The Curious Play 7 If Only Time Stood Still.!!

Its been five days since Duke Yan Wu, grounded his daughter, Princess Xiao Ye'er after she disappeared in the lake and made herself quite a ridiculous feat, infront of his Majesty and other important ministers in the palace.

She even forgot all the words of curtesy that Xin'er and Si'niáng*  tought her, she stood there like a statue. .plus the shocked she had when she saw a familiar face sitting beside his Majesty's. 

Who would have known their path will cross again, after she leaved him and disappeared in the lake. .and out of million people he's happened to be the Crown Prince.

"Why it has to be him?" She casually asked herself and wrote in her book.

She was bored to death, she's not even allowed to take a step outside in her chamber, there were five guards who stood still, at her door. 

Her father already changed the guards two times and this time he put, all deaf and mutes guardsmen so she could not tricked them again. Xin'er was also confine with her.

"Fetched me a book and a brus.h.!.+" She told Xin'er one time. Out of her boredom she wrote everything that she dream and experienced. .she just stop when she remember about her accident in the lake.

Just like in Princess diary she was also pushed by someone and almost drowned to death, luckily she was save by that "Psycho!" She said to herself, remembering how did he humiliated her infront of everyone. .makes her enrage with anger. .

If she had only knew that he had a weird, exotic taste. .a very bad taste! "You looked like a cactus in a pot!" She remembered exactly what he said. .and even his laughed.

She disguised herself into an ugly lady so she won't be selected who would have thought he already knew her. .

she should have dress herself nicely and make herself beautiful and walked like those annoying ladies. .and she should have sneered on him and ignored him. ."And I shouldn't  have gone to see that pavilion!" 

out of her fury, she bang the table with her fist that startled the guards and rush over to her.

She wave them out and continue writing. .she suddenly stop when she remembered something important. .On that day she did not see anyone, it was very quiet and the weird thing was, she suddenly smell a scent and it was quite familiar. .then she felt like something stung on her.

Sorting those things that happened to her, she concluded that she was somehow related to that princess. .and that everything, that has written into her diary, somehow, will happened to her in the future. .

What makes her difficult to guessed what will happened next and when it will happened is her memory. . sometimes out of the blue it will just came and goes. Thinking those things makes her felt tired and exhausted she lean her head in the table. .

"Xiǎo mèimei. ."*

"jiě!"* She jerked, surprised to see her elder sister. "Why are you here. ? If Fùqīn will see you here you will be in trouble!"

Her elder sister give a soft bark of laughter. She then picked a comb "Fùqīn,* will never confined you anymore. You will be entering in the palace soon!" She said while combing her hair.

"Who said I want to go?" She said defiantly. "Beside I already promise myself  to someone else" she frowned. 

She did not notice that her sister smirked.

"We could not decide for ourselves. .we have to considered our parents!" She said."hao'la. .its done,come with me!"

"Where are we going. .Fùqīn will. .

"don't worry. .were just going to take a walked who knows. .tomorrow I could no longer see you!" She said grimly. "If you already married it will be hard for you to come home and visit us. ."

"Why is that?"

"Silly you have to asked permission, to your Zhàngfū* and you can't just go home with out him!"

"What?"

She laughed." You will understand soon, come on! the driver is waiting for us" 

"But I have to informed Xin'er. .

"No need!" She abruptly interrupt her. "We have to go now, otherwise we will be dark soon. We have to come back before Fùqīn does. ."

"Ok!"

"I want to show you something. .its almost autumn now, the moon s.h.i.+ne the brightest in that place. !"

"Really?" She exclaimed excitedly. She moved the curtain and stick her head outside to see the scenery. She did not noticed her sister's behavior, she was too engrossed to see it. 

Her sister was clutching both her hands, as if she was nervous or thinking on something. She also sighed many times and there was an expression in her face, that one couldn't tell what exactly it was.

"How far are we going to go,jiě?"

"The driver knows. .he will tell us if we were there. ." She suddenly becomes irritated.

