The Empress Is Searching

Mother

The next day came and Kleila happily dressed herself to go and see the Empress. No more does she need to hide or tremble whenever she reaches her doormat for she told her just yesterday that she can come to her anytime, anywhere and this makes her happy.

As she walks by, heads turn looking at her in bewilderment for she's smiling and jumping happily and this is the first time they're seeing her with whatsoever emotions.

"Good day Gyu, Seo-rin, Park Woong and Yan. I got this for you." Kleila greeted the Empress personal guards happily while handing them the cookies she personally made, but when they kept looking at her in surprise instead of eating the cookies. She urged them to eat up.

"How is it? Did it taste good?" She asked excitedly, waiting for their reply after they all finished their cookies.

The guards told her that it tastes so good and pleaded for her to give them the one she wrapped inside a paper beg but she shakes her head no before quickly running inside the main door that leads to the Empress study room.

She knocked just in case but the voice she so love tells her to come in and this she did. Without she telling her, she sat down beside her and placed the paper bag on her table.

When the Empress kept looking at it instead of eating it, she picked it up, unwrapped it and began feeding them to her. At first the Empress hesitated but later on she gave in while looking at her as if trying to figure her out.

When the cookies were finished, mostly by Kleila because the Empress stopped eating after the second round, Kleila got up and pulled out a handmade bracelet she personally made, she gave it to the Empress but she rejected it saying.

"Kleila, I don't wear bracelets and even if I do, this is so childish."

Her comment and rejection saddened Kleila but she wiped it out and pretended it didn't as she put it back inside her handmaid wool bag.

I know you're upset Kleila but I can't accept it because I won't wear it if I do. The bracelet is more your style, why don't you wear it since you fancy such types of jewelry and besides it fits your necklace, come to think of it, you never remove this." The Empress said referring to the necklace her mother gave her while still reading one of the piles of scrolls on her desk.

"That's because mother told me never to pull it off." Kleila said, still saddened by her rejection.

The Empress scrolled the last parchment after reading it's content and tied it together with the others before placing it back on her desk, then she turned to Kleila, giving her her full attention.

"Tell me about your mother, why did she leave you at the palace doorstep."

Kleila signs and from looking at her you'd know that she's hesitating but later on, she started letting the Empress in.

"Mother told father to take me back when he returned me to mother but father didn't, he'd said he will come back to get me after but he didn't return. Mother was angry and she carried me to the ship which brought us here but father wasn't around and aunt Jang Beo-jin who is father's maid told mother that father had died during the war and mother brought me here. I told mother I don't want to stay here but she said I have to."

"Did she tell you why?" The Empress asked and Kleila nodded her head yes before continuing.

"They're fighting in mother's country, the black and white skinned people over there, they're killing each other and mother feared they would kill me because my skin is white so she brought me to father's country."

The Empress asked her why didn't she tell this to Empress Dowager when she was questioning her and Kleila replied her that it was because she was scared and also because her mother had told her not to tell anyone about her country ..for she feared that they might trace her and send her back to her.