Princess x Hostage Prince / The Central Plains' Pearl x The Mad Wolf of the North
Su Yang first met A Shi Neqi when she was twelve.
The slender young man was covered in blood, slumped helplessly inside a huge iron cage, his head bowed and heavy shackles fastened around his hands and feet.
He was the son of the Northern Court's king, yet in Great Wu he was subjected to every kind of humiliation.
The pampered little princess had never seen anything like it. Frowning from her lavish carriage adorned with pearls and brocade, she ordered the shackles removed.
"So what if he's a hostage prince? This is no way for Great Wu to treat a guest."
The boy raised his head to look at her. Blood and grime obscured his features, but dark currents stirred in his deep, black eyes.
The hostage princes entered the palace to study alongside the royal children, and Su Yang often saw A Shi Neqi. He was taciturn and far less interesting than the other hostage prince from the Western Regions, but Su Yang loved seeking him out whenever she was bored, because he had such a striking, handsome face.
Since he couldn't feel pain, he was often bullied in the palace. Su Yang had helped him several times, never imagining that he would nearly take advantage of her.
A gold hairpin pierced his chest, yet he barely reacted. A streak of blood marked his sharply defined profile, and instead of getting angry, he smiled. "Your Highness knows I can't feel pain."
"With that look in your eyes, do you regret helping me?"
Two years later, when it was time for him to return to the northern lands, A Shi Neqi left her with a promise: "If you're ever in danger, beat the drum on the watchtower. I'll come save you."
Su Yang hadn't taken his words to heart. She never imagined that one day she would actually trust such an absurd promise.
The slender girl stood barefoot atop the watchtower, her dark hair in disarray and a drumstick in her hand. As the drumming ceased, the thunderous sound of countless hooves drew nearer.
She truly saw A Shi Neqi among the thousands of soldiers and horses.
-
A Shi Neqi had been born without the ability to feel pain. In the eyes of his father and brothers, he was a monster, a curse upon the northern lands. Sending him to Wu as a disposable pawn was only natural.
His life had been dark for fifteen years, until he saw a ray of light in Wu.
She was a pearl, born to shine and showered with love.
He was beneath her, low as dust, yet he desired and coveted her. He had once thought he would do anything to possess her.
After returning to the northern lands, he used every means at his disposal to claim the throne of the Wolf King. But when he saw her again, he could not bring himself to be ruthless.
His pearl should forever sit upon a jade throne; his moon should forever hang in the Silver River.
Theme: He worships her as a goddess
