"It's blank!" Jale repeated angrily.

"What!?" Teal gasped.

Jale spun the scroll around for Teal to see.

Teal stared at it in confusion. Its surface was crinkled and streaked with dirt from the way it had traveled, but there was no mistaking the fact that it was completely empty. Not a word had been written on its surface. He had risked his life? He had killed for an empty blank scroll?

Jale lunged forward putting himself only inches from Teal's face, placing both of his palms onto either armrest. "Did you know it was going to be blank?" he asked, his voice was a low angry hiss.

Teal shook his head, his heart beating furiously with newfound fear. This was not good. "I had no idea!"

Jale swore and pushed away. He glared at Teal.

"Please," Teal whispered, "I really need to see the Emperor."

In a blink of an eye, Jale turned to face Teal again. Eyes narrowing, his next question came slowly, and it was almost as if he was trying to hide the hope in his voice. "Did Brelen say anything to you? Something that he might want passed on to the Emperor?"

Teal swallowed and shook his head. "No." He hated how his voice shook. He was inexperienced in such interrogations.

"Despite Ladet's disapproval," Jale crooned. "I could be in a position to gift you with a substantial sum of gold and women," he paused as if reconsidering. Their eyes met. "Or men if you prefer. But only if you were to tell me what he said."

"He said I was only to tell the Emperor." Heat filled Teal's face again. The truth so visibly on display in more ways than one, and he clamped his mouth shut at his mistake as soon as he had said it.

Jale paused again before he turned to whisper something to one of the guards on the wall. The man left, and Jale resumed his spot on his chair.

Silence fell in the room, and Teal looked at each man in turn as beads of sweat began to form at his temples. Time slowly moved by.

"Please," Teal whispered when he could bear the silence no longer. His plea was only met by more silence.

It wasn't until the solider returned and whispered into Jale's ear that Jale appeared ready to continue the conversation. A servant walked inside. They moved round to stand next to Jale, a heavy bundle in their hands. Slowly and deliberately, Jale peeled back the corners of the material covering what was inside, and Teal's eyes widened at the gold he saw. It was more than he had seen in a lifetime.

"This could quite easily all be yours," Jale informed him.

"I gave Brelen my word," Teal said carefully. "I can only speak to the Emperor."

All of a sudden, Jale's disposition changed. "You're nothing more than a peasant! You're not even a real Talbecan. You do not get an audience with the Emperor!"

Silence hung in the room at his outburst, but when Teal didn't react to his hateful words, Jale almost looked impressed.

"It is vital," Jale began rising to his feet again, "that you tell me what Brelen said to you."

"I can't tell you. I promised Brelen."

Jale gave another flick of his hand and this time, Ladet and the same soldier on the wall stepped forward. Teal's eyes widened and watched them approach, his heart picking up speed again. The soldier came to stand at his back while Ladet withdrew a dagger, its blade catching the sun's rays and blinding Teal for an instant. The soldier grasped his hands around Teal's head and held it securely, while Ladet's blade came to rest close to the skin above the metal that rested over his neck.

"What did Brelen tell you?" Jale asked, his voice cold.

Teal's chest heaved but before his body could respond to the very physical threat, the presence surged through his body drawing him into a sudden sense of calm. His eyes glowed. The men surrounding him reacted in different ways. Some gasped, some stepped back, while one or two stepped forward drawing their swords. A proclamation to the Gods even reached his ears. Showing their courage and their devotion, both Ladet and the man holding him, did not move although their faces filled with shock.

Teal ignored their reactions, and let his senses listen to the calm within. He would trust it. It would prevent him from trying to defend himself. He was still scared though. It didn't mean he was completely safe. He could still get hurt, but whatever threat these men posed him, the presence within deemed them not to be of a mortal concern, despite the threatening blade.

Teal's eyes locked with Jale's and when he spoke, his voice shook with fear. "I gave Brelen my word that I would help him, and that's what I'm doing. I honor the Emperor. My heart is with the Emperor.” Teal swallowed. He looked at each man in turn, hoping that they would believe him. “You can bribe me with gold or whatever. You can torture me all you want, and I still wouldn't tell you."

"Why did your eyes glow?" Jale asked, his voice dangerous with caution.

"When I get scared or feel threatened, they glow." It wasn't a real explanation of how it worked, but he wasn't about to explain the full intricacies of the extra presence within him that stopped him from attacking.

Ladet looked at Jale for instructions and Jale nodded. Teal closed his eyes, grimacing, expecting at the very least some pain. It took him a moment to realize the blade was no longer pressed to his skin. He opened his eyes and found that while Ladet had retreated a step, Jale had stepped forward. To his surprise, Jale placed his hand on Teal's unhurt shoulder.

