TWO WEEKS AGO**
LINGYAN VILLAGE, A SMALL INN**
Zhuri was in the backyard working herself out as usual,even though her aunt,Sabrina,who's the owner of the inn is capable of getting workers to work for her,still,she never got any. Zhuri work all day with no rest,she serve the customers,do the cleaning and the cooking and so on.
Sabrina have a girl who's same age as Zhuri,Inaya. But she's like the princess of the house,she never do a thing,in a word,Zhuri can also be seen as a maid in there,maybe a slave might be better coz at least maids get paid but Zhuri doesn't.
As Zhuri cleaned,her stomach kept making noise continuously,who would believe her if she told them she ate about thirty hours ago?? Well that's how she starves everyday.
She live on the leftovers from the customers and even sometimes Sabrina would choose to bring up her wicked act and dispose the leftovers just for her to starve. Unending punishments without a reason.
Zhuri's only sin is that she's an orphan,Sabrina would mention it every chance she gets that she was the reason why her parents died. Poor Zhuri would cry her eyes out and would later stop because there's obviously no one to console her.
Moments later,Zhuri heard some footsteps coming closer to her and she looked back to see Inaya approaching her. She wore a beautiful red dress,her hair was looking so shiny,she's just gorgeous. Unlike her who only have one hanfu,it's torn on most parts,her shoes are tattered and her hair is unkept every time because she doesn't even have time for herself. Her body is full of scars from the beatings,her face is so rough and she feels so ugly compared to Inaya.
"Hey loser" Inaya smirked.
Zhuri said nothing.
"You have customers to serve,so follow me" Inaya said.
"What happened to you? Why must I be the only one? You can see I'm working...."
Inaya shifted closer
"Do you want it the hard way?" She whispers into her ear.
"So you better hurry up,mother will be here soon" She smiled and walked away.
Zhuri swallowed and got up,she knows better than ignoring Sabrina's call,she would be dead if she doesn't show up in a minute from now.
She wiped her sweat tiredly and Left the backyard.
She walked into the inn and went straight to Sabrina.
"I'm here" Zhuri muttered.
Sabrina gave her an angry glare but didn't say a word,she pushed the tray in her hand to Zhuri's chest.
"Room 103...you better do well this time or you're dead as your mother in hell" Sabrina said.
Zhuri bowed and immediately walked away,she could feel some pains under her feet but this isn't the time to check yet.
She finally stopped in front of the room and knocked gently,she heard a deep voice telling her to enter,she opened the door and went in.
A middle aged man was laying on the bed,definitely one of the usual merchants that patronizes them from time to time,his long hair and full beards looks irritating to Zhuri that she felt like poking,or is it because she's hungry like an homeless child?
The man grinned weirdly at Zhuri as she dropped his meals.
"Sabrina always have the most beautiful maidens,even though you're unkept right now,I don't mind" He said and Zhuri bashed her lashes in shock.
She don't want to believe it's whatever she's thinking in her head right now....Did Sabrina sell her out to this man?
"I will leave now" Zhuri immediately bowed and turned to go but the man grabbed her hand and pulled her back on the bed.
"Where are you going? Don't you know what to do again?" He asked and tried placing his lips on hers.
"Please stop!" Zhuri screamed and pushed him away forcefully with tears rolling down her eyes.
The man landed a slap on her face and pushed her aggresively on the bed.
"No!!! Please!!" Zhuri screamed with the remaining strength inside her.
She could remember the first time she got raped by one of their customers, Sabrina had told her to serve him as usual,unknown to Zhuri that it was all a set up.
He was too strong for her and he had his way,it was so painful that she cried for days,she was traumatized since then,she sworn never to experience such pain again and now this??
"No!!!" Zhuri was still struggling with him,the man was at the point of tearing her dress completely but somehow she got the strength and she pushed him off herself,she kicked his middle and ran out of the room in heavy tears.
At this point,she was finally done. Nobody has to tell her again that she's not wanted there,she would die and Sabrina wouldn't even blink out a tear. She's a nobody who will definitely die as a nobody.
But Zhuri wasn't ready to die,even if death comes knocking,she should die as a strong woman,a noble woman,not this way.
