The Royal Guards of The Imperial Palace

Chapter one (The Beginning)

It was busy as usual in the street of the Sky Stairs. The long, wide road led to the most sacred place of China, the Forbidden City. Merchants lined their carts of goods along the pathway, hoping for someone of great wealth and importance would catch their eyes on something. At night, lanterns were hooked on top of the roof of every building. His greatness, the Mandate of Heaven, The Emperor of China ordered the streets be lit for the gods to glance upon his creations. Some poets called it the red stars of earth.

However, for the passing of two full moons since the last of the continuous disastrous harvests, the streets weren't filled with wailing merchants or beautiful red lanterns, but hungry people. Despite this fact, many carriages pulled by well groom, muscular horses went by without any regards of the people. The crying and desperation came out of the tongues of many. People avoided the Sky Stairs.

A dirty little girl stood in the mist of all the people. Her hair was escaping her once neatly tied bun. Her sliver pin embedded with a glossy stone was dangling in her loose bun, swaying at her every movement. Unlike her companions, she did not weep or scream for help. In front of her was a roll of bamboo mat. She was sitting on her bruised knees and silently observing her surroundings.

A carriage pulled by six horses decorated with gold and silver collars drove through the gloomy street. Many people saw the sight of the carriage and ran towards it! A swamp of savaging homeless people surrounded the magnificent carriage. 'Please, please grand lordship! Help us!' ,pleaded one woman while she shoved everyone that was in front of her.

Out of panic, the horseman yanked the reins and violently turns the horses' head on to another direction. It was hopeless, more people followed. The nervous horseman tried to make the horses go faster but only spooked them further. He did not notice, at the corner of his eyes, the horses would trample over the young girl. Luckily, a hand came out of nowhere and gripped the leather reins tight to stop the gruesome catastrophe. Guards surrounded the occupied carriage and threatened all of the 'worthless beggars' to go elsewhere.

An old guard gave a sliver coin to the girl and said, “Run along little one. This is no place for a child.” The girl simply shook her head and refused him.

The emperor has been terribly ill with an unknown sickness. The priests blamed it on the omen of the starving people occupying the Sky Stairs. The poor and misfortunate has spread their bad luck to the capital. It was a dry year. The gods were not pleased and many crops have failed. The Royals Guards were ordered to 'clean out' the streets.

Unable to comprehend the girl's action, a group of irritated men decides to grab the girl and her belongings. Just as the guards struggled to pull the rolled mat out of her reach, a decaying body fell out the mat. The sight was disgusting. Her skinny body reveal malnutrition and poor health as her skin appeared yellow and dry. There was a deadly silence in the air. Many people of the capital have forgotten about the hardships of the people in the rice growing states. The gods have forsaken them this year and not even their brothers seemed to care.

All have forgotten about the person in the extravagant cart. A soft yet demanding voice came from the other side of the silk curtain covering the carriage, “what is the meaning of this?”, as the owner of this elegant voice stepped out of the compartment. He had on a gold and purple robe with Griffins, the bird of bravery, embedded on the sleeves with careful thread work. His hair was carefully tied together with a decorative jade pin. 

For his young age, he had the presence of a tiger in front of every one of the guards. All the men that knew him, bowed and stated, "his greatness, the 7th prince of heaven, I honour thee."  

The prince ignored them and turned his attention to the forgotten girl, "you", he pointed, "Why did you reject this man's offer?"  

The girl slowly took a glance at the prince and replied, "He didn't give me enough money." The group was shocked by the response. No one would dare to give such disregards to someone of high nobility especially the prince.

His majesty did nothing but laughed at her reply, "You are greedy one, aren't you."

However, the girl was not at all amused, "Sir, I am not a beggar! I would never take something that is not mine. I simply wanted money to buy my mother a coffin. I shall work to pay off the debt." She travelled street to street looking for a doctor for her mother. None would take an uncivilized countryman, especially one without any coins in their pockets. Her mother died in dishonourable way, on the street of flowing red lanterns. The only thing, she could do was wrap her dear mother's cold body with a mat.

She knew by offending that prince she would be a goner. She was prepared for her end as well. Maybe, she would meet her mother on the bridge of forgotten sorrows where all the dead go. She closed her eyes and waited for her sentence.

The horsemen waited for the gesture signalled by his master and turn the carriage to the direction of the prince's royal estate. Before heading back into the exterior of the cart, the prince yelled, "Girl, I hope your legs work. Follow me."

**This is my very first novel. I hope you guys can give me some feed backs. I don't have a lot of readers at the moment. I hope that you guys can share this with you friends!** Many Thanks! :)