The crisp morning air whipped the flags on the high wall into a frenzy. The courtyard they were in had carriages and horses lined up, waiting to set off for the Kingdom of Long. The gate to the outside world was in front of them, and the wall to the outer palace and Hall of Ceremonies behind them. Xinyue stood stone-faced while listening to Xiaobo and Haoran's reports. Everything was in order, from food supplies to the number of troops setting off for the mission. The only thing missing was the princesses, who would be escorted to the Capital of Long.

  “Haoran, did Zixin send a message about anything he or the other spies have heard?” Xinyue broke the silence between the three. The spymaster had been more responsive, especially when the news of the princesses being potential brides spread throughout the kingdom. It seemed as if everyone, in every kingdom, had something to say about the situation.

  “Zixin stated that all three other kingdoms had been invited to send brides. All of which will send their princesses, General.” Haoran’s voice was weary and worn out. He had spent the last few days preparing everything and double-checking the necessary lists. Xiaobo, who stood to his left, didn’t look much better than Haoran. He was asleep on his feet and had nodded off several times while standing up. Haoran had had to elbow him in the side quite a few times to keep him from falling over.

  “I see. The Kingdom of Mu would be sending Princess Lingyi. Correct?”

  “Yes, General.”

  “Do they not find it risky? After all, the King doesn’t have any other children.” Xinyue frowned. The Kingdom of Mu was in a perplexing situation. The King only had one child and refused to marry or have children with anyone else but Princess Lingyi’s mother.

  “Zixin’s letter stated that the King of Mu is prepared to find a different heir for the State of Mu.”

  “A different heir?” Xinyue’s eyebrows raised at the news. This would have serious effects on the politics between the kingdoms, depending on who the new heir was.

  “Yes, it’s implied he may adopt a son, or he is willing to have the Kingdom of Mu absorbed by the Long Kingdom.”

  “I see.” Under her face covering, Xinyue pursed her lips. Exactly what was the King of Mu thinking? After losing his Queen shortly after his daughter’s birth, Xinyue had heard the rumors that he had gone crazy. Even still, to give up his whole kingdom? Were these the only options of the Mu Kingdom?

  “Who would be the choice of his adopted son?”

  “The son of the Grand Mentor, Dajian.” Haoran’s voice was flat, he sounded almost uninterested.

  Xinyue began to connect all the pieces. After the Queen’s death, the King of Mu relied heavily on the court, especially the Grand Mentor, to maintain power. The Grand Mentor was the brother of the Queen and heavily connected in Mu society; he was taking advantage of the situation to put his son in power. For the princess, the Kingdom of Long, and this marriage was a way out of an unsavory ending. If this Dajian came to power, it would be likely that she would be the first to be executed. Either that or married off to another participant.

  “What about the State of Feng?” The other kingdom to the South was temperamental at best. Usually, they were in a constant state of upheaval and war.

  “They have already set off from the South to the State of Long. Their party consists of both princesses and one of the princes.”

  “Which prince?” Xinyue knew of the rumors; the Feng Royal Family was complicated, and the struggle for the throne was ongoing. Whoever survived would win the throne, and maiming and killing were encouraged within the royal family. Zixin constantly had updates on the shifting balance of power and the assassinations in the State of Feng. Although there was a crown prince, the one before him was poisoned, not to mention the other prince who died in a hunting accident. The state itself had skirmishes and battles between court members who supported various princes. The body count and the scorched fields in the State of Feng were staggering.

  “Prince Zirui. There wasn’t much information on him. At least not yet.” Haoran shrugged.

  Xinyue mentally took a note to get more information on the prince from Zixin. The spymaster would be busy for the coming days. Prince Zirui wasn’t mentioned often in the reports, and if he was, it was in an offhanded remark with nothing noteworthy written about him. The State of Feng was too busy fighting within its borders to cause too much trouble to the Wu Kingdom, but Xinyue had met only the current Crown Prince on the battlefield before.

  “I see. I assume both princesses are on their way to the State of Long.”

  “Yes, Princess Mengyao and Princess Jingshu are both heading to the competition.” Xinyue had heard the gossip that Princess Mengyao was the one responsible for the death of the previous Crown Prince; she had poisoned him at dinner using aconite. At least that’s what Zixin’s intel said. The public only knew that the previous Crown Prince had died of a mysterious illness.

