Veil of the Dusken Rose - #ambw (18+)

7장 || Fragile Dreams

Neeria's POV:

The locket spun slowly, its gold surface gleaming and dancing, as if singing in harmony with the sunbeams that kissed it. Each rotation caught the light, creating a mesmerizing display of radiance.

"Weren't we supposed to get married?" I whispered to the locket, longing for it to whisper back the secrets of our past.

When we first met, it was in my home country, an land far removed from his native shores. In his entrance he accompanied the King of Joseon. He was along side those marked by the cadence of ceremonial drums and the harmonious notes of flutes, capturing the attention of everyone present.

He bowed gracefully, every movement a testament to the disciplined culture he hailed from. As he introduced himself, there was a hesitance in his voice, a slight shyness that differed with the grandeur of his entourage.

The peculiar blend of confidence and timidity was what initially drew my attention to him. Though his identity remained veiled, at that time the attraction around him was alluring. I could sense he was someone of importance, yet there was a simplicity, almost an innocence about him that resonated deeply with me. Every interaction, every stolen glance, every brief exchange was a dance of unsaid promises.

Those days seemed to shimmer, memories painted with a golden brush, where the fusion of what we were, and our worlds became a melody, and our lives intertwined in a dance neither of us had expected. But as with all dances, the rhythm changed, and we were caught in the ebb and flow of fate.

Two months or so had flown by since my arrival, and every day seemed like a repetition of the last. I stretched, feeling the stiffness in my muscles, and began humming the tune we were preparing for the King's arrival. The large room echoed faintly with the melody, accompanied by the distant chatter of other maids.

There were moments, ones like these, when I wondered about my legacy in these walls. Getting lost in my head thinking about, if I vanished tomorrow, would they remember me with warmth? Would tales of my deeds, good or bad, be passed down as other rumors were? I hoped they would care, but somehow, I wasn't sure if it mattered to me. I was growing weary. I wasn't supposed to be here long... I didn't want to be. I wanted to find him and... did it even matter?

Sighing and massaged my arm, as I glanced at my reflection in the polished bronze mirror, I saw the weight of my past actions, questioning if I really was as virtuous as I'd like to believe.

My fingers moved absentmindedly on the wooden table, drawing patterns of memories and regrets. Then, from the corner of my eye, he appeared. He stood outside, his back to me, but his frame — one I had etched into memory — instantly captured my attention.

He was once my everything. A surge of emotion welled up within me, driven by unresolved feelings. I yearned to speak, to dispel the mist that hung between us, but pride—or maybe fear—kept me rooted in place. I instinctively concealed myself from his view, a reaction that was unlike me, and I resented him for making me feel so out of character.

How could he stride through these corridors, seemingly unburdened by the weight of our shared history? The love letters that once offered comfort and warmth had ceased, but the vows penned within them still resonated deeply within me.

Gently, I caressed the locket though it was just an emblem it also was an aspect of our once intertwined destinies.

The palace unearthed emotions I hadn't foreseen. Perhaps it was the hushed tones, the murmurs about him he'd often mentioned. Or maybe, when he whispered of being a mere pawn in a grander scheme, it was a ploy to cloud my judgment. The boundaries between past and present blurred, complicating my already intricate days within these walls.