The Empty Nest
If it had been only her son or only the money at stake, Ana would never have dabbled in something so dangerous that it could cost her her livelihood. But with both on the line, she had no choice but to accept. She had no particular loyalty to the Imperial family anyway. She had always done her duty wherever she worked, provided she was paid for it. The Imperial Palace didn't demand any grand sense of devotion from a laundry maid, nor did they verify such things when hiring.
The man hadn't asked her to do anything overly dangerous, either. All she was required to do was play ignorant, even if the laundry baskets she carried out to the washhouse outside the palace at sunset felt abnormally heavy.
That was easy enough. It wasn't as if she were smuggling in an assassin or stealing precious treasures. While it was entirely possible that the baskets contained something dangerous if discovered, Ana chose to close her eyes to it.
Even after receiving the payment, Ana felt no change for a while. Her heart grew light quickly. She even thought that perhaps the job had already been completed without her knowledge.
But eventually, the day came when the laundry basket grew heavy. Ana struggled, loading the basket onto the cart alone so the other maids wouldn't notice.
The guards thoroughly inspected items entering the palace, but they were generally lax with items leaving. Recently, with the escort knights and senior staff frequently absent for unknown reasons, the Empress's palace was practically empty. Ana was able to leave with the laundry basket without drawing anyone's suspicion.
She had only been instructed to leave the palace grounds; she hadn't heard anything beyond that, so she took the basket to the washhouse as usual.
It was only when she had almost reached the washhouse that a woman popped out of the basket.
"Good heavens!"
Startled, Ana let out a cry. The coachman driving the cart turned around, asking what was wrong. She hurriedly covered the woman's head with a sheet and shouted.
"It's nothing! A giant bug came out!"
"Good grief, acting all delicate all of a sudden."
The coachman clicked his tongue and turned back around. Sensing his gaze, Ana gave the woman a subtle signal that it was safe to come out.
The woman crawled out, overturning the basket. She was a bit older, but a pretty woman. Judging by her attire, she appeared to be a cleaning maid. Having never seen the Empress's face, Ana could never have imagined that this was Lilian.
'Did she steal something?'
She was a bold thief to be hiding in the Imperial Palace. Then again, thinking of the man who had come to bribe her, this was no petty thief.
Ana set the basket upright again and stuffed the spilled sheets back inside. Meanwhile, Lilian, hiding between the baskets, gasped for air.
She thought her heart would burst from the tension. But she was safe now. The hardest part had been slipping past the guards, and the next was getting out of the palace, and she had succeeded in both.
"Thank you."
Lilian thanked Ana for her help and looked out of the cart. The cart, piled high with laundry, was moving slowly.
She could get off now. Though she had lived a noble life for a long time, she was originally a commoner, and even a dancer.
She took off a ring she was wearing, handed it to Ana—who was still wide-eyed—and lightly jumped off the cart.
The road was already growing dark, but she could see the waters of the Renos River stained red by the sunset. She walked toward the river with quick strides.
If she could just reach the Flower Nest, Zion would be there. When she met him, she would kiss his entire face. Lilian’s footsteps felt light and buoyant at the thought. Surely, he would have prepared everything for them to leave Sirach.
There would be a pursuit, but they would surely escape safely. Just as she had slipped out of the Imperial Palace. To her, all of this felt like a trial to complete their love.
At the end of that trial, there would be quiet, simple happiness.
The sun had set while she walked along the river, but the moonlight was bright enough that she didn't need a lantern. A little afraid of meeting some ruffian in the dark, Lilian took long, confident strides. It was a familiar path she used to walk with Zion, but perhaps because she was alone today, it felt a little frightening.
A cruise ship with its decks brightly lit was moving leisurely across the river. The sound of music drifted far into the distance.
Lilian found comfort in that and continued on her way.
Finally, she arrived at the landing where the bird's nest had been. But there was no one, and nothing, there.
"Zion...?"
Thinking he might be hiding nearby, she looked around, calling out in a low voice. But there was no answer.
There was no preparation for flight, as she had imagined. There were no carriages or boats, only the encroaching darkness.
For the first time, Lilian felt fear and shuddered.
"Zion! Stop playing around!"
She shouted loudly. It was impossible that Zion wasn't here. It must be too dark to see. He had written that he would wait until she arrived on June 15th. The location couldn't be wrong, either. The tree they had looked up at while talking about the Flower Nest was clearly right in front of her.
"Zion! Zion!"
No matter how many times she called, there was no reply.
'Is he late?'
Suppressing the anxiety that was washing over her, Lilian tried to think that way. It was possible. Surely something had happened and...
She tried to make excuses for his lateness, but the anxiety only grew. She had been so preoccupied with thoughts of escape and a hopeful future since receiving the letter that she had forgotten, but perhaps Sophia had harmed Zion in the meantime.
Her whole body began to tremble.
'What if something really happened?'
Was Zion safe? Had he been captured? Had he suffered? What if, what if he was dead?
If he didn't come, what would she do?
Should she run away alone? She had to save Zion, right?
Confusion turned her mind into a mess. Cold sweat began to break out on Lilian's back. She crouched down, gasping for breath. No, nothing would happen. He was just late. Maybe he had a lot to prepare... or maybe she had handled the letter wrong. There had been a time constraint, and perhaps the wax hadn't been applied properly, and she hadn't known?
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Just then, the sound of galloping horse hooves approached from afar, vibrating the ground. Lilian turned pale. It was clear that they had discovered her disappearance from the Empress's palace and sent pursuers.
She stood up in a hurry, but there was no way she could outrun a horse. Not knowing what to do, she scrambled to hide behind a tree, waiting for the knights to pass in the darkness, when a group of four or five Imperial servants appeared from the other side of the path.
"There she is!"
Lilian didn't even calculate the possibility of escape; overwhelmed by terror, she just ran. But the pursuers were far faster than her.
"We've found her!"
Almost at the same time someone shouted, Lilian was grabbed by the arm. As if they had heard the shout, the sound of hooves returned.
"Let go, let go of me!"
Lilian struggled, trying to shake them off, but several strong hands from the servants grabbed her arms, shoulders, and waist, pinning her down so she couldn't move.
The knights who had just passed by returned, dismounted, and ran to the riverbank. Lilian shrieked.
"Aaaah! Let go! I said let go!"
Her shrill scream pierced the night sky.
The bright light flowing from the leisurely passing cruise ship illuminated the riverbank. Lilian suddenly realized that the people on that ship must be watching her.
The knight who had taken her from the servants and was holding her arms twisted behind her back also seemed aware of this; he frowned and turned his body to hide her face.
A loud shout came from the cruise ship.
"Do you need assistance? It seems a noble person is in distress!"
The knight tried to refuse. Whoever was on that ship, they were clearly from the upper class. Someone among them would surely know the Empress's face.
Lilian recognized that voice. Forgetting even how to breathe, she muttered blankly.
"Zion...?"