After being taken from the court to the preparation chambers, Zarah found herself surrounded by maids. They rushed around her, quickly bathing her and dressing her in a fine red gown.
Her hair was meticulously tied and styled while another maid applied light makeup to her face.
Maids crowded around her from every side, adjusting her clothes and jewelry so quickly that Zarah felt overwhelmed.
By the time they finished, her head seemed to spin.
Zoya walked into the room then and dismissed the maids with a nod and a quiet thank you.
Zarah was so busy staring at her own reflection, dazzled at how beautiful she looked, that she hadn't noticed Zoya enter or walk up behind her.
"Well, look at little Zarah. You have grown up beautifully," Zoya complimented, placing a gentle hand on Zarah's shoulder.
Zarah's staring contest with the mirror broke as she turned her head slightly and gave Zoya a small smile.
"Thank you, Senior Zoya," she said.
Zoya returned the gesture, giving Zarah a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder.
"Nervous?" she asked. "It's completely normal to be. I was too, all those years ago when Her Majesty selected me."
Zarah nodded before replying quietly.
"Very."
Her nervousness did not only come from being selected. It also came from the possibility that Ines might have seen her near the pond.
But that was not something she was going to tell Zoya.
"I understand," Zoya said gently. "But do not let your nerves overtake you. Remember to follow proper etiquette when Her Majesty enters and do as you are told."
Zarah studied her for a moment before asking,
"You were the very first flower maiden who served Her Majesty. What was it like?"
Zoya was silent for a moment. Then she lowered her head and leaned closer to whisper into Zarah's ear.
"I will tell you a secret that no one but me, Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager, and Peony know."
Zarah looked at her curiously.
Zoya continued softly,
"I may have been among the first batch of Flower Maidens sent to Her Majesty, and I was the first one she selected. But she did not bed me… nor Peony, the flower maiden who came the year after me."
Zarah blinked in surprise.
"Her Majesty was not yet of age at the time," Zoya finished quietly. "So we simply spent the night asleep in her chamber."
Zarah's eyes widened. What shocked her even more was that Zoya had chosen to tell her this.
"If this is such a big secret… why are you telling me?" Zarah whispered.
Zoya smiled gently.
"Because twelve years ago, when the wardrobe was moved at my request, you were misunderstood and punished. I have never been able to forgive myself for that."
Zarah's eyes widened. She quickly grabbed Zoya's hand.
"Senior… I never held a grudge against you for that. Besides, I did try to escape when I was twelve. And the punishment I received when I was six had already prepared me for what to expect—"
Zoya cut her off softly.
"Still… that does nothing to ease this guilt."
"But what you told me is too big of a secret," Zarah protested.
Zoya gently patted Zarah's head.
"And I trust you to carry it without revealing it."
Zarah's eyes began to water.
"Isn't that too much truth for something I never blamed you for?"
Zoya gave her a light scolding look.
"No. It's just the right amount. And don't cry — it will ruin the makeup."
Zarah gave a chuckle at that.
As the evening grew colder, Zarah was led down the golden halls, where moonlight cast long shadows along the polished floors, until she was brought to the Empress's chamber.
Ines had not yet arrived, which was expected. By ritual, the flower maiden always arrived first, and the Empress entered later.
Zarah stood in the middle of the grand chamber with her back straight and her face tilted at a respectful angle.
Her eyes slowly drifted across the room.
The walls were painted gold and bordered with silvery gray. Elegant windows allowed pale moonlight to spill inside, illuminating the grand king-sized bed with its flowing canopy.
The dressing table was three times larger than the one in her own chamber, and the sofa and table looked large enough for two adults to lie comfortably upon.
Truly… the Empress's chamber lived up to its name.
Everything in the chamber was larger, richer, and grander than anything she had ever known.
Zarah's attention snapped to the door as it opened. The Empress walked in, as regal and composed as she had been in the court.
Zarah's breath caught in her throat, but she quickly curtsied respectfully and greeted,
"Blessings and eternal glory upon the brilliant light of the Caelthra Empire, Her Majesty the Empress. This humble flower maiden greets you."
Ines, standing before Zarah, looked at her with an unreadable expression.
So this was the peeker…
She seemed to have good etiquette. So how had the idea of something as blasphemous as peeking at the Empress crossed her mind?
With a flick of her wrist, Ines signaled Zarah to rise.
Zarah slowly raised her head as Ines walked past her and sat gracefully on the large sofa.
Zarah followed behind her with her head lowered and sat by the Empress's feet.
