13 Three Things

The Emperor looked at his son in confusion after some time. Prince Hao Yuan rarely stepped inside the court. He had expected him to stop the execution since he had taken so much effort to come by. But when he announced his agreement, the Emperor couldn't help but be...suspicious.

"The execution shall take place later today when the sun is at its highest, the 13th hour of the day unless the Emperor differs," the Chief General ordered and took a stoic bow before walking away. The people trickled out disappointedly at the lack of drama and continued their boring palace life.

Prince Hao turned to his father curtly. "Why did you want a mere beggar executed?"

"They need to learn to pay us respect. Only then can we keep a hold on them and not break under the current invasions," the Emperor reasoned. "Why are you asking me this? What have you been up to these days?"

"Nothing. I do not know how to fight against you with words, father. But I will show you with my actions. That beggar will not die today."

The Emperor flared at his son, he couldn't believe he dared talk against him that way, "You're weak! What exactly can you do other than sit around and run behind the fine ladies of the Capital?"

Percy narrowed his eyes, "Let me take the girl in as a disciple."

A moment of silence stretched between them both at this absurd request. The hall was completely soundless now since everyone had emptied it. Only a few personal guards stood by to protect the Emperor.

"HAHAHAHaahhah," the Emperor laughed, his wrinkled face bundling up at his eyes. He shook with laughter as Prince Hao just stood still and watched his father like the noble he was. What was wrong with this man? Was the request that absurd?

"A beggar?" his father finally said, wheezing between shots of laughter, "How can a beggar become the disciple of a royal? And moreover...you don't even know how to gather your Qi, how will you become a Teacher?" The Emperor finally understood that his son had lost it.

But Percy kept trying. He regretted agreeing with the execution the moment he had said it. But it was too late to take it back. What if something happened to Tiara in the real world? He can't be the cause of death!

"I'll find one."

The Emperor paused and turned to look at his son for the first time that day, "Why do you want to be a cultivator so suddenly?"

Percy was at a dead end, not knowing what to say. But he wasn't Percy now. He was Prince Hao, the Crown Prince of the enslaved Kingdom of Zirlock. A prince who would be king soon and cares for his people. When Percy was in doubt, Prince Hao spoke.

"I can't sit back in my quarters and be blind to everything that's happening around here. Dramons have started to torture out people to the highest extent, taking their own taxes from them and flogging them. And father, you just sit and watch all this happen. I need to do something to save those poor lives. And for that, I need to become powerful. This is why I want to become a cultivator." The Prince's face glistened with a little sweat drop from his hairline. It was a hot summer afternoon but his face wasn't a bit blemished. His eyes shone with determination as he said those words.

The Emperor wasn't convinced, "And what? You'll become powerful? How long will that take? You're going to defeat The Black Obsidian Lord?"

Prince Hao frowned, thinking this over. Percy was shaking his head but the Prince had other plans, "Yes. I will slay him and regain the throne for Zirlock."

The Emperor was unfazed. He slowly turned to look straight ahead, scratching the gold of his seat lightly. Prince Hao caught him doing that and he knew that his father was thinking.

After what seemed like an eternity, the Emperor spoke, "Fine then. Do as you see fit. You're old enough to find a Teacher for yourself."

Prince Hao's face lit up and he bowed, trying to suppress a smile of victory. He hadn't expected the Emperor to agree that fast. Maybe he did have some concern left for the people of the Kingdom!

"Yes, father."

"The Beggar?"

"I'll take care of her and make sure she doesn't make any trouble," Percy spoke, still bowing.

The Emperor nodded and dismissed his son. He obeyed and stood back up straight and strode out of the hall's side door, his blue robes dragging around him. Percy felt itchy in those clothes. And especially because it was scorching outside, he felt like he had been stuffed inside an oven. He was already planning on what to say to Tiara when The Emperor called out again.

Prince Hao turned around and met the Emperor's face which was still looking straight ahead.

