Tao
Various EXO Oneshots ^^;
A/N. This is actually a story I wrote based on a Shakespeare story so that's why it seems a bit odd haha
(In the P.O.V of Tao)
Shoulder-length, crimson hair, a long dress of a deep gold fabric draped with delicate lace. Pale skin paired with deep blue eyes and the grace of a swan, you was enthralling, and I, Tao, at the youthful age of 20, was inevitably in love.
May 15, 1591
I stirred to the sounds of my mother's hoarse voice. She has been growing feebler by the days - thinner and paler by the hour.
I could sense what the weather was like even before drawing back my blood-red, velvet curtains. A storm was nigh, and a ghastly one at that.
"Master, master! Come quick. Your mother, she's ill!" One of the chamber-maids frantically calls as she bursts into my bedroom, a worried look on her face.
It makes me feel dreadful knowing that I had been waiting for this day to come, no 20 year-old boy should have to face their mother's death, but in a frantic haste I get out of my bed, throwing on my silk gown, and make my way to my mother's room.
As I enter, I see nothing but a large group of grieving people fussing over cold, damp rags and water. My father, the King, makes his way towards me and places a strong hand on my shoulder.
"She's so frail. I have no choice but to send her overseas, their castles medicinal skills are far greater than any of our own." He sighs as he looks deeply into my innocent eyes. "I'm sending you with her. She needs you, my son." Averting my eyes to my fragile mother, I see her wheezing and spluttering. Never has she looked this miserable.
I would like to say my mother and I had a good relationship; she was married into royalty while I was born into it, but neither of us really fit in with the whole being rich and well-mannered lifestyle.
It was declared that my mother and I would be headed out later this afternoon, whether the weather calmed or not. Time was of the essence and every minute was critical.
I made my way back to my room to think over the day's plans. I needed to ready my best clothes and pack them in my finest, largest suitcase as soon as possible - who knows how long I could be away for?
The next few hours passed in a blur and, before I knew it, it was late afternoon and time to set sail. I had to help my father with whatever I could before we left this afternoon, and there was certainly a lot he needed done. It's days like this that I wish I was not a prince. All of the training and preparation to become King really is enough to grind my gears. Some days I just want to be a normal boy - go to a public school, enjoy freedom, even experience an innocent crush. But most of all, I want to have to work hard in order to receive something in return, not just ask for something and receive it within the next hour.
The journey on my father's family boat was destined to take roughly one hour, giving me plenty of time to reflect over the last few week's events. More specifically, my first big social event that took place precisely 9 days ago.
I had entered the great hall to see people of all ages, the majority of them older than myself, greeting and dancing with each other whilst drinking a clear liquid. Wine? As soon as my family and I had arrived, everyone turned towards us and bowed. It was a very kind gesture - one that I had not experienced before, and it was a great feeling having royals from all over the world recognise you, or, in my case, my handsome father and breathtakingly beautiful mother who, at the time, was having one of her good days and only needed the support of my father to stay upright. It was then during the bow that I saw her; the most beautiful girl rising from her ninety-degree angle with flustered cheeks as she caught my longing gaze from across the floor. I had to speak to her, hear her voice. Would it be sweet? I wondered what kind of a person this girl would be. She was the human version of a doll - her pale, transparent skin was like porcelain. Does she breathe? Does she long for someone? Does she even cry? I could just vision it - pretty, crystalline tears trailing towards her rose lips, cracking her glass face.
I had dropped my guard to easily. After never having even the slightest experience with a girl, I was now entranced by one with just a single glance, and I did not have a single problem with that. Throughout the enchanting night, people greeted me, and I continued to sneak glances at the elegant girl. I believe I made about forty-two new friends that night but, much to my displeasure, could only remember close to twelve of them personally. I hoped that, in return, people hadn't forgotten me, how sad that would be. But most of all, I hoped that she would remember me.
"Master, we- Master! Excuse me, we're here," I heard one of the crewmen call to me as the boat slowly came to a halt at the wharf. I must have been awfully distracted by my thoughts as the past hour only felt like a mere ten minutes. Hopping off the boat, I was certainly not disappointed by my new surroundings. Sand and stones merged with green land to produce coloured pulp over pure earth.
The outside of this foreign castle was simply stunning - great, brick walls stood hundreds of feet high while marble outlined the millions of windows. How many rooms did this place have? Surely enough so that one could stay in a different room every night of the year? I must admit, this castle is better than our own back in China, which is fair enough because from what I've heard, this country is one of the wealthiest in the land. How lucky one would be to live in such a grand place for their lifetime.
Entering the castle was even more magnificent than just seeing the outside, everything outlined in gold - even gold candlesticks!
"Master, dinner will be in an hour. I will show you your room, now. Please be back with us when you are ready and washed up," one of my father's best servants politely says to me.
As expected, the room I was to be staying in whilst my mother was cared for was certainly not a disappointment. If anything, it was similar to my own.
Mother was not well enough to sit with us at the dinner table that night. Instead, she feasted in her own room, watched over by her dearest friend, the chamber-maid who called on me this morning. I was to eat with the few workers who came with us on the boat and also the King's family, who I thought only consisted of the Queen and the King himself. Little did I know, I was far from correct because, in the middle of my first bite, she walked in - the mesmerizing girl from 9 days ago; the girl I could not stop thinking about. I gave her a shy smile as she daintily sat down in front of me, trying my hardest not to choke on the roast vegetables in my mouth and make a complete oaf out of myself; what a great formal first impression that would be.
"Cedrick, I would like to introduce you to my youngest daughter.. My daughter, I would like you to meet the Prince of China, Tao." The King introduces us with a glint in his eye. She stands and I do the same, we bow and curtsey in unison, the pink bow tied around her head falling over her eyes. Cute.
