The Silent Guard (mxm)

Chapter 7

Prince Yuen's pavilion was not hard to find. One of the smaller black birds that Zen had noticed flying about the day before seemed to have no issue guiding them straight to the other man's home.

Several sets of guards attempted to block their way, but when the little bird flew down to perch on Zen's shoulder, they immediately gave their apologies and let them through each time. He had no doubt that the bird was either one of the prince's familiars, or possibly, even an extension of he, himself. Either way, it made what could have been a frustrating endeavor, much less stressful.

Starting up the long flight of stairs leading into the massive pavilion, Zen looked at his master, who was walking only a step or so head of him. He could tell that he was still feeling uneasy about what they were doing, but both of them were curious, and if the prince really did have information about what had happened in their pasts, they wanted to know.

They stopped abruptly at the top of the stairs as the little black bird on Zen's shoulder tweeted loudly, then flitted off somewhere out of sight.

"Enter," came a chilling, yet familiar voice from beyond the closed doors before them.

Zen stepped forward first, blocking his master mostly from view in case there was a trap of some sort. He reached forward slowly, pushing one side of the doors inward. The scent of pine trees and honey mixed within the faint brush of warm air that met them as they stepped inside.

The man's main greeting room was large but busy, with plants of all sorts taking up much of the extra spaces. He knew from watching his master's work that many of the plants could be used for spells, and were not just simple decoration.

Polished hardwood covered the floor beneath their feet and bamboo screens with intricate designs of exotic birds stood as doors to other rooms. Several of the windows far off to either side were partially open, allowing for the feathered animals to come and go as they pleased.

"Come, sit," prince Yuen said as he gestured toward the chair beside his own that mirrored its carved design of a peacock with its feathers slightly unfurled. He was wearing a long black robe with the design of a flying hawk across the right side leaning up toward his shoulder.

Qi stepped forward politely, but then hesitated and looked over his shoulder. Zen bowed his head with a small smile and moved to stand beside the chair. Reassured, his master gracefully settled into it, then turned his full attention to the prince who had been watching them lazily, his right leg crossed over his left knee. He was also leaning on his right hand that was propped up by his elbow on the intricately carved armrest.

The man, literally, looked quite at home.

"Xiao niao told me bits and pieces of what you wish to inquire, but his memory is a tad fleeting. Please, do tell me what you wish to know, my prince. I will answer what I can... for the right price, of course," prince Yuen said with a content smirk.

Zen watched silently as the little bird who had guided them there, Xiao niao, landed on the man's armrest and began nibbling playfully at a length of his hair that draped in front of his shoulder.

He let it be, clearly far more interested in hearing what Qi wished to ask, and, no doubt, decide how much he could request in return as payment.

Unfortunately for him, neither of them had any money on them.

"I'm afraid that I did not even bring enough money for our trip here, let alone to buy information," Qi said, seemingly split between relief and discomfort.

The other prince seemed to think his words were humorous, because he gave a content chuckle as soon as Qi finished speaking. It honestly irked Zen to have his master laughed at for his funds. Money was not important to either of them, and they rarely carried more than what they thought was absolutely necessary. At the end of whatever venture they were on, they would even donate the remaining coins to any beggars they found before returning home.