The Last Dahlia

033

"Sang, I'm tired," Yuehwa said, holding on to her brother's cold hand as if her warmth would be able to wake him from his eternal slumber. "How did you survive all these years living like this? Worrying that someone is trying to stab you in the back all the time? Worrying that someone will try to harm the ones you love? I'm sorry I left you to bear this heavy crown on your own for so long."

But nothing she said now could turn back time. Her brother was no longer around to give her the answers.

Don't overwork yourself. You've barely recovered from the poison, you still need some time before you're back to full health, Ember remarked. He had his red feathers fluffed up to keep out the cold from the ice chamber, and looked somewhat like a red cotton ball. Despite his dislike for the cold, he still decided to come down here with Yuehwa anyway, because he was becoming increasingly worried about his owner. Over the short span of a month, she seemed to have lost a significant portion of her fieriness, taking on a more jaded and weary persona.

"I'll be fine," Yuehwa replied. As she lifted her sleeve to wipe away a speck of ice that had fallen onto her brother's cheek, the bracelet that Baixun had given her came into view. "Do you think he's really the one behind everything? That he was responsible for my brother's death?"

He's the most likely suspect, given that he has everything to gain with the king gone, Ember replied. Although I would hate to come to a conclusion before there is more definitive evidence. Right now we're only speculating that the prime minister is working with Prince Baixun, but nothing else has been surfaced to prove that yet.

"It's not a speculation. Jing Bohan is definitely working with Baixun and it's only a matter of time before we get our hands on something, but at least now that we know that it'll be easier to defend against him. What I want to know is whether or not they were the ones who used dark magic to poison my brother."

If she had come clean with Baixun earlier and told him about her true identity, would that have changed his mind and perhaps saved her brother's life? It was a possibility that had been plaguing her mind for a while, planting a tiny seed of guilt that only continued grow day after day.

Things are never straightforward in the world of politics, Yuehwa. Don't let your own conjectures blind you to truth, Ember said.

"You know there are rumours among the civilians about a secret community of dark magic practitioners hiding within the Haryung forest at the south of Gi."

And the poison on the arrow that struck Princess Naying back then was made from ingredients that could only be found in Jin. But you and I both know that Jin was not responsible for that assassination attempt. Yuehwa, try to keep your mind uncluttered. I know it's tempting to just run towards the easiest answer, but that would hardly be doing justice to the king.

"I know," Yuehwa replied with a sigh, getting up from her seat. "I was just trying to play the part of a stereotypical ignorant princess for once, but you're not really helping." There were times when she wished she could be more naïve and clueless about things, but her own mind (and her pet bird) wouldn't let her. Other princesses could sit in their chambers and admire flowers all day, but she couldn't even if she wanted to.

Ember rolled his beady eyes. Moping about isn't your style, he said. Stop trying to solicit pity because you're not going to get any from me ever again.

Chuckling, Yuehwa turned to her friend and said, "I wasn't expecting any from you anyway." She headed for the stairs, the ice making crackling noises beneath her feet as she walked. "Baixun and his entourage will be returning to Gi tomorrow morning, and the king of Feng will also be leaving shortly after. Shoya will need to head to Feng together with the king, since he hasn't been formally introduced to the royal court yet. If he hopes to take the crown, then he'll need to win over the support of the ministers and officials and I hardly think that the king will be offering him any help with that. He'll be lucky if that father of his doesn't try to stick a sword through his back at every available opportunity."