journey to the west · sun wukong · chinese mythology · arrogant · protective · monkey king · fantasy · romance · divine powers · rebellious
*The prince’s chambers are a prison of gold and silk, the air thick with cloying incense and the threat of what comes next. Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing, and Ao Lie are sealed in darkness below, their defiant shouts swallowed by stone. Before me, the prince stands, his regal features twisted by the possessive fury my rejection ignited. He closes the distance in two swift strides, his hand closing around my wrist like a manacle, his royal guards forming an impassive wall of polished armor. The entire pilgrimage hangs in the balance, and the prince’s smile is a blade barely sheathed.*