"Your Highness, I am good." Lin Yi mumbles, avoiding looking into Yi Hua's eyes, Yi Hua heaves out a sigh and bandages her arms and other bruises.
"Lin Yi, you gotta stop that. I am hurt that you are hiding your pain." Yi Hua calmly says, caressing Lin Yi's bandaged wrist and smiling warmly, Lin Yi blinks her eyes as they tear up, "My…Lady…" Lin Yi mutters with her lips quivering.
"I might have been a princess all this while but you were a friend to me. You still are and will forever be." Yi Hua says, grinning as she scans Lin Yi's teary face and those puppy eyes.
Lin Yi breaks down into tears, Yi Hua chuckles and pulls her close, hugging her till she calms down.
"I am so glad I got to be with you." Lin Yi says, sniffing and wiping her tears, "Same with me. I wonder if I can ever find a person like you, so true and warm." Yi Hua says, bopping Lin Yi's nose with a cute grin.
Lin Yi blushed and looked away, smiling as she felt her heart ease, "Now, I got to see you safe and also know how you felt for me. I can die in peace!" Lin Yi shouts, giggling.
"Yah!" Yi Hua smacks Lin Yi's forehead, "Don't you dare say that. You ain't leaving me all alone." Yi Hua pouts, glaring at Lin Yi cutely, Lin Yi smiles sadly, "But it's true." Lin Yi says, tilting her head to the side and smiling bitterly.
"I am… um, I am supposed to be hanged after two days." Lin Yi says, biting her lips, terrified with just the thought but as she looks up meeting Yi Hua's horrified and shocked face, she smiles.
"I am fine. It's enough to know that you don't blame me for this. No one believed in me but you do. That's enough to ease my heart." Lin Yi says, this time she grabs Yi Hua's palms in her and caresses the back of Yi Hua's hand softly.
A drop of tear from Lin Yi's eyes falls on Yi Hua's hand, bringing Yi Hua out of her trance, "No…you won't die! You are not supposed to die!" Yi Hua screams, shaking her head no continuously.
370
"Your Highness, you should probably leave now. You have been here for long enough, if Your Majesty got to know about this… it won't be good for you, us, and even her." Dao Ye speaks, looking around and focusing back on them.
Yi Hua tears up, "This is just not fair. Why is she given such a cruel punishment?" Yi Hua asks, Dao Ye looks away and scratches the back of his head while Lin Yi sniffs.
"Princess Tao said she witnessed me… talking to someone suspicious. And thus, she is sentenced to death." Dao Ye speaks hesitantly as he observes Yi Hua's light-struck face in shock.
"What? What did you say?" Yi Hua exclaims, bewildered as her face slowly expresses how startled she was and in disbelief. Lin Yi looks away, "Your Highness, I really didn't. I just talked to a soldier passing by because I couldn't find you, trust me."
Lin Yi begs, just the thought of Yi Hua doubting her for her disappearance saddening her, "I trust in you, Yi. I know you would never do such a thing." Yi Hua says, looking at Dao Ye.
"Did you say this to the court?" Yi Hua says, now turning around and eyeing Lin Yi who slowly nods her head helplessly, "And?" Yi Hua questions, raising a brow.
Lin Yi shakes her head, "Who would defy Princess Tao's words and listen to a maid like me." Lin Yi chuckles bitterly, "Actually, I have already accepted my fate, Your Highness." Lin Yi says through her tears and broken voice.
Yi Hua felt her heart thudding in pain, the helpless look and the tears staining her cheeks had her heart trembling, she couldn't bear seeing her best friend in such a state.
"Don't worry, Yi Yi. Your friend will take you out of here. I won't let them hurt you." Yi Hua says, leaning closer and down, Yi Hua traces her finger through her forehead, sliding her fringes aside and smiling at her friend before she pecks on Lin Yi's forehead.
Yi Hua caresses Lin Yi's cheeks lovingly while Lin Yi freezes at such sudden affection from an unexpected person, a shaky breath her Lin Yi's lips as she looks up meeting Yi Hua's smiling eyes.
"I will make sure you are safe and back to me." Yi Hua says, standing straight, Lin Yi cries a silent cry as a drop of tear rolls down her eye, Yi Hua smiles and walks out of the wooden prison, and Dao Ye locks the door and walks toward Yi Hua.
Yi Hua turns around, and with a last look and a smile, she turns around and walks away, Lin Yi's eyes trailing Yi Hua's figure all the way till Yi Hua disappears out of her sight.
Letting out a gasp she slowly brings her hand up, touching her forehead where Yi Hua had just kissed her, a shy smile spread across her lips and she couldn't help but grin.
Her pain, discomfort, and the bizarre surrounding fading away with just her presence, Lin Yi takes in a deep breath and she slowly lies down on the straw which has accompanied her in these past long, cold, and lonely nights just like how they would today.
—---
"Your Highness, where are you going? Your pavilion is the other way." Dao Ye asks, halting on his step as she turns around, walking the other way and confusing the man who has been trailing after her all day long.
Yi Hua ignores Dao Ye, with a clenched fist she hurries her steps and Dao Ye widens his eyes, running a little to catch up with her, "Your Highness!" Dao Ye runs and stands before her.
"Move." Yi Hua says, through her gritted teeth.
"But where are you going?" Dao Ye asks, hesitantly.
"Where to? Of course, have a chat with my lovely sister." Yi Hua says, with a mocking smile, and excuses herself, leaving Dao Ye surprised, all by himself.