The Imperial Capital of Zualu Diar, previously named Anmarti, had three walls, each with a moat outside of it, as it had grown thrice, under three different Emperors.
The outermost wall surrounded the Outer City. It was a city for the common people. Most of the residences were small, some didn’t even have a courtyard. In some areas, the alleys could make a person claustrophobic, even if some had never feared small, constricted spaces. The burliest of men might not even have been able to walk through them other than sideways. Most of the citizens of the Outer City were thin, because, although they could afford to eat, it was not always much.
However, it was enough to stay alive, thanks to the benevolence of the Emperor Šerçian.
The Inner City sat within the second wall. Here the residences were bigger, and each was surrounded by a wall, and most were inhabited by nobles and rich. Even the smallest of homes would often have two courtyards. Here, the city flourished, and the riches were displayed. Military officers of high rank, governmental officials, and noble families all tried to show they stood above the other. Only the Palaces in the Inner City could not be overshadowed.
Within the third wall was the Imperial City itself, with the Imperial Palace at its heart. The Imperial City was where many of the Imperial Family resided, the residences all magnificent palaces. There were also several governmental buildings such as the Five Ministries of Revenue, Personnel, Defence, Justice, and Ceremonies, and the Three Offices of the Imperial Guards, the Southern Imperial Capital Guards and the Ruby Heart Army.
Near the southeastern corner, not far from the Southern Gate, was the Palace of Peace and Hope. This palace was, in fact, not just one, but several palaces. It was divided in two sections: The Peace residences and the Hope residences. Each residence of the Palace of Peace and Hope had its own courtyards, all of them separated by walls for privacy, yet connected through many passageways for servants.
Within the Hope Residences were the princes of higher status who had yet to marry, most of the palaces larger than in the Peace section. The Peace residences had unmarried princes of lesser importance at the centre and servants and other important places, like the princes’ studies and the library especially made for a prince many years ago, whose name never went into the books of history, but who loved reading.
In one of these buildings — a rather inconspicuous one — was a hall for teaching certain servants. Currently, a group of slaves were taking a lesson. One girl, though, had her head hanging, her body swaying ever so slightly with each breath.
She had nodded off, the boredom lulling her to sleep while the teacher had monotonously recited rules for slaves of her kind.
The other girls chuckled as they glanced at her. Full of jealousy, they hoped for her to be scolded.
These slaves were not ones who would work hard every day, but rather slaves who’d seek favour. Girls that could entertain their master and make him value them. Though their families lacked money and influence, these girls were not completely helpless.
This girl had clearly come from the countryside and her hands and feet were calloused from hard work. Her behaviour did not fit in with the courtesy and propriety of the Imperial City. But her dark hair fell softly around her face when let down, her skin pale as it ought to be, and her eyes soft with a hint of childishness and innocence, though her brows were sharp. She may not have been eating much, but she was also not by any means skin and bones. She had the assets and the feminine face she ought to have.
It was her beauty that had given her this place fore seeking favours.
“Çuiren, you lazy girl!”
A tight slap resounded and the fifteen-year-old girl was rudely awakened from her dream. It took her a moment to understand what happened, and her eyes had filled with tears before she placed her hand on her stinging cheek. She lifted her gaze to look up at the teacher with a knit brow.
Arku Žul took this as a sign that the girl had yet to understand her place and gave her another slap, this time with more force. Çuiren’s winced from the pain as the old man’s hand hit hers. Her frown deepened, and the tears truly threatened to roll if she blinked.
So she stared straight at her teacher.
Angered, teacher Žul raised his hand once more.
“That’s quite enough.”
The voice wasn’t particularly loud, yet it fell heavily in the hall. The teacher retracted his hand and turned around, feeling his heart throb in his throat.
Golden eyes looked stern as they gazed as it him, the rosy lips pressed tightly together in disapproval. “Are you trying to ruin her face?”
The old man quickly fell to his knees. “This slave greets Y-Your Royal Highness the Prince! May the Sun shine wisdom upon you.”
Çuiren and her peers had also lowered their heads where they sat on the floor.
The Prince stepped into the room with slow steps. The outer silk robe was a sweet yellow turning into a scarlet red, with embroidered birds so lifelike they seemed as if they might fly away any moment. The soft pink and blue of the robe beneath reached the floor, gently draping the person’s figure.
This Prince waved his hand at the teacher. Understanding, the teacher shifted to make way for them. The room was filled with silence as the Prince walked up to Çuiren.
Both her hand and cheek stung terribly, but she still had the sound mind to have put her hands in her lap. The Prince watched her nape for a moment, then bent at the waist to look at her face.
The touch was surprisingly gentle and astoundingly cold, simultaneously soothing and painful. Yet the girl was determined not to show anything, lest she offended the Imperial Clan. Taking her chin, the Prince tilted her head to get a good look at her.
