The Purple Jade Palace: The Hummingbird's Plan

Marked

Jale awoke with a start and turned in the bed trying to judge how much time had passed. The merry sounds within the bathhouse had diminished significantly, and there was an immediate sense of stillness within its walls.

Jale glanced to the left and found Drean fast asleep amongst the blankets beside him. He smiled. Who would have thought that the last place in the kingdom he wanted to be in, would lead to him finding someone so wonderful?

He watched for a while longer; Drean's calm face and the soft rise and fall of his chest. It was a lovely sight. Jale would have to find a way for Drean to visit once he returned home. They had only known each other for a short time. However, Jale couldn't imagine not having this fun and confident man at his side.

Jale rose from the blankets, relieved himself in the privy chamber and poured himself a cup of water. The warmth had escaped the room, he noted, and he again wondered at how much time had passed. Maybe it had been the coolness that had awoken him. Upon a second glance at the bed, he decided against that. It was a comfortable haven of blankets and bodily heat.

Jale turned slowly. There was nothing amiss in the room. It was still their private slumber. He reached for his clothing, including his coat and ventured towards the door. Maybe it was something outside. He stopped and reached for his sword to be on the safe side and continued on his way.

The bathhouse was quiet, the earlier evening's adventures having ended hours ago. Usually, Jale was sure the owners would have closed by now and kicked everyone out, but with the current royal clients they had only gone out of their way to ensure everyone's comfort.

The passageway was empty. Jale stopped at one of the closed slatted windows that looked out into the street and levered it so he could look outside to get a better sense of the time.

The town's main street was dark apart from one or two lanterns. It was also empty and covered in snow. He scanned up and down the street, the windows of each building boarded up for the night against the cold. There was nothing there. It was a peaceful evening with a soft snow falling.

Jale stopped short.

There, in the shadows, at the corner of one street and another, a flash of movement caught Jale's eye. A hint of black material? Or was it a shadow? Curiosity piqued, Jale spun from the window and headed towards the bathhouse's front door. He had to find out. If the person was back again for the Prince, Jale was going to find out who they were and let them know they were not welcome.

The evening's freshly fallen snow crunched under his feet. He came to a stop in the middle of the quiet town's street. His breath swirled in front of his mouth while he searched the darkness. Maybe he had been mistaken. Maybe he hadn't seen anything at all. Maybe Prince Rathner's words had gotten under his skin without his knowledge.

Jale's feet edged closer and another flicker of movement caught his eyes. He paused, trying to determine whether a threat existed. The shadow that he had spied from inside did not move again, remaining out of the street lantern's reach. It wasn't a figment of his imagination.

Was it one of Menelt's men? Was it one of the town folks, suspicious and shy who just wanted to watch the noblemen from a distance? But why would they have drugged the Prince? That wasn't a good precedent, and it was an action that needed to be addressed. They had no time for silly games.

And then, a horrible sinking feeling of fear. Had they missed someone sneaking through the pass? Were they infected and didn't want to be found? They could infect the whole population of this community and the two camps before they knew it.

Jale walked slowly towards the corner but decided not to get too close, just in case.

The figure suddenly stepped out, and Jale gasped. Whoever this person was, it was not one of Menelt's men. They weren't one of the town folks either, and it wasn't someone suffering from the plague. Tall and slender, they walked slowly. The hood edged back allowing for Jale to get a glimpse of their face.