Dynasty of Summer

Chapter Eight: Innocence

When I was barely above my mother's knees, I loved catching fireflies. I kept them in paper lanterns and left blades of grass for meals. I cared for them.

Yet, no matter how much I coddled, the next day they no longer shined nor moved. My mother told me to scatter them on the pond. "They've used up their light. If you leave them on the water, big fish can carry them to the bottom where they will eat special firefly food and rest. Then, they can shine once more."

Sometimes we intend the best, not meaning to harm. I thought I'd cared for the fireflies, but now, at fourteen, I realized I'd killed them.

If good intentions led to bad results, does it make me malicious?

~*~

The night I helped Hanming escape, we raced to my mother's courtyard. With shaking hands, I scooped dirt from a flowerbed and rubbed it over his face. I mumbled that he needed to hide his identity.

As I touched his cheek, I paused, startled by the softness. His hand tenderly covered mine to stop the foolish gesture.

Peering though the night, I could only see the outline of his form.

A moment later, I sensed his eyes. They caressed me with a gaze of deep blue, electrifying the air. My eyes searched around his head trying to see the color better, but darkness greeted. The halo existed only in my periphery.

Before I could ask what he planned, Hanming pulled me into him. A hand cupped my head to his breast. As his chin pressed my crown, I felt my spirit leaping from my body. Out of nowhere, like rushing water reflecting glimmers stars, blue swathed us.

I couldn't be sure how long we remained.

When he finally left, it was without a word.

Astounded, I returned to the outhouse by my suite and fetched a bucket of water. I scrubbed my nails and cleaned my face in darkness. Sniffing my hair, I found my fragrant oils did well to hide trace odors of spent fire powder. I had tied my cloak tightly around my nightclothes. When I unwrapped, I found they'd remained clean.

I returned my maid's boots by the door and tiptoed to back to bed. Exhausted, I slid gingerly under the covers between my sisters. I snuggled deep and smiled in secret.

The sensation of Hanming's embrace stirred deep.

~*~

I awoke to fast chatter and rubbed my eyes. My legs ached and I stretched to ease the kinks. A long yawn cleared some of the heaviness shrouding my head, but I still wished to sleep all day.

I checked my hands discretely. Only a small hint of dirt remained beneath my nails, hardly noticeable. I drew a finger across my face and came away with a trace of grime. I quickly passed a sleeve over my cheeks to clear away evidence.

Wearing a smile, I greeted my sisters at the breakfast table. The corners of their eyes pinched with concern as they grinned back, indicating something was amiss. "Just to think, poor little sister here was in danger the whole time," my eldest tugged my hand.

"What do you mean?" I asked, taking a seat between them. A myriad of possibilities played nervously in my mind.

Did they know? Did they wake last night?

"You poor thing," the other cooed. She stroked my hair and picked up a steamed bun, holding it to my mouth. I took a polite bite, but felt no appetite. "Your maid. She was a conspirator."

I lost feeling in my extremities. "My shy little maid?" I chuckled. Not knowing what else to say, I waited impatiently for her to continue.

"This morning word spread throughout the High Court that a prisoner escaped from the dungeons. He was to be executed! His friends even set a field on fire last night." Autumn rolled her eyes and took a nibble of her breakfast. "That was incredibly dangerous!"