“So ruthless.” The Prince tsked while studying the red and swelling cheek. “Did Father Emperor instruct you to hit the prettiest girls? To beat them until they’re ugly?”
“N-no, of course not, Your Royal Highness. It was my mistake, my mistake.”
The Prince let go of the girl. “So quick to declare it was a mistake.”
He straightened up and turned, looking down at the kneeling teacher in front of him with half-lidded eyes, the soft red on their eyelid becoming noticeable. With a hum the Prince circled the teacher, every step very slow.
“She did nothing to anger you then, Ar-fa? You simply hit her?” the Prince asked when standing behind the teacher, looking at the nape of the elderly teacher who held his head down, staring at the floor.
“No, of course not. I wouldn’t dare, wouldn’t dare.”
“Don’t repeat yourself.”
Until then the Prince had spoken with a soft tone, but at this time command it fell deeper.
Hands placed on the floor, teacher Žul prostrated toward the Prince. Many of the girls were frightened by this person. They didn’t know what to expect.
Çuiren, however, only tried to watch what would happen by sneaking glances.
“I have offended Your Royal Highness. I can only offer my sincerest apologies to the Prince!”
The Prince stopped and motioned to one of his accompanying bodyguard dressed in green.
“Slap him twice. Once on the cheek, once on his hand.”
The bodyguard made to take off his glove, but the Prince stopped him by momentarily taking hold of his wrist. As if to ensure no misunderstandings, he added: “Leave it on.”
Silently, the guard pulled his gloves to make sure they were properly and securely in place, lifted the old man to his feet, and, with the armoured glove, hit the man over his face. Several lines of red appeared and blood soon trickled. Instinctively, teacher Žul put his hand on his cheek when feeling the pain, and the guard gave another slap, this time one so hard the old man fell to the floor.
“Now, Ar-fa, tell me, what did the girl do?”
“Sh-she slept.”
“Is it custom in your hometown to hit the sleeping? Such an odd custom.” He turned to his bodyguard. “Report to Father Emperor that there is such a detestable custom in our lands. Ask Father Emperor to have all in the Imperial City removed, if they act in any way similarly. I don’t wish to see any beauties ruined.”
“My mistake, my mistake, Your Highness! We have no such custom.”
“Oh?” The Prince turned back to teacher Žul. Then why?”
Teacher Žul was at a loss. What could he possibly say to explain himself if sleeping during a lesson wasn’t enough to deserve a light punishment?
Çuiren stood up, took a step to the side to stand between the seats. She curtsied before she went down into a deep bow of reverence. “Your Royal Highness, it was indeed this slave’s, this Çuiren’s, fault. I am a poor student and could not keep awake. I deserved to be woken up.”
“Is hitting you the only way to wake you up?”
“No, it is not.”
“Surely there are no punishments for sleeping.”
“Your Royal Highness is correct,” she replied, uncertain what his point was.
“Are there any punishments for being a poor student, Çui-fa?”
Çuiren swallowed a mouthful of saliva before she dared to answer. “There is not.”
“Then why did you deserve punishments?”
“I received no punishments. I was merely woken from undeserved sleep. I am grateful for my teacher’s consideration that I learn nothing when asleep. He said it was a mistake, thus I believe he did not mean to hit me, but slipped.”
The Prince fell quiet before he turned to his bodyguard and whispered: “This one is quite crafty with her words. Shall we take her?”
“I advise against it, Your Highness. These are girls to serve the Crown Prince. They will soon be his property.”
The prince clicked his tongue. “Ask father to give her to me, anyway. I wish to obtain her.”
The bodyguard bowed and turned to the others to give orders.
The prince turned back to Çuiren. “Çui-fa, you may stand up. Tell me your name.”
Çuiren quickly rose to her feet. “It is but Çuiren.”
“She is one of the nameless, Your Highness,” the bodyguard whispered when the prince didn’t reply.
“I see. Very well. Ar-fa, you may continue your lessons now. Have the physician of the Palace look at you and Çui-fa once the lesson is over.”
The Prince turned, and his attendant and bodyguards followed him. He halted in his step.
“If I hear so much of a whisper that you hit any of elder brother the Crown Prince’s future slaves,” the Prince turned slightly to look at the teacher, “I shall have you permanently removed, Ar-fa.”
Çuiren watched the Prince leave before she walked up to teacher Žul to help him up. He waved her away, and she could only return to her seat.
The other girls whispered around the hall.
To be shown favour by one of the Princes was considered an honour, and more so when it was the youngest of the Blood Princes.
He seldom asked for new slaves and servants, and rumours said the young prince only chose those with the most potential and greatest skill in what they were set to do.
What ‘most potential’ for these girls meant was how well they could please the Prince to relieve himself when there was no consort or concubine to serve him in bed, or he simply didn’t wish for the consort or a concubine to do so.
But then, if that was their purpose, why choose Çuiren? Did he perhaps want someone who may understanding of what to do?