"And yet, the only exciting life is the imaginary one."
- Virginia Woolf
Quite a monstrosity was seen by Xiaomao's eyes first thing in the morning. First she had to see great trees all piled up on the ground, mind you not neatly. And they were all on the garden patches.
Because of this Xiaomao had to ask help from other eunuchs to help move the trees. They placed them all in the back of the palace, in the disposal area.
After cleaning up the mess, Xiaomao had classes to attend to. She gathered in the academic chambers just as everyone else, but instead of hearing the normal idle chitter chatter. She heard murmurs and whispers.
Out of curiosity, Xiaomao tried to overhear someone's conversation,
"Consort Suki and Consort Aiko? What's going on? Is the palace cursed? Besides its been 10 years since the fire... do you think the Titans cursed us?"
"You heard it was Consort Suki and Aiko? I heard it was a few ladies in waiting too. I heard that a few eunuchs died too. "
"Yeah... I heard they died after the old witch tried to remove any demons that the Titans could summon. But just at the sight of the fire, the eunuchs passed out and died. "
"That's it. That's the only explanation. WE'RE CURSED." The two girls say hugging each other quaking in fear.
Xiaomao felt displeased as she heard this. This was all but a rumor. Rumors couldn't explain anything, they were false stories. Lies.
But yet she knew very well that truth comes with lies.
She didn't have to wait that long, as Matsuri came springing out the door. She skipped towards Xiaomao with a curious look on her face.
"Guess what I heard, all of the consorts and most of ladies in waiting are all sick. Most people think they are cursed."
Xiaomao gave a questioning look, "Why do people think they are cursed? "
Matsuri sat on her chair and scooted it next to Xiaomao, "I heard that the witches and exorcists tried to free any demons that the Titans could've summoned, and once the eunuchs saw the fire, they began to grab their own necks and say they couldn't breathe. Poor souls died a few minutes later."
"Really now? Do you think they are cursed?" Xiaomao questioned recalling her own investigation of the matter to herself.
But before Matsuri could answer, a grand commotion was heard from out the academic chambers. All the students ran out to see what was going on. Matsuri and Xiaomao as well went to go see the commotion. On the side, Ren was watching quietly too.
It was a lady in waiting, it was one of Consort Nari's and she was running like a madman.
"Help me. Help me please. I can't breathe!!"
She exclaimed running around more until falling into the ground.
An exorcist brings out a lotus flower, a white rose, night queen flower, and a 3 star flower relic. She placed then in a mud bowl and added some saffron. After she added the saffron she lit the bowl into flames, causing the surrounding area into thick smoke. The surrounding people backed away after coughing a bit.
Because of the smoke, the lady in waiting coughed even more. She lay on the ground clutching her chest.
"Your killing me. Killing me... stop...stop... help me please..." She said weakly, her face becoming blue by the moment. She coughed even more, clutching her chest even more.
Somewhat figuring out what was going on about the future of the lady in waiting, the exorcist yelled for the doctor,
"Doctor! Bring the doctor. She's not breathing!"
Immediately, a doctor ran to the scene checking the pulse of the lady in waiting and started chest compressions. He stopped a few minutes later.
He stood up with wide eyes, "She is a serious case... I'm afraid she no longer is here with us. "
What kind of quack doctor was he?
Couldn't even tell a description of what happened.
Xiaomao sighed as she thought of what to do, she really just had to do everything. Quietly, she walked back to the academic chambers and sat in her seat as everyone bickered outside about the unfolding scene.
Slowly over time, the crowd dispersed from outside the academic chambers as the teacher instructed them back.
"Ok class, settle down. Calm down..." the professor said after hushing the children to sit down, after they were relatively more quiet he continued, "today we are going to explain our reports, I will call up each student so they can present."
The professor then glanced at the first report placed neatly on his desk.
"Alright... Paul you are up first. "
Paul, a young boy who heard his name being called trembled visibly.
"Ah eh um professor, uh can I go last sir? "
"No. End of discussion, come up even if you didn't complete the report. " The problem huffed and flicked his long white mustache back. He did not pity the failures.
Paul slowly walked down the aisle of students, passing by Xiaomao's desk. As soon as he walked by, he found him self greeting the floor with a mighty kiss.
"Ugh... what happened?.." Paul groaned standing up on his feet, wiping the dirt off his face.
"OMG I'm so sorry Paul. I am so sorry. Super sorry. Let me take you to the doctors office. Professor the pass?" Xiaomao exclaimed as Paul got up from the floor. Her foot was in Paul's way which was why he tripped.
Quite baffled the surprised and out of thought professor shook his head and gave her the pass.
Paul stared at Xiaomao in disbelief as well, "I uh but-"
"No buts come on, I'm soooo sorry. " Xiaomao said nearly dragging him out the chambers.
Paul let himself get dragged by the girl just keeping the thought that he would not have to present his empty report at the moment.
After going a bit far from the chambers Xiaomao let go of Paul, and dropped him on the ground.
"You can walk fine. Follow me to the nurse office. " she said dismantling the whole cutesy demeanor.
