Whispers in the Dark
The East Wing - Min Chae's Quarter
Min-chae sat in the dimly lit chamber, the only sounds being the crackling of a small fire and the wind outside. The East Wing was eerily silent, cut off from the rest of the palace. It was as if she did not exist.
She preferred it that way
Her fingers traced the cool steel of the dagger resting on the table. This place… this palace… was a den of vipers. She had seen it before, in the Northern Kingdom, when false smiles hid the sharpest daggers. She had survived that. She would survive this.
A knock broke the silence
Hana, the only maid assigned to Min-chae, entered hesitantly. Her eyes flickered with worry.
Hana (Min- Chae Maid)
(whispering, bowing her head): "My lady… they are speaking of you."
Min-Chae
(unbothered, pouring tea): "Let them."
Hana (Min- Chae Maid)
(nervously looking around): "They say you are a ghost, that His Majesty was cursed after marrying you."
Min-Chae
(scoffing, sipping her tea): "A ghost? How unoriginal."
Hana (Min- Chae Maid)
(anxious, twisting her hands): "Lady Konstantina’s maid, Irene, has been spreading rumors. The servants… they mock you. They say you are hiding because you are deformed."
Min-Chae
(placing her teacup down with a soft clink): "Rumors are a coward’s weapon. Let them play their little games."
Hana (Min- Chae Maid)
(whispering): "But, my lady… if you allow them to walk over you, they will not stop."
Min-Chae
(smirking, eyes glinting dangerously): "Then we shall see how they fare when they step too close to the abyss."
The Grand Hall - Afternoon
The palace was alive with chatter, nobles and servants alike whispering about the mysterious third wife. Despite being married to the king, she had not attended a single gathering, had not been presented at court, had not even been seen.
Konstantina, adorned in a deep emerald gown, sat beside Lady Sophia at the grand dining table. Her black hair cascaded over her shoulders, her lips curled in amusement as Irene whispered in her ear.
Irena (Konstantina's Maid)
(softly, smirking): "The servants say she hides because she is ugly, deformed. Perhaps His Majesty pitied her."
Konstantina
(chuckling lightly, her emerald eyes glinting with malice): "Pity is a dangerous thing, Irene. It turns weak men into fools."
Irena (Konstantina's Maid)
(giggling): "Shall we send her a gift, my lady? A mirror, perhaps?"
Konstantina
(smirking, twirling the golden goblet in her hands): "No need. Let her continue lurking in the shadows. The moment she steps into the light… she will break."
Sophia, dressed in soft ivory, remained quiet. Her brown eyes flickered with unease.
Sophia
(softly): "Must you be so cruel, Konstantina?"
Konstantina
(raising a delicate brow): "Cruel? My dear Sophia, we are simply stating facts. A wife who refuses to show her face is a wife unworthy of a crown."
Sophia
(lowering her gaze, fingers gripping the edge of the table): "Perhaps she does not wish for a crown."
Konstantina
Chuckling): "Then she should not have married a king."
The Countryard - Nightfall
The palace guards trained in the courtyard under the moonlight, their swords clashing, their heavy breaths filling the cold night air. Among them, a shadow moved unseen—silent, quick, deadly.
Min-chae balanced effortlessly on the wooden beams above, watching, analyzing. A lifetime of discipline had taught her patience, control.
One of the guards below swung too slow, his opponent nearly cutting through his defense.
Min-Chae
(softly, murmuring to herself): "Sloppy."
She could take them all down in minutes. The thought amused her.
A sudden movement caught her attention.
A lone figure—hooded, lurking near the servant’s entrance to the West Wing. Suspicious. Too suspicious.
The hooded figure moved swiftly, weaving through the darkened corridors. But Min-chae was faster.
In a blink, she was behind them.
Min-Chae
(coldly, pressing a dagger to their throat): "You have five seconds to explain why you are sneaking through the palace."
Hooded Figures
(panicked): "P-please! I meant no harm! I-I only carry messages!"
Min-Chae
(voice like ice): "Messages for whom?"
Hooded Figures
"Lady Konstantina… I only deliver what I am told—!"
Her eyes darkened. She had expected palace games, but Konstantina was moving too soon.
Min-Chae
(low, dangerous): "Tell your mistress… I do not play by her rules."
With a flick of her wrist, she sent the figure stumbling forward, disappearing into the night.
She had been content in the shadows. But it seemed they would not let her rest.
If they wished to test her..
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