The Hikaru Curse

II

We have been called to stand in a neat line before the empress and her most beautiful daughter.

Tension fills the air within the harem, making way for the most powerful person in the entire Qing Empire.

I stand close to the middle, between Liang and Hong-Rim. I fold my fan so my face can be seen.

Alexandria steps up and smiles. "On this night, twenty years ago, I brought into this world that which is most precious to me. Tonight, we shall celebrate Princess Yua's birthday. As a gift, I will allow her to take any two men from this harem as her lovers. I vow to never lay a hand upon whom she chooses."

The beautiful steps forward, cloaked in pink. Her pale pink dress, soft lips, and colored cheeks make her seem like the prettiest cherry blossom.

I feel my cheeks heat up and immediately regret folding my fan.

Yua smiles. "Mother, I thank you for the gift." She bows and then starts walking along the row we have made. The princess stops in front of me. "What's your name? Where are you from?"

"Hikaru Genji. I hail from Japan."

Is it just me? Or do her eyes sparkle?

She doesn't seem happy about any of this and her smile is no doubt false. There's no way her eyes could be sparkling.

So, why?

"Has my mother laid a single finger upon you?"

My body tenses beyond normality. I never thought I would need to dread such a question.

The princess is asking if I have done anything with her mother.

I cannot lie to a member of the royal family. "No, My Lady. I haven't done a single thing of the sort since coming here." The tension changes to nervousness flooding my entire body, surprising me. I can't help but wonder why she would ask me that question.

Yua smiles gently as she takes a moment to examine me. "You will do nicely. I choose you, Hikaru Genji."

I turn to Alexandria, awaiting her approval.

"My darling, Yua. I am sorry but Genji is only here for appearance. You must select someone else."

Yua's face falls, but she quickly forces another smile. "As you wish, mother." She looks to either side of me.

I'm reminded that Hong-Rim is on my right and Liang is on my left.

"What are your names?" Yua asks.

"Hong-Rim, Your Highness. I hail from one of the three kingdoms of Korea." He bows elegantly.

"Gongsun Liang, Your Highness. I hail from a noble family that lives within the Qing Empire." The consort bows respectfully.

I want to speak up, but I can't. I honestly don't want to be a consort. Why couldn't I have been a minister like my brother, Ryoma? I'm beginning to think that the princess could save me from my fate of loving the empress.

"Has my mother touched either of you?"

I'm brought back to reality by the question.

Why is the princess asking it?

"Only once, My Lady... I have one child." Liang hesitates at the last part. He's either embarrassed or ashamed.

Considering I have remained untouched and the princess chose me first, it's understandable.

The princess turns to an unusually nervous Hong-Rim.

"Only once as well. I have no children."

Yua seems to be mulling over her choices. She looks unsatisfied, but forces a third smile. Yua must feel some sort of guilt at the action because she almost falters. "Mother, may I have Liang and Hong-Rim?"

Alexandria smiles brightly like she has done a great deed of good. "Very well. I will not lay a single finger on either of them. I swear it." The empress seems oddly pleased about all of this.

"Thank you for the gift," Yua forces her lips to say.

Both mother and daughter leave the harem, their figures fading from my sight.

My cheeks are burning with an unfamiliar warmth. I quickly unfold my fan, waving it rapidly. I compose myself and turn to the others after a few moments. "It just isn't fair."

"What's not fair? Nothing here is fair, my friend." Liang turns to me, his jade eyes curious.

"Her mother promised her any of us that she chooses. But then refused to let her choose me. I don't understand it. How can the empress be so cruel to her own daughter?"

Wenning joins us, sighing. He glances in the direction his daughter went. "Indeed. It hurts me to see my children treated in such a way. As to your observation of unfairness...Of course not. You are the empress' new toy. She hasn't played with you yet. Perhaps once you make love with her, she will let you go." He has a point, no matter how much I want to ignore it.

But I can't.

Does this mean I'm trapped in Alexandria's harem?

"I can't. I cannot make love to the empress. No matter what." I begin shaking my head violently.

Liang gives me a confused look. "Why ever not? What are you so afraid of?"

I go silent. Can I trust them with such a terrible secret as mine?

Wenning senses my discomfort. "You can trust us. We won't tell anyone. Please allow us to assist you in carrying your burden."

Hong-Rim finishes talking to another consort before sauntering over to us. He folds his parasol. "Agreed. We promise not to say a single word about your secret."

I sigh. Perhaps I should tell them. "It's a long and strange story," I pause, "Do you know the witch Sisi?"

Hong-Rim immediately freezes up. "I never thought I would ever hear that wretched name again," he mutters under his breath.

My eyes widen. I don't want to pry, but I also need to know of Hong-Rim's connection to my family's curse. "How do you know her?"

Hong-Rim composes himself before saying, "Distant relative. The family cut off ties with her years ago."

I nod in understanding. "Twas her who cursed my family."

Their eyes widen at my words, further boring into my soul. No one says anything for a moment.

Liang breaks the silence by asking, "What did she do?"

This is where I get embarrassed. I know my cheeks are red with fire. I raise my fan to cover my face. "The curse...makes a man...a man f–fem–feminine. If I make love with anyone, I–I–I will–"

"Be with child?" Hong-Rim finishes for me. His expression turns grim.

I look at the consort in red, startled. "Tell me. Tell me how you know such a thing. How?" I nearly panic.

"Two reasons. Sisi was supposedly wronged by many men. Also, she has always been quite dramatic. Such a curse is very dramatic and an embarrassment to all men," Hong-Rim explains, "I promise I won't tell a soul."

I look at the faces of the others. I hope my trust has not been misplaced.

Wenning smiles gently like the fatherly figure he is. "We promise. Don't we, Liang?"

The pale-haired consort nods. "Of course. No one shall know."

We all nod in agreement and disperse.

I sigh when I return to my palace. I don't understand any of it. But most of all, how much longer can I hide from the curse?