Mei Lian was ten now, and the vampire prince, Tian Yu, had just turned eleven. Time had flown by since the days they played by the stream. Their lives had grown more structured, filled with expectations and rigorous lessons. Both were enrolled at the prestigious Institute of Mystical Arts, a training ground for young royals gifted with supernatural potential. There, future rulers and guardians of the magical realms were forged.
But even in a school dedicated to nurturing talent, Tian Yu's existence was a subject of both awe and fear. He was the only vampire among witches.
That day during training, the instructor ordered Tian Yu to spar with another student. It was supposed to be a simple match, just to test reflexes and control. But things went wrong fast.
"You don't belong here, blood-sucker," his opponent spat with venom in his voice. "You're a freak. A monster!"
Tian Yu's jaw clenched. His blood heated.
The instructor narrowed his eyes. "Control your emotions, Tian Yu. Don't lose yourself again. Try not to suck anyone's blood this time."
The class snickered.
His fists trembled.
Then the instructor did something unexpected. He ordered Tian Yu to battle three elite students in succession—three of the most powerful young witches in their level. One blow after another rained on him, and though he fought back with grace, he was clearly outnumbered.
Blood trickled from his lip.
Suddenly, he slashed across one of the students with a defensive strike, and a scent filled the air—blood.
It was like a match igniting dry grass.
His breathing changed.
His fangs extended.
His nails turned claw-like.
Eyes bled crimson.
The atmosphere changed. A pulse of power radiated from him, heavy and violent. Even the instructor stepped back. Fear spread like wildfire. The student who had bled now backed away in panic.
Guards were called. The entire class was frozen in fear.
Tian Yu, locked in instinct, began to move toward the bloodied student. His footsteps were slow, his eyes fixed.
Then suddenly—
Arms wrapped around him from behind.
Tiny, but firm.
A familiar voice whispered near his ear, "Calm down. You have to control yourself. Remember?"
It was Mei Lian.
His breathing slowed.
The storm within him began to fade.
The redness in his eyes dimmed. His fangs vanished. His claws retracted. His knees gave out and he collapsed into her arms, breathing heavily.
"Your Highness! Get away from that monster!" one of the students shouted.
"He's not a monster. And no one touches him. That's a direct royal order," Mei Lian snapped, her voice sharp and commanding.
Tian Yu blinked at her weakly. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
She smiled. "Being where I should be."
She helped him up, ignoring everyone else, and supported him all the way to the palace and into his room, not letting a single soul lay a finger on him.
That evening, the instructor reported everything to Queen Xi Wang in the grand hall.
"If we're not careful, Your Majesty, that boy will kill us all. He's a curse. An unpredictable—"
"Enough," the queen said coldly. "Tell me what happened. Properly. Without insult. He is my son since I brought him here. You will address him as your prince."
The man faltered, startled by her sharpness, but continued.
The queen listened.
Then she sent a messenger to summon the students involved in the training session.
A few moments later, the students knelt in the great hall. The queen asked for their accounts, and they spoke, but bitterness dripped from their words.
"He's dangerous!"
"He roared like a beast!"
"He looked like he wanted to drink blood!"
Then one of them stood up.
Li Hua.
The only male student who had treated Tian Yu as an equal. One of the rare few who formed the close-knit friendship known as the Four Petals: Mei Lian, Tian Yu, Li Hua, and Ai Zhen, daughter of the palace healer.
"Your Majesty," Li Hua began respectfully, "with all due respect… Tian Yu was provoked. He was insulted and ordered to face three elite students alone. I was there. I saw it. No one tried to stop it. He didn't want to hurt anyone. He controlled himself."
The instructor interrupted, "Of course you'd say that! You're his friend!"
The queen narrowed her eyes. "Enough. Was anyone else present?"
Li Hua hesitated. "Princess Mei Lian was there too. She helped calm him."
The queen summoned Mei Lian.
The young princess arrived confidently and stood beside the throne. She recounted everything, defending Tian Yu and condemning the teacher's handling of the incident.
"He's not a monster. He only reacted like anyone would—when pushed too far."
Queen Xi Wang listened carefully. Then she asked, "Where is Tian Yu now?"
"He's resting," Mei Lian replied.
"Bring him here."
Tian Yu entered the grand hall quietly. His face was lowered, his body weak. He bowed.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I didn't mean to scare them."
The queen walked down from her throne and knelt before him, lifting his chin gently. She saw the fear in him, how weak he looked. The bruise on his lip had already healed, courtesy of his vampire blood's remarkable regenerative properties, which rapidly repaired any damage. She held his hand and she felt them shaking.
"What happened?. Why is he this weak?." she asked sharply.
The teacher stammered . " I.... I don't know. He only had a match with his mates ."
She said nothing more. Instead, she took Tian Yu's hand and walked him back to the throne.
Then she faced the room.
"Tian Yu is a prince and Infact, he is like a son for me. He lives under this roof. He is one of us. Any disrespect or injustice against him is an offense against me."
Silence.
Fear.
Respect.
The room emptied moments later, and the queen turned to Mei Lian.
"Go to your room, child."
Then, she took Tian Yu to her private chambers to have a few words with him.
Inside the quiet warmth of Queen Xi Wang's private chambers, Tian Yu sat at the edge of a cushioned seat, his small hands clenched tightly on his lap. His eyes were red, streaked with tears that refused to stop falling. The queen knelt before him, her elegant robe pooling around her like mist on the palace floor.
She studied his face—so young, so troubled. His silence tugged at her heart.
"Speak to me, Tian Yu," she said gently. "Tell me everything. I want to hear it from you."
His lips trembled. "They hate me," he whispered, his voice cracking. "They never saw me as one of them. No matter how hard I try, I'm always the monster."
His tears fell again, hot and silent.
"I tried so hard to hold it back. But the words… the looks… they never stop. Even the teachers treat me like I'll lose control at any moment. Like I'm some wild creature they must cage. I didn't want to hurt anyone, truly… I didn't."
Queen Xi Wang reached out and wiped his tears with the edge of her sleeve, her touch motherly and kind. "You are not a monster," she said firmly. "You are like a son to me. That is all they need to know."
"But I don't belong," he murmured. "Even now… they're afraid of me. I saw it in their eyes."
She watched him for a moment, her own heart aching. Then she asked softly, "Do you still want to go back to the institute?"
He shook his head immediately. "No. I don't want to return. I just want to stay here… in the palace."
She sighed, brushing a strand of hair from his damp forehead. "But you'll be lonely here. Mei Lian is always at the institute until sunset."
"I don't mind," he said with the trace of a smile. "I'll wait for her. Every day."
A tender silence fell between them, the kind that only understanding could fill. Then, Queen Xi Wang stood and gently took his hand.
"Very well. You may stay in the palace. And when you're ready, you may return. Or not. You are free to choose."
He looked up at her, his wide eyes filled with surprise.
"Listen to me carefully, Tian Yu," she continued, guiding him through the corridor toward his chamber. "You may be different, but different doesn't mean broken. You were brought to us for a reason. You may not see it now, but you will."
When they arrived at his room, she stepped inside with him and helped arrange his bed herself—fluffing the pillows, straightening the sheets with a care that few monarchs would offer. Tian Yu watched her quietly, unsure how to put into words the comfort she gave him.
At the door, she paused and turned back to him.
"Don't ever forget," she said with a gentle smile. "You are special. You are a gift."
Then, without waiting for him to reply, she stepped out, closing the door behind her with a soft click that echoed like a promise.