Prologue: A Mother's Love and a Wife's Betrayal

It was supposed to be serene, calm, and indifferent like all the other nights in Gongmen City. But this night was the night decisions were made. Guards shouted throughout the palace walls, bells chimed in the courtyard, and a young peacock ran through the secret tunnels with fear in his eyes. He traveled in darkness with only his memory to guide the way. These tunnels were not a complete secret, and the young peacock knew if he slowed in pace his death would be absolute. He made the final turn, taking time to catch his breath, and felt around for the unlit torch that would open the final tunnel. Once that tunnel opened, he would be free. Free from his father's eye, free from his brother's jealousy, free from the hate of his family's existence. But before he could grab the torch the sound of a fire sparking to life had him freeze. His shadow danced across the wall revealing his figure to the holder of light. He was a young robust peacock with admirable features. His main body was covered in feathers of fierce white. But as the color spread out from his core it turned into a calming black. His elegant train mimicked his father's in all but color as its symbols were white amongst the black plumage. The young peacock wore the simplest of his outfits, which also happened to be the cheapest, to hopefully avoid detection. As if his looks wouldn't get him into trouble when spotted.

"De?"

The sound of a familiar, calming, feminine voice had the young peacock turn his head in surprise.

Now in the light, one could see one of young De's strongest insecurities. Eyes the color of blood stared frightened at the light bringer.

"Mother? I- I-"

"Hush." The peahen stepped into De's line of sight.

She was of average size for a peahen, her beauty could be matched to any of the lord's countless flowers, and her presence did not command a room. What made De's mother unmatched to others was her nomadic wisdom, calming patience, and spectacular singing voice. But what had got her caught in the Lord's eye were her striking ruby eyes and snow-white feathers that adorned her body. She was dressed in attire fitting for bed not for wondering a secret tunnel. A simple gown made from the finest of silk and dyed in the color the lord preferred her in, lavender.

"Mother, what are you doing here?"

"I said hush."

It was a command from a mother that urged her son to obey. But De could not obey his mother this time, not when he was so close to his goal.

"I must go, Mother."

"…I know."

"What?"

De watched his mother in confusion and amazement as she stepped to his side pulling on the correct torch to open the secret tunnel.

"How?"

"I have my ways. As all mothers do."

She smiled at her son's confused face as De's mind asked a thousand questions that he could not utter.

"And you will find your way. As all children do."

Not even a moment passed before De grabbed his mother's sleeve.

"Come with me."

"What?"

"Come with me. I can take care of you."

"Oh…De," Taking a moment to collect her thoughts she caressed her son's cheek. "Thank you. But your brother is here."

"Father wouldn't harm him."

"But Gang would. So will the other wives and any future sons that are born. You can stand on your own now. Zi Rui is barely older than a hatchling and he has nobody."

The sound of guards shouting echoed down the hall. The mother and son were running out of time to say goodbye.

"Father won't harm Zi Rui, but he might harm you!"

De raised his voice against his mother for the first time in his young adolescence. And at his words, De's mother removed her grasp from his cheek and smiled sadly at her son. Giving him one last glance she walked to the corner of the secret tunnel and banged her head aggressively against the brick.

"Mother!"

Her body slowly slid down the wall as scrapes and cuts emerged from under her delicate feathers.

"…Hush, De…hush."

The warm liquid of her blood tickled her senses and begged to be itched. De rushed to her side to assist, only stopping at his mother's silent order from a raised hand. She looked lovingly at her eldest child remembering back to when he was nothing more than an empty promise held within an egg.

"Mothers are strong in their own way. Nature demands it so."

De knelt at his mother's side and caressed the uninjured side of his mother's face. He examined her eyes trying to understand the logic behind injuring herself.

"Go, De."

De closed his eyes in hesitation.

"GO!"

This time at his mother's command the loyal son De obeyed. No more words were traded between the two. The only sound that could be heard was of the approaching guards and the silent tears that fell from De and his mother's eyes.

It took at least 15 minutes before a select group of guards found the correct way to go. Immediately the leader of the group panicked at the sight that lay before him.

"Lady Hua! Are you alright?"

Immediately Hua was surrounded by her lord's wolf guard. They fretted about how to assist the maiden and who was to follow down the secret tunnel after her son De. She ignored their whispers and commands focusing instead on the pulsing pressure from her wound. Eventually, the strongest of them grabbed Hua and began to carry her off as delicately as they could manage. Two more guards flanked his sides while the rest rushed off down the tunnel.

"Lady Hua? Who did this to you?"

