The Commoner Consort: The Country's Respected Empress

Maya smiles "You cannot find anyone. I have lost them long ago".

Sarah gets sad for her and already finds them in a strange place.

While Maya is sighing relaxed as if she survived her death. She is still looking back at the vines and sulks "Should we go back by this way again?".

Sarah shakes her head helplessly and points the secret room "Don't you want to worry about the room?".

Maya turns to see the room that Sarah was looking. But it was some old place ...like this place was abandoned for years!

'I swear this place is definitely not suitable for kids! But what's inside this place?!'.

Sarah asks again seriously "Do you really want to see it?".

Maya nods confidently. 

Sarah walks forward and takes out a key from her robs.

Maya raises her eyebrows in surprise "Do you still have the key?! I thought it's an abandoned place-".

Sarah takes a deep breath and says opening the door "This place was once used to imprison the Consorts".

"What?!".

As soon as Maya heard Sarah's words, she couldn't help cry in shock.

Sarah struggles to open the lock and continues to explain "My mother told me about this place. This place was in use when The Emperor took his throne from his father. He was... in a state that he was forced to marry many consorts to strengthen his power among The Four Nations".

Maya's heart trembles hearing her and whispers "Then?".

'What did he do with this place? Did he...he can't be...'.

Sarah tries to open the lock but leaves it defeated. She sighs looking back at Maya "It's not opening".

Maya grabs the key from Sarah's hand and speaks "Keep telling about this place while I try to do something".

Sarah continues while Maya is busy searching "But not all of them were interested to marry him. Some of them even tried to conspire against him. So, he...locked them..inside this place and...".

Maya finds a rock which is good enough to break the rusted lock. She was about to hit the lock but stops seeing Sarah gulping.

Maya continues for her "And? What happened?".

Sarah looks down and says timidly "It was never opened!".

GASP!

Maya gasped so hard and ends up in coughing "What?!".

Sarah fiddled with her fingers and looks at stoned Maya worriedly.

Maya asks slowly regaining her wits "Were they locked one by one?".

Seeing Sarah's uncomfortable look, Maya cries "He locked them all at once?! And never opened this place?!".

For some strange reason, Maya felt scared for herself.

'Now I fear even being an unwanted wife!'.

Sarah tries to lighten the mood as Maya looked very scared. She smiles nervously "But you should not worry about anything! As you are invited by The Emperor personally! Even Crown Prince brought you with him. Please don't get scared of these. I still don't know whether everything was even true. I just heard while my parents talked about this when I was very little".

Maya is completely zoned out of this world.

'He locked everyone in a room and made them starve to death! Maya! Where have you brought yourself to?! Did you just come from your peaceful nation to this cruel one for a mere reason?! Just because he knew your father?! How absurd is that even to hear!'.

Her heart trembles 'What if I end up in this room?! What if one day someone punishes me and put me here to die?!'.

She rubs her forehead with a dumb smile as if she remembered something.

'Oh! Silly me!! I actually forgot that I am a Cursed Soul! Ha! The history of this room really scared me to hell! Better I stay away from getting any punishment when I get free from this Curse! What will I do, if not for this Curse?!'.

She suddenly frowns 'Why in the whole world that Cruel Prince made me stay here?! What was his plan?! Was he...planned to .. No! I must not allow anyone to do this! Even he didn't has any plan against me, I should be careful!. I  should make sure that I don't get any illegal accusations..'.

Sarah taps Maya's shoulder softly "Are you afraid?!".

Maya chuckles suddenly and waves her hand as if she heard something stupid "Afraid?! Me?! Have you even heard of my country? It's known for Bravery! I am not scared!".

Maya doesn't know how to answer Sarah at this moment.

'I admit! I am scared! But I am not a coward! I would never let down my country's pride and mine! You have no idea how many times I faced something that I fear....'.

Maya forwards towards the room and frowns thinking seriously.

'I don't have any other place to hide those children. I have to do this. What if they are all just fables to scare people?!'.

Meanwhile Sarah speaks whatever she remembered about the story.

She narrates slowly "My mother said there were blood chilling noises filled this place for month! Those women were screaming and wailing day and night... No one was allowed inside this Pavilion till this whole place gets silent. Ever since that day this place was abandoned.

Maya lifts the rock higher and hits the lock consistently. At her fifth hit the lock breaks open with a cling sound.

THUD!

Maya throws the rock and holds the broken lock.

Sarah speaks eagerly "Someone said that several women even Cursed this place! I heard that some women swore to bring destruction when they gets free from this room-".

Maya freezes in her place 'Oh.My. Heavens! Is she saying that after I broke this lock?!'.

"But I don't believe in them. How could this be even possible?! Cursing..freedom..How could they even take revenge after they are all dead?! ".

Maya turns slowly and she is extremely mad. A volcano is burning in her stomach and she felt an urgent temptation to strangle this girl before her at once!.