Puppet

Cold water seeped through the stone walls. The air as well was freezing cold. An annoying scratching sound could be heard night and day, probably rats or another kind of unsightly rodents. Ernest Dottery hadn't known there were such old and bleak underground cells in the Orchid Palace before. They seemed worse than anything he had imagined, even far worse than the cold palace in the Imperial Palace's most dreadful corner.

Inside his cell, heavy chains were embedded in the walls and even ancient magic scriptures were engraved everywhere. It looked like in the past these cells had been used to lock dangerous criminals or powerful magic users up. Ernest felt utterly inadequate. In his current state, he wouldn't be able to stand up without help. And indeed, even though the heavy metal door had been shut, he wasn't restrained in any other way. Actually, even if the door had been wide open, he was unable to flee and surely nobody would come and rescue him.

Thinking that the chains and scriptures might be used during interrogation and torture, he started to shiver uncontrollably. He had already received such a severe beating that he felt that any and every one of his bones had been cracked or broken. The pain was so overwhelming that he was slightly delirious. How he wished he could just faint and set his mind at peace. Just the idea of sinking into oblivion before dying seemed too soft and enticing. However, he knew he didn't deserve such blissful rest.

He didn't even wish for it. He personally didn't think he was masochistic in any way. Truth be told, he had always loathed this kind of perversion. But somehow, he couldn't help but strongly believe that he deserved punishment for failing to protect Lady Wei and keep her safe and sound. His most earnest desire – being her one and only knight, savior and hero – had yet to be answered and he could only hope and pray for her well-being.

Nevertheless, even in the depth of despair, he would not give up. In his heart, he knew undoubtedly that his call was and had always been to be by Wei Lin's side. She was truly the center of his small world and the brightest star in his sky. It seemed impossible for him to see and think beyond the prism of his obsession and desire to monopolize.

His pain and his life didn't matter much compared to Lady Wei, however, he needed to be strong and fighting fit to protect her, otherwise he would only be a burden. How shameful would that be? After spending some time alone with Wei Lin, the separation seemed unbearable to Ernest. Only his longing and his stubbornness prevented him from collapsing.

He was on all fours, choking back tears of anger and trying to fight back waves after waves of dizziness. The air was stale but thankfully, it didn't stink too much or maybe he'd gotten used to it during the couple of hours he spent in here. He didn't know if it was already the evening or still afternoon. It was hard to keep track of the time. If he listened carefully, he could make out the sounds of drops of water falling in a puddle in a nearby cell, much like the ticking of a clock.

Even this small sound made his head throb. A high fever was threatening to overcome him but he gritted his teeth, barely holding to his sanity and consciousness. He swore that he would get out of this predicament and save Lady Wei. Even if he could just be useful to her and help keeping her safe, he would consent to let somebody else be the hero to save her.

He knew he was often unreasonable, but one sometimes had to be clear-headed and face reality. He wasn't currently in any shape to be able to take care of his Lady and wouldn't be any time soon, if ever. For years, he had quietly watched over her, allowing the First Prince Zhou Xi to get her pregnant, allowing Xian and other people to be close to her, even if he disapproved of them. Now, once more, he had to draw back and let someone else step in, be her knight in shining armor and reap all the rewards.

In the end, it was not the time for him to shine. Unexpectedly, he felt it was strangely easy for him to accept this defeat. However hard he struggled and moved around, as an illegitimate child, he had spent his whole life in the shadows and shame. His heart had long been torn to shreds and his mind twisted beyond repair. He already knew all this, it was his life nevertheless.

Now, he just needed to go back to where he belonged and watch Lady Wei from afar. It wasn't so difficult as long as she was happy and healthy. Of course, that certainly didn't mean he would give up on saving Wei Lin right now, with his life if needed. First and foremost, he wanted to see her and free her from the clutches of the bastards who kidnapped her from mage Madelyn's cottage where she had been recovering under his careful attention.

Unfortunately, right now, he was not clear-headed enough to know who had kidnapped Lady Wei. From what he heard afterwards, he knew that Mage Madelyn had betrayed them. The soldiers from the Orchid Palace had been warned early on and rushed to the cottage, with another personal mage of Zhou Xi's. Being a mage, even a second-rate one like Madelyn, gave so many useful powers, such as long distance communication or increased speed for traveling. Compared to a normal person like Ernest Dottery, the difference seemed utterly unfair.

Of course Ernest knew that Mage Madelyn was working for the First Prince Zhou Xi, Wei Lin's husband. However, Madelyn also owed a lot to the Dottery family, especially to his father, and had always obeyed any order they gave her. Ernest had trusted her for a long time and the betrayal had hurt him deeply. He was now acutely aware, even more than before, that no one was to be trusted, all the more so if Lady Wei's life was at stake. Who would be worthy and reliable enough in Ernest's eyes? To whom could he entrust Lady Wei's rescue?

It seemed to Ernest that he had been in his cell for quite a long time, shaking from cold, anger, hatred against his own helplessness, thirst for revenge against all the wrongdoers that had shattered his idyllic elopement, and many more horrid feelings. He felt that his own soul had turned black now that his beautiful star, his one and only light, his beloved Lady Wei had disappeared from his sight.

