Her Poison His cure: Behind The Mask

ROYAL CONFERENCE HALL.

Buyeo palace.

The royal throne hall was buzzing loudly as the minister kept murmuring among themselves. They kept themselves lined up at the downstairs of the throne of the king, which is set up with elaborate pomp raised, with steps, and golden in colour glittering over the hall.

Immediately the king entered, everywhere died down in silence.

The minister bowed courteously.

Their heads down till the king sat on his throne. Without wasting time they raised their heads up as soon as he sat down.

“Regarding the abolition of the policy for public service, the conversative and progressive parties are split in opinion. I will like to know what are your own opinion on this?” The king asked.

All the ministers looked at themselves as if they were finding the one who would provide an answer to the question.

“The progressive party demands to abolish the public service policy, but that will lead to enormous financial damage. I advise you to follow the conservative party’s idea to gradually reduce the policy.” One of the ministers proposed.

“You are right,” The king said.

“I would like the minister of finance to work on that immediately” he ordered, his gaze directed to the minister of finance.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” he bowed.

“Your majesty’s people are complaining about the shortage of food,” The minister of agriculture said.

“The people are suffering a lot. The drought is making things even more complicated” he added.

“Even if your majesty ordered substantial subsidies and incentives to the farmers to grow crops. There’s no guarantee that it will favor the people” another minister chimed in.

The king sighed deeply.

“Your majesty the royal priestess requests your audience”

A voice boomed outside indicating an announcement from the eunuch that was standing at the royal hall door.

Almost immediately a middle aged woman entered. She was dressed in a white and black dress, her hair rolled up leaving some strands to fall on her face.

“Your majesty”

she greeted courteously, and stooped down on her knees with her head bow down a little.

“Forgive me for intruding on you, Your majesty. I bring great news.” she announced with courtesy.

“We found a helper for the monster rainmaking ritual” she added.

“You found a helper for the monster rainmaking ritual?” The king asked surprisedly.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I was offering a prayer to the heavens concerning the misfortune that’s befalling on our people when I saw the sign.” She replied calmly.

“The heavens are ready to show us mercy, Your Majesty,”

She said with a tone of happiness and relief.

“Who is he/she?”

The king asked slowly, almost getting up from his seat.

“It’s the royal princess. She is a special child with the energy of water deity”

Energy of water deity? Everyone looked perplexed by the revelation but the king still remains calm since this isn’t new to him.

“What did you mean by that? How is the princess connected to this?” One of the ministers asked.

“All the solutions to our problem lay with the princess. We need to sacrifice him….” She paused and looked at the minister’s face before continuing.

“But before we can’t do that, the princess’s blood is needed,” The royal priestess uttered.

“Are you saying we must sacrifice a human being?” one of the ministers inquired.

“You must withstand the pain and make the decision for your starving people” she continued.

How dare you say such a thing? We follow Confucius and daosim’ teaching, and we can not do such a terrible thing” another minister chirps in.

The royal priestess turned slightly toward the direction of the ministers.

“My lords. Have you forgotten what happened Fourteen years ago? Droughts and famine have plagued us for eight years. Sacrificing his life is the only way to lift his mother’s curse.” She explained to them.

“How dare a mere priestess speak her mind in this great hall?” Another minister questioned.

“You called yourself the royal priestess but you are talking about taking another human being’s life” the minister who talked earlier quizzed.

“A monster is different from a human being. We aren’t sacrificing a human being but a monster?” The king finally talked.

All the ministers turned to look at him in surprise even the royal priestess was not left out, she didn’t expect the king to approve her revelation immediately but he did without a doubt which confused her.

They all knew the king was dissatisfied and hated the monster but they didn’t know the hatred was this deep to the extent of sacrificing the boy’s life. It was as if he had something against the boy.

“The monster rainmaking ritual will be held. Make all preparations. Do you understand” He ordered, standing up from his throne.

“Yes, Your majesty” the ministers chorused together left with no choice.

He walked out with his eunuchs.

★★★★

It was a cold autumn night.

The herdy floral scent and fragrance from the flower fill the air. The hot steamy bath water was comforting and relaxing, making me moan out in pleasure at the impact of the water on my naked body, apart from the flimsy cotton gown that was the last layers of my dress, and that was the only thing covering my body.

The maids work swiftly among themselves, and add more hot water into the basin when they notice it is getting cold and sprinkles more flowers into the hot water. I closed my eyes and used one of my hands to rub my neck to shoulder, messaging it smoothly.

“Your highness let me do that,”

Na ji hye offered and moved closer to the bathtub and began massaging my body from my neck to shoulder, down to my arm. She applied some bathing oil on her hand and repeated the process for a few minutes. She stood up when she saw the courtlady coming in with a little box in her hand.

The court lady bowed courteously.

“Your highness we are going to mix peonies in the water for a special medicinal bath today.” The courtlady announced opening the box in her hand.

“Go ahead,” I said, smiling with my eyes closed.

The courtlady nodded and two of the maids quickly moved forward collecting the peonies from her and began sprinkle it in the water. After that they went ahead and added a natural aromatic substance from floral like orchids and relaxing gills mixing it together.

“That hit the spot” I mumbled silently.

“We will be adding the herb next” The courtlady announced again.

Without waiting for approval she gestured for one of the maids to pour in the herb, which she did immediately.

After a few minutes but what seemed like hours, I stood up from inside the hot tub, Na ji hye immediately stepped forward, picked the robe and used it to cover me up. She helped me out of the tub and led me to my dressing room where they helped me into my nightwear and loosened my hair letting it cascade down my back.

The courtlady and maids left the room leaving Na ji hye behind to take care of the rest.

“Did Your Highness get any information yet?”

Na ji hye asked after making sure everyone was out of sight.

“I thought you were nagging me about that before, why are you curious now?”

I chuckled.

“You see This thing called curiosity, it is a disease and everyone is capable of contracting it, which you just did” I teased.

“I am not curious. I am just trying to look out for you” She defends herself.

She began tieing up the rope on my nighties.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

“Really? I can really feel the sincerity”

“I am really serious, Your highness,”

She insisted and finished tying up the last rope on my nightie.

“Okay, okay I believe you” I laughed.

“Well to your question I didn’t get any information yet. I haven’t met with my brother. I am sure he is waiting for me in my chamber, since it’s time for our reading hours” I explained.

“So you will ask him then” Na ji hye inquired.

I nodded and stood up. I smiled at Na ji hye and went directly through the doorway that led to my room.

……