She found her way out of the inn,crying as she ran to where she doesn't even know. She was on the run for a while till she got a place to sit and rest,her breathe was draining away slowly.
**
It's been hours since she was seated in the same position,where would she go? It was already getting dark.
But then all of a sudden she remembered and old lady she had met few weeks back,she sounded like a seer and her words to Zhuri were..."YOUR FATE IS A DANGEROUS ONE BUT IF YOU ARE READY TO FACE IT,YOU MIGHT BE SAVED"
Zhuri got up almost immediately and started another run,she saw the lady on her way back from the stream that night but where would she find her now?
Strangely she saw some lanterns burning from afar,she had to stop running because this road is usually lonely and quiet,but where's that light coming from,? She started walking slowly then she saw a lady selling some old treasures,Zhuri wondered why one would even think of selling here,nobody is passing.
Nevertheless,she greeted with a bow and continue walking.
"You look like someone who's ready to face her fate" The lady said and Zhuri immediately turned.
"How.....how did you...." She stammered,right in front of her the lady changed to the old woman she met.
Zhuri immediately ran to her,breathing heavily.
"Old one....please....help" She broke into tears.
The woman smile.
"You sound desperate" She said.
"Yes I am...I'm dying slowly old one,I might not even last till the next full moon,I feel weaker every passing second,it's draining inside my soul,please" Zhuri cried.
The old woman said nothing,she only watched her.
"What am I supposed to do old one? I'm ready" Zhuri said in tears as she stood in front of the woman who smiled sinlessly.
"Are you saying this because of the pains?"
"Yes....."
"But who said you won't pass through pain where you're going?"
Zhuri said nothing.
"Think carefully before you make your decision child....."
"I don't think there's any other pain greater than the ones I've passed through,my whole life,as long as I will have you by my side,then please take me away from here"
"It's a journey to a dry tree"
Zhuri was confused.
"A dry tree?" She asked and the old woman smiled.
"A dry tree that have refused to bring forth flowers,,your FATE is to make it bloom again...child"
"If it's about that,I should be able to, old one,I love nature alot" Zhuri replied and the woman laughed.
"You will soon understand" She said
"Here" she searched through her treasures and handed a bracelet to Zhuri.
"Wear it and accept your fate no matter what" She said.
Zhuri immediately wore it around her Left wrist.
"What next?" She asked and the woman smiled.
******
MOON EMPIRE**
Zhuri opened her eyes slowly and looked around,it was blurry at first but then it started getting clear but at the same time more confusing.
'Where am I? What's this? How did I get here?' She was asking those questions In her head as she balanced herself to sit up.
She checked herself out,the dress on her body look so expensive that it became more strange,where are those scars all over her body?? But the shock became more when she mistakenly saw her face in the mirror. She screamed and immediately covered her mouth,she have another face entirely!!
'What's going on!!" She screamed and looked around her. It was then dawn on her,she was inside a palanquin.
'Who is this? Who owns this body?? Is she a princess??' Zhuri thought but seeing the eyes,she looks like one who have been crying.
She was so confused.
After some minutes,the palanquin stopped moving and the curtain was opened revealing an hefty cold looking man.
"Get Out" he said rudely and coldly
'I guess I'm wrong,the person who owns this body isn't a princess...then what is she?' Zhuri thought.
She was still thinking when she was dragged out and thrown on the ground.
"Ahh!" Zhuri screamed as her palms landed on thorns,she began bleeding from there.
👥 There she is!!!!!!!
The screams she heard made her look up and behold were hundred of citizens running over with angry looks on their faces.
👥 She don't deserve to be alive!!!
👥 She need to die!!!
Before she knew it,they began throwing stones on her,heavy ones. One landed on her head,nose,lips,chest,legs,all over her body and in a minute the white dress she on her was soaked with blood.
Zhuri was speechless as she struggled in pain on the ground.
What has this person done to deserve this kind of treatment??
Tears rolled down her eyes,she wanted to just die at that moment but still she was curious,who is this person??
👥 Her father is an animal in human skin!!!
