-1III
Return to England
They escaped the Forbidden City as easily as they had invaded it. Riding hard beneath a moonlit sky and across the icy roads and bridges. Over the coarse of four days the band of Boxers escorted Lord Rathbone through Tienstin and then to the harbor. There the schooner waited, bobbing slightly in the winds that gusted through.
Stopping their horses beside the docks, Rathbone swung his leg over and dismounted. Boots crunched into the snow and slush, and he felt the ache of a long ride in his lower back. Ignoring it for the time being, he turned and untied the golden box from the saddle, sensing the horse was glad to be rid of the extra weight.
Tucking it beneath his arm, he turned to face Lieu, who approached him with caution.
"Why di' we not kill the girl?" He asked in horrid English.
Sensing something disquieting, Rathbone briefly turned his eyes to the Boxers far behind Lieu. They looked on with distractingly curious gazes as they moved to the task of boarding the schooner.
"Are you afraid of a woman?"
Lieu shook his head.
"She's no more a threat once we're on that ship." Spoken with confidence as he allowed another approaching Boxer to take the reigns of the horses. "Is… it on the ship?"
Lieu nodded, "Yes."
Apprehensive, he nodded and moved to make his way up the flimsy ramp. The tiger roared and bellowed from the lower cabins, and Rathbone paused on the deck, turning to the Boxers as they began to ready the sails and raise the anchor.
"Lieu," Lieu appeared at the command, "Have they started yet?"
Lieu nodded, "Yes, today."
"Very good." Was all Rathbone would comment on before climbing below deck to settle the seal into his cabin.
It was a small room, cluttered and crowded by the little luggage he had brought with him. The seal was set atop the dressing table. Taking the dressing chair, he seated himself and began the small task of fixing the chain that held the key. It was going to be a long voyage, and he needed that key to stay safely hidden from any Boxers who may feel tempted to steal a look or the Imperial Seal itself.
Only fifteen minutes passed before Rathbone cursed under his breath. The chain was yanked roughly out from the key and dropped to the table. Unbuttoning the first few buttons of his lapels, he slipped the key into his vest pocket and refastened the buttons.
Nausea began to settle into the pit of his stomach, and he rose from his seat. The numbness from the coldness outside was beginning to thaw out, along with the sickness of what he had done hours earlier. It had seemed so unreal… the hypnotizing glow of a full moon followed by the enticing crimson light of the temple's room. The events that unfolded began to replay in his mind as he looked down to the broken chain on the tabletop.
A light snort as he shook his head at himself for even second guessing it. The old man would probably live… he was certain of it. Besides, Wu Chow never specified who was to die or live… With some new resolve, Rathbone confidently reminded himself that if Wu Chow was unhappy with the results then it was a mistake on Wu Chow's part.
Although leaving witnesses never settled well with him, he'd become certain that with the twenty something white diplomats residing near the Forbidden City, and the hundreds of other Englishmen in Peking, and the fact he had not once been introduced to either the Keeper or his daughter, he was safe. As rumors have it, he left a week ago… Alibis were abundant when you had nearly inexhaustible wealth.
Nervousness or seasickness washed through him once more. Swooning, he pressed a gloved hand to his forehead, urging it away before he turned on his heel and left his cabin behind. A violet glow shined down from the deck and he stepped out into the crisp ocean air. Dawn was approaching, setting a gentle hue of violet and blue over the harbor they left behind. Gray and purple land fading out into the morning mist.
Something moved along the line of the docks. Stepping to the edge of the deck, he narrowed his eyes upon the figure on horseback. Turning around, he waved for the crewmember to hand him a set of binoculars. Quickly focusing them upon the dockside, he found himself looking into a pair of dark and determined eyes. The Keeper's daughter looked on, gripping the reigns with frustration, knowing she had missed the last ship out.
Overtaken with disbelief, Rathbone lowered the binoculars and shook his head, a stifled laugh under his breath. Raising them once again, he literally caught the tail end of a galloping horse as it rode out of sight.
Lieu, seeing Rathbone near a subtle snicker, stepped up beside him, looking quizzically. "What…?"
Handing Lieu the binoculars, "Nothing." He said, smirking again as he turned to patrol the deck. "Nothing."
For many weeks they sailed with the tiger, a gift from Emperor of China to the Queen of England. It was a tamed creature, docile and lazy… However by the end of the voyage, the animal had transformed into a horrible beast of claws and teeth. Presenting the creature any other way would be unfitting for what Rathbone planned…
A ferocious gift to Her Majesty, a symbol of Chinese warfare and strength, in honour of Victoria's fifty prosperous years on the thrown would undoubtedly make a few old men scratch their heads. However, once the rebellion in China would begin, and the people would appear unhappy with their Emperor bringing in outsiders to interfere with their old world, surely the rest of the world would begin questioning the changes in both China and England.
