Boy, am I tired. I just got back to school for a week, and I am tired. I must be getting old-not.

I honestly wanted to upload this chapter earlier this week, but I had a hard time finishing it, much less writing it.

By the way, I noticed in chapters 10 and 11, I accidentally switched West Kou and east kou around. it took me writing this chapter to notice it (stupid me!). ^^;

(i had it fixed so you won't notice the difference.)

By the way, keep in mind as you read this chapter that I don't really know how to describe some scenes, so don't get mad if you find them really lacking. Or unrealistic. I did my best, i honestly did.

To year 2016, here's the chapter 13!

West Kou was not what I expected.

I had expected something like Balbadd, a former country and capital of the Empire.

I was expecting a bustling merchant street. A crowded pavilion. Even hot, scorching weather.

What I saw instead left me breathless: West Kou was nothing like Balbadd.

Its buildings had sloping, gilded roofs. Spiraling towers scraped the sky. Walls surrounded buildings. The people were all wearing the same clothes with different colors-brown, green, white.

I knew that West Kou wouldn't exactly look like Balbadd. But still, seeing it…

Auntie must have noticed my expression, because she squeezed my shoulder. "I know this might seem like a shock to you girls," she said. Girls? So Kouchou must have been perturbed as well. "West Kou is very…different compared to Balbadd. And the rest of the world. Don't expect things to be like back home," she added. "It's not our territory anymore-it's the Kou Empire's."

"If you don't mind, King Alibaba, I'm going to go straight ahead to the war council. I can tell you and Emperor Kouen have a lot of catching up to do." Having disembarked first before us, King Arafi looked over at us.

I could have sworn Father's eyes had a hint of weary resignation in them. "Very well. Go on ahead, Arafi."

"See you later, Byanqa. I'm going to escort the idiot king to the meeting room." Statheri waved goodbye to me as she followed Arafi out.

"Dhabyanqa, Kouchou, come with me." Aunt Kougyoku gestured to us. "It's time you met your uncle."

Kouchou tilted her head curiously. "Our Uncle? You mean emperor Kouen?"

Auntie nodded. "Yes, and maybe you will meet my other brothers as well." She smiled slightly.

I couldn't help but ask, "What's Emperor Kouen like?"

"Oh, he's very-"

"Blunt, intense, and unnerving." Father cut in.

"Alibaba!"

"It's the truth, Kougyoku, and you know it very well."

Auntie glanced over at us and sighed. "Don't listen to your Father-you should learn for yourself what kind of man Brother Kouen is."

What was Emperor Kouen like? I was about to find out for myself.

"Announcing His Majesty, Ren Kouen, Emperor of West Kou!"

The announcer's voice thundered out, ringing against the Imperial Palace's Throne Room.

Father and Aunt Kougyoku bowed down to the Emperor. Kouchou and I followed suit. I snuck a quick peek at the scene before me.

A tall, imposing man dressed in regal clothes lounged on a throne of marble. He had dark red hair, a narrow, but strong jaw, and a broad forehead. His eyes were that of a piercing hawk. His mouth bore the tiniest hint of a smile.

But it was the aura radiating from him that struck me the most. It wasn't the aura of an ordinary king. It had a hint of blood and fire, strength and determination. It was nothing like Father's, who was kind, warm, bright, and enveloping. This was the aura of a man born to rule. The aura of an emperor.

I knew instantly who he was before he opened his mouth.

"Balbadd's brat. You finally came."

"Stop calling me that." Father's face was composed. But one of his eyebrows twitched. "I'm too old for a nickname like that, Emperor Kouen."

"You'll always be a brat to me." Emperor Kouen looked at Auntie Kougyoku. "You look well, Kougyoku."

Auntie bowed her head. "Thank you, Brother Kouen. You look well as well. May your good health continue for many years."

He grunted. "If I can afford years of good health." He glances over towards Kouchou and I. His eyes narrowed. "Are those your daughters, Alibaba?"

"Why, yes, they are." Father's voice was calm. "Don't you recognize your own niece when you see her?" He gestured towards Kouchou. Kouchou was flustered at the sudden attention on her, her cheeks darkening. But Emperor Kouen's gaze wasn't focused on Kouchou. In fact, he made no comment about Kouchou.

Instead he focused on me. "That can't be your daughter. She looks nothing like you. Which is good."

"Brother Kouen!" Auntie scolded.

I was too surprised by his words to even react.

"She takes after her late mother. Do you not remember who she was?" " Father sarcastically quipped.

"No, I remember. That Fanalis woman, right? My condolences for your loss." The Emperor got up from his throne and walked down towards us. He stopped a little before Father and Auntie, towering before them. "Well? We don't exactly have time to chat around, do we? We have a meeting to attend."

Father looked offended. Auntie looked ready to smack her forehead.

