บท 51: FIRST SNOW
Back in the Palace, maids and servants were in a hurry to complete the assigned duties. Grand and the magnificent ceremony was expected tonight.
This was the third day that Wan Hu did not come to pay a visit to his mother, Queen was little concerned.
King Shang was busy in the court to deliver the newly appointed officials their duties. In the main hall, maids and servants rushed here and there to fill their duties.
Colorful patches of muslin and flowers were used in the decoration of the main hall, more than twenty types of dishes were ordered to the royal kitchen for the noble guests.
Queen waited for her son all day.
She was sure that Henan would come at the right time; she wanted to talk to Wan Hu about her choice though it was Wan Hu who would make choice for himself. Henan and co.
crossed and many Factions and reached the beginning of the last milestone toward East End, it was a thick forest.
Winter started with the first snow but this small group of men and one woman was perspiring due to the rampant journey.
They needed to stay and eat other than it would be impossible to cross the winding thick forest. They left the walkaway path and hide in the inner part of the forest.
Henan woke up after three hours of sleep.
She gestured two guards who were on alert, to go to sleep.
She readied her reflexive crossbow and arrows, wan Hu also woke up and saw Henan on alert. They were feeling better with this short sleep; the night was at its beginning hours.
Though it was full moon night it was also first snow night.
"I remember, it's your ceremony today?" Henan shortly remembered after to see Wan Hu. "I don't need to attend that ceremony; I am only worried for mother," he sternly looked at the falling snow.
"Why no, it's a big day for you, you should not miss it for my matters," she berated his lack of response.
"That ceremony is meant for me to choose a bride and I have already chosen my bride," he was still looking at the falling snow but now more gently.
"Really, I would love to meet her someday" she was little excited for him and he was little angry at her ignorance.
He took some hurried steps and blocked her vision completely, "You can meet her right now," Henan widened her eyes with surprise and did not even notice that it was the first time that he walked much closer to her.
"Is she around?" Wan Hu was boiling on her question in his mind by now, he was standing so close to her why she still did not notice, this was the height of ignorance.
Though he wanted to tell her that you were that girl he thought to play around.
"Just think that she loved so much her father that she is ready to face life dangers alone to find her father, I was thinking how much she would love her husband?" he moved with a smile and looking back at the snow and feeling lighthearted.
Henan soon found, there was something amiss, whom he was referring to; she was always wandering to find her father.
She was obsessed with one single idea and she did not notice that the boy Wan Hu had become a well-built young man with clearly most handsome features that she never noticed before, at this time she sneaked eyes to see him.
She turned her eyes immediately because she felt her heart thump loudly at this moment.
She shook her head because her priority was to find her father; everything else was secondary in her eyes.
......…
All esteemed guests were present in the Palace and were waiting for the King and Queen. The decorations were awe inspiring.
Soon the magnificent couple entered in the main hall, King and Queen were looking extremely gorgeous couple.
They greeted randomly by their ranks in the court, their women were standing with agape faces to see the gorgeous Queen, they felt envy certainly.
King and Queen were certain that their son would show up soon.
Officials presented gifts, all they chatted long but Prince did not show up, certain tension started to build up.
......….
Few unknown servants were also serving in the main hall, if one paid attention to them, one could see that these were not Palace servants.
They were waiting for the Prince to appear.
After midnight when it was clear that Prince would not show up, everyone was disappointed and thinking ways to get permission for their departure, it was humility for their families, they were invited by the King to attend the ceremony where his son would choose one of their daughters but where was Prince.
Intense gossip started among them.
They were offended but could not show it to King.
Half of the guests were gone with different excuses, remaining's were also seeking permission.
Huala…many swords were unsheathed, the moment King was left with few people around, King's shadow guards appeared at right moment and defended King, it was an intense fight, and the main hall was blocked too.
This continued with the efforts to pierce a sword in the heart of the King.
Shadow guards were powerful martial experts yet they were hardly making up with these servants. A sword got its target and pierced through the close ribs of left side from behind, King fell with anguish, though he himself was fighting.
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