37 A Favor (1)

A sharp blade slit my uncle's neck in one swift motion, and his blood joined the river of crimson coursing through the barren courtyard as his body fell limply alongside the corpse of my aunt.

The masked soldiers stepped closer and closer, blood dripping from the tips of their swords. Everywhere I looked, faceless men encircled me, their eyes tinted red from bloodlust.

The biting stench of death polluted the entire air.

"You demoness, it's your turn now," their voices echoed in unison. "This is your deserved fate from plotting against the Sui throne." Distorted smiles twisted onto the corners of their mouths as they chuckled emotionlessly.

Thousands of cold blades slit through my skin, and I fell helplessly to the ground. My eyes fluttered for a single moment, but the weight pressed onto my eyelids growing heavier and heavier until I couldn't even keep the sea of scarlet in sight.

"Fourth Princess!"

Was that a savior in the distance beckoning my name?

"Fourth Princess, it's time to wake!"

I forced my eyes to open by a sliver, but that action alone nearly consumed all of my energy as my eyelids crashed closed once again.

It was a dream, I mumbled to my self. But even so, the weight that sat on my chest refused to leave. If anything, it felt worse knowing that even in reality, I was powerless to stop the events from unfurling.

If word about the foolish prophecy leaked out, all those I treasured would suffer from fates no better than in the dreamscape. I was a curse after all. Even running to the North couldn't suppress the ill fortune that was seeded in my very soul.

I refused to open my eyes, not wanting to see the harsh sunlight that symbolized day. But the blaring redness that seeped through even when my eyes were closed was too much to bear, bringing me back to the sea of blood.

Obligingly, I awoke to reality.

"Huanyu, thank you for taking care of me," I whispered. When we were alone, I would call her as such as a faint smile would light her face whenever I did so.

And now, in this grave situation, I needed her by my side more than anything.

"How long have I slept?" My throat was dry.

"Tomorrow is the day of the wedding," she responded, and I jolted awake.

If I make no mends to Princess Leping before the night, she had no reason to keep my secret. Sure, she had mentioned to merely wait and ask then, but what if it didn't work? I couldn't hinge all my bets on one night.

The princess was a mother, and she made it clear that her actions were for her daughter. If she was just an inch away from being a saint removed from the corruptions of mortality, her daughter was her last tie to the intrigues of the court and the plays of power.

"Huanyu, are there any Southern novelties in my dowry? Or perhaps, a toy that others you may know brought that cannot be found here in the North?" Her eyes locked with mine, and it was clear she immediately knew what I was thinking of without further elaboration.

Within an hour, we were out to pay a visit to Princess Leping's daughter, a small wooden puzzle resting in my palms.

It was small and dainty, each block carefully chiseled to fit into a solid. It wasn't meant to belong at court, a commoner's child plaything at most. But all Southern children had played with one when young, and none had disliked it.

I heard the child before I saw her, her bell-like laughter chiming through the garden as she burst into a fit of giggles once every few moments.

"Higher, Mother. Higher," she sang, her voice changing as it climbed up and down an octave. For a princess of a former dynasty, there was no hint of care in her speech. Compared to the stoic nature of Princess Leping, her daughter seemed to steal every last bit of brightness.

A flowery scent drifted through the air, and the image of a flower spirit jumped to my mind.

I braced myself and plastered on a friendly smile that all children should enjoy before stepping into the clearing.

"Youshi greets Your Highnesses," I dipped into a proper curtsy as taught in the lessons.

Much to my surprise, Princess Leping dismissed my actions with a soft smile, her eyes never once leaving the girl on the swing. If her emotions were difficult to read before, there was no question about the overflowing maternal love in this single moment.

"Slow down!" She scolded, but even that phrase was more of a dainty apprehension. "And don't waste all your breath screaming!"

Perhaps even more so to my surprise, the child was not as young as I had expected, being around the age of A'Wu and even older than A'Yu. But her eyes were clearer than all, only naivety riddling her dark brown pools.

The beaming girl was as a fluttering butterfly, letting her hands momentarily let free from the wooden swing as she drifted through the air before clasping onto the ropes tightly once again. Her undone hair flowed freely behind her. Every time she let go, Princess Leping tensed and took a small step forward, arms outstretched and mouth gaping slightly open.

It wasn't until years later that I could understand Princess Leping's emotions at that moment, but even right then at that time, I could sense her unwavering dedication.

All of a sudden, a shrill gasp sounded. This time, when Princess Leping's daughter had let her hands go, she never grasped on again, and she flew from the spring, airborne. Though she landed on both feet, she dipped her head down low.

Princess Leping immediately rushed forward, nearly tripping on her heavy skirts as she did so, her carefully preserved royal image from before cracking.

"E'ying, are you alright," Princess Leping stroked the girl's hair.

Suddenly, the girl looked up, beaming. "I got you this time!" But almost immediately, she fell back down again, her breathing coming in short bursts as she struggled for air, obviously wheezing as her struggles became more akin to coughs. Already, her face was turning a darker shade of red.

"What are you all waiting for! Summon the usual imperial physicians!" Princess Leping's scream pierced the stillness, and the court servants scrambled on their ways.

I took a step closer, my instincts from past training taking over. As much as it later seemed that I was attempting to please Princess Leping, at that moment, my mind was blank, my mouth moving on its own.

"Your Highness, do you mind if I take a look?"