RUYI

17 - Poison Medicine

                I woke up to a beautiful wooden ceiling with floral pattern carvings. The faint voices nearby made me shifted my body to see who it was.

"Don't move"

Prince rushed to my side and prompted me up against the wall. I watched quietly while he touched my forehead and cheeks. Confused, I wondered what had happened.

"Come and check her condition"

Then strange older man came forward and nervously touched my wrist. He snapped his hand back as soon as he touched my freezing skin.

"What are you doing?"

The Prince's angry voice snapped the doctor out of his trance. Again, he reached for my wrist and checked my pulse.

"This..."

Once the doctor stepped back, the Prince moved to my side and took hold of my hand. I was confused and surprised that my ice-like hand did not startle the Prince.

"I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing that the young lady lives"

The Prince eyes went murderous.

"Duke Haijin, this subject meant no ill intentions_"

"Explain" The Prince only wanted to hear the reason.

"This subject had said previously, the poison already flow through the young mistress vein... it has been for years" The old man looked at me in pity. "Before this incident, the young mistress probably experience pain and chills every so often..."

"What do you mean?" The Prince's voice rose – his eyes grew deadlier.

The doctor nervously looked at me for the answer.

"Is it true?"

The Prince eyes went to me.

"Answer me!" He shouted when I did not respond.

I kept silence.

"Why do you refuse to talk to me even during this time?" He wrapped an arm around my head and brought me to his chest. "Why won't you talk to me?"

What could I say? What does he want me to say?

"Duke Haijin" The doctor hesitated. "While the young miss lives through this incident, her life from now on will be difficult... the poison mixed in her blood will activate more often. It could be painful. Even more now that_"

"Cure her!"

The doctor bowed his head low.

"Cure her or I'll kill you and your entire family!"

The doctor did not dare to lift his head.

"How long do I have?"

My question surprised the doctor as much as it did the Prince.

"This subject doesn't know..." He said softly after long silence. "It could be today, tomorrow, a year from now, 10 years, 50 years from now... for you to live until now meant that you've grown accustom to the poison in your body"

The room was silent once more.

"This subject can't cure this..." He looked at me sadly. "I can only try to lessen the pain..."

"How?" I asked.

He hesitated again and looked at the Prince.

"Tell us" The Prince ordered.

"Blood flower, Datura, maioka, dogbane, and larkspur"

"You want to give her more poison!"

The Prince looked as if he was going kill the man if he said another word.

"Duke Haijin" The doctor bowed his head lower and continued. "The lady has live with white powder poison for years. No amount of tonic could help her now. It's already too late. The only medicine left is poison."

The Prince was clearly not buying it. He didn't want to risk giving me more poison.

"Please let me try" I told the doctor.

"Do you want to die?" The Prince cupped my cheek, making me look at him.

"Death or living, Ruyi doesn't want pain..." I looked into his dark eyes. "Please, no more pain"

Hearing my plea, the Prince wrapped his arms around me and held me to him.

"Are you in pain?"

I didn't want to admit it but I couldn't stop the trembling.

"It hurts..." I finally admitted.

"Prepare the medicine" The Prince voice was soft while he kept tight hold of me. "Go"

The doctor swiftly left the room to prepare the medicine.