Look Under 'His' Skirt

Chapter 27: Hands of Destiny

Zen was in an extremely bad mood. His stupid sister had dared to strike his face yesterday as well as spy on him. Perhaps he should have punished her further. Make her lose a finger or two. Hearing the tweeting sounds of the birds singing, his mood only gets fouler.  Noticing no one was around, he quickly bends down to pick a stone pebble from the ground. In a flash, he throws it in the direction of the sound. 

A second later, a slight thud could be heard, the singing now silent. There below the tree branches, now lay a once beautiful bird, dead on the cold stone floor. Blood begins to seep out of its crushed skull, causing Zen to scowl. He had wanted the head to be completely torn off from its body. Today really was not his day. 

Walking away from his private garden, he is stopped by a few maids who were waiting for him inside his chambers.

"Your breakfast is ready for your highness. Please eat it before you leave." One of the maids say, her head bowed. Zen contains his anger, wanting nothing more than to choke the maid who had interrupted him. 

Playing with his fingers, he begins to stutter. "Ah Zen is sorry to trouble you, but Zen is still getting used to the Huan Empire and is not feeling that hungry. Zen is sorry for the inconvenience and will eat after Zen takes a stroll around." 

Seeing the handsome face of the Prince speak in such a way, the maid could not help but go a bright shade of red. Such a kind prince. To think someone of royalty had apologised to her, a mere servant. The maid nods in return and was just about to follow him when Zen continues.

"And Zen does not require anyone to accompany me. Zen is only going to take a small stroll and does not require assistance."

And with that, Zen turns around and is gone, the maid's staring at the retreating back of a foreign prince, their mouths slightly parted. 

 Zen scowls as he leaves his chambers. Another second with them and he may have exploded. They were not worth playing with, unlike that specific one. That extremely beautiful maid with the ruby red eyes. Fanghua. Zen's scowl suddenly disappears, replaced with a sinister smile. He could not wait to see her tomorrow. He had not managed to steal her away completely from Zhihuan but at least he had her on the last two days of the week. 

And then there was his actual mission, Aarush. The last time he had seen him was when he was just a boy whilst spying on him. To think he had altered his hair colour. Yet he could not change that skin colour of his, such a beautiful tanned brown. He had grown so quickly into a young man... To think he actually managed to escape for this long. Father really had an eye for the beautiful ones. 

Lost in thought, Zen finds himself stepping onto a purple piece of fabric. Confused, he bends down to pick it up. What was a piece of fabric doing here? Was this not the same colour as the skirts the maid wore. Looking up, he realises he had ventured to an unfamiliar place, his eyes glancing up a large set of stone stairs. 

Zens eyes slightly widen as he sees two bodies sprawled across the stairs, about half way up. Glancing around, he notices that no one was in sight. His hand tightening around the piece of fabric, he begins to walk up the stairs.

Upon closer look, his eyebrows slightly raise. Why, was this not Fanghua and the Crown Prince's head eunuch? Why were their both unconscious and the eunuch's clothes in shambles? Zen then notices the skirt of Fanghua was torn and frowns. Were there intruders? But he could see no wounds or signs of blood.

Forgetting Fanghua for a moment, Zen focuses his attention on Lan Min. He had not seen him yet but he could tell by the uniform that he was the head eunuch. He had heard that the Crown Prince's eunuch had dazzeling blue eyes. Just like him. But staring at him now, his face was too plain, too ordinary. Furthermore, his father had confirmed that he had died a long time ago.