Beside the large window that opens to the lilies pond, a young woman kneels before a splitting image on herself.
Her cheek has the flushed print of a hand on it, but she doesn't return the favor and simply kneels quietly.
“And do you think she would've done the same for you?” The fiery hair princess shouts at Anastasia while holding her own hands tightly together in composure.
Anastasia averts her eyes and answers, “Then promise me you wouldn't hurt anyone else other than the one you're here for.”
“I need you to not question my methods, Anastasia,” the Princess lowers herself to make eyes contact with the ghost girl.
“It's still not right, mum,” Anastasia pouts immediately. “You taught me to be righteous and always do the right thing, but—”
“Listen to me, Anastasia. I am doing the righteous thing. The righteous thing for you to do is stand on the side and watch me quietly. Do you understand?”
The Emperor's harem stares at them from outside the window and across from the rectangular pond of lilies.
They hide their faces behind their fans and sleeves, each of them is peculiar in beauty, and each of them starves for the Emperor’s attention.
Anastasia’s mother goes to close all the windows in the quarter they're given.
She sits on a bed and gestures for Anastasia to lay her head on her lap. Then she combs her warm fingers through the flaming silks on Anastasia's head.
“It has been a while since you've laid on my lap,” the mother whispers quietly.
“Try thirty years,” Anastasia chuckles and wraps her arms around the other woman. “Let's forget about revenge. I just want to spend time with you, mum.”
The mother stops her moving hands and summons her hooded minions, and to them she commands, “Find me the gall bladder of a white snake and a dragon lily.”
Anastasia stays curled up next to her mother while the twenty something puffs into thin air.
“Are you scared of me?” The mother asks.
“No. I know you won't hurt me, mum. But I'm afraid you might hurt others,” Anastasia tightens her grip around her mother’s waist.
Another a moment of silence, a maid knocks at the door and says, “How dare you come into the harem and sleep! The Empress and Imperial Consorts are waiting for you both to greet them!”
“I have not permitted your entrance,” the mother speaks in a calm tone and only annoyingly glances at the maid.
The maid scoffs arrogantly, “I need not your permission. My Mistress is an Imperial Consort.”
“Just another member of this abhorrent harem,” the mother looks up and stares death into the maid’s forehead. “You're actually pregnant with the Emperor’s child, but you're afraid that you've overstep your Mistress.”
“W—Where did you hear that absurd rumor? How dare you suggest an impossible idea! I must inform my Mistress of your low Walish behavior. If the mannerism of an Walish Princess is as poor as yours, then Wales does not deserve to be a nation. Wales shall be conquered—”
The mother pinches her fingers together and swipes it to the side to shut the talkative maid up.
“Go back to your Mistress and tell her thang if she wishes to know the Emperor’s newest obsession, she ought to use her feet and come see it with her eyes.”
With a little magic, the maid is pushed out of the room and the door locked.
“Mum, wouldn't she tell others?” Anastasia turns her head.
“With what proof?”
Then hooded servants solidify themselves with the ingredients asked of them.
Anastasia moves to hide behind her mother as her mother cuts and pulls out the white snake’s fall bladder. She mixes it with the dragon lily and water.
“Drink this,” the mother offers the confused ghost girl. “It'll make your skin warm.”
Without much thinking, Anastasia drinks it and immediately her fiery hair turns black and her rosy pale skin returns to pale and blue.
Her body becomes like it was before, a normal ghost.
“Mum!” Anastasia knits her brows and reaches for the box of more little bottles.
The mother flicks a finger and smashes the box against the wall. Every little bottle breaks and spills onto the wood floor.
“I've worked much too hard, I cannot let you stop me, Anastasia,” the mother peers into the gradient eyes of the little ghost.
Her lips curl down into a frown and she allows for her body to fade into nothing.
The mother sighs, “I'm sorry. I still need to right what is wrong.”
And just as she finished her sentence, another knock in at the door. She signals for her servants to go away and permits the knocker to enter.
It is a woman who has experienced life for quite some time already. She wears a tan complexion with dark hair flowing down to her knees and an auspicious mold on her chin.
The mother quakes onto her knees with her eyes unwilling to part from the woman.
The maid earlier steps from behind the woman and points at the mother, “She's a witch!”
“Greeting to Your Highness,” the mother lowers her head for a bow.
“It was not my ill will to scare you, Princess Kaerae of Wales. I sent my maid to remind you as others may not be as kind to you. Please go greet the Empress as soon as you've rested up.”
“You're still the same person,” the mother whispers.
“Is there something you would like to speak of?” The woman tilts her head slightly to the side.
The mother forces an unappealing smile, “Yes, would you like some tea?”
“My Lady mustn't,” the maid pulls at the woman’s sleeve.
“It shall be my pleasure,” the woman answers, ignoring her maid’s worries.
As the mother pours them some tea, the woman carefully watches the cups and pot. She asks, “You pour tea skillfully like a noble woman who was raised in the Rice Empire.”
“Your words are flattering,” the mother hands the woman the cup of tea and reopens the windows.
“That wasn't a compliment, Princess Kaerae.” The Imperial Consort sips on the tea and smiles, “What was it that you would like to speak with me about?”
The mother sits across from the Imperial Consort and quietly clears her throat, “I was wondering… Did you become an Imperial Consort by choice?”
“Why of course,” the woman answers after a hesitation. She turns to the pond of lilies, “We all chose to be here in one way or another, didn't we?”
“That is not the answer I wanted to hear, Imperial Consort,” the mother also turns her head to see the lilies.
The woman accidentally bursts out a laughter before recollecting herself, “I must apologize. It has been quite some time since anyone has been so straightforward with me.”
“When was the last time you met someone as straightforward as I am?”
She shakes her head and gets up, “Thank you for the tea. It was very refreshing speaking with you, Princess Kaerae of Wales. Well, then please do not forget to greet the Empress and the other Imperial Consorts and Concubines. It is in your best interest that you greet them.”
“Did you have a lover before the Emperor?” The mother asks desperately, but stops herself from snatching the Imperial Consort’s wrist.
The Imperial Consort puts on a facade of a noble face and leaves without answering the mother.
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