#ithyl

“They hate us,” Chaeyoung sighs. Her voice echoes in the bathing chamber. The other concubines left only moments ago, nodding politely as they filed out in a damp row.

This was their method of letting the two of you know that you weren’t welcome. You know they are treading carefully around you for now because Hoseok may not react well to in-fighting among his concubines. But you also know that as soon as he went away, they’d probably converge on the two of you like sharks attracted to the scent of spilled blood.

“They do,” you finally say, reaching over to undo the ties of her robe. “But we can’t let it get to us.”

“It’s because I’m from the borderlands,” Chaeyoung pouts cutely. “I know how they look down on my people. They say we get drunk on plum wine and lie with horses - that we’re less than human.”

You don’t have anything to say to that because you’ve heard it all too. Nobles from the capital held unmerited superiority complexes. You shrug off your own robe and take her hand.

“It’s not just because of that,” you tell Chaeyoung as you lead her into one of the warmer bath waters.

“What else could it be?” she questions, tone exasperated. “I’ve done nothing to them!”

“You far outshine them in beauty, and it makes them scared. Especially since a single wrong move from their fathers could mean death,” you explain.

Chaeyoung all but rolls her eyes at the revelation. “Then their fathers shouldn’t be traitors.” You give her a look as she sinks down into the water to wet her hair. “I’m sorry,” she apologizes quickly.

You forgive her by washing her hair, running your hair through her silky locks with a special mix of oils that was a wedding present from your mother.

“I forget that you’re from here too,” she hums, eyes closed as she leans her back against you, resting for just a few moments while the oil sets. “You’re kind, unlike the rest of them.”

“Not really,” you reply, “I’m not kind at all.” You say this with complete honesty because all the kindness in your body had gone up in flames along with your older sister’s corpse.