A silhouette crashed through the thicket. Branches grabbed at the clothing of the shadow as it desperately tried to flee.

"Catch her! Don't let her escape!" A voice bellowed over the chaos as a mob of torchlights and swords forged into the dark gloomy forest with a thunderous roar of rage.

"Kill her! Kill her!" The mob chanted as it merrily hunted down its prey. I can't let them win! I can't let them win! she thought to herself; her heart was beating fast as her lungs desperately gasped for breath.

Her lungs were about to give out any minute. I'm almost at the clearing. Just... need... to... make... it... With the last of her energy, she launched herself into the clearing, stumbled, and fell, exhausted.

"Quick! Surround her!"

In less than a minute, she faced a wall of hatred on all three sides. The men all had weapons in their hands: swords and whips ready to be used. The torches flickered as they all stood there, staring at her with hatred and glee. A young man then stepped out from the crowd. He had broad shoulders and had an ugly scar across his left eye. His mouth turned upwards in a jeering smile. His eyes showed a wildness and fierceness as he clenched his teeth. "You traitor! Death be to those who betray Zhen! You deserve to die!" he bellowed angrily.

The crowd burst into a roar, "KILL THE TRAITOR! KILL THE TRAITOR! KILL THE TRAITOR!" It went on like a never-ending cycle for two minutes straight when suddenly, the man put up his hand and a hush fell among the crowd. "Zhen has come to kill you, Yue Yang, for attempting to rebel. Your treachery has corrupted your soul! Shame on your family for having a wrench like you! Now, you will face the consequences of your actions!" The man who had spoken earlier

No one spoke. Crickets sung to each other in the night. The fire from the torch lights flickered uneasily. All clenched their weapons as they waited expectantly.

"Waaaaa!" A shrill cry broke the silence. The woman looked down tenderly at the baby in her arms and slowly got up. There was a trace of blood on her lips from the branches that had hit her as she fled. Then, slowly, she met his gaze with defiance and slowly stood up. She glanced behind her. The edge was a few steps away. Slowly, she inched her way toward the edge.

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"Hand me the Dan Wen," he demanded. She slowly and purposely wiped the blood from her lips. She smiled. Using her forefinger and thumb, she held up a semi-circular yellow piece of jade that hung from her necklace and said , "You mean this? You... are not worthy." It glinted and reflected the torchlights.

"What?!" he roared.

"I said, you are not worthy! Only the noblest, the kindest, and the most honorable people deserve to receive it! You are none of those qualities!"

"Oh? What do you mean, 'I am not worthy?' Are you blind to all the good I've done? Helping the poor, protecting the weak, and looking after my subjects? Of course, I'm worthy!"

"If that's true, then why did you have a whole sect of the Chun murdered? Why would you do that if you were good? How many innocent people must die before you stop your madness? How many have to suffer before you're satisfied?" There was a bitterness in her voice. A cold silence settled among the group.

"I loved you, Yue Yang. There is no other way. I've already explained it to you. Why don't you listen to me?" he asked softly as all the hatred and rage disappeared from his face. He glanced at the child in her arms. "Yue Yang, please hand me the Dan Wen. If you hand it to me, I won't kill you. I can take you back to the palace and you can continue to be the Empress. I will make sure to take care of our son and that no harm comes to him. Yue Yang...please..."

"I once loved you too," Yue Yang replied softly and for a moment, her eyes softened and her shoulders sagged.

The torch lights continued to flicker.

Then slowly, understanding seemed to dawn on her for she stood up straight and held her nose up high as if to look down at him. Her eyes hardened. "But that was in the past. He is your flesh and bones. You know in your heart what you tried to do. You hate me. Stop pretending you ever loved me because you are a terrible actor."

"What do you mean 'actor'?" There was a dangerous glint in his eyes. She knew he was close to losing self-control.

" I used to think I knew who you were and that you truly loved me, but now I realize how much of a fool I was to believe someone like you could actually love others. You just care about your own future and you used me like you used everyone else! The person I loved never existed! I regret ever meeting you!" Her voice rose with passion.

Sorrow momentarily crossed his face but then hatred slowly replaced it. "Very well," he panted heavily. "I tried to persuade you. But you didn't listen! Today, you must die!" he screeched as he lunged at her. Suddenly, she felt heat spread over her body and glanced down.

There was a blade sticking out of her stomach. It was right below the child she was holding in her arms. She stumbled a couple of steps back toward the edge, still clutching her child close to her chest. She looked behind her and without hesitation, leaped backward. Air born, she felt herself plunging into the deep abyss beneath her.

"NOOOOOO!" she heard a cry as she saw his face for the last time, looming over the edge of the cliff. She closed her eyes. The baby was wailing.

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Zhen(朕）:I, the sovereign, we, typically used by the emperor