THE LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN LOTUS (COMPLETE) WATTY2020

CHAPTER 2

When the messenger came to him to inform him that she was awake he was happy. He wanted to ride there straight and see her face but he stopped himself. The last time he saw her, she was very angry at him. He had never seen her mad like that before. Upsetting her was the last thing he ever wanted and yet he did. After their quarrel, she collapsed and never woke up. He blamed himself everyday and drank wine everyday to forget it all but it was impossible.

He was faking his sleep when he heard the commotion. He knew the reason the second his room was stormed by the palace's female guards. Those guards were known to be notorious, skilled and great assassins too. They only protected one person and it meant that she was here. He tried not to go with them but they were the best. He was in the hall when he saw her drinking her wine. She lifted her face and their gaze met each other for some seconds. Her eyes were filled with something he had never seen before.

She made an order and disappeared like that. Was she still angry with him that she couldn't even wait for him? He was taken out of the flower house and he was escorted into the Saintess' carriage which meant she left alone. What if something happens to her? He wouldn't be able to forgive himself. He looked at Nora, the maid who was always around the Saintess.

'Don't worry, she is not mad at you and she will be fine,' Nora answered the questions he didn't even ask.

'No wonder why she keeps you around. You are very good,' he said.

'It takes practice and a lot of patience. There were times she would lock me up and punish me so harshly that I hated her. As time passed I realized that all she did was to make me strong and I don't hate her for that,' Nora said.

'I just seem to always disappoint her after everything she had done for me,' he blamed himself.

'Then try harder, don't give up. You shouldn't have stayed at the flower house though, I think she won't forgive you easily for that,' Nora said.

'Didn't you just say that she is not mad?'

'I did but who would be happy after witnessing all that. I guess you should start thinking of ways to make her smile when you see her,' Nora said and laughed.

He knew she was a joker and she was trying to make him feel better in a way but he knew exactly the bad things he had done. He would look for her, get down on his knees and beg for forgiveness until she forgives him.

They arrived at the palace and the first thing he did was to go to the Saintess' room. She was not there.

'Where is she?' he asked the maids guarding the door.

'She didn't come back, young Lord,' one of the maids replied.

Where would she be right now? He had to find her and settle with her. He left the palace and began to search for her in places she always liked to be. She wasn't at her parents' tomb so he went to look for her there. He saw her from afar and ran as fast as he could. She turned around and faced him. He couldn't read her expression at all, so he moved in closer.

She was staring at the golden lotus which was in the middle of the lotus pond. He had heard some rumors of how that lotus was important to her. According to the legend and stories that people talked about; he heard that the lotus turned gold the day the Saintess was born. To be honest, he found it very difficult to believe such stories and he didn't have the courage to ask the Saintess about it.

He knelt on the ground the second he reached her and she kept looking at him without saying a word.

'I'm sorry for what I made you go through. I shouldn't have quarreled with you, I should have just listened and follow your word but I was too stubborn and made you sick. I will accept any punishment from you,' he pleaded and bowed down.