The Purple Jade Palace: The Hummingbird's Plan

Learning the Truth

Teal read through the night, under watch from the Empress' personal guard. She slept and her servants went about their night chores which weren't many to enable the Empress to get enough rest.

At some time near dawn, he finished. It wouldn't be long until the new day would begin. He moved to sit on the window seat and gazed at the slumbering city below lost in his own thoughts. Eventually, the Empress rose and refreshed herself. Her maids entered and she dressed, and only then did Teal raise his head, his eyes bloodshot. At some point in those early hours, Teal had dozed off.

The Empress patted the table indicating for Teal to join her. Ragged and exhausted, he sat in the opposite chair. Her features were lined with worry.

"Has the Emperor returned?" he asked bitterly. He ignored the food that was lain out before them even though he had not eaten since his midday meal the day before.

"Not yet. Scouts arrived early this morning informing us they are on their way after deeming it safe enough." They were quiet as a servant poured them both some tea. "So, now you know the truth about the Lombock," she said, eyeing him.

"Yes," he said firmly. His life was changed.

"So, Nala was right," The Empress said, picking up her tea cup. "A long time ago, the Lombock ruled the entire world. They were able to control our minds somehow. The bond in the old Kindra Tale wasn't an innocent bond out of love as we had originally thought. It was a way for them to control us. They were said to be evil, cruel and the human race were their slaves. They controled how we lived. We did their work for them. They tortured, raped, sacrificed and ate us. When people tried to revolt, they were slaughtered."

Teal didn't respond. He was still trying to digest what he had read.

"As a last resort, our ancestors sought advice from the highest Denroin monk and they agreed to cast a spell on the Lombock," The Empress carried on as if recalling the facts was enabling her to understand and remember them. "The Denroin archives say the spell manipulated the shapeshifting power the Lombock already held. It connected the Lombock to the souls of the tigers melding them together as one. They believed the soul of the tigers were stronger than humans and therefore, the tigers would be able to stop them from their cruel ways. Therefore, the Lombock did not disappear due to their natural food supply running out. They have, for all this time, still been present, but their souls and bodies have been shifted and melded with the tigers."

Teal waited as she took a mouthful of tea. He had read the same words but to hear them spoken by another person churned his stomach. It made it all too real.

"By the law of nature, the Denroin monks told the people that they couldn't kill all of the Lombock outright, in fear of retribution from the Gods. So, instead, when the human and Lombock connection was broken, only the royal family were slaughtered in a hope to increase the chaos that was suddenly spawned onto them." The Empress paused. "Except there's you, isn't there? You with your black and silver hair dictating your royal lineage."

Their eyes met over their tea cups, and Teal saw the Empress take a deep breath as if she was worried about what she was going to say next.

"The Empress Dowager told us she knew you were of royal lineage."

Teal gasped and pulled back. "You all knew!?"

Their eyes locked viciously, anger quickly replacing the shock in Teal's features. They had known of his lineage for several days and they had not disclosed it?! Even Jale had known! Teal's leg bounced in agitation and unable to remain seated, he rose suddenly, his chair falling backwards on the stone floor. "Why didn't the Emperor tell me he knew I was of royal descent?"