When Peony Blooms #AMBW

Chapter 24: "Echoes in the Jade Chamber"

Underneath the thick veil of twilight, Seo-Jin moved like a specter through the palace corridors. His steps echoed a resonant quietude that was now all too familiar in the royal household. Upon reaching So-Ra's chambers, he paused, glancing over his shoulder before he softly rapped on the door.

"By the king's order, Lady So-Ra is not to entertain visitors today," a handmaid breathed out in a hushed tone. At the sight of Seo-Jin, however, her stern facade slipped, replaced by a resigned sigh as she quietly admitted him. Responding to his silent plea for discretion, she offered him a small nod before withdrawing, her footsteps swallowed by the sprawling halls, leaving Seo-Jin alone in So-Ra's chamber.

The room was bathed in an ethereal palette of grays, the flickering candlelight casting an unearthly sheen over the figure nestled among silk sheets. So-Ra, upon noticing him, jolted in surprise. Her wide eyes scanned his form, a whirlwind of emotions — surprise, apprehension, uncertainty — painting a tumultuous picture he'd seen all too often.

His unexpected arrival had unnerved So-Ra, her gaze darting uneasily around the room before settling anywhere but on his face. Seo-Jin surmised the source of her discomfort: the lingering memory of their stolen kiss. In an attempt to assuage her fears, he softened his voice, imbuing it with a note of desperation as he broached the topic of their shared past.

"Seo-Jinah..." she tried to interject to apologize for the kiss, her voice wavering with unease, but he gestured for silence.

"I need to talk to you, So-Ra," he said, his voice uncharacteristically gentle.

She nodded, still apprehensive, yet there was a glint of curiosity in her eyes. Seo-Jin, acknowledging her silent consent, moved closer, choosing to seat himself by her side on the plush silk sheets. He inhaled deeply, an action betraying his internal turmoil despite his composed exterior.

"Do you recall our discussion regarding my father's account of the day your mother...departed from our world?" His words were measured, each syllable delicately chosen to cushion the blow of the topic he dared to broach.

The color visibly drained from So-Ra's face, a chilling pallor replacing the warmth of her complexion. She managed a weak nod in response. "Yes, but... why do you bring this up now?"

The question hung heavy in the air, a haunting echo of their shared past. Gathering himself, Seo-Jin maintained his calm façade, his voice steady as he delved further into the heart of the matter.

"Have you ever heard the queen speak of a parcel she intended to pass on to your mother?" he asked, his gaze holding hers, the urgency of his question softly ringing in the quiet of the room.

So-Ra blinked, taken aback by his inquiry. Her brows furrowed, etching a crease of bewilderment onto her delicate face. The unexpected question seemed to unsettle her. She slowly shook her head, her eyes brimming with confusion. "Why would the queen have any reason to give my mother a thing?" she queried, her voice echoing her bewilderment.

A moment of silence ensued, punctuated only by the soft rustling of silk as Seo-Jin ran his fingers through his dark hair - a rare display of uncertainty, a crack in his usually stoic facade.

" There might've been a suggestion that the queen harbored a desire to assist your mother, So-ra. She sought to shield her, but time was not on their side," he confessed, his words laced with the weight of unspoken histories.

So-Ra's body went rigid, a statue-like stillness washing over her at his revelation. She recoiled into the plush cushions behind her, eyes dilating in the dim room until they mirrored full moons in the late-night sky. Her complexion turned ashen, a stark contrast to the richness of her bedchamber. As the silence stretched, it felt as if the very room was holding its breath with her, she finally found her voice. "I... I have no knowledge of such a thing, Seo-Jin."