3

Hybe's eyelids flutter open to see a dark room before her, her heart rate increasing as she tries to determine where she was. She manages to stand and sees that the shades were drawn over a rather large window. She pulls them open and gasps as she sees her surroundings. Though it was overgrown, there was a zen garden with a murky pond, a bridge connecting one end to a broken gazebo. All around her were lightning bugs glowing up in the dark and she moves around to the door, going out onto the small wrap-around balcony, seeing that the main palace was not too far from where she stood. She looks up to see wisteria trees slightly flowing with the nightly wind and sees stunning stars that ran as far as her eyes could see.

She was taken aback at how beautiful everything seemed to her even though it was so broken and overgrown. She didn't know why she loved it as much as she did but the scene was breathtaking as she moved closer to the gravel path that led to the broken wooden bridge that still seemed to be in good shape. She attempts to cross and makes it safely across to see that there was furniture upon the gazebo covered in spider webs. She goes to the edge and leans over the railing, hearing the soft sounds of the water hitting the side of the structure. She couldn't help but think of her father and somehow didn't feel as sad as she did.

"I love you, papa, may I sing for you here?" She asks out loud as if her father would answer.

There was no answer but a gentle gust of wind blew her hair out of her face and she found comfort in it. Taking it as a sign from her father, she began to take a deep breath and think of lyrics to sing.

"New home, new place, new life. I know there's no going back. I will try my best to enjoy life and I hope you hear me sing. You are and always will be my everything. Though I am lonely, I am never alone in this beautiful land. I hail from the North but belong to the South now, I will be loyal. I will be true. I will honor you for as long as I live. I hope you visit often as I am living a new life now. I hail my king, you hail yours and hope for a better future. Please watch over me as I continue singing in your name. May the lightning bugs be my sign you are here."

She hears her voice echo through the emptiness of that side of the palace and she knew that she was now completely alone. She hears a twig snap and jumps in surprise, turning around to see that it wasn't a twig but a person who had clapped. And soon there were more that followed from the darkness, signifying that there was life within the walls after all.

"Forgive us, child, we couldn't help but listen." A withered voice says.

"T-That's alright." She says quietly, not understanding who she was talking to.

"This side of the palace has not seen concubines in over 15 years so please forgive the state of the garden. Us maids have our hands full during the day and the king does not care for this side of the palace ever since-" The voice cuts itself off as if they had said something wrong.

"Since?' Hybe asks, taking a step toward the voice.

"Oh, never mind. Please, make yourself at home. We don't have much to offer you so I hope maids clothes will do for the time being until we can get you situated with the proper clothing." The voice says, striking a match to put inside of a lantern.

Hybe was surprised to see a soft-looking old woman who was smiling down at her. Her gray hair was pulled up into a bun with curls hanging down the sides of her face, her purple eyes faded a bit as she was illuminated in the soft glow of the candle. She steps to the side, ushering the small girl to follow her.

"What is your name?" The elder asks, shifting slightly to walk her back to the small cabin.

"Hybe." She says.

"Very unique. Well, Hybe, welcome to the palace. We hope that you will sing for us and keep us on our toes. It's been a while since the king has had children within the palace." The woman chuckles.

Hybe nods and gives a small smile back, a bit uncomfortable with how many people she unknowingly bared her soul out to. As they walk toward her new home, she was introduced to the many maids that live within the Eastern palace, finding that the initial elders' name was Fae. She learned that she was going to help the maids restore this side of the palace, listening as the maids say that by order of the king, she is to stay in the Eastern wing for the rest of her stay. Which was to say forever as she knew there was no way the king would ever let her out of his sight.

"We hope to see you at breakfast tomorrow miss Hybe. It's just past daybreak and it's just around the corner."

Fae says, opening the door to her home.

"I will think about it, thank you," Hybe says, crossing the threshold while smiling at the elder.

Fae smiles back, bowing before leaving Hybe alone with her thoughts. As she closes the door, the smile fades from her face and she sighs, not understanding exactly why she was there. She crosses the room to sit on the floor in front of the window, slivers of the moon shining through the cracks in the shades.

