XVII: SEPTENDECIM

The pale moonlight sends ivory beams into the dimmed room. 

Silence echoes around the room. 

He breaks the silence with a sigh, then stretches out his arms to haul the sleeping beauty on his couch. With one arm hooked behind her knees, one arm around her shoulder, he hauls her up and she squirms in his embrace. 

Before he could reach for the door knob, her eyelids fluttered open, and he matched her glimmering eyes. Her cheeks were shaded in a rosy pink as she stared up at him with hazy, brown pupils. He gulped and a tint of red creeped up onto his ears. 

“Where are you bringing me?” She asked softly. 

He raised his brows and opened his mouth before she broke him with a pout in her lips. 

“Hmph!” She protested. 

“I wanna try your bed!” 

He was drained tonight — much more than just from taking care of a drunk Koala — it was the way she blurted out his secrets and long-dug up emotions. 

He sighed in defeat, but there was a curl on his lips. He had no choice then, he’ll sleep in one of the guest rooms tonight. He placed her gently onto the King-sized bed, and tucked her into the covers. 

He forced himself to look away from her blushed cheeks and pink lips. But before he could clear up the empty glasses on the table, a squirm echoed behind his back. 

“Please… don’t leave me.” 

His heart stopped. 

Her eyes were still closed, yet her lips formed a mumble. 

“Mama, I did it for you. I did it for you and papa and Saeun.” 

“I didn’t want that to happen, mama.” 

A tear slid down her lipped eyelids. 

“I just wanted to save you all.”

He felt a striking pain in his chest, as he raised a finger to wipe off the moist on her cheek. She was just a poor victim in the King’s plans. He wondered what would happen if the King didn’t choose her as Princess consort… if she was away from all this… messy, disgusting court. 

Perhaps she wouldn’t have lost her family. She wouldn’t have lost her best friend. She wouldn’t have to suffer from the pains of the future. She would’ve been smiling in the meadows and laughing against the sun. 

Maybe it was the tint of alcohol, maybe it was her soft, cracking voice, maybe it was the tear stains on her cheek. 

But he wrapped his arms around the lady, engulfing her in a warm embrace, until her sobs subsided. He soothed her from her back till her hair.

As the moon fell, they remained in each other’s embrace, in each other’s warmth and console for the rest of the night. 

~~~~~~~

Naeun

My head is throbbing. 

I force my heavy eyelids to open against the piercing beams of light. 

My limbs weigh like a thousand elephants and the needle in my head only gets worse when it meets the morning sun. I guess this is what a hangover feels like. 

The haze in my vision fades and I’m slowly getting a grasp of my surroundings. 

The linen feels softer than usual, the walls had more embellishments than usual, and instead of the usual floral scent I’m bathed in, I catch a whiff of a woody, perhaps cedary scent. 

All drowsiness vanishes as I shoot up from the bed. 

I’m in his room, lying on his bed. 

Immediately, I scan the empty pillows and blankets. 

Thankfully, it looks like I’ve spent the night alone. 

The desk was clear of bottles and glasses, and somehow a flicker of images flashback in my head. 

“Where’s my drink!”

“N-Noooo~ I’m n-not—hic—drunk!!”

“Are those… black dots?”

“Woah your lips are thick.”

Within the next forty minutes, the voice inside my head was screaming.

AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Can someone kill me right now? 

Son Naeun!!!! What have you done?!

I slam my head against the pillow and kick against the thin duvet.

How am I supposed to face him ever again?

When Chorong and Bomi knock on the door, they see a screaming lunatic who’s flopping under the sheets. 

I swear. I’ll never take another sip of alcohol EVER again. 

Or at least, never with him. 

Somehow, I manage to get out of bed, wash up and arrive at the dining room for a late breakfast. I keep my usual elegant, poised smile, but my eyes scan every room and corridor as I get past. I grab onto a nearest servant, hoping I don’t sound too weird. 

“Excuse me, do… do you know where the lord went?” 

Please tell me he’s not in the house, at least not now, when I’m still in full-hand aftermath-embarrassment!

The servant returned a bow. “My lady, his lordship left for the cabinet meeting this morning.” 

Phew. Ok, I’ll have the rest of the day to get through it, then properly apologise to my deal partner.  

I return the servant a perfect smile before settling for the meal. 

