THE AIR WAS STILL, the smell of incense filling the otherwise tense atmosphere. There was but one lantern lit, casting a dark shadow that prevented any unwanted attention. It was suffocating, in that every opening was completely enclosed.
The emperor, in all his glory, ensconced himself on his regal throne. He sat comfortably with a hand to his chin and the other on his dresser, tapping repetitively.
Before him was the figure of a woman in all black, kneeling with acute benevolence. Her hair was pulled back from her face and her veil in her hands, displaying her emotions for his eyes to see.
"You have gotten well acquainted?" The male asked courteously, his leg crossed with high regard of his standing.
"Yes, Your Majesty," the woman replied, her eyes glued to the floors, "It has been a smooth transition thanks to your intervention."
"Naturally," he chuckled, his voice reverberating in the dim room.
It was as if he had the power to travel through the walls, his voice holding the air of power itself. His eyes, suspicious of all and trusting of none, pierced into the woman's figure.
"You are my soldier— an important figure in the kingdom," the emperor stated, his eyes narrowing at her, "Any lingering feelings will prove fatal. As I presume you already know."
"Yes," Suyin muttered, her lips falling into a line, "I understand."
The male let out a sigh and proceeded to place a chess piece onto the table.
"While you may not be cultivating my beautiful flowers in the garden, as that is already taken care of by a gardener," he announced, his eyes reflecting the warm glow of the candle, "I expect that no weeds will sneak between the crevices."
"Yes, Your Majesty," the silver eyed woman nodded again, "This poison is yours to use. For the prosperity of the kingdom."
"Good," he smiled, "Now here is your next duty."
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
Earlier...
MaoMao peered over at the blonde maid with slight irritation, finding her clear distaste towards her childish. Why would Consort Suyin take in a maid like her? It didn't make sense, but then again, the apothecary knew nothing of their history.
Da Ji began to warm a cup of water over the fire, stirring the liquid slowly. All the while, the apothecary watched her.
"You're unworthy."
MaoMao's head shot up at that. Did she hear that right?
"What?"
The blonde didn't react and continued to stir the pot in front of her. She then added some tea leaves and placed some dough onto the pan beside the cup.
MaoMao's eyes narrowed at her— her eyes slanting into a cat-like expression. With a sigh, she turned around and began to organize the herbs on the table. If Da Ji didn't like her, so be it.
That cursed eunuch was already enough of a headache, but to add on the Graceful Consort as well as her maid? She could already feel a migraine coming.
The apothecary glanced over once more to see what the maid-in-waiting was up to and noticed how her blonde hair parted slightly from her forehead. It revealed darker strands below, much darker. As in black— just like her consort's.
Hmm.. I should keep to myself.
MaoMao sighed to herself before eventually deciding that it wasn't worth losing her life if the Graceful Consort found out about her maid-in-waiting's hair showing and her not saying anything about it.
"There's glue in the top right cupboard in the hallway," the greenette muttered, "Do with it as you will."
She noticed the maid's eyes widen as she turned around in shock to hide her face. She then cursed something lightly under her breath before proceeding to leave the room.
By this point, MaoMao just shook her head at her standoffish nature and went to stir her pot of tea. As she did, she noticed something interesting about the tea.
"Earl Grey Tea," she whispered aloud, continuing to stir the tea, "A foreign brand, huh?"
When the greenette heard the footsteps return, she went back to her duties as though nothing ever happened, taking note of the subtle change in the maid's expression. It seemed Da Ji was less hostile towards her— that was a start.
MaoMao simply shook her head and finished her duties before letting Da Ji know she was ready to leave. The blonde nodded and poured the tea into a teapot, taking it with her as the two went to meet up with their superiors.
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
"There has been a shortage?"
The blonde maid nodded in response, pouring her lady a cup of warm tea.
"Yes," Da Ji answered, "So you must be careful, others will not take it lightly if you're found wearing it."
Suyin let out a soft sigh before looking down at her hand at the spot where he had last touched it. Her cheeks grew hot at the memory only for her nose to scrunch in disgust when she was handed the tea.
"Well it's not an issue," the silver-eyed woman shrugged, glancing over at the veil on her night stand, "Nobody will find out."
The maid bowed her head and swiftly exited the room, leaving the consort to herself.
