Love In The Forbidden City (Completed)

Chapter III - The Marriage Announcement - Part I (Revised)

Die Hard Thirteen and the Fourteenth Prince had stealthily followed us to the pagoda.

"We were wondering where had you gone to, running away in the middle of the celebration," said the Fourteenth Prince in a dramatized tone. "We have been looking all over for you."

"The scenery here is great. Let us stay back and admire it," mused Die Hard Thirteen.

"There are lots of pagodas in the compound. Why must you choose here?" The Tenth Prince stomped his feet and threw his tantrum like a boy who had his candy snatched away.

As the teasing grew intense, I excused myself, feeling abashed. I was walking along the archway across the pond when I bumped into Pussycat.

"You must have dropped your eyes somewhere, whore," said Gorolo Ming Yu.

The word "whore" toasted my innards but I held my temper. Biting back my tongue, I intended to walk past her, but she blocked my way with her puffed-up chest.

"Where are you going, whore? To pleasure the princes? I have never met cheap whores like you and your sister, using wanton tricks to win favoritism from the men."

The cracking sound of my knuckles tore through the tranquil air. She could insult me but she could never have a go at Ruo Lan. Infuriated, I slapped her face.

"How dare you hit me?" she raged, indignant. 

She tried to return the blow but I blocked it.

With a nimble dodge, I planted my fists into her stomach. Wasn't there an old saying that cats have nine lives? Pussycat sprang from the archway, slashing her claws at me. I retaliated with more furious kicks. The U-shaped platforms of our shoes ground against the pebbles on the archway, resulting in our steps to be unstable. Suddenly, I twisted my ankle and fell towards Pussycat. Our heads banged against one another with a loud thud, sending our headdresses to scatter around the archway. Stars circled around my head, but I managed to see Pussycat's body reclining over the rails. I tried to pull her but my heels hit the edge, causing my balance to waver.

The next thing I knew -- we were falling together into the pond.

Loud shouts from the men were heard as the princes jumped into the water, trying to save us.

Die Hard Thirteen pulled me up to the grassland when an entourage of princes, servants, and Ruo Lan scrambled towards us. Pussycat spat water to the grassland, her face alabaster. Several koi fish jumped beside her, gasping for air. The servants hurried off to rescue the fish.

"Ruo Xi, are you alright?" Ruo Lan darted between me and Pussycat. "Gorolo Ming Yu..."

"Go away!" Pussycat pushed Ruo Lan away and broke into a wail.

The princes and the servants stared at each other, not knowing how to handle a crying cat. That pretentious bitch! My mind burned with wrath, and I tore free from Die Hard Thirteen's grip. With my hair and clothes drenched with water, I pointed at Pussycat.

"Shut up!" I roared. 

Pussycat stifled a sob. 

The noise was too irritating to my ears that I hollered again, "Suck it up!"

Pussycat pouted her lips, staring at me with wide, terrorized eyes. Somehow, her sobbing quieted. I was wondering whether it was my ferocity or my weird usage of words that had intimidated her when the Crowned Prince laughed.

"Thirteenth Brother, since when did you have a sister? She takes after you a lot. Alright, everything looks fine now. Let us head back to our celebration."