41 A Royal Burden

Geming and Wang Yong returned to their residence after seeing off Chinua and her men. At the door, a servant rushed forward and knelt in front of Geming.

"Your Highness, Empress Yan has issued an urgent order for His Highness to return to the palace," the servant announced, his voice strained with urgency.

"May I ask what else Empress Yan wants to say?" Geming inquired, his expression unreadable.

"Nothing more," the servant replied.

"Prepare the ship," Geming commanded.

"The ship has been ready since last night," the servant informed him.

Sailing on the open water, Geming felt a familiar knot of unease tighten in his stomach. He knew precisely why Empress Yan had called him back to the palace. He stood on the open deck, overlooking the deep, clear river, where fish darted by the side of the ship. Although the sky was bright and sunny, a cloud of worry settled heavy in his heart.

Wang Yong walked up to Geming. "Your Highness, lunch is ready," he said respectfully.

Geming sighed sadly. "I'm not hungry. Go and eat first."

"Your Highness is worried about going back to the palace?" Wang Yong ventured.

"I know why mother asked me to go back to the palace at such a time," Geming confirmed, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

"What's Her Highness's intention?" Wang Yong asked.

"The loyal uncle doesn't want me snooping in the west," Geming explained. "He is worried that I might encounter something that he doesn't want father to know. Secondly, mother wants another country to help consolidate the throne. The only way is through marriage."

"His Highness is okay with that?" Wang Yong asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

Geming smiled, a sad, distant look in his eyes. "I've always wanted someone who speaks the same language as me to be my empress, but it's a pity that the person who speaks the same language as me doesn't have a royal stature."

"If I could marry on His Highness's behalf, I would be more than willing to do so," Wang Yong offered, his loyalty evident.

Geming looked at Wang Yong sadly. "I don't think I can drag on any longer," he confessed, frowning. "No matter how long I try to prolong it, no matter what I try to prevent it from happening, there is nothing I can do at this moment."

Wang Yong looked at Geming, his expression thoughtful. "Does Your Highness like Chinua? If that person is Chinua, would His Highness disagree?"

Geming sighed, a deeper sadness settling over him. "Chinua is not a royal; she can only be a concubine, not my empress. With her stubborn nature, she will not be willing to be my concubine." He sighed again. "After knowing who I really am, she probably doesn't want to be my friend at all. Even if she doesn't mind who I am." He gave a hollow laugh. "I don't even know how to find her. Hmagol is such a big land; finding someone is like finding a needle in the ocean."

Upon arriving at the palace, Geming went directly to see Empress Yan. When he entered the room, Empress Yan was sitting at a large desk, flipping through bamboo scrolls. He quickly knelt before her.

"Mother, I'm back," Geming announced.

Empress Yan looked up at Geming, a gentle smile gracing her lips. "Come here and look at the map," she instructed.

Geming walked up to the desk and found a large, unfurled map spread across it. "What does mother want me to see?" he asked.

"These are countries that share a border with us," Empress Yan explained. "The three largest countries that border us are Ofleisia, Skouji, and Hmagol."

Geming mused, "The others are all small countries. Among the three big countries, Hmagol has the least military power, but we know very little about them. Over the years, loyal uncle has tried to invade the southern part of Hmagol's border, but without success. That must mean their military is stronger than it is shown to us."

Empress Yan nodded. "The ministers of the whole court have suggested that on the occasion of the emperor's sixtieth birthday, invitations should be sent to invite princes and princesses of other countries to attend his birthday. You probably have a good idea why the emperor decided to do this."

"I understand father's reasons," Geming stated, his jaw tightening slightly.

"If we can secure our border through marriage without spilling the blood of soldiers," Empress Yan continued, "it will be good for both countries."

"When will father announce this?" Geming asked.

"I predict that he will announce it no later than the day after tomorrow," Empress Yan replied. "I already talked to Zhiming." She looked at Geming, her expression firm. "You and your brother... each must marry a princess from one of these three countries: Hmagol, Ofleisia, or Skouji. If you want to secure this throne with the support of another country." She sighed, a rare display of weariness. "I know you're against this marriage, but as a royal you have to sacrifice for the good of the country."

"I understand," Geming said, his voice quiet.

"Go back and rest," Empress Yan dismissed him.

The palace was quiet. In his solitary private courtyard, Geming's heart was heavy as he gazed at the old silver bracelet Chinua had given him. Wang Yong walked over and placed a tea tray with snacks on the table.

Geming looked up. "Sit with me," he invited.

Wang Yong politely declined. "I'm a servant. I can't sit at the same table as Your Highness." He looked down at the floor, avoiding Geming's gaze.

Geming turned the two cups right-side up and poured tea into each. He looked up at Wang Yong again. "Sit down and drink tea with me," he urged. He stood up and gently took Wang Yong's hand, but Wang Yong slowly pulled his hand away and walked to sit on a stool opposite Geming, still hesitant.

