The Plagued Fate

In a shadowy room, cloaked in mystery, a veiled woman sat regally adorned, her presence commanding despite the darkness and down on the floor on her feet and an old maid was on her knees narrating about what happened the previous night and why the emperor could not attend the morning court and she smiled but because of her veil the only thing one could see was her red lips upturned "they don't really give up do they" she said laughing maniacally now they were forcing her hand "dispatch it again, but ensure it doesn't kill her" she commanded. "And be cautious; if we lose this, we're all doomed to a horrible fate." Her words dripped with sinister intent.

In the corner, Nara stood poised, ready to spring into action at the slightest threat. When the door creaked open, a guard entered, and she sighed with relief. The guard informed her that the emperor had received the message and promised he would come and she was relieved; she went back to the bed and sat.

She wondered how long she was going to sit there doing nothing she was bored as she was not used to that she had been running the whole kingdom in her last life as her former husband's only forte was women the whole kingdom fell on her hands and now she needed something mind simulating and she decided to tell the emperor when he arrives this evening that she could not be cooped up in the house all the time.

Meanwhile, in the palace, the servants were talking in a hushed tone about how a concubine had drugged the emperor last night to sleep with him and they spit in disdain when mentioning her name while muttering curses about how a concubine acted like women in the red-light district and they wanted to talk about what her outcome would be but it was a known secret not talk about what the powerful empress or noble consorts will do in cases like this and the servant only bullied the weaker and were afraid of the powerful so they did not gossip so as not to be caught.

Nora stretched out on the bed, restlessness setting in as she stared at the walls of her bedroom. The only thing she did today was eat, and her only option for entertainment was her mind, but when she requested to go out and walk a bit, the guard refused.

The guard's refusal only fueled her frustration. Time dragged painfully slowly until evening descended, casting the room in a golden orange light through the window. Nora rested her head in her hands, watching the beautiful sunset at the back of the forest that surrounded the palace.

Chen had completed his task and was going to wait until nightfall before going to see her, but the temptation was too strong. Before he realized it, he was halfway to her chamber. Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted his maids and eunuch trailing him, and in absent-mindedness, he almost revealed his secret and her whereabouts.

He ordered them to go back, but the chief eunuch insisted on accompanying him, reminding him of last night's ordeal. Chen glared at him with a stern face, and the anxious eunuch hesitated before turning back.

Quickening his pace, Chen finally reached Nora's room. There she was, lost in thought near the window, the sun's setting rays shining a golden light on her skin, and she looked very adorable.

He walked softly towards her, but she didn't seem to notice. And with her cheeks puffed up, he pinched her cheeks; startled, she noticed that her hand lost its balance automatically, nearly bumping into the window, and in time, he caught the nape of her head to prevent her from falling. When she looked up, their eyes met, and an electric current shot between them.

He asked her to return inside and went to the side of the room he entered to find her standing next to the bed and when she saw him she gave him a bow and he noticed how poised it looked and was he was very impressed, for a maid that was a very sophisticated bow and she stood up before he permitted her and he wondered how she had a royal aura when she was just a maid and the mistress she served was just a regular one.

He asked her about her day, and she responded she was very bored with nothing to do all day; he looked at her, and she did not look afraid by his side at all.

It was like it was very natural standing next to him, and he remembered the previous night, and his face started heating up. He has had women over the past five years and for all those years, his interactions with women had been driven by obligation, but last night was unlike any other—she had changed everything.

He blushed at the recollection; he had never been under a woman all his life as he was told it was humiliating and for an emperor, he very much followed the rules but last night she had awakened feelings he believed he never had but there was reality weighing on his shoulders—a necessity for an heir and the fear of failure and he decided even if it was an obligation if he did it with her the experience will be much better.

Nara seemed to sense his distraction, and his red face decided to tease him. He looked at her and the familiar smile on her mouth was teasing and disarming. She moved slowly, running a finger down his chest, and for a moment, he could not speak, surprised by her daring action as she displayed boldness, unlike the women he was accustomed to. He wondered where she found such boldness.

He held on to her hand, feeling her warmth, realizing that she had stopped teasing him and decided to withdraw her hand, but he held on to it.

It was time for talks and deciding on a way forward discussing what had happened. "We need to talk about last night and our way forward," he added, attempting to maintain an even tone. Nara nodded, her expression changing into seriousness.

He revealed to her the frustrations that he had faced with his harem, the desperation that always seemed to settle over him each time he thought of the lack of living heirs. He told her how many sons he had lost this year alone, and he saw a flash of sympathy in her eyes, which gave him a spark of determination that made him happy.

He said perhaps they could forge a new story, one where hope won out and the future was brighter than the past combined.