"Oh father," She says, starting to move toward her bed. "I wish you were still here."

~~~

Xie watches as the faint light from the Eastern wing goes out, knowing that the maids now have Hybe within their hearts. He heard the faint singing and longed to go closer just to have a listen but his father insisted that he stay far away from the Eastern wing of the palace. Of course, he said he would listen to his father but he had no intention of keeping that promise. He leans against the windowsill, watching the wind blow the trees in the courtyard and listening to the soft chirps of the crickets. He guessed that his father was right in putting her in the Eastern wing, no one could disturb her there and he knew that she could at least have free reign there. With luck, his father would forget about her and she will be set free.

"Tch, like that would happen." He mutters to himself, sitting on the lower part of the sill, trying to balance himself so he would fall 3 stories down.

He looks to the left of him, seeing his father's tightly shaded window from across the way. He didn't know what made him so cold-hearted but he knew that he had to be the one to stop it. The elders who had conferences with his father knew that his reign of terror had to end; he had eavesdropped on many arguments from the dining hall when they had meetings. He knew that the death of the ruler over the Northern lands was unnecessary and he knew that the king really had wanted peace for his daughter but of course, the cold-blooded serpent his father was didn't want anything to do with that. It was as if the man craved chaos and lived off torture.

"Xie." A voice says, making Xie slightly turn back into the room to see his brother through a crack in the door.

"Come in." He says, turning all the way into the room to cross to the small chair in the corner of the room.

Xienbe closes the door behind him and slightly bows before taking a seat opposite his brother.

"What's the matter? Shouldn't you be asleep?" Xie asks.

"I could say the same to you." Xienbe retorts.

"Well, I experienced the death of a nation today. Father destroyed them." He says, paling a bit.

"W-What?" Xienbe says.

Xie knew he shouldn't be telling his younger brother these things but he couldn't bear to keep it to himself. He knew that his father shouldn't have taken his 11-year-old son with him to retrieve a princess while decimating an entire kingdom. He saw his brother looking up at him, waiting for him to speak.

"He killed everyone. Children, infants, women...I didn't think he would ever allow me to see it but you should have heard the screams of those innocent people. He burned everything, although he wanted it for territory, I don't know how it will be useful to him now." He says, trying not to think about it too much.

There was a moment of silence as Xienbe digests his older brother's words, taking into account the seriousness of the actions of his own father.

"Do you...do you think that I'll turn out just like him when I go to the military academy?" Xienbe asks.

Xie looks at the wall in a blank stare as he ponders his next words, knowing that his brother is already acting more and more like their father every day. He could see the terrible traits from his father within his brother but he didn't want to admit that.

"That's up to you brother. You are your own man, you have to remember that." Xie finally says.

"Hmm, you may be right but I fear that I might be just as cold-blooded as him. I find myself not caring about most things and I take pleasure in inflicting pain on others." Xienbe says.

Xie furrows his eyebrows and becomes angry that their father had already drilled his philosophy into the mind of the second child within the family.

"What do you want me to do with this information brother? We are too young to have a say in matters." Xie says.

"But surely father will listen to you, you're well educated and mature enough for anything!" Xienbe pleads.

"As are you." He points out.

"Yes but I am 2 years younger than you. Please don't make me go, brother." He says.

"Xienbe, it is out of my hands," Xie stands up, "I cannot help you."

He sees the hope in his brother's eyes slowly extinguish as they start to fill with tears.

"Then I guess this is goodbye brother. I leave at daybreak." Xienbe says, standing up to bow.

Xie blinks in astonishment, he knew he was going to the academy but didn't know that it would be this soon. He watches as his brother leaves his room, closing the door behind him. He ponders the thought of actually talking to his father about allowing his brother to come home but knew it was going to be a futile attempt. Yet he found himself walking toward the door, his hand hovering over the handle in order to go confront his father at this very moment. He clenches his jaw and decides that no beating was worth something that couldn't be changed. He heard a small sniffle and knew his brother was still behind the door.

"You will come home brother, I promise. It will take time and I hope you forgive me if it takes too long for your liking. You will not become father, I will ensure it." He says softly.

"Thank you." The whisper was barely audible but he knew that his brother was no longer cross with him as he heard footsteps retreating deeper into the corridor.

He sighs as he turns to see the moon hovering over the eastern wing of the palace, smiling to himself as he decides that it was now time for bed.