The Girl of an Old Mansion

37. The Last Hunt

Three days later

The palace had become aware of itself, of the misery that echoed within the walls.

In the morning, sitting in front of the mirror, Ruyi was looking at her insipid face. The face, which now lacked freshness, radiance and most importantly smile. The smudged kohl of her eyes has left a dark hue beneath her gloomy eyes. She stared at her image for a minute thinking about there is no reason for her to dress up well as there is no one to adore her now. It made her happy to doll up for Jian, every day. But he is gone now and her reason to primp and preen too.

While recalling his last word she came to know that he wrote a letter for Ruyi. She started looking for that letter and pounced up at her jewellery boxes to find the letter. Finally found a piece of paper. She opened it with her shuddering hands.

To

My Love, Ruyi

Today I felt like writing something for you. As day by day my condition is worsening. Even right now I am seeing those dreadful spirits around me, staring at me with much hatred. I hate to admit it but I don't have much time, my end is near. I know you kept on asking God why? Why this is happening to us, but the answer is nowhere to be found. Because it's within us, Ruyi I suppose. I was fated to die this way. I am devastated that you have to suffer even though you have no faults in this mess. Sometimes I wish that, it would have been better if you had married someone else, because you deserve to feel every bit of happiness in life. Because of me you have been deprived of happiness, and now the load of this regret will be my companion till my last breath.

Apart from that I'll always be grateful to you for filling my short life with colours. You're like my sunshine which repels all the darkness away. You're the moon to my sky that lessens the inky blackness by scattering its bright and soft rays. Time and space have no meaning for my love for you, for it is boundless and eternal. After my quietus, those beautiful memories will chase you, haunt you or even torment you but you have to move on. Our love story might be short lived but it was beautiful, just like you. I might leave this world but I'll always be there with you in your heart, in your dreams.

Even in my absence I want you to dress up daily as you do now. I want you to dance in the rain, assuming that I'm the sky pouring rain. I want you to enjoy the snow fall and winter assuming me the cold breeze teasing your hair and gently touching your cheeks. I want you to see the blooming flowers in the summer time assuming me their aroma. I want you to watch the arrival of autumn assuming me the wind behind blowing the golden leaves breaking delicately off of tree branches and fluttering your feet making a mosaic in the ground. In these ways I'll be with you in every season. But most importantly my love, I want you to live your life, I want you to smile. It's going to be difficult for you but I know you can do it.

I'm not fortunate enough to see the beauty of life, seasons but you are, so don't waste that blessing of life by drowning in memories, sadness and grief. You'll have to live on behalf of me too, my love. I know life is unfair to us but we have to accept it.

Promise me Ruyi. You'll live your life to the fullest. You'll smile. You'll be happy.

Yours Jian.

Ruyi exploded in tears reading the letter, she held the letter close to her chest and said looking at her reflection in the mirror, "I'll live, Jian."

Meanwhile in the forest, Min-ho and Nyang went back to Lucian's Well to look for more bottles. But they were met with a very strange sight there. The Well that had always been crowded with the bottles, now had only one.

"That's strange. Only one bottle?" said Min-ho flabbergasted. He opened the bottle and read out the wish written on the paper.

"The wish is even weirder." Min-ho gave the paper to Nyang. Nyang too was puzzled reading the wish.