As he was brooding over these dark thoughts, the heavy door started to open with a grating sound of metal on stone. The rusted hinges made it difficult to open but somehow, the slow opening helped Ernest get used to the light coming from a lamp or a torch on the other side.

Then, First Prince Zhou Xi himself entered the cell. He was dressed like any other officer of the Selnan imperial army, only the golden circlet around his head and dignified brow marked him as royalty as well as his personal seal on the little finger of his right hand.

Ernest couldn't help but feel a pang of envy which immediately turned into self-loathing. Surely Zhou Xi had his own share of problems and responsibilities but he also had everything Ernest had ever longed for: Lady Wei was his wife, he was immensely rich and powerful – even heir to the Empire. Moreover, people respected him, even the mages obeyed him.

And as if to taunt him, the First Prince's seal, his badge of power second only to the emperor's, was on his right hand whereas Ernest's right hand had been cut off when he had tried to protect Lady Wei from her abductors. Fortunately (or not), the mage sent by Zhou Xi had healed his stump and stopped the bleeding. Obviously it had been to capture a prisoner and a witness because they had been to late to bring Wei Lin back to her husband.

It was proof of the mage's contempt that he only healed Ernest's stump, the most serious injury, and let the other ones that were numerous, excruciatingly painful and crippling. All the mages he came across had always been stuck-up, arrogant and fickle in their loyalties, even mage Madelyn who owed Ernest's father had been no better.

Prince Zhou Xi stepped forward and a tiny crone appeared behind him. Her face was hidden inside a large black hood with a silver embroidery on the edge. Almost her whole body was concealed by her black cloak. Her hands were wrinkled, with gnarled fingers that looked like dry twigs.

When he saw her, Ernest unwillingly gasped in horror, breaking out in a cold sweat. He had worked long enough in the Imperial capital to know that this old woman was a powerful mage of the imperial Academy. Her silver embroidery showed that she was a high ranked mage and he didn't want to imagine her age as mages could live a very long life, assuming they didn't suffer a violent death.

If Zhou Xi ordered this mage to torture and kill Ernest, how could the latter help Lady Wei? The prisoner desperately struggled to back away as the old mage slowly walked toward him. But obviously he couldn't move at all, even a single step was an unreachable feat. He swore he would not shed a single tear. He was miserable enough, his pride wouldn't stand an additional blow… but he could always compromise.

His deathly pale lips quivered and he could only beg:

– Please, I'll tell you everything I know, but Lady Wei...she's in danger. Let me help her. I must save her. Please !

Zhou Xi's face remained as expressionless as before, only the muscles of his jaws and neck seemed to tense up. The old mage was already in front of the kneeling Ernest and a few seconds later, a bright flash illuminated the cell.

When he could see again, his body felt as good as new. After so much pain, it was truly a wonderful feeling. Even his right hand had been restored.

– Now we can talk…

Zhou Xi's voice wasn't loud but his harsh and sinister tone was enough to make Ernest pause as he was standing up, happy with his miraculous recovery.

The old mage nodded slightly and activated one of the formation diagram on the nearby wall.

A soft greenish light swallowed the darkness and snuffed out the torch carried by a guard. It gave an eerie feeling and Ernest felt dizzy and scared witless. On the wall, the scriptures were slowly and gently pulsing, but what felt even stranger was that not a single shadow remained in the room, not even the shadows of the people standing in the middle of the cell. The light seemed to come from everywhere and to wrap around them. Even the inside of the mage's hood was lit, revealing an awfully ugly face with a chilling sneer.

The others were unaffected but Ernest could feel his feet leaving the stone floor and his body slowly rise in the air, as if suspended. Even if his injuries were completely healed, he couldn't escape the interrogation.

After the First Prince Zhou Xi assented, the mage chanted another spell and a blue light appeared and transformed into a translucent collar that disappeared after a couple of seconds. Ernest could still feel the cold collar except that it couldn't be seen anymore.

– Good. Now you're my slave.

The cold and cruel glint in Zhou Xi's eyes was at least as frightening as the distorted smile of the ugly hag.

After a pause, Zhou Xi asked in a strange voice.

– Why did you take Wei Lin? Are you lovers?

– I wanted to protect Lady Wei from her enemies. In the Inner Palace, they all plot her downfall and her death. But, we are not lovers.

Zhou Xi was surprised to feel relieved and he almost heaved a sigh. He breathed a little deeper, he hadn't known he had been holding his breath, waiting for the answer. He knew that with the collar and the green light, the prisoner could only speak the truth. From what he could see, the other man's feelings for Wei Lin were deeper than his own. In his heart, he was aware that Wei Lin was just another one of his wives. She was a beauty but that was not enough to attract his gaze. What interested Zhou Xi, aside from his future son, had always been Xian. It was frustrating to think that he lost to this weak nobody that had been stupid enough to get caught and to become his slave. However, Zhou Xi felt that somehow it was a good revenge to turn his love rival into a tool for his own convenience.