One Year

Flowing Lily Courtyard

"This wife did not make the elixirs for an exchange of a gift." Siri said as she came to stand beside him. "This wife only did what this wife felt was right."

Ryu quickly looked up at his plain clothed and simple wife and yet her image stayed in his memory. She looked innocent and pure standing there next to him. Her plain yet simple clothing and hair style could not hide her beauty. His mind went back to his memories of her sleeping form. She was so carefree and didn't have any of her shields up as she does now.

Her face was locked in a mask, not showing him how she was feeling. Did she really help him and his men because it was the right thing to do? Or did she help them because she had a bigger end goal in the end? He couldn't tell what she was really thinking and what she really wanted so he kept silent.

"Since there is nothing that my Lady Wife does not want, than this Prince will still give you something to say thank you for your services." Ryu told her. "This Prince does not like to owe others."

Siri nodded her head once to let him know she heard him.

"This Prince shall grant you a better courtyard." Ryu told her. "Although you have said before that you are happy in the courtyard you are living in now, this Prince shall grant you better living conditions."

Siri sighed heavily. She didn't want a better courtyard. She actually started liking the place she lived in. Her courtyard was far enough from everyone so she didn't have to worry about too many eyes and ears on her. It was isolated, so there wasn't a lot of noise. She only had a handful of maids and servants who worked in her courtyard, which made it more peaceful for her. If she moved to a different courtyard, there would be more drama in her life. When all she wanted to do is live a peaceful life until the year is up.

"This Lady Wife thanks beloved husband for your gracious gift." Siri said solemnly without any expression on her face. "This lady wife asks to keep the same servants and does not wish to add on more servants to this lady wife's household. This Lady Wife does not want to take any servants away from their duties that they are already assigned to."

"As my Lady Wife wishes." He told her.

They stayed quietly side by side, watching the hummingbirds fly from one flower to the next for some time before Siri excused herself.

"If there is nothing more, this Lady Wife will take my leave." Siri told him.

"I've already informed the servants of the move. Steward Mo will take you to your new courtyard when you leave." Ryu told her.

"Beloved Husband is too thoughtful." Siri told him as she held on to her impassive mask on her face. "Lady Wife thanks Beloved Husband for always thinking of this Lady Wife."

Ryu waved his hand once in a circle to dismiss her. Letting her know she could leave. But the moment she turned around and closed the door after herself, her face turned into a frown.

How dare that arrogant block head make decisions on her life without informing her! How dare he take measures into his own hands and secretly move her belongings without her knowledge!

However the moment she walked out side his house, an indifferent mask came over her face again. Not letting others see how angry she truly is.

Steward Mo stood outside the carriage waiting for Siri. He opened the door and she got inside quickly. Once the carriage started moving she stared outside the window and sighed heavily.

She had to remind herself that her fate was no longer in her own hands. In this new world, her fate belonged to her husband. And what her husband wanted to do, as a woman, she had to comply to his treatment. To his demands. To his needs and wants.

But as a modern woman, she wasn't able to swallow this reality down so smoothly. If her husband wanted to make decisions, demands, and anything else. She was going to give him a hell of a time before giving in to him. She wasn't going to just lay there as he walked all over her. If she could, she would fight tooth and nail to gain an inch, but with that inch, she would steal a mile.

The ride in the carriage was not long at all to her dismay. It was the courtyard right next to Ryu. The courtyard was extremely nice. Even more beautiful and larger that Ryu's courtyard. Why he didn't live in this courtyard, she didn't know, however when the door opened up, it was then she finally saw how large the courtyard was.

There were two main buildings in the courtyard. One big house and one medium size house. There were several servants working within the courtyard, maintaining the garden and the lawn, while several guards walked the perimeter of the courtyard and the walk ways for security.

"I asked Prince Ryu not to add anymore servants to my household." Siri told Steward Mo.

"Yes, Princess. However the lawn, garden and pond are so large that the small servants you do have would not be enough to maintain your new courtyard." Steward Mo said. "These servants are only to take care of the outside of your new courtyard and are under strict orders not to enter any of the two buildings."

Siri sighed heavily once again. How was she suppose to find peace and quiet with all the servants keeping the estate up and running?

"The smaller building if for your healer's work." Steward Mo told her. "Prince Ryu has converted the whole building so you could work there more efficiently. The top floor will store all the medicinal ingredients, while the bottom floor has all the equipment you need to make the potions, elixirs, and pills. While the larger building will be your living quarters. The top floor is your bedroom, bathing room and your studio to paint. While the first floor is the receiving room, dining room and living room. The kitchen is connected to the building, on side there."

Steward Mo pointed out as they walked closer to the building.

"You will be provided with a full kitchen staff, that will remain there as well." He told her. "They will not bother you in anyway. They have been told of the importance of this and they know should they break this rule, their livelihood here would be forfeit. I hope Princess will like it here better than the previous courtyard. Should there be anything that you are in need of, all you have to do is ask and I'll make sure you get it."

"Thank you Steward Mo." Siri said as she walked up to the doors of her home.

Her new home was painted white and light blue. It looked big and airy with the large open windows opened to let the wind and sun into the house. Two guards stood outside her home and bowed as the doors were pulled by her maids. All four of them bowed as Siri looked at them without an ounce of joy to her face. She walked into the opulent decorated receiving room, living room and dining room. She walked the first floor, not caring for the delicate porcelain vases and the beautiful paintings that lined the walls. From the top of the ceiling to the bottom of the floor, every inch was opulent. From the materials used to make the tables, chairs, couches and fire place. To the rugs on the floor to the upholstery on the chairs and couches to the curtains on the windows. Everything on the first floor was a life in luxury.

When Siri walked upstairs, it was more of her style. Simple, clean, and orderly. Her maids must have known that she would hate how the first floor looked like, so they made her second floor, which was her living space, more to her liking and her style.

Her bedroom was dark hardwood floors and dark wood furniture. Her bedding was white and the curtains that hung around her bed were white silk see through. Her curtains by the open windows were white as well. While her large bathing room were also dark hardwood floors and white towels that help contrast against the darkness. There were several plants and flowers that were place on the tables, drawers and in the corners of the room to brighten the room up.

The walls were painted white and left bare for her paintings. When Siri went into her studio. The first thing she saw was that it had a balcony that opened up to over look the flower garden and koi pond in the backyard.

In front of the opened doors was a desk and her painting set. To the side, were her instruments all laid out with several feet between each instrument. She had stored them in the corner of her room in the old courtyard, being unable to lay out the instrument until she was ready to use it. But the room, used as her studio to paint and play the instruments were three times as big as her bedroom in her old courtyard.