Dark Under the Lamp (Donghae Historical AU)

Part Three

You run past the different buildings, lifting your skirts up in front of you to keep you from tripping over them. Irritating fancy maid's uniform...

You dodge the guards only due to years of experience, ducking into alcoves and around corners.

Under your breath, you whisper, "Donghae, where are you?!"

You need to find him to tell him that you have to leave, NOW. To warn the Clan that the Empress's men are going there.

You peek around a corner and see a building with the inner lamps lit, one that, from what you've learned of the palace's history, is usually empty...

Your curiosity piqued, you sneak up to it, then remember that you're dressed as a maid. You take a deep breath, thinking up an explanation in case someone starts asking questions, and then walk right up to the building.

You step up to the door and whistle, a resounding "birdcall" that didn't resemble any actual birds in the area. If Donghae's in there, he'll recognize it. And then you reach up to knock on the door, but it swings open before you can touch it.

There's a beautiful woman there, a bit older than you, dressed in fine silks, with puffed, wet cheeks, like she'd been weeping considerably.

"I apologize, my Lady. I had thought you would be asleep at this hour. I merely wanted to clean up while you were resting..."

But right behind her, your eyes find Donghae's face, sitting in a corner, staring at you. "Ah, you have a visitor..."

"You can stop pretending, Miss. You are a friend of my son's, are you not? He recognized you."

You take a step back. "Your... son?" You look at Donghae in absolute confusion. "But... he doesn't have parents!"

She purses her lips, then steps inside. "Everyone has parents, my dear. Now come inside."

She shuts the door behind you, then gestures for you to sit down. You do, sitting next to Donghae, trying to question him with a glance, but he doesn't meet your eyes, just continues to stare at the floor. The woman sits down across from the two of you, gracefully smoothing her skirts underneath her.

"Excuse me, My Lady, whoever you are, but Donghae and I really have to go. Our family is in trouble! If we stay too long, we might--"

"Didn't you hear her?" Donghae mutters, "she's my mother."

You clench your fist, looking at first him, then her. "What do you mean?! You were found out by the East Sea, not the palace!"

"Please. Calm down," she demanded, her voice shaking, but calm. In a way, she seemed even more regal than the Empress.

"Who even are you? How do you know that Donghae is your son?"

"I am the Emperor's Courtesan."

You blink, your breath halting. "If you're the Courtesan, doesn't that mean...?"

She nods, closing her eyes. "It was over twenty years ago, when my son was just born. She is a jealous woman, the Empress. She resented my relationship with her husband. But what could his Majesty do, when his wife was bearing no child? Producing sons is the duty of the king. So I entered the Royal Palace as his courtesan. It was always such a shallow relationship, without love, but..."

"It was more than she had," you finish, crossing your arms in front of your chest.

She nods. "He visited me often. Even more often than his own wife. She grew more and more jealous, and when I became pregnant, she even began ordering assassins against me. I have lost count of how many times I have almost been killed. I have no proof, of course. The assassins never had a direct link to the Empress, even when we did catch them. And I am only a lowly courtesan. My word against hers is worth little to nothing. Still, I survived, and I had my son. I was exhausted after birthing. It had been painful, dragging on for hours. I slept, and while I slept, her guards came in. My attendants managed to protect me, but they stole my son. They took my newly born baby and carried him far away from the Palace, so they could dispose of him without being caught."