Paul flinched at the new demeanor, but followed. Xiaoamao held the pass and walked towards the doctor chambers.
The guards at the front gates were bulky with sleek black hair that was all tied with metallic hair pins. Those were the hairpins of the security eunuchs. They all had their own hairpins, each with different color too. They all represented what you were, or your role in the palace. Right now, Xiaomao had a white hairpin which showed she was merely a student maid.
The guards stared at the pass and checked whether or not it was authentic. After they checked its authenticity they allowed Xiaomao and Paul in.
The doctor was infront the herbal section inside the office. Paul sat on the mat as the doctor spoke.
"And what may you children be here for?"
"He needs a bandage sir, is it in the adhesive section?" Xiaomao said, her voice now a higher pitch.
"Yeah yeah... you can go and grab it, if you knew where it was anyway. Let me come with you..." the doctor said following Xiaomao inside the medicinal room.
The medicinal room was a room Nazeeh would have had a fever dream of. Cabinets. Canisters. All of them were filled with exotic materials and herbs.
Xiaomao tried to not show her excitement as she hurried over and explored some of the canisters. She suddenly remembered that she was on a task and not on a holiday and she began searching for the bandages.
She grabbed the bandages and hurried out without seeing the doctor.
"Here. Bandage yourself up. " Xiaomao said handing him the bandages. She watched as Paul placed a few bandages in random places.
"My cookies?" Paul said scrunching his face, he was really hungry. We can sort of call him like a big back.
Xiaomao rolled her eyes as she took a bag out of her pocket and handed to him.
Paul slowly opened the bag and took a cookie out. He gobbled it down within seconds and went for another cookie. But right after he ate the third cookie, he was barely able to keep his eyes up.
He slowly dozed off and struggled to keep awake. Eventually the poor boy, let loose the bag of cookies and drifted off the a unwanted sleep.
Xiaomao took the cookies from him and ate a few. After a while of wandering around the office, the doctor finally came back.
"Where were you?? I thought I told you to- oh he's sleeping?" The doctor said surprised.
"That's not the main thing. I would like to ask you something." Xiaomao said her demeanor changing immediately, her face was filled with harsh coldness.
The doctor looked away from her harsh gaze, "What would you like to ask me?"
"What was the diagnosis of that deceased woman. " she said cutting straight to the chase. She stared sternly towards the doctor.
"Euuu um well she died from loss of oxygen. Her lungs deoxygenated, and her throat swelled to a point that she couldn't breath. " He said giving a professional answer.
"You realize those are both 2 different things right. " Xiaomao said dumbfounded.
"Egh and how would you know anyway. You have no idea what those words even are. Stop throwing around words." He said annoying after being told off by Xiaomao.
"Doesn't matter if I am throwing around words. Just take this. More people are going to die because of you. Do better. "
Xiaomao said giving the doctor one last look and then walked out dragging Paul along, pass in her hand.
As she left, the doctor looked at the paper Xiaomao handed to him. He huffed and put the paper in his pocket. He wasn't just going to believe whatever this student girl was talking about. She should stick with her own specialties like studying and cleaning.
Class was done now so the academic chambers were empty. Xiaomao dropped Paul infront of the academic chambers and slowly walked back to her own chamber. She arrived at her chamber but stopped, "What do you want."
A silhouette of a boy was seen from the dark hallways. "I guess you noticed me. Well done."
"You need anything?" She said exasperated, her voice sharing faint hints of annoyance.
"I heard what you did back there. I wouldn't have used Paul, personally." The boy said coming closer to sight.
He had the darkest of hair, you could compare it to the night and still be jealous, just like his eyes. However his face was something totally different.
His face, with the sharpest jawline, was one of the most symmetrical one ever. One of the most smoothest faces I've seen. Not a blemish or mark, other than the birthmark on his neck.
His nose, tall and sharp fell in shape with his face. His cheek round and sharp on the walls. His fair skin blending in and standing out at the same time. His eyebrows looked as if they were drawn by soft gray pencil in one go. No wonder so many people fawned over him.
"I just brought him to the nurse?" Xiaomao she said adjusting her new demeanor. She wondered as to why he was asking about his. But honestly she just didn't care.
"I can't believe you can't recognize me. With such a high ego of myself, I can't be but feel hurt from your cluelessness. " the boy said walking infront of Xiaomao.
"I know who you are. However, I can barely see you in the dark." She sighed, so predictable. The boy finally took off the hood of his cloak and revealed himself. It was Ren.
"Why did you drug Paul." Ren said eyeing Xiaomao as he leaned on her door.
"I have no idea what you mean." Xiaomao said not letting loose, "Look I have things to do if that's all your going to ask me, you're wasting your time." She said shutting the door on his face.
She fell onto her bed and laid there for a while. She stared at her sister finger, the moon crescent visibly dark on her pale white finger.
She brought her finger up to her lips letting them linger. She then huddled herself close and slept.
On the other side, the boy was baffled after Xiaomao closed the door on him. "Where did I see her before..." He mumbled closing his eyes as he thought.
Sighing, he brought his lighter and cigarette and lit one up as he leaned on Xiaomao's door.