Fate's Prisoners

chapter 11

Luna

When I finished my letter a lady in waiting to the empress mother had arrived. She whispered to Liluo before she , left not seeing me. Liluo came over to me and spoke. " Lady Luna the empress mother has requested you join her for tea, " Liluo said. "The empress mother? Why does she want to have tea with me suddenly?" I asked. "I do not know but you must get changed first," Liluo says. "Changed, why?" I looked down at my outfit. "Well, you dress like a scholar every day in all white, maybe to meet the empress you could wear something more colorful," Liluo suggested. I thought for a moment then agreed. Liluo picked a beautiful yellow dress and did my hair nicely. When I saw myself, I could barely believe it was me because I am not used to such cloths.

"You look lovely my lady, you are so beautiful; anyone could see why the Emperor is so smitten with you," Liluo says as we both look at me in the mirror. Her words made me shy and I didn't want them to be true. No matter how much he adores and dots me it could all be an act. " " Pardon?" " I moved her hands and left the mirror. "Lady you cannot deny how he treats you, I even heard from other workers in the palace that he has never treated any other person how he has you," Liluo says I was a bit surprised. " No wonder they all hate me so much," I said sitting on my bed. " They are envious of you, envious that you have the emperor's favor and they don't," Liluo says. "I don't want his romantic fever as they do, I do not ask for it but they assume I am after him," I said. " My lady we should go now," Liluo said I just nodded my head before we left my room.

we arrived at the empress mother's chambers and greeted her respectfully. "greeting her majesty Empress mother." Liluo and I say in unison. "Rise lady Luna and have a seat with me," she says. " Yes, your grace," I said getting up and walking over to her, I sat by her side silently while a servant poured tea for the two of us. "Luna you look so beautiful and lively today." The empress mother compliments me which makes me smile. " Thank you, your grace, Liluo picked the clothing out for me to meet you in." I told her to praise Liluo as well." Well, she did a wonderful job." she said I just smiled. " Your grace I do not mean to be rude but what is the reason for you suddenly wanting to have tea with me?" I asked she smiled gently. "I know it is random but I have been feeling quite lonely lately, The emperor is busy with his royal duties, I don't really have a relationship with the concubines, none of them have given me a grandchild to spoil yet so I don't really have anyone to spend time with I had remembered how close I felt to you and realized that I had not talked to you in some time. That is why I invited you to join me for tea, I was hoping to feel less lonely for a while," she said sadly, I felt bad that empress mother is often alone. " That is so sad, how about from now on whenever we are free, I come to spend time with you, so you do not feel so lonely anymore." I suggested. "that sounds wonderful. "she says happily. " Oh, then does that mean you will be staying in the palace longer?" she asked, and I smiled. " After days of thinking to myself, I decided I have reason to stay here than to return home. Yes, I will miss my friends and family, but I think being here would be better for us all. this way I am more capable of helping my family financially, as well as doing more to grow as a scholar. " I told her, with my answer she smiled. "Luna, may I ask you what your plans for marriage are?" She asked very suddenly. "Marriage? Well, I have not thought much of it at the moment." I said before I took a sip of my tea. I wondered if this was a set up to talk about the emperor. "How come?" She asked when I put my cup down. "Well, I'm 21 years old so I have time left. I mostly want to find the right person and make sure I am the best me before I marry them." I said but she looked confused. "Luna do you not know to marry early is the best thing to do. You can deliver children much safer." She advises me. "Yes, I do understand the advantage of marriage in the early years, but I personally want to be with the person I know I will be with till death does us part. Things like forced marriage are not something I would like to be put in." I explained she simply nodded her head. "Tell me, do you have someone waiting for you outside the palace walls?" She asked moving closer to me. I was a bit shy but I shook my head. "Sadly no, I have no one besides my family," I reassure her. "How about marrying a nobleman?" She suggested; it was a good idea, but I don't know. "I do not know your grace; I am not sure I am the kind of woman these men are attracted to," I said trying to show I didn't want to talk about it. "Nonsense, my son is in love with you how could other men not be!" She shouts and my eyes grew big at her exposure of the emperor. When she realized what she said, she did feel a bit awkward, she gathered her thoughts at last and took ahold of my hands before she spoke once more. "Luna if you truly have not even an ounce of feeling towards my Youngbae, discard everything I just said. But if you do, I want you to remember my words tonight and grant me a wish." She says I just nodded my head slowly." If you do feel something for my son, I wish you will give him a real chance to show you his true heart. If you want him afterward, I will support you wholeheartedly. But if you don't love him truthfully, we will not force you to." she finishes I just stayed silent with my head down. " Alright, enough with the heave talk. Tell me how you have been lately?" she asked changing the subject to make me more at ease.

