Scarred Hearts (Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo Fanfiction)

The Rain Ritual

Wang So was anxious. Walking in the middle of a big crowd who was counting on him to make it rain was more stressful than being alone in the forest surrounded by wild animals. It was easier to kill than to please people.

So, you are a prince and not a monster. You can do this.

He kept on saying that to himself.

He walked down the palanquin and Jimong gave him a white jar of water and a palm branch.

The people gathered on the side of the street, chanting repeatedly for rain, pleading to him but their voices began to fade when they had seen his face more clearly.

Those were the looks that he was used to seeing yet still cutting through him. Their begging suddenly turned into wariness. They were clearly doubting his capabilities now that they had seen his mask.

"The Fourth Prince?" he heard from the crowd.

"It is the Fourth Prince."

"What's going on?"

"How could this be?"

"You can do this, Prince So," Jimong said helping him to focus on the ritual and not on the crowd.

"Why is it him of all people?"

Don't listen to them. Just look forward, walk straight into the palace, and do what you need to do... he told himself but the mocking voices were too loud to ignore.

"How can a man in a mask be the master of this ritual?"

"What if you anger the heaven?"

"He is a monster, not a person! This is bad luck!"

Don't listen to them... Don't listen...

"We need someone to bring us rain!"

He was shocked when something hit his body. The people began throwing stones and manures at him and they were all laughing at him... mocking him...

The palace guards quickly surrounded him and tried to shield him but they could not catch everything that were thrown at him. He was slowly being covered with muck... his clothes and his face...

^######################################^

Hae Soo was standing on the palace grounds with the royal family, ministers, and other court ladies. They were a few meters from the stage where Prince So would seek the heaven's sympathy and make it rain.

She was anxious to this ritual thing. She heard that if it did not rain today, the people would blame the person leading it. Prince So had not yet completely recovered from the shame Prince Eun and Prince Yo had caused him. If he had, Hae Soo would have already been forgiven. Only a few weeks had passed since that incident and now he had to endure another possible ridicule.

Hae Soo was praying to all the gods in the heavens ever since she heard about Prince So leading the rain ritual and its consequence once he failed on it. She was praying to the heavens to help Prince So who seemed as unfortunate as she was.

Even until that moment she was still praying for Prince So but she knew that her prayers were being ignored because she heard the people outside the palace screaming angrily.