A Reality better than the Dream

10.- Healing the past

 In the evening, she prepared herself to appear in the great hall of the palace for dinner. She was as always very beautiful and astonishing. When she entered there, she almost fell down, because she saw that Emperor Oren himself was present in the hall. Why do they meet again and again recently? Alright, this was not something extraordinary, although it was said that he never participated in such events. But who knows...? General Sheng, behind her, saw him, too, and immediately thought that the emperor might have come only to meet her. Such a big change in his habits was very strange, indeed, no matter what his excuse was.

Her seat was, accidentally, just opposite to the emperor's and she could not avoid neither him nor his stare. But... never mind... His strict stare was fixed on her and she gave to him a polite look and smile. She tried to eliminate from her mind that old remembrance of that old insulting incident between them, because this made her always angry and unsafe, mainly because her feelings were exposed to him so openly and left him no doubt. But the emperor had not exactly this in his mind, he focused only on the woman before him.

Meng's brother: Iris, how did my brother manage to make you come out of your home?

Iris (smiling): He said that he will erase a debt of mine to him, if I visit him on his coronation day. A really important debt. So, I grasped this unexpected chance.

Oren (very curiously): What kind of debt?

Iris: Oh, he helped my country during a severe drought last year. An important help. He is one of my best friends and a very honest man.

That moment her father entered the hall and greeted. She stiffened at seeing him, she could not stand his presence, not only because of that incident, but because he had always been trying to use her mercilessly for power. The emperor noticed her reaction. She avoided even her father's stare as far as possible. She was feeling, obviously, inconveniently. When they got up, her father tried to approach her, but General Sheng did not leave her alone, he was stuck near her to protect her. So, Oren grasped the opportunity to help her but also to speak with her.

Oren: Queen, can we discuss about some political matters?

She said "yes", obviously relieved that she could avoid her father. Oren pulled her in a room alone with him and he led her to a chair.

Iris: You know... everybody will make bad thoughts about such a meeting and somebody will use it against me or you, you must know. At least, somebody else must be with us.

Oren: Alright. I will ask General Sheng and Tangren to stand out of the door.

So the two men were standing as guards outside the room, proving that the meeting was nothing more than a political meeting but with a secret agenda.

Oren: I hope you have not traveled all alone again in that dark forest... mm?

She looked at him curiously that he had such a concern, but of course this was a men's habit to be somehow protective towards the weak women.

Iris: No, I have not. I thought it over and I decided that I dislike to face any danger again, even if it is only some simple thieves. I must accept my weakness and that my status makes my life more complicated than I desire.

Oren: But... didn't you want to become queen?

Iris: No, I had no such desire, but my grandfather trusted me and wanted me to take the throne, because he considered me more... more compassionate and near the people. I didn't want to make my grandparents sad with my refusal. Anyway, nobody can live completely free from obligations. I don't complain. None of my familiar ones imposes on me to be like many other kings, they ask me only to keep the necessary formalities and care for the kingdom. I am happy with my own beloved ones around me.