Their shoes click on the tiled floor, scurrying past the maids and servants who are busy preparing for the evening, heading to the destination they have been visiting every day for the past year. They always come and leave with the same expressions; all of them evidently distressed. They are handsomely dressed and made up for the ball this evening, but their expressions clearly show that they don't have the heart to go through it. It is as if they are simply organizing this ball for the sake of it, as that is what they have been doing for so long. No matter what goes on inside the palace, the ball is a must for them and this year, it is no different.
The shuffling and clicking of shoes stop when they finally arrive inside the room, staring at the sight in front of them with an air of despondency. Although they should be accustomed to it as that is the only thing they've been seeing every time they come inside, they refuse to get used to it and hope for a miracle that things will finally change.
The bed has visibly sunken due to the weight of the unmoving patient on it and the coiling tubes administering essential fluids helping the patient stay alive from day to day. The patient's eyelids remain down, his chest rising and falling slowly with every painful second. They know he is there, but they can't reach out to him. They can only hope he can hear him as they share their stories every day, relaying what goes on to him. But every time they do speak to him, they receive no response and they would leave the room, dejected.
The same process repeats daily, and recently they had to make a huge decision without him.
"Please... wake up. It's the day of the ball and you wouldn't want to miss it."
The patient remains still.
"We will hunt down the people who did this to you and the ball this evening will be a witness to that. Once all of this is over, we better find you in this room, waken up and smiling."
The room remains quiet.
"Please... stay alive."
They turn their backs to the patient, ready to leave the heavily guarded room. They nod to the guards outside the room, trusting them to ensure that the patient inside the room stays safe. They fix their clothes and expressions for the upcoming ball. They are about to carry out a dangerous pursuit which involves their decade-long secret and the residents of Nyla. They can only hope that there are no loose ends or not, it will only be bring forth more danger to their kingdom.
Inside the guarded room, when the patient's alone, his right forefinger lifts slightly for a second before coming down again; the only movement he has done for so long besides his rising and falling chest. Then he becomes still once again.
---
He peeks in through the carriage window and sees that their carriage is behind two other carriages, all heading in the same direction: the Nyla palace. He then looks at the two people sitting opposite him; Madam Eurielle and Akira are both wearing dresses. Akira is holding on to the old woman's hands tenderly, who keeps muttering about how excited she is to be attending the ball after so long and at the same time how worried she is for the oncoming news reveal about their current ruling king. Akira smiles as she looks at the woman's eagerness, but as she returns Yunho's gaze, it's obvious that they're not feeling the same.
The carriage stops in front of the stairs and a butler holds the door open for them. Yunho and Akira alight the carriage first, with the latter carefully holding on to the old woman's hands to help her step out of the vehicle. The carriage leaves them as Yunho and Akira look at the building they were kicked out of, the building that was supposed to be their safe place but turned out to become a place bearing a lot of pain.
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Ishihara // ATEEZ ✔
FanfictionThis is a world where your worth is as much as the colour of your blood. Akira is the queen's most trusted soldier and general. Being the highest ranked amongst others, she is ruthless in doing her job. She only has one weakness: she cannot see colo...
