It took weeks and weeks for Sparrow to be able to sit up in bed, his back ached, his head felt like a rotten turnip and his stomach was twisted the way it had been when he'd first entered the academy.

'Tea?' said a voice to his right.

Sparrow turned his head, his neck gave a loud click.

'Hey! You're supposed to be taking it easy!'

The voice was Princess Jade's - the girl who'd thrown him from the tower, the girl who was sitting there resplendent in white and gold silk that almost seem to shine.

'Hi,' Sparrow managed.

'Hello, oh great cultivator,' Princess Jade said with a roll of her eyes, 'Thank you for saving the kingdom, blah blah blah. What can we do to repay you... blah blah blah.'

Sparrow gave a cough-laugh, 'You're welcome.'

His neck started to hurt so he turned it back with another jarring click he felt a warm soft hand slip over top of his.

'Seriously,' Princess Jade said, with a voice as soft as the silk she wore, 'Thank you. You saved us.'

Sparrow tried to shake his head, bad idea. He winced

'It was the Emperor's army that really saved us, I was just standing there, getting torn to pieces like a moron.'

'Well I know what you did,' Princess Jade said, 'And so does the Emperor.'

'And you're related to him because he's...'

'...he's my father,' Princess Jade said, 'So I think that means you saved the right family Sparrow.'

He turned his eyes to look at her, she had this big happy-sad smile on her face, the sort of smile you can't fake, a smile that's above throne room politics.

As time went on and his magic started to gain a foothold over the injuries Sparrow's healing sped up. First, he could only listen to Princess Jade as she read him the story from the scroll but then she started to play tiles with him. She showed him Tok Nok -apparently the most elegant game in the world, while he taught her Pig Smack and Turnip Chaser - much more crude games for sure, but games you could snort with laughter afterwards.

Sparrow would tell her about his adventures on the road until his throat grew dry and even then, she asked for more.

She told him about life in the castle, about grand feasts and balls and politics.

Then one day, after weeks of practice walking from his be walking around the room, clasping a cane, Sparrow was finally able to walk himself. First, he walked around the castle, then he started to walk around the grounds and when he was fit enough to do that...

He met Princess Jade on the top of the tower he had been thrown off all those weeks ago. The magnolia tree was blooming and Sparrow found himself smiling. Princess Jade sat on an ivory seat across the table from him while a huge team of women brought forth enough dishes of food to feed Sparrow's entire family - uncles and all.

There were wobbly black things, spiky things with antennas and weird soup like liquids. The one food Sparrow helped himself to instantly was a loaf of fresh steaming bread

he pushed a slice of the warm soft loaf between his lips and gave a sigh of pleasure.

'Come on Sparrow Princess Jade laughed, 'Look at this table. Here we have caviar, crayfish, plums, truffles, and sugar cane worm, some of the most expensive foods you will ever eat. And you're eating bread. Normal old bread.'

Sparrow held up a piece of the loaf, 'I wouldn't call this normal. Back home the only bread we could afford was turnip bread. Let me tell you something, as hard as my grandma tried, you cannot make turnip bread come anywhere close to normal bread.'

He held up the loaf, 'This, this is the best food in the world.'

The princess pushed the bowl of cooked sugarcane worms in his direction, 'Go on, try them.'

Sparrow picked up a pair of chopsticks and slid one of the little green worms into his mouth. It was slimy and almost jelly-like, but, 'hey it's sweet!'

She nodded, 'Many of the good things in life are sweet Sparrow.'

'So,' she said as he ate, 'let's talk about your future.'

'My future?' Sparrow said, 'I haven't really thought about it,'

'Well,' Princess Jade gave a long grin, 'I have.'

Sparrows throat suddenly felt very dry, 'What do you mean?'

'I mean I've been sitting in a chair opposite your hospital bed. I've heard your stories of where you came from and where you've been. I've seen what you can do to protect people.'

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She paused and there almost seem to be a little red colouring her cheeks.

'Sparrow I've watched you and I've thought about you and, and I know you've thought about me.'

Sparrow kept silent, as though by magic, all of the serving staff had disappeared. 'Sparrow,' Princess Jade said, leaning in close to him, 'later today you have an audience with the Emperor he's going to make you an offer you can't refuse.'