  “Hm.” The princesses from all the kingdoms would be wise to take this opportunity to become the Queen of Long. If not for the power, for the mere fact that they can use this to escape from the expectations of their courts.

  “His Majesty and Her Majesty have arrived!” The eunuch’s voice echoed throughout the courtyard from where he stood at the gate to announce the presence of the Wu Kingdom’s King and Queen.

  The King and Queen were opulently dressed in silver robes embroidered with black peonies and white tigers. They wore headpieces with swirling beads of red, and the belts along their waists were also a deep burgundy. The Queen’s wrists and neck were coated in strings of jade beads that lay on top of each other. Her hair was black except for one streak of white that went from her temple up into her headpiece. Everything about her was heavily jeweled and beaded, from her headpiece down to her embroidered shoes.

  “Your Majesty.” All in the presence of the King and Queen knelt and bowed, waiting to be addressed.

  “Their Highnesses have arrived.” The princesses had entered the courtyard. Their slippered feet padded against the stones, and they paraded themselves in front of the kneeling soldiers.

  “Rise.” His Majesty’s voice echoed around the courtyard, bouncing off the gate behind them and the wall in front of them. It carried power and authority, as well as a sense of cultivation. His Majesty, like most men of the royal family, had trained in cultivation and martial arts, the only exception being the current crown prince.

  “Your Majesty.” The soldiers acknowledged and rose from their bows to wait for further instructions.

  “General Xinyue, step forward.”

  It was the first time Xinyue had seen the princesses and the Queen since she had left for the temple to train. Both princesses, like the Queen, held an affinity for jewels and shiny objects. Their gauzy outer robes were lined with silver silk and embroidered red camellias. Their hairpins had the same swinging beads as their parents, and they also wore heavy pieces of jade jewelry. They were far more dazzling compared to Xinyue’s simple black armor and her white hair ribbon.

  “Your Majesty.” Xinyue stopped in front of the King and bowed again at the waist.

  “Rise, General.” His Majesty’s voice was clear and strong, but he looked tired.

  Rising from her position, Xinyue could feel the aggressive glare of the Queen. Her loathing and resentment were crystal clear in her dark gaze. The Queen never forgot the illegitimate daughter of the King, or the woman who gave birth to her. She kept her resentment and loathing chained deeply in her heart, and had assumed that once Xinyue had gone to the battlefield at such a young age, she would be free, but, against expectations, she had survived. Just from her eyes alone, Xinyue knew her mother’s transgression and her birth were not forgotten.

  “You are about to embark on your mission to escort the princesses to the Kingdom of Long.” The King continued, his hands outstretched in front of him. “It is a great honor to be requested for this duty.”

  The Queen pursed her thin lips and squinted her brown eyes, obviously hating the fact that Xinyue would be in charge of her daughter. Maybe she would feel less nervous if her father were able to speak to the General, but the General refused the Grand Preceptor’s audience.

  In the pause of His Majesty’s speech, a eunuch rushed forward from inside the palace gates to where Their Majesties stood.

  “Your Majesty.” The eunuch announced himself and, with permission, stepped forward to whisper in the ear of the King.

  “Her request is granted.” With a wave of his hand, the King dismissed the eunuch who rushed away back to where he came from. He sounded resigned with dark shadows underneath his eyes, and his face was haggard.

  There was an uncomfortably long pause when the eunuch reappeared and announced, “Concubine Ruxuan has arrived.” In floating robes made of pink gauze and silk, bracelets of silver jingling as she walked, the Concubine joined them in the courtyard.

  “Your Majesties.” The Concubine greeted the King and Queen, a smile grazing her lips as the Queen’s upper lip curled at her greeting. The almost black eyes of the Queen were a sharp obsidian as she glared at the woman who stole her husband’s time. The other concubines and mistresses were easy to get rid of, just a slip of poison into their wine glasses, but this Concubine remained.

  “Concubine Ruxuan, you are here for what purpose?” His Majesty asked, his left eyebrow raised.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “I am here to say goodbye to my daughter, Your Majesty.” Concubine Ruxuan bowed her head, her shoulders slumped a bit. Every movement she made reflected a grieving mother sending her daughter to a far-off land.

