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Author's POV

As the day passed and the work for the princess, was all finished being attended to by Nia; the tired young woman rested her head on the pillar of the section house, that over looked the wild flower field in the far west of the palace. The skies were turning gray as the night sky seemed to become more and more distinct.

" The clouds, seem sad," Nia poetically seemed to mumble to herself as she folded her hands and stared up towards the rain filled clouds. She hummed a soft tune to herself as she allowed her eyes to roam about, she gestured, and glanced over towards both sides of her for the reinsurance of being alone, as she attempted to take off one layer of the veil she wore, but she ended up pausing and keeping it on.

A sadden smile showed up on her own face, the longer she stared towards the clouds. Her humming came to a stop as she took in the silence and hugged herself.

" I wonder how much longer I have to wear these veils," she asked herself as she let her fingers dance through the silk see-through veil that hugged her face.

She tuned out the world for just a moment as she thought about her sad title of a life, a life that was invested in keeping her safe, because her tone in the skin was a danger to everyone else.

A very unneeded method of measures, were taken, and often it only allowed Nia to feel more and more sorry for the world she lived in, but she was already daughter to a home, that was in poverty, and her skin alone added another negative blow to her name.

As if that wasn't enough, not only couldn't she find a husband, but if she were ever so lucky to, she would have to look past the obvious infidelity of her husband, as one of the men Mrs.Wook made her match with said.

" with a skin like yours, you should be lucky for the plate given you alone to eat on, don't ask for a meal too and be too greedy." Though he wasn't blunt with his message, the message still ran clear, to what he was referencing as his eyes followed a young woman that walked by that day, while they were having tea. Soon thoughts were broken by the soft tap on her shoulder.

" There would be no need for them if you just stayed home like I told you to. " Her mother instructed after a short moment of standing over her daughter.

Nia scoffed, shook her head, though a bit startled by her mother's sudden input. Nia scoffed once more and looked up at her mother.

" As long as I am able to stand outside without being so heavily stared at I guess these will always be worth the wear. " She finished saying to her mother with a childish grin of reinsurance. Ai lowered herself to sit beside her daughter.

After a short moment of listening to the rhythmic pattern of the rain falling, as the two sat and peered towards the field; Ai began to speak: "I can't completely blame you for wanting to escape the walls of the house at times, as much as I wish you didn't, even though I have to say I don't know how you did it for all those years. " Ai finished saying.

" I am growing up now, I only see you every once in a while. You've started working every since I was a child. It's been sixteen years now It's your own fault your lack of attendance makes it hard for me to listen to you. I'm a year away from becoming nineteen, I can't live so constrained anymore." So-yi answered.

She sat next to her daughter, and with a soft smile, she placed her left arm around her and softly rubbed her shoulder.

" I am still going to attempt to get Alba here to kidnap you back home because you seem to be so stubborn over the idea of staying in one place, why not go help your older sister. as you should?" Ai added.

Nia shook her head and looked at her mother.

" If I were Nia I might but I am So-yi, I will be staying here for a while, as long as I do not create a distraction for anyone, stay silent and do my work, I'd rather work here in the palace than anywhere else."

" The palace is no better than the outside world, the palace is what made it hard for us, it is by chance that I am even able to work in the position I am now, this palace is more closed minded that it's doors, you're a child of free thinking and spirit, don't let yourself think this place is any better just because it isn't where you once were. " Ai paused and stared at her daughter.

" Whether Nia or So-yi, you need to be careful, these veils you place on yourself hiding from them, how will you survive when you are already too insecure of how beautiful you are." She finished.

Nia sighed and shook her head " I don't wear them, because I don't love myself, I wear them because others don't, and just like a possum that plays dead when it feels threatened, I can only hide and play as if there is something to hide, in order to also stay alive." She finished.

" my poor, Nia, " Ai turned her daughter towards her, as the scenery of the soft rain continued to play music in the background.

" If more people in the world were as strong as you were, and even just half as loving, we would be living in a much more peaceful stay of mind, as well as reality. "

" eomma, if the world was that way there would be no adventure in trying to change it because it would already be perfect. " Nia responded with a big sigh. Ai nodded her head and looked about before she gave her daughter a soft kiss on her forehead.

" well, I should go and check on the rest of the girls, be safe, and I will be seeing you tonight for dinner, in the staff hall. "

Nia nodded her head, and stood up, after waving to her mother. Pretty soon after a half measure distance towards the washing well, she was bombarded by the presence of Mi-ra. " ah, So-yi er.. Nia?"

" So-yi, works fine. I rather keep my personal name private while here, things seem easier that way. " Nia corrected.