Wang Yong looked at Geming. "Your Highness, this is not like you," he said, puzzled by his master's behavior.

Geming handed the poured tea to Wang Yong. "Before Chinua left, she asked me to treat you better," he explained.

Wang Yong scoffed slightly. "Your Highness does not have to do what Chinua said. She's not a member of the royal family; she doesn't understand that in the royal family there is a fine line between servant and master. This line should never be crossed."

"Some words Chinua said are correct," Geming countered softly.

"What words?" Wang Yong asked.

"Chinua said that the best gift you can give to others is your time, because you have given them something that you can never take back, and they will always remember," Geming recited, a gentle smile on his face as he looked at Wang Yong. "Although we have experienced a lot together as master and servant over the years, I want you to know that I have never treated you as a servant."

"It is my duty to protect His Highness," Wang Yong stated, his voice firm.

"I want to see how Chinua treats the two people she mentioned," Geming mused aloud.

Wang Yong then asked, "Your Highness will not tell Chinua your real identity, will you?"

Geming sighed. "If we meet again and if she asks, I might tell her." He sighed again, heavily. "Tomorrow, father will announce his next phase of border security, which will involve me and other princes and princesses."

In the distance, three eunuchs walked towards Geming and Wang Yong. "Greetings, His Highness," the three eunuchs said in unison, kneeling before Geming.

Geming asked, "Eunuch Li, does father have something to pass on to me?"

Eunuch Li replied, "His Majesty asks that Crown Prince, and the other Princes are to attend tomorrow morning's meeting."

Geming said, "Thank you. Please tell father that I will attend the morning meeting tomorrow."

Eunuch Li bowed. "This minion takes his leave." He and the other two eunuchs retreated slowly, exiting Geming's small courtyard.

Geming sighed, a weary sound. "Father's announcement came earlier than I thought." He took a sip of tea and looked up at the night sky. "I wonder if Chinua has crossed the Hmagol border yet."

Wang Yong provided practical information. "It took us three days to return to the capital from Haishi City. It takes five days to cross the wider landscape from Haishi City into Hmagol."

Geming looked at the full moon, a wistful expression on his face. "The sun sets on the same horizon, and the moon rises in the same sky, and yet, we are still thousands of miles apart."

The southern wind whispered through the night, and owls hooted now and then in the middle of the driest lands of southern Hmagol. Chinua sat alone by the small campfire, watching the flames sway in the wind.

Hye walked over and sat beside Chinua. He looked at her. "You stopped writing your journal?" he asked.

"I've finished," Chinua replied. She looked at Hye. "Why haven't you slept yet? It's not your turn to be on duty yet."

"I can't sleep," Hye admitted.

Chinua picked up some dry wood and tossed it into the campfire. "Do you often have nightmares?"

Hye chuckled softly. "Kind of," he said. "What are you thinking?"

Chinua mused, "When we were in Haishi City, I found out that their economy is much better than ours. I really want to improve our economy, but I know that my voice alone will not gain enough support to change Hmagol."

Hye smiled and shook his head gently. "If you want something to be successful, it can't be changed instantly on a whim. You must change it a little at a time. You need to allow time for other people to adjust and see the improvement you provide. Take us for example, people laughed at us when you said peanuts can make a person stay full longer. You and I know it's true, but not everyone knows it's true. Although we truly believe it, not everyone will believe what we believed, so here we are, trying to prove our theory."

Chinua looked at Hye and chuckled, amused by his impromptu lesson.

Hye looked at Chinua. "What?" he asked.

"Have you ever thought about being a teacher?" Chinua inquired.

Hye chuckled again. "I never thought about it. I will never become a teacher."

"Why?" Chinua asked, intrigued.

"This is my little secret... I hate children," Hye declared with a mock serious face. "Especially teaching children."

Chinua shook her head, knowing it was a lie. She turned to Hye, her expression sincere. "Thank you."

"For what?" Hye asked, slightly taken aback.

"Thank you for being willing to stand by my side," Chinua explained.

"Don't thank me yet," Hye retorted playfully. "If you are worthy of my stay, you still have many more years to prove yourself."

"I'm glad… I have someone like you," Chinua said, her voice soft. "Someone who can understand my thoughts without me expressing them."

Hye teased, "Well, I'm glad to serve you, my dearest princess."

The two were amused by Hye's silly joke, and Chinua suddenly remembered that she had buried sweet potatoes under the firepit. She quickly picked up a stick and dug out five sweet potatoes from the campfire. Chinua and Hye continued their conversation as they ate the sweet potatoes under the bright moonlight.

Lying not too far away in the cold night on the dry land, his lips cracked from dehydration, Drystan looked at the stars in the dark sky and chuckled softly. Blood oozed from his arrow wound. He grunted in pain and clutched his lower abdomen, panting heavily, each breath more agonizing than the last.

Drystan coughed, then giggled weakly. "I'm not afraid of you… Death… If you want my life, you have to do better," he rasped, continuing to pant and stare defiantly at the night sky.