Flower In The Palace Read online

  Flower in The Palace

  Jordan Silver

  Copyright © 2018 by Jordan Silver

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Preface

  1. Narrator

  2. Narrator

  3. The Beginning

  4. Prince Jai

  5. Prince Jai

  6. Mia

  7. Mia

  8. Narrator

  9. Prince Jai

  10. Narrator

  11. Prince Jai

  12. Prince Jai

  13. Prince Jai

  14. Narrator

  15. Prince Jai

  16. Prince Jai

  17. Narrator

  18. Narrator

  19. Crown Prince Jai

  20. Crown Prince Jai

  21. The Seer

  22. Prince Jai

  23. Narrator

  24. Emperor Jai

  25. Emperor Jai

  26. Narrator

  27. Bryony

  28. Emperor Jai

  29. Emperor Jai

  30. Emperor Jai

  31. Emperor Jai

  32. Emperor Jai

  33. Emperor Jai

  34. Emperor Jai

  35. Emperor Jai

  36. Emperor Jai

  37. Narrator

  38. Emperor Jai

  39. Emperor Jai

  40. Emperor Jai

  Epilogue

  Preface

  Prince Jai of Zihan was soon to be named Crown Prince once his father ascended the throne. At seventeen he was an accomplished young man who had learned at his father and grandfather’s knees the ways of an emperor.

  There was no doubt that he would one day be a formidable ruler. But now there was a great struggle about to unfold, the fight for the position of Crown Princess Consort.

  She would one day become the Empress to rule at her husband’s side and the vying political factions were willing to go to any lengths to get their preferred noble daughter on the throne.

  By chance prince Jai, when he was still a young man came upon a beauty unlike any other he’d ever seen before. He was at once captured and captivated by the young girl who looked to be a few years younger than him.

  When Mia was chosen as one of the last contenders for his hand in betrothal, the two could not be happier and when she finally defeated all others they believed their life and future happiness together was set.

  What they didn’t know was that the calculating ministers and the Empress dowager, who had their own chosen candidate were not about to let that happiness last.

  One day they were a happy young couple, looking forward to the day they could finally wed, and the next she was suddenly stricken with an incurable illness.

  After her death, the young prince lost the will to live himself and gave up all hope of ever finding happiness again.

  Years later, after his enemies tried to force him to accept someone else as his princess, someone he refused to share even a word of kindness with, something strange began to occur.

  After falling ill, while burning up with fever he saw his Mia all grown up at his bedside. When he awakened she was gone, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that she had been there in the flesh and not just his imagination.

  Narrator

  Introduction

  Zihan, a land of unparalleled beauty. From its majestic green mountains and flowering fields to the lakes and streams that shone like polished glass under a clear blue sky.

  Where the people lived in peace and prosperity under the guidance of the emperor. Free from fear of alien enemies, their borders now safe and secure for the past few decades.

  Where the people revered their emperor as more than just an earthly leader, but as someone possessing all the blessings of the heavens. And so due the respect and loyalty as such.

  The rich soil and clear waters were the envy of neighboring kingdoms. Their army and men of valor were hailed and praised by many.

  No one looking on could find any want or need in this flourishing kingdom. This land whose beauty was a balm to the souls of all those who beheld it.

  But beneath the seeming calm and rest, there was a darkness brewing, ready to devour all in its path. Something so foul that it will shake the very foundation of the royal family and reverberate throughout the land for times to come.

  And yet there was one who saw, one who knew what was to come and shuddered with dread at the hell that was about to be unleashed upon the people.

  Tears formed in her eyes as she saw what would befall the innocent ones. Her heart bled and her knees trembled as the smoke rose from the censer and the pictures of her mind told their story.

  The great seer was revered and feared by all, not only because of her accuracy in predicting things to come but because she also carried the power of healing in her hands.

  It was said she held life and death in the palm of her hand and those who crossed her path were ever mindful. She was indeed feared more than the emperor himself, and for this reason was the one most turned to for direction.

  On this day the seer sat among her many pots and vials, wrapped in the woolen shawl that had been passed down from her great-grandmother. She looked blindly into space as if in a trance as the story continued to unfold in her mind.

  She saw their young lives, the hardships they will face to get to the joy that awaited them, but only if they endured ‘til the end. She knew the task ahead would be hard.

  That she could only do so much to steer fate and change the planned destiny of the two, whose lives now played out vividly in her mind.

  Suddenly there was a shift in the atmosphere and she pulled the shawl closer around her shoulders. With a deep sigh, she rested her head back against the chair and looked up at the ceiling.

