The Shameless Young Miss

The Last Step

When Lihua opened her eyes, what she saw was the sunlight hitting the familiar ceiling that she knew.  It shined brightly as the noon heat wave warmed up the room further, causing her already hot body to sweat some more.  She pulled the sheets away from her to cool down her body and tried to think about the last thing she remembered.  

All she remembered was Akira standing over her and when she swung the sword down towards her, a black light took over her vision and everything become dark. From time to time, she could hear the voices of her son and her grandchildren.  And from time to time, she could hear Takeshi talk to her.  But no matter how hard she tried to open her eyes or speak back to them, she was unable to do so.  

Lihua slowly sat up, her weaken body felt like a ton of weight.  Next to her bed was a teapot and a teacup.  She reached over and raised the teapot to pour the cool down tea into the teacup, but it was too heavy for her.  The teapot slipped and broke when it fell to the ground.  The tea cup falling along with it.  The shattering noise brought attention to the people in the other room.  

Lihua could hear the sounds of foot steps like a stampede coming closer to her door.  The door banged open as all of her maids, Xin and Ethan along with her grandchildren and Thorin came inside the room and stopped in their tracks as they stared at Lihua.  Tears could be seen falling down some of their faces as worried smiles could be seen.  

"Why are you guys crying?  I'm not dead."  Lihua lectured them, not liking seeing their tears.    

Everyone sighed in relief as Lihua became bombarded with hugs and kisses on her cheeks.  

"I smell horrible."  Lihua complained.  "I want a bath and I'm thirsty."  

Priscilla immediately went to the bathing room to start the bath while Clare ran to the other room to bring tea for Lihua to drink.  

"What happened?"  Lihua asked.  "How long have I been asleep?  Where's Takeshi?"   

No one said anything for a while before Thorin stepped forward and sat next to Lihua.  He grabbed her hand in his and squeezed it gently as he told her what happened.  

"After you blacked out, we headed straight to the entrance of the portals.  We didn't want to take anymore risks than we have to.  We no longer cared for any hidden treasures, so we traveled to the portals.  On our way there, we ran into trouble and Prince Haneul was injured.  However, the injury wasn't fatal, but it was concerning.  We patched him up as much as we could and traveled faster to the portals.  We immediately entered the portals, even though we still had time to explore Phantom Mirage.  But with Prince Haneul's dire health and considering your health as well, we returned a day ahead of schedule."  Thorin told her.  "We were able to patch Prince Haneul up and he's recuperating right now. Which gives us the excuse to stay in Cara Country longer. "  

Thorin slowed down his explanation to her as he continued to tell the story.  "You've been asleep since you came back.  Several doctors have looked over your health and they said the exact same thing."  

"That they didn't know what's wrong with me because of the poison in my body?"  Lihua said.  

"Yes.  They all said that which caused Hell King to go into a rage and well... this room had to be refurbished several times."  Thorin told her.  "You've been asleep for a week now."  

"And Takeshi?"  Lihua asked worriedly.  

"He's in the royal palace at the moment."  Thorin said.  

"Visiting?"  Lihua growled out in frustration with their little answers they were giving about Takeshi.  

Thorin looked at Xin and Ethan then back at Lihua, not wanting to tell her the truth until she was healthy enough to do so.  

"Someone tell me, or so help me Gods, I will turn into a monster and kill everyone in the palace."  Lihua yelled.  

"You remember turning into---"  Chiyo quickly said then quickly stopped herself.  

"Parts."  Lihua admitted.  "It's coming back to me in flashes and I remember some parts like a painting. So tell me."  

Ethan and Xin knelt down on their knees as they reported what happened.  

"Mistress Lihua.  King Takeshi is under palace arrest while there is an investigation happening at the moment.  They are investigating the deaths of Minister Chen and his household."   Xin reported.  

"Since when?"  

"He's been under palace arrest for two days now."  Ethan reported.  

"Why is he a suspect in their deaths?  Who's accusing him?"  Lihua asked.  

"Apparently Minster Chen confessed to his crimes to King Nao before his death.  After confessing to King Takeshi's disappearance, they accused Hell King of poisoning them in revenge."  Ethan told Lihua.  

"So for appearance sake, King Nao has placed Takeshi in a palace arrest in the royal palace to investigate the claims?"  Lihua thought out loud.  "What have they found out so far?"  

"They haven't found anything Lady Lihua."  Eli said as he stepped inside the room.  A relieved smile rested on his face as he looked at his Mistress.  His heart settled knowing that his Master's heart will be at ease as well because Lihua woke up from her slumber.   

"Any whispering's about me being involved?"  Lihua asked Eli.  

"Not one."  

"What about Prime Minster Lei and his family?"  

"Since you been gone, Prime Minister Lei got into a political fight with another Minister.  Minister Zeng .  The fight split up the left party into two.  The falling out has been ugly with Minister Zeng gaining more support and attention everyday."  Eli reported to Lihua efficiently. 

"And the Lei Clan?"  

"They have kept quiet.  Word has spread that Cindy was pregnant.  In the early stages of pregnancy."  Eli told her.  "It was reported that there was a miscarriage a day before you guys came back.  On the day you came back from Phantom Mirage, Cindy hung herself with three feet of white cloth.  Yin, her husband, fell ill and is now on bed rest.  The two Madams are in bed with grief, while Prime Minister Lei has kept inside the Lei Clan Estate to mourn."  

"Anything unusual happening there?" 

"Only that the servants have been complaining of sickness and that Prime Minister Lei refused to go call on a doctor for anyone. One of the servants died about five days ago."  

Lihua nodded her head in understanding.  The Lei Clan is close to their last straw of luck and their demise will fall on them soon like the Chen Clan.  

"Go prepare something for me to eat.  I need to gain strength to rescue my husband from the palace."  Lihua tells them.