Suyin felt her dizziness return to her, her vision of the room blurring slightly. She sat the cup down and began to rub her head with her hand to her stomach. Her illness must've been acting up again, perhaps she had spent too much time in the sun.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror, her lips falling into a line as she wiped away the powder to reveal the dark hues under her eyes and her cheekbones— that of which were much more prominent than she remembered them to be.
The Graceful Consort pushed herself from her seat, watching herself in the reflection as she began to braid her black strands. She then watched as the fabric of her dark tangzhuang fell beside her legs, enough to allow movements with ease.
Suyin then swiftly exited through her window, leaving a single lantern on to prevent any unwanted visitors from simply sneaking in. She could feel the cool breeze hit her face as she moved under the shadows of the night.
It was at night under the glimmer of the moonlight where she felt the most free. And it seemed the woman she was sent to investigate felt the same way.
The Middle Consort, Fuyou.
The one rumored to be the Ghost in White, or rather, the princess from a distant land who sleep-danced. She was ill and even fell during her performance before the Emperor during her introduction.
None could deny her skills in her art, so it was almost unbelievable when she took a fall. The Emperor had not come to bed with her, and since then she has fallen ill with a nightly illness.
So the rumors go.
Yet here the woman stood, dancing beautifully and almost exuding an air of sadness. Her motions were not that of an ill person, but rather an actress, a hauntingly beautiful one.
This was what he wanted to know? It seemed she didn't want his attention...
The silver-eyed woman began to feel conflicted.
What if everything she did was to escape from here?
As she watched the young woman dance her heart out, Suyin failed to notice the tear that began to roll down her own face. This woman yearned to leave the place, it was evident in the way she carried herself. Fuyou's movement was graceful yet her heart ached gracelessly– silently.
"It's a surprise to see you here, Consort Suyin."
Suyin quickly whipped around, her grip on the dagger under her sleeve tightening. However, she just as easily loosened it as her gaze landed on the owner of the voice.
"MaoMao," she muttered, letting out a sigh and crossing her arms, "What are you doing here?"
"Who knows?" the maid-in-waiting hummed with a raised brow, "I heard the reports too, a terrifying ghost in white is terrorizing and scaring the other maids."
"She's merely a girl," she snorted in response, only to stop herself with a cough, "Seeing as you've taken the liberty to approach me rather than scurry away, did you need something?"
The greenette internally shuddered at the acute observation from the consort, finding her knowledge of her a little unnerving. But she brushed away the thought and continued with her business.
"Master Jinshi requests that you and I work on this case," she explained, "and that he hoped you wouldn't do anything rash before then."
"Rash?" Suyin repeated quietly, rubbing the blade under her sleeve slowly, "Who does he think I am?"
"You should ask him that yourself the next time you see him," MaoMao remarked blandly, "Instead of making me the messenger. That darn cocky face of his...–"
Suyin looked at the greenette for a few moments. Then she began to chuckle, covering her mouth to keep from catching anyone's attention.
"Okay, I got it!" she laughed once again, "You really are something, flower girl."
"Again with that nickname..?"
"I agree to this arrangement," the ebony-haired woman smiled, moving her red veil aside with her hand, "On one condition."
MaoMao's head tilted to the side, "Which is?"
"That you and Da Ji try to get along."
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
Earlier...
The greenette stood dumbfounded in the room, reading over the scripture many times over. With a grimace she put it down and turned to face the eunuch and his advisor that were present in the room.
"You believe she's in danger?" she muttered.
"That is what I believe," the purplette answered, "Her hands were incredibly bony– to the point of disease susceptibility. Even I could tell."
"Then why won't you just approach her highness, the Graceful Consort?"
"She has always been weaker since childhood," Jinshi answered spitefully, "But it was never this bad. And believe me, if I tried, she would instantly cut ties with me and continue to neglect her own health even more."
"What about the maid? Isn't she supposed to take care of her?"
"Precisely," the eunuch nodded, "which is why I believe you should get into contact with her. To find out exactly what is going on with Suyin."
"Eughk—" MaoMao internally cringed, "I just signed myself up for this, didn't I?"
"Your cooperation will be rewarded in time," Jinshi answered with a smirk, resting his chin on his hands as sparkles seemed to radiate from him.
"But why can't you do it?"
The eunuch instantly shot her a pouty feminine-like expression with puckered lips.
"Because she would be too intimidated by my good looks~"
MaoMao shuddered in disgust once again.
"Never. Do that again," she said through gritted teeth, earning a half-offended look from the eunuch.
"And fine, I'll do it."