Dances With Grim Reaper

Some uncanny forces lifted her soul out from the well. She felt weird and knew she was dead.

A grim reaper greeted her, "I am here to pronounce the death of Olena. The reason for death is an accidental fall." She stared grim reaper in disbelief.

The grim reaper claimed her soul and Prince Liam's soul, who died on the same day with Olena.

He took them to a riverbank. It was a border of the human realm and hell realm. They waited for the boat to arrive, which will bring them to the journey of the afterlife.

The setting sun creates a silhouette of the riverbank and a row of trees filled with peach flowers reflecting in the river.

Olena cries exclaiming that she does not want to die yet, "There are too many things I haven't done yet".

It evokes tension and anxiety in Prince Liam, "Someone poisoned me to death. It was heartbreaking to see my mother crying her eyes out." He sighed in exasperation.

She suddenly remembered why she fell into the well, "The reason I am dead is you! A eunuch and a royal physician chased me after I learned they had poisoned you. I was the witness to the murder case."

"I have never asked you to eavesdrop on their conversation, why are you blaming me?" Prince Liam chuckled in disbelief.

"Why did I sneak out in the first place? Instead of dying, I would have gone home by now!" She rubbed her tears off and murmured her regret.

A boat appears to be floating mid-air on the horizon. It looks like it will arrive in a couple of hours. Prince Liam and Olena plead the grim reaper for mercy. They refused to embark on the boat. Both of them begging the grim reaper, "Please not to take me away..!"

The grim reaper felt sorry for them, "Every soul that I have claimed tells me the same thing. I am sorry, but I am just doing my job. We collect the soul when their time has reached an end in the human realm."

Prince Liam rubbed his face with both his palms, "Mr Grim Reaper, what will happen once we embark on the boat?"

The grim reaper who is going through the manuscripts in a round hut crafted with a thatched roof, "You will meet the underworld lord, he will read his sentence for you, and he will discuss with you about your reincarnation."

Olena whispered to Prince Liam, "Do you think we can revive in our body if our souls get into our human body again?"

"I am not sure, what do you have in your mind?", Prince Liam asked. He became intrigued and interested in reviving himself.

Olena knew the grim reaper had an intense fear of peach petals. She walked toward a tree and plucked some peach flowers. She tricks the grim reaper to come closer and blows the petals at his face. While the grim reaper is screaming in the agony of pain for getting hurt by the petals, she runs as fast as she can to escape from the grim reaper. Intrigued by her plan, Prince Liam ran after her.

Olena is planning to get back into her body to revive herself, "I can't die yet!". She focused to find the path back to the Imperial Palace. She heard the voice of Prince Liam calling her, "Wait for me!" It startled her by seeing him following her.

Prince Liam said, "I want to go back into my body to revive myself too!"

Olena and Prince Liam run through the field of tall and long grass. Prince Liam turns his head to peek, stretching to the horizon as far as he could see in all directions. He notices the grim reaper is coming over to chase them.

He pushes Olena to the ground, to hide her from the sight of the grim reaper. Then he jumps on her to hide.

It was a quick reaction. He ended up laying on top of Olena. He closed her mouth with his palm to hint her to keep quiet.

It shocked Olena to see him on top of her. She kicked Prince Liam in his ball with her knee and pushed him down to the ground.

Prince Liam was groaning in pain, "why... Why do you kick me?"

Olena stood up and panting, "What are you trying to do?". She turned her head and caught a glimpse of the grim reaper. She quickly laid on the ground to hide from the grim reaper.

Olena understood now he was trying to help, she cast her eyes down, feeling bad for hurting Prince Liam.

The grim reaper stops chasing after them. It felt like chasing a streak of lightning. The grim reaper asked, "Why a grim reaper cannot fly? Would have been easier to catch a runaway soul".

They raise their body slowly from the ground, bend it slightly, and walk to the other side of the field. Prince Liam asked Olena, "Do you want to go back to the Imperial Palace?"

Olena nodded her head and looked at Prince Liam like an innocent puppy.

Prince Liam stared at Olena. Noticing the bloodstain on her head, he rubbed them off.

She wondered what he was trying to do. She quickly used her arms to shield her face.

He grabbed her hand "Follow me and stop attacking me!" He brought her to the shortest path to the palace.

Olena asked, "Do you know the way?"

Prince Liam answered, "This is my territory, I often sneak out of the palace using this path."

After a long day spent walking along the muddy path and crossing into the tall grass fields, they gradually make it back to the palace.

Olena is not familiar with the route of the palace. She follows Prince Liam into his chamber.

They walked toward his body, which was lying on the bed.

Prince Liam laid on top of his human body. He tried to get into his body, but it was not working.

Disappointed and sad, "Is this the end of our life?".

They sat down in the chamber to think about alternative ways to revive.

In the banquet hall, the event continues. They have narrowed the list of maidens down. Julia and Farah were the indisputable choices of the royal family.

The personal attendant of King George appeared. The sweats drenched on his face. He steps closer towards King George, who is sitting leaning forward in his seat.

King's attendant bent his head. He whispered to the King to inform him about the death of Prince Liam. Sorrow escalated in him.

He knew Queen Aliyah would rant if he announced the news of Prince Liam's death in the middle of the event. She may find it inauspicious for the crown prince. He decides not to provoke her with the news.

He informed her to continue the event without him, as he needs to continue to work on other issues. She nodded to agree.

King George stood up and walked toward his Royal Consort Mariot, the mother of Prince Liam. He grabbed her hand and said, "Come with me."

Royal Consort Mariot obeys and escorts him out. After several steps away from the hall, King George breaks the bad news to Royal Consort Mariot.

She stood frozen, tears brimming in her eyes. She bowed respectfully at the king "Your majesty, I am aware. If I may ask for a favour from you, please help to build the Tomb of Prince Liam at the Fern Mountain."

King George embraced Royal Consort Mariot. "You are too humble. Prince Liam is also my precious son. I have decided. We will bury Prince Liam in the mausoleum of the royal family. Laid to rest together with the royal family."

Grateful for the offer from the King. She bows to him to give her respect.

From the way she responded, he knew they forced her to attend the banquet, despite her son dying.

While her unmarried son is dead, she could not stay next to him for mourning, but to watch the queen selecting several consorts. It's just like rubbing salt to a wound. He felt hopeless for not being able to protect the woman that he loves. King George resents himself.

Royal Consort Mariot has a close relationship with her son, Prince Liam. She takes care of Prince Liam while he is sick, even though they have plenty of servants. She forces herself to join in the event because she is not willing to go against the queen.

Royal Consort Mariot took a flute from her chamber. She travelled to the longevity palace to see Prince Liam's body.

She arrives in the chamber of Prince Liam with her hand holding a flute with dragon design. The flute is an ornament that every ghost fears.

It sparks out a bright light that brings out a stabbing pain in Olena and Prince Liam. To avoid the bright light, they both ambling backwards. Prince Liam moved closer to the seat, and Olena moved closer to the bed.

Olena slipped on the body of Prince Liam.

She felt an uncanny force absorbing her soul into Prince Liam's body. She struggles to come out of his body. Instead, she woke up in his body.