When we turned around to look at who it was, it was Kim Yuri.
"Why would you come into my room without knocking?"
"I didn't come in, I just appeared here. I guess I felt you needed me".
"And why would I?"
She didn't reply back as if she was implying that she didn't know why either. Jagi stood up from the bed and showed Kim Yuri to a chair. I didn't want her in my room as it felt really uncomfortable but I didn't feel like chasing her away either.
"This is great. Jagi, I have been meaning to speak with you about something very important".
Jagi turned around to look at Kim Yuri closely.
"What could that be?"
"I believe you already know you are not a normal human being".
Jagi jumped up and rushed away from her. She instinctively hid behind Joo Ah's back.
"What.....what are you gonna do? Change me back to a tiger?"
Kim Yuri looked at the three ladies who looked like they were going to persecute her at any given moment.
"I can't do that Jagi, no one can. The curse is broken already".
Jagi came out from Joo Ah's back and looked at Kim Yuri.
"What do you mean by the curse? Was I cursed?"
"Of course, how else do you think a strong witch like you ended up as a common powerless tigeress".
Even I didn't understand what Kim Yuri was blabbing.
'What is she trying to say? Jagi is a witch?'
"What is this nonsense you are talking about? I'm not a witch"
"I know you don't believe me because you think you were born a tiger. But the truth is, you were cursed to forget. If only you'd let me".
"Let you what?!"
Jagi was looking furious at the whole curse stuff but it seems Kim Yuri meant business. She went close to Jagi and placed her thumb on the middle of her forehead and began humming. Soon enough, both women had their faces raised to the ceiling, and both their eyes were plain white. Jagi's mouth was opened while Kim Yuri kept humming.
After a few minutes, both Jagi and Kim Yuri fell to the ground and it looked like they had passed out. Shin Suri and Joo Ah went to check on them but they weren't giving any signs of response.
"Let's put them on the bed so they don't get cold".
Joo Ah nodded and we tried to carry them to the bed but for some reason, they were unmovable so we left them there.
**Jagi's past**
"Mom what do you think you are doing? If the council finds out, they'll have our heads for this".
I rushed into the room as fast as I could. I could see a middle-aged woman using something that looked like water on a man lying down looking dead.
"This is the right thing to do Bu Young".
'Bu Young? Is that really my name? No way, but the girl she is talking to is definitely me'.
"Why won't you listen to me and let this man go!!"
I went closer to see the face of the man who my so-called mother wanted to protect so badly and his face made me take two steps back.
"Yu Lei?"
"If we don't heal him, then there won't be a kingdom to exist in in the first place. We must save the prince or prepare to live in total darkness".
The me I was seeing seemed convinced and began helping my so-called mother. Suddenly, I left that scene, and the next one I saw, Yu Lei was awake. The me in this place came into the room all smiley and Yu Lei smiled back at her.
"I'll change the clothes surrounding your wound and place some chants on them. You should feel better when I'm done".
When this Bu Young tried removing his bloody clothes, he held her by the hand and brought her hand to his chest while they both looked each other in the eye.
"Don't you feel what I feel?"
He began coming closer and they began to kiss each other like they wanted to devour themselves. I guess the romance of the past was not that enticing to me.
Kim Yuri suddenly appeared and told me something.
"Don't get too surprised".
I turned to look at her with one of my brows raised but then she held my hand and we were in another scene. Soon enough, I understood what she meant.
Bu Young came into this Prince Yu Lei's room and soon, they began kissing again and this time around, it felt more passionate and pleasing than before but then, something unexpected happened he raised her hand above her head and when her guard was down, he stabbed her hand.
My eyes opened wide as I wasn't expecting this sudden change.
Bu Young yelled and he stabbed the other one to the table making her unable to use her hands. Soldiers began flooding into the room.
Kim Yuri took my hand and took me to yet another scene.
I saw Bu Young and her supposed mother kneeling in front and surrounded by so many people. Then I saw Yu Lei seated on the left-hand side of a throne with two other men beside him.
Bu Young's mother looked weak and extremely injured while Bu Young kept crying.
"Enough".
Her mom said in a very low voice. Her mother raised her head and looked at her in pain and disgust.
"I warned you, I pleased with you Bu Young".
Bu Young said nothing and kept crying but I didn't understand what her mother was saying. I wanted to understand what she warned her about and subconsciously, my heart was aching and racing at the same time.
"I told you never to do anything of that sort with him, I told you that he might be a saving ruler but he is still consumed by the darkness of his father, I told you. But you didn't listen".
I didn't know why but tears began falling down from my face silently.
"I....I can't promise to save you totally".
Her mother said in a very weak voice.
"But I can not let the legacy of the golden witches end this way".
She stood up with all the strength she could muster, creating an impenetrable shield for me and her, she said.
"I hereby summon the witches of all the coasts to keep you alive but do to you what they deem fit".
After saying this, her mother fell to the ground and the guards rushed after realizing the shield was broken.
Bu Young was crying while calling for her mother but suddenly, she disappeared.
Kim Yuri held my hand and took me to where Bu Young was taken. It looked dark but soon, a tiny ray of light came in and I saw seven people sitting on different thrones aligned in one single line. Then I heard one of them speak.
"Bu Young, you have insulted the council of great witches and brought fought a beast that was never supposed to be born".
It was Kim Yuri, Kim Yuri was one of the witches up there.
"Please, I.....I didn't do anything".
"You young lady, slept with a dirty royal. He was meant to be set clean but you decided to give him your blood and that! Made him irredeemable".
"I didn't know, please".
"The blood of a witch can make humans better or worse. You just made a demon and for this, you will pay the price".
Bu Young was weeping and pleading for mercy. The seven witches surrounded her and began to chant. One of them said.
"You shall remain an incompetent animal, stripped of all your powers till the crowned prince is reborn with a pure heart and falls in love with you".
And suddenly, I appeared in the forest. I saw myself, as a very little tiger who knew absolutely nothing.