'How long has it been!'
'Hours?'
'Days??'
'Or months???'
Nuwa slowly opened her eyelids. Her mesmerizing eyes were shimmering in the sunlight that was stubbornly penetrating from the bedside window. Sadly, the eyes lost their usual charms. Today, it was filled with emptiness because it's host's mind was far away from worldly desires...
She stared at the ceiling for a long long time. Normally, she had a strong sense of time; she was always very punctual and would rarely be late. But now, she was lazily laying on a large bed. She had no sense of time.
Queen Lin was tightly hugging her body like an octopus and sleeping soundly beside her. Nuwa looked at Queen Lin's sleepy face. It looked so white as if a ghost chased her. Her eyes were swollen, there were dark circles around it. Only two days had passed, but she already looked like a haggard, old lady in her fifties.
Nuwa could hardly remember how she had gotten herself in Queen Lin's bedchamber. All she could recall that the physician told her to stay with her highness. She was the only person who could help her regain her consciousness, so now here she was, coaxing her like a parent coaxes their children.
Nuwa had no idea what was happening outside the room. She was curious.
'Is the funeral over?'
'How is everyone?' She wondered.
She became unusually normal and clear-headed after observing the death of Princess Liena. She didn't understand why though... At first, she was feeling angry. Very angry. But later, she felt nothing except some deep pain on her chest, it was hard to breathe. Even though she felt pained, there was not any teardrop coming out from her eyes.
'Why I can't cry anymore?'
'I want to cry.'
She wanted to cry her heart out as others did, she tried to cry. There were many times she forced herself to cry by roughly pinching her body, but still, she couldn't. There wasn't a droplet of a tear coming from her eyes. It was like all of them suddenly dried.
Nuwa started to fear after discovering herself because she had no idea she had this cruel side. All of her emotions became calm like the bottom of the sea. They were silent and unwavering, as if, they were tightly locked inside a paradox box.
'So all of my vows were empty talks, huh!' Nuwa mocked herself.
Her concentration broke when she suddenly heard some footsteps were coming from inside of the bedchamber. It was impossible for someone to enter the queen's bedchamber without permission. So, Nuwa became cautious but found out that Empress Dowager was dejectedly standing in front of their bed.
Empress Dowager was concernedly looking at the sleeping Queen Lin's face. However, when she became aware that Nuwa wasn't sleeping but staring at her, she silently gestured her to come out of the room. Nuwa listened to her command and without waking up queen Lin, she got up from the bed and followed empress to outside.
She had shockingly discovered when walking outside that the palace was unusually normal today. People were doing their usual chores with the everyday face. They were dubious of the fact that their master had died. There was not any mourn or sadness on their face for the princess's death.
Nuwa peeked at empress to see her reaction, and also, an explanation. However, Empress Dowager didn't satisfy her desire by answering her unspoken question and as a result, Nuwa didn't dare to ask her. They finally entered Empress Dowager's courtyard. And sitting their respective positions, Empress Dowager looked at her face.
"You must be wondering why We are not holding any official ritual for the princess, right?"
Nuwa slightly nodded her head.
"Thousands of people depend on Us. Our single mistake can bring an unimaginable change of their fates....even, cost their lives. That's why We do not want to let people know Our vulnerable situation. Because our enemy nation will also be aware of by then. Especially the Qiu kingdom. Our peace treaty will be broken with them if they learn that..."
Empress Dowager's voice became shaky and eyes became watery. She had always been a proud woman. She hated to show her weakness in front of people. But today, she was sobbing in-front of Nuwa.
Nuwa didn't know what to do to stop her crying. All she could do was to silently look at the ground, as if, she wasn't present in the room. After living in the palace for three years, she knew, how high-esteem people felt. She started to ponder about the promise she made two days back and realized, she was crazy!
How could she promised to marry someone whom even the old Emperor Lin feared!
Didn't the kingdoms were in constant wars? Wasn't they were always in their throat?
She wondered what actually happened between the kingdoms that forced Emperor Lin to use his only beloved granddaughter as a peace treaty...
"We apologize for selfishly asking this, but, you are the only one who can replace the princess. Can you help our kingdom?"
Empress Dowager asked with pleading eyes. There was not any command on her tone.
"Yes, your highness. This servant is already aware of it." Nuwa answered. She still couldn't believe that she was so bravely answering again!
"We apologize for burdening you for our kingdom. We are indebted to you."
"Your Highness, it was this servant who should be indebted."
They sheltered her, protected her, gave her everything without asking for return. If she ungratefully did not help them then in their needs, then her guilty conscience would haunt her down for the rest of her life. It would never let her live in peace, not even after death.
Without beating around the bush, Empress Dowager said,
"Then you should start preparing yourself. We apologize to inform you that, we want you to leave as soon as possible, before the actual date. This way, we will be able to avoid the attention of the enemies."
Nuwa wasn't mentally prepared for this. Wasn't there two weeks left? Why it became too soon!
Without using honorifics, she shakily asked,
"W-When I have to leave?"
"Two days later."
"Huh!!!" Nuwa gasped in horror.
[Note: Unedited chapter.]