Ines looked at her carefully. The girl's hair had been let down, with one lotus hairpin tying a few strands behind. She wore a red gown, pearl earrings, and a light amethyst choker.
Zarah felt uncomfortable under the Empress's firm gaze, but she didn't move a muscle. To be precise, Ines's stare had pinned her in place, leaving her unable to move.
After what felt like an eternity, Ines finally broke the dense silence.
"What is your name?" she asked.
Zarah respectfully lifted her head just enough to meet the Empress's gaze.
"My name is Zarah, Your Majesty," she replied.
Ines hummed softly, the sound vibrating across the quiet room and reaching Zarah's ears.
"Do you fancy ponds, Zarah?" Ines asked.
Zarah blinked.
'Fuck,' she thought.
That question alone made it clear the Empress knew it had been her. But Zarah simply clenched the fabric of her dress tightly in her fingers and forced a faint smile before replying.
"Ponds are rather beautiful, Your Majesty," she said with feigned calmness.
If it had been anyone else, Zarah would have easily passed as normal. But Ines's gaze had already noticed Zarah's clenched fingers. She said nothing, only nodding once.
She gently raised her hand, signaling Zarah to pour the wine resting on the table.
Zarah carefully picked up the pitcher and gracefully poured wine into the goblet before sliding it toward the Empress.
"Your Majesty," she said softly.
Ines took the goblet and brought it to her lips, taking a slow sip.
After lowering it, she asked,
"What did you think of the hidden pond?"
Her tone betrayed nothing.
Zarah's fingernails dug more tightly into the fabric of her dress as she lowered her gaze.
"I arrived at the pond by accident," she said carefully. "I had not meant to be there."
"If it was accidental, then why did you run?" Ines's blue eyes glowed faintly under the moonlight.
Zarah swallowed, but her gaze did not waver.
"I was afraid," she answered honestly. "I was afraid Your Majesty would punish me, so I ran away."
"And you think I will not punish you now?" Ines's voice sounded almost amused.
Zarah gently shook her head.
"I believe Her Majesty is a just ruler, and she will understand the mistake of this lowly flower maiden," she said with a gentle smile.
Inwardly, Zarah prayed that Ines believed her, because she was telling the truth.
Ines hummed again, placing the goblet on the table.
"Sometimes mistakes are planned," she said calmly. "How shall I know yours was not of that kind?"
Zarah placed a hand over her heart and swore,
"I swear by the Goddess Aelthrya that I, Zarah, did not intend to intrude upon Your Majesty's privacy, nor am I spinning any tale to shame the Imperial household."
Her voice carried a determination that surprised Ines slightly.
'What a strange girl,' Ines thought.
To swear by the Goddess's name over something so trivial… but it did show she was not lying.
Her eyes studied Zarah intently before she asked,
"How did you find the pond?"
"I was fascinated by a peacock and foolishly followed it. I lost track of my path and found myself there," Zarah explained.
Though her voice did not reveal it, explaining this to the Empress felt embarrassing.
Ines raised a brow.
This girl was indeed strange. To follow a peacock and lose her path?
Foolish.
Yet the explanation made the corner of her lips tug upward into the faintest smirk.
"You're rather honest," Ines said, her tone filled with amusement.
Zarah felt a small wave of relief when she heard the amusement in the Empress's voice.
That meant Ines believed her.
"I would rather tell Your Majesty about my embarrassments than lie to you," Zarah replied sincerely.
That wasn't entirely a lie. She knew Ines was intelligent and could catch on to falsehoods quickly, so being truthful was the better way to earn her trust.
Ines seemed pleased by the answer.
"From now on, if you wish to see a peacock, ask your assigned maid. She will take you to one in the gardens," she said calmly.
Then her lips curved slightly as she added dryly,
"Do not go on peacock chases and end up in someone's bath."
Zarah's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment as she slowly nodded.
Ines's hand moved to Zarah's jaw and tilted her head upward.
"Now… for the ritual to commence," she said as she leaned closer.
Her breath fanned over Zarah's skin.
Zarah felt a tingling sensation beneath her skin, her blood rushing as she slowly closed her eyes.
Ines's lips met hers in a kiss, gentle at first—like waves brushing softly against the shore.
The hand on Zarah's jaw tilted her head slightly as Ines deepened the kiss.
Zarah let out a small gasp, and Ines took the opportunity to deepen it further.
The Empress was allowed to touch the flower maidens, but they were not permitted to place their hands on her.
So when Zarah felt the need to hold onto something, she gripped the edge of the table tightly as the world around her slowly slipped into a blur.