"You do not need to be afraid," he said gently.

Trembling, Teal nodded. Jale's touch was a surprise but strangely familiar. It occurred to Teal that it might have been Jale himself that had attended to his wounds the night before.

"I really need to know what Brelen told you," Jale said softly, kindly.

Teal forced himself to look Jale in the eyes, the swift changes in Jale's affront exhausting. "I can't," he whispered.

"How did you manage to kill that assassin where Brelen died?" Jale asked unexpectedly.

Teal paused at the sudden change of topic. So, they did know. "He was about to kill my best friend. I did what I had to do."

"The scouts said there wasn't much left of him," Jale stated.

Teal closed his mouth. He had known the odd scout was there along the way. It had been a scout he had spied in the trees before he had made the mad race to the gates of Cleaven Estate. "As I said, he tried to kill my friend."

"Some of our scouts said you moved quite adeptly in the dark," Ladet cut in.

Becoming tired of all their questions, Teal sighed and said, "That's because I can see in the dark."

There was a sudden pause in the room where Teal was aware of every person processing that last piece of information.

Jale's eyes had widened with surprise. "And that's why you traveled at night, isn't it?"

“Yes, it is,” Teal confirmed.

"I've heard enough," the third guard who had been standing next to Ladet suddenly spoke, loudly and authoritatively into the room. "Free him."

Jale paused. "Are you sure?" he asked, his eyes still on Teal.

"Yes," the guard simply stated.

Teal swallowed down his confusion. Relief surged through him at the mere mention of freedom. But was it a trap? Were they now going to do something else to him? He gazed at the guard who had given the order, with worry.

Without hesitation or rebuke, Ladet stepped forward and leaned towards the metal covering Teal's body, having pulled a key from his pocket. It took several moments to unlock each part of metal that covered him. Their eyes met as his arms were freed, and Teal believed that Ladet was begging Teal to give him one reason to pull his dagger free again.

Finally, the last lock was released, and Teal was free. He quickly rose to his feet. Nervous and edgy, he skirted round to stand at the back of the chair wanting at least something between him and the other men in the room.

The guard who had interrupted Jale stepped forward, confident and poised. Ladet gave the slightest of bows, but he remained close; the dagger he had returned to his hip while letting Teal go, was back in his hand again. It didn't go unnoticed either that the vigilance in the soldiers along the wall had become more intense, as if suddenly determined to fight to their death. One incorrect move from Teal and he would have a serious fight on his hands.

Confused, Teal looked between Jale and the guard, and then back to Jale again.

And then it hit Teal, with earth shattering truth. The third guard in the room, the third guard who had been standing beside Ladet, was the Emperor. Teal had been speaking in the presence of the Emperor, the leader of the Empire, all along, and now, wide-eyed, all he could do was stare.

The Emperor was handsome, still young and strong and in the prime of his life; a mere thirty winters under his belt. Like most in the Talbecan Empire, Teal noted his cropped, chocolate-colored hair, his large brown eyes and his flawless olive-toned skin. His body was strong and well-shaped, and his gaze was kind and confident.

The silence continued, and Teal heard Jale – now standing next to Ladet - give a slight, hinting cough. Teal blinked and took stock of himself, overcoming his shock. His first time in the presence of the most important person in the empire and he had already offended. Without any further hesitation, Teal moved to the side of the chair, dropped to his knees and kowtowed deeply, pressing his forehead to the cool stone floor. He kept the position for longer than necessary hoping to redeem himself.

"Stand," the Emperor instructed, and Teal did so.

The Emperor stepped closer, revealing more of his elegance and strong stature. He was a radiant presence that now towered over the room.

"So, the legends are true," the Emperor murmured to himself. "The Lombock race exists."

He stepped even closer, unafraid. The Emperor tried to catch Teal's eyes but now, swamped with fear, Teal lowered his head. Teal’s heart pounded as the Emperor’s finger rested under his chin, and his head was nudged up a fraction.

"Forgive my curiosity, but I wanted to see how you would react being chained to that chair and have Jale badger you. Tell me truth," the Emperor said, his voice firm. "Do you crave human flesh? Do you share your ancestor's cannibalistic hunger?"

Bravely, Teal locked his eyes with the Emperor, hard and fast, but he didn't answer. It was the same ignorant question people always assumed to be true.

"Hmm?" the Emperor prodded.

"No," Teal responded firmly.

Their eyes remained locked until Teal finally lost his nerve and dropped his gaze. He didn't want to die on this day for being too brazen or rude. Not when he had just completed the task that had been entrusted upon him.

The Emperor kept his hand firmly under Teal's chin.

"You have something to tell me, don't you?"

