A Phoenix With No Wings

45- She is the Villain

Okay, so this is one of the most important chapter in a this story.. hope you'll enjoy it.

He just wants to see her happy, even if that means to let go of her. The crown prince walks away from the Dragon Palace, leaving the emperor and empress.

The wind is cold that night, stars are shining brightly. He take a deep breath. His head hurts for an unknown reason, he holds it and walks slowly to his chamber.

"At least she's happy." The crown prince says it in low voice, more to remind himself of what is his priority. "She is the most important." He smiles bitterly.

It still hurts. But he is sure everything will be okay, even though he is not okay right now.

After that, the crown prince visits the emperor's study almost everyday. To help the emperor, wins over the empress.

"I couldn't thank Crown prince enough for everything." The emperor sits on his usual chair in his study.

Lian Tian sips his tea, not yet answering.

"The empress, she's always so cheerful now. This emperor has never see her like that!" The emperor continues.

"This crown prince..is..glad..to hear that." He replies. That's good, Lian Tian, he tells himself.

"If that's everything, this crown prince will take his leave." He bows a little and walks out of the emperor's palace.

_____

At Hua Palace.

"Consort, this servant brings you sweet plum soup from the Tu Province. How would the consort like to eat it?"

"I don't want it." The Consort answers shortly.

Consort Hua has been like this since she is out from The Cold Palace. She doesn't have any will to live anymore. She seems depressed.

"Please, my lady haven't eaten in two days.." Tutu begs her.

"Share it with the other servants." Consort Hua says in monotone.

"B-But.."

"It's not a question. Now go."

-

Tutu really doesn't know what to do. She is now back in her room, eating the plum soup with six other servants who are also halfheartedly shoving the soup inside their mouths.

"Don't say our Consort wants to starve herself to death?!" A servant says.

"Hush!" Another one stops her. Everyone knows it, but nobody dare to say it.

"But why? It's not the end of the world if-" The same servant continues.

"Stop it! That's enough."

It's now silent, they know this will be the end. They cries together pitying their consort. Whatever other people say, the consort never once mistreated them.

"If that's it, we can't let our consort suffer longer.." She is implying to give a potion to the consort.

"You are talking about killin-" some of them don't agree with the idea.

"This is the best thing that we can do for Consort Hua. For everything she had done for us."

Tutu who works the longest for Consort Hua couldn't let her go like that. She knows her best.The consort is just in her early 20, all she did her whole life is for her Clan. She is just a mere puppet, for her power-hungry Clan.

Tutu holds her head. "She did everything that she can, like it or not she did a great job. She is the one who brings us here.." she says, crying.

"The consort has took Hua berries this couple of weeks, she doesn't have much time left." Tutu explains what she saw earlier.