"Son. Once you go, I am giving you full freedom to do as you wish. No soldiers of the kingdom or the Royal Guard shall stop you. However, if you stay in Zirlock for more than a year without even acquiring the third stage of cultivation, I'll slay you myself. Understand?"

Prince Hao froze in his place as he heard this crazy demand. Third stage in less than a year? Heck, most of the cultivators took more than a year to clear the first two stages. The only person who had achieved this stage in less than a year (10 months) was Lin Zetian from the First War of the Song Dynasty.

The Prince gulped and bowed yet again, "Yes, father," and he walked away to the temporary dungeons. The Emperor really laughed this time and shook his head, "The nerve…" he mumbled and sipped his boiled rose tea meticulously.

Percy's head was in a mess as he half ran toward the dungeon. What the hell was he supposed to do now? He barely knew a thing about cultivation. And he had to bring Tiara along with this mess too.

The guard opened up the door for the Crown Prince and he bent down to get inside that dark musty area. The sunlight suddenly shut down and the man entered into what he felt was a haunted house. He walked into a dimly lit tunnel, the flames of fire creating eerie shadows within and making the spiders crawling here and there look 50 times its size by the shadows cast on the walls.

At a fork, a guard pointed right and he followed, his eyes yearning to see that girl. Once he was at the end of the tunnel, his eyes laid upon a barred cell. Thick planks of teak enclosed the beggar. She was sitting on the bare floor and crying like the baby she was.

"What do I do now?" she wailed and dropped down to the floor and shook her legs in a tantrum. Percy walked forward and pulled his straight face back on.

"You."

She didn't hear and kept on crying. The guard caught this and rapped on the door, "You! Stop that! His highness is here, show your respects!" he boomed and Tiara abruptly stopped as she turned her wide eyes to look upon this scary looking prince.

"Oh!" she managed to say and scrambled up before bowing, "Your highness. What brings you here?"

Percy was laughing inside. 'Look at this girl, she acts so rudely to me in the real world but now...haha now I have her wrapped around my finger because I'm a prince,' Percy tried his best not to break out laughing, 'Does she think she is CInderella or something? And I'm her Prince Charming who suddenly came to save her? God, look at that expression on her pouty face! Priceless!'

And indeed, Tiara was blushing at the sight of this heavenly prince. She was in a bowing position but she tried so desperately to catch sight of this man's face. Percy had planned on telling her who he was but now seeing this act of hers, how could he?

Prince Hao turned to the guard, "Open it."

Tiara looked up and stared at astonishment as the door flung open.

"NOO!!" She screamed and the Prince flinched at noise. It was like someone had stabbed a tootpick in his ear.

She knelt down on the floor and rubbed her hands together and spouted some nonsense words, "Please don't kill me, dear Prince. I can do anything for you instead, A servant? A maid? I can be that. Please don't kill me!"

Prince Hao stood like stone and stared down at her antics. He turned back and waved a hand at the guard, dismissing him. The guard was hesitant at first, but soon, he left, leaving them both alone in that corner of the dark tunnel.

Prince Hao slowly knelt on one knee so that he was at eye level with this woman and breathed.

The fire by the side cast deep shadows on one side of the Prince's face and Tiara held in a shaky breath. He was half angel and half devil when you looked at him from that angle and she couldn't help but think he was beautiful. The light from the flames illuminated his left eye and she caught the fiery but dark golden of his eyes. His irises weren't just golden, but a mix of streaks of many colors. But under the light, they glittered.

"Anything, you say?" Prince Hao asked again, "You sure you'd agree to that rather than just getting executed right away?"

Tiara nodded innocently and prayed silently that he would ask her to be his full time servant or something, that's the worst that could happen. Or even clean the stables day and night.

"Anything."

"Then, I'll make you do only three things."

Tiara smiled. Only three things? Oh yes, this prince was going easy on her. After she was done, she could easily go and find Percy.

"Okay."

Prince Hao raised one finger and said his first wish, "One. Sleep with me tonight."