Repeating Lifetimes

9.

Bliss and relief.

These were the first emotions that I felt when I look at my bloodied hands and... a kneeling figure?

My eyes blurred at the now lying figure. I then looked at my palms; the color of a vivid red thickly covered them, even more so with the blade of the dagger that seemed to be getting heavy and heavier to lift within every second despite of its supposed light weight.

***

I was jolted awake by the sound of my doors opening. What could be so important?

I rubbed my eyes and opened them half-lidded. Half-awake I may be but all that was soon gone when I saw his highness, the 7th prince, standing not far from me.

What's going on?

He huffed in discontentment. He then started to take a step towards me. Even if I wasn't in his shoes - his steps felt so heavy and reluctant that it's almost clear that he was shoved in my room like some sort of prisoner.

You didn't have to be so cruel to outrightly show it. I vacantly smiled.

His eyes glared at my unfathomable smile and mistook it. "Don't get any ideas. Get ready and talk."

He then proceeded to walk out of the room with the pageboy and eunuch following him. Not quite a lot of people--understandable that he wouldn't want to make a scene.

Xiao Mei ran towards me and knelt, "My lady! My lady! Did you wrong his highness?"

I tried answering her question but I couldn't find an answer that would fit well in the situation.

"Xiao Mei! Questions later and prepare our lady now!" Ah Jing reminded. "Y- yes!" Xiao Mei stood up quickly and went out to get what was needed. My eyes didn't get to trail her figure for long and my absentmindedness was soon disrupted by Ah Jing.

"Best of luck, your highness." Fretfulness and hope remained in her eyes - clear as what a pure body of water would reflect the shining sky. She helped me up and prepared anything else.

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"What business must you speak to me so late in the evening?" I asked.

"Business? Business. . ?" He huffed in annoyance - making it obvious that I was to know exactly what I did.

I responded with silence, I wasn't going to beg and try to clear a misunderstanding that I wasn't sure of doing anything to cause it in the first place.

"Was it fun?" That short yet almost inaudible question caused my head to look up at him in bafflement.

"Was it fun!?" His voice starting to rise every eternity-like second, repeating the question once more. I gave him a confused stare.

"To attract their fondness and affection is certainly a great skill! I applaud of that!" The irony in his voice stood greater than exaggerated phrases, firmer than a thousand mountains combined. I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared, but the lesser you talk--the lesser your mistake.

Even though I now know what he was talking about, I wasn't going to submit this easily. He was saying this in a way that made it seem it was plotted and schemed by me however half of his words were an undeniable truth.

I knew that continuously having a constant good acquaintancy with them would lead to this scenario but I couldn't stop just because of that, right? I would be biting a helping hand.