Princess Youxia sighed as she looked at the servant opening the doors for her. “Why is it closed?”

“His majesty is asleep inside and Consort Kwon as ordered, I close the doors.”

She nodded as she walked away. She wasn’t really interested in the answer. Yawning as she looked around for her sister, she bumped into Ae Cha’s lady-in-waiting. She bowed to Youxia, saying, “You’ve come again, princess.”

She nodded, “Yes. Have you seen my sister?”

She raised a brow. It was known around the palace that since her arrival that Princess Youxia wasn’t interest in knowing her mother Consort Kwon. But since before the announcement of her father’s pregnancy, she’s been visiting the consort’s palace to see her sister.

They’d often recite poems, paint, do beadwork—Yerim was good at singing and Youxian often enjoyed listening to her while she did embroidery or painting. 

“She’s in the pavilion with her mother.” She said.

Youxia nodded and made her way to the pavilion after asking for tea. 

When Consort Kwon saw Youxia, she smiled, “Oh welcome, princess, are you here to visit your sister?”

She nodded as she sat down, “Mn, I’ve been feeling down all day and I was hoping Yerim would sing for me.”

Consort Kwon nodded, looking at her daughter, she said, “Yerim, you’re so lucky. Your sister has come all this way to hear you sing.”

Yerim gazed at her sister, then grinned. She got up from sitting beside her mother and sat down on Youxia’s lap. Hugging her sister, she asked, “Eonni, can I not? I’m tired.”

Youxia harrumphed, “Then I’m leaving. Get off.”

She squeezed her arms as she giggled, “Okay, okay, I give up, but you have to buy me something when the merchant comes.”

Youxia agreed. She’d get their father to pay—it had nothing to do with her.

Consort Kwon stood up when she saw her maid-in-waiting arrival with a tray of tea. Looking at Youxia saying, “I’ll leave you two.”

Walking up to her lady-in-waiting, she nodded her head, receiving a nod in return. She walked up to the girls and saw that Yerim was sitting with her back against Youxia’s chest, singing.

She placed the tray down, then stepped to the side.

Looking at the tray, she smiled, then closed her eyes, leaning her head against her sisters as she listened and retreated to her thoughts.

Running her fingers through Yerim’s hair, she had a peaceful smile on her face. “Your hair is growing again.”

“I know! Mommy has a new recipe. Do you want to try it?” She asked excitedly.

“No!” 

Yerim pouted. “You never want to try new things.”

“I’m doing your hair, aren’t I?” she asked.

Yerim chuckled. She looked at the lady-in-waiting and mumbled, “She’s always watching us.”

“Ignore her. She’s just doing her job.”

“I know.”

Looking at her, she asked, “Can you get us something to snack on? I heard Chef Lee is making plum cakes.”

“Plum cakes?” Yerim questioned.

“Mn, they taste delicious,” she answered.

Reluctantly leaving to the kitchen, she rushed to find one of the maids to watch over the girls, but as always, she was late.

Yerim scrunched her face as she rubbed her head. “Why are you always pulling my head?”

“Because you’re always moving,” she grumbled.

Placing the silver needle in its hiding spot, she tied up her hair, saying, “Okay, I’m done now. Sing again.”

Yerim rolled her eyes. “I want the plum cakes.”

*

Changling woke up to the sound of clanking. Turning to his left, he saw his daughter sitting by the desk not too far from the bed, drinking tea and eating cakes while she read a book of bamboo sticks. 

He smiled. She looked so peaceful, but she also looked like someone he despised. His heart was broken and he couldn’t bear to face this child. He had been avoiding her like he was avoiding the one he loved–only because he needed to repair his heart.

He sat up on the bed, leaning against the backrest. He watched her.

Sometime passed as he watched her. “Do you want anything to drink?”

Her voice was calm, calculative, but she was focussed.

“No,” he said.

“It’s not as though I came here to poison you.” She scoffed as she picked up the cup beside her and held it out. Finally, turning to her father, she asked, “Do you want?”

He nodded as he stared into her eyes. Her eyes were as bright as Youxian’s, but it definitely held his bravery.

“Will you bring it to me?” He asked her.

Placing the book down, she got up and walked over to the bed. Stopping, she handed it to him respectfully.

Taking the cup, he didn’t think twice and slurped it up in one go. His eyes widened as he swallowed it. Letting out a cough, he asked her, “When did you start drinking?”

Staring at her father, she raised a brow. “I don’t drink. I prepared this for you.”

“You did?” He asked. He didn’t know the taste, but it was sweet. She nodded her head.

Youxia stared at her father for a moment, then raised a brow. “I see you are well.”

He nodded awkwardly. “Are you here to check up on me?”

“Your consort doesn’t know that I’m here.”

“You shouldn’t refer to your mother like that. You need to speak using res–”

“She’s not my mother, nor will I accept her as one. It’s enough that I’ve accepted the crown princess and call her mother.”

“Youxia,” he called.

“Father?”

He sighed, handing her the cup. He asked, “Have you come to start a fight with me?”

Turning her back to him, she walked back to the desk and sat down in her place. Pouring a cup, she lifted it to her lips as she picked up the book, saying, “I came to look at you. No one asked you to speak to me.”

He sat on the edge of the bed staring at her. “I thought you said it isn’t for you.”

But there was no answer from her. Youxia remained silent. 

Ten minutes later, Consort Kwon walked in with a smile on her face and a tray in her hand with a bowl and towel for him to wipe his sweat away.

When she saw Youxia sitting in the room, her smile faltered, but she held it. Her pause was noticed but ignored by the child in the room.

Walking up to the bed, she asked, “Did you sleep well?”

He nodded, “Thank you.”

Turning to Youxia after she handed the tray over, she said, “I thought you left. If I knew you were here, I would have prepared more food.”

Changling glanced over at her. His consort was really considerate of his daughter but this child…

Rolling up the book, she stood up saying, “I’m not staying.”

“Youxia, its late,” her father said.

She bowed to him and started walking.

“I am speaking!” 

Youxia left a scoff. “I don’t know what makes you think I’ll listen to someone who’s still asleep.”

Changling grew angry.

“I’ll ask the servants to follow her,” Ae Cha said and rushed out after her.

*

With the servant at her heels, she made her way to the main palace. One eunuch shadowed her as she walked around. Reaching the emperor’s quarters, she was announced and walked in.

Her grandfather was sitting in his bed, with his salt and pepper hair cascading over his shoulders. He smiled, “You’re disturbing my sleep, child.”

Climbing on his bed, she said, “I was visiting my father.”

“And visiting my palace has become a habit of yours.” he raised a brow.

“Is it okay if I have dinner here? I don’t think I want to sleep in my palace tonight, and I really want to return this book and borrow more.”

“And fall asleep in the palace inventory again?” He asked.

SHe chuckled with a nod, “I’ll eat first.”

He nodded his head. Looking at the eunuch, he said, “Let them prepare something light for her. It’s late. Make sure you guard her.”

Youxia kissed him on the forehead.

*

In the inventory, Youxia made her way to one of the shelves. She opened a jade box and pulled out the needle hidden in her robe’s belt. Placing the needle into the small bottle inside the box, she closed it and chose a book off the shelf.

Sitting down, she stared into the flame of the candle on the desk. Her mind travelled far surrounding the contents of the bottle, wondering, ‘How much longer until it works?’