👥 She must pay for everything her father did!!!
Bingo!!
This body is paying for what her father did,not what she did.
The hefty men dragged her up mercilessly not minding her Pains,that was when she looked up to see where they were.....
MOON EMPIRE.....THE PALACE.
As she was being pushed toward the gate,the people were still throwing stones at her...women,men,children,all of them.
Zhuri turned to look at them,she had lived her whole life being hated by the people she lived with,but now she would be hated by a whole town??
Her fate is to suffer her whole life,it's confirmed.
Tears rolled down her eyes.
"My lady!!!! My lady!!!!" She heard a tiny cracking voice from the back and she turned a little to see a girl in her twenties crying and trying to run over for her but the men wouldn't let her.
'Who's she?' Zhuri thought but couldn't take her eyes off her.
"Move!!!" She was pushed from the back and she fell on her knees.
"My lady!!!!" The voice screamed loudly and before Zhuri knew it,the girl released herself from those men and rushed over to her on the ground.
"My lady are you okay??" She asked.
Zhuri managed to nod her head.
"Please be fine,I will definitely find a way to save you out of this place,till then please hold everything in,I promised you right? I will be loyal to you forever" She was crying while talking and then Zhuri realized.
This girl is like a special maid to this new body.
"My lady" She still cried,touching Zhuri with shaking hands.
"I promise I will be..." The word get stuck in her throat and it was replaced by blood.
Zhuri's eyes widened.
The girl just got stabbed from the back
The sword came out in her stomach and Zhuri gasped.
"M.....my.....La....dy" She stuttered and fell on the ground.
"I....Alora.....promise to....to....serve you....even....in my death...." More blood spilled out of her mouth and her eyes went closed.
"No!!!!" Zhuri screamed out.
★★★★★
PRESENT DAY, MOON PALACE**
Inside the Royal chamber, Emperor Augustus was getting dressed up by the maids,his face was totally expressionless as they did all that. It's not a new thing anymore, even though nobody would dare look straight at his face,they are used to his cold and dark expressions.
Talking about his face,if anyone want to stay well and alive,don't try looking at his face directly. The last maid who tried it was killed right on the spot,he didn't make a move to kill her but his red eyes did the job.
They put on the royal attire on him and his long hair was Royally styled too. After everything,the maids all stepped away from him with their heads bowed.
"We are all done your royal majesty" They said at the same time.
"Leave" He said In his deep sweet voice.
They bowed once again and immediately walked out not wasting a second.
Almost immediately,Asher walked inside. He's a young man in his twenties,he was wearing his usual black outfit,and his sheathed sword always in his hand,He's the closest guard to him and the only guard who's always allowed into the chamber.
Lord Augustus was already staring out at the window with his two hands behind him when Asher entered the dressing room,he bowed behind him even though Lord Augustus's face wasn't on him.
"Your Majesty.....it's time for the meeting,the kings are all waiting in the court room" Asher reported without any mistake.
Under the Moon Empire are ten kingdoms,each of them have different kings but Emperor Augustus is in the highest rank,that is...He's like the king of the kings under the Empire.
"Your Majesty..."
Augustus turned and Asher bowed again.
"Is everyone ready?" He asked.
"Yes your majesty" Asher replied and he nodded.
Asher moved to the side,allowing him to pass before he followed.
Getting outside the chamber,other guards immediately followed behind,covering up the emperor,it's the royal belief that their ruler must always be guarded even in his own room,numbers of guards follow the Emperor everywhere he goes.
******
PALACE DUNGEON**
Zhuri opened her eyes which had dark circle under them,her lips look so pale and dry,she was tired and has no strength left inside her,she feel so weak. It's been about two weeks since she was locked up in the dungeon and the only thing she feed on everyday is a piece of rice cake which were thrown on the floor of the dungeon for her,no water at all.
She would throw the small rice cake in her mouth and chew that way even with the cracking sounds of sands and stones,even though that one piece doesn't do a thing in her body,not when there's no water ,but still she doesn't have a choice,she was determined to survive,even if it's until she get to know what this body did wrong,why is her soul in another body? What happened to her old body? What's her fate in here??