A guard had cautiously asked as he examined her wound from afar. But Hua did not answer, she simply kept her gaze on the tunnel until it was no longer in sight. When her eyes could no longer see the opening of the tunnel, she turned her gaze to look ahead and kept her thoughts to herself.

Lady Hua had been brought to her chambers and forced to sit on one of the finest beds money could buy. A lamb doctor came immediately and addressed the peahen's wounds. The doctor of course asked thousands of questions but Hua didn't answer any.

"I know that Master De had his faults and butted heads with his parents but to…" The guard trailed off as he looked at Lady Hua with Pity. "To do this to his mother, Lady Hua, is a sin worthy of death."

Hua ignored their whispers and the doctor's relentless questions. She needed to prepare mentally for the battle that was to come.

As soon as the doctor finished her care and left the room to try and fetch a maid for Lady Hua. But was stopped in his tracks when the doors burst open causing everyone but Lady Hua to still in the room. Flanked by two gorilla guards, the lord of the castle made his presence known.

"L-lord Shen!"

Immediately everyone took a respectful bow to the albino peacock. Everyone awaited his command, everyone except for Lady Hua who had kept her head down in shame to her lord.

"Has she been treated?"

Lord Shen's voice was cold and unfeeling as always when he spoke. The lamb's heart went out to Lady Hua as she had to call this creature husband.

"Yes. Minor cuts and bruising that with plenty of rest and medicine she will make a full recovery."

A cold silence followed the doctor's words. Lord Shen's gaze never left the peahen's figure that sat depressingly in the center of the wide bed.

"Leave us."

Instantly all who valued their lives left the room with the gorillas shutting the doors behind their lord. Again, silence filled the room for a moment. Eventually, the sound of metal hitting the tile floor filled the emptiness of the vast room. Shen stood by Hua's bedside in silence waiting for her to be disobedient in any way. But as all his wives should be Hua was perfectly still and awaited his command.

"Your son…has betrayed me."

He was angry but still Hua did not react. Swiftly, Shen grabbed Hua's chin, forcing her head to face him. Hua kept her eyes downcast submissively ignoring the throbbing headache she had. Her Husband was mad, and she didn't want to cause him any more distress. Shen's gaze softened as he examined her wound dressings and disheveled feathers.

"Hua."

Anyone who worked in the palace would be shocked to hear how soft and kind his voice sounded as he uttered his wife's name gently. It gave Hua enough courage to finally look up at her husband.

"What happened?"

Hua gazed into her husband's blood-stained eyes tenderly. How does a wife explain that their firstborn left in hopes of a better life outside of their father's grasp?

"WHAT HAPPENED!"

Immediately Hua spoke at her husband's command.

"I met him before he left."

"You knew!" Shen accused while tightening his grip on Hua's chin.

"I knew…" Hua groaned under the pressure of Shen's grip. "That he was restless."

Shen studied her gaze and as usual, he never saw deceit, only truth. He released his grip of Hua's chin and sat on the edge of her bed.

"What else?"

"I spoke with De, and he listened for a moment, then to his surprise, my head was bashed into the wall…then I told him to leave."

"His surprise?"

"I don't believe it was in his mind to ever bring me harm."

"…I see."

Silence passed between the two before a tear fell from Hua's eye.

"Forgive me my lord."

At her cry, Shen turned his head slowly to regard his wife.

"I have failed you. I have failed as a mother."

Hua stood from her bed to kneel before her lord at his feet. Tears and words would not move her husband, only action would. And now she needed to show how truly remorseful she was to Shen.

"One must learn from their mistakes." Shen stood from the bed as he stared down at his wife. "I expect better results from Zi Rui as you raise him to rise higher than De. Only then will this mistake be forgiven."

"Thank you, my lord!" Hua pressed her forehead to the floor in gratefulness.

"You are to not leave your room for the time being. Zi Rui will continue to be under your care…for now."

Hua felt the weight on her heart lighten. Zi Rui will still be under her care which is safer than if he was assigned to one of the other wives.

"Yes, Lord Shen."

Hua did not remove her head from the floor.

"Rise, Hua."

Obediently, Hua stood from where she had kneeled and gazed upon her husband's face.

"Rest."

Hua offered Shen one of her softest and sincerest smiles. It might be a while before he visits her again. Hua wanted to send Shen off with a pleasant image of herself.

Bowing her head, Hua wished her husband a peaceful night of sleep. Once Lord Shen left, Hua allowed her shoulders to relax. However, instead of returning to bed, Hua looked out of her bedroom window. She began to think back to when she was young and innocent.

"How did I find myself here?"