  A poisoned girl, who he has affections for.  Who is this mystery girl, they all don't know.  But what she does know, is that sweet boy that disappeared when he went off to the boarders, she could see in his eyes that same sweet boy he was when he looks a Miss Lihua. 

-----------

Lihua woke up to Takeshi's arms wrapped around her gently as if she was a precious glass about to break.  Looking around her surroundings, it was night time again and she had slept the whole day.  Turning around, Lihua sees how tired Takeshi is.  He didn't even stir when she moved.  Slowly slipping out of his embrace and the bed, she quickly dresses in her white shirt and pants and creeps out of the bedroom.  All four maids were still kneeling outside the bedroom, when they see her, they all wanted to cry out in joy and apologize to her for their mistake.  However before they could, Lihua put her hands over Teresa's mouth and hiss at them. 

"Quiet.  The Master is sleeping.  Get up all of you and we can talk in the receiving room."  

The five of them quietly makes their way into the receiving room and four of them knelt in front of her and kowtowed.  

"This servant beseeches you to give us punishment."  Helen said as she kowtowed. 

"Get up."  Lihua said as she helped each person up.  "You have done nothing wrong." 

"But you could have drowned."  Clare said.  

"But I didn't, now did I?" 

"No." Clare replied.  

"Then why should you be punished if I'm okay?" Lihua tells them.  "Besides, it was my fault as well for not getting out of the bath when I felt sleepy."  

"So, we're not going to be punished?"  Clare asked. 

"No. Why do you want to be punished?"  Lihua asks back. 

"No." They all said together.  

"Good.  Now that's cleared up.  I'm starving and I'm pretty sure you guys are too.  Quickly make something for us to eat!"  Lihua said as she sat down at the table.  

Helen and Teresa went to go cook, while Clare and Priscilla help light the fire and boil tea for Lihua.  

"Tell me what has happened since."  Lihua asks them.  

"After Nurse Yi lectured us, the doctor came and sat beside you for an hour to monitor you.  Afterwards, he left and said you need sleep and that you will be okay.  Master Shiro came after the doctor left and has stayed by your side since."  Priscilla told them.  

"If the doctor stayed for an hour and Master Shiro had not come yet, how long afterwards when the Doctor left did Master Shiro finally come to my side?"  

Priscilla looked at Clare for help, but Clare ducked her head deeper into her chest, refusing to help her.  

"Master Shiro just came back."  Priscilla tells her truthfully.  

"Thank you for telling me the truth."  Lihua said as her heart dropped.  

She selfishly wanted him to run to her when word got to him that she was fainted and almost drowned, but seeing how he didn't come see her until late at night told her clearly how he felt about her.  She shook her head from side to side before thinking that something must of happened at the palace which stopped him from seeing her.   

What mattered was that he came to her in the end.  The quiet awkward silence was soon replaced with clinking dishes that they brought in from the kitchen.  Lihua made all four of them sit down and eat with her not letting them go eat in the kitchen.  

"This will be your punishment for not saving me."  Lihua tells them.  "So you can't refuse me now!"  

The four of them resigned themselves to their fate and sat down.  They all sat and ate in silence before Lihua asked them about their family.  Towards the end of the meal, a loud roar could be heard coming from the bedroom.  The door banged open as Takeshi yelled out Lihua's name.  

"Lihua!"  Takeshi screamed.  "Where are you?" 

Before she could answer him, she felt his big body engulf her small form.  His head rested on her shoulder between her shoulder and neck breathing her scent in.  His breathing slowed as he squeezed her harder to his body. As if he never wanted to let her go.  As if he could make the two of them into one person.  

"Why did you leave me?"  Takeshi whispered into her ear.  "Why did you leave me alone?" 

"I was hungry."  Lihua tells him as she notices the chopsticks that were still in her hands. "You're squishing me."  

"Just let me hold you for a second."  Takeshi whispered.  "Just for a little longer."  

"I can't breath."  Lihua said.  

Takeshi releases her and takes a small step back. Instead of letting him go, Lihua grabs hold of him and holds him in her arms.  

"Just a little bit longer.  I'm still hungry."  

After awhile, Takeshi finally noticed the four maids that had almost costed him Lihua's life by their negligence. Before he was too tired and too angry to deal out their punishment, but now to see them sitting at the same table as Lihua and eating with her, Takeshi saw red.  

"Their punishment was to eat with me."  Lihua quickly said as she moved in to the side so he would be staring at her and not at them.  "Even though they knew it was not proper and they disagreed with me for a long time.  I forced them to eat with me as their punishment because I don't like eating alone."   

Takeshi's silver eyes soften at her remark and gives in to her.  

"Are you still hungry?" Takeshi asks her.  

"Yes."  Lihua tells him honestly.  

"Eat.  I'll be in my study." Takeshi tells her as he leaves her quarters and goes into his.  

"Quickly Miss, go after him."  Teresa tells her.  

"I'll go when I'm done eating."  Lihua said as she sat down again.  "He can wait, my stomach can't."  

The four girls finish eating quickly, not wanting their Master to wait.  To her annoyance, she also finishes her food quickly after them and makes her way to his study.  Two guards stood outside her door and another two stood outside his doors.  When she came close, one guard opened the door for her, letting her in while the other guard lead her to Takeshi.  

Upon reaching the study, the guard knocks on the door and waits until Takeshi asks them to come in.  The guard opens the door and Lihua steps in and the guard closes the door after Lihua.  

The lights were low in the study.  The walls were filled with books from ceiling to floor.  The desk had piles of books and paper on it.  

"You okay?" Lihua asks as she makes her way towards him.  Takeshi kept his head concentrated on the paper in front of him as if it was the most interesting thing he has ever seen. "Are you mad?"  

"No, I'm not okay."  Takeshi said as images flashed back in to his mind.  He dreamt that she left him.  That she jumped into the heavenly lake and swam away from him.  And no matter how hard he swam after her, he wasn't ever able to reach her.  And no matter how much he pleaded to her to stay, she kept on swimming further and further away from him.  He woke up to a cold sweat.  And when he reached over to where she was suppose to be, the bed was empty and cold.  Fearing that the dream was real, he shouted out her name and ran out to find her.  

Having her once in his arms grounded him.  Everything felt right when she was in his arms.  

Lihua pushes her way into his lap and sits on his lap with both of her legs on either side of him as she stares into his eyes, trying to read his mood.  

"What happened?" 

"Nothing, you're here now and that's all that matters." 

"So you don't want to talk about it?"  Lihua says as she leans into him.  Her head resting on his shoulder.  

"No."  

"Okay then."  Lihua accepts readily. "What about the men I asked for?"  

"You can meet them tomorrow. I chose two men I trust, who'll follow your orders." 

"But they'll report back to you. "

"Of Course."  Takeshi said as he smiles. 

"Very well. I guess I'll have to settle for that." Lihua said sleepily.   "Take me to bed Hell King."