broke his heart. At that thought, he yanked backward and stood to his feet, "I would prefer to continue this conversation inside."
"Of course." Bao followed him peaceably inside, shutting the door behind him and securing it before turning back to Chien.
Chien had taken care to ensure that everything had been hidden. The Everbloody sat safely in his chest, hidden amongst the silks of his robes. The poison that Minh had sent hid in an elaborate thin box beside his bed. Unlike his cousin, his room was simple. He could not decorate it in the manner he preferred: in the bold colors that had characterized his mother's homeland or the black and gold that had characterized his father's reign. So instead he had chosen an austere look. Nothing to distract him, nothing to do in his room except focus.
Bao looked around for a moment, a frown on his face before his eyes settled onto Chien. He began to take off his sword when Chien interrupted him, "Is that necessary? I had assumed your business would be quick."
Rather than being put off by Chien's sharp tone, Bao seemed merely amused. He stared Chien in the eye and purposefully unhooked his sword from his belt and sat it to the side. "Perhaps we could sit and talk, Prince."
"Why bother calling me by my title if you have no intention of respecting my position?" Chien sat beside the table as Bao instructed.
"Because it suits you in these moods." He set the long box he had been carrying onto the table. "You showed interest in my journey before. I thought you might want to hear of it."
Chien was curious. He had not been allowed beyond these walls in years. Not that he had not made his way to the village just outside the palace's walls from time to time. But that could only be done so often without raising suspicions. "Did you find what the Empress searched for?"
"Not at all," Bao frowned, "It appears that whatever source she had heard was incorrect."
"I wonder what she searches for."
Bao gave him a look, "Sometimes I wonder just how much of you is the role you play and how much is the real prince."
"Is that so? Have you found the answer then?"
"Not quite. But if I never find the answer, it will not be for lack of persistence."
Chien could not help himself from snorting in laughter, "Do let me know then, General, when you find the solution."
"Do you know the story of the Sword of Heavens?"
"It was granted to the first Emperor by the Dragon. It is the history of my family. Of course I would be aware." Chien answered when Bao seemed surprised.
"When the governor asked you last month you claimed to have not a clue."
"The governor prefers to pretend that he knows all things. It is easier to amuse him than fight it."
For the first time since Chien had known him, Bao seemed a bit unsure of himself. "Do you do that with all people then? Humor them in hopes that they will give you a moment's peace?"
Here was his moment. The moment he could sever this relationship with one easy blow. He did not need Bao's information any more, did he? Not with things so close. But the same part of him that so easily allowed him to do away with his evil aunt and her wicked sons would not allow him to lie to Bao in this moment. "Sometimes. And sometimes I find that the truth slips free beyond my control. It unsettles me."
There was a long pause while Bao searched his eyes, and Chien could not help but wonder what Bao searched for. At last though, he looked down to the box beneath his fingers. "I brought you a present."
He handed the box to Chien and Chien accepted it tentatively. "A present? General, you did not have to."
"Did you behave yourself?"
"Hardly."
Bao laughed and Chien found himself smiling as well, "I would hardly expect anything more of you. But since I have already made a purchase of this, you might as well take it."
Curious now, Chien pulled it close and slowly removed the top of the box. Within the box lay a purple silk robe, soft and luxurious to the touch. A design had been
"Of course." Bao followed him peaceably inside, shutting the door behind him and securing it before turning back to Chien.
Chien had taken care to ensure that everything had been hidden. The Everbloody sat safely in his chest, hidden amongst the silks of his robes. The poison that Minh had sent hid in an elaborate thin box beside his bed. Unlike his cousin, his room was simple. He could not decorate it in the manner he preferred: in the bold colors that had characterized his mother's homeland or the black and gold that had characterized his father's reign. So instead he had chosen an austere look. Nothing to distract him, nothing to do in his room except focus.
Bao looked around for a moment, a frown on his face before his eyes settled onto Chien. He began to take off his sword when Chien interrupted him, "Is that necessary? I had assumed your business would be quick."
Rather than being put off by Chien's sharp tone, Bao seemed merely amused. He stared Chien in the eye and purposefully unhooked his sword from his belt and sat it to the side. "Perhaps we could sit and talk, Prince."
"Why bother calling me by my title if you have no intention of respecting my position?" Chien sat beside the table as Bao instructed.
"Because it suits you in these moods." He set the long box he had been carrying onto the table. "You showed interest in my journey before. I thought you might want to hear of it."
Chien was curious. He had not been allowed beyond these walls in years. Not that he had not made his way to the village just outside the palace's walls from time to time. But that could only be done so often without raising suspicions. "Did you find what the Empress searched for?"
"Not at all," Bao frowned, "It appears that whatever source she had heard was incorrect."
"I wonder what she searches for."
Bao gave him a look, "Sometimes I wonder just how much of you is the role you play and how much is the real prince."
"Is that so? Have you found the answer then?"
"Not quite. But if I never find the answer, it will not be for lack of persistence."
Chien could not help himself from snorting in laughter, "Do let me know then, General, when you find the solution."
"Do you know the story of the Sword of Heavens?"
"It was granted to the first Emperor by the Dragon. It is the history of my family. Of course I would be aware." Chien answered when Bao seemed surprised.
"When the governor asked you last month you claimed to have not a clue."
"The governor prefers to pretend that he knows all things. It is easier to amuse him than fight it."
For the first time since Chien had known him, Bao seemed a bit unsure of himself. "Do you do that with all people then? Humor them in hopes that they will give you a moment's peace?"
Here was his moment. The moment he could sever this relationship with one easy blow. He did not need Bao's information any more, did he? Not with things so close. But the same part of him that so easily allowed him to do away with his evil aunt and her wicked sons would not allow him to lie to Bao in this moment. "Sometimes. And sometimes I find that the truth slips free beyond my control. It unsettles me."
There was a long pause while Bao searched his eyes, and Chien could not help but wonder what Bao searched for. At last though, he looked down to the box beneath his fingers. "I brought you a present."
He handed the box to Chien and Chien accepted it tentatively. "A present? General, you did not have to."
"Did you behave yourself?"
"Hardly."
Bao laughed and Chien found himself smiling as well, "I would hardly expect anything more of you. But since I have already made a purchase of this, you might as well take it."
Curious now, Chien pulled it close and slowly removed the top of the box. Within the box lay a purple silk robe, soft and luxurious to the touch. A design had been
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