Dining with Jade Royalty

Into the Dragon's Land

"One must covet honour over all values, for the integrity of their nation."

Betrayal strikes first
Into the Palace's heart
Poisoning honour.

---

Jia Xin retreated to her new quarters for the night, the feast having drained out most of her energy. It was magnificent, to say the least. Despite being of noble heritage, never before had she seen as many exotic dishes and exquisite gowns and robes in one room before. The walls had even been elegantly lined with portraits of past Emperors, their war victories on display for everyone to see. The lives of the Emperor and Empress were clearly filled with splendour, as the palace maids remarked at how drab the decorations were.

The entertainment was also to her enjoyment that night, as the case with everyone else in the banquet hall. A few of the palace monkeys were brought out first, and the audience clapped at their antics. They jumped through rings of fire and juggled vibrant fruits before the circus master bowed deeply and exited the stage. Strange creatures those "monkeys" were, for they had the same features as man, but cannot be called a man as their skin was darker than the mud in her garden. Yet, they cannot truly be monkeys for they lacked the gauche nature of those creatures. Her favourite performance, though, was the one of the Palace Geisha.

Ichisumi was well-known throughout the kingdom, and was often the subject of gossip of many. She'd heard about her refined grace and honourable services to the realm. On the other hand, there had been much talk about her brutal instincts and sharp tongue - a trait considered dishonourable. Nevertheless, the Geisha's performance was beautiful and conveyed the beauty of her life in Japan; Jia Xin dearly wished to meet the venerable entertainer.

Her newly-appointed lady-in-waiting, Ya Ting, helped her out of her gown and into a lighter one. It was pale blue, with delicate peonies stitched around the hem. As the maid brushed her long hair, Jia Xin noted the extravagance of the sleeping gown - it was far too heavy and decorated to rest one's soul in, and yet it was given to her. Perhaps...no, it couldn't be.

"These are not sleeping garments, Ya Ting." The demure girl nodded.

"The Jade Emperor requests your presence in his chambers tonight, Honourable Concubine." Jia Xin was immediately filled with dread as she anticipated the dreadful events that would transpire. Ya Ting proceeded to apply a vivid red paint to her lips, each stroke drawing her consummation with the Emperor closer.

After a painful few minutes, a few more maids were ushered in to smooth down her gown and lead her out of the room. They were silent for the long walk to his room, for which she was thankful for. She needed the silence to steel herself for what was to come. She had given her blossom to her beloved Ma Yuan, the night before her inauguration into Palace society. Her innocence was tainted, but her honour was not - she would walk into his chambers with her head held high and conduct herself with the highest esteem.

Her presence was announced at his sliding door, and his strange voice permitted her entry. There stood the Emperor, still in his celebratory dragon robes and reeking of wine. Jia Xin fought the urge to wrinkle her dainty nose in disgust. He took in her face, then her body, and smiled widely. She wanted to run out of the room and flee into the night, but her feet were firmly rooted to the ground.

"Welcome, concubine. You are," He took a lock of her hair into his fingers. She could smell the rank breath exuding from his mouth, "truly beautiful." He let go of her hair and commanded her to sit on his bed - she walked over, painfully making sure that her face was still in its meticulous mask. Moments later, another woman arrived in his chamber, a saucy grin on her pale features.

"You summoned me, most honourable one." Jia Xin noticed how she didn't bother bowing in front of him. It was disconcerting.

"Ah yes, Ting Ting. Meet our newest edition." The woman named Ting Ting looked over his shoulder and pulled a sour expression.

"She's a pretty thing; but I thought I was your destined woman."

"That you are, but you are a slave to my demands." At that moment, the Emperor, esteemed as others may have reported him to be, was a scoundrel in Jia Xin's eyes.

---

Jia Lin had wondered where her twin had been throughout the duration of the banquet. She could have sworn she saw him leave their residence after she did. However, when the palace monkeys came out, he was nowhere to be seen, despite that performance being one of his favourites.

When Jia Lin entered her brother's study, however, all her questions had been answered. He'd never graced the halls of the banquet that night.

Jia Cheng lay unconscious amongst his scattered papers and potential creations, holding onto a pipe. Jia Lin recognised the smell coming from her brother the moment it hit her senses. She knew all about the drug opium - "used to aid masculinity, strengthen sperm and remain vigor." She knew her brother was importing it, but never in her wildest dreams did she ever think that her dear brother Jia Cheng would abuse his trade. He had sworn it was only for "research purposes." He was an inventor; she believed him. They were born together, and shared the same bosom - she had no reason to doubt her beloved brother.

But that was all different now.

The man who lay in front of her, dead to the world, was not her brother. He was not the boy she shared the womb with, not the happy, smiling trickster boy she grew up with. She looked over his shoulder at the books surrounding him. They contained a multitude of plans and outlines to overthrow their sacred ruler, and one to sell her off to the Mongol warlords. Jia Lin could not believe her eyes. She willed herself to wake up from this terrifying dream.

Not only did he pose a danger to her family's hard-earned honour, he had become a threat to the existence of their country. He betrayed me, she could not ignore the voice which spoke this in the back of her mind.

After all they'd been through, including the death of their precious mother, he'd had the gall to plot to sell her off to a barbarian land and destroy her beautiful homeland in the process. This man was no longer a cherished loved one.

Jia Lin rushed down to the armoury, where Jia Cheng stored the precious Japanese swords. She withdrew one from the wall and hid it underneath her robes. It would do more harm than good if she was caught with the weapon of men. She hurried to her chambers, careful to silently step around Jia Sheng's study.

She reached her chambers, letting out a sigh of relief when the sliding doors closed behind her. There was a beautiful garment that their father had bought for her long ago - she wrapped the sword in the rich fabric and hit it in her umbrella vase.

Jia Lin considered waking up her brother, or ordering one of the servants to bathe him and leave him in his chambers. If she woke up him, he would suspect her of reading his files - she couldn't risk herself, nor could she risk the servants' safety. A knock resounded on her door.

"Enter." A thin, young man, skin as dark as night, walked in and bowed respectfully. Her personal guard, and fellow fighter - Vivek. She'd found him and his brother on the streets a few years prior, ragged and hungry. She took pity on the foreigners, and took them in. They became her closest friends, and the most loyal of her household.

"You called for me?"

"Awaken Shivek, we must prepare to leave."

"Now? But where?"

Jia Lin took in a deep breath, "I don't know."

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