Teal nodded.

"What did Brelen tell you?" The Emperor's tone was carefully selected, calm but with a hint of a command as well.

Shaking, Teal opened his mouth. "He said that the Hummingbird has found a new flower."

From the other side of the room, an audible, strained sigh escaped Jale's mouth, and the ambience in the room lowered.

"He's alive," Jale breathed in anger.

Who Jale was speaking of, eluded Teal. He stared at the Emperor who in contrast, did not reveal any hint of emotion at what Teal had just said.

Without uttering another word, the Emperor dropped his hand, turned away and walked towards the chair Jale had been sitting in earlier.

"Kneel," Jale instructed Teal once the Emperor had sat and Teal had remained standing.

Teal quickly obliged, but the Emperor did not seem too concerned by Teal's lack of protocol.

"You have done me a great service by delivering Brelen's message," the Emperor said once he was settled. "You have shown me that you are a man of your word. You defeated several Talekan Assassins." Teal's eyebrows rose in surprise. "You traveled with speed and skill so fast that even my fastest scouts were unable to keep up with you, losing you on multiple occasions. You even returned Brelen's horse. You are innocent in the ways of negotiation that much is true, but under Jale's attempts to bribe you, you did not sway on the oath you made with Brelen even with how comfortable that could have made your life." The Emperor leaned forward and smiled amicably. "You have proven to be honorable and courageous, all attributes I admire. I am happy to reward you for your efforts."

"You are too kind," Teal said, bobbing his head. "There is no need."

"I am also happy to tell you that your friend, Cokrin, is safe."

Teal's head shot up. "What?! How do you know that?"

"One of my commanders found him and insured he was seen by imperial healers. He will make a full recovery and in the following week, will make his journey back to Hulena. Your caravan is also in his possession. Your friend speaks very highly of you as does the imperial official in your town." The Emperor sat back and studied Teal. "I am curious to know of what you plan to do now that your quest is over."

Teal stopped short at that question. A long time had passed since he had considered his future. All his focus had been on that damn scroll and staying alive to see that it reached its destination. "I don't know," Teal answered truthfully. "Getting out of this room alive maybe."

The Emperor found that humorous and chuckled.

Teal shrugged, his thoughts turning serious. "I guess, I will make my way back to Hulena."

"Your father, your adoptive father, is a fisherman, isn't he?" the Emperor asked.

Shocked at how much the Emperor knew, Teal answered, "Yes."

"And you mentioned your friend, Cokrin, would be promised to a woman when he returns to Hulena."

"You already know so much about us?" Teal said in amazement.

"I do. When someone goes to great lengths to do something for me, I go to great lengths to learn everything about them. I get the impression that while you are devoted to doing the right thing for the Empire, you also did this out of the sense of adventure." When Teal floundered, the Emperor continued, "There is nothing wrong with that. You're young, how old exactly?"

"Eighteen winters," Teal replied.

"Yes, I was much the same at your age. So, tell me, what do you think you will do when you return to Hulena and your friend is promised? You do not have a woman to be promised to?"

Teal nearly laughed at the audacity of that question. "The women in Hulena have no interest in being promised to me. The mere thought of their offspring..."

"You speak the truth," the Emperor answered.

Teal's shoulders dropped at that certainty. It was surprising however how easy it was to talk to the Emperor even though his heart was racing and sweat was trickling down his face.

"To be honest,” Teal continued, “Corkin and I had been so busy on planning our journey, I hadn't really wanted to think about what would happen when we returned."

The Emperor was silent, seeming to contemplate a thought he wasn't willing to share. He rose to his feet. "Thank you for your efforts, Teal. Jale will conclude. He has my permission to grant you anything you desire. You are a free man."

Teal stayed where he was, dumbfounded. He watched as the men in room bowed, except for Jale who walked to the back of the room with the Emperor where they began to converse in a series of whispered sentences. The Emperor lifted his hand to Jale's arm to emphasize some point, their eyes locked, and Jale's eyebrows rose in surprise. His perplexed expression fell in Teal's direction, and Teal shifted uncomfortably. He felt little relief as the Emperor then left the room. Surreal and dreamlike, all his hard work, all the effort, and it was all over just like that.

"The Emperor has stated that you can be freed," Jale said interrupting Teal's thoughts as he approached. "As you previously mentioned, the forests are too risky to leave by. We do not want the assassins who followed you to know that the Emperor was here. You're also injured. May I suggest you accompany us on the Emperor's ship down the river? We can drop you off at one of the port towns on the morrow before we reach the sea and set sail for the capital." Before Teal could respond or make comment, Jale continued, "We leave now. I will accompany you to the ship where we can continue our conversation."