In a place entwined with vines, a flowing fountain and valley of shrubs stood Yoona. The distorted look on her face marked the state of her mind.
"Miss , we got the information and it's not looking good". A gruff voice shook her slightly before she composed herself.
She turned around to face the person with such dignity and elegance fitted for only a queen. "Why is it you?". She sternly asked.
The man chuckled a little, a sly smile painted on his face. "The task was handed over to me, number six went to take care of something important in our clan".
Yoona raised her brows at the absurd manner he called Jae joon with. "Why number six?"
Oh I forgot to explain some certain things to her, the man exclaimed in his mind. "Miss, we don't go by our real names during missions, we go by numbers and this number is assigned in succession of our association".
"Why was I not informed of this at the onset". She asked highly irritated to be left out on such information. The man scratch his head , thinking of the best thing to say to avoid upsetting the lady.
"I didn't know you weren't informed by Jae joon".
She exhaled deeply before giving her orders. "I want all the information pertaining to your sect handed over to me, every tiniest detail shouldn't be left out". Authoritatively she ordered.
"Yes Miss". He replied with a bow.
"From now onwards call me boss, tell others".
The man smiled but accepted. The girl keeps surprising him as days goes by. She will be the perfect kind of leader to serve and he believes they won't regret it.
"Now, where were we?". She asked.
A document was handed over to her bearing all the information she needed. She flipped through the pages feeling disappointed. The next courtmaid selection is in two month's time and she doesn't have much time. If she's to guarantee her safety and that of her family's, she needs to get in soon.
The last page gave her a ray of hope. The palace may not be in need of courtmaid at the moment but they are short on medical staff. What better ways to test herself on all the knowledge she acquired in the hinterlands, if not through the examination coming up soon.
"Thank you doctor Yang for teaching me medicine". She said quietly.
The man saw she has reached the last page and sighed. He will bet his left arm that she doesn't know anything about medicine but he was knocked out with the next sentence and countenance she expressed.
"I will take the medical examination __I will become a physician". Smiling, she uttered the sentences while she folded the documents. What better way to explore the palace if not as a medical practitioner? If there be no need for her services, she creates one.
The man opened his eyes so wide it seems to be popping out from it's socket. What the hell! He doubted that she will learn all the things required to take the exams in two weeks time. Curiously, he asked her how she will do it.
"I have the basic knowledge of course. And I have already practiced while staying at the hinterlands". She handed over the document for him to keep. On stretching his arms to collect it, he remembered that he betted his left arm earlier.
"Thank God I didn't voice that out". He mumbled.
"What?". Yoona asked catching wind of few words. He shook his head abruptly, bowed and left hastily.
Bewildered, Yoona watched the back of the fleeing man , feeling something was amiss.
"What is wrong with him?"
_________________
It's been two days since the competition yet no news made it's way out from the palace. Ladies with little or no hope went about their daily business notwithstanding the pressure.
Eun-hye paced around her room eagerly awaiting the arrival of the royal messenger. Her heartbeat increased with each footsteps passing outside her room. Each creak of door built up tension right beneath her bellybutton.
The whispers of dancing leaves added to her tension making her wither in fear. Slight sounds from doors , windows, floors and even the roof brought her heart to a tumultuous race. At times, she wondered if doors has been put on cupboard as it rattled with an ominous sound each time a wind blows.
"What is wrong with me?". She queried herself when her window pane moved with the motion of the blowing wind. It's not like a messenger will come through the window.
"My baby, come let's eat". Her mother shouted from the next room.
"I'm coming mother".
She wiped her face with a clean rag before applying some concealers to hide the dark shadow in her face.
Last night, she couldn't sleep due to restlessness. Her mind worked nonstop while analyzing things that happened to her past few days ago. Her emotions were in disarray, one with happiness and other with disappointment. She wondered if she would have done better if she knew who he was at the beginning.
The conversations she had with him came rushing through her mind.
"I'm not like other ladies". Why in God's name did she utter such things to him.
She was unhappy that the pallor in her face will be noticed under the sharp gaze of her mother hence she applied a colour matching her skin.
At the breakfast table, the usual gayness was gone from her face making her mother worried. The day she came back from the palace, she had locked herself in her room denying access to everyone including her.
Lady Sora had dismissed the act as one of those tantrums of hers until she heard a suppressed sob from her room. She had pressed her ears to the door to confirm that she really was crying...
Banging on the door, she asked her to open the door but was rejected flatly and dismissively with the assurance that she's OK. Knowing her daughter well, she went away quietly for she knew __ At her right time, she will come to know.
"Are you OK, darling?". She asked carefully bringing her daughter to a full attention.
"Of course mother, I am eating such beautiful meals with you right now, am I not?" She said, with a miserable attempt at her old gaiety of manner.
She still don't want to talk about it, thought her mother. She dismissed the topic and concentrated on her meal.
"Pass the salt". Lady Sora said while trying to reach the table salt at the other side of the table. Absent-mindedly, Eun-hye passed her a cup of water.
"Are you sure you are OK, my darling?"
"Yes I'm fine mother".
Eun-hye passed the salt around this time around resuming her meal. She wants to tell her mother everything too but she has said many wrong things in haste.
"I don't wish to be confined in such a fanciful prison for the rest of my life". She remembered. How could she have said such a thing before? And to her mother at that.
Suddenly, she stood up from her . Thanking her mom, she walked to the left part of the room.
"Where are you going?". Her mother asked bewildered.
"I'm going to my room". She answered.
"Are you planning on leaving through my cupboard then?". Eun-hye chuckled, then lied.
"I just wanted to take a look at the chinaware before going to my room".
Her mother ignored her and continued her meal. Letting out a breath of relief, she made a U-turn. This time around leaving through the door.
"This child, what really happened at the palace?". Her mother said, raising her head to look at the closed door.