The Edge Of Forever

20| fatal serenade

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2o

f a t a l  s e r e n a d e : 치명적인 세레나데

THE FIRST TEARS STRUNG THE FINAL CHORDS OF MY HEART.

They had arrived as confirmation of what I was to do. Something inside of me bloomed; a wistful serenity.

My gaze wrapped around the cup meant for Ki; a harrowing death wrapper in velvet. The liquid looked like ordinary wine, the type of wine served to the elite. The kind of wine royals were accustomed to. The irony played hard on my mind; gold had been weaved into me since I was born.

"Your Highness," The voice of the wicked physician called out, compelling me out of my thoughts. "I feel like you should be the one to hand the cup to the Consort, as I heard, you two have a companionship that stretches far back." 

My eyes went travelled from the royal physician to the cup of deceitful fatality. 

But as I went to grab the cup and as my fingertips skimmed the cool clay, a commotion broke through the placid night outside, tempting everyone's surprised gazes to the door.

I took my chance and grabbed onto my own wine cup. A mere second later, when the physician turned back around, he prodded me to quickly give her the drink, the urgency now gaining a voice. The conceding tone was cracking to reveal his desperation.

They were running out of time.

One of the guards in the room glanced outside the veiled window, he gave one nod. "He has arrived alone." 

The King.

My mind raced through my thoughts. Alone? I did not believe the King to do such a thing.

"Queen," His voice was more of a snap now. "Make her drink it now." 

I glanced down at the cup and gave one tight nod.

I raised the cup and brought it closer to Ki's lips, my right hand shaking. Hurriedly, I brought up my left hand for control

Royal Consort Ki held the dignity of a royal. She was determined to keep her honour until the end. 

She was motionless, her gaze straight ahead and her heart missing the piece where I once was. It caused to almost break, watching the young woman I considered a sister think that I could take her life

"Drink." I ordered, my voice raspy. My voice faltered at the end but I continued. 

The cup touched her lips and she moved her head to the right, where I was standing.

"How could you do this?" She looked up, two tearful gazes meeting one another. "You do not deserve to cry." The bitter words were the poison I inhaled.

And then she pushed my hand with the cup towards her lips and downed the substance it contained in one gulp. 

A sob was threatening to explode from me, the overwhelming emotion wanting to break through, but I rolled my lips in and suppressed it. The cry was one of satisfaction; I had managed to give Ki the drink meant for me, the one which only contained alcohol. 

I kept the contentment to myself though, knowing nothing had ended just yet.

The satisfaction across the physician's face repulsed me but I just wanted to leave the room, to leave behind what I had done before they figured it out.