The Purple Jade Palace: The Hummingbird's Plan

The Purple Jade Palace

Teal didn't respond. From the extravagantly dressed guards at the gates to the towering buildings and to the paths that led off in different directions, Teal had no idea that the palace would be this complex on the inside. The layout had appeared quite simple when he had been on the ship and had viewed it from a distance. His whole town could fit in the entrance alone.

Teal tried to spy the Emperor. He had already dismounted from his caravan and was walking away in the opposite direction, Opelan the man who had joined him, still at his side.

"He'll be off to see the Empress," Delba told him when she saw where his head had turned to.

The caravan came to a stop, and Teal followed Jale and Delba and climbed down. He tried to ignore the murmurs of surprise. People stared in wonder while others took hesitant steps back. Even more distressing was the amount of armed guards who came to attention despite that he was being chaperoned by two of the Purple Jade Palace guards.

"We'll be able to eat once we're settled, and you'll be able to rest well tonight," Jale informed him as they walked, completely ignoring those around them. "Tomorrow, we'll get you straight into your court training and see to it that you become familiar with the palace grounds."

Teal remained close, afraid that if he didn't, he would lose Jale in the twists and turns of the paths Jale was leading him through. They walked for nearly fifteen minutes until they reached another high wall.

"This entrance is for us to use when we are coming and going. Inside is the Purple Jade Palace. It attaches to the back of the main palace and to the Emperor's own personal chambers," Jale explained.

The guards on the doors, decorated with their purple motifs, opened the gates, and Jale walked through. For the first time since Teal had come into the Emperor's company, the guards assigned to him did not follow.

A large one floor building with open walkways and doors stood in front of them. It was surrounded by a large kept garden where blossom trees provided shade and even a small brook babbled around one side of the building. A pathway to the back, protected by wispy overhanging branches, created a tunnel that headed towards a section of the palace where up above them it towered with balconies.

"I told you it was beautiful," Delba said from behind him. She didn't wait for an answer and walked off towards the building, her ladies-in-waiting following.

"You'll have your own sleeping chamber," Jale informed Teal as they crossed the open threshold of the building and into a large living area where thick pillows and bamboo mats covered the floor. Orange, pink and purple mesh curtains swirled lazily in the late afternoon breeze. "The rooms are quite simple but really, we have everything that we could need."

They continued down a long corridor, passing several open chambers and stopped at the nearest one that wasn't occupied. "This will be yours."

Teal gazed inside. A large thick sleeping mat with colorful sheets and pillows, lined one wall of the tiled floor. Beside the bed was a table of dark wood. It was covered with mother of pearl and lined with partitioned compartments along the back. The walls were painted in cool blues and greens, and the window that looked out to the garden and the brook was large and open, with wooden carved shutters for him to use if he wished for privacy.

"This is mine?" he asked in amazement.

"It certainly is," Jale said. "We sent a pigeon with a message to have the room prepared for you. It might look simple and bare right now, but I'm sure you'll soon make it as your own."

"No, its fine. It's more than I imagined." Teal spun in a circle and ran a hand through his hair. "All of this is more than I imagined."

"It's okay, Teal," Jale said softly. "It will take you time to adjust to living here."