Yun Fei clenched his teeth in pain. Prince Shuo Gang captured him again. It seems that this time though, the prince's hell bent on making him suffer. His arms and feet were both chained on a pole. His arms and torso were covered in red whip marks. Usually, these would be nothing to him but mixed with the injuries he got when he fought Hei Feng his body couldn't endure it.

Breathing was getting difficult, I bit my lip as another blow was delivered into my body. I couldn't endure this for long but I refuse to let Shuo Gang have the satisfaction so I just clenched my teeth tighter and bear the pain.

Shuo Gang was looking at me in obvious disliked. "Do you know why I am punishing you?" the Fire Prince asked. "It's because you seduced Yan Da into defying my command. It's because of you that I couldn't get the ice leaf from the bear tribe!"

I laughed which made Shuo Gang angrier. Narrowing his eyes, he asked. "What are you laughing at?"

"Because it's funny that the respectable Fire Prince who could make anyone look up to him would stoop so low as to use his own sister to win the favor of Hei Feng." I mockingly told him.

"How dare you!?" Shuo Gang shouted angrily, coming near me. "Their marriage would have solidified the alliance between the fire and bear tribes. As the princess of Fire Tribe, it's Yan Da's duty and honor."

I smirked, looking at him in the eyes. "An honor? Since it's such an honor why don't you marry Hei Feng's sister then in exchange for the ice leaf?"

The fire prince, now, was looking at me in hatred. "You must be really tired of living." He said. "Fine. Until death is looking at you right in the face I don't think that you'll be scared." He then let his soldiers kept on torturing me.

__________________________________________________________________

As time pass by, I know that my body won't last. My chest felt like it was burning from the inside. What's going on? Yan Da clearly gave me the antidote.

Prince Shuo Gang smirked as if reading my mind. "The pile of wood burning in front of you is no ordinary wood. It's the trunk of Heart Scorcher Tree. It can trigger the Heart Scorcher in you. When it burns out, you'll also disappear from this world."

Uncertainty clouded my heart. Am I really going to die in here? In this way? Before my negative thoughts could swallow me, the soldier announced something that gave me hope.

"Princess Yan Da is here!" the soldier announced loudly.

I couldn't find Yun Fei so I decided to go and talk to my brother. The soldier announced my arrival. Suspicion rose within me though when I noticed that he seemed nervous. Looking around, my eyes widened when I saw Yun Fei chained into a pole with whip marks all over his arms and torso. "Yun Fei!" I called out to him worriedly.

I was about to approach him but Shuo Gang blocked me.

"Shuo Gang, what are you doing!?" I asked my brother angrily.

"Why are you so angry?" he returned. "He is just a slave. Anyone can kill him. Why do you care so much?"

"He's one of my people! How dare you touch him!?" I heatedly shout at him. His eyes narrowed. Suddenly, I felt a stinging pain on my cheek. He slapped me.

"How dare you talk to me like that!? He is just but a mortal slave. I can kill or do anything to him as I please. You actually disrespect me because of him!?" he furiously asked.

I met his menacing gaze. "But to me he is no ordinary slave. He's my- "

"Who? Who is he to you?" Shuo Gang countered.

My most important person. But I couldn't say that. Looking at Yun Fei, I continued. "He is my friend."

Shuo Gang laughed sarcastically," Your friend!? Our tribe for thousands of years haven't had friends. We only have enemies!"

"But I've always wanted a friend! I want a true friend." I honestly said. Right now, I felt like I was a young girl again. Sincerely asking my older brother to let me have what I want for once.

But knowing him, he most likely won't. "As a member of the fire tribe, aside from obeying the fire king's orders. You can't have feelings for anything. Including him!" he said. I thought so. Why do I even bother?

I'm not giving up though. Stubbornly, I said. "If you still see me as your sister, please let him go."

"Heh, what if I don't?" he asked.

"Then don't blame me for doing this!", I said before throwing a punch at him.

__________________________________________________________________

Yan Da won the battle. She then took Yun Fei to her tent. She's worried. Yun Fei's breathing was becoming harsher by the minute.

"Yun Fei," She called out to him worriedly.

Suddenly, Yun Fei coughed up blood. "YUN FEI!" tears are now falling from the Fire Princess eyes. "Yun Fei, hang in there. You aren't allowed to die. Do you hear me?"

Gathering herself, Yan Da's eyes glint in determination. She would do anything to keep him alive even if it meant exhausting her soul, which is dangerous. She could die but it didn't matter to her. She would save Yun Fei.