Delivering My Love

Prologue: Six Years Ago

Daiyou had not always harbored ill feelings toward Dewei. In fact, she used to enjoy the company of that naive little follower hovering around her. The dark locks of her hair scattered along her shoulders as her eyes followed the young boy dashing across the courtyard. Dewei was heading in the direction of the library, his favorite location to spend his free time. The slow breeze carried many sounds to Daiyou's ears. The low-pitched bark of a canine greeting her returning friend. A door being opened and closed. Then, the voice of a praising onlooker stung her like a poisonous wasp. No, she was not the one receiving kind words. Her fingers tightened around the banister, turning her knuckles whiter than they already were. No, it would never be her. Any attention she had was gone the minute Dewei was born.

Something needed to change. Daiyou did not want to be stuck in the piercing darkness of her brother's growing shadow. Everyday, she would hear "Prince Dewei is so intelligent" or "Prince Dewei will surely have a bright future" even if she was working just as hard- harder, even. Why did nobody notice her efforts? A sudden smile slowly lit up her face. She knew what to do. Chuckling, she turned around and swiftly left the balcony. Change would happen on that very day.

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Dewei patted the head of the happy dog before he stepped into the dark room filled with towering shelves. Each shelf was lined to the brim with a never-ending supply of books. He looked around the room, pausing to decide what he wanted to read today. A muffled call of a young girl aided in his decision of where to start first. Jingfei's coy smile entered his field of vision as he rounded the corner of a worn shelf.

"Good morning, Shaodi Dewei. Can I interest you in a romance?" Jingfei watched Dewei's expression closely. Sure enough, Dewei's eyes widened while his cheeks and ears flushed as pink as a plum blossom amidst a blanket of snow. Jingfei let out a long, hearty laugh as she poked Dewei's shoulder. He was so easy to tease. The two settled down with a pile of books in their usual places by the large window, beams of sunlight lighting up the words.

Silence filled the room except for the turning of pages and the occasional giggle escaping from Jingfei. Dewei thought he heard the library's main door open. He glanced at Jingfei, but her eyes were glued to her page, whizzing along the words. He craned his neck to see if anyone had entered, but there was nobody in sight. He dropped his head and dove right back into his book.

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Daiyou felt the adrenaline coursing through her system as she carried the lit candle. The fire would only be large enough for people to see, but small enough so she could extinguish it quickly. She touched the flame to the dry, old books in multiple areas of a shelf near the large window and ran, closing the door behind her. She watched the flames quickly engulf several books from a nearby window, smoke filling the ceiling as shouts rang out from the inside.

The sudden banging on the door left Daiyou frozen in place. The door was not supposed to be locked. In her panic, Daiyou fled when she saw the palace guards running towards her. They saw her. They definitely saw her. When she turned to look at the scene one last time, she saw the limp bodies of her brother and a girl being carried out of the room. No. This is not happening. Daiyou was supposed to be the future empress. This cannot be happening.