The Edge Of Forever

15| periled prophecy

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15

p e r i l e d  p r o p h e c y : 쇠약해진 예언

READING OUTSIDE THE LINES QUITE OFTEN went amiss when one usually focused on reading in between the lines.

The underlying message in Lady Choi's words of congratulatory towards Ki becoming a concubine were seemingly genuine in the letter but I could see the poison in the ink, the betrayal. Choi was careful not to mention anything in the letter but I visualized her saying the words aloud and easily caught onto the anger expressed in the words. 

The ink was deadlier than it looked.

I sighed, reading her letter and put it away. 

There was no time to write a reply. I had to leave for the official dual between Choe Geon and Choe Yoon at the duelling grounds outside of the Palace. It was rumored many people of the high caste would be coming for the event.

It was extraordinary, how it was normal for people to sit around two brothers and tell them both to fight for their lives for a position but then it was politics and the higher one wanted to get, the more they must be willing to sacrifice. That included one's own blood. 

Maid Park came into the room, holding my my white fur cloak. I admired it as she put it on me, the snow like delicacy it had and the contrast that formed when against my ruby dress I was wearing. It was important that I looked the part of the Queen.

"Let us leave." I instructed. 

We left my chambers, greeted by ten maids waiting outside for me to accompany me. Two guards stood right at the back of them. As I walked through the clearing to the main gate, my eyes soared the clear sky. It didn't look promising nor ghastly- it, too, waited in anticipation for the day ahead. 

The main clearing before the gates of the Palace were swarmed in an orderly manner with maids and guards that would be accompanying us. There were four large red palanquins in one two with an array of maids and eunuchs behind them. The two Queen Dowager's had already mounted their palanquins which were at the end. 

My palanquin was at the far end, red in colour with golden dragons on it, symbolizing my status. In front of the palanquin beside my own, I saw Ki approach, all ready in her own pale green dress and dark green cloak. She smiled at me and bowed as she stopped before me. 

"Your Highness." 

I nodded my head once. "Consort Ki." 

"How are you doing, my Queen?" She asked, her voice soft and light, skimming past me like a feather flying through the wind.

"Okay, I guess." I answered, stealing a glance at the two Great Queen's who took interest in our exchange. "You should ask me that again at the end of today." 

"I can understand why." She agreed. 

"Come along, let us go greet Queen Dowager." I gestured to the Queen. I knew she had not made her formal introduction to the two Queen's and since her ceremony wasn't of a Queen, none of the royal family members attended it.

She walked beside me to the path between the two palanquin's they were seated at. Queen Dowager Wondeok's eyes turned icy, glaring before we even stopped walking. Queen Dowager Sapyeong watched closely, her eyes calculating each movement. Both of us bowed.