-1II

The Imperial Seal

Lin stepped silently into the temple. The imperial guards silently closed the doors behind her, shutting out the cold when she cleared the doorway. The room, alight in crimson and ebony, reflected warmly off the polished surface of the floor. Setting the long handle of the lantern into the placement on the wall, she removed her cloak and draped it delicately onto the bar beside the door to dry.

An envelope in her pocket, she overlooked the contents with apprehension. Her father may not wish to show his appreciation for the news…

After preparing hot tea, she lifted the tray and stepped quietly down the decorative hall, the envelope resting beneath the cups. One of the many duties of caring for the seal was to keep it clean, shined and brilliant. Lin had spied upon it before, but it was a rarity. A flash of light peered through the dark archway as she approached. A glimmer like no other diamond could offer held her gaze, and she took the moment to admire the colors it reflected from the lamps. Her father's back to her, yet he paused, his ear being turned toward her approach.

"You are not permitted to gaze upon the Imperial Seal." He firmly reminded her.

Lin gasped, averting her eyes immediately, and waited.

With the seal nestled into the red velvet casing, he let the lid down and locked it safely inside. The golden key was replaced around his neck, tucked into the folds of his clothing.

Her father stepped around the archway, greeting his daughter with a silent gesture to have her accompany him at their table nearby. Seeing the tea, he gruffly muttered to himself how warm drinks were such a blessing in bitter weather.

A faint smile set on her lips as she lowered the tray and then herself. With delicacy she poured their drinks, swiping the envelope and dropping it to her lap. Remaining silent as she continued to ponder how to break the news to him, Lin lowered her cup to the table.

"We've a letter from Wang…" She said with stifled enthusiasm. The envelope, letter and photograph were dropped carefully upon the table. "He sends his love."

Her father peered through his glasses and shook his head at it, refusing to touch it or regard it any further. "You're brother is dead to me."

Discouraged, Lin frowned and lifted her tea, averting her eyes from both her father and brother's picture. Wang had left them for America on a quest, never to return. Her father claimed he had abandoned them… angry that his only son would not return to follow in his footsteps. Memories seemed to become bitter, and the mere mention of Wang brought her father into a cold silence each time since.

"BOXERS!"

A raised voice muffled through the door, bringing their teacups to lower. Both Lin and her father shot up from their seats.

"Hide, Lin!" He ordered and moved from the cushioned seat.

Lin scurried to the archways and climbed up high, lodging herself above and out of sight just in time. The door slammed open and the snow drifted in with an icy wind. Shimmers of blades in the hands of the intruders brought Lin's heart to skip. But it was the sight of the man they made way for that brought her heart to sink.

An English diplomat she had spied on once fearlessly prowled inside, penetrating the building with long strides until he came to the end room where their tea still sat steaming. Spotting this, he seemed to ignore it, and turned then to the second table where the seal's golden box lay. He knelt before it, running a gloved hand along the back of it for any sign of the key.

It was then Lin's father stepped beside him, a thin blade coming to sharply tap beneath the Englishman's chin.

"Not one step further," Came her father's careful order in English.

Slowly, and at her father's command, the Englishman rose to his feet. Much to Lin's discomfort, the man smirked. "The Keeper of the Imperial Seal… Just the man I was looking for."

Sensing danger, and hearing no sign of approaching imperial guards, Lin dropped from the ceiling to break up the boxers at the door.

"A woman?" The man said, sounding quite amused, "My you Chinese are productive."

The Boxers recovered from their surprise and closed in on her. But Lin was ready, she kept them at bay, knocking them down as best she could. She'd learned from the best, she'd learned from her father, her brother, and in her brother's place she had made the most of it… her technique was paying off.

But as she engaged in combat, Rathbone engaged himself in something more tactical. He locked his gaze onto the old man, who held the blade steadily at his throat. Watched as his eyes wavered, straining to keep an eye on him instead of his daughter… And finally the opportunity arose.

The woman let out a cry of pain, and the old man's eyes shifted in her direction. Rathbone acted, pulling aside the sword and grasping the old man's arm painfully, locking him in a hold while he removed an object from his belt.

The old man let out a cry of discomfort at the twist his arm was in, only silencing at the sight of a strange dagger that was being raised up high.

Rathbone stabbed the old man, the dagger thrusting into his side. The Keeper winced, looking to his killer with shock and confusion.

"A gift from an old friend…" Rathbone bitterly announced before taking hold of the chain that lay around the old man's neck.

"Wu Chow…" The old man said, feeling the warmth of blood soaking down his side. Rathbone wrapped his gloved hand around the chain at the Keeper's neck and yanked it off with a triumphant sneer.

Seeing her father collapse, Lin sat up on the cold floor. "Father…" She breathed and pushed herself to her feet. Closing in on Rathbone she instinctively swung her foot into his face, knocking him back hard by the jaw. Rathbone stumbled clumsily and fell to his side, having been knocked dizzy.

Lin quickly huddled over her father, urgently speaking in Chinese. The Boxers flooded in behind her, taking her by her arms and holding her away from the dying man.

Rathbone wiped his lower lip from a trickle of blood. He sneered and rose to stand straight. He regarded her with silence and a mocking smile. But he was no longer amused. Glowering, he returned the favor with a kick to her abdomen. Slipping from the Boxer's grasp, she collided with the floor, knocked into unconsciousness.

Rathbone returned to the golden box, unraveling the golden chain from around his gloved hand to find the dragon key dangling at the end of it. The seal's golden container was opened for only a moment. Seeing it was inside, he locked it away and tucked the key deep into his pocket. The gold box was heavy as he lifted it carefully from the table and nestled it beneath an arm.

The Boxers circled around the remaining two who groaned in pain upon the floor. "Move out." He said to them.

Uncertainty crossed their faces as they looked back to the moaning figure of Lin upon the ground. But, as ordered, they tore from the room and out of the building.

Lin was dazed, her head lulling from side to side before she was struck with the realization of what truly just happened. Gasping, she looked to the doorway as the cloaked figure of Lord Rathbone billowed from the room, followed by the band of rebels.

"Father!" She gasped and made her way to him, pulling herself along the smooth surface of the floor. He lay on his side, eyes half closed behind his crooked spectacles, "Father…" She whispered, taking his hand to her chin. A gut-wrenching feeling swelled up in her as he reached into his robe and removed a small ebony puzzle box.

"Give this… to your brother…" Quiet, strained breaths. With effort, he gripped her hand, an attempt to make one last plea, "The seal… you must… get it back."

The sting of tears began to burn her eyes as she watched him and slowly nodded. "I promise."