I proceeded to the main palace, to my father's chamber. I knocked on the door and called out "Father!" but no answer came.

I waited and called him for several minutes but received no response.

So I peeked through the door and saw my father and the concubines chattering.

Then I shouted from the opening of the keyhole. When he noticed me standing outside, he stopped talking and the door opened.

He stared right at me.

I pushed open the door and stepped inside. "Father! Mother is dying!"

"What? Is it true?"

"Father! Please come here! Mother needs you now!"

"I don't care."

"Please! Come with me! Quickly!"

While laughing, the father kissed the concubine and said, "If she's dying, let her die.".

It was as if father was enchanted by something and wasn't in his right mind. It was like he was hypnotised.

"Father! Mother is dying! You have to help her!"

"Why should I care?"

"You promised to take care of her. Remember you promised her you wouldn't abandon her!"

"I don't care about her. I would have already sent her off if the nobles hadn't pressured me. Now, get out of my room" he says pushing me aside.

Now I know the love father showed to mother was only for show, he never loved her.

I ran to my mother crying and hugged her. She didn't resist or push me away so that was okay.

But all this talk about sending her off made me angry. How could I just stand by and watch her die? I chatted with her until I fell asleep. She laughed while chatting with me.

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***

Early in the morning, I woke up and saw my mother sleeping soundlessly. I called her "Mother it's already morning. Wake up."

But she didn't respond. I tried to wake her up many times but it was in vain.

I walked out and called a maid who was nearby. She came and she also tried to wake her up but mother didn't wake up. I started crying. The maid ran out and called the doctor.

The doctor came and checked on her. "Her heartbeat has stopped and she has stopped breathing. It's a miracle she lasted till morning with that pain. She is no longer in this world. I hope her majesty can be at peace in the afterlife."

How could she have been in pain while she was talking to me while smiling?

I walked to my mother and tried to wake her up again. "Mother wake up look your son is here with you. You said you would be with me until old age and wanted to play with your grandkids. I promised you that I would look after you. You must be acting, so please stop acting and wake up. I will listen carefully to everything you say, and I will obey everything you say. So please don't leave me. Don't leave me alone."

"You said you would be there for me. Don't leave me alone. That's too cruel of you to abandon me. How could you make me unable to escape and leave alone?"

"I have many things to say to you but now you will not listen. Mother you wait for me I will come to you and I will tell you everything, how I fulfilled the promised promise to you. I will see you soon."

The news spread throughout the palace quickly.

"She is no more. I've already notified the priest and summoned her body to be taken back to the church." The doctor said.

I couldn't hold myself back any longer and broke down. I sobbed like a helpless child and cried my lungs out.

The tears that fell from my eyes were red, like a rose in bloom. They were wet with sorrow and they froze on the ground.

Soon after that, the butler came and comforted me saying: "There is nothing left for us to do. Let the doctor perform his duties. We are all going to miss her."

He helped me bathe and change into clean clothes. He said "We will arrange for your mother's funeral later today. You and the other ladies will accompany her and give her last respect."

The death of the empress was announced to the whole nation. However, the emperor did not approve of the funeral of my mother in a royal manner or allow the public to attend the ceremony in a royal manner.

My mother's body was taken to the church.

I accompanied my mother's body to the church while my father was nowhere to be found.

Except my mother's personal maid and some other maid, the priest and me nobody came to pay her last respects.

"Peace be upon her majesty," my mother's personal maid prayed along with other maids.

As I watched my mother being lowered into the grave, I felt as though a part of me had died along with her.

Nature could not stop grieving over her death, which is why it rained heavily today. The sun couldn't see her body being buried so it didn't appear today.

Although she was strict, she was respected by the people of the empire.