3. Welcome... Really?

Meng Huo, the queen, the king, the prince and the other royalty whose titles long left Meng Huo's ears were sitting together on a long wooden table, having a welcome dinner for Meng Huo.

As the poor slave had never sat on a rich table, let alone sitting with royalty, he was tense as an arrow. His curious eyes touched all the silver plates one by one, yet he couldn't dare to raise his chopsticks. The feast was meant for the East Prince, so he didn't deserve to sit with those people.

"The food is not to your liking?" the queen asked with amiable brown eyes as Meng Huo's plate was still empty.

Han Xin rolled his eyes visibly, wondering why the king and the queen were too courteous towards the enemy. His brother was killed in the East!

"No, it is just... too much for someone like me," he said with an embarrassed expression, shocking all who was present at the table.

"Oh dear, such a thing to say! Although the wedding will be next month, you are a member of our family now," the queen tried to reassure the slave but it backfired.

"What wedding?" Meng Huo asked with confusion.

The queen and the king exchanged a smile before the king said "yours and Han Xin's, of course."

The chopsticks fell from Meng Huo's grip as he stared at the king blankly. It must have been a misunderstanding as the king didn't mention a wedding... right?

A WEDDING! WITH THE PRINCE OF THE NORTH!

It was outrageous! How could a slave marry a prince?! No no, it was surely a misunderstanding.

"Are you okay, dear?" the queen asked with concern, seeing the paled face of the young man.

"Y-Yes," Meng Huo squeezed out with a fake smile. His mind was in chaos, thinking what he should do.

"Eat some then, you are too skinny," the queen didn't ponder on the topic, but Han Xin's eagle eyes were on him, scrutinising each of the slave's expressions.

"Didn't you know about the marriage?" Han Xin blurted out and the table went into silence.

"I...knew it," Meng Huo lied blatantly, his eyes fixed on the plate in front of him.

Han Xin nodded sardonically as he confirmed that 'the prince' didn't know about the wedding. He was sure that there was a foul game going on and he had no intention to let it be.

The rest of the dinner was uneventful although for Han Xin, it was quite revealing. Seeing Meng Huo only ate very little of the vegetable dishes and refused to drink liquor, Han Xin was sure the man in front of him wasn't from the East. The Eastern royalty were known for their love of booze and meat as well as their arrogance and cruelty. Meanwhile Meng Huo couldn't even look them in the eye or form a sentence without saying sorry!

It will take less time than I expected... if we are alone, Han Xin said inwardly as a plan started to form in his mind. When it was the end of the dinner, he rose to his feet and went behind Meng Huo who tensed visibly. "We will take our leave now," he said as he placed his hands on the tensed man's shoulders.

The king raised a questioning eyebrow, but nodded nonetheless, thinking his son was mesmerised by the shy beauty.

"Good night then," Han Xin said politely as he dragged the wiggling man out of the hall. With force, he pushed the terrified prince into his carriage and when his chests were also placed into the carriage, they set off to the small palace near the lake.

"Why are you fidgeting?" Han Xin asked, irritated as Meng Huo couldn't sit still.

"I-I am sorry, I just..." the slave started but couldn't finish because his stomach churned, so he had to press his hand over his mouth.

"Nauseous?" Han Xin asked with astonishment.

As there was no use denying it, Meng Huo nodded with his eyes closed.

Han Xin was taken aback and a slight pity spread inside his heart, seeing the suffering man. Huffing, he grabbed the prince's tiny hand and pressed an acupoint on his palm. Interestingly, Meng Huo's hand wasn't soft at all, but covered with calluses as if he was a servant rather than a prince.

"Why are your hands full of calluses?" Is he an East soldier or a general? Then why seem so weak? A war captive? Hmm...

Meng Huo pulled his hand immediately away from Han Xin and hid them inside his robe. "I-I am better, thank you," he mumbled, hoping the prince wouldn't ask further.

"As if," Han Xin snorted and forced his hand out of the robe. Pressing the acupoint again, he said "I am only doing it so you won't vomit inside my carriage."

With a blush, Meng Huo nodded again and closed his eyes, trying to ignore the warmth caused by Han Xin's smooth hand.

Shortly after, the exhausted slave fell into an uncomfortable sleep and when his complexion was better, Han Xin let go of his hand.

Arriving at the palace, Han Xin woke the sleeping figure and sent him to the farthest room from his room before going to the study to plan his next move.

Now you are inside my palm and can't escape anywhere...