In a large hall, several girls were seated in front of their mechanisms for embroidery. They were happily working and chatting with one another. All the girlish topics were discussed from handsome men to the best rouge in the capital.
Lores' horse stopped in front of a gate. He raised his sight and a plaque nailed to the wall stared back at him. 'welcome to Azure Mystic Art' was written on it. Two guards were outside holding clubs. When they saw the unfamiliar visitor, their faces became stiffly inquisitive.
"I came to see someone." Lores said.
"Okay. Wait here." One of the guards replied. He left and came back a while later with another man. The man observed Lores from head to toe. Lores' attire was no commoners' clothing.
"I'm the keeper of this firm. What brings this young master here today? Are you from the palace?" He asked politely.
"I'm from Snowfall Palace. I serve the third prince." The keeper exclaimed in surprise.
"Ah, esteemed guest. Please." He gestured for Lores to enter. Once inside the yard, the atmosphere was consumed with the smell of beauty products. Maids moved about chatting and laughing as if they had nothing doing. The firm seemed completely feminized. To think that there were men living here made Lores shake his head as if he was dizzy.
Peach blossom trees stood graciously in a row. Just opposite was a row of exquisite flowers lined along the hallway. The firm beyond doubt was a distinguished one. It was sponsored by many patrons including Ripplesky palace because the clothes worn by the nobles were majorly made in Azure Mystic Art.
The keeper took Lores along the pathway between one of those peach blossom trees then they turned towards the east wing. The keeper suddenly spoke as they walked towards a building.
"It seems you didn't come here for business. But whatever it is, this humble one shall see to it that it is done." According to the system of dispatch naited by the firm, clothes were usually sent to the palace firsthand while the other elites sent their chief servants as envoys to collect fabrics. But Lores came like a lonely ghost without a carriage so basically, he wasn't here for clothes.
"I have a relative here. I came to visit her."
"If that's the case, then this humble one shall inform the mistress."
The keeper took Lores to the waiting room and asked him to wait there. Lores looked through the window at the back and saw a large yard. Many fabrics embroidered with eye-catching designs of various colour were spread on orderly arranged clotheslines. He was impressed by what he saw.
"Azure Mystic...um...art lives up to its name."
"Greetings Young master. Welcome to Azure Mystic Art. Let this lowly one serve you for the time being." A curtseying pretty lady in bright yellow came to sight. She was wearing a broad smile and her actions were bold. Lores turned and looked at her with unfamiliarity. Judging from her age and appearance, she couldn't be the mistress he was waiting for.
"Who are you?"
"I'm the steward of Azure Mystic Art." She answered with her unwavering smile. "Tea or wine?"
"Anyone."
"Then take wine. It soothes the nerve better in harsh weather." She took the jar from the small table and poured wine into a cup then she sat on a low wooden stool close to the table. Meanwhile Lores was still trying to process what was happening.
"I never knew this firm had a steward." He mentioned and sat across from her.
"Why not? Distinguished guests like you come here to visit. I'm specialized in attending to your needs." Lores nodded and sipped from his cup.
"Young master, you look dashing in that outfit." She commented and winked at him. Lores' face flushed red with embarrassment. He could only smile awkwardly.
"Is this a brothel or a business enterprise?"
The Maids here were bold and unrestrained compared to the ones in the palace who never failed to keep the red tape.
Just then, a good-looking middle-aged woman graced the room with her appearance. She was wearing clean clothes, make-up and a calm smile. The complicated mandarin duck embroidery ornamented on her sky blue dress already transmitted her mistressship of the firm. In addition, an air of overconfidence surrounded her. Immediately she stepped in, the steward curtseyed her and left.
Lores stood up and bowed a little. He wanted to speak but she did before him.
"Young master, may I know who you seek in Azure Mystic Art?"
"Joanne Keslin." The woman's face soured a little when she heard the name. She paced twice with her chin up, her face displaying a cocky smile.
"You mean the girl brought from the street? She was recommended here by a benevolent patron. Are you her fiance?" Lores' bright expression slowly receded. He never expected to still meet the damn status-difference predicament here. Although the workers of the firm had no aristocratic origin, they were considered a little above the common folks due to their sponsors and prestige of Azure Mystic Art. Working in the firm was a dream come true for many girls.
"Madam, why do you care so much about one girl? Are all the girls here from noble families?"
"No. But at least, they were not picked from the street. I've been lenient enough to keep her little secret so that she won't sully the reputation of this great firm."
Lores imagined the difficult life Joanne must've been been living here. He started having mixed emotions. Ever since he had been exchanging letters with her, she never mentioned it for once. But before he blamed himself, he would love to place this disgusting woman where she belongs.
He took out a token from his chest and showed it to the woman. Her cocky look decreased to a slightly mortified one. The least she expected Lores to be was a government official. Lores was pleased to see her look then he spoke proudly.
"I'm a special aide of the third prince and an important staff of Snowfall Palace. From your look, I'm sure you've not yet had the honor to see his highness in person. The lady in question who you have been mistreating was actually recommended by his highness but in low-key. If I report you to his highness, it won't cost anything to remove you from that pinnacle you feel you're sitting on." Lores had an indifferent smile on his face while she stared at him with panic.