  “Hm.” His Majesty’s eyes squinted and looked her up and down. “Then move to the side, the farewells are underway.”

  Concubine Ruxuan, with a flourish of her long, gauzy sleeves, moved to stand off to the side, just next to the Queen. She smirked and adjusted her robes, barely sparing the setting-off princesses a glance. His Majesty waited briefly before continuing with his speech and farewell.

  His Majesty didn’t so much as spare either of his wives a glance. Instead he stared at Xinyue to continue his farewell. “General Xinyue, you have been given the mission to set off to the State of Long. Your orders are not to just escort the princesses, but also to make certain that our relationship with the Kingdom of Long remains stable.”

  Xinyue’s shoulders felt light as she thought of leaving the palace once again, to be free of the cage and back in the world. His Majesty’s eyes were bright in the sunlight and held some warmth.

  “There is also one more order I have for you,” His Majesty paused, “to be well and safe.”

  Xinyue heard the Queen and Concubine’s affronted gasps and the flustered rustling of the princesses’ robes, but she refused to look away from His Majesty. It was unknown to Xinyue when she would meet her father again or even if she would ever see him again.

  “Yes, Your Majesty.” Xinyue felt a sharp pain in her chest, overwhelmed with an unknown emotion. It crept up her throat and squeezed the air from her lungs. “I accept Your Majesty’s orders.”

  “Dismissed and travel well.” Without so much as a glance at the princesses, His Majesty turned from the departing soldiers and returned through the gate to enter further into the palace. The Queen and Concubine scurried behind him, almost tripping over their satin shoes.

  The princesses came forward to their transport, a stain of red on their cheeks. They threw glares at Xinyue as they hoisted themselves into the carriages and swung the curtain closed. Their mothers, who had made the excuse of coming to the courtyard to wish them farewell, did not so much as speak to them as they made their way back into the palace after the King.

  With no further obligation to fulfill, Xinyue made her way past her soldiers and the princesses. The caravan was stuffed to the brim with finery and gifts for the Kingdom of Long. The General scanned every piece of the party as she walked until she got to the front of her troops and swung up onto her horse.

  “Onward.” With the solemn order given, Xinyue once again left the palace down the trail to the portal that would lead them to the Kingdom of Long.

  It took longer than Xinyue expected for Xiaobo’s curiosity to get the better of him.

  “General, I don’t understand why we were given this mission.” Xiaobo rode alongside Xinyue on the dirt path, his head tilted to the side. Light filtered through the leaves above them, casting shadows onto the faces of the soldiers. A light breeze tugged at the white ribbon that tied Xinyue’s hair back from her face.

  “It is not our place to speculate His Majesty’s will.” Xinyue’s response was automatic and short. At the mention of the King’s name, she felt a slight pinch in her chest.

  “Yes, yes I know, we shouldn’t do that, you have said such a thing before,” Xiaobo went quiet for approximately two seconds, “But if we were, to speculate, that is, what would it be that you would speculate?”

  “What’s it like in that brain of yours?” Haoran piped up from the other side of Xinyue. Although his words were harsh, his tone had a hint of amusement.

  Xiaobo glared at the older soldier, “I’m just curious.”

  “If I were to speculate,” Xiaobo sat up straighter at the General’s response, “I would say that-“

  “General!” One of the soldiers from the back came riding up.

  “Speak.”

  “The princesses are wondering when we will make camp for the night.”

  “We have just set off from the palace, and the sun is still high in the sky. We’ll make it to the portal by nightfall tonight, whereupon we will make camp. Tomorrow we’ll take the portal to the Kingdom of Long.”

  “Yes, General.” The soldier scurried back to tell the princesses.

  “Have we been allowed portal access?” Haoran raised his eyebrows. The military rarely had access to portals; the only other time he had been through one was when they worked with the Long Kingdom.

  “We’re going to be going through one?” Xiaobo’s eyes were wide and bright. Portals between kingdoms were usually only used for diplomatic missions, since either kingdom could deny access to the other side.

