The Empress Wears Gucci

15

        "Get your hands off of me!" As much as I tried to fight back, the guards' strong hold against my wrist prevented me from doing so. I was dragged out of my own chamber. I didn't know what was going to happen, I was afraid for my life. I peered up at Hua Er. The guards yelling drowned out what she was trying to say to me, but her dreadful, watering dull brown eyes struck me the most. Every kick, every movement I've done, has failed me. 

          I let loose my body, relaxing a bit before sheepishly smiling at her. A guard pulled me up and forced me on my feet. We walked into the halls and past a few consorts' rooms. Some even glanced my way too. I could feel them whisper about me. The guards were still rough when they handled me. Once my body hit the cold, hard cement floor of the prison—which I never knew I'd ever set my foot in, I found myself tearing up. My sides hurt. At least I wasn't beaten before being thrown into this cell. My palms were sweaty and cold, just like my cell.  I let out all my emotions when the guards left me. I covered my face with the sleeves of my hanfu and sobbed silently. 

          My mind went blank because there were too many thoughts, which override my system. Like a mind paradox. I think so much that my mind can't choose which one to focus on, so it clears everything out. I sit in silence. Then, realizing that I was hyperventilating, I stopped to catch my breath. 

        Inhale for two seconds, exhale for three.

        What happened? The harem was peaceful for once. Everyone seemed to get along, and the girls were never fussing over one another. I didn't do anything wrong, this I know. The only thing on my mind was the Emperor, and what he'd have to say about all of this. Would he defend me? He had to. I did nothing wrong. All I was doing was talking to Lei Shu in my chamber. That was it. Or... did the Emperor find out that I was from...

        No. Highly unlikely. There was no way for him to figure that out. 

        I didn't know what to do. Where do I start? In jail for doubtlessly no reason, everyone I knew before this adventure would never see me again. I will rot in this cell and die in ancient China, a foreign place I didn't even live in! This is not my home! Thinking about it, I realized how insane this was. I was either in a coma or a lengthy dream, and neither of them sounded very pleasing.

        My heart was beating as I heard slow footsteps towards the hall. I wiped my tears off before hearing the news I was waiting for.

        "The Emperor arrives!" a man yells, but it was faint. 

        When he reaches my cell, my heart skipped a beat. I've never been so happy to see this man. I rushed to the front of the cell and gripped onto the metal bars, pushing my face against them to look up at him. "Your Majesty! Help me! I don't belong here! Your guards are crazy!"

        But as I finished my plead, he stared at me with an aloof, nonchalant look on his face. His lips were pursed, his eyes were dark and unresponsive, he looked frightening. The Emperor looked at me with pure bitterness. I whimpered under my breath. I pulled back from the bars. My butt collided with the ground. "Your Majesty? Why?"

        "Your murder attempt was pitiful. Who are you working for?" were the words that came out of his mouth when he saw me.

        I felt my heart stop. Heat rushed to my head. I began to feel nauseous like I was about to faint and blackout. Tears began to well up in my eyes, but I couldn't hold it any longer. I didn't want him to see me cry, yet I broke down crying. Even the Emperor was against me. "What? Your Majesty, I don't—"

        "Don't you dare lie to me! I gave you everything! I rewarded you, came to your chamber almost every day, respected you, and treated you with love, and you repay me like this? You... You deserve to get hanged! You deserve a hundred flogs and sixty slaps to the face, you are a vile woman. Everyone knew I doted on you and you betray me like this."