[The day was enveloped by the horrific display that took place in the town square.
"I can't believe she tried to poison the second prince's betrothed"
"Such a wicked cunning woman!"
"Kill her! She deserves no mercy!!"
Their echoing voices filled the open air as she was violently dragged away by two soldiers. Her usually smooth feet were covered in dirt, bruised and bleeding as they collided with stones and the rough ground.
"I didn't do it! I'm innocent, your highness!" From her trembling chapped lips, she screamed at the top of her lungs with her remaining energy. Her throat was sore and coarse and she could taste the metallic blood rushing up as she struggled to plead her case.
"Hurry it up!" The prince yelled at his men, turning his head away from her in disgust, as if she was the most filthy thing he had ever had to lay his gaze on.
"Please, listen to me-" she struggled to utter her words, coughing out thick clumps of blood that had been threatening to spill from her lips. Her plain cotton prisoner's cloth was filthy and stained with blood all over.
"There's no use denying it anymore! The entire empire bears witness to your wicked ways!" One of the soldiers yanking at her spouted, forcing her knees to the ground with her hands painfully bound behind her.
She smelt like death already and she could barely open her injured left eye that was swollen from the prison guards beating. She was innocent. She was innocent! So why wasn't anyone listening to her? She hated Sakura's guts but the thought of killing the lady had never crossed her mind! Please, please, someone had to hear her out!
"I didn't do it.." she muttered the same words under her bloody breath, watching the blurry crowd that gathered the city centre to watch her death. It was so f*cking funny; many of them couldn't dare to look her in the face before, but now that she was about to die they gathered like moths to a flame to watch her beheading. She had never felt so wronged in all her life and there was a sudden bitterness that lingered in her mouth.
"It wasn't me.." she barely uttered, desperation and despair filling her entire being. She heard the heavy footsteps of the prince approaching her from behind. The sound of a sword being pulled from its scabbard sent shivers down her spine. She was going to die. No matter how much she said she was innocent, she was going to die here before all these people with the swing of the prince's blade.
"I'll get rid of it myself" the prince's voice came from behind her and she registered the fact that there was no escaping death. Closing her eyes in resignation, she waited for the coming blade, feeling the swings as it aimed at her head]
Hina woke up in a panic, clenching onto her neck carefully as if checking to be sure that her head was still in place. Bits and pieces of her nightmare flashed through her head and she could feel drowsiness taking over. It had been a long while since she had such a horrendous dream. She did occasionally have a bad dream but none had ever felt this way. It was so hauntingly real and she could still feel the fear and anger that she felt in her dream. She wondered if that was how the original Hina had felt and if that was how the initial last scene of Hina Kudo's life had been.
In the novel, Hina had been killed by the second prince over a 'misunderstanding'- one that claimed that she had attempted to murder Sakura by poison. No one had suspected otherwise and the villainess paid for her wicked deeds through a gruesome death. No one cared about whether or not she was guilty of the said crimes and the love story of the main characters went on smoothly. The dream felt like a warning- a warning of what was to come if she allowed the story to play out in its original form.
"Why did I have to have such a nasty nightmare after that encounter?.." she mumbled, finger-combing her long hair backwards as it got in her way. It had been two days since that unwarranted encounter and her mind was all over the place with such bizzare thoughts. It was only natural to be anxious but being afraid wouldn't solve anything and she knew it. She had to stop thinking about the worst of the situation and just go with her original plan; to stay as far away as possible from the main characters of the novel and just live her life as peacefully as she could. It was the best thing she could do right now. The only reason the previous Hina Kudo fell to such a sad end was that she got tangled up with the female lead, falling in love with the male lead and plotting all sorts of tricks to win his heart. But knowing how that turned out, there was no way in hell she would allow herself to go down that same path again. Furthermore, she was not the same as the Hina Kudo in the novel and therefore her fate would be different this time around. With this 'gift' of knowing the future, this time around she was going to avoid all of the main characters like a plague.
[That's right! Everything will be different this time. I can stay safe and happy as long as I avoid Sakura and her love interests]
She already had so many wonderful people in her life right now and she wouldn't compromise that for any other thing.
With her mind a bit more calm, she got out of bed. Hina stood by the window, stretching out her arms before throwing the windows open to let in the appealing morning sun.
"I see you're up already, my lady" Suki greeted, walking to stand next to her.
"En, a bad dream woke me up"
"Oh my, are you okay? Do you have a headache?" Suki asked, placing her hand on Hina's forehead to check her temperature. The lady often ran a frightening fever whenever she had a nightmare. Although it had been a while since that happened, Suki couldn't help but be concerned.
"No, I'm fine. I don't have a headache" she shook her head, "you're such a worrywart" Hina teased her as she leaned her elbows on the windowsill.
"Seeing that you have the energy to tease me like this, you must be completely fine"
Hina chuckled at the sight of Suki's pouting face before her room door flew open.
"Lady Hina, the young lord has arrived!" A maid informed her, struggling to catch her breath as she had been running up the stairs.
"Already? I thought the young lord was supposed to arrive tomorrow after the final banquet?" Suki asked, a bit confused by his early arrival.
"I-I don't know about that, but a carriage from the palace just arrived and it is indeed the young master Kai!" The girl explained.
"Okay, I'll be right down," Hina told her, sending her off with a wave as she fastened a robe around herself and padded down the stairs.
On arriving in the foyer, she found Tanaka and Kai chattering away about something. She stood there and watched the siblings bicker, not wanting to interrupt them until Kai looked up at her.
"Did you miss me?" asked Kai, as he approached the staircase where she was standing. His husky voice ever teasing her.
"Don't flatter yourself" she hissed, noticing how much taller he had gotten as his build towered over hers.
"You're so mean, Hina. How can you be so mean to your friend that just got back from war?" He sulked like a child, moving closer.
"Fine, maybe I missed you just a little" she stifled a grin, "welcome back, Kai" she smiled warmly, truly happy to see him unharmed and well after all the unimaginable things he must've faced at war.
"But I thought you were supposed to return tomorrow. How are you back already?" She asked promptly.
"Let's just say the palace food didn't seat well with my palate" he tilted his head as he stared at her.
"Liar! Brother Kai returned early because he miss-"
"Haha! Let's go, Tanaka. I have something for you" Kai clasped Tanaka's mouth before she could finish her words as he shuffled her away with him.
Hina smiled at the funny spectacle she was used to. The two were like cat and dog but their relationship had improved over the years. A perfect opposite of Kai's relationship with his father which was still stale.
With Suki's nagging about how unladylike it was of her to rush out of her chambers while in her robe, Hina withdrew to her room to get ready for breakfast. The three of them had an extravagant breakfast together to celebrate Kai's return and a refreshing excitement filled the house at the young lord's return.