  “Yes, the Long Kingdom allowed all the parties going to their kingdom access to the portals.”

  “Don’t you think it would be nice to have portals on the battlefield?” Xiaobo’s smile was blindingly bright.

  “It would never work.” Haoran shook his head at Xiaobo. He threw a knowing look at Xinyue. A look that Xinyue decided to ignore.

  “Oh, why not?” Xiaobo scowled at Haoran.

  “You haven’t seen a portal yet, but it’s logistically unfeasible.”

  “Portals are also expensive to make and maintain. Cultivators are expected to stay on site to supply their magic, they also probably don’t look as you imagine them.” Xinyue smiled beneath her face covering so her eyes crinkled. “The only portals that exist in this world are between kingdoms.”

  She said these words resolutely, without question. She again avoided Haoran’s eyes.

  “Then why aren’t they in the capitals?” Xiaobo’s smile had fallen, and he deflated into his saddle.

  “A portal straight to the King?” Haoran raised his eyebrows. “What if someone did hijack a portal or they sent an army through when it was supposed to be a diplomat?”

  “Now you’re just trying to make me feel stupid.” Xiaobo pouted. “Plus you just said portals would be difficult to hijack!”

  “No, no, it was a stupid question.” Haoran ignored Xiaobo’s other statement.

  Xiaobo leaned in his saddle to try to grab at Haoran, but the older soldier avoided his hands with a light chuckle. He swatted at Xiaobo’s outstretched hands and made a huge production of leaning back and forth in his saddle.

  “You’re lucky you’re on a battle horse or you’d be on the floor by now!” Xiaobo pulled his hands back and sighed heavily.

  “You had the same question when we first used the portal.” Xinyue reminded Haoran, deciding to give Xiaobo some leeway.

  “Ha!” Xiaobo let out a triumphant laugh and threw his head back in pleasure. He practically glowed from the vindication that Xinyue had provided.

  “And I believe it was Zixin who let you know how stupid your question was back then.” Xinyue caught at the fleeting memory from those days and their time in the Long Kingdom and let herself have a moment of remembrance. They were not granted access to the capital or the palace back then. As soon as they left the portal, they met with the Crown Prince. Albeit in a less than pleasant way. He was a general in his own right at the time, and went to the border to chase a group of bandits on the border of the Long and Wu Kingdoms.

  They continued to ride in silence for a span of time.

  “General!” The same soldier from before came riding up in another flurry of hooves. “The princesses insist that they need to rest more before making their way into the Kingdom of Long’s palace. They said something about making a lasting impression and ordered you to stop, as you are their servant. They insist that they need at least two days at camp to prepare before taking the portal to the Kingdom of Long.”

  “No. I don’t care about their impression, and I am a servant of the King, not of the princesses. We have limited time in getting through the portal as well as to maintain our diplomatic relationship with the Long Royal Family.”

  “Yes, General.” Again, the soldier went back to relay the General’s message.

  “General, what do you think of the princesses?”

  “Xiaobo!” Haoran smacked his palm to his forehead, aggravated by the young soldier’s inability to judge his surroundings.

  “I do not think of them.” Xinyue continued forward with her back straight. The statement she had made in response to Xiaobo was sincere. For all the years that she had been away from the palace, she very rarely considered her biological half-sisters. In fact, she did not spend time pondering much about the palace at all. On occasion, she would replay the memories of the Crown Prince of Long and his feverish screams for help, wondering how he was faring. But with her situation and her fight against death, she didn’t have the time or inclination to sit and think about the royals.

  “But if you were to think of them? What would you think?”

  Xinyue let a chuckle slip through and tilted her head up to look at the canopy of trees above them. A small flurry of birds flapped and chirped above them, moving from tree to tree.

  “General!”

  “For all that is good in heaven,” Haoran mumbled under his breath, but it wasn’t the soldier from before this time; it was a scout from up ahead.

  “The portal is up ahead.”

  “Well I guess the princesses will have at least part of their wish granted.” Xinyue nodded to Haoran. “Let’s make camp.”

  Xinyue smiled. They were ahead of schedule, and no incidents had interrupted their travels. She had worried about making it to the portal site by nightfall, but all of the soldiers were doing their jobs well. Things were looking good.