Chapter 13

Part 13

I slowly stoop up and wore the night gown that was left from Soa. I touched my messy hair that was covering my eyes to the back. I turn my head and saw him sleeping showing his bare chest. I pulled up the blanket that was barely covering his waist all the way up to his chest and came down from the bed. I saw it was raining through the opened window. I frowned looking at the dark sky. He spent his whole day on the bed there will be another bad saying again. They probably can’t say anything in front of him, but they will always talk behind him. I sometimes hear people saying His Majesty made her into Madame so fast, and he can’t get out between her legs. Soa never said anything like this, but she couldn’t block maids from talking outside the window.

I stood in front of the window. I heard the rain drops more clearly. Raining night, it sounded like everything stopped breathing. It looks like all the servants moving around busily all went back to their rooms. I could only hear the rain. It’s been really long time since I put my hand outside the window. The rain drops on my hand felt fresh. I laughed remembering during the Planting Festival. It was my first time getting wet from the rain because I was always in my room looking at the rain. It was icy cold, but I really liked the feeling.

Thinking about the rain made me remember magnolia. Now that I remembered magnolia flower, it made me really want to see the flower. I think there will be no people in the garden because it’s late and it’s raining. It was a sudden urge, and I looked at the bed. He didn’t even move a finger. I was bare feet, so I went to the bed side to wear my silk shoes. I felt desolated the fact that I’m wearing women shoes that my sister even couldn’t wear, but now I got used to it. I quietly walked to the closet to get a long coat to cover my face. I was only wearing a night gown, so I took out a winter long coat and covered my whole face. I quietly opened the door and saw Soa looking at me with surprised eyes. I touched my lips with my finger to give her a signal to be quiet.

“Your Highness.”

She whispered, and I smiled at her.

“I want to see the magnolia flower. I came out secretly. n.o.body is here right?”

“Come when it’s bright. I’ll take you there.”

“I don’t want many eyes on me. I’ll be there for a short time so wait here.”

Soa sighed.

“You are probably not used to get there. Can you go there by yourself? I’ll lead you there. But I can’t stay there for a long time, so you have to come back soon as possible.”

Soa was right, so I nod my head. Soa looked around and lead me. I followed her through the dark maze like ally. I turned the corner few times and saw the garden surrounded by corridor.

“Ah….”

I was amazed looking at that big magnolia tree in the garden. Just like Soa said, this magnolia tree was very big. I was thinking it was amazing that they were able to move the tree. The flowers bloom during the beginning of the spring, so lot of the flowers were already fallen, and most of them were new leaves coming out. Still there were some few flowers in the rain shivering. I unconsciously tried to go inside the garden, but Soa ran to me and stopped me.

“You already got wet from the rain today, so don’t go outside.”

“I’ll come back fast just a little bit closer. We have to go back in anyway. There isn’t anyone here so just a little bit. Soa, you stay here.”

“Your Highness.”

“I told you to stay. You have to take care of me when I get sick, so you can’t get wet.”

I said it jokingly, and Soa stood still on that spot with displeased face. I smiled at Soa and went out to the garden. My long coat got immediately wet because of the rain. I took off the long coat that was covering my head and soon I felt cold rain drops on my face. I laughed thinking I can’t even think of doing this during the winter. I was getting the rain with my hand and shook it off and started to walk slowly. I approached to the magnolia tree, and one flower petal couldn’t stand the rain drops and fell right in front of me. I picked up that thick and soft petal. I was touching the petal and looked at the tree again. Rain drops dropping between the leaves and dark sky showing between those leaves somehow looked lonely. I touched the tree branch and turned my body. It’s time for us to go back. We couldn’t stay outside for a long time because it’s Soa's shift right now, and I will get sick like I joked if I stay like this for too long. And if somebody sees me, I will be in a difficult stand if the rumor spreads how Madame comes out secretly in the rain at night. I saw few magnolia flowers and got a petal that fell because of the rain, so I’m satisfied.

“Yeho!”

Soa and I got surprised hearing my name shouting. We looked at the bedroom side and heard a mad voice again.

“Where is the Madame? How can you guys not realize that person disappeared?! Where is Soa?!”

“Your Majesty, stay here, we’ll bring His Highness… Your Majesty! You didn’t even wear your shoes, Your Majesty!”

I quickly walked to go outside the garden hearing eunuch’s panicking voice, but he was faster. He entered the garden not even tying the night gown and without shoes.

“Your Majesty…”

I sighed, and he came across the garden. I panicked and screamed.

“Your Majesty, if you come out like that…”

I couldn’t finish my words because my mouth got blocked by his embrace. My cheek started to blush feeling his bare chest on my face. I struggled little bit, and his hard arm and shoulder tightened me more. I couldn’t move.

“You were out in the garden?”

He whispered to my head, and his voice seemed to shaken maybe because of the rain. I was trying to nod but realize I can’t move my body, so I opened my mouth.

“Yes. I came out not so long ago, and I was about to go back inside.”

He relaxed his muscle after I said that. I was able to move, so I got my long coat and covered his head.

“You didn’t even come out wearing your clothes properly. You will get wet.”

“….You came out to get the rain.”

He ignored my word, and I looked puzzled.

“Your Majesty?”

“You came out to see the magnolia flower right? Yes? Right, Yeho?”

“Yes.”

I answered, and he sighed very loudly.

“You should’ve waken me up if you wanted to see the flower. You should’ve wore clothes properly if you were going to get wet. You are barely wearing night gown and a long coat.”

“I couldn’t because you were sleeping very deeply. And I was going to go back soon. I wasn’t thinking of getting wet though…”

I dragged my word and looked at the magnolia.

“…Magnolia flower was too beautiful. I couldn’t just stand there. Such a beautiful flower… I should have come to see the flowers before they fell.”

Yes. I should’ve done that, but I was just holding it. If I was too afraid of people’s eyes during the day, I should’ve came out during the night. I was kind of disappointed to see the flowers already falling. One hand approached me and touched my face. I turned my face, and he was looking at me.

“You will get cold. Let’s go inside.”

“Ah, Yes, Your Majesty.”

I turned my body, and he put my coat on top of my head. Because of that, my head got pushed down little bit, and I saw his muddy feet. That scene touched something inside of me. That made me realize I regret acting too impulsively. What was it so urgent to go see the flower when His Majesty was here? And all the eunuch followed him with panic, so they all saw me. I was too sorry because I even made his feet all dirty with mud.