"N.consort Yuzu , We will not disrespect you if you give back what you snatched respectfully. But...But if you don't, we have to snatch it from you forcefully ."
A vein pops in Yuzu's head as he hears Afreen's threat. How dare she ? Yuzu used to have troubles with Jia-li because she had Zixuan's favour. But Afreen, neither she has position nor favour. How dare she ?
"Are you out of your mind , Afreen ? Are you threatening me ? You will snatch blossom from me ?" Yuzu scoffs "why don't you try.."
Afreen frowns a little. Consort Yuzu is not a person who fights for himself. She thought Yuzu would try to run and cry a river to his highness. And as his highness despise him, she would get away with it.
But if consort Yuzu fights then she could end up in prison for disrespecting his position.
"I am not threatening you, n.consort. I am just scared that if his highness came to know that you snatched Blossom from Jia-li and we didn't protest , he can be angry with us."
Yuzu tilts his head hearing Afreen's explaination "Well, you don't need to worry about that. His highness gave Jia-li "The Olive" , a hair-stick made up of Jade. Blossom was never her's."
Afreen smiles thinly "I am really sorry for my ignorance, n.consort. It was just consort Anaya was so sure that his highness took Blossom from you ... " Afreen turns at Anaya "why did you lie Anaya ?"
"I didn't lie. His highness took the blossom back from him. I think he has stolen it." Consort Anaya points at Yuzu. Afreen smirks.
Consort Anaya has always been the dumbest of all wives of Zixuan. Noble consort Yuzu is dumb but consort Anaya is something else.afreen can easily use her to humiliate consort Yuzu.
Yuzu sighs "Consort Anaya, I can throw you in prison for calling me a thief, you should remember that I am Noble consort of Zi , now."
Anaya takes two steps forward "not when you are actually a thief. His highness will put you in prison if he sees Blossom in your hair."
Yuzu chuckles "oh really ? Then why don't you go and inform Zixuan."
"You can't call his highness by name." Consort Zubina shouts in disbelieve.
Afreen stays silent. She looks at the confidence on Yuzu's face. Why does it look like noble consort Yuzu already has gained his highness's favour. "Consort Zubina , consort Anaya .. noble consort herself informed us that his highness gave Jia-li a different hair-stick. Doesn't it end the misunderstanding?"
Anaya scoffs "Concubine Afreen, you can be a laid back kind of person. But we are not. We can't tolerate insult of our husband."
Zubina nods and walks beside Anaya "you are right Consort Anaya. This is purely insult of our husband. Noble consort Yuzu give back Blossom. Or we will snatch it."
Afreen subtly takes two steps back. It will be in her favour if she can get rid of other two consort throught her n.consort Yuzu. One stone, two birds.
"Calm down, you all ." Afreen gives out a panic stricken yell "Blossom will break, if you try to pull it out."
Zubina tilts her head. She always had the desire to break the blossom. She hates it when consort Yuzu walks like a peacock after wearing the Blossom.
She has whined in every tea party of consorts, how she wants to break either the blossom or Yuzu's neck.
Yuzu walks a step back looking at the killing desire in Zubina and Anaya's eyes. Shit . They are women. He can fight them with words but he can't attack them. What should he do ? Run ?
"N.consort, give Blossom back." Anaya orders through greeted teeth.
"You are crossing your limits, Anaya." Yuzu states hiding his fear "Don't force me to punish you."
Anaya and Zubina look at each other. "We are sorry Yuzu. But you can't do whatever you want." Both of them jump towards Yuzu with full force.
Yuzu hurriedly takes two steps back and shouts "GUARDS !"
Anaya pulls Yuzu's hair to reach for Blossom. Consort Yuzu was always taller than other consort's as he is a man but beside his highness, consort Yuzu looks smaller.
Zubina also tries to reach Blossom but none of her hands reach there. She also pulls n.consort Yuzu's hair to bend him.
Yuzu feels the pain from his hair pull from both sides but he didn't bend. He will not bend either. His eyes lit up as two guards enter the hall. "TAKE BOTH OF THEM TO PRISON."
The guards look at the consorts with wide eyes. Then they look at each other. Both the consorts are women. What will his highness do if they touch his consort.
"Consort Yuzu be carefull of the hanging pearls. They are pulling it." Afreen shouts in horror.
