I got up and walked in front of the target as a guard placed an apple on top of my head. I stood there with everyone settling down in silence, waiting for the 3rd Prince to go first. I watch his so-called mother wanting him to impress everyone with his skills. I tried to stay calm, but in my head, I was screaming for dear life. The 3rd Prince finally made his stance and pulled the bow back, and he was aiming directly at me, which was actually the apple on my head. The 3rd Prince's aura sent out a strong victory in the air. He was ready to release when Consort Qingyuan had supposedly tripped over herself and pushed him slightly as it redirected the arrow straight at me.
At that moment, everything seemed to slow down in slow motion as my body took a while to react, but my body also didn't want to move. My eyes were fixed on the flying arrow coming my way, but then another arrow came flying and crashed into the one that was coming at me as it redirected it to pass me. In a split second, the time has regained consciousness and sped up as the arrow went right past my left cheek. Soon, everyone's hearts felt relieved and people rushed over to me.
"Oh my goodness, are you alright!" people asked as Lin was the first person to reach me.
"My lady, you face!" Lin said and pulled out a handkerchief and lightly touched my left cheek. "You are bleeding!" she said, showing me a thin line of blood on the handkerchief.
"It's okay. I'm okay." I tried to rest assured everyone and saw the arrow that saved my life was in the ground. I ask, "Who shot this arrow?" I pull the arrow out from the ground.
"It was the 4th Prince," said someone as I looked over to the tall young man who had a bow in his hand.
"Thank you, your highness, for saving my life," I said and bowed 90 degrees to him and once I was back up in a straight position, the 4th Prince was right next to my ear.
"Do you want me to get back at her?" he whispered into my ear. He then pulled away, unnoticed by anyone, and looked at me with his eyes glistening. I also looked at him and without a word, he strolled along.
"Ha...well then let's continue on...," said someone trying to laugh it off nervously as it was the 3rd Prince's mother.
Not long enough, we passed the situation that just happened a moment ago and moved along as it was the 4th Prince turn to shoot. I took my seat and touched my left cheek to feel a thin long line across my cheek. Even though Lin wanted to bring me back to my room and apply for medicine, I refused to let myself miss such a chance to see Consort Qingyuan's life on the line, so Lin rushed to grab the medicine and left me alone. While they were resetting and making sure that no one would come across and interfere with the Prince as they didn't want that same thing to happen again. I felt someone watching me as I redirect my attention to the person who didn't dare to look me in the eyes anymore and that person was the 3rd Prince. However, the 2nd Prince and the 5th Prince came to me again.
"How are you? Are you okay?" The 2nd Prince asks, looking extremely worried.
"I was so worried that you might have died," said the 5th Prince. I ruffed his hair.
"Of course, I won't. I'm fine," I tried to reassure them and Lin came back with a wooden box. The Prince returns to their seats and Lin sets it down on the table and opens it. She then poured medicine on a cloth before she applied on my cheek. After she finished, she once again left and I sat back and watched the show. Consort Qingyuan stood in front of the target as you can see she was shaking and trying to smile like she is not afraid. The 4th Prince pulled his arrow back and he slightly aims downward. Then he released as the arrow was heading straight for Consort Qingyuan's forehead and it looked like her knees had locked in. The arrow swooped down and broke through her hair accessories as her legs finally gave up and she fainted collapsing on the ground as the apple fell into place and got strike through the middle and hit the bullseye. I then began to clap in full satisfaction while maids rushed to Consort Qingyuan and took her away. The 4th Prince was announced the winner and the ceremony still continued.
Soon after the ceremony ended and everyone was leaving, but I wanted to talk to the 3rd Prince because I feel he it's his fault that he almost killed me when in fact it was Consort Qingyuan's fault. I informed Lin to leave first, I searched around for him, but couldn't find him until I overheard him and his mother talking behind the main court.
I remained silent and listened, "*SLAP* you're so disgraceful to me! You couldn't do good in archery and didn't stand out!" his mother was chewing him out. "And also how dare you give such things to the Emperor! You KNOW I done everything I could to get rid of that TEA, so the Emperor doesn't think about that stupid WHORE! I'm disgusted with you!" She said in disappointment and left. As her footsteps soon disappeared.
Whore? Who is she talking about?
I thought for a bit.
She is talking about the Emperor's first love or the Empress?
I hear the 3rd Prince raging in frustration as he was trashing things. "Hey, are you okay?" I said, coming out from behind the wall as he was startled at first before he became silent again. I felt sorry for him and I went to hug him, but then the 4th Prince came charging out of nowhere and grabbed my wrist and yanked me away without saying anything.