A Royal Engagement

Epiphany

(QING)

Dayu was gone when I stepped inside the Palace this morning. No one knew where he went. No one saw him leave.

In short...the King took him. When no one is talking and no one has seen something, it is a code that the one who pulled the job is the King.

No one in the Palace who is holding their full mind faculty will talk about the King and his activities. Secrecy, what happened in the Palace stays in the Palace. Anyone who will talk about anything suspicious going on can go to the Personnel department to get their last paycheck.

My father called me to his study to tell me that Dayu is safe and in fine condition. That's it. No more and no less. If I have questions I have to think about them carefully and think if I really want to ask them.

In the end, I decided to trust my father. I nodded, "I understand, your Majesty. Thank you for taking care of my Consort,"

"You're welcome, my Prince. Dayu said that whatever it is you want to say to each other, you can say it when you see each other again." The King smiled at me.

I smiled back and nodded before bowing to leave.

Lao came to my side the moment I close the door, "Is he safe? Dayu?"

"Yes, no need to worry about him."

Lao breathed in relief. "So...the only problem now is Shunu. Will you call her now?"

I sighed. In truth, I still don't know what to tell her. Shunu...had been a part of my life for three years. There was a point in my life that I thought she will be the one for me. That I can convince her to give being my Queen a chance.

But in the end, I fail her too. Like how I fail Dayu.

It's all my fault. I am hurting them both. They don't deserve that. Shunu and Dayu...I don't deserve the both of them.

But I can't let one of them go entirely.

I need him. Dayu...

I smile when I think of my soon to be Consort. I look at Lao, clueless Lao, and I laughed.

"What...?" Lao looked surprised. "Why are you laughing there so suddenly?"

"Nothing," I shook my head and laugh again.

Ah...I want to tell it to Lao. I want to tell it to everyone. I want to shout it out.

Dayu is a virgin.

I laugh some more and Lao looked a bit scared now. "I think we need Dayu here. You are going insane! Maybe you are missing him..."

I stopped laughing. Because he is right. I am missing Dayu.

I shook my head. "Dayu will have things to do on his own. I have my own things to straightened."

"And we go back to the original question. Are you going to call Shunu now?"

I look at my wristwatch, "It's still too early in Paris now. Maybe I should do some other things on my schedule today before calling her,"

Lao nodded. He opened the folder he always carry. "You're schedule included visiting the main hotel and listening to a new project being proposed. Then you and the Princess promised to go with the Queen on a feeding program drive by a charity she is sponsoring..."

I frowned, "Isn't Dayu supposed to be on the one?"

"The Queen changed things when she learned that Dayu had to be let go today. She is demanding that you take Dayu's place. I think the Queen is not happy to let her trainee go." Lao winced.