The Other Side of the Mask

I open my eyes back to reality. Prince Fu is standing over me with a worried look on his face. Once he saw me wake up, he relaxed. I sit up and see JiangXue standing behind the prince with a worried look too.

"You're granted an audience with the Royal Family to discuss the future!" the Prince says brightly.

"Okay…" I get up and walk into the bathroom myself. Prince Fu leaves the room and JiangXue helps me get ready. I wear one of those poofy dresses again and head to the Royal Hall.

I kneel before the Royal Family and say, "Your majesty, you have called?"

Prince Fu starts, happily, " I would like you to rejoin the trials. Will you accept?"

The Queen cuts in, "Son!"

I have no reason to rejoin. Even if I do like XiaoLong, I don't deserve him after what I've done.

"I'm sorry, your majesty. I will not accept. It is improper for a commoner like me to become Queen. I would at most become a concubine."

"QiLing…"

"Leave her. At least she has some common sense and made the right decision. If she was a noble, then I would allow it," the Queen states sternly, "You may leave."

I stand up. I curtsy one last time, and I see XiaoLong's face full of sorrow. I give him one last sad smile and leave the hall.

"Mistress…"JiangXue looked at me with sadness in her eyes.

I turn and ignore it. I walk back to my room and gather a bag of my belongings. JiangXue packs some food for me too.

"Thank you," I say to her gratefully. Then, I walk out the gates with hateful eyes on me. They still blame me for poisoning the prince. I probably won't be able to live in this country with all these eyes. News spread fast. I walk out of the capital and head towards my hometown. I walk and walk. I even camp out for one night. I catch fish in a pond. I build fires. I hitchhike on a wagon when I'm tired, giving the driver some money.

I finally arrived in my hometown. I could see familiar faces, but they are filled with disdain. They stay away from me and I walk unknowingly toward my house. I can see that my 'parents' were home, since the lights were on. I look down at the doorstep. It's familiar, from my dream?! Does that mean that it wasn't a dream?

If that is so, then.

I turn to the forest and run there. As I knew, there's a river. It's the river that separated Ri Kingdom and Yue Kingdom. That means… My real parents are in Ri Kingdom! I hurriedly cross the fast shallow river. Along the way, I fall into the water, but I don't care because I finally found a purpose! Something not fake in my life!