A Flower Without Rain

Chapter 20

Sitting within his chambers on the sill of a closed window, Crown Prince Xin Hua has been in a daze ever since being told the story of Lian Yu. No matter what he did to put it off his mind for even just a second, it was always there. Heavily, he sighed to himself as his eyes lowered.

Then, the sound of faint footsteps approached, causing him to become alert. Not very focused at first, he couldn't hear the inaudible words but once he did, they spoke of strange up comings.

"We must get her away from that place or else the fulfillment of the chosen pair will go through!" spoke a man before another voice answered.

"But in order to do so we must separate him from her."

Swinging the windows open, Xin Hua looked for the two men only to see nothing. Jumping out the window, his eyes scoured the surrounding area confirming that no one else was around. Then, at the corner of his eye he noticed something. Turning, he was met with an arrow that had penetrated a wooden pillar. It seemed as though it was placed there and not handled by a bow.

Pulling the arrow from the pillar, he recognized it to be the same the palace harbored since it held the vermillion bird insignia, the mark of the royal family. Tied to the shaft near the head, was a red string that wrapped around what looked like a note. Taking it, he unfolded the paper and unveiled its contents.

"Lian Song would have never died if she didn't take the Crown Princess's place." he mouthed.

This only raised a brow on the Crown Prince.

Did they perhaps know what happened to Lian Song? What did they know? Who are they?

Then, something hit him. "If Lian Song wasn't the Crown Princess, why was she even here?"

And why did she keep record of her stay?

Awakening, Lady Yuan Li was met with the inside of the same wagon she has been on for the past weeks since they left the Xie Kingdom. Rubbing her eyes despite her tied wrists, she yawned. A hooded cloak, was what she wore on top her robes throughout this journey since her capture as to conceal her.

Sitting across from her was the man responsible for her disappearance and another, Ye who sat outside guiding the horses.

The man before her noticed those peering eyes, "You're awake," his name was Kang.

Yuan Li looked away, not wanting to meet his gaze.

"So you're the wife of the next Lian Clan Leader." starting a conversation. "A rather damned family I say, and so are the other great noble clans." she didn't want to respond to his slander.

"The Four Kingdoms also should've never came to be." it was this that she finally spoke.

"What are you talking about?" she questioned.

Kang seemed to laugh at her question, finding it absurd. "The moment the true founders of the Four Kingdoms made an oath to the divine tree and ate the fruit, we were doomed."

Yuan Li gulped, "We were never doomed but the ones who couldn't fight were." her eyes lowered. "They had to find a way to protect everyone."

Even if it meant losing one's self.

In the dark hours, the Peach Palace chambers of Crown Princess Lian Yu was lit by the candles around the room. With welled up eyes and no will to read any further, she shut her sister's journal and held it close.

Sniffling, her cries were silent as brows pressed together. "Why did you have to protect me? What are they planning to do?"

The truth was slowly coming to light.
.
.
.