This Should Do The Trick

When Tianshi Xue woke, she didn't immediately get up. She really thought that she was back in her old body. She was already smiling so bright, ready to greet the new day.

That was why she was confused that when she opened her eyes, the room was dark. The smile slipped off her face when she realized that she was still in the same room as earlier.

A certain nervousness crept up to her. Something that was telling her that she was stuck in this body… forever. But that's not possible! her mind cried. One way or the other, she would wake up from this.

"Maybe I have to wait until the day is over before I get back to my life," she thought aloud.

"Sorry, Princess," said a voice from the side of the bed. Tianshi Xue's head snapped to Howin (Princess Yingyue's Handmaiden) who was pulling out a dress from a closet. "I didn't hear what you said."

She was so quiet that if she hadn't spoke, Tianshi Xue wouldn't notice her. "Uh… what are you doing?"

"Preparing your clothes for dinner, Princess." The dress looked taller than the handmaiden. "I already drew you a warm bath. We should get you ready now."

An idea popped in her mind. Wait, wasn't her cause of death drowning? Maybe, if she killed herself, she would be able to wake up. She always jolted awake in those dreams she flew off a building or mysteriously tripped over something.

Tianshi Xue felt the body was better than earlier. She was able to get up and rush to the bathroom. Howin was too shocked to move that Tianshi Xue was able to shut the door on her face before the handmaiden could get another word out.

"Princess!" shouted Howin. "Please let me in!"

"Why would I let you in?" then it was just now that Tianshi Xue had been made aware of the voice of the princess. It was lower than hers and sounded whole. Her normal voice was a little thin and had a cute-sy texture to it. When she tried, she could make it sound annoying.

"I have to help you take a bath!"

"I don't need help taking a bath!" What the hell is wrong with this princess? she thought. She certainly looked of age so why does she need her handmaiden to bathe? "Just stay there!"

She suddenly noticed that her voice echoed when she spoke. She turned around and saw the high-ceilinged room. It was white with touches of lilac. There was a shower, a toilet, and the sink she used earlier. But then there it was, the huge tub. Tianshi Xue got up on the steps and dipped her hand in it. The water was warm.

It was deep and wide enough that Tianshi Xue could easily fit and sink at the bottom. It looked more of a little pool than a tub. She didn't bother to strip off the clothes—it would be good to have something to help keep her weight down.

The water eased her muscles and she felt relief. She slowly sunk herself, holding her breath and keeping her eyelids close.

This should do the trick, she thought.

When her lungs were at its breaking point, all her instincts shut out. Her body wanted to get her out of the pool but she held on. When she couldn't hold any longer, she let the water in her nose and her mouth.

But that was also the moment that she lost. Her body shut upward, coughing, the water came out of her nose and her throat pushed it all out. For sure, she sounded like a dying bird choking on a pebble. Finally, the air entered her lungs and she was able to open her eyes. Her tears mixed with water.

Her ears cleared and she heard that there were insistent knocks on the door. "Princess! Princess! Are you alright?! What's happening to you?! Can you please let me in?! Please! Please!"

"Oh goodness, she's annoying," Tianshi Xue muttered under her breath. She slapped the water. "I guess I can't kill myself this way." Tianshi Xue dragged the princess's clothes off the tub and opened the door. Howin's face was wet with tears. "Why are you crying?" she snapped. "I'm not going to die."

"Princess, are you really okay?" Howin asked, squeezing on her arms. "Why did you get in the tub with your clothes on?"

She blew out a breath with a shrug. "I forgot to take them off."

**

Tianshi Xue took a bath begrudgingly. She could not understand why she was there. If this was reality, what was she doing in this palace? And why on earth was she in the body of Princess Yingyue? What happened to her OWN body? Where was it? On a more important note, where was Princess Yingyue's consciousness or—for the lack of a better term—her soul?

It did not appear that she has the memories of the princess. When she tried to recall in her mind, all she saw were her own experiences. She remembered that she died when she fell from the yacht. Someone pushed her off the railing but she didn't see them. She felt the person's hand on her back like a hot tattoo burning on her skin.

She needed time to think. She needed to get out of here.

Howin spent a few minutes wrapping her up on a loose white fabric and tying it all up with a dark purple lace. When she finished, Tianshi Xue turned to her. "I don't want to go to dinner."

"Why you must! The Emperor is sure to look for you if you're missing from his table." There was confusion and lying underneath all that was fear. Tianshi Xue suddenly felt bad that this clueless handmaiden was about to face the Emperor's wrath when she was just as clueless with what was happening in the world.

Tianshi Xue pressed the back of her hand to her forehead and exclaimed. "I don't feel so well! I feel so dizzy."

The handmaiden immediately cleared the bed and helped her into it. "Should I call the doctor?"

She shook her head. "I think I just need a few more hours of sleep."

"But what about dinner?"

"I think I'll have it later. Please, tell the Emperor that I don't feel well and that I am looking forward to my recovery so I could join the meals."

"Yes, yes, of course. His Imperial Majesty, ever kind and gracious, will surely understand." Howin bowed out of her room.

Tianshi Xue scrambled upwards and headed towards the balcony. Once she opened the doors, the sweet summer air poured in her room and there was a sickening feeling that showered her whole body.

She was really in the palace. She was still in Heping. She had been so caught up in her own problem that she forgot they had an emperor!

Tianshi Xue felt faint. She started fanning her face with a hand. She needed to get out of this dream.

But there was something scary about how this dream felt too real.

Almost as if she would never wake up.