"Why are you looking away? I said, wake me up from my coma." Hualing said through gritted teeth. The way this fairy-like creature acted, it was as if she was slowly inching away from her, as if it was about to run away.
"I'm not looking away." The fairy looked back at Hualing with rounded eyes. But behind her, her fingers were fiddling nonstop, as if nervous at the glowering eyes of Hualing.
'What did I do wrong? I only fulfilled her wish and yet, why is she treating me this way?' The fairy felt very wronged. All she did was offer that and Hualing answered. She was even so excited about this and had even looked forward to the fun things that was in store for the person she had chosen.
Hualing crossed her arms impatiently while tapping her foot rhythmically. She was clearly getting more and more impatient as the feeling of uneasiness in her grew more. She just could not shook it off.
"Then why are you flying away?" She pointed with squinted eyes, looking at the fairy suspiciously.
The fairy stopped and became thoughtful for a moment before blinking her eyes. She coughed awkwardly before looking at Hualing with her unfounded confidence flying off the the roof.
"I have already granted your wish. You are off to a new beginning with adventure and fun-filled life. The wish was given, done, and cannot be revoked." She said with her melodious voice that was more charming than chimes. She then smiled serenely and clasped her hands before her and added, "Hualing...no, Elliana, I only wish you find peace and happiness. Whatever path you take, I'll support you."
Suddenly, the surrounding darkness slowly swallowed the light and even the fairy seemed to fade. Hualing felt her surroundings to shake violently, making her unable to regain her footing and had tumbled down.
"What's happening?" She cried out while looking at the fairy with alarm. "And stop calling me Elliana. I am Hualing."
But in spite of this, the fairy only smiled kindly at her, as if it was that of a mother's loving gaze, so unlike the one before that was bubbly and childish.
"Elliana, wherever you are, I'll watch over you and protect you." She said. "It's time for you to go."
"I'll leave the fate of this world in your hands."
"Hey! What are you saying? Why do you mean by tha--" Hualing felt her body got swallowed up by a blinding light that she had to tightly close her eyes to block it. The trembling in her surroundings seemed to stop and a pain in her abdomen was felt but she bit her tongue to stop herself from crying out.
"Oh no. The baby is not crying!" An alarmed voice sounded in the background and there were also some shuffling and running.
"What happened?" Another woman's voice sounded. It sounded more mature than the first one. "Turn her over. I'll slap her btt. Hurry."
"Okay."
Hualing felt herself a super huge hand touch her back and turned her over (??) and now her chest was being groped by that big hand.
'What is going on? Fck! Where are you touching?!' Hualing wanted to swat the hand away from her chest but she realized that she could not control her hands at all. This only made her more alarmed and scared. 'Oh no. What are they going to do to me? Why is my a*s feeling cold?'
"Hold her still." She said and...
*SLAP*
"!!!" Hualing suddenly got her freaking btt cheeks slapped hard. It made her jolt but chose not to cry. She bit her lip and tried to not scream even though her btt was stinging and burning.
"She's still not making any sound." The hand holding Hualing trembled as her voice started to crack.
This time, Hualing knew that a woman was holding her. But this only made Hualing more uncomfortable. Why would a woman turn her over and placed her hand on her chest and called another woman to slap her a*s? This just does not make any sense to her.
And before she could think more, another slap landed on her btt, this time, it was with more force and strenght.
*SLAP*
"!!!!!" Hualing can feel her btt cheeck burning to the point that it was going numb. She could no longer control herself as tears started to flow out of her eyes despite it still being closed.
"Uwaahh! Waaaaah!!!!!WAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" She cried out loud. 'You btches! I swear I'll spunk your btts till you can't seat on you chair or lie on your back for months. I'll definitely take my revenge on you!'
"Josy, Her Majesty is...!" An alarmed voice full of panic and anxiety sounded from somewhere far from Hualing who was still cursing the people who had bullied her.
"What happened?"
Hurried footsteps suddenly was heard in the background and cries of panic and frustration was heard. There were some that could not stop themselves from crying.
At this time, a weak voice was heard. Though weak, her voice still drowned their cries. It was soft and serene, beautiful even. Hualing stopped from her crying and listened to this voice. Somehow, this woman's voice made her feel comfortable and warm. It was an inexplicable feeling.
"Let...me see...my daughter." She said through gasps of air. Her eyelids trembled before opening it and longingly looked at the baby in the hands of a nanny.
"...yes." Josy, the middle-aged woman, looked at the Empress who was clearly not feeling good. Her face was pale and seemed emaciated. Her once red lips were now dry, cracked, and white. However, her eyes still had a sparkle in it though it was a little dim than it usually has.
Josy was called over by the Empress and let her place the princess beside the lying Empress. As soon as she saw them lying side by side, her heart was stabbed with a thousand daggers and squeezed her heart to bleed. It was a heart-wrenching scene that no one was able to hold back their tears.
They had already knew that the Empress...was dying. And this was her first and...last time she would even see her darling daughter that she had carefully and lovingly protected in her womb for more than nine months. Those days were bright and beautiful.
But that beauty and happiness was short-lived. Now, that same beauty has withered and was dying.
Some silently cried with their hands covering their mouth in order not to make a loud sob while some could not help but let out small sobbing sounds. Josy too could not help but wipe her tears.
"Baby, do you know that I've always longed to meet you since you were in mommy's tummy?" The weak voice of the woman said to Hualing. She touched her baby's smooth cheek. She trailed her finger on her daughters forehead, brows that were slightly furrowed, eyelids, then to her nose, cheeks, and thin red lips.
"Awoo~?" Hualing can feel a slender almost bony fingers grazing her face. Though surprised, she did not feel any hatred about this touch. She could only feel the gentleness and affection it had while touching her face. 'Why are you sad?'
The woman chuckled and embraced her baby with tears flowing from her eyes. However, there was a smile so radiant and dazzling than the full moon shining outside. She was more enchanting than ever before. This was the last glow of the beauty.
Hualing wanted to open her eyes and yet it seemed like there was some glue on her eyes that she could not open it. It was making her furious and frustrated. She wanted to see the woman who had suddenly hugged her into a warm embrace. She had the urge of comforting the crying woman holding her.
"Mommy's going to leave you behind. I'm sorry for leaving so early." She said as tears of regret flowed uncontrollably on her face. "However, I am already happy enough to have lived to see your face, my darling daughter. The only regret I have is not seeing you grow and get married."
Hualing felt her cheek being caressed ever so gently. And then, her hands were held by her bony fingers and a cold lips planted on the back of Hualing's hand. And then, before she could recover from her shock, her forehead and cheeks were kissed by this same cold lips.
"Your Majesty, if I may." Josy stepped up and said with shaky voice, "What do you want to name her? I'm sure His Majesty would be happy about it too."
The Empress looked at her darling daughter she's craddling in her arms. Her blue eyes were misty and red from crying but it could not hide the fact that it was full of love and doting despite it having sadness.
"Elliana. That's the name I want to give her." She smilingly said. "My darling Elliana, mommy's leaving you but I want you to know that I love you so much. Mommy loves you."
The crying in the room became more apparent. They could no longer stop themselves from sobbing as they were so heartbroken to see and hear their Empress like this. It was as if she knew that her time has come...they would no longer have that lovely Empress who walks around the palace with a radiant and kind smile in her face. It was the same as her element, water: calming and can heal their tired and beaten bodies.
The crying was so overwhelming and sad that Hualing also cried while reflexively holding the woman's bony finger. She cried and cried until she fell asleep.