For the next few days, Eden and Aciel continued to work in the fields under the spring breeze. They made just enough for their room and food. Sometimes they helped out with other farmers and that money was saved for on the side. The day of their day off was a gloomy one. What was supposed to be a happy day, Aciel’s 25th birthday and coronation, will forever be remembered as the day he attended his father’s funeral.

They blended into the crowd as a parade of guards marched with the coffin from the castle to his final resting place in the Wujing Temple. The funeral itself will only be opened to certain officials and noble houses. Everyone else would have to pay their respects in a separate hall of the temple.

Their two hour hike to the temple consisted of Aciel trying to keep calm and Eden making sure no one recognised them. She had disguised herself as a man, which wasn’t difficult given her muscular physique and new hairstyle, to avoid being caught. In their mind was also the question of what they would do if they met Zula. Aciel hated the fact that his father’s murderer would be present at the funeral instead of him.

Inside the hall was a portrait of King Sen with two ribbons draping the upper corners as it was surrounded by a yellow and white wall of lilies and chrysanthemums. Some people paying their respects chose to place a single flower of their choice. For Aciel, it was a lotus, his father’s favourite yet he couldn’t bring himself to place it. It felt too surreal, like it was a bad dream.

The two still paid their respects in the memorial hall but held onto their flowers. It was already dark by the time they returned to the inn. Although it was a sad day, it was still Aciel’s birthday. Eden knew it wasn’t right to wish him a happy birthday. So instead, while Aciel went to wash off for the night, she had prepared a meal of noodles along with a bowl of seaweed soup.

“I thought you should eat this before the night is over.”

“Thank you Eden.”

“Eden, could you do me a favour?” Aciel’s voice got small like that whenever he was about to ask for a near impossible request.

“What is it?”

“Can you help me see him?

She gave a faint smile. Something about it signaled that she figured he would ask this eventually. So she suggested, “Shall I scout the location tonight?”

“Could you?”

“Of course, who do you think I am?” Eden’s confident and almost cocky tone brought a small smile to Aciel’s face.

“I’ll be off to scout now.”

Now alone, Aciel silently cried into the night. He had bottled up his emotions throughout the day to be released all at once. As much as he hated crying, it was the only way he fell asleep without the nightmares. Without having the scene of his father’s last moments replayed on a loop until exhaustion brought him peace.

*

It had been two weeks since the funeral and what would have been Prince Aciel’s coronation. Traditions dictate that the body would be kept in the funeral room for a month before it is sealed away. Now with half of their time gone, they needed an opportunity before their luck ran out and they got caught.

Said opportunity appeared to them a week after the funeral in an expected yet still unwanted manner. Two weeks after Aciel’s birthday was Zula Ruruji’s coronation to become queen until the prince “recovered”.

“I hate this,” Aciel said, holding back tears. It wasn’t fair, it was frustrating.

Eden stood on guard, not speaking until she was addressed. After two weeks, the prince finally processed the events and as the shock wore off, his anger finally surfaced.

“Be a good person and the heavens will be on your side, that’s what we were taught. Where’s her justice? She killed a man and is becoming queen? I could barely hunt a rabbit and I fear for my life every day.”

Aciel was amazed that there were still tears left to cry. Eden stood simply still, anything she said would just fuel the fire. All she could do was hope no one could hear the screams and connect the dots. It was evening before Aciel calmed down enough to speak again. The sky was painted a golden pink as the sunset.

“Tomorrow, I’ll be able to send father off properly tomorrow. I should be happy with that at least, right? Be grateful at what I was given. I just can’t help but think if I wasn’t so useless this wouldn’t have turned out this way.”

“Unfortunately for us, Zula Ruruji is a genius and she was ahead of us this time. That does not mean we cannot win against her. As I said before, I am on your side Prince Aciel. She will see her justice, whether or not the heavens are on our side.”

“What if the heavens really aren’t on our side?”

“Then we force them to be on our side.”

At that statement, Aciel laughed out loud, the first time in weeks. Maybe it was due to the dehydration from all his tears but he didn’t care. It was just a bold statement but Eden declared it with such certainty that it seemed as simple as breathing. It was as if she was taunting the heavens to not be on their side.