Banou dream of the younger days when she just met Li Cheng outside the city. When their eyes meet for the first time, it is a strange feeling that stir in her. His big bright round eyes with long eyelashes attracted her attention. When they are moving into the city with him on the horse riding beside the damaged caravan, she is pretending to read her book. She is actually looking at his back while he keep turning around to have a quick look at her.
The next time they meet was in the busy streets when she is looking around and found herself alone. He spot her walking around looking lost. Then he remember that she don't speak a word of Mandarin. Thus he follow her around and use body language to 'talk'. It was a special day for both of them. A day she remember for a long time.
It took a few years for them to come together as a married couple. Banou remember that beautiful day. A day she never forget. Where her culture and his cultures are mixed together. He did not see her any different from any girls he met before. She have captivated his attention every time they meet. He is even loving it when he see the naked Banou in his bed. Her hour glass figure. The soft and flowery smell that makes him go crazy for her. At that younger age, Banou's hour glass figure comes with big breast and small nipples and pinkish areola and because she have given birth to her first child, she still produce milk which Li Cheng likes and enjoy it. Till today, she maintain her hour figure which is hard for anyone to understand. Li Cheng understands why his brother is unwilling to let go of Banou, not because she is his slave that he bought from Persia. It is because, the pleasure she gives when they are mating. The feeling, the sound and the vision. Every time he goes off to work for days without seeing his wife, he dream of sleeping beside her. Li Cheng doesn't like it when other men stare at his wife. He understand how much lust in every men. He hear how other men talk about his wife. He cannot control their thoughts and fantasy but he can watch and make sure that his wife is safe under his protection.
Banou make sure that everyone in the city knows how much she loves her husband. Since he likes to exercise with weapons in hand, She make sure all the weapons are shiny and suitable to use. Every few days a man from the black smith will come by to check the weapons which are display at the courtyard on a platform. Even the heavy weights are place beside are check. While outside, while attending parties, she never fail to mentioned her husband and to the royal family, having children with Li Cheng is to appease the Dowager and to solidify her position as a wife.
When he return from work, she is alway ready for him. She will personally be the one who will attend to his needs in the bathtub. Scrubbing and cleaning him from head toe. He always wait patientionly for the part when the bath ends, while he is cleaning himself dry, she will change her wet clothes. While drying up, he watch her strip. He never stop looking a the foreign beauty and Banou knows that her husband is thinking. She always have to act in the beginning to allow him to do whatever he is thinking off. The couple will always end up in their bedroom till the night comes. The maids know that no one should be in their courtyard. Even the mischievous twins are hold back by Wang MoMo.
Somedays he will go shopping with Banou. Even he dislike on a buying trip, he will put up with it. The citizens always sees them as a model couple who doesn't want to leave each other's sight. Sometimes when the words they say spread into the palace that brings anger and envy to the emperor and empress. The emperor who fail to secure a concubine like Banou for himself while the late emperor is alive is living in regret. He saw how Banou treat Li Jun at that time with care and tenderness. He wanted that attention too. A slave girl with a face of a goddess and a body to seduce any men is not possible to find in Tang. Now the Dowager have warn him never to do anything to destroy his relationship with his brother who is protecting him and his throne. While for the empress, she envy Banou have a husband who only have his eyes on her. When even those woman are force on to him, his heart is only belonging to his wife only. Her marriage to the emperor starts at the age of fourteen. There isn't any love nor concerns from him. The birth of her two child is done pure out of duty for the bloodline of the family. While the other concubines are pure lust that is only lasting till they get pregnant. Thus most of them did not want to get pregnant.
One of those night after the couple is tired from the bed actives, she lay in his arm. Banou's eyes open wide and wonder if she should talk and ask him. On his honest thoughts about what might come up in future.
"My Husband..."
"Hmm.."
"I was thinking that in a few more years to come. I might need to return to Persia again."
"To visit? Hmm It will be fine."
"What if, my father wants me to stay?"
"Stay for how long?"
"For the rest of my life."
"Why?"
"My father had decree that if should he and my crown prince brother to die, i should co-rule with a new successor till he is able to rule the realm on his own."
"Why?"
"Because my brother is not remarrying and he doesn't have any other children. They are looking for a successor within the family. To train a boy to rule the realm takes time and they doesn't want anyone from the other side of the family to rule the kingdom. So my father had appointed me."
"Banou... this will separate us."
"You won't want to come with me?"
"I can't ... i am now the only prince who is welding the forces of the army for Tang. I have swore to protect my brother the emperor on his throne to my late father. I cannot go anywhere..."
"So, when the time comes... i am going to be sperated from my husband?"
Li Cheng remain quiet. He stare at the curtain that is swaying gently. He hold his wife tight.
"May that day never come for us Ban Nu. Never..."