'What sort of offer?' Sparrow pushed the bread away from him.

'Well, he'll offer to make you a noble cultivator. You'll get lands, riches, people to work for you and to protect you.'

Princess Jade's face was now almost on fire, 'Also, he won't say it, but by making you a noble he'll also be offering to make you emperor.'

'Me?' Sparrow said, 'But you're the next in line for the throne!'

Princess Jade nodded, 'Exactly. I am going to be the next Empress and you Sparrow are going to marry me.'

Sparrow looked around. He wasn't sure whether he was dreaming or just hallucinating. 'W-What did you say?'

'I said it's not easy trying to find a suitable husband for an Empress. Usually, i'd have been married off as some way to expand the kingdom, but the Emperor has seen what you can do, he's seen your power, and he thinks with a few years of training you can become exactly the man I need. Plus...' She blushed again, 'I-I really like you, Sparrow. I don't really have a say in things, but yeah...' she shrugged lamely, 'I really like you.'

Sparrow swallowed, 'Well yeah I-I-I- like you a lot, and I -'

And Princess Jade was leaning towards him, beautiful eyes flickering closed and her lips pushed together spare saw her beauty and he saw

a little part of the soul underneath and he couldn't help himself.

He leant forward and he kissed her. Her lips were sweet and hot and electric and more delicate than anything he'd ever tasted before and when they broke off, both of them panting for breath, Princess Jade smiled.

'Go now Sparrow. Go get ready. This evening your life changes forever.'

****

Sparrow waited outside the Emperor's Chamber. There was an old Eunuch there who hardly smiled and who directed visitors and courtiers in and out of the Emperor's chamber. On the other side of the room sat a thin man about half the height of Sparrow. The man sat in a cage and his large wings brushed on the top of it.

Sparrow couldn’t help but stare. The man was dirty, with long unruly orange hair. The sort of hair you could mistake for fire.

Hello. The short man said.

Sparrow glanced at the eunuch, then realized the little man in the cage hadn’t spoken out loud.

Hi.

You look like you're about to be given the death sentence. The little man said.

No, no, I’m about to be made a noble, I’m going to be given a heap of lands and stuff.

The little man stuck a finger in its ear and wiggled it around a little, Really? Because you look petrified.

Sparrow swallowed, Well, at least I’m not in a cage.

The little man just shrugged, Ah, nothing wrong with a cage, besides… I’ll be out of here pretty soon, I’m being banished you see…

Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.

The little man shook its head, Don’t be. Best thing that could’ve happened to me. There I was stuck at home selling illegal mushrooms to teenagers. Now… I’ve got a good excuse to get back on the road, stretch my wings a little.

The little man flapped his wings a few times - a nice breeze reached Sparrow’s face.

Sparrow stared out the open window beside him. He could smell horses in the wind, fresh bread and the scent of leather being tanned. They were all smells that reminded him of the road, that made his feet itchy to get back out there and see more of the world.

I’m a little jealous. Sparrow thought.

I can see that. The little man said, but what’s stopping you buddy? What’s stopping you from just jumping out that window?

Sparrow shook his head, I have a new path now. I'm going to be a noble and I'm going to look after land and I have to carry out justice and collect taxes and...

His head started to hurt, ...and if that goes well I'll marry Princess Jade and live in this castle and...

He watched as dozens of people walked into the room with the Emperor, people who needed help sorting out grievances, brothers who were splitting their father's estate, nobles who couldn’t agree on the right rate for tax, and a road builder demanding more money for the roads. It was a never-ending, yawn-inducing stream of people.

And it made Sparrow's head hurt even more. Sperry looked at the window. Looked at the roads beyond it, and he felt something tingle in his feet.

He glanced around the room. The eunuch was gone. There was no one coming in.

Let’s say I jump? Sparrow said, what am I gonna lose?

The small man with wings grinned, you’ll lose everything. You’ll gain nothing. Except the road and freedom.

Maybe… maybe… but no. I have a duty to the kingdom.

What is duty anyway?

Sparrow smiled, You’re right. Shouldn't our first duty be to ourselves?

The little man nodded and Sparrow jumped out the window.