Empress Natsume ✓

VII

I blink a few times before my eyes could adjust to the sunlight dripping from the window.

I quickly covered both of my legs that was very exposed, wrapping the blanket around my exposed shoulders too before I realized that my whole body is aching and I feel very sore. I touched my lips and I winced in pain. I've never been felt so exposed in my entire life, my cheeks burned again at the thought of it.

Why am I covering myself anyway? It's not like someone is here and if my husband is here, he had already seen me naked. What's more to see? But still.... It embarrassed me

I look at the empty space beside me, of course he's not here, he's already gone, just what I predicted.

I tightened the blanket around me when someone knocked on the door.

"Lady Natsume, may I enter?"

"You may"

The door slides, revealing Risa who's sittingly opened the door. She bowed and get the tray on the floor, she's also carrying a kimono in her left arm.

She softly smiled at me, revealing more wrinkles from her face. It was a motherly smile that makes me wished that my mother is also here.

I wrinkled my nose in disgust when I smelled something coming from the cup that was on the tray.

"What is that?"

I asked. She put the tray and the kimono on the circular table that was in the center of the room.

"This is a medicine milady. This should make you feel better and ease the pain a little, since..."

Her voice trailed, giving me a teasing smile and looked at the blood stain on the white sheet. My innocence that is now lost.

"It's your first time"

She continued.

She offered me the cup and I hesitatingly accepted it, it was a bit hot in my hands.

"What did you put in this?"

I suspiciously asked her, many things are swirling in my mind. What if there's a poison in it? Or a disgusting animal feces, even though it would make me feel better, I wouldn't drink it. Not ever.

"I'm not the one who made it but you need not to fear milady, that's a herbal medicine from a great healer in the states and I don't know if you're aware of this, but the foods that are delivered to you must be tasted by your personal taster before it delivered to you"

I lift my right eyebrow, that was a new information to me.

"Is that so? I'm completely oblivious to that"

It seems that Lord Ryuu has more enemies than what I anticipated, but I shouldn't relay on that taster too much, some foods might get pass through without being tasted. Mortal enemies will do anything to kill you, to take you down, even if it's dirty tricks and foul play.

"Drink it first"

I offered

"You're not going to die for a mere herbal medicine, milady"

She said but drink some of it anyway.

"How is it?"

"It tasted just like any other herbal medicine"

She gave it back to me

I stared at the greeny liquid in the cup, it smells disgusting so I held my breath and drink it straight, forcing myself to swallow it all. I gave her back the now empty cup, I almost choked on it. The liquid tasted so bitter and a little bit sour.