Chapter 11
1222 Words
The glamorous looking first Imperial Consort Mia graces the hallway to the chambers of the ladies who joined the competition. She's frowning in disappointment when she witness how Lady Park was left behind by the daughter of General Han. Trails of servants followed her, waiting for her orders.
Back then, Consort Mia remembered when she was just a lowly concubine given by the Emperor of Yuan as a tribute to the Emperor, she work hard to be in what she is now, and she wanted Lady Park to be like her, or preferably to be the Empress.
A woman like Lady Han won't bring her down and she pledge that she will help Lady Park in anyway she can.
"Her highness Imperial Consort Mia has arrived." The servant on the door said before opening.
Consort Mia prepared her comfort smile to give Lady Park encouragements but she is not shock to see Prime Minister Park inside.
"I know that you are here, isn't this a perfect timing." Consort Mia smiled before she sat on the comfortable cushion inside the chamber.
Prime Minister Park just nodded and allowed the Consort to comfort Lady Park.
"Your Highness," Lady Park didn't hide her disappointed face.
"It's okay my baby girl, it's okay... Staying in the Palace and taking what you desire will take time, just be patient and leave everything to me." Consort Mia said in a low voice.
Lady Park is their Plan B if the Plan A will fail. They don't know yet, they are waiting for the perfect timing.
Servants are waiting outside and only the three of them are inside the chamber.
Unbeknowst to them one shadow guard saw it all and immediately reported to his master.
Kana calmly sips his tea, inside his own chamber when Jeon came, bearing some news.
"My Lady, I saw Consort Mia visited Lady Park, and the Prime Minister was there as well."
"Thank you for informing me, Maknae. You can leave," Kana dismissed him.
"Sheen, find out about what they talk about, Lili, stroll in the Imperial kitchen to see what plan they are making for tomorrow's competition, then comeback immediately, I will take a walk to the gardens."
"Yes, my lady." The two servants walk out to execute their task.
"They are ganging up on me, maybe I should use my favors to the Empress." Kana nodded to himself.
Instead of waiting for the girls to come back, Kana decided to walk to the gardens that morning, alone.
He stroll there, and he saw Prince Haii.
Kana was about to turn his back and walk away when the prince held his arm.
"Lady Han, are you avoiding me?"
This is the first time that he saw the Lady after she had an accident, the last attempt he did was to visit their home but she has been sick.
"Your Highness, not at all." Kana bowed his head.
"Your highness," Prince Haii repeated the way Kana called him, "You always call me "my prince" back then, what happened and why the sudden formality?"
Kana face him with an indifferent expression.
"I am here to join the selection Your highness, and it's not proper for me, the future woman of the next Emperor to be close to you, or any man in this empire." Kana stepped back after removing his arm on the second prince's grip.
"Are you kidding me?" He asked with wide eyes. The lady in front of him just plainly said that he's the crown prince's property!
"No, Your Highness. I am stating the truth." Kana look down again, he don't want to see the disappointment in the prince's face.
The previous Kana is such a sick in the head. How come he keep this prince hope on him?
"The last time we talk, you agree to be my Empress, what happened now?"
Kana was taken aback. Did he agree?! Base on his dream, the previous Kana didn't answer, maybe the prince is a believer of the qoute, 'Silence means Yes?'
Probably.
"I don't remember such thing Your highness, pardon this lady since I woke up from that accident, I can't remember a thing about our previous conversation."
"Then I will remind you," Prince Haii didn't lose hope, he tried to hold Kana's hand, "We love each other, you promise to be with me. You have to lose in this selection, be my princess instead."
Kana wanted to snort, this prince is a walking red flag.
How dare he ordered him around?
"I'm sorry Your Highness, but I don't want to disappoint my family and the Crown Prince. I am here on my own will and behind me is an utmost support of my FAMILY." Kana emphasis on the word family which means the whole Imperial Army.
Prince Haii understands that, he let go of Kana's hand and decided to used his usual tactics to fool him,
"You're hurting me." He sadly said.
Kana inwardly smirk. So this is the ancient style guilt trip.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness." Kana bowed and he walked away.
Crown Prince Sunwoo was there, watching them, he felt pain when Prince Haii hold Kana's hand but it was erased instantly when he heard that Kana addressed himself as a woman of the future Emperor.
Khlui heave a sigh when he saw the Prince he served for a decade, smiled like a kid who just had a candy.
Crown Prince Sunwoo approached Kana who's busy looking at the flowers on the far side of the garden.
"Kana'er,"
"Your Highness!" Kana accidentally slip his hand on the rose stem and pricked his finger on its thorn.
"Ouch!" He hissed in the sudden pain.
The Shadow guards was watching, specially Yun who wanted to show himself and smack the crown prince's head because he rattled Lady Han causing him to be pricked by the thorn.
But he was stopped by RM, who also wanted to cut off that flowers who dares to hurt their master, only the innocent Jeon who pitied the pretty roses.
"I'm sorry.. Does it hurt?" He ask Kana who's busy pressing his finger to let out the small piece of thorn. He nodded when the crimson color drips on his fingertip.
"Let me do it." To Kana's surprise, The Crown Prince hold his hand, and bring his finger into his mouth.
The Shadow guards and Khlui, turn their backs and pretended that they did not see anything.
Kana was taken a back when he felt a sudden sensation when Prince Sunwoo suck his finger, that sensation flowed on him, waking his sleeping desire which he thought he won't be feeling in this era.
He is just staring at the Prince, abusing his poor fingertip.
Prince Sunwoo felt the same desire, but he manage to keep it down, afraid that he will scare Kana.
He removed Kana's finger on his mouth and inspected it, "The bleeding has stop, you should take care My Empress, I don't want you to be hurt." He softly whispered. "I should go."
Kana nodded, for the first time in his life. He was stunned.
'What the duck?! What happened?! What was that?!'
Kana felt he lost all his strength, Sheen and Lili immediately catch him.
"My Lady.. What happened?" They ask in worry.
"My heart.. It's beating like crazy."
What the duck?!
- Writer