All these questions she want to ask,then after that she would conclude if she want to go on or just give up on living.
Her thoughts came to an end when she started hearing some footsteps,she looked up. Since she's been here,nobody have ever came here aside the guards outside the dungeon gate who doesn't really leave their positions unless the maids come with their meals.
She have been watching for days,those guards get fed three times in a day without a miss but she only get to eat once( at night) with just a piece of rice cake.
That was when she knew the sin committed by her so called father is something really unforgivable. But at the same time,she was curious who the empire Emperor is.
Her thought was once again interrupted when she caught a glimpse of a lady approaching the dark dungeon,she could see about five maids behind her and she wondered,who is she?
The Queen?? Would the Queen really come here??
As expected,the lady stopped right in front of the gate,her maids already stopped few steps away,the guards also left as If she said something.
Ximena smiled when she saw Zhuri.
"Oh poor child" She said with a fake sadness in her voice.
Ximena is the royal mistress,she's not like the usual one you've heard of. She was announced officially by the Emperor himself as his mistress.
According to him,he doesn't want a Queen by his sides,and through out his fifteen years of reign till this moment,he has never gotten interested in any of the noble ladies.
Ximena is like the mini Queen,coz she also have some responsibilities the king left in her charge,everyone respects her a lot.
Nobody ever disrespect the Emperor's woman no matter how low ranked she is.
"I know what you're thinking right now....I can feel your pain,it's really hard when your father is the criminal but you as the only daughter is treated this way. Don't hold in too much pain,coz you will be treated more badly than you might be imagining in your head,I will make sure of that" Ximena Said in a serious voice.
Zhiri didn't utter a statement,and when Ximena was done,she left.
'What's...going on? Will they kill me?' Zhuri asked herself,hugging her legs to her chest.
"Old one...please help" She muttered.
Almost immediately,a figure appeared right in front of her,it's the old lady.
"Old one!" She screamed but then suddenly look at the gate,wondering what would happen if the guards hear her.
"They won't hear anything" The old Lady assured and Zhuri immediately shifted closer.
"What are you?? Who are you? I need an answer for that first" Zhuri said,looking into her eyes.
She smiled.
"Humans call me..the DEITY" She said and Zhuri gasped
"D....De....ity?" She stuttered and the Deity smiled.
"But....this body....."
"Her name is Zhuri,a noble lady in this empire. Her father committed a crime and killed himself when he was caught,now the daughter have to suffer for his crimes"
"Then,why am I here? Why? Where's she?" Zhuri rushed her question
"Unfortunately,she have a very bad heart problem,she died on her way to the palace in the palanquin and I switched your souls,which means...This body belongs to you now,your soul is the one in there" The Deity answered.
"What about my old body....."
"Your stepmother would find you dead"
Zhuri gasped tearfully.
"That is your fate,you were supposed to die in few days,like you said,you were feeling weak and you thought you wouldn't make it till the next full moon,you were right,you were supposed to suffer till you die,that is what my sister created you to be" The Deity explained.
Zhuri was in tears,crying bitterly yet silently.
"Your...Sister??" She managed to ask in her broken voice
"Three in One.....Deities are mainly three,,different from the mini gods who are created by us...My Sister created you,She's the Creator,I am the second Deity...I am the Preserver"
"Then.....what about the third?" Zhuri asked curiously
"Don't think of meeting her child" The Deity replied.
"I'm still confused,if I was fated to die,why did you save me? Why did you preserve me?? Why am I in this person's body? What am I supposed to do here?" Zhuri asked.
"Your fate changed....I heard your cries. But because of the way you were created,your new fate can't be gotten easily,you are going to pass through pain,only if you're strong,then you will conquer. You have the right to choose child,would you give up on this journey? Or would you embrace it? It is filled with thorns,Pains and tears,but at the same time you are the only one who can make the tree bloom again,the tree my sister created....I can see it end,a very dark end,but it is so precious...too precious to be ignored" The Deity said.
"The Dry Tree.....you made mention of it back then...what is it?" Zhuri asked.
"You will find out soon,but firstly,what is your Decision?"