After a few hours, Liluo and I were leaving the empress mother's chambers when we bumped into the emperor. He didn't have his normally soft look when I saw his face and to be truthful it concerned me.

he walked past me without a word and normally I would be relieved but today I just feel I need to speak to him. " Respectfully greeting his majesty." I bowed as he turned around to greet me as well. "good evening Luna, I heard you had tea with my mother correct?" he asked I simply nodded my head. " I see well I hope you enjoyed if there is nothing you need; I will be going now," he said trying to walk away but I prevented him from doing so. " Your majesty may I ask you to join me for a walk, I have something to discuss with you." I asked he simply nodded his head." Liluo you may leave first. " "Yes, madam. Good evening your majesty. " he bids us farewell before she leaves. "Will you walk to the garden with me?" I asked him he simply nodded.

When we arrived, he spoke. "Luna, why have you asked to speak with me?" He asked. "Your majesty, you seem upset or stressed. I thought maybe I could help you by letting you vent your anger. " I say softly as I look at him. His expression had softened. " You are correct, my duties as emperor have been causing me much stress. I don't know how to solve all the problems at the moment, and when I am struggling, it seems as if all new problems seem to come at me at one time." he clarified the source of his stress we arrived at the bridge we used to meet on. He kept telling me about the problems being brought to him and I understood why he was so stressed; however, I had an idea of how to help. "your majesty would you like to know what I learned can help with your stress?" I asked he looked at me curiously. "Back home a great way to let out frustration is to let out how it comes out. Shouting, crying, ranting, dancing, singing. However, you want it to be, why not give it a try." I tell him but he seemed to hesitate. " just shout out what I am stressed about? Will people not find me crazy?" He asked. "So, what if they do, could they tell you? You're the emperor who would dare?" I said simply and he was convinced. "I am so stressed that I have these responsibilities and people who depend on me and it feels like I am useless to them. I feel like I can't solve their problem fast enough for them too not suffer. I feel as if I have no one I can share my burdens with and I am in love with a woman who is afraid to love me back." he expressed but suddenly he turned and looked at me. I didn't look him in the eye after what he said about the woman he loved. "Was that okay?" He asked me. "I can't answer that, that is up to you. Do you feel any better?" He simply nodded his head and smiled. "Then it worked well," I said shyly. "Luna I do not want you to think I am pursuing you because I am pressured to have a child. If that were the case, I would have been with every concubine I have as many times as possible to get at least one pregnant. The reason I have not is that I have been waiting for my one. I hope you do not hate the fact that I believe it is you." He says I take a deep breath. "Your majesty, can you tell me the truth if I asked if you slept with any of your concubines?" I asked. "Yes, I have but most of them I have barely met. I would say at most I have been with 8 of them. If you will become my woman, I will get rid of them all if it makes you happy. " he says he grabbed my hand and rubbed his over mine. I need to make a big decision, but I think I need a little more time to figure it out. "Your majesty may I request one more night to think to myself?" I asked but he sighed. "Of course, all the time you need because my heart will forever wait for you." He says. His words seemed sincere so I hoped I could get the same feeling in my next question. "Your majesty if I tell you my feeling can you swear to only love me?" I asked looemperor him directly in the eye. He took my hand and placed it over his chest where his heart is. I could feel a strong beating of it in my hand but when I looked up his eyes had a burning passion in them. "I swear to you now I'm Luna, if you will give me the honor of giving me your heart, I will give you mine in return with no question," he says I closed my eyes and felt how my own heartbeat matched his. I pray to the gods I will not regret this. "If you are so sure, then I am too. I wish to be with you as well I just fear if I love you and you don't love me, I will suffer. " I confessed I still had my eyes shut but I felt him pull me into a hug. " Luna I promise I will never make you suffer. I do everything in my power to make you the happiest woman in the world." He said stroking my hair gently. " Don't let me go from your heart and I will be happy," I tell him softly.