Fallen Swords

Four: The Girl Hurt with Words

     Was this bright-eyed child what her Honorable Father had been hiding from her all along? Was this why she had been barred from visiting her Honorable Mother? Liqin felt weak in her knees. The thorns of betrayal and hurt stung her chest.

     The little boy glared up at Jin. "You grabbed me! Apologize this instant, and I'll let you go!"

     Jin glanced toward Liqin for approval. Frowning, she shook her head. "Zemin, you are the one who ran into him first. There's no need for him to apologize. It should be you, in fact."

     The servant raised her hand in outrage. "How dare you speak to the prince that way!"

     Liqin shot her a cold look. She pulled out the silver hairpin from her bun, letting her hair tumbled down her back. "I dare, because I am your princess. You'd best know your place, woman."

     The servant staggered back in astonishment. Then she collapsed to her knees, practically denting her forehead on the floor. "Your Royal Highness," she gasped, "forgive this lowly one who has forgotten herself."

     Liqin ignored her groveling and crouched down to look the child in the eyes. "Hello there," she said, tilting her head, studying him. Although his facial structure varied from her own, she still saw her father in the slope of his nose and her mother in the arch of the eyebrows.

      The little boy looked at her haughtily. "I am a prince! Allow me to whip your slave for his impudence."

     Liqin scoffed. "Not a chance, kid. Go back to sleep. You're too young to do any whipping." With one strong, muscular arm, she hefted him over her shoulder. "Where is Honorable Mother?" she asked.

     The servant stuttered. "Y-your Highness, I'm afraid that there have been strict orders for the Empress to rest in solidarity. I must ask you to leave quickly while it is still dark."

     "Nonsense." Liqin, still gripping the squirmy child, brushed past her and started down the halls. Jin, after a moment's hesitation, followed her, earning himself a glare from the nanny. Liqin hummed a tune that barely carried over the Zemin's shrieks.

     "Put me down! I demand that you put me down! Mother's going to kill you!" Liqin lightly smacked his rump, shutting him up. Obviously, he'd never been punished before. "Be quiet. You'll wake up all the concubines in this harem."

     There was a set of doors at the very end of the hall. Candlelight filtered in through the paper doors. She could see a silhouette moving about inside the room.

     Before Liqin could push open the doors, she felt a sharp pain in her arm. "Ouch!" Zemin wriggled out of her grasp and dashed into the door, wailing.

     The little brat had bit her! As Liqin examined the wound, she heard her mother's footsteps approach. "Liqin?" called a soft voice. Liqin looked up into the gentle face of her mother. Pale skin like snow, bright red lips, and dark eyes. She was draped in a splendid silk robe of ivory and gold with swirls embroidered on the sleeves.

     "Your daughter greets Honorable Mother," Liqin stated, bowing her head. "It has been many months since I last saw you."

     She was bewildered when her mother's lips thinned into a hard line. "You should not be here. The Emperor will not tolerate a rule breaker. The harem is for the Empress and the concubines only. Any outsiders will not escape punishment. Even you."

     Liqin was hurt beyond words. She had planned so much just for this excursion! Heavens, she'd even made Jin dress up as a girl! But here she was, being rejected. "Why?" she pressed. "Honorable Mother, is it wrong for a filial child to visit you from time to time? I have just returned home from battle. Should I not give my respects to you?"

     Zemin peeked out from behind their mother's legs. "Who's the auntie?" he asked. Liqin's eyebrow twitched.

     "I'm not that old," she stated with a frown. "I'm your sister, obviously." His eyes widened.

     "I have a sister? Wow! Mother, can I play with the older sister?" This comment was met with a reprimand on the cheek.

     "Go to bed," the Empress scolded, guiding him to the door where the nanny was waiting. "You've caused the servants enough trouble today." He pouted and obeyed, pausing only to stick his tongue out at Jin. The former slave boy scowled but refrained from smacking the small child who disappeared into an adjacent room.

     The Empress settled onto a cushion. In the flickering firelight, her dark eyes glinted with something unreadable. "Liqin, I advise you to leave tonight. You too have caused havoc. My precious son who I finally had after thirteen years requires a great deal of sleep."

     "I'm your daughter, Honorable Mother. Is there something bothering you? I will keep my lips sealed." Suddenly, she clasped her mother's hands. "Is my father threatening you in any way? I knew I should not have left my guard down. He's always been different since the first Empress died!"

     The Empress wrenched her hands out of Liqin's grasp. "There's nothing wrong," she said with deathly quiet. "Leave before I call the guards."

     Reluctantly, Liqin bowed and backed out of the room. Outside, she was greeted by Jin who'd heard every word. "Something's not right," she muttered. "She's never been like this before. I must discover what difficulties plague her."

     They slipped away from the harem under the cover of the clouds, retracing their way back to the main palace. Liqin hardly said a word to Jin as they settled in for the night, her on her large canopied bed and him on his cot in the corner.

     Many of the maids had protested vehemently at this arrangement, shrieking that it was indecent for a woman and a man to share the same room if both were unmarried. Liqin had merely brushed it off with the excuse that they'd done so since childhood when she'd brought him back from the slave market, which was indeed a true statement.

     But she left out the part where she always felt more peaceful listening to his even breathing and letting his presence wash away all her doubts and insecurities.

     With a sigh, she burrowed deeper into the blankets and drifted into the sea of darkness.

so sorry this took so long to update! life and school just get in the way, plus i'm focusing more of my time on energy on my other Fantasy story "Dark Queen". If you like ravens and dark stuff with a wicked brave heroine, you should go check it out. #shamelessselfpromo haha.

I realize that it may seem unreasonable that everyone seems out to get Liqin, but the true reason will come out soon.

Discussion Questions: What are your thoughts on the part Zemin will play? Why is Liqin's mother acting so cold towards her?