The Purple Jade Palace: The Hummingbird's Plan

A New Friend

As an imperial concubine, Teal was not allowed to train near the other soldiers. Instead, Jale led him to the private imperial training compound, a square building with various small courtyards that had viewing balconies on each side. It was set back from the palace's main training arena but close enough that the training soldiers' efforts could still be heard.

Galton's number four man, a handsome young man with rather square strong features, curious brown eyes and thick brown hair, was also the same soldier who had approached Teal on the wall the night before. Once they were alone, Satner took him up onto the third floor of the imperial training building. It was here Teal saw members of the imperial court training in privacy. The everyday common soldiers on the other side, were forever under the watchful eye of the elite.

Satner's purpose for taking Teal to the viewing level however, was to show him the soldier training grounds, a large sparse area that covered a good proportion of the southern part of the palace grounds.

"So," Satner said. "As you can see, we have various training going on in the morning. Everyone receives basic training for stamina and health, but each person is stationed to learn two types of fighting or defense."

He pointed to men and women with wooden swords. "The men and women over there, train to use a wide variety of different swords. Over there," he said turning and pointing, "people train for hand-on-hand combat, no weapons."

Teal watched in amazement, and Satner smiled.

"On the other side of the pavilion," Satner stated, "soldiers are being trained on how to use bows. And on the other side of the wall, where you can't see right now, men are also training on horses."

"This is so much more than I was expecting," Teal uttered in disbelief.

Satner nodded, pleased. "Yes, Galton took over from his father a few years ago and has continued with the very strict training that he had put in place."

Satner paused noticing the audience they had acquired from below. He held his head high and took on an authoritative tone so different to the one that he was using to converse with Teal. "Get back to it," he called out, and Teal was surprised to see the men and women turn away and continue with what they had been doing, no questions or objections given.

"You'll have to forgive them," Satner told him. "News spreads very fast. When the soldiers heard that the Lombock concubine was coming down here to train, it gave way to much conversation and speculation. Unfortunately, I can't tell the people in the imperial section to leave you be, but I can tell the soldiers to move on."

Satner took a step closer to Teal. "I told Galton that I saw you," he confessed. "I had to, but it wouldn't have mattered even if I hadn't. He's had extra men on patrol around the Purple Jade Palace. They were given orders to watch out for you and report on your actions if you ever left the grounds."

Before Teal could respond, Satner turned and started back down the stairs to the private training courtyard. To Teal's dismay, several people gathered around the inner balcony above to watch them. They were the Emperor's imperial court, the elite, stiff lipped and judgemental men and women who had been objecting to his presence, the very ones Jale was teaching him of in his lessons.

"Let's see what you've got," Satner said. "I'll try to ignore the irony of handing you a sword, but I am also intrigued to see whether some of the legends are correct of your race's fighting capabilities."

"I think you're about to be greatly disappointed," Teal muttered. "My father, the man who raised me, was a fisherman."

Satner laughed out loud, a surprising and delightful sound. He tried to recover quickly, but Teal's sarcastic tone had broken a barrier between them and they shared an even smile.