  “She’s here.” The words were little more than a whisper as she watched in her mind, the birth of the child, the one she had been dreaming of these many nights past.

  Her heart raced as the child’s birthmark came into view. “The mark of the Phoenix.” Her mind traveled far and wide throughout the years to come as she watched the child’s destiny unfold.

  With another deep sigh, she got to her feet as she wrapped the shawl even tighter around her shoulders to ward off the sudden chill. There was joy and sorrow in her countenance.

  Joy that the child was finally here, sadness because of all that must befall her before she takes her place on the throne beside her man.

  Outside the wind picked up and the sky turned a dark ominous gray as the clouds rolled in and covered the sun completely.

  “How apropos.” The old seer murmured to herself as she stepped out into the chill of the night. It had been a night much as this when he was born.

  The one who would sit on the throne beside her. The ‘son of the dragon’, future emperor and majestic ruler of Zihan. “The time has come, I must prepare for the days ahead.”

  Fifteen Years Later

  She was the only daughter of a once affluent family who now lived under the stigma, of disgrace. Many years ago, just a few years before she was born, her father angered the emperor and was expelled from the palace and the capital city, barely escaping with his life and the lives of his wives and children.

  For as long as she could remember she’d heard the story told, with nary a change in the telling. It was at once a reminder of the family’s once great standing and the bitterness of their fall from grace.

  Still, the men of the Morgana family, t
he once fierce imperial assassin guards, carried on the traditions of their fathers. It was in their blood after all, and could not be helped.

  Though no longer in favor with the royal family, their services were sought by many far and wide. Their wealth and noble standing were long gone, but their pride still held firm.

  Once the only men who guarded the emperor and played an integral part in keeping law and order in the land, they were now relegated to little more than mercenaries, still fighting to regain their once great standing.

  The men of the line had always held this position of power and security since the founding of the dynasty centuries ago and took great pride in their fighting abilities.

  Skilled in martial arts, they were also outstanding swordsmen. But their greatest feat was their lack of fear when facing the enemy.

  They were trained to fight to the death no matter what, and their greatest loyalty was to the emperor and the land of Zihan.

  Known for their unwavering loyalty to the throne, these men over time had built up a reputation on par with the royal family.

  No one doubted their word, and they were once looked upon by all as the saviors of the land. But then Dunal Morgana found himself caught in the middle of an evil scheme of another’s making.

  It was the beginning of the end for this once great family of warriors. An end, that sent shockwaves throughout the land and beyond.

  The old emperor was dying back then, and after many years of refusing had been set to name a crown prince.

  Everyone knew who the favorite was among his sons, the one the nation had lauded for his prowess and kindnesses over the years.

  Prince Kai had been well loved by all and would make a great leader, even greater than his father who though filled with greatness, possessed a few shortcomings.

  He’d been too easily led by his ministers who were more interested in feathering their nests than seeing to the needs of the people; something that he had lost control of over the years.

  Prince Kai, on the other hand, spent time traveling the provinces and seeing for himself what was needed to keep the land strong and the people from abject poverty.

  But his older brother, the greedy and malicious Prince Loren had his eye on the throne. And knowing that his father would most likely pass the power to his brother, had formed a coup with the help of his mother the noble consort Valeria.

  You see, though Prince Loren was older, he was the son of a consort, a concubine. While Prince Kai was the beloved son of the empress, who as tradition holds, was the one true legitimate heir.

  At the time Dunal Morgana had done his best to protect the young prince but in the end, he was no match for the schemes and manipulations of the court.

  As a man of outstanding valor, his strength laid in his arm and not in dealing with the machinations of dark forces. Those things he had always left to others. Something he would bitterly regret for many years after.

  Though the crown prince had been saved in the end, because of his loyalty, Dunal had been framed by unsavory men who blamed him for the plot against the prince’s life.

  It was the only way to save their own necks, and keep this staunch supporter away from the prince, leaving him vulnerable to future plots.

  The web of lies had been such that Dunal had been sent away in shame. It was only because of the Morgana family’s great standing and the outcry of the people that he’d been able to keep his life.

  That and the fact that there was no real evidence to support the claims. The empress, who believed in his innocence had convinced the emperor, who had taken pity on him and his clan and hadn’t wiped them out as was the custom.

  The empress had died not long after from a mysterious illness, making room for consort Valeria to take her place on the throne.

