The Toy in the Summer Palace - Chapter 32

Saying this, Senita reached for the envelope she had concealed beneath her apron. It contained a letter written by the prince a year after he left the palace. Although the reply was quite old, it held sentimental value, as she had thought long and hard about which response to send among the numerous possibilities.

“Did I request a response?”

Leaning on the armrest of his chair, he inquired, his curiosity piqued. Senita’s mouth tensed in response, her mind racing with a whirlwind of thoughts.

“Well, not exactly.”

“But why?”

“Because… you had sent me a letter. I thought it was only right to reciprocate, now that I’ve received it. Besides, when you first sent me a letter, you requested a response.”

“Ah, yes.”

Iskandar’s tone sounded detached, leaving no room to discern his thoughts. She dared not attempt to read his expressions; it was an impossible task.

Perhaps she had once again committed some ridiculous error. Senita fiddled with the surface of the envelope, her thoughts muddled by his bewildering reaction.

“You truly listen to me.”

Iskandar’s voice maintained a calm tone, tinged with a trace of curiosity. Yet, it was rather perplexing.

Iskandar was an emperor, a stern ruler known to many for his authority and severity. Who in the kingdom would dare not to listen to him? Gaspar, for instance, lived in perpetual anxiety about going against his wishes.

Then was the sense of longing and envy she felt merely due to him being a prince and an emperor? Senita couldn’t help but question this as she observed Iskandar in this curious moment. Iskandar, in turn, observed Senita.

“In that case, read it.”

“Me?”

An unexpected order caught Senita off guard, and she responded with bewilderment.

“If you want me to read it, I will.”

“Oh, no! I apologize, Your Majesty. It’s not that… for me…”

“I understand.”

Iskandar nodded with calm indifference, granting Senita the strength to reluctantly retrieve the letter from the envelope.

She had read it before bringing it with her. However, upon encountering this situation, she felt a pang of embarrassment at the letter’s unsophisticated prose.

Yet, there was no escape now. Senita alternated her gaze between the letter and Iskandar. He leaned back and prompted her to read it, tilting his head ever so slightly. With a racing heart, Senita complied, her lips trembling.

“Prince Iskandar.”

Senita paused and added softly.

“You were a prince back then…”

“Please, go on.”

“Yes.”

Senita responded and adhered to his words.

[Hello, It’s Senita. How are you doing?

I hope this letter finds you in good health. It has already been a year since you left the palace. Summer has once again graced the Summer Palace.

I am doing well and am in good health, as you wished. Just as you taught me, I continue to practice my writing every day. When I encounter a word I am unfamiliar with while reading, I make sure to repeat it several times until it becomes a part of my vocabulary. I owe this skill to your patient guidance.

In anticipation of your return this summer, I have planted new flowers in the garden. They are now in full bloom, and the colorful branch roses are particularly exquisite. When I return to the palace after completing my chores, the sun has usually set, and the surroundings are tinted with shades of purple. The roses seem to absorb the colors from the surrounding air, making them appear even more enchanting. I truly wish you could see them, but I understand that you will not be able to visit this year.

I am confident that the roses will bloom even more beautifully next year. I hope you will be able to see them then. When summer arrives, please remember this place.

The hunting season is in full swing, and I often see the hunters venture into the woods in pursuit of game. I don’t fully comprehend what a proper hunt entails, but I genuinely hope you enjoy it.]

Senita paused, reflecting on the letter that held dear memories. The words seemed to come alive when read aloud, evoking sentiments of those days and the charming, yet somewhat immature, musings of a child. The underlying theme throughout the letter was a fervent desire for Iskandar to return.

“Thanks to your teachings, I have also been able to assist my aunt in writing her letters. I draft bills, handle correspondence, and manage her paperwork with confidence, thanks to your instruction.”

Senita’s face was a deep shade of crimson as she struggled to finish the conversation gracefully. Her attempts appeared almost pitiable in the face of the emperor’s amused smile.

“Thank you, Senita. I truly wanted to hear this.”

Senita bowed her head, fully aware of the importance of conveying her gratitude to the emperor. However, a sense of embarrassment still lingered. She meticulously folded the letter as she attempted to reclaim her previous composure.

“Give it to me,” Iskandar said, reaching out for the wet letter.

Senita hesitated, her mind in disarray. This wasn’t her original intention. It wasn’t a secret exchange. She was flustered.

But she didn’t need to refuse. She should fulfill the emperor’s request. Senita extended the letter to him with both hands. Eager to deliver it, her leg got caught on the table’s edge. The bruised area on her leg, a reminder of her forest fall, throbbed painfully as she stumbled.

“Ah!”

Senita momentarily faltered but managed to regain her balance by grasping the table’s edge. However, in the process, she accidentally knocked over a teacup, sending it crashing and splashing tea water toward Iskandar.

“Oh my!”

It was a comical mistake. The tea wasn’t scalding hot, but it did dampen the white shirt and darkened parts of Iskandar’s pants. The letter, too, was soaked and ruined, though it hardly seemed to matter given the current situation.

Senita panicked and stumbled to her feet, kneeling beside Iskandar to mop his pants with her apron.

“I’m so sorry, Your Majesty! I didn’t mean to, I’m so sorry…”

“Stop,” Iskandar commanded, grabbing Senita’s wrist to halt her frantic gestures. His tone was firm and cut through her apology.

Her eyes were filled with tears as she looked up at Iskandar. The blue eyes glistened with tears, and she appeared helpless. Iskandar had been watching her for a while, and he rose from his seat, releasing her wrist.

“You’ve fallen before, and you fall now.”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…”

“I told you to stop.”

Iskandar’s stern tone silenced Senita. He cast a deep gaze at her, his eyes following her slumped shoulders. After a moment, he stood and said,

“Lift up your clothes.”

“Yes,” she replied, relieved that he wasn’t holding her mistake against her.

Her perception of him as a merciful man was reaffirmed as she followed him.

The dressing room lay adjacent to the bedroom, a mere two rooms away from the Emperor’s drawing room. Senita had often entered during her cleaning rounds, so she was familiar with the gold-plated decorations on the walls and the marble statues lining the hallway.

Iskandar immediately removed his shirt, revealing his bare chest. Senita couldn’t help but smile at the sight, even though she quickly shut her mouth. Despite her silence, the amusement was evident in the reddening of her cheeks. Iskandar noticed this and inquired,

“What’s amusing?”

Senita shook her head, unable to articulate a response. While her initial thought had been a feeling of disrespect, her immediate embarrassment overrode it.

Iskandar’s exposed chest captured her attention, and she marveled at how much he had grown into a full-grown man.

Suddenly, a strange and futile question crossed her mind, prompting an unexpected emotional response that brought tears to her eyes.

Iskandar glanced at her and asked,

“Why?”

Senita couldn’t form a coherent response, so she merely shook her head. Despite the thought that she might be perceived as disrespectful, the embarrassment was far more pressing.

Taking advantage of her hesitation, Iskandar selected a shirt from the collection. It was a white silk shirt, similar to the one he had been wearing earlier. When Senita retrieved the shirt from the hanger, she turned away from him.

“Put this on.”

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