~~~~~~~

Marbled delicate columns stand high against the gilded walls. Amongst the scarlet embellished room, twelve lords gathered around the rectangular mahogany table. The crown Prince occupied the head seat, while the Marquis sat to his right. The rest of the lords scattered downwards, lining in order from district 1-11. 

Proceeding on the next agenda, the Marquis cast his sharp eyes towards a grey-suited figure, signalling him to speak. “Lord Kang.” 

The new high lord rises from his seat with a polite curl on his lips. “Your highness, Marquis,” He dips his head towards the Prince first, then the head of the cabinet. 

“Fellow high lords,” he turns to the other figures, “Under strict measures and tight regulations, no signs of the Revolutionaries could be seen within the areas under House Metallic. Therefore, I am proud to say that the rebel forces have diminished in district 6.” The curl on his lips remains, yet a glint of pride passes through his orbs. 

The Crown Prince lets out a smile then a nod, signalling the lord to settle back into his seat. 

“Have you done enough investigation, Lord Kang? It’s not easy to remove those pests.” Lord Hwang of district 1 lets out a sneer. 

Lord Kang suppressed the flinch of annoyance in his chest. “We have conducted a thorough blanket search, Lord Hwang.” 

The Marquis remained expressionless, while the Crown Prince nodded. “Thank you, Lord Kang. And district 9?” 

District 9 was less effective in ‘totally exterminating’ the forces, but Lord Heracles claimed they had marked great progress. 

Satisfied with the reports, the Crown Prince kept a relieved smile, as he wrapped up the conference. Meanwhile, the lords suppressed the darknesses in the bottom of their eyes. 

……..

“My Lord.” Ravi slipped a letter on the desk. 

“The revolutionaries.” He mouthed. 

Taemin nodded and tore open the letter. He scanned through the short passage, then threw it into the fangs of the fireplace. 

As the letter shrunk into smoke, Taemin picked his pen. 

Colonel Jung, 

I couldn't agree more with your move to relocate our bases to the suburbs. 

District 6 and 9 will remain under strict implementations for another couple of months. It is unwise to clash forces with the heavily armed troops. 

To continue, I advise your men to blend in with the crowd. Our visions need to be heard and spread across the citizenry, and we are only powerful when we have the backs of our people. 

A new batch of aid will be sent your way to facilitate such actions. 

May the dawning of our new era begin.

Francesco

……

Her brush flies across the canvas as the sky glows in pastel. She hums to one of the piano classics as a furry sensation brushes past her ankle. 

A rainbow of colours stain her fingertips, as she glances downwards with a smile. 

“Meow.” The cat purrs as she nuzzles against her ankle. 

“Hi Koongie~” The Marchioness smiled softly as the cat meowed again in response. 

A chuckle escapes from . “Sorry Koongie, I would love to pet you, but your papa won’t be happy seeing you covered in paint.”

The cat returns another purr before settling in the corner. 

Meanwhile, the Marquis finds himself travelling towards the drawing room. He was still reminded of her tear-streaked face last night. The way her eyes lost their glow, the way her voice was a tiny whisper, and the way she curled up against his embrace. 

He knew something was going wrong. Something went wrong today. She had appeared in his mind too many times, and she was the first woman that he had ever shared a night with. 

It was probably the alcohol. He thought. Yes. It must be the alcohol that made him let down his guard. It must be the alcohol that made him listen to her, wipe her tears and give her warmth. 

It must be.

And now, he was just going to check on her just to see if she’s alive and healthy. After all, he needed her to be alive so she could cure his poison. 

Yes, nothing more. He told himself as he knocked gently on the white french doors. 

There was no reply, and when he turned the door knob, a beautiful painting projected before his eyes. 

Her face glowered under the golden rays, as the orange streaks trace her curves, from the tips of her eyelashes to the rims of her long skirt. Her pink lips form into a small curl as she wraps her lean fingertips around a wooden brush. Her hand flies across the canvas, inventing a whole new world before his eyes. Behind her silhouette and reflected from the window was a view of the garden. Created under her fingertips, the green meadows were replaced into a blossoming carpet of roses, hyacinth and delphiniums. The petals flutter against the wind, just like how the tips of her dark curls sway against the summer breeze. 