"What was the crime committed by her....I mean....her father?" Zhuri asked.
The Deity sighed out.
"About two years ago,Parents started wailing in their houses,their female children would suddenly vanish...the journey of no return,it went on and on,The Emperor would have caught him but I didn't let him because there is a reason why everything happens,nothing happens without me knowing. Just few weeks ago....it was found out that those female children were sold into slavery.....By your father" The Deity said and Zhuri screamed out loudly.
"After selling them,those ladies are harassed,enslaved,turned into s*x slaves and others.....the moment he was caught,he committed suicide,now what's the best way to punish him? Do you think his daughter deserve what is going on now?? Remember those parents who lost their children,both young and old,remember their pains..and answer me"
Zhuri was in tears as she nods.
"She....deserves it" She mumbled and the Deity nodded.
"Her fate was to die in the middle of her slavery here in the palace,her fate is similar to yours. But now,things might change...depending on your decision,the father became rich and his daughter was treated like a princess in her own place,she enjoyed what wealth is....with the blood money from her father"
"I'm not going to give up old one,even though the father sinned,still the daughter did nothing wrong,but she spent the blood money,nevertheless.....This soul belongs to me not her....I have to take a revenge on my Aunt,she treated me like trash, like I wasn't human,I want to pay her back old one,no matter how I try,I can't forget it. Even though those scars are not on my body any longer,I can still feel the stings and pains i pass through everyday. How come I'm still alive even though I'm so hungry here? It's all because I am used to hunger,I know what hunger is,I've been starving my whole life,so I must survive somehow old one,I want to die as a noble woman,not this way"Zhuri said in tears.
The Deity let out a smile.
"And your wish shall come true child" She said and like that she vanished.
At the same minute,the gate of the dungeon was opened and two guards came in to drag her out.
'Where are they taking me this time?' Zhuri thought.
******
ROYAL ASSEMBLY**
The royal ministers were all on their feet standing and waiting for the Emperor and Kings,they've been in the royal court for about an hour,concluding on the right punishment to be serve. Not just to judge but also to please the deceased families.. Of course all those girls,after being used...they would be killed so they never get the chance to escape and expose their evil acts.
The judgment must be fair enough,even though the daughter wasn't the one who committed the crime,still those young girls didn't do anything wrong either.
Moments later,The Emperor appeared with the ten kings.
🗣 ALL HEADS BOW!! THE EMPEROR IS HERE!!!
🗣 MAKE WAY FOR THE KINGS!!!
All the ministers and elders bowed until the Emperor and the kings were seated,under their shield.
"Your Majesties...we are going to bring in the daughter of the late criminal now" One of the senior ministers announced.
Immediately Zhuri was brought out,she was made to kneel down far away from where the kings were,she couldn't even see their faces clearly. She was in the middle of the ministers standing on both sides,lining up.
There was silence until the first king spoke up.
The kings are named according to the time they were crowned. All the kingdoms under Moon Empire weren't created at once,Hence...they have the first kingdom,second kingdom....till the tenth kingdom which is also the last.
"All the ten kings in the Moon Empire already discussed this and we came to a conclusion" He said.
"Right,I am sure the Emperor's judgment would please and satisfy everyone,at the same time it is a fair one" The Fifth King said.
There was another silence,everyone expecting the Emperor to speak up,to give the final judgment.
Zhuri was shaking where she knelt,she would take in any punishment except execution.
No,she's not ready to die,she don't want to die!!
'Please' She whispered in her head,her bloody hand shaking,her heart beating fast,she was in fear and agony.
Then finally the voice of Emperor Augustus was heard.
"The criminal was supposed to be executed" He said
Zhuri swallowed.
"He was supposed to be punished till he face his death,but since he left without a permission from me,my judgment goes thus" Emperor Augustus stopped and there was total silence,even if a needle dropped at that moment,it would be heard.
"His only daughter will become the Royal Séx Slave, she will experience what those daughters of my people experienced,her pains will be double,this will be passed down from my reign down to other Emperors to come,she will be a slave all her life,she will become pain herself,she won't ever know what freedom is until she close her eyes and welcome her death" Emperor Augustus declared.