3. Destined To Meet

3. Destined To Meet
Azure – Fourteen years old

I jerk awake in a slight panic. Looking around me, I see that it was still night and I scramble to quickly get out of bed. Throwing the thick covers off me, I don’t bother changing since I was going to come right back to sleep anyways.

Besides, I wasn’t even allowed to be doing this.

As quietly as I could, I tiptoe to my door and carefully slide it open. The only good thing about being isolated in my own palace was the fact that it was just me and Hye-Se Young. And she slept like the dead. But I never want to take the chance of making any noise, just in case she did wake up.

When I was younger, I discovered how to sneak out of the house and into the courtyard without someone always watching my back. Slipping out now I carefully listen to any sounds that could be heard. The only thing I could hear was Hye-Se Young breathing deeply, letting me know she was fast asleep.

Stepping out into the cool night air, I look to the sky to see the tiny stars blinking back up at me and the crescent moon that shone brightly giving the night a sublime lighted glow. I don’t waste time as I rush to the back of the courtyard.

No guards were ever stationed back here on the outside of the large gate. Guess the king didn’t find it worth guarding long as I stayed inside and didn’t make a fuss. Which through out the years I didn’t. I didn’t even know there was a life outside these walls until Seong-Yu Hyung told me about it.

It hadn’t taken me long to understand that I was the only one who could see the young man. He had just been sitting by the pond one morning when I was just seven years old. I was shocked to see someone else in the compound and thought maybe he was another tutor that was forcibly sent here against his will like all the others.

I never understood why people seemed to be scared of this place until I was much older and found out it wasn’t the place but me that they were terrified of. For years I had asked Hye-Se Young why no one wanted to be around, why my own father, the king, never visited or wanted me. She always either changed the subject or gave half answers.

But Seong-Yu Hyung was very diligent in telling me on why and on the reason, I was truly here in this palace. I’ll never forget our first meeting. 

“Are you here to give me lessons?” My seven year old voice spoke softly as I carefully marched up to him, afraid that if I showed I was too excited that he would run away like all the others before him.

He slowly turns to look over to me with an expressionless face. For a tutor he was quite young and very handsome. He blinks a few times and then fully turns to me in the chair he had occupied.

“And what if I am?” He asks deeply.

My body felt the familiar feeling of excitement at his words and for once he didn’t stutter or wore an expression of fear. I couldn’t help but tilt my head. “You don’t seem to be afraid.”

An eyebrow rises at that statement. “And why would I ever be afraid?” He asks in confusion.

“Everyone is always afraid. Hye-Se Young is the exception because she has taken care of me since birth. But the guards, tutors…they all seem to be afraid.”

The young man leans a bit closer to me and regards my young self for a bit before he says, “What exactly would they be afraid of?”

I shift a little in discomfort. If he knew, would he leave me like all the others? Biting my lower lip, I square my young shoulders with a strength I didn’t feel. Showing bravery against being unwanted by everyone was harder than it looks. If he leaves too, I don’t think I would be able to hold the tears back this time.

“Of me.” I say with conviction, desperately trying to hold in the quiver my voice wanted to do.

His eyes turn wide at hearing me say that. “Now why would they ever be scared of you? You are just but a child.”

I stand there dumbfounded. Was he serious? Did he not see the color of my eyes? That alone scared people off. Apparently, vibrant purple eyes were a curse to have. Not to mention the odds things that I could do.

When I don’t elaborate, he nods his head slowly. “Ah, I see now.” He whispers.

My body tenses and I couldn’t help casting my eyes down to the ground. It was only a matter of time before he gets up and walks through those gates to tell the guards that he wasn’t going to teach me, but instead he chuckles.

Snapping my head back up at him I stare with wide eyes.

“I’m not afraid of you. How can I be when this is our first meeting?”

“But my eyes-” I start to argue when he cuts me off.

“What about them? Sure, they’re a bit different but I don’t see any hostility in them.” He shrugs.

“They say I’m cursed.” I point out.

“Oh, really? Well, so am I.” He holds his hands upwards, palms facing up with a tiny shrug as if what he said didn’t just leave a heavy statement.

“Y-You are?” I ask hesitantly.

He nods with a smile. “Maybe that’s why we were destined to meet, hm?”

I couldn’t help the smile that those words brought.

He starts laughing good naturally and waves to the house behind me. “How about you head inside and get those parchments scrolls and I’ll start teaching you everything you need to know.”

I didn’t hesitate as I turned right around and did just that.

For an entire year after that I was completely oblivious to the fact that I was the only one who saw Seong-Yu Hyung. Neither him nor Hye-Se Young had mentioned that he was just a spirit and not a real person that was still living.

Now I understood why Hye-Se Young gave me such odd and disturbing looks anytime I mentioned him. It wasn’t until one afternoon as I sat at the little table by the pond with Seong-Yu Hyung that another tutor came through the gates stating he was they to teach me with stiffness to his posture. He wouldn’t even look me in the eyes he was so terrified.

“But Master Seong-Yu is my tutor.” I mention with confusion.

The old man stood there and seemed confused and flabbergasted. I was confused myself on why he acted like Seong-Yu Hyung wasn’t sitting right there in front of me. But when I turn to look at him, he wasn’t there.

It was if I had been sitting by myself the entire time. I look all around me to see he was nowhere in sight.

“Is this some kind of joke?!” He nearly screeches, his face turning a bit red.

I snap my eyes back to him, not understanding why he was getting so angry.

“How dare you. How dare you mock me like this! It’s no wonder you’re an abomination to the world!”  He screeches some more, turning right back around and stomps down the path like a stick was stuck up his anal cavity.

I just sat there in complete shock and bewilderment, not understanding what had just happened. Hye-Se Young came rushing over to me in a worried frenzy, getting me back inside, fussing over my state of mind of the old geezer calling me names.

But I was more confused than hurt.