And before Yuzu could react Zubina pulls out the left part of the Blossom out of Yuzu's hair before dropping it on the ground.
A big pink diamond falls off from the stick. The hall went silent. Yuzu blinks . Again ? It broke again.
Yuzu grits his teeth "GUARDS , IF THEY DON'T VISIT PRISION NOW, YOU WILL VISIT HELL. BE PREPARED."
The guards look at each other again. They don't think they have to follow consort Yuzu's order.
Yuzu looks at the guards with bloodshot eyes. It's like he can see his past right in front of his eyes. The same ignorance, the same humiliation, the same insult...
Yuzu stomps towards the guards with wide steps and before the guards could raise their head both of them got slapped hard in the face.
One of the guard stumbles back from the force of the slap.
"I can't slap them because they are women but you two are men. I think, I should vent my anger on you." Yuzu hisses before pulling out a sword which was sheeted on the wall for the decoration.
"C...consort Y..."
"NOBLE CONSORT YUZU." Yuzu runs his sword on one guard's face. Blood ozes out from the cheek.
The other guard hurriedly kneels as Yuzu looks at him "Noble consort , this servant is man. He .. he can't touch other consort ... For..forgive this survant. Let this servant call woman maids ... Please .. noble consort."
Yuzu looks at the guard with disgusted eyes. Changing colours so soon. "Go ...bring six maids to drag them."
Consort Anaya who was is daze looking at the broken blossom on the ground looks up in fear. She never wanted to break the blossom. Oh god ! Even his highness will be angry now. No no no... "Noble ....
"Your highness !" Six maids walk in the room with hurried steps. They look at the guard with bleeding cheek before looking at Consort Yuzu in a messed up hair.
Yuzu looks at the maids "Devide in groups of two and drag consort Anaya , Consort Zubina and concubine Afreen to prison. They will reside in prison for insulting the noble consort of Zi kingdom, physically hurting him, and breaking the blossom. As a punishment their heads will be shaved off and they will stay in the prison until their hair grows back.
Anaya Screams in fear "No .... No... N. Consort... I am sorry.. I never meant to break the blossom... Not my hair .. no .."
Afreen walks two steps forward in panic "n.consort Yuzu, I .. did nothing to you. I haven't even touched you. Aren't you accusing me wrong ?"
Yuzu chuckles "Do you think I am fool ? What were you doing back then Afreen ? Commanding your soldiers what to do , how to do like a leader ? And you think I didn't notice ?"
Afreen widens her eyes. Yuzu noticed. How ? He was a fool. He was easy to manipulate. "You are lying. I helped you. I was giving you, warning. You can't do this to me .. His highness wouldn't let you...."
Yuzu smirks and turns at the back. He noticed a dark shadow moving at the back door when he called for the guards. "I will go back to main palace with you but I have my conditions."
Zixuan walks out of the dark and enters the hall with a tilted face. "What is it ?"
"1st, you wouldn't interfere in harem's business. I, as a noble consort want the unanimous power to control the harem. And my decision should be the last decision here."
Zixuan smirks "done."
All the consorts and concubines gasp in fear. Anaya broke down in tears. No no no ..."
Afreen has a complicated expression on her face. While consort Zubina is still in a daze. Why does she feels like even after breaking the blossom, she couldn't break the pride of Yuzu.
Yuzu nods "maids, take them away."
Zixuan looks at the broken left piece of blossom. "The party is dismissed. Everybody leave except Yuzu."
Yuzu smiles internally. Zixuan didn't hear his other condition. He silently waits for everyone to leave the room.
Zixuan picks up the broken piece of Blossom and stands behind Yuzu. He slowly pulls out the other pieces too "time to modify it."
Yuzu's hair falls loose on from his shoulder emitting sweet smell of morning dew. Zixuan was about to leans closer to smell it when Yuzu turns around "I said conditions. You didn't hear my another condition."
Zixuan tilts his head "conditions ? What ?"
Yuzu smiles sweetly "I don't want to consummate our marriage which means you can't touch me."
Zixuan chuckles in disbelief "I can't touch you ? You are my consort."
"No , I am not.. not until we consummate our marriage."
ㅁㅁㅁㅁㅁㅁㅁㅁ