Dinner went even more smoothly than planned, we spoke of future plans, I thanked him for tending to my mother, oh how very grateful I was, while my new acquaintance and I sneaked glances at each other till dessert had passed and it was time for bed.
I've always secretly envied people who can sleep easily. Their brains must be cleaner, the floorboards of their skull well swept, the little monsters hidden in their closet cleared out. I've only recently having started having trouble sleeping, but I've come up with a theory. I believe that I have fallen in love. Of course sleep would be hard now because, finally, reality is better than any dreams even the most peaceful person could dream.
May 18, 1591
Things have slowly been getting better for mother over the past few days - less coughing and more colour in her washed out face. Of course I'm happy for her, but what if she gets better too quickly and we have to leave within a week? I'm not ready to leave, this is the most free I've been in a very long time.
I would like to think the King's daughter and I have gotten closer - we quite often sit outside together and talk about things that we can both relate to. I think we really understand each other as silly as it may sound - she relates to my feeling of wanting to get away from the whole royal scene sometimes and how hard it is constantly having to live up to the high expectations that your parents or, in her case, two older sisters, have set up for you. I have never experienced the warm feeling of having someone to talk to about this kind of stuff. Mother partly knows how I feel about becoming King, but never have I had someone my age who really gets what I'm trying to say.
She and I had made plans to explore the castle grounds and all it's mysteries after lunch this afternoon and, in the process of doing so, we ran into her two older sisters. As pretty as they were, nothing compared to the essence of beauty radiating off you. "My dear sister, it's not like you to be roaming around this part of the grounds, may I ask what you're doing?" The elder of the sisters asks in curiosity. I catch her eyes drifting towards me with a raised eyebrow. "Who's this?" I swear at that moment a faint smile spread across your face at the sound of my acknowledgement.
"Meet Tao, the son of the King of China. He's here on behalf of his father who couldn't be here while his wife is currently ill and being tended to in the upper castle. I hate to be rude, but we were in the middle of exploring the grounds. We shall leave first, see you at dinner tonight," You say as she grabs my wrist and pull me away.
In the midst of our journey we came across a gate hidden by overgrown flowers and vines. It really was something of the unordinary, even you, whom have lived her all your life, claimed you'd never seen nor heard about it before. Being the curious young adults we are, we decided to look through the gate and see what mystiques laid behind it. What we saw next was completely unexpected - rainbows of flowers intertwined with tree trunks and plaited into vines. A small pond covered in lilies was seen ahead near a small white sanctuary. This place was breath-taking and not even a storm would stop me coming back here tomorrow let alone the day after that.
May 23, 1591
The sanctuary in the secret garden has become my haven. Mother's illness is worsening again and I fear her death is nigh and there is absolutely nothing I can do.
Skipping stones on the pond has become a new hobby to me - a way to pass time while my mother struggles for her life. I've noticed you enjoy making daisy chains and creating crowns out of them. We have also become aware that we don't need to talk to each other to enjoy each other's company, just having the presence of one another is enough to satisfy. She is like a beautiful flower which I do not need to touch, because her fragrance makes the garden a place of delight just the same.
Tonight is the first night in which you have snuck into my room. You woke me with a light shake on my shoulder, your crimson hair dangling in my face, the aromatic scent of perfume wafting around, making me lightheaded; making me want more. You climb onto my messy bed, pulling your silk dressing gown over her exposed legs which her night gown do not cover.
"What... what are you doing here at this ridiculous time? Is everything okay?" Your facial expressions confuse me. Is she tired? Sad? She looks as if to be in pain.
"Tao, yo- you're mother.. she's.. I can-"
"What's wrong with my mother. Tell me," I try to say as calmly as possible.
"Your mother is dying, Tao. She'll be lucky to make it through the night. I'm so sorry.." She says, looking at her knees.
I don't want to believe it, but I had been waiting for this reality for the past month. I guess I knew deep down that it would happen eventually, just not so soon, I wasn't ready. Not yet. Throwing my blankets off my body, I feel a trembling hand carefully stop me.
"Don't go, Tao," You whisper. "You don't want to see her like that. Please... stay with me, I'm here, it's going to be okay." She pulls me back and I willingly fall onto the bed. She begins tucking me in like a little child then delicately my hair over and over again. "It's okay... It's okay..." I hear her say occasionally. I feel empty, like all the happiness has been out of me in one go. Not even my unrequited love can make me okay, not this time.
May 27, 1591
Mother passed away last night, and you knew exactly where to find me this dreary morning.
"Tao, are you crazy!? It's pouring, get under the shelter!"
Plop, plop, plop go the skipping stones, taking every possible emotion from my lifeless body with them. I feel arms wrap around my waist as you attempt to take me to the sanctuary - it doesn't feel so special today. There is no delightful fragrance to lift my spirits.
"My father wants to see you," she says, pain in her voice.
My boat home was said to set sail this afternoon. My bags were already packed by lunch time and I had no motivation to do anything. I had just lost the one person in my life who didn't fit in with the royal scene, let alone the fact that she was my mother. Now I was going to lose you, too, and boy oh boy did you mean the world to me. I haven't really thanked you for being so kind to me during my period of time here, but I think you will understand. I will see you again one day, I'm sure of it, and when I do, you will be mine.
When hopping on the boat to return to China, I chose an area to sit in isolation. I hadn't prepared anything to do for the hour-long ride home, I just wanted to sleep. Sleep. Can I just go to sleep and dream forever? My dreams , but they're better than this vast nothingness...
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