The only thing he could hear was the loud thump against his chest.

His eyes met hers. 

Quickly, her maids bowed in greetings and scuttled towards the ends of the room. 

She widened her pupils and her cheeks flushed, but she forced it down and raised a carefree smile. “It’s impolite to come in without knocking.”

“I did.” He said, barely finding his voice. 

She bit her lip awkwardly, still aware of her partial embarrassment last night, while he glanced around. The spacious room was filled with canvases, from large to small. All of which were beautiful sceneries of the land, sky and the sea. 

“How long have you started painting?” He asked. 

“Since I was young. Why?” 

“They look good.” He said nonchalantly. 

She shook her head with a smile. “There are many artists that are way more talented in Elantris.” 

“And you’re one of them.” He thinks aloud, but upon realising the words from his mouth, he snapped it shut. 

He turned away from her, with his ears flaring up in embarrassment, while she raised an intriguing smile. 

“Why are you being nice today?” A part of her wondered why he endured her craziness last night, and why he let her snatch his bed. 

He pressed down the trickle in his chest before facing back towards her with the usual mischievous glint in his eyes. “I’m always nice.” 

“I’ve never heard any compliments from your mouth.” Her lips curled as she returned to her work silently. 

She was still immersed into her own thoughts, wondering when it should be the time for her to apologise. Somehow her ego wouldn’t allow it, and a part of her still couldn’t believe that she had become an embarrassment in his eyes. She was so stuck into the voice in her kin, that she missed the whisper that escaped his lips. 

“I say them too… just to important people.” 

~~~~~~~

Naeun

You know what? Son Naeun, I think you should really get over your pride and apologise. It’s not a big thing! You’re a grown up, not a baby throwing a tantrum. 

But when I look up, he’s gone again. 

I let out a sigh. 

Well, looks like I’ll have to do it over dinner then. 

“My lady…” Bomi’s voice echoes behind me. 

“It…seems that something must’ve happened last night, is it?” 

Oh gosh, did Bomi and Chorong hear what I’ve done as well? Do they know that I’ve gotten hard-out drunk? “What… do you mean?” I ask cautiously. 

“My lady, we were standing by your room this morning, but his lordship came over and said he was in your room.” Chorong said calmly, but Bomi raises her brows intriguingly. 

“But… his lordship also came out from his room…” 

“Huh?” I whip my head towards them. “Wait… so you meant… that he didn’t leave his room for the night?” 

They shook their heads. 

“And when I was in there too?”

They nod.

“For the whole night??”

They nod again.

Wait… if I got drunk and he decided to leave me in his room… that might be reasonable…

But if he decided to stay, there’s no place for him to sleep! 

Unless… 

I cross my arms protectively around my chest, travel to the nearest mirror, pull down my collar and examine my neck for any… weird marks. 

Luckily, I found none. Yes, I was fully clothed and my body was clean this morning. 

But… does that mean that we’ve slept on the same bed? 

My pupils are shivering as I pace around the room. 

No. No. I tell myself. You were fully clothed when you woke up, and hey! It’s Lee Taemin! The emotionless, romantic-less, and probably aual Lee Taemin! Clearly he wouldn’t do anything to you… 

Yep, he would never harass me this way. If he did, then I’ll kill him with my bare hands. 

When it’s time for dinner, I inflate my lungs with a deep breath. 

“Um… what happened… last night?” 

He takes a pause ever so slightly before continuing his meal. 

“You were whining about how you wanted to sleep on my bed.” He says nonchalantly, but I see a whiff of annoyance in his orbs. 

Immediately, all sort of mixed emotions dissolved into pure embarrassment. It takes all the efforts for me to keep my hands on the utensil instead of bringing them to cover my face.

I chuckle awkwardly. “Ha… about that… I’m sorry.” 

“Sorry!” I put on my best puppy eyes and bring my hands to clasp together. “Please accept my apology and forget all t