Run, run, run away
Into the night, where the sun won't stray
Never look back, into the light
Never return to the land of white
Enter the lake of the Prince of Moonlight
-Shun Kai, Children's Rhyme
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Blood flowed from the little girl's hand.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
On the floor, a little porcelain doll lay broken.
She knelt down slowly, reaching for the broken figure.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
A large crack ran down the doll's painted face, cutting through its eye, cheek, and mouth, her smile almost gruesome.
The girl's hands closed around the doll, smearing blood over its satin dress. She lifted it up, pulling it close to her chest in a gentle embrace.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
She continued walking down the hallway, leaving a bloody trail in her wake.
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The boy sank underwater, lungs filling with water, dark spots appearing in his vision. Slowly, he was dragged, down, down, down, into the depths of the lake.
He opened his eyes once again, finding the one who had waited for him sitting on the lakebed. Back turned, sitting in the shelter of a cave, the rock glittering with minerals, his companion turned to face the boy. His expression was tranquil, almost tired, if one looked at it the right way.
The drowned child smiled softly, as the boy in the cave beckoned for him to approach. Soft moonlight illuminated the water, and when he looked up, he could see the faint image of the stars in the sky, blurred by the rippling waters.
He reached for the boy in the cave, who held out his hand.
But the moonlight faded away, hidden suddenly by the shadow of an eclipse, and the boy in the cave disappeared. He opened his mouth to call out, only for the water to rush in, the embrace of eternal sleep pulling him, down, down, down.
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The throne was empty, as always.
The Empress is sick, the doctor had declared, she cannot leave her rooms!
The doctor was an old friend.
And the Empress certainly wasn't sick. She hadn't been sick for a long time.
Rather, she slept, six feet underground in an unmarked grave.
Lady Ikuyo was declared Regent, until a daughter of the Empress came of age. But that hardly mattered. She might've been twelfth in line for the throne - a pitiful standing, compared to her sisters, but it didn't matter who sat on the throne.
It was who stood behind it that mattered.
And, since she had been old enough to begin her schemes, that position had always been hers.
She took a sip of her tea, savoring the taste of cardamom, with the slightest aftertaste of cinnamon. A servant walked up to her, knelt, and handed her a letter.
Picking up the silver letter opener resting on the servant's tray, she cut through the thick paper of the envelope. The paper inside had a slight yellow tint to it.
Coming from Ikuyo, then. She always sends her messages on parchment.
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Lady Himsa--
Your sister's campaign was successful. She will return within a fortnight.
-Ikuyo Han, Queen Regent
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On the surface, she did not react. She rose to discard the letter, and upon settling into her chair once more, picked up her book and continued to read. The servant left, after offering her a bow, closing the door as he exited.
She clutched the book with a tight grip, her fingernails leaving half-moon marks along the thick pages. Her lips curled into a snarl, before her expression settled into tranquility once more.
Stay calm. It will only hurt you if you show weakness.
So her campaign had succeeded. That was hardly the intended result, but nonetheless, the victory proved an advantage to the empire. Even if it meant her sister was alive...
Let her come. I am not the fool I was before.
Her lips curved upwards in a smirk.
This is my court now.
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Notes:
I apologize for the rather short prologue - chapters will be longer, with a few exceptions. I hope you enjoy reading Clockwork Mirror.
If you have any feedback or suggestions, please leave a comment - I always appreciate help in improving my work.
Updates should be every week or so, possibly more, as I am quite busy.
YOU ARE READING
Clockwork Mirror
Misteri / ThrillerThe Yunuen Dynasty has ruled Shun Kai for over a millennium. Himsa is the twelfth daughter of the Empress, but the court is hers to rule from the shadows, until her sister returns, and attempts to seize control. Mi-yun has promised his life to Hims...
