After slapping the Emperor across the face, Yin was imposed a punishment for her misbehavings. Her punishment had started long before sunrise and right now, the day was only a quarter sun long. From dawn to a quarter sun means Yin had been kneeling on the gravel for more than half a day.This kind of punishment wasn't only a physical punishment, it was also a mental one. The physical part consisted of continuous pain in the legs, hunger and thirst, because no servant is allowed to bring food of drinks. As Yin thinks about the mental consequences she snickers, none of the concubines would be able to show their face agains after this punishment ouf of shame. The slaves and soldiers would be making up stories about the punished one and rumors spread through the palace like a wilfire through a barren forrest. The bit of reputation he or she still had left would be destroyed completely, no-one would dare show their face again. Yin on the other hand, doesn't care one bit and starts thinking about her return to the Inner Palace to distract herself from the pain.

Their reactions will be priceless, I can't wait to show them my face! After this, they won't dare approach me again!

Yins day had started very early, imperial soldiers had come to take her away before dawn. She was awakened by their noise and roughly dragged out of her comfortable and warm bed. Yin protested loudly, but didn't bother fighting them, if she escaped them, which she easily could, another, more painful punishment would be awaiting her. Still, she bit them in the hand if they tried to cover her mouth and if they grabbed her by the hair, she would screech in a terrible pitch. This way, they didn't dare touch her in any way she didn't want them to. The air rushed passed her as they dragged her over the floor -she didn't bother walking- and she shivered. Her nightgown was made of a very thin an airy fabric and it was a very early spring morning, which meant it was still freezing cold. 

As the imperial soldier continued dragging her, she started to recognise her surroundings, they were bringin her to the Emperors courtyard, to humiliate her there in front of him. Yet, when they forced her on her knees, there was no Emperor to be found.

Probably too early and too unimportant for him to watch... Yin scoffed.

The small, but harmfull gravel stones that covered the path tore into her flesh like a needle through a piece of cloth and not soon after, her legs had started bleeding. The imperial soldiers stood in front of her, motionless, making sure she wouldn't run away from her punishment. Yin looked up at them and studied their armor. They were soldiers under the command of the General of the West, she nocticed form the specific shape of their helmets and swords.

Currently, there was no General of the West. Her late father and her grandfather before him had been the General, but they both had died on the battlefield. One of her brothers was supposed to be the next General, but the two of them died as well. People talked about it as if it were a curse, the curse of the Wei household, the curse of the jade eyed. Yin merely saw this as superstition, people that concidered it a curse belittle and disrespect their deaths. Her grandfather, father and brothers had died on the battlefield, great honor bestowed upon them, in her eyes they died as heroes. Now that she was the only living heir of the General of the West, his military seal was also passed down on her. No-one was aware of her position as General of the West and she meant to keep it this way, but her current situation wasn't very pleasant.  

"Oi, byojin! Get me some food will ya?" Yin ordered one of the soldiers. He snickered and shook his head.

"Girly, what makes ya think we'd allow ourselves to be ordered around by a mere concubine-to-be? Especially one that has been degraded like this," he says and he points at her current state.

"Byojin, I'll order you one more time, get me some food, otherwise there will be consequences," Yin sternly says as she stares to something in front of her, not looking them in the eye.

"Now listent here, girly, we're not gunna g-"

Calmly she pulled the miliatry seal from beneath her clothes and revealed it to them by practically shoving it in their faces. At first they laughed, she must have made a replica of some sorts. Yin keeps her hand streched out and tells them to have a good look at it. The emotions on their face change from amusement into astonishment. 

"I don't think you realised who you were talking to, so I will let you off this time, byojin. I am Wei Yin, daughter of Wei Yun, granddaughter of Wei Liang, the great General of the West. I am your general and you will obey my orders, unless you want to be beheaded."

The soldiers gulped in fright and quickly kneeled in front of her and asked her remission, she waved her hand to make them rise again.

"General, the Emperor forbade the servants to bring General food, forgi-"

"That's it," Yin interruped him, "he forbade the servants to bring me food. You are imperial soldiers and do not qualify as lowly palace servants, you are soldiers of the west, carry that name with pride, don't belittle our name!" 

The soldier quickly nodded as Yin continued: "Now, will you please bring me some food, I'm starving. Also, do not tell anyone of my position. A female general is unheard of and will cause many dangers for me... if any one of you tells anyone, you will suffer the consequences, do you understand?"

They saluted and one went of to grab her some food.

Later that day:

Not soon after Yin had had her food, other soldiers, soldiers of the north, came to take the place of her two soldiers. Those two didn't know of her position and pestered and hurt her continuously. She sat there, shivering from the cold, legs hurting, enduring everything with a murderous glance in her eyes.  Her slender hands held the fabric of her torn, white gown cumpled up in balls. Veins popped on her hands and they shake. Her mind is consumed with one person, one infuriating person. When they tire, they stop and talk to eachother, completely ignoring Yin. During the day, servants and soldier would walk by, gossiping about her. Yin could only gues the gist of the stories they made up, still she doesn't care. All she could think of was the Emperor, the way he had humiliated her and the satisfactory way she hit him across the face... When the sun reaches it highest point, the aroma of food being prepared drifts through the air. Yin scowls when she thinks about all the other concubines that are about to eat until they were full. Ofcourse she wouldn't get any food, nor water, she just has to sit there, repenting for her sins. All this time, she hadn'd seen the Emperor come out of his palace, unless, of course, he had used another exit.

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It's just like him to hide from me!

