The Edge Of Forever

19| sweet poison

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19

s w e e t  p o i s o n  : 가장 달콤한 독

"YOU ARE LIKE MY OWN CHILD." Great Queen Wondeok sighed, her words ringing the melancholy raking through the air.

I bowed my head to her, accepting the words of comfort she gave me. 

The King's behaviour had not gone unnoticed the past few days. Everyone saw the wrath and some even faced it. Queen Dowager Wondeok believed I could be the one to calm her son down, making it sound as natural as it did. A wife aiding her husband. 

Only, she had little idea that I was the root of the King's fury.

For the past few days, I obeyed his command, I did not come forth in front of the King, I stayed away from Consort Ki and I ripped all thoughts of Jung from my mind. 

It was better to have a void inside of me rather than felling the pain that screamed at me to be felt. I didn't dive into self-pity, quite frankly, I had not thought about Jung or the King in relation to what had happened the past four days at all. The first day proved to be strenuous but I knew that I had more impending duties to attend to. 

"I should retire to my chambers now, Great Queen." I told her earnestly. "I shall take heed from what you said to me." 

"Good." She acknowledged. 

I stood up from the chair and with a bow to the Queen, I left her room. 

Tonight was the fifteenth of the fourth month. 

After leaving the residence, I looked up at the sky, aware of the new presence of my maid and guard behind me. I walked forward a few steps, staring up at the night of the fifteenth of the fourth. 

The day had trickled into the night quicker than I could count. I had come to see the Queen when the sky held a deep shade of blush. I did not anticipate the darkness that blanketed us sooner than I had hoped for. 

I interlaced my fingers together and walked to my palace. I walked slow, as though my pace would freeze the time coming ahead of me. But soon enough, I found myself sitting down in the changing rooms as the maids worked on preparing me for the night. 

My hair was opened from the up-do it was in all day, all the accessories were taken out and it was brushed through. I sighed in satisfaction, the serenity wafting over me momentarily and not quite reaching my core. 

After the maids were finished with me, they exited after blowing out the candles in my main room. I watched as one by one the amount of light palliated one by one until I was left in a few golden flickers around me. 

I tied my hair into a braid and then using a pin, I pinned it into a bun. I changed into my dark clothes that I usually wore whenever I left with Dal and Chen. I walked to the mirror, staring at the unfamiliar person I had become in a matter of seconds. Heaving a long breath, I tied a black cloth around my neck and pulled it up to conceal my mouth and nose.

Queen.

I moved to my bed chambers, blowing out two candles in the corridor. 

I reached for the drawers that I had put the note. It was a siren, calling out to me day and night whenever I was in my bedroom and I succumbed to it's calls. I picked it up and put it on the small table in the room. I picked up the flying star and put it in the belt I had tied around my waist.