One Year

Open Hands and Open Heart

Siri stood tall and regal in her all white and silver dress.  Although simple, how the dress was made gave her a lot of movement, as if she walked on clouds and glides with every step.  The see through cloak she wore had a long train with several embroidered silver lotuses with koi fishes swimming around it.  

Her hair was pulled up and a solid white jade koi hairpin held it together.  Siri wore long silver and pearl earrings that dangled and swung every time her head moved.  

Siri gave them a warm smile as she welcomed them.  

"Welcome Doctor Joshua Mendez, Doctor Jorah Newert and Doctor Chung Hee Bae, to my hospital."  Siri said.  

The three quickly made a bow to Siri.  

"Please, Doctors, do not stand on ceremony with me.  Please stand."  Siri said as she watched them do as she ordered.  "I am glad that the three of you have decided to work for me and help me give back to the people.  Especially, the people in need."  

"It is because of Your Grace, we should be so honored to be apart of your giving and kindness to the poor."  Jorah said.  

"Do any of you have any questions about this place or ideas that can make it better?"  Siri asked as she waved them to the left side where there was a door.  Inside was a small room with a study.  There was a desk, couch and table with chairs.  "This is my personal office, one that will be locked at all times, but when I'm here, my door will be open for visitors or guests."  

Siri sat down and waved for the three gentlemen to sit.  Once she sat down, Rose and Gilldy served the tea and snacks immediately.  

"When you're here?"  Chung Hee asked.  

"Yes.  I plan to come and help out with patients as well."  Siri told them.  "Twice a month, I will guarantee to be here to help out with the patients.  If I have time, I'll come when I can."  

"Help out with the patients?"  Josh asked as he drank the hot tea in one gulp.  

"Yes."  Siri said as she too sipped on her tea.  "I, myself, has some knowledge in the arts of healing and have helped out the guards when they are wounded or sick."  

The three doctors looked at each other and wanted to tell her that they didn't need her help, but seeing how it is her hospital and they were her employees they couldn't refute her.  All they could do is watch over her and ensure that she doesn't kill anyone.  

"Ha. Ha."  Jorah said as he laughed nervously.  "Not only is Princess Siri a great beauty with well known talent in the four womanly arts, but Princess Siri is also a great healer with a kind and gentle heart!"  

"So it's like that!"  Joshua said as he laughed nervously as well.  

Siri smiled tightly before continuing on explaining the plan she had in mind.  

"Upstairs, there are three large rooms.  One is for the Lan couple, who I hired to help clean and maintain this hospital.  One is for Mister Addler, he will be in charge of the medicine room.  Whatever medicine you need, he will be in charge of giving it to you. No one goes into that room, except Mister Addler, do you understand?" Siri said seriously.  "Should any medicine go missing, who ever is the thief would be dealt with swiftly." 

The three of them nodded their heads in understanding.  Mister Addler was the guard to the medicine.  Medicine was expensive and precious, of course she would hire someone to protect it.  

"The last room is for Doctor Chung Hee Bae." 

"Me?"  Chung Hee said surprised.  

"Are you not far away from home at the moment?"  Siri asked.  

"Yes." Chung Hee said quietly.  

"And are you not renting a room at the moment?"  

"Yes."  

"Would it not make more sense if you lived here, being that you'll be the full time Doctor here in this hospital?" Siri said as she raised her eyebrow.  "You don't have to pay for rent and you'll be able to save money.  So wouldn't it make more sense for you to live here?" 

"Yes."  Chung Hee said slowly, not believing that Princess Siri was so giving.  What did she want in return? 

"Good, now that's settled, here are the keys to the hospital and your room."  Siri said as Steward Mo gave him two sets of keys.  

"Here are the Lans, Mister Charlie Lan and Miss Jolie Lan.  And that is Mister Addler."  Siri introduced the six people to each other.  Charlie Lan and Jolie Lan were servants that fell in love in Ryu's courtyard.  Their love affair was found out by Steward Mo and they quickly got married.  Steward Mo offered them the job and they immediately agreed.  They no longer had to hide their love from everyone and could now be a normal couple.  

Addler use to be a guard for Ryu, but during a training exercise he got badly hurt.  Because Siri was not married to Ryu at the time, the doctor on site had to cut off his leg.  Addler's dreams of becoming an elite guard for Ryu was shattered.  Addler was moved to work as a house guard and although he was good at his job, it was intelligence gathering that he was best at.  

With his guise as the medcine guard, it would be easier to gather the information from their spies.  It was Siri's suggestion for Addler to work as a guard for her hospital, being how heavily watched Ryu and his people by the King and his men, it would be easier for Addler to collect the information from them and send it to Ryu.  

After everything was said and done, the three doctors were very happy with their new jobs and their new employer.  Word spread throughout the city and the Kingdom of their new kind and giving Princess that opened a hospital for the poor.  

The two renowned royal Doctors and one new young and handsome Doctor would be working at the hospital.  Their names rang loudly from each corner of the city and the citizens could only speak well about Princess Siri and her lucky husband Prince Ryu.  

The new hospital was called Open Hands and Open Heart, meaning they would help heal anyone who was hurt, won't turn anyone away, all without payment.  

The opening to the hospital was a success and a steady stream of sick patients came through the door.  When it was announced that Princess Siri would be working there two times a month, her reputation as the Gentle Princess grew.  Everyone couldn't say anything bad about her for her actions towards the people were only good intentions, but once they saw how beautiful she was, they named her the most Beautiful Princess in the Yukah Kingdom.