Wu Chow had always expressed an indifference to outsiders. He had adopted well the gentlemanly habits of the English. He spoke their language quite well, even if not perfect… but since he was young he had lived in the shadow of The Boy Emperor. Being the bastard brother of the Emperor, Wu Chow had resided in the palace. But his life among luxury had proved to be more a cruel tease than the real respect he felt he had the right to.
He watched as his baby brother played with the Imperial Seal. The Seal was a symbol of Imperial power… a power that Wu Chow believed belonged to him instead.
Wu Chow lurked outside the Forbidden City. He still had devoted followers within the walls, keeping him updated on the happenings inside the palace. After prying into the private lives of the English diplomats, Wu Chow had pinpointed Lord Rathbone.
He approached the man with caution, first bringing about casual conversation. Lord Rathbone seemed impressed by his knowledge of English culture and language, and welcomed him into his company, all the while expressing his own curiosities about the side of China that the Emperor and the Dowager Empress seemed rather skiddish of mentioning.
Boxers, a topic much avoided in court and even more frowned upon for inquiring. Wu Chow had satisfied Rathbone's curiosity of them, even introducing him to a few. Their first meeting had not gone smoothly. The Boxers were quite aggitated at Rathbone's arrival into their midsts, even threatening to kill Wu Chow and send the Englishman back to Peking in a box. But Wu Chow managed to gain their ear.
"He has influence!" He argued in Chinese, and Lieu helped silence the rest of the rebels. "His Lordship has the ear of Queen Victoria and the Emperor…"
The Boxers were listening.
Rathbone tried to supress his alarm, and pulled Wu Chow aside. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying you have influence." He translated for him.
"I mean, why are you telling them this?"
Wu Chow looked to him carefully, "Would you rather me tell them you're unwilling to help in their cause after stepping into their camp? I do not think you would return to your beloved England to see another, what you call, Christmas."
Rathbone took a moment to think it over and released Wu Chow's arm, nodding his approval.
Turning to the Boxers, Wu Chow spoke again, "He's agreed to help pull the English out of China."
"How?" Lieu asked, skeptically crossing his arms.
Wu Chow grinned impishly, "By taking the Imperial Seal."
A buzz of voices roared up around the campsite. "Impossible!" Lieu argued.
"Improbable."
After telling the Boxers of the followers inside the palace and his relation to the Emperor, they soon vowed their loyalty to him if he could lead China into an age without outside influence.
Naturally the Boxers expressed worry over Lord Rathbone's involvement, asking what he was to gain from it. Wu Chow turned to regard his new associate with a thoughtful glare before he smiled back to Lieu. "He gets the English crown: complete control – absolute influence. That will insure both England and China's solitary safety."
Rathbone was taken aback. The crown? He had remained silent thorughout the entire ordeal, only speaking when Wu Chow was secretly returning him to the Forbidden City after nightfall.
"The crown." He repeated with disbelief, "You do realize that for me to inherit the throne there would need to be something enormouse to rid off the nine other heirs who are lined up before I."
Wu Chow continued to grin as he dismounted. "I realize that."
He waited a moment before dismounting next. "And you really expect no one will suspect that I'm involved in this plan."
"Yes."
Rathbone gave an exhasperated laugh, "You've been scheming all this up for some time haven't you?"
"Yes." He quipped, turning to Rathbone outside the stables. "You can take your horse from here alone I assume?"
"How would you actually plan this?"
"I knew you would not be wholly disgusted." Pausing a moment to reconsider, Wu Chow finally gave in, "If you happen to be missed in the crossfire you will be regarded as a hero and welcomed with open arms as the new king. And I, after the Emperor and Dowager Empress are proven to be poison to China, will be praised at my timely arrival to save China from a downfall. Treaties between us, peacefulness and our worlds belong to us. No repeat of the Opium Wars. No worry about what damage the Dowager Empress of Queen Victoria may cause for our future. Do you really prefer living in the shadow of a woman…?"
Falling silent, Rathbone looked to the darkened ground. The crown. The power that one was capable of… he could restore power to England through whatever means he knew to be necessary, to have the final word…
Finally he looked up to Wu Chow, who had been waiting, watching him like some panther. "What would you have me do in turn?"
His grin broadened, "The Seal of course."