The sun fades away at the horizon, splotches of red and orange fill the sky as if it were set aflame by the rays of the sun. Since the start of her punishment, one day had passed, one day without food or drink, one day of kneeling on the gravel. Her legs had long gone numb from the cold and the position she had been sitting in since dawn. As even the last rays of the sun withdraw and the warmth pulls away from her face, Yin is left shivering in the dark. The two soldiers were replaced by other soldiers, the same that had brought her food. Unfortunately, they couldn't get her food, since it was weird for soldiers to go by the kitchen, asking for food, it would raise suspicion. Because they had no other use for her, she ordered them to leave, they protested, but gave in to her command.

The night grows dark, as black as ink in its container and the winds frosty arms wrap around her lone body in an almost comforting manner, like a reminder of the time she had spent with her friends. They often were cold, but they clung together and sat around a campfire, Yin smiles at these memories. It had been a while since she had last smiled that way, but the smile quickly fades when her memory decides to continue digging up awful memories. Hunger, cold and her alert mind prevented her from sleeping. Time crawled by like a snail at its slowest pace and lonelyness got its grip on her. More and more memories of her friends and of her lover flash before her eyes, so many happy times that have faded away from her. Now that she was alone and in the dark, she reminded her grandfathers words: "When you are far away from home, whenever you are alone or frightened, remember this song, my little warrior and come back home."

Not so long ago, she had sung the exact same song at her friends last resting place, not even knowing whether they had been buried there or maybe in another part of the battlefield. The melody was one she never remembered correctly, no matter how many times she had sung the song. Desperately she searched for the right melody as if she were a dying soldier, clinging on to her last hope of life. The words, on the other hand, were like an imprint in her memory. In a soft voice, she began singing the words of a song long forgotten by the people.  

Leaves from the vine

falling so slow

Her brothers smiling face flashes before her eyes when he was still little. Yin was playing soldier with him and she had tickled him after she'd caught him. Frowning she closes her eyes, but keeps on singing. 

like fragile tiny shells

drifting in the foam.

Litlle solier boy

come marching home.

He will never come home and it's all my fault... All my fault.

Brave sol-

Sobs racke her body and for the frist time since forever, she cries, but she continues.

-dier boy,

comes march- marching home.

And it helps, after singing, she feels more relaxed and composed. Still shivering, she sits there, looking up at the dark night sky, illuminated by a thousand stars. Yins eyes widen when she sees the beautiful stars and grins. These were her friends and her brothers, encouraging her and smiling down on her with radiant smiles. Another tear rolls down her cheek, but she quickly wipes it away. Without her knowledge, the Emperor had been standing hidden in she shadow, observing her. When he sees her cry, his heart breaks into a million little pieces, but there was no other way. This punishment is still very light, any other person would have been sentenced to death, he'd spared her life. He didn't want to punish her, but more people than Zhen had been present, so he had to. 

There he stands until she falls asleep, pondering over the song. The words to the song were familliar to him, but he can't seem to put his finger on it. When he sees her head lolling forward, he makes his move. After making sure she is fast asleep, he comes up to her and places a blanket over her slender shoulders. He makes sure he is quick and gentle when adjusting the blanket over her body and then leaves.

 The next morning, Yin jolts awake and immediately regrets her rash movements, she was stiff from sitting like that all night. Then she notices something was wrong, first of all, a blanket is wrapped around her body, secondly, she still is very hungry. No longer lingering on the blanket, she starts salivating when she smells the food being prepared in the kitchen of the palace. Her stomach growls loudly, which she tries to stop by putting a fist against her stomach. 

It's not like you're gonna die from hunger... that'd be so embarrassing! I wonder... Can I die from not eating one day? 

Yin shifts a bit to get in a more comfortable positions, which results in stones being driven in her legs. 

"Bloody-!"

"Watch your mouth, miss!" someone behind her spoke. Yin rolled her eyes, really?

"Why are you here, Xian Shun? I thought you would be pleased to see me like this? Why did you bring me this blanket?"

The Emperor stands in front of her, stunned, wondering how she could have known it was him, he even disguised himself! When he hears his name rolling of her lips, his heartbeat speeds up a tad bit, it had been so long... He crouches down and places something in her hands, it was a steamed bun.

"You had every right to slap me, Yin, and I sincerely appologise for what I have said... It should be me that suffers this punishment, but-"

Yin shrugs, as if it were no big deal since she had food in her hands. "Listen, I know you couldn't let me off when there were others around, I don't blame you... Actually, I'm rather grateful, I saw the stars tonight," she speaks with her mouth full of steamed bun. The Emperor was not aware of the hidden meaning in her words and frowns, but shrugs it off.  

"Still-"

"Shun, you came to bring me a blanket and most importantly, you came to bring me food! What you have done and said is unforgivable... but you are going the right way."

The Emperor takes her by the shoulders and hugs her, but she pushes him away roughly. "Did I allow you to touch me?! I only said you were doing better!"

The Emperor smirks and shakes his head, typically Yin. He stands up and dusts of his robes.

"I'll be going now. Give me your blanket, before people wonder about it."

A few months ago:

"We have made our decision," Saran's grandfather tells her. Somehow she knows it has something to do with her, it's something about the tension that hangs in the air. The elders all stare at her, burning holes in her skin with the judgmental looks they give her. 

"You were right, something has to be done to appease the clans... As someone with very high standard in our tribe, you know well of our disputes with the Tékaguó Empire and especially the Jade General."

Saran frowns in confusion, what does the Jade General have to do with the war within her clan, she wonders. Her grandfather steps around the semicircle of elders and stands next to her. 

"His head will appease the clans and avenge the blood of our brothers. The Jade General is at the court of the Emperor and spring is coming, which means there will be another edict. Women from all over the Tékaguó Empire will be summoned, we need someone to slip in between the cracks."

I really hope this isn't going where I think it's going! Please no!

"You are familiar with all kinds of poison, you would be the perfect person to send over-"

Well shit!