A Royal Engagement

Farce

(QING)

The clock strikes at 10 am. Four days after Dayu was taken. Inside the temple, a wedding facilitator was waiting to marry me to Shunu.

Lao and Chong are beside me. Dayu's father is here somewhere but he is hidden. My father opted to stay out so no one can claim that he is supporting whatever this is that Shunu wanted.

This is no wedding. I came here wearing a shirt, comfortable jeans (in case I have to run to Dayu) and dinner jacket with comfortable loafers on my feet. That's it. This is not my wedding.

My wedding is the one my mother and grandmother are diligently planning. The last words is it was still on going. The couture my mother contracted to make Dayu's suits and mine are just waiting for me and my fiance to be fitted. The designs, my mother and Dayu already approved it.

That is my wedding. The wedding Dayu worked hard to plan. This...this is a way for me to get the man I love back. In just a few more moments, I will get to hold Dayu again. Nothing else matters.

The door on the temple praying hall opened and a woman in a wedding dress was revealed to us. I felt Lao going rigid beside me.

"Can you ask her where Dayu is first?" Lao whispered to me.

"She will not tell me unless I married her first," I whispered back to him.

"Fuck," Lao is clearly frustrated. He is opposed to me marrying Shunu. For Lao, once I got married, it will be hard for me to get my freedom back so I can marry the one I love.

But it will not come to that. All I need is a chance to secure Dayu and all will be well.

Plans, Qing. Stick to the plans. Just a little more and this will be over.

Shunu slowly walked towards me. It was a short walk. I kept imagining Dayu the whole time, what he will look like once he walk on the aisle with me. Us, together, getting married.

He will be beautiful, no doubt about that. He will be the most beautiful when that day comes.

My Dayu will be radiant, smiling and happy. I can almost see it. Our wedding. I just have to endure this one last thing.

Shunu stopped in front of me. In her wedding garbs and a veil too long, I don't know what she is thinking coming this far. She should have known that I will never marry her. Not like this...

"Qing ah," she smiled at me. I stared at her. She looks too thin. She is fully made up and her hair flowing like satin waves behind her but it doesn't hide the look of tiredness in her eyes.

Then I remembered that she had to take sleeping agents to sleep. I don't think they are working for her.

I sighed, "Let's get this over so I can see Dayu," I said as I turn to the wedding facilitator. "Can we start now?"

"What's the hurry? Let's savor this moment..."

My temper snapped, "What moment?!" I shouted at her that echoed in the temple praying hall. The wedding facilitator winced. The monks witnessing this farce were stunned.

I stared at Shunu. She gave me a mullish look. "You seem to be forgetting that I still got your precious Dayu," she smiled sweetly at me.