"Imagine how it feels if you become a once-a-mistress-now-a-servant subject. How will you face these maids?" Lores said, pointing outside. The mistress forced a friendly smile and curtseyed appropriately.
"I didn't know you were a government official. I was being rude earlier. Please show mercy to this lowly one." She curtseyed with her head bowed. Lores stared at her for a while and sighed after.
"Where's she?"
"She'll be here with you soon." She answered and left with shame.
Shortly after, a lady dressed in a neat pink gown came to meet Lores. They stared at each with their mouths loosely hanging open. They almost couldn't recognize themselves. Joanne's silver hair was neatly combed and it cascaded beneath her hip. Rouge was even smeared on her face, her lips red. She was looking transformed and stunning. Lores himself looked transformed too! His pigtails stretched to his front, his raven hair combed and cascading downwards. His tanned face lustred like monolith.
She hastened her steps and embraced him tightly, closing her eyes.
"Little Lores." She called, almost close to tears. "I'm so glad to see you."
They remained like that for a while entangled with emotions. Lores suddenly spoke.
"Sister Joanne, I almost couldn't recognize you." Joanne laughed then she hit Lores' back with her hand. Lores lurched, hissing in pain. It was the pain gotten from the punishment he received for disrespecting the king. Mo insisted that he must receive the punishment so the king could rest assured and not doubt the prince. That night, Lores received forty strokes of the rod. There were huge red diagonal marks on his back.
That night
Lores laid in pain on Mo's bed as Mo gently rubbed his back with a pain relief balm as if massaging him. Lores lurched in protest to pain.
"Could you be more gentle... your highness?"
"What's all the fuss about, seven? You should feel honored that I'm personally tending to your injury." Mo responded without paying attention to the wavering person on his bed. He continued rubbing the lotion on him.
"You did this to me. Shouldn't you feel a bit sympathy for me?" Lores spoke as if he was wronged. Mo sighed in a hushed manner. Deep within him, he felt bad for Lores. However, he had to be cautious with matters involving his father.
"It's because of that sympathy you're talking about that I'm personally treating you. If you hadn't been beating, the king will surely learn about it and think that I was trying to cover up for you."
"Yes. That's true. The king is an old fox..." Lores covered his mouth with his hand, choking on his own words. Mo instantly paused, his face emotionless. He then continued treating Lores and spoke a while later.
"You're right. The king is a sly old fox." Lores became quiet. Mo was going through emotional stress from the internal conflict of his family to the point where he now had to be on guard against his own father. Lores' heart softened at that moment. He wanted to give Mo a solitude moment. He caught Mo's wrist and sat up. Mo was couching so their faces were not very far apart. He stared heavily at Mo and commented half a beat later.
"Your highness, you look very tired. You should have a good rest. I'm already fine." He left Mo's wrist and walked towards the folding screen to take his inner cloth hanging on it. He was about to step over the threshold when he was stopped by Mo.
"Stop there. Shut the door and come back."
"Huh?"
"..."
Lores nervously obeyed. He turned to face Mo.
"Don't leave. You can sleep here." Mo bluntly said and made to lie down. His bed was big enough to size two people. Lores had no time to process his thoughts. He just replied: "As you wish, my prince."
He laid beside Mo with one hand on his abdomen and the other behind his head. He had never felt so close to the prince before now. Mo was busy facing the other side, showing Lores his back. They maintained a long while of silence which was eventually broken by Mo.
"I've been thinking if the world was simple and everyone was simple minded then maybe people wouldn't have to fight over everything. Brothers won't turn against each other and father's won't hurt their children. The world would be more inhabitable. But sadly, that's just an ideal world." He said as he turned to face the ceiling, his voice soft and quiet.
"True. We imagine the world in so many ways but they are just the ideal worlds in our heart. As long as greed resides in the heart of man, the world will continue to be uninhabitable. The desires of man plunge the world into chaos. The vulnerable ones will not escape." Lores responded in the same quiet and gentle tone.
"How do I become invulnerable?" Mo suddenly asked, glancing sideways at Lores.
"Follow your heart. Respect your principles."
"Even if it turns the world against me?" Mo asked.
"You mean...even if it turns the world against us?" Lores questioned with a blue smile on his lips. The extinction of his homeland and massacre of his family flashed back to him. Mo didn't understand. He creased his brows together.
"You mean to say?" Lores sighed before answering.
"The world always turn against those who follow their hearts."
"Do you know what walking this path entails?"
"It doesn't matter as long as you have a companion." Mo smiled a little at Lores' words. They fell into silence again but it was broken by Mo. Since he had someone who would readily listen to him, he would sincerely pour his heart to that person.
"I've travelled far and wide. I've seen the pulchritude of the world, the diversity of humans and power of a supreme. I have everlasting wealth and soldiers at my beck and call. However, these things are not comparable to the warmth of a family. That's why I sometimes envy the common folks."
Lores was really surprised. He had never seen Mo being so sentimental before. He stole a glance at Mo to make sure it was the real prince of Nan he was lying beside. From the look of things, Mo needed a shoulder to lean on.
