A bird sang merrily in the branches above their heads. In stark contrast, the mood between the Emperor, Empress and Jale was somber. Their pace was slow and silent while they took a moment of solitude from the hectic events that had transpired over the past day. Jale let his thoughts sway to Teal.

The Empress had been waiting with Teal standing respectfully but powerfully behind her. The sight of the pair had caught Jale off guard. They had created an enigmatic beauty standing together, and it struck Jale as if the Emperor and himself were guests the Empress and Teal were welcoming. Then Teal had turned and left, and Jale sensed that information of some kind must have passed between the Empress and Teal. Information that had not been received well.

The Emperor stopped suddenly on the path startling Jale back to attention. He took the Empress' hands into his own and kissed them each in turn.

"Much has happened, my love," the Empress spoke into the silence.

Worry still held in the Emperor's eyes. "You are sure you're well and safe?"

"Of course!" the Empress replied with a forced laugh. "You needn't worry about me here in the palace."

The Emperor stood silently drinking in the sight of her, ensuring that just like her words, she was safe and well. His hands grazed over her large stomach and he leaned down to kiss it.

Jale glanced at the noisy bird while the Emperor and the Empress shared their moment. It was a small, silky, blue feathered bird with red flecks on the tips of its wings. A creature that was either on its way to or leaving the beauty of The Blue Garden. The bird suddenly called; a powerful distinctive and loud call that was opposite to its diminutive and otherwise unimpressive size. It was a call of warning, of imminent danger.

Jale tilted his head and looked up to the sky, blue and brilliant as the sun sat at its highest point. There in its initial glare, he caught the hint of larger wings, a creature of prey circling that was hidden by the blinding rays of the sun. Jale lowered his head from the intense light in his eyes. He frowned.

The bird of prey so reminiscent of the threat that was circling over their heads. The Emperor, lost in the embrace he had gathered the Empress in, was certainly deciding on how he was going to retaliate to the attack at the Summer Palace.

Jale clenched and unclenched his fists hidden behind his back. It was the manner in which they had been attacked. How cowardly not to attack straight on where they could see them coming, but hiding in the shadows. And to go for undoubtedly the weakest person. Spineless. Did they want to strike one person off at a time to get back at the Emperor? Was that their new strategy? Gutless, they were.

Their solitude was disturbed by the sound of a several men approaching. Jale turned, and the Emperor and the Empress separated to find Prince Salren striding towards them, Prince Vox only a step behind. Jale sighed inwardly as a glare was passed his way and true to his place, Jale stepped back to allow Prince Salren speak to the Emperor. Prince Vox's demeanor was much less hostile, but Jale dared not speak to him.

The Emperor turned to Empress Crael. "Leave us, please. Rest and know that I am at peace knowing you are safe."

The Empress nodded; her frustration clear. She did not argue however, and instead, quietly left the group of men winding her direction into the garden and back to the main building.

"You can have one thousand extra men from Crolet city," the Emperor spoke, turning to face Prince Salren. Jale held his breath and he felt Prince Vox freeze beside him. "Keep half of your men on the border and send the other half to Camp Rein. From what we've been able to determine, the Hummingbird is currently hiding there."

Prince Salren nodded. His shoulders were wide and his face was unable to hide a look of deep seeded satisfaction.

The Emperor stepped up and placed his hand on Prince Salren's shoulder, and with his voice low, he continued, "I want him alive. Do you understand me? Tell them I'll meet them half way. They are to bring him to me and I'll finish him off myself."

Smug, Prince Salren nodded. "My thanks to you, brother. You have made a good choice. Our father had no idea what kind of hindrance the Hummingbird would become."

Jale could not stop himself. "Do you think that is wise?" The three regal men turned at the sudden interruption. Jale indicated in the direction the Empress had left in. "Your child is yet to be born. You have only just returned to the palace and now you want to leave again?"

Prince Salren's expression turned scornful. "Why the caution? The Empress is safe here. Emperor Rathner has never backed down from a fight. You want the Hummingbird to think the Emperor fears him? That the Emperor thinks the Hummingbird could bring about his demise?" Prince Salren waved Jale off in disgust. "Or are you still fearful that the future of the empire could fall into my hands?" There was awkward pause and Prince Salren chuckled. "I'm flattered that you still revere me so highly, Jale."

Jale pursed his lips and lifted his head proudly. His only way to respond to the Prince without causing himself trouble.

"Stop. The pair of you," Emperor Rathner ordered. To Jale he said, "We'll talk about this later."

