85: Dark Clouds

The cold figure of Athea laid stoic on the bed, unmoved. Her skin was pale and her lips slowly turned purple. The team of physicians try their best to ensure the body stayed warm, but there's nothing much they could.

Jang Bin's appearance froze the room. Everyone bowed down as the concubine scoot closer, placing her fingers on Athea's stiff body.

"Is she gonna make it?" asked Jang Bin with a sorrow voice.

"It's unsure whether she can wake up in anytime soon, bin..."

Jang Bin sighs. She checked the room's air; it was gloomy and serious. Everyone stared at her, waiting for the next move or dictate.

"Daegum jaga's convoy will arrive soon. There's no way we can wait for manora jaga to wake up before thr funeral," said Jang Bin. "I think we all should leave the room and prepare for the ceremony. All of you did what you can. Let's just pray for the best."

The physicians exchange looks as they finally agreed to leave. They clean up the treatment table, kept all the medical apparatus back into the box and politely dismiss from the room.

Once the room cleared, Jang Bin smirked. She glared at the stiff body of Athea as her legs move towards the body. Once she got closer, her hand grabs Athea's wrist, looking for any pulse.

"You barely alive, manora jaga. Why don't I help you so this suffering will ends?" Jang Bin recited the monologue by herself. Another hand seek anything on a small table, at Athea's side.

"Good bye, Athea Sejabin..."

***

Soo Young was alone in the palaquin. Her body shrunk, rolling like a ball. Her eyes were red and her face was full of bruises. She put her head against the palaquin's wall, having a deep thoughts while the palaquin moved slowly along with the convoy.

After a while, it stopped.

"Manora..." her gaze shifted slowly at the court maid that swiftly opened the palaquin's door.

"Where are we?" she asked, with a low and coarse voice.

"A small lake, just a few yards away from the kingdom, manora–"

"Don't call me manora. I'm not a sejabin..."

"Jeoha mama told us to address you like that, manora," said the polite court maid. Soo Young sighed. Her head hung low, as she slowly sat up straight. Her swollen eyes stared at the court maid, looking sorrow and pity at the same time.

"Do you know... What happened to Kim Dan?" Soo Young mustered her courage to ask. The court maid shook her head faintly. Instead of replying to Soo Young, she handed her a pair of new and clean hanbok, along with a white, big towel.

"You need to freshing up, manora. We've reach the Emerald Dragon in no time..."

"Who can I refer to about Kim Dan?" she couldn't stop asking about her husband. Since she got escorted to the convoy, until now, she couldn't find the man anywhere.

"I believe you can ask Asura ssi about that. He's in charge for this convoy," finally, the court maid enlightened something to her.

Soo Young gave up. She scoot out of the palaquin, after she took the package from the court maid. She walked with her limping legs and remaining energy that she gathered while resting in the palaquin, before she saw Asura, who was talking with some guards at the front line of the convoy.

"Manora jaga..." the crowd quickly bowed once they saw Soo Young, standing bravely in front of them. She shut her eyes when they address her like that, supressing all the annoy feeling inside.

"I need to speak with your captain..." her strict voice caused everyone to leave the spot in no time.

Asura stood up straight, facing Soo Young while mentally prepared himself for some unwanted questions. He had been warned by Min Jun beforehand, so while the convoy moved slowly towards the kingdom gate, he had everything in his mind.

"Manora..."

"Where's Dan ssi? Where's my husband?"

Asura escorted Soo Young to a spot, just a few steps away from the convoy.

"Manora, this is not the time for that. You have to prepare yourself to receive the sejabin title–"

"I don't care about the title! I know this is just an act," Soo Young replied. "I just want to know, where's my husband?"

Asura shut himself. He sighed as he slowly pick something inside his hanbok's pocket. Silently, he handed the folded and bloody head band to Soo Young, as she received it with a shattered heart.

"He asked jeoha mama to save you in his last breath. I think, he had everything plan beforehand," said Asura.

Tears rolling from her eyes as soon as she opened the folded head band. There was a ring; their wedding ring, with her name engraved at the inside part of it. So the suspicious feeling was indeed true.

Soo Young knew she already lose her husband forever.

She had lost her interest in talking anymore. Silently, she left Asura there, walking towards the lake bank and hiding behind a huge tree. Asura watched her from far as his ears caught a wailing sound right after that. He couldn't do anything for that.

He could only gave a room for Soo Young to mourn.