Me? I was still a little shaken from Kouen's comment about my appearance. I never expected a talk about me at all. Nor about my mother.

Emperor Kouen was all Father said about him: blunt, intense, and unnerving.

"Kougyoku, Alibaba, follow me. I'll take you to the meeting." The emperor turned to leave.

"We'll be right behind you, Brother." Auntie Kougyoku paused before Kouchou. "Kouchou, go find Cassius. He'll stand guard for you two until the meeting is over." Cassius had been sent outside of the palace before we entered.

Kouchou nodded. "Understood, Mother." Auntie turned towards me.

"Byanqa, look after your sister?" I nodded.

"Yes."

Auntie nodded in satisfaction. "Good." Then she turned and followed Father and Kouen out.

"So, what now, Sis?" Kouchou inquired as we made our way outside the hallway.

"We do what your mother said-look for Cassius. I'm sure you want to see him very much," I teased my sister.

She flushed. "Th-that's not the point!" She brightened a bit. "But you're right, I do want to see him."

"Well, we better find him, then."

"That can't be too hard. Where there are butterflies, there is Cassius!" She looked past me and gasped. "Oh, I think I see him! With the monarch butterflies in the Imperial Gardens!" she said excitedly while pointing.

I turned to look at what she was pointing at. I spotted a green haired figure in the far distance. At the same time, I felt my sister move. She brushed past me.

"Kouchou, wait-"

But she was too fast; she ran towards the figure, quickly disappearing into the dust.

I never knew my sister could run so fast. Even my Fanalis eyes couldn't track her.

I guess she really wanted to see Cassius that much. But now I was alone. And lost.

I sighed and moved towards the Imperial Gardens. "I guess I'll just track them by scent," I muttered.

But my Fanalis nose did me no good; I had underestimated the overpowering scent of flowers. Especially those of the Imperial Garden's as I got closer to them.

I nearly gasped; maybe I did gasp.

Back in Balbadd, there were flowers everywhere. But they were desert flowers, made to survive the harsh, hot climate and lack of water. The most I ever saw was a desert hyacinth, a cactus, a daisy, and bushes.

Here, in the Imperial Gardens, it was more than that. There were so many exotic plants that I never saw in Balbadd.

I saw water lilies in the ponds. Purple wisterias. Pink tulips. Blue roses. Even bamboo!

No wonder the Imperial Gardens were so famed-they had flora that could only be found here!

"Excuse me, are you new here? I haven't seen you around before." A voice broke into my reverie. I turned my head to find the person who spoke and spotted her.

She was fairly tall, with shoulder-length curly blue-black hair. Her eyes were surprisingly red-blood-red, not like the ruby-red my mother's had been. She had a very bright smile, not unlike Ali or Mariam's.

"Miss? Are you all right?" she spoke again, still holding that smile, though it was now tinged with a bit of awkwardness. I snapped back into focus.

"Ah, yes, I'm not from around here, actually. I'm just visiting with my father. I'm looking for my sister-she ran off." I laughed sheepishly.

"I see." She took a step forward. "West Kou is famous for its Imperial Garden. It's no wonder your sister took off. Many before her have done so." She stopped a little before me and extended her hand. "I can help you look for her if you want. Do you need help getting around?"

"Yes, I do, in fact." I gratefully accepted her hand. "I would really appreciate the help. It's going to be hard to find my sister here."

"I'm sure that together, the two of us can find her. In the meantime, I'll show you around. My name is Heiwa, by the way." She stopped and put her left fist flat against her right palm, and bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"My name is Dhabyanqa. It's a pleasure to meet you as well." I bowed before her.

"Dhabyanqa, huh?" She smiled again. "That sounds lovely. What does it mean? My name means Peace."

"White Phoenix." An odd name, given my features. "I think your name is lovelier."

"Thank you. I like my name, too. It's the same as-" I broke off as I spotted something rushing towards us. Fast. "Look out!" I cried out. I pushed Heiwa out of the way.

WHIZZ-THUNK!

An arrow landed on where I had been standing on merely moments ago. It continued to quiver as I landed on my side, the breath knocked out of me.

Where on earth did that arrow come? And who shot it?

West Kou is under attack. From East Kou.

My blood ran cold when I remembered just what kind of situation we were in. Could it be that some East Kou agents managed to infiltrate the place-?

My thoughts were cut short when I heard some footprints approaching me. I made to get up, but it was too late. A sword was shoved under my neck, its blade dangerously close to my throat, forcing me to look up at my attacker.

A young man stood before me, looking to be around me age. He had dark-red hair, cropped around his neck. He had cool blue eyes like mine, eyes that were narrow and glaring down at me. He also had a mole on the left side of his mouth, just right below his lower lip.

Strangely enough, he looked very familiar to me.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

Again, it might seem weird, but this was the best I could do.

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Until next time! And don't forget to vote on my poll! (Unless you don't want to, that is.)