A Flower Without Rain

Chapter 38

Sitting out on the porch as the rained poured, Lian Yu waited as the servants cleaned the room she resided within. This was her prison. As she watched the rain, there was also another individual who was watching something as well with curiosity and nervousness.

A servant by the name of Jie, wiped the wooden floor board with a wet cloth and where her attention was, was the woman who turned up just weeks ago. Every time she was ordered to clean the room she stayed in, she couldn't help but to look at those eyes that held wonder.

Another servant who did the same task took notice of this, and tapped her back to get her attention. "Jie!" she yelled in a whisper, startling her.

Jumping in surprise, she turned to the woman behind her, "Yes?"

"Get back to work or else you may get punished by the Crown Prince's men." she warned her.

However, even with these warnings Jie couldn't help but to slowly move closer to the strange woman. Those eyes that woman possessed looked absolutely beautiful and unlike anything she's ever seen. They looked as though they have seen the darkness of the world and yet, it still held that flicker of light. 

As the servant inched closer, Lian Yu could feel her approaching presence. Turning around to face the individual, the two met eyes. Seeing them up close, Jie now saw it differently. It wasn't wonder that filled those eyes but instead looked as though an enchanted being, the vermillion bird were looking at her.

A short smile to the servant, Lian Yu then turned back to gaze upon the rain. Jie immediately overcame with flush as she smiled at her. "I'm sorry for my intrusive behavior!" she didn't think that woman would even dare look her way.

Facing the servant again, Lian Yu simply chuckled, probably the first time expressing any sort of joy in a while. "There's no need to worry," assuring her.

A gulp, Jie quickly backed away and left elsewhere to clean the quarters. And with her absence, brought upon a man who had been watching. Stepping into view, the servants seemed to cower in fear at his presence. Lian Yu also saw his approaching figure causing her once gleeful expression to fade away and avert her attention.

Coming to stand behind her, Xue, the man who brought her here spoke. "That servant girl really seemed to admire your eyes, Your Highness." mentioning it.

Crown Princess Lian Yu tried to ignore him and this only made the man laugh. "Enjoy the time you have now, Your Highness. Soon, your eyes will be taken." reminding her of her fate.

"You all seem to refer to my eyes as 'jewels,' when really they are a gift that cannot be taken away." she stated. "To strip me of such, would be treason."

Xue's eyes narrowed, baffled by her words. "Your Highness's eyes may be a gift, however they were never yours to keep."

With nothing to say but silence, Xue grinned with glee before leaving.

It was now nightfall, and here Lian Yu sat reading the novel, Esse that the late Princess Xin Lan had gifted her. This novel was about a man whose path having already been decided by others, decided to defy his destiny and go another path. The story it told, was heart wrenching as the man almost never knew what exactly he wanted in life until he decided to do differently from what others wanted.

Reading one last line, the woman placed the bookmark to remember where she left off before shutting the book. Sighing heavily, those beautiful eyes of hers looked to the night sky that still held clouds. However, something was different. The sky seemed empty as though the stars have gone elsewhere. As if the heavens decided to no longer watch over this nation that's thrived for nearly 3,000 years.

Setting the novel down on the desk, her attention turned to the side and at the floor board under her bed frame. "They should be done growing by now."
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