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-- Two years before the massacre of the Panda village --
BOOOOOOM!!!
The bang of the explosion echoed through the Golden Peacock palace. Crashes and glass-shattering screeched abruptly, before the scream of the ladies-in-waiting alouded, stomping off the palace in panic.
Soothsayer opened her eyes slowly. She stopped her prayers, calmly and slowly reaching for the cane she had left on the ground, then started moving toward the source of this chaotic scene.
When she had reached the destination, all she saw was the paper doorframe swung open. She could smell gunpowder sharply as the greyish smoke lingered in the air.
Along with the sound of coughs, a fire sparked. She walked up close and poked her head inside, calmly asked,
"Shen. What are you doing?"
The young prince flinched as she spoke. Shen quickly hid his hands behind his back - left all the mess he was gathering on the floor messily - and spun himself to face her.
"G... Grandma..."
He smiled nervously, trying to make his way to her by using his foot to clear the path.
All by trying to keep his hands out of her sight.
"W-What is it, Grandma? What brings you here to me?"
The young lord asked, acting like the massive explosion that nearly tore the door off was nothing like she had imagined it or had made up.
The Soothsayer sighed, shook her head slightly.
"Your hands..."
"Show them to me", said with the kind, trembling voice. Her olive eyes looked up to Shen's, who suddenly avoided hers.
"That shook the palace and merely made it collapse. I think I cannot let it go like the previous incident."
The cane in her hand knocked on his shin playfully, yet intensely enough to give out a sign that this conversation is serious. Shen frowned, a bit frustrated and unwillingly, but slowly showed his hands to her.
The Soothsayer gently grabbed and brought them up close for better inspection. His white hands were reddened. Blisters grow unevenly and spread fully on the palms. Gunpowder stains mixed with blood and pieces of shattered glass. They were shaken subtly as the young prince tried to suppress his pain, before he yelped out as he couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Ouch! It hurts!"
He yanked them back and hid them under his long garments. They were also torn off and stained with burnt and gunpowder. Shen was shaking. His flaming eyes glimmered with tears before they were dried when Shen abruptly wiped them off. The red of his makeup and black powder slowly stained his face, causing Shen to cover them up and stain it more.
The old lady signed once again. A gentle smile drew across her face as she turned around, heading to the door.
"Come, Shen. I'll clean and heal you up."
"Also, stop wiping. It only stains you more."
"...."
"...."
"So... Won't you ask me about what I was doing?", Shen asked, quietly following her to the apothecary.
"Like you were going to tell me", the soothsayer laughed. She unlocked her room and gestured to him to head inside first. The young prince followed her gesture, heading inside and sitting on the wooden chair, comfortably adjusting himself as if it happened often.
There was silence for quite a while as the Soothsayer gathered herbs and clean cloths to make a remedy. Her wrinkled set his wounded hands on the table, gently washed and rubbed them clean. Cooling herbs were crushed and mixed into a smooth cream, rubbed on the hot wounds.
Shen felt a mix of hot and cold on his skin. It was irritating and caused him to curse. However, he had to swallow them back when he sensed the sharp glance from the old lady in front of him.
The wet cloth then moved up to his cheek. The old woman wiped the stains off, softly speaking,
"Do you want to share what you have experienced today?"
She started the conversation with a simple question. A soft voice convinced and encouraged him to speak up. The young prince bit his lips and hesitated to speak. His flaming eyes looked downward, and slowly looked up to meet the olive eyes of hers.
"Grandma... Promise me that you will not tell my father or mother about this."
His voice sounded gloomy. His shoulders lowered, and he dropped his posture. The Soothsayer agreed, nodded slightly as she continued to clean him up.
"I..."
"I was studying the new formula for my latest firework."
"The old recipes were not enough. They couldn't fly as high as I expected, so I tried to make it... more.."
Shen stopped for a bit as the wet cloth touched his lips. He then moved again when the coldness of wet fabric left his skin, yet he seemed to stutter as he hesitated.
Unfortunately, it was the same time as the Soothsayer turned around, so she didn't notice his action.
"I'm glad to know that you want to improve yourself," said the Soothsayer. The dripping water echoed throughout the room as she rinsed the cloth and hung it by the window.
"But ambition will be harmful. Arrogance will make you fall. That's what I'm worried about you."
"But I didn't-"
"I raised you, Shen. Why shouldn't I know best?"
She said with a gentle smile that reached her warm eyes. Her wrinkled hand patted his head, slowly combing his white, silky hair.
"I want you to grow safe and strong. That's why I always remind you to be conscious and calm."
"Polite, patient, keen, and kind. And you will rise gold."
The white prince didn't say much after that. He nodded slightly and swallowed his thoughts back inside, dared not tell the truth to the one he trusted most.
The Soothsayer slowly wrapped her arm around the prince's body. The young lord responded to her action by leaning his body against hers, seeking warmth and comfort. He loves her as much as his mother, maybe more than her. But most importantly, he trusts her more than anyone.
"In whatever circumstance, will you always be proud of me?"
"If it were on the right track or made you happy, yes, I will."
"You promise?"
"Of course, dear. But about what had happened today, it might be impossible to keep it low."
After that sentence, the prince seemed depressed. The Soothsayer laughed lightly and continued her words.
"What about I'll tell your parents that there was an accident. The teapot exploded, and the boiling water burnt you a little?"
"And the rest is yours to handle."
Her body swayed lightly, cradling Shen like when he was little. Her gentle voice hummed lowly, as if she wanted to calm the young boy to sleep.
Although she was questioning whether Shen was doing, she didn't want to interfere much as she wanted to give him some privacy and some secrets to keep hidden. Bad feelings hit like a gust of wind, but she ignored them like they were just a breeze that went through.
Hoping that the little secret that Shen kept hidden will not become a problem, nor affect Shen in the future.
"One day... I'll make you proud."
"I am always proud of you, my dear."
The grey smoke rose, twisted into a disgusting shape that shook the Soothsayer's heart like it was about to break apart. Her eyes shook, and fear crept up her spine, leaving the cold trace that shivered her little body. She curled her lips, hesitated, but she had to say it.
"If Shen continued down this dark path, he would be defeated by a warrior of white and black."
The white peacock appeared in the fog. It rose its wings, spread them high with grace. Then a second later, its silhouette flipped upside down. The great peacock was burnt into ashes and twisted into a Yin-Yang symbol.
Shen's troubled parents were worried. They were panicked when they acknowledged what their beloved child had been doing. And most importantly, what will happen if they let this pass again?
What if it was too late to be stopped?
The Soothsayer also worried, troubled by the infinite possibilities in her visions, while she thought about the day she had promised him.
Was it her fault that she loved him so much?
Was it too much that she turned blind to his wrongdoing?
Was it her that led it all to this..?
The reflection in her glasses showed a glimpse of a long silk robe at the front door. The young lorn who had turned eighteen was hiding behind the frame. His flaming eyes widened, fuming with wrath and rage. He was looking directly at her and the smoke above the bowl.
And before she could say anything, he was gone.
That was the last thing she had seen about him.
His sealed fate...