Chapter 8: Catastrophe

The desire to have power is not unheard of anywhere. Those who seek it wish to have influence and security, which is quite an acceptable reason, but some gain it and use it in an advantageous way to create despair and control others. They use it to their amusement or push their ideals to many. The Royals may have been the most powerful people in Ona, but they do believe that without the people they are governing their status will not be important, that is why they have customs and ordeal that they follow. For one could know, they may be able to easily govern their people using an iron fist as they may have abilities to destroy or restore a nation. Yet, none of them consider it as they believe that the people are the key to their nation’s success. They too know that they cannot govern the whole country by themselves, they need to have officials and leaders who share their vision for success and safety, but not everyone is like that. Some get blinded by money, power, and amusement. The Royals are too trusting in their status, they believe in giving everyone the benefit of the doubt and chances. A kind ruler is better than a mad ruler.

Mina embraced the death that this high-grade potion that could kill with a touch makes her experience. She lets it invade her skin and , creeping into her blood, and destroying her internal organs. She must have been crazy because she admitted to herself that she missed this sensation. The sensation of death. “Mina! Mina!” JiHyo came into the room where Mina struggled. She looked at the place and there she saw the food Mina could have tasted. She was to reach it but… “N.no,” Mina gathered strength to stop her Chief Lady in Waiting. JiHyo looked at Mina a little terrified of how the High Consort looked but she knew Mina. She asked JiHyo to give her a couple of minutes and she would give her answers. The Chief lady in waiting steps backward and looks in another direction for she knows what Mina is capable of. It is still tormenting to watch her struggle like this. After some time, Mina caught her breath, sweating, she seemed to be slowly gaining back her complexion.

“That’s poisonous,” Mina weakly said to JiHyo. “I figured,” Jihyo clenches her jaw. She is definitely not letting this one go; she will tell Jeong about what happened and surely the Second Princess would know from her JiHyo’s lover about this. “It is a rare kind of poison, something I have not experienced before, if anyone else touched it their skin could turn purple and if they taste it, they could have died right away,” Mina explained looking at the watermelon. “I don’t care about that, Mina, I care about the fact that someone threatened your life just now, they are trying to get rid of you!” JiHyo scolded. “That could be the case,” Mina sounded unbothered. She knows that no matter what others do in trying to kill her all their efforts will be in vain because of her ability. “I know that you have some sort of ability but still, this is something that we should be cautious about, I will report this incident to Jeong,” JiHyo said worried. Mina hesitated. She does not want to make a big deal out of it. But, it is indeed a big deal. If her life is being threatened like this, the other High Consorts may face the same thing. What if Tzu were poisoned, there is no way she could survive it.

“Yes, please, and can you check up on Lady Tzu as well, make sure she’s safe,” Mina said looking worried for Tzu’s sake.

***

It had been a couple of days since that incident, and Ona was experiencing a huge storm. It had not stopped raining, and there were thunderstorms in most parts of the country, it had been a catastrophic couple of days. The operation to find the culprit had been kept secret to not cause panic to most people who reside and work in the palace. But the weather seemed to be raging.

The Second Princess is inside her office. She is sitting at her desk looking at some proposed law. She looks calm considering that her favorite consort had been poisoned. JiHyo informed them about what happened, and she mentioned that it was a good thing that they knew it was poisonous before touching it. After some examination, they found out that the poison was a high-grade poison that could kill someone in minutes. “Are you not going to stop?” The Crown Princess entered the office of the Second Princess. Momo looked more serious than her normal self. “What do you mean?” Sana asked, not even looking at her sister. “If you don’t calm down now, you will massacre this whole country,” Momo said walking close to her sister. Every step she is taking is heavier than the next one. She feels a strong force towards her, the closer she gets to Sana the stronger the force becomes. Momo closes her eyes to take a deep breath, and what seems to be a dark force covers her body to protect her from an overpowering force from her sister. “Look at me, Sana,” Momo ordered.

Sana stays mum. “Look at me,” Momo says in a higher tone.  Sana keeps her eyes on the desk still not reacting. “SANA!” Momo shouts releasing a force of darkness to her sister. Most of the things inside the room flew but Sana stayed on the same spot looking at the ground. Momo finally reached her sister’s location. Sana was just across the room, but