  Though many had their suspicions, and speculation ran rampant, nothing could be proved and so no one dared say out loud what many were thinking. Such was the new empress’ power.

  Dunal had felt the loss of the nation’s mother along with the rest of the subjects who’d benefitted from her benevolence and charity over the many years of her reign.

  He’d returned to his ancestral lands in the north, far enough away from the palace not to be seen as a threat, but still close enough if needed. But he’s always wished for the day when he could clear his name and bring dignity back to his clan.

  Narrator

  And then she was born! Two years after his exile begun and well into his prime. He was well into his forties when she came into the world. An unexpected treasure!

  It was obvious from her first moments of life that she was different. Her eyes were the blue of the northern waters that shimmered under the winter sky.

  A blue so pure they seemed unnatural, but their beauty was such that they mesmerized all who beheld them. Her raven black hair and her creamy skin was a stark contrast to the icy blue.

  More spectacular than her eyes was a beauty that was hidden from the rest of the world. It was her birthmark, a perfect depiction of a phoenix in flight.

  Dunal always knew that the mark was something rare and special, though there was no legend in the family that he knew of. But he kept this a secret because deep down inside he was convinced that the mark would prove to be of great importance some day.

  From the moment she took her first step she was her father’s shadow. She’d toddle on her little feet to keep up with him as he went out to train his men. He’d grumble and yell for her nursemaid to get after her, but inside he was proud of his little beauty.

  She was the apple of his eye, more so even than the many sons his wives had borne him over the years. It could be because of his favor for her mother, or it could be the fact that she was his only daughter. A child of his old age at that.

  He had many a row with his beloved regarding the rearing of their only child together. The mother, once part of the imperial ladies in waiting, a close server of the old empress, taught her daughter court etiquette and all the ways a lady should comport herself, while the father taught her the ways of war.

  She was learned, delighting in the study of ancient writings of history and philosophy, and would’ve gladly spent her days steeped in the training her father and brothers taught her daily, but to appease her mother, she gave equal attention to the art of being a woman.

  The struggle was sometimes a bit much. Having inherited her mother’s virtuous nature, her love for her father pushed her to shine as well in the art of war.

  Until now, only the males of the family were trained to be inducted into their sworn profession. But it was plain for all to see that the girl wasn’t lacking. That the same blood flowed through her veins.

  Besides, she had been so spoilt by her father by the time she was old enough to hold a sword, that there was no turning back. She had the makings of a warrior regardless of her beauty and gentle nature.

  Her parents outdid each other in praising her and it was a wonder she didn’t grow a big head. It was maybe due to her brothers and her closest friend, that she was able to stay grounded. They never once let her forget that she was just a mere girl. Something that used to anger her greatly as a child.

  Des was her closest friend outside of her family. He was eight when she was born and no one could quite understand the strange bond between the two. But it was known by all that he was her shadow.

  They trained together under the tutelage of her father and were always in each other’s company. Her father had once worried that the young warrior was getting too close to his only daughter, especially when she became a young woman of great beauty.

  But the young man had assured him that he had no romantic designs on the young beauty, something the older man chose to believe as he had not yet seen anything untoward with his own eyes.

  It was true; though from the age of twelve most of the young males of her acquaintance seemed to fall under the spell of her mesmerizing eyes, Des seemed curiously oblivious.

  Only he knew why it was that he loved her more
as a sister than a love interest. It was because of the dreams he’d had before her birth. He knew before she was born that their destinies were tied in some way, but not as man and wife.

  It was a blessing that he never felt anything but brotherly affection towards her. The legend of her beauty had traveled far and wide and was little more than a nuisance to him and her brothers who were always fending off marriage proposals on her behalf.

  Des knew that she was destined for greatness but even now fifteen years later he still didn’t know what or how. All he knew was that he would stay by her side no matter what. Even unto his death!

  Mia was a carefree spirit that spent her days riding the hills and valleys of her home. When she wasn’t getting into mischief, she could be found with her nose buried in a book. And by the age of ten could argue the tenets of the great proverbs with anyone who dared.

  It gave her father and brothers nightmares the things the girl got up to. Her fearless nature, mixed with her natural tenderness of heart was a thing of worry as the two sometimes warred with each other, putting her young life at risk.

  Dunal knew that Prince Loren still had emissaries out seeking his life, as he was one of the only people who knew the truth behind Prince Kai’s near death.

  There were still many in power, who distrusted the circumstances surrounding the plot to dethrone Prince Kai. Men who would see that the wrongs were made right. But without evidence, their hands were tied.