As the weeks rolled by, Qian Lan began to worry more and more about the destined day. There was not a single day in which the king didn't come pay her a visit. Like any other days, Qian Lan had maids tending to her needs everywhere she went. With only one week to go, Qian Lan decided to make most of her time. Quickly running from her window back to her table filled with ink and paper; she decided she was going to write a farewell letter to Yuhan.
Dear Yuhan,
Sorry for not getting in touch earlier. I've been enjoying my life here in the palace for the past three weeks now. Next week I will be sacrificed to the water god and may never come back. Thanks for being my only true friend, even though we didn't get to spend much time together, you still opened your home to a stranger like me. With this letter I will be sending you some jewelry and money. They were things given to me, but with next week being my last, there's no point in me holding onto them. I hope you find some ways to make good use of it.
P.S Make sure my adopted family dosen't find out about the gifts and this letter.
"There…. this should be good."
Qian Lan moves to her makeup draw and looks for any hairpins and bracelet she could find. After grabbing what she could, she stuffed everything into a bag with the letter and handed it to a nearby maid outside her residence.
"Please make sure this gets delivered."
"Yes, my lady. I will see to it."
The maid quickly heads out with the bag and soon disappears from her sight. Taking a deep breath Qian Lan turns around only to bump into someone's chest.
"Ah!"
Barely able to catch herself from falling, the strange figure had to grab hold of her waist to help her stand up.
"That was my fault. I didn't mean to stand so close."
Qian Lan finally looks up and realizes it was the king. Catching her off guard, Qian Lan blushes as she pushes the king away.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to bump into you."
"Qian Lan, you didn't have to push me away so forcibly. That kind of hurts."
"I am not used to having a man grabbing me. I do apologize if I offended you, so if you'll excuse me your majesty. I will head back to my sleeping quarters."
Qian Lan turns to leave as the king grabs onto her right hand.
"Why do you push me away so much Qian Lan? Did I do something?"
Qian Lan removes the kings hold and looks into his eyes.
"Your majesty, aren't I just some sacrifice to you? I mean, I've only got a week left before the destined day, right? Why do you insist on getting close to someone who is going to probably end up dead in a week?"
"I've told you before Qian Lan. I can stop all this if you would…"
"If I would become your queen, I know. I've told you before your majesty, that you don't like or love me. You're merely interested in me and that is something that will die over time. You have a harem full of women who are vying for your affections. Rather than wasting your time trying to woo me, maybe you should spend it with them."
"Qian Lan! Don't make me mad!"
"Your majesty are you going to strip me of my rights too? I already have no say in being sacrificed so are you going to tell me I don't have the right to deny your advances as well?"
"I…I didn't mean it like that. Qian Lan, just listen to me for once."
"No, my answer will always be no. No matter what you say. I am a dead woman already, so please leave me be to enjoy my last days."
"Qian Lan!"
The king angrily screams out her name as she ran away. Qian Lan quickly runs back into her bedroom and shuts her door. She quickly locks her door and closes her window and moves to hide under her bed sheets.
"Gosh, this crazy king. When is he going to understand I have no interest in being a part of his harem?"
Suddenly, a large knock on her bedroom door catches her off guard.
"knock Knock!"
"Go away! I want to be alone right now!"
After five minutes, the knocking finally stopped. Soon, nothing but the rustling of the trees out in her courtyard could be heard. Qian Lan finally calms down and moves out of her bed. Slowly propping one side of her window open, she peeks her head out to look at the sun slowly setting.
"Sigh, another day gone. Seriously, the king is getting creepier and creepier by the day. Can't believe a good-looking man like him is starting to look like a manic."
Meanwhile, the king walks back to his residence and orders for the shaman to pay him a visit. After sending out his order, the shaman comes waltzing in an hour later.
"I apologize for keeping you waiting my king. What did you need me for?"
The king was no longer sitting, he quickly stands up and shakes the old shaman by the shoulders.
"I want to know if there's a way to stop Qian Lan from being sacrificed."
"What? What's the meaning of this my king? I've mentioned before that she was destined to be sacrificed to the water god. Why do you think she bears that mark on her back?"
"Well, is there a way to stop it?!"
"Your majesty, if there is no sacrifice made next week, we will continue to receive no rain. Are you willing to throw your country away for the sake of this woman?"
The king goes silent and walks back to his study desk. With both his right hand supporting his head and his left hand clenched into a fist on the table, the king continues to ponder on what to do.
"My king, you cannot let your emotions be swayed. Qian Lan is not destined to be yours in this lifetime."
"What makes you so sure?! Every time I see her, my chest starts to hurt. I feel like I've been pierced by a sword every time I see her ignore me. I'm the king of this country, there's nothing I can't have yet I can't even have one woman?"
The shaman shakes her head in disbelief and sighs.
"Sigh, very well my king. There is a way to stop her from being sacrificed."
"What? What is it?! Tell me!"
"To be chosen as the sacrifice the maiden must remain pure. If Qian Lan was to connect with a man before her destined day, she will no longer be considered worthy of being sacrificed to a god."
"You're telling me….I would have to force Qian Lan?"
"That is up to you, your majesty. Just be aware she may come to hate you or kill herself if such a thing were to happen. Are you willing to live with yourself if she were to do that?"
The king goes quiet and dismisses the old shaman and moves to his window to stare at the large moon.
"Sigh….what am I going to do, Qian Lan?"
As the king was debating what to do, Qian Lan was already sleeping after locking herself in her bedroom all night. Soon, another day was over and there was only six days left till the destined day. Qian Lan couldn't understand why she wasn't afraid of being sacraficed. Any normal person knowing they were going to possibly die would be freaking out by now, but not her.
"Maybe…. because I still think this is a dream. Maybe dying in this time will allow me to go back to my world."
Just as Qian Lan was brushing her hair by her makeup table, she hears a light knock on her bedroom door.
"Knock Knock."
"My lady, it's me."
Qian Lan quickly runs to her door and unlocks it. In comes walking the head maid with Qian Lan's lunch for the day.
"My lady, how are you feeling? You stormed off last night and locked everyone out."
"Sorry, I had a lot on my mind last night."
Qian Lan seats herself on her brown table and pours herself a cup of tea as the head maid laid out plates of food before her.
"Please enjoy, I will come back in a bit to clean up."
The head maid quickly leaves the room and closes Qian Lan's bedroom door and heads out.