Mi-ra nodded her head and proceeded to speak. " The princess asked that you take the crown prince his tea, before dinner. " Mi-ra finished.

Nia looked around, towards her left and then her right. " What's wrong?" mi-ra asked.

Nia chuckled softly and sighed " I just could've sworn it was I, you were speaking to, but I figured one of the maidens passed by, so the Job was directed towards them, no?" Nia asked a blinking Mi-ra.

At first surprised by her sarcasm, Mi-ra just stared at the young woman before she began to giggle.

Mi-ra chuckled and shook her head at Nia's childishness. " You won't even have to speak to him, just set out the tea on the table for him to drink. Make sure you test it before you hand it to him. " Mi-ra added.

" how come?" A confused Nia asked. " for the case of poison, it's best that we check it for him beforehand. " Mi-ra answered.

"so it's okay for me to die, for the sake of him having tea? I've met him once, and he has a nasty attitude, that's what scares me about testing his tea, there is probably a bigger chance for him over anyone else in this place to have someone tamper with his food. If I were to die, I would completely understand why." Nia finished.

Mi-ra stared blanked face, towards Nia, Nia lifted a brow as she observed the young maiden's whose attention trailed towards the far end of the walkway.

Nia rolled her eyes and shook her head. " If he's behind me, I don't care, I don't work for him, I work for the princess. " Nia finished.

" So-yi.." Mi-ra murmured as she pointed for Nia to turn around. Behind both woman stood, the princess, dressing in a blue dazzling hanbok embroiled with gold, as she had golden jewels decorated throughout her hair.

"Princess!" Nia said as she quickly bowed to the ground and avoided eye contact with the princess.

" no, no please, your honesty is remarkable as well as your guts, I would just avoid it being heard by mother, she cares deeply for my brother, and she cares to act like the queen she is, more than often. " the princess continued to say as she helped Nia stand.

" on a more wholesome change of topic, It seems you can speak well, and very educated on top of that, omo... does that mean today, my mother..."

" Agh, princess, don't bother yourself with such things, I have already forgotten about it all. " Nia answered.

" Well, your name..." the princess started. " That as well princess, I don't know if you can tell but I am actually thankful for the name, as you can see these veils I use to hide myself, I feel a name is in order, then at the end of the day in my own space of free thought, I may use my given name, when I take off... all this." Nia finished as she gestured her face, where the veils sat.

" I must ask, So-yi... why do you trouble yourself with the veils?" The princess asked. The young maiden looked at her hands and slowly she rose it straight before her.

" Even the blind, could see how dark I am, princess, but it is another thing to be looked into the eyes and spoken down about from someone that only sees your dark skin. As much as I love it, I live in a world where many don't, where my siblings who look more like the natives here have a hard time on their own because they are just a few colors too dark, I can't stand to a bigger burden than I already am. I would rather live in hidden the day and enjoy my own comfort in the night. "

" Ah, so you must be, staff overseer and court lady, Ai's daughter. " the princess added. Nia looked beside her, before meeting eyes with the princess.

" princess..." Nia began to speak. " Don't worry, no one will find that out after all a court woman has no job outside the walls unless it is to the king, her secret is safe with me." The princess smiled.

Nia lowered her head and bowed in gratitude. " I am indebted to you, princess. " Nia added,

" ah, you are right," the princess sarcastically answered as she placed a finger on her chin. " how should I ask for the payment?"

" I got it!" the princess smiled. " If someone is to poison that brother of mine, please wait till he is dead to make the announcement. " There was an awkward silence, as Nia looked up: " from the stories I read and my unfamiliarity with you princess, I wouldn't be surprised if you were serious even though you don't seem like that kind of person, so I am uneasy as to how to respond. " Nia explained.

" So-yi, Your honesty comforts me, I was just making light of the air, you have right to ask and I am glad you did, though you seem to lack confidence in your appearance, you are honest with your feelings, that I admire. " The princess said, she sighed and looked about before she continued to speak: " Well I should be off, the Prince's possible chosen princess, might be here today. Do well, I hope to share a few words with you here during your stay. "

As the princess was off, Nia bowed and turned to face Mi-ra who just stood there. " She never speaks to anyone, honestly...." the frazzled maiden said as she watched the princess walk away. " you have found favor with her" She added as she nodded her head.

" Well, where is this troublesome prince?" nia asked. " ahh, unni just because the princess is okay with those words doesn't mean you wouldn't get attacked if an official or the king heard such a thing. " Mi-ra warned.

Nia sighed and rolled her eyes, " suddenly staying home at the village and helping Mrs.wook with her shop doesn't seem so bad anymore. " she huffed