"You've seen the wealth of the world but not its affection." Lores said after a thought.
"Is there still affection left in the world?" Mo asked.
"Of course. But it's rare."
"Yes. As rare as a confidant." Mo commented.
"If you don't mind, you can confide in me." Lores replied innocently. Mo glanced sideways at Lores again before saying something.
"Seven, tell me about your family."
Lores blinked in confusion as if he heard wrong. "Well my family. Hmm. I'll tell you about my family in Vatmos."
"I'm from a humble family in the outskirts of the capital..." Lores halted as Mo turned to face him.
"What?" Lores asked uneasily.
"Nothing. Continue." Lores kept staring at the ceiling as he spoke.
"In the morning, we would work on our farm while chatting with mirth. At night, we go for hunting to prepare dinner. The kids would play around and the elders would sit outside their houses sharing their youthful experience with us. There was nothing to fight for. We were all living in harmony." After speaking, Lores turned to face Mo who was busy staring at him with keen interest. Lores looked away and sighed.
"That's all."
"A simple life can be that lovely." Mo verbalize his thoughts with a faraway face. "I guess you must miss your family." Lores closed his eyes and nodded.
"True." He opened his eyes and spoke again. "If you want, I can take you to see the simplicity of life when the curfew is over." Mo snapped his head at Lores, a smile embodying serenity slowly spread on his lips. He was like a cute little kid who was promised candy. No one had been so plain to him before. Standing on ceremony and strictly taking orders were the only things his guards were good at.
"Really."
"Mmm." Lores nodded, smiling in return.
"I'm looking forward to it."
"The pleasure is mine."
Mo sighed satisfactorily. Lores impulsively aired his request after a few moment of silence.
"Your highness, I would have loved to visit my sister. I ask for your permission."
"Of course you can. Naturally you're injured so you're off duty. You may go to Azure Mystic Art." Prince Mo easily agreed.
"Thank you." Lores answered happily. Mo turned to the other side without saying anything.
"My prince." Lores called after a while.
"Seven, go to sleep."
Lores frowned a little before turning his back at Mo.
"A while ago you were so eager to hear me but now you're shunning me."
He closed his eyes and waited for sleep.
-
Joanne released him as her face coloured with concern. That hit was too light to inflict pain.
"Are you alright?" Lores smiled and shook his head. He didn't want her to worry about him so he told her nothing. He flicked her forehead as she reacted to the slight pain, a playful frown appearing on his face.
"You've been eating too much lately. That hit was quite painful. Look at you worrying about me. You've been mistreated in this firm but you never mentioned it in your letters. It pisses me off." Joanne was surprised.
"How did you know that?"
"How won't I know of such matter? I already warned the mistress. Henceforward she won't pester you any longer." Lores assured her. Joanne just sighed with a smile.
"It's nothing. The girls here have been nice. Only her and her minions were trying to make things difficult for me." Lores arced his brows together in annoyance.
"Her minions? Let me go and warn them..." Joanne cut him short.
"It's alright. You've already warned her so she'll control her minions." She scowled her face. "Since when did you become hot-blooded?" Lores finally resigned to her. He thinned his lips and smiled.
"Okay. I've heard you. You really need to stop making that face or you won't get married." He taunted.
"Haha who wants to get married yet? I'm not done taking care of you." Joanne said with gaiety, stroking his hair.
"Joanne, I've grown." Lores said with a gentle smile. Joanne frowned like a child who got her cookie taken from her.
"You mean you no longer want me to take care of you?" She whined, looking away from Lores. Lores scratched his head and tried to placate her.
"No! No! That's not what I meant. If you don't take care of me, who will?" He won her smile back. Half a beat later, she dropped the playful demeanor and asked.
"What about our mission?" Lores' expression turned serious. He began to explain.
"The palace is impenetrable. I've decided to join the third prince's faction in order to gather useful information. I believe with time, I'll be able to rescue my dad."
"Your dad may not be in the palace like we predicted." Joanne suddenly said after a moment of thought. Lores raised a brow in question.
"What do you mean?"
Joanne answered with a quieter voice.
"I have a friend here whose relative works as a knight in a place called House Of Berath. She said it's an institution owned by the king himself. There's every possibility that your dad may be in House Of Berath." Lores narrowed his eyes as he fell into deep thought.
"House Of Berath." He called amidst his thoughts.
"Joanne, thanks for this information. It is a massive clue." He smiled gratefully. She returned his smile.
"No need to thank me. I'll try to do my best here. Remember when I said you were not alone." Lores smile broadened. Joanne sighed afterwards, her perkiness decreasing.
"Have you ever thought of revenge? The cruelty showed to your family, don't you resent your enemy in any way?" Lores' mood turned to a meaningful one.
"Revenge." He smiled a little. "I came here to get my father back. As for things that are too massive, we should put them to rest. It's natural for me to resent this kingdom but facing a whole kingdom is too big an imagination. It's a very complicated and suicidal path. Getting back my father is more important to me than revenge." Joanne's red lips curved. She was willing to support his endeavors.
Lores really couldn't bear to part with Joanne. He continued talking with her till his heart content.