When Peony Blooms #AMBW

Chapter 31: "Of Paper Cranes"

Flashback

Hyun's world was spinning, his vision hazy as he fought to retain his consciousness. He could vaguely hear the Queen's chilling voice, every syllable dripping with cold malice. "I should draw this out, and make you suffer," she stated, the corner of her lips curling up into a smirk as she watched him battle his pain.

His body was stiff, the poison coursing through his veins making it increasingly hard to breathe. Despite his deteriorating state, he managed to flash her a defiant grin, his spirit refusing to bend under her. "When she discovers what you've done, she'll end you," he managed to croak out, his grip loosening on the teacup, which crashed to the floor in a cacophony of shattering porcelain.

A scoff resonated from the Queen, she nonchalantly lifted her tea to her lips, savoring the warm liquid as she watched him writhe. "The Dowager Queen? She doesn't concern me," she stated, the certainty in her tone undeniably chilling.

There was a pause, the room momentarily falling silent apart from Hyun's labored breathing. Then, the Queen set her tea aside, her gaze lingering on the contorted features of Hyun's face. "Why did you do it, Hyun?" she queried, her voice devoid of any warmth.

His reply was a weak, strangled chuckle, a feeble attempt to maintain his bravado despite the creeping cold that began to envelop him. His tasteless responses seemed to ruffle the Queen's seemingly calm demeanor, but she masked it swiftly, her features hardening once more. "What had she done to warrant such fate? She was assisting me, and yet you cold-heartedly ended her life. Why?" she asked again, her tone gratingly calm in contrast to the gravity of her words.

The chamber bore witness to their confrontation, the scent of brewed tea mingling with an undercurrent of impending death. The exquisite rosewood furniture and intricately painted silk screens that decorated the space seemed to hold their breath, as if too petrified to interrupt the deadly dance unfolding. A soft golden hue from the oil lamps cast long shadows that flickered against the polished floor, mirroring the tumultuous emotions running rampant.

The guard mustered a steady tone, spitting out his venomous words with stubborn defiance, "She overstepped her boundaries." He coughed violently, the harsh sounds echoing in the tense air. "When will you understand that your lineage isn't wanted on this throne?" He dared to lay a feeble hand on her shoulder, his scornful gaze boring into hers. " I was doing my job to clean up, your tainted lineage... Ji-Yeon that whore of a woman, always asking and asking, as for Sa-Wol she knew too much... you all had it coming."

His blatant disregard for his own life, and the audacity of his insults, sparked a rage within the Queen. The corners of her elegant mouth twisted downwards, her almond-shaped eyes narrowing into thin glares.

With a swift movement, the Queen closed the distance between the two of them. Her features were a mask of controlled fury, her gaze trained upon him as his arrogance continued to strangle the silence.

Her hand shot out, fingers curled, digging her sharp nails into his neck. "Is causing pain your only pleasure?" she seethed, her voice barely above a whisper. With a swift movement, her palm connected with his face, the sharp slap ringing through the chamber. Her other hand held him steady, the guard's body convulsing under her grip.

"Answer me!" she commanded, tightening her hold on him as he struggled against it. She paused, studying him intently before finally speaking again in a hollow tone that bordered on regret. "Do you not understand that your actions have consequences? You and those like you think you can do whatever you please without thought of repercussions..."

With one more squeeze, she released him, pushing him away before making an even more chilling statement.

The Queen's sudden violence had caught Hyun, off guard, and his cries of agony echoed throughout the chamber. He gasped for air as she brutally stabbed him with the shattered teacup, he previously shattered. Her face bathed with vengeance. She seemed to take pleasure in his suffering, her grip on him never wavering.