Love what is it to you?
Is it as bright as a firefly in the midst of darkness?
Is it as pure as the first rain of a new season?
Or is love a touch of evil sent to derail your life and hold you back from all your potential and destroy all you have achieved?
Haaaaaaaaa Love, Never did I think love would be my downfall…
I take another step upward, my plain white garments twirling in the air as if dancing with my loose hair. Gosh, I can't remember the last time I wore my hair down. The sensation brings back memories of my younger days on the battlefield, riding into battle and glory. Back then, not many in my army cared about my white hair with red edges.
I look up at the sky with a simple smile. Even from here, I can hear people shouting my name. To them, I am a hero. To others, a villain.
"We must hurry, your... I mean, we must hurry, my lady," says the guard ahead of me. I glance at him, then at the six women behind me. My ladies. They had insisted on joining me, each dressed in the same white garments and wearing a band around their heads.
I turn back to the guard and nod with a gentle smile.
We ascend the stairs of Jué Jiè Qiáng, the capital city's first frontier wall. Towering and formidable, the walls are built of brick and concrete, designed to protect the city and offer a commanding view from above. With every step, memories flood in. I remember the awe I felt when I first arrived, marveling at the sheer size of these walls. And then I remember the day I left, vowing never to return.
If I could speak to my younger self, I'd say, "##### ## ####### ## ####." And I'd remind her to be happy with what she had.
At last, I reach the top. From here, I can see the entire city, even the distant walls of the Palace. I smile faintly at the sight until I feel a hand on my shoulder. One of my ladies-in-waiting looks at me with concern.
"I'm okay," I mumble, turning away from the city and toward the other side of the wall. There, people gather, some with tear-stained faces, watching me. Only then do I allow a single tear to fall. I tilt my face toward the sun, hoping it hides my sorrow.
"I'm tired, Mother…"