Annoyed and even more frustrated that he couldn't voice opinions in the present company, Jale could only frown. The Emperor and Jale's eyes met, an unspoken argument raging between them.

Prince Salren started to speak again. "Ignore Jale's concerns. The Hummingbird grows stronger every day. The more you delay the harder he will be to bring under control. You have to act. He attacked you right under your nose, and I do not wish to think of what would happen if the thugs that he has backing him rose with him to power. Do you want him to turn one of your labor camps into his own army? He is far too intelligent..."

Emperor Rathner cut his brother off. "You need not persuade me anymore. I'll send word to my men at Crolet city when we are finished here. We will leave tomorrow morning."

Prince Salren bowed his head and with one last sneer towards Jale, he turned and left.

"You risk trusting him?" Prince Vox asked.

"I should have done this long ago," Emperor Rathner said softly. "Now leave me brother so I can prepare."

Prince Vox as usual was not one to argue. "Of course, you rode all night to get here. Ensure you get some rest before you leave," he said kindly before he nodded and also took his leave.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Jale hissed.

"Since when did you become so afraid of confronting the Hummingbird?" The Emperor demanded in return.

"I'm not afraid of that scum," Jale argued with the Emperor. "I just think there are better ways to take someone down instead of running off like I'm pretending to be a young hot-headed twenty-year-old, lacking in an education, and raging on a hungry need for revenge unable to use strategy instead. There are better ways to deal with this!"

The Emperor scoffed. "You sound like the Grand Council. How can you not want to rip the flesh off his bones?"

"Of course, I do!" Jale yelled back. "But not at the risk of losing you!"

The Emperor paused and when he continued, his voice was more controlled and calm. "I understand your concerns and you know that. The best situation for us right now is to get rid of the Hummingbird before he escalates. He has taken it too far. My brother is right. The more power he gets, the more dangerous he becomes. And if we are too focused on him, The Keglar Kingdom could take it to their advantage as well.” The Emperor placed a strong hand on Jale’s shoulder and squeezed it gently. “I have had enough of taking your advice of being passive in our efforts to get rid of him. The labor camp he is hiding in is not big. We strike them hard, take the whole camp down and be done with it once and for all." He stepped closer to Jale. "We should have done this on the very first night we met him."

"Fine!" Jale spat. "But I coming with you."

The Emperor leaned back and tried to hide the smile that tugged at his mouth, a smile that made Jale even more furious. The Emperor stepped forward and kissed him. "I wouldn't have it any other way." The Emperor paused, his thoughts going elsewhere. "I think we need to discuss what happened with Teal, don't you? In fact, there are a few things we need to also discuss before we leave."

Jale's shoulders deflated. He was not looking forward to this either.

>>

Teal found himself back in the Purple Jade Palace drawn to the gentle woman who had unexpectedly become important in his life. He had always been fond of her and he would do anything to keep her safe. Now there was something else brewing under his skin, and it was unusual but nice and exciting all at the same time.

Lana was propped up on her sleeping mat, Ralen by her side talking quietly with her. Teal waited patiently at the entrance of the room.

"Teal," Lana suddenly spoke, moving her head in the direction of her door. "Even with my head pounding, I can still smell you." She held out her hand, and Teal crossed the space to sit on the ground next to her. "Thank you for saving my life," she said, pulling him gently into her embrace.

"How are you feeling?" Teal asked unable to hide the weariness in his voice. "I ended up leaving the Summer Palace so quickly last night, I did not have time to check in on you properly."

"Not too bad," she replied. "Ralen here cleaned my wound and stitched it closed. He has told me it will heal nicely."

Teal smiled to Ralen. "We are lucky that you're so capable at attending to wounds."

"It was part of my training in working with the Empress," he responded. "Especially in those times."

Ralen's words stirred an interest but tiredness was thwarting any attempts to make sense of them. Lana, true to her ability to sense the obvious, spoke again. "You sound tired," she spoke to Teal. "Have you slept?"

"Only an hour or two," he admitted.

"Then sleep," Ralen said, rising to his feet. "I'm sure there's plenty of room on Lana's mat."

Surprised at Ralen's acknowledgement, Teal floundered. It had been Ralen's suggestion, not Lana's.

"Only if you want to, of course," Lana saved him.

"I'd like that very much," Teal said. He lowered himself down and relished in the feel of the comfortable bedding beneath him. It was lovely. Her soft familiar smell of Lana mixed with a new waft of dried blood, and the sound of her heart beating, and the warm feel of her flesh smooth against his own.