Pushing Against the Walls of a Locked Chest
"Wh - What?" I stammered, feeling sweat on my palms.
Lady Tong leaned her head to the side, as though to take a better look at me. Her big eyes held none of the gentleness her son's had for me.
"The audacity of you. To hold back my son from his Crown Prince position. I told you to take good care of him, that I was watching you." The beautiful woman's face contorted in an ugly expression.
"But what did you let happen?" I gaped up at the Glorious Empress as she stood up, standing tall as she looked down at me.
"You let your husband be captured by bandits. Allowed him to be beaten half to death. All the while you pulled the citizens' hearts towards you. You are a woman!"
She slammed her hands on the desk, making me jump. "You shouldn't be moving into politics!"
I opened my mouth, but the million questions rushing through my mind wouldn't rise to my mouth.