A Wuxia Tale: Blades and Flowers

Imprisoned

(WANG DAO)

I opened my eyes when the door of my solitary cell opened to reveal a guard holding a bowl and a small loaf of bread. I sighed when I saw the guard's eyes are blank like they couldn't see whats around them. It should concern me that most of the guards who visit and tend to my needs has that same blank look in their eyes, but by now, I am just used to it.

"Here, eat." The guard with the blank stare said before carefully putting down the bowl of spiced porridge and loaf of bread on the floor. Then without another word, the guard left. Never looking back at me.

I saw the prisoners on their cells across from mine looking at me with envy. I think, once again, I am the only one receiving some form of food in this dungeon.

Yesterday, no one gave us any food. We are at the bottom of the food chain in this prison. Guards here tend to forget us since they are done torturing us. Sure, they don't lash or cut us anymore while hanging us with chains attached to the walls but they let us starve and live in such filth in this place.

I know those things by now because this is my third day here. At least here in the solitary cells, we know if its night or day because of the light coming from a hole in the ceilings some five storey from us.

If I thought living in the military base with too much seasoned food and no nanny or Father to tend to my needs is such hell...that was nothing compared to this kind of living. The cell holding me is about three feet wide and six feet long. I couldn't even stretched my whole body on the floor. The stench of piss and human waste in this place, offends not just my nose but my whole mental system. The putrid air, the lack of bathing, the lack of clear sunlight, the lack of everything...it is hellish.

But I am alive and thats what matters. There are days when I feel like losing hope. The plan Prince Jin and I formulated has failed. If our plan worked, the prince should have plucked me from this place by now. But it has been over a week since the stabbing incident happened and I still have no idea if Prince Jin is alive or not.

All I know is that hope is slipping from my grasp. The only thing keeping me sane, and this is truly ironic, is the "presence" in my head keeping me company.

Don't lose hope. By now, the news about you stabbing Prince Jin has reached the Emperor's ears in the Middle Kingdom. That means General Wang has also been alerted. That means the news has already reached your Father. Master Dayu won't stand aside and let you rot in this place.

"How exactly did you know my parents again?" I asked the "presence" in my head. Since I didn't get a good answer the last time I asked this question.

Doesn't matter how I know them. What matters is that you don't sink in despair and hopelessness here. What you need to do is get that information you need. Thats why you are in this hellhole, remember? The Frenchman.

I gave up. This "presence" knows to much about me. I think it knows everything.

I stared at the food left to me by the guard. I looked across the prisoners on the other cells. They stared back at me. They were here when I was carried here, almost dying, three days ago. I haven't spoken any words to them. They know I am a foreigner from another land. They won't trust me anyways so I didn't bother communicating yet.

But I am feeling a lot stronger, thanks to the manipulations of the "presence" on the guards here. They have given me food, medicine in powder form and even a blanket. The way the other prisoners' eyes widened when a passing guard tossed a blanket inside my cell was almost comical. Apparently, the guards in this bottom dungeon are known for being sadistic and merciless. Why will they show mercy on a foreigner and not to the prisoners on the same race as them.