The Woman In The Palace

The Cruel Joke

"What the heck happened to you?" Inquired my personal servant Bailing, she yanked herself from my bed, leisurely relaxing while I was away. I stared at her wondering what's gotten into her.

"E-eh..." I stammered, distracted. She made me forget what I was going to say.

"You looked like you got chased by a dog. What did you do? Ran all the way from the main palace?"

"I kinda did," I said as I scowled, getting ready to scold her, but her mouth had been quick. Bailing spoke before I could even push another word from my lips.

"You know you're not supposed to be wandering around without an escort. You could've gotten in a lot of trouble."

My head now cocked to the side confused with our mistress/servant roles. "U-umm, you were supposed to wait for me at the palace. You were not supposed to leave until the dinner was over."

She shrugged. "We'll is it over?"

"Yes."

"There you go, you're here and you didn't get in trouble, no fuzz necessary." She laid back on my bed, her dirty feet on top of my sheets.

"What the...Bailing!" I managed to yell despite the squishiness in my stomach. She has got to be the most irresponsible personal servant there is. "First of all, you left when you're not supposed to. Second, how are you going to blame things on me when I had to run all the here from the palace because you decided to go back and take a nap! And third, get off my bed!" I stalked and knocked her dirty feet off my sheets.

She hissed and scowled rolling off the bed. I thought claws are going to shoot out of her fingers and scratch me with them. But I smiled anyway, relieved to have found her distracting my mind.

A soft knock sounded from the door and we both whipped our attention to it. Bailing wide eyes, perhaps afraid she's in trouble for ditching her mistress.

"Open the door!" She demanded of me.

My mouth hanged appalled. Perhaps, she really did forget who's the mistress here. I turned around and teetered to the door, sliding it slightly open. I was expecting another servant or a guard patrolling the courtyard when I saw it was the third prince who stood casually at the door.

"Prince Julong?" I stammered sliding the door wider. "What brought you here?"

He smiled, and scratched his head, searching for a reason or an excuse to tell me. "I followed you, apparently." He said, uncertainty in his voice.

"What can I do for you, your highness?" I asked my voice soft. I hesitated between letting him in or leaving him standing outside. It would be impolite to leave a prince standing at my doorstep, but at the same time, this is my chamber and I'm his brother's betrothed.

It was complicated, so I decided to step outside instead.

Bailing rushed behind me, nervous as she could be. Now she decided to do her job!

"That's okay," The third prince waved her. "You don't have to chaperone her while she's with me."

Her mouth parted, uncertain whether she should leave me unattended, but the prince glared at her that made her tuck her tail in between her legs. She glanced over to me for reassurance and I gave her a reassuring nod. "It's alright Bailing, go ahead and finish your nap."

She turned around and stepped back inside, sliding the door quietly behind her.

I looked back at the prince picking up quietly where we left off. We soaked in each other's stare for the meantime seemingly lost in the moment.

He cleared his throat while my gaze dropped at the ground, flushed with heat and shyness.

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable earlier. I knew I kept darting my eyes on you and I just couldn't help it."

My neck turned red. "It's alright. There was no harm done."

He began to stroll while I urged to follow, we walked with careless casualness, smiling at each other and getting caught at each other's eyes,  conversating as though we'd known each other for a while until I realized something that made me halt on my tracks.

"What's the matter?" He asked after I stopped.

I stared at him, struck. Third prince Julong stared back. How stupid have I had been, that I openly let myself get swayed so easily by this man? I was so lost in him that I completely forgot I was to marry his brother.

"I shouldn't be walking alone with you." I murmured. "I am your brother's betrothed."

His smile vanished from his handsome face. "I-I knew that. And trust me, I wouldn't want to do anything to degrade my brother's betrothed, but..." He searched for something else to say.

"But what?" I continued.

His lips pressed together, he knew he couldn't come up with another reason besides wanting to be with me.

I turned the heel, rushing to get back to my chamber when he caught my hand. "Jasmine..." I sensed the desperation in his voice making me turn around. "Stay for a little while."

My eyes dropped. "I'm sorry, prince Julong. You might find a concubine might be a better suitable companion tonight."

He laughed, pain resonated in his proud vibrato. "I didn't come here to see a concubine."

"Perhaps, but I must go. There's no reason for us to continue this walk."

"Very well." He loosened a sigh; his voice went from proud to hollow emptiness. Prince Julong looked dejected, rejected, and I felt bad for my unintentional harshness.

Funny how the world is, this was not supposed to happen, and I wasn't supposed to fall in love. It seemed like this was all predetermined. A cruel joke the universe placed on me. I'll fall in love and I will marry, but it's not going to be that easy.

It was bittersweet, and it made me sad, and lonely that my heart is breaking already.

"Let me at least walk you back." Third prince Julong murmured after a while.

I nodded. "I would like that."