Iwa's eyes opened slightly and she stared up at him. She gave him a faint smile as she tried so hard to hide the pain she was currently feeling.
I: "As long as you're fine, that's all that matters to me." she was in so much pain that she didn't notice her way of speaking anymore.
L: "No! You have to be fine as well! You cannot leave me do you hear? You cannot leave me to do all this by myself! I need you!!"
Iwa's tears silently fell as she looked at him and shook her head no.
I: "This is how it's supposed to be. You'll do fine as a King, even without me."
L: "No. . .No. . ." he sternly denied as he shook his head vigorously. "I cannot do this without you!"
I: "You can. . .and you will. . .even better when I'm gone."
L: "No! I beg you, do not speak like that! You will survive! I will make sure of it."
I: "When I'm gone. . .I want you to make the one you have always love, your Queen. That way, she'll be happy. And no more hearts would have to break knowing that their loved one is with someone else."
L: "Iwa. . . .I. . ."
I: "Liwei. . .make her your Queen when I'm gone. Promise me this."
Liwei's eyes began to water at this time, but he still held his tears back. Not willing to let Iwa see this vulnerable side of him specially when she needed his strength on this very moment.
"Please. . .Iwa. . .Fight!! Stay with me. . . Stay for me. . .for us. . .I need you!"
I: "Hold my hand. . .I-I feel so cold. . ." she cried softly as she started to shiver uncontrollably as she felt the coldness seep deep into her body.
"I want you to be happy, my King. Be happy with the one you love. . .by your side."
Liwei held onto her hand and squeezed it tightly. Her hand was ice cold and he could see the fear and sadness in her eyes even as she wished him the best. His Iwa has always thought about him first before anyone else. Even herself. This is one of the things he loved about her, but now he hate it just a bit.
His Iwa. . .
His selfless Queen Wife. . .
His Happiness.
His peace.
His heart.
His Beloved. . . .
L: "If you want me to be happy with the one I love, then you must live! Do you hear me, Iwa? Live for me!" Liwei finally said once he realized his feelings.
When silence answered him back, he began to panic.
"IWA!!"
The imperial physician rushed into the room and quickly assessed the situation. With the help of four guards they were finally able to pry Liwei off from Iwa and dragged him out of the room. Leaving the physician and some maids to tend for Iwa.
Liwei was livid and wanted to behead those four guards, if only they weren't his personal shadow guards. His assassins.
The guards kneeled before him, waiting for their fates to be decided, but deep in their hearts they all know and understood that their King was in turmoil.
After a moment of pacing back and forth outside his chambers, Liwei had finally regained his composure and barked out the first thing that came out of his mind.
"Find out who planned the assassination and bring them back to me. Alive. I also want you to bring back alive those they love. As for everyone related to them, kill them all without mercy. Make sure to do it in front of the people behind this assassination. I want them to experience how it feels to have their family and loved ones die in front of them. Go and fulfill this order as soon as possible."
The four shadow guards gave a nod of their heads before they disappeared completely, to do as they are ordered to.
The palace's head eunuch came the moment the guards left, and immediately tended to the King. He helped him wash off the blood off of his skin and changed his robe into a new one.
After making sure that the King is now clean, the head eunuch gave him tea to calm his nerves as well as his mind.
While Liwei was drinking tea, the imperial physician came out of the room where Iwa was and rushed out to look for the King. When he saw the King he bowed deeply and was going to tell him the Queen's situation when the King beat him to it.
L: "How is she?"
IP: "Your highness, Queen Iwa is alive and is now sleeping. But she has lost a lot of blood. The wound was deep and long. I believe it will leave an ugly scar on her. There is also signs of---"
Liwei left the imperial physician without listening to the rest of his report. He hurriedly went into his bedroom where Iwa is at.
The head eunuch was left to speak with the imperial physician regarding Queen Iwa's treatment.
Liwei dismissed everyone present in his chambers, once he saw Iwa's small frame sleeping soundly on his large bed.
The sight of the white bandages around her pale skin made his nerves run erratically. He gently sat next to her and took her hair ornaments out as he fixed her hair to the side. His eyes never left her face, for fear that if he closed his eyes she would disappear from him completely .
"Iwa. . .stay with me. Be my Queen forever. Be my wife. Be the mother to my children. Grow old with me."
His voice started to break as his tears silently fell down on his face.
"Do this all and I will give you my all. I will never make you cry again. I will never make you worry or make you sad. I will not let you feel as if you are my second choice, anymore. Stay with me and let me make it up to you. I promise you this."
Liwe began to sob softly as he began to acknowledge the feelings he held deep inside of him, for Iwa.
"Wake up my Wife. Give me another chance to convince you that there is only you inside of my heart. My Queen. . .My wife. . .My life. . ."
"I love you."