Fate's Prisoners

chapter 5

Luna
I got up early the next morning earlier than some others. It was too early for breakfast and I knew the empress mother would still be sleeping. I decided to go for a walk and wait until the rest of the palace awoke as well. I walked around for a while and ended up in the gardens alone. I walked until I saw what I saw yesterday again. The emperor in the same place he yesterday evening. I slowed down as I neared him till, I came to a stop, I didn't want to disturb him, so I stayed there and watched him for a moment. I guess he felt my presence because he turned slightly and made eye contact with me. My eyes grew wide before I averted them and hurried to walk away. "Wait." I stopped quickly but turned around slowly with my head down. "I'm sorry your majesty, I didn't mean to disturb you." I apologized in a low voice. "Its fine, I was not doing much anyway." He says Making his way over to me slowly. "Luna, right?" He asked stopping not too far away but not too close to me. "Yes, your majesty." I clarified my identity. "Why don't you join me." He offered my eyes grew wide. "Pardon?" I asked unable to understand why he would suggest such a thing. "Come look at the waterways with me it is very soothing." He invited me. "Thank you, your majesty, but I do not think that will be appropriate," I said putting my head down to not look him in the eyes. "No is around, no one would see you. Even if they did, I told you to so who are they to tell you not to." He pointed out and I didn't really have anything to argue back. I stepped forward and he turned to head back to where he was. We stood there silently but I stayed a few feet back behind him. I watch him look at the water with what seemed like a heavy heart. "Your majesty I know you don't know me so I shouldn't be melding in your business but is something nothing you?" I asked not wanting to seem too nosy. "To tell the truth I'm worried about what I often am worried about. The question I often ask myself is am I a good emperor." He says with a weak voice; I can tell these times would be considered his vulnerable moments. "I understand," I said simply not wanting to give my opinion without being asked. As if he read my mind he spoke. "Do you think I'm a good emperor?" He asked turning to face me I was a bit taken about when he turned. He has a very handsome face, hard not to admire but I'm not here to think of such things "Well, I personally think you are a good emperor but if you want to be better nothing can stop you from improving. One thing that is sad about having concerns like yours is you push yourself to try and do the impossible when it simply isn't. Just because you can't make men fly yet, doesn't mean you are any less of a emperor in my opinion." I said calmly his face didn't change so I kept going. "I feel you are still young, so you still have much to learn, However, that is not a bad thing because all young people are like that. I'm like that now but the worst thing to do about it is to compare yourselves to others. Am I right to assume you often compare your way of ruling to your late father?" I asked hoping not to have crossed the line with my words. He simply nodded his head. "Well, he was a great emperor and when he died, he left our country in your hands. If he didn't trust you to care for it and make it thrive in his absence, he would not have trusted you with it. You, comparing yourselves to your father is not always bad but it's not always good either. You're a different emperor than he was but can also be great like him." I finished and I saw a smile form on his lips. "Your very smart Luna I can understand why you could be a royal scholar." He says turning back around. I blushed at his compliment, but he didn't see it because his back was turned already. I fanned myself before waiting for him to speak again. "Tell me Luna what brought you to palace at such a time?" He asked me me step up to see his face once again. "Is now a bad time to be here?" I asked curiously." Well, I wouldn't say it's a bad time to be here, but it is just very sudden." He says turning to face me once more. "Im here to work. I need money and this is the fastest way to do it." I said not ashamed or embarrassed." I see but why did you choose the palace of all places to work?" He asked. "This is I could make the most money the fastest depending on the rank of the job," I explained, and he chuckled a bit. "Very smart indeed." stayed quiet for a while and watched the sunrise together. It was very majestic but with the sun finally up, all the people in the palace would soon be rising. I decided it was time for me to go so I would not get in trouble. "Your majesty the sun has risin so I must be getting to work," I said before I bowed to him respectfully. He nodded his head and I began to walk away but he stopped me. "Luna." He called. "Yes?" I answered turning back. "Thank you for spending the morning with me, I hope we can do it again sometime." He says I was surprised by his wish. "I don't know what to say to that, your majesty." I admired not knowing if I should do this again due to my job being a servant

Youngbae
"You don't have to say anything just meet me here before sunrise tomorrow as well as the days that follow," I said she seemed conflicted but bowed before leaving me alone once again. She is very charming in more than one way, I like her I'm not sure how much though yet.
After this morning, I had a very good day and I saw Luna quite a bit because she is my mother's lady in waiting so she will be around for a while in the shadows. There was one meeting though where I had wondered where she was. My mother dismissed her, and I had not seen her since. I walked with my mother again when we reached outside where the guards would be training, and I saw something amazing. Luna was in the middle of fighting with 5 men and she was winning. It was impressive to see a girl who looked so pure and harmless beat these big strong men who fight in my army. My mother seemed impressed as well when she saw Luna holding her own against these men. "You are very skilled Luna." A guard with a big smile complemented her and her skills. "Thank you for letting me play with you guys," Luna says bowing to the men who she just beat. "Feel free to play with us any time." Another one says. "See you at dinner." The one with the smile said before they left, Luna turned around and saw my mother and I standing there watching her. She hurried over and bowed to us. My mother took a moment before she spoke. "You are not as harmless as you seem." She says with a smile making Luna calm down." No, your majesty, I am a pretty tough girl." She says bowing again. "Well, I like that, showing these men they are not the only ones with power in this world is a must. Some of them get too cocky." She says making me laugh and smile while looking at Luna. She made eye contact with me seemed to fumble her hands a bit my mother coughed a bit making us turn our attention her way. "Mother are you alright?" I asked resting a hand on her shoulder. "I am, fine, but I think it's time to go now, " I nod my head. Luna bowed to us before we left, and we walked off.

Luna
I turned quickly once they left and felt my cheeks were very warm. "I need to stop this, yes he is charming, but I cannot afford to do anything stupid. Or believe anything rash." I said out loud to myself. I hurried to clean up and get back to work after I calmed down a bit.

Jane's Pov
After the emperor's last meeting of the day, I intended to spend some time with him alone. I walked without my lady in waiting until I saw the emperor and empress mother together. I knew they often did that but I'm sure they won't mind a 3rd party just this once. I hurried over but eventually as I neared them, I noticed they stopped and were watching something. I got closer quietly until I saw something to consider next time, I see that Luna girl. She was beating soldiers with very little efforts. It's something I'm a bit worried about but I can't let her know this stuff.
During dinner, the problem of last night happened again and I hated it, but I needed to talk to the emperor alone about that.