" jiě, What is wrong?"

"Nothing" she forced a fake smile. 

Suddenly, the carriage stop in motion and the driver informed them that they already arrived.

She stepped down first. .true to her sister's words the place is indeed beautiful. It was already dark, the sky already kiss the sun goodbye and its time for the moon to showed up. .

"mèimei, slowly. .slowly!"

She runs toward the clift, unaware of the danger that her sister had prepared for her. .

There she saw the valleys down in the clift. .the tress in the forest were decorated with so many fire flies and the sky were full of stars. .then finally the moon slowly rise up. .

"Beautiful. .beautiful!" Her young and innocent heart could only admire such beauty. .she even wish time stood still. ."I hope time will stood still!" She prayed silently. .

mesmerized by the beauty and magic of nature she forgot that her sister was with her. .

"mèi. .

She turn arround and smiled at her sister but who would have known what will happend next. .

"Im sorry. !" She then pushed her. .

"Why. ." Her question froze in the air when she found herself falling down rapidly into the cliff. She was trying to grab her, but she turn her back on her,instead. 

Her scream echoed in the silence of the night. .she remember the looked in her sister's eyes. It was like fire burning. . Hate!

There was nothing, but hatred. .she did not even had a trace of remorse in her face she even smirked at her. there was actually a monster that lies behind her sister's composed and gentle personality . .its pity. .its pity! 

One thing she could not forget is the extreme hatred she suddenly felt toward her. .

The moon shone the brightest above where she landed. .it was as if guiding her and giving her lights into her flickering sight. 

She felt like her body was shattered  into pieces. . But it was her heart and broken soul that hurt the most not her physical body. .

Tears silently fell into her eyes. ."this is probably the reason why the night seems to be perfect. .this night was intended for me!" 

If only time stood still. .

She smiled bitterly and everything went black. . .

"Gōngzhǔ. .Gōngzhǔ. !"* she realized that someone is shaking her harshly. "Why are you crying, what happened to you?"

She open her eyes. .and the first thing she saw was Xin'er looking at her worriedly. "What happened?" 

She look arround confusedly, she saw the moon through the intrance of her chamber. ."its still shone on me. ."

 It took a little while before she realized that she's in a different place and was still alive. .She hugged her tightly and sob."I remember now. .I remember everything!" She sank in Xin'er arms, sobbing heartily. ."Xin'er I died. .why I had to die? Why. ?" 

The pain she felt was unbearable, it was like yesterday. .she's scared! the moment she saw herself fell down in the cliff feels like she fell in there for a thousand times. .it keeps on coming back into her head. "Xin'er why I had to die. ?" 

Yes she died. .she saw herself died but who is she now? she's alived isn't she? She was starting to questioned herself. "Who I am?"

"Gōngzhǔ. !" Xin'ers heart melt by looking at her. She also cried, "Im sorry I wasn't with you that night. .this Nubi deserves a thousand death!" 

"She pushed me. .I fell down and. .

"What is going on here. ?

"Fùqīn. ." Her heart suddenly felt warm and secured when she heard her father voice. .she stood up and runs towards him.

She throw herself on him and hug him tightly. "Fùqīn. .Im sorry. .Im really sorry!" She was starting to be hysterical and Duke Yan had to do something.

Though he had no idea what was going on, still no father could bear to see his daughter on that state. .his heart was broken, he had to knocked her down against his will, and asked the Tài fú* to come. 

"What happened Xin'er. .what makes the Gōngzhǔ upset?"

"This nubi doesn't know Lǎo yé"* even if she knew she will not going to betray the princess. .

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Note:

Si'niáng*  -   courtesy name for aunt

Xiǎo mèimei -  little sister

jiě          -simplified term for big sister               

Fùqīn              - simp. Term for father.

Zhàngfū         - traditional name for                                  husband 

Gōngzhǔ        - princess

Tài fú              - doctor

Lǎo yé      -simp. name for old master

                      Xièxiè