The Purple Jade Palace: The Hummingbird's Plan

Lady Annalei

"Lady Annalei! Lady Annalei!"

Lady Annalei slunk further against the cool stone wall at her back. The only thing blocking her from being seen was the tall plant decorating the hall in which she was hiding in. Only three metres away, her lady-in-waiting stood at the intersection of four paths, and Lady Annalei hoped that she would pick either of the three that she was presently not in.

Outwitting her maids had become a daily challenge that Lady Annalei quite enjoyed. At first, they had not realized she was doing it on purpose. Now, they were more than aware and had become more diligent and determined to not lose her, working together to keep her within their sights. Some days they succeeded, on others like today, they didn't.

Lady Annalei smiled as her lady in waiting frowned, muttering something under her breath before choosing the path in the opposite direction probably deeming the hall Lady Annalei was in to be too dark and uninviting.

Lady Annalei breathed a sigh of relief and fixed the bag she was carrying over her shoulder. After one last scan around her, she continued on her way. Her hallway, her favourite hallway since arriving at Emperor Rathner's palace during the Mid-Summer Festival, was the hallway that led to the Blue Garden.

In truth, a person had to be invited to attend, and since her arrival at the palace, she hadn't been invited to attend anywhere. So, she had taken it upon herself to go there alone. There was no way she was going to spend the rest of existence locked away from the rest of the world. She fumed once more at the thought of it, and then, her stomach ached.

Oh, the embarrassment of it! To be the only concubine not in the Purple Jade Palace. Yes, she had made it more than clear that she had absolutely no interest in entertaining the Emperor, she was merely sixteen. The thought of a man twice her age. Ugh! But the shame for her family. Her cheeks filled with a deep blush at the thought of it.

"Why do you cry?" Emperor Rathner has asked after the Empress Dowager, his mother, had presented all the three young women who had accompanied her to the Mid-Summer Festival. Lady Annalei and the Emperor were alone in the Hall of Memories after he had sent the other two girls outside.

She stood there staring at the ceiling, trying not to sob as the other two girls obediently followed every instruction. Lady Annalei hadn't even been able to bring herself to look at Emperor Rathner. She didn't want to offend the great leader of the Empire, but at the same time, standing in that room was the last place she wanted to be. It had been her mother's idea, all her mother's, as it had certainly not been hers or her father's. Why in the all the Gods' names would she want to spend the rest of her life living in a harem stuck inside this palace?

"Because I don't want to be here," she said timidly.

"And why would that be?" Emperor Rathner asked gently, guiding her chin so she had to look at him.

Lady Annalei cringed at the memory, the horror of it, for it was then she had broken down into howling sobs right before the Emperor. She shrugged her shoulders, shaking off the memory but unable to shake the shame of it.

The end of the hall appeared, and despite reliving her first day in the palace, a sense of ease overcame her. The hallway had brightened, and a soft glowing blue was bouncing onto the walls from the water in the underground tunnel. Here she had to be careful as sometimes guards would be on patrol.

The palace guards and soldiers liked to keep it different. On days when someone was on duty, she wouldn't risk it and would find another place to escape to. Her smile returned as she saw a guard further down the hall with his back facing her.