Kingdom

21.Shadows of the past (6)

Nori is alone in her room. The court ladies came to help her change and left.

The Princess is annoyed. She is annoyed because she keeps thinking about the King and about all the difficulties she needs to face because of him. Her confidence grew stronger in the company of the Kim siblings, but now it slowly breaks apart. The Princess is fully aware of how dangerous Yona is. Nori knows exactly what she needs to do to please the King. Yet, that knowledge doesn't make things easier. She feels anxious. The part she needs to play seems to be beyond her abilities. She is not as strong as she needs to be to succeed.

The Princess wants to stop overthinking things but nothing can keep her thoughts away from the King who mocked her and threatened to send her away. Why are Mira and Jin so fond of King August? Are they blind to see the kind of man he has become? Maybe it is not Yona's influence that poisons his mind, maybe he enjoys her company because they share the same dark ambitions for the future. Nori doesn't not know what to believe.

The Princess opens the wooden box that her grandfather sent her. She should not ignore her vision any longer. She needs to know more. Nori reads the note inside.

"Dear Nori,

I do not know what gift you might like so I asked our Court Wizard to find the object you would need the most. The magic spell he performed pointed to this gun. It is a weapon as no other. There is only one bullet inside - a bullet that can destroy magic and undo any spell. But it is still a bullet that can pierce the flesh and kill a man. Use it wisely."

Nori hopes she never has to use that weapon. But what if that vision is a warning for the future? Will the Princess become a prisoner in the Palace? Will her only option to escape be to stand against the King? To fire a bullet into his heart? Nori shakes her head to chase those thoughts away. The future is ever changing. Nothing is set in stone. Nori must not think about the worst possible outcome, she must do all in her power to prevent it from happening.

Nori walks into the garden, she craves to feel the freshness of the night. Nature always calms her mind. As she walks closer to the pool enclosure, the lights inside of it turn on. The Princess can clearly sense the magic surrounding that place, her curiosity growing out of her control. Nori feels it again. The same weird sensation she experienced as a child. It's the ability to see more, to know more and to reach out to the invisible energy that surrounds all living things. Magic has returned to haunt the Princess and there is nothing she can do to avoid it. Once the marriage is consummated, once she becomes Queen, then her connection to magic will be gone again. There is no need to fight it.

Nori approaches the enclosure slowly. There is no hostility around, no threat. The place welcomes her, the lights glow stronger as she steps inside. The interior layout is similar to the King's one, beautiful flowers and birds painted on the walls.The place seems to have been recently decorated, made for the Princess arrival.

Suddenly Nori can hear music playing. She turns around and finds the source of the sound. There is a small music box, placed on a table by the wall. Nori takes it in her hands to inspect it. It is a simple but skillfully crafted wooden box, a tiny black swan dancing in a circle on top of it. A note is attached to the side of the box. Nori reads it, she knows it is meant for her.

"Dear Princess,

It's a local tradition for newlyweds to exchange gifts on the day after the wedding. Royal couples are supposed to give each other magical items, specially made for the occasion. I have no Court Wizard and no one to ask to make a gift for you. Instead, I decided to give you one of my own magical objects. It is a box that plays music. It's enchanted to play melodies that match your mood. I have always found comfort and happiness in music. I hope it is the same for you. This is one of my most precious possessions. I hope you like it."