The road to the capital twisted through hills and thick woods, its silence louder than any scream. I sat curled in the palanquin, too stiff to sleep, too furious to cry. Each jolt of the wheels reminded me of what I'd lost…my parents, my freedom, my voice.
Outside, guards flanked both sides of the carriage. I saw them through the thin slits in the curtain…stoic men with cold eyes who never once looked at me.
We passed forests thick with mist, crossed narrow stone bridges where rivers gushed beneath like beasts with silver tongues, and passed through sleepy hamlets where the townsfolk lowered their eyes at the sight of the phoenix crest on Lady Hyerin's flag.
She rode at the front, her cloak snapping like a whip in the wind. I hated how regal she looked. How unaffected. As if this were routine. As if I were just another shipment.
By the third day, I stopped asking myself what would happen when we reached the palace. I already knew.
I would disappear.
When the capital finally came into view, it didn't look real. Tiled rooftops stretched for miles, shimmering in the morning haze. Pagodas rose like spires piercing the clouds, and at the heart of it all stood the palace…massive, gleaming, terrifying. The walls were white stone streaked with gold. Guard towers loomed like watchful eyes.
The outer gate opened with a groan that seemed to echo into my bones.
We passed through three more gates. With each one, the atmosphere grew more suffocating. Clean, sterile. No scent of clay or herbs here. Just jasmine and ink and something colder.
Lady Hyerin dismounted as we entered the central courtyard.
"Bring her," she commanded.
The scouts pulled open the palanquin. I blinked against the light. My legs nearly gave out as I stepped down, but I forced them to hold. The courtyard was marble, etched with patterns of dragons and phoenixes.
Servants scurried past in perfect lines. Eunuchs in crimson robes eyed me curiously, then looked away. A group of maidens sat beneath a flowering plum tree, their laughter too smooth to be real.
"Eyes forward," a scout muttered. "This is your home now."
No. This was a prison.
Lady Hyerin led me down a corridor lined with carved screens. At the end stood a tall wooden door, freshly painted, guarded by two women in pearl-colored robes.
"The Maiden Wing," Hyerin said. "Where you will live, learn, and serve."
The door opened.
Inside was luxury I had never imagined…polished floors, silk-covered walls, a faint scent of sandalwood.
"You will be trained. Bathed. Disciplined. You'll speak only when addressed. And you will obey."
I said nothing.
Lady Hyerin tilted her head. "Do you still intend to fight?"
"If I must."
A flicker of something passed through her gaze…respect, maybe. Or amusement.
"You're lucky the king favors spirited girls," she said. "But be careful. The court devours the disobedient."
She clapped her hands. Two girls entered.
"This is Soo and Harin. They'll assist you. Until then, rest. You begin tomorrow."
Then she was gone.
The door shut behind her with a finality that made my chest tighten.
Soo approached first, bowing shallowly. "We will prepare your bath."
Harin gave me a quick look. "You'll need it."
I didn't answer. I followed them down another hallway into a room of steam and stone basins. They undressed me like a doll, poured water over my head, scrubbed my skin raw.
"You'll get used to it," Soo said, wringing my hair dry.
"Or you won't," Harin added, not unkindly.
They dressed me in soft blue robes and led me to my chamber, larger than our entire house in Daseong.
I sat by the window, staring at the lotus pond below. A group of girls practiced posture drills near the edge, books balanced on their heads.
"This feels like a dream," I murmured.
"No," Soo said behind me. "It's a test that never ends."
She left then, closing the door softly.
I turned to see a tray of food on the table…rice, steamed dumplings, and dried persimmons. My stomach growled, but I didn't eat.
Instead, I stared at my hands. They still smelled faintly of clay and rose oil.
A knock startled me.
The door slid open. A girl in crimson stepped inside.
She was beautiful in a dangerous way…sharp cheekbones, narrowed eyes, and a knowing smile.
"Yeonhwa, isn't it?"
I stood. "Yes."
"I'm Mira. Senior maiden. You'll hear my name a lot."
"Are you here to welcome me?"
She laughed softly. "No. I'm here to warn you."
My stomach tightened.
"This place has rules you won't find written. Speak too much, they'll punish you. Speak too little, they'll punish you. If the king likes you, you'll be envied. If he ignores you, you'll be mocked."
I swallowed. "Why tell me this?"
"Because you screamed when they took you," she said, walking slowly around the room. "Most girls cry. Some beg. You screamed. That means you'll either rise fast…or die trying."
She stopped in front of me. "Don't trust anyone, Yeonhwa. Especially not the ones who say you're safe."
Before I could respond, she was gone.
That night, I lay on a bed too soft, under a ceiling too high, in a room too silent.
I didn't cry. I didn't sleep.
Just before dawn, the sound of drums echoed across the palace walls.
A voice outside my door called:
"Yeonhwa. Rise. The king has summoned the new maidens."
My heart stopped.
So soon?
I stood on shaking legs. They brought me a robe of white silk, embroidered with silver leaves. My hair was braided again. My lips tinted with crushed hibiscus.
Soo whispered, "Whatever happens inside that hall… don't show fear."
I nodded, though my hands trembled.
And as I stepped into the corridor, flanked by other new girls, all heading toward the throne hall where the king waited unseen...I realized:
This was not just a palace.
It was a stage.
And I had no idea what role I was meant to play.