Ever since the Golden Blade Princess returned, the once-quiet Liao Palace turned restless overnight. Whispers spread like wildfire, retelling how she ran off and how she was brought back, always with scorn and contempt.
The rumors were twisted, but I managed to piece together the truth. Still, a disgrace like that is best buried forever.
Over ten years ago, the princess was deeply favored. The Golden Blade royals were never allowed beyond our borders, but she kept visiting the Song-Liao frontier. His Majesty let her be, never reprimanding her. Then she met a Han swordsman at Moon Bay, and everything spiraled she left the palace more often, and finally fled with the Golden Blade.
Maybe she was spoiled growing up, too naive to fear the throne's wrath. Or maybe she trusted her martial skills too much but history has always proven that while soldiers may be endless, no general lasts forever.
She was found near the Song-Liao border. The swordsman fought hard but fell to our army. She had her youngest son with her and couldn't escape. Her eldest son, carrying the sheath, slipped away and vanished.
I shut the palace doors. In front of me, the princess held Ah-Yan close, her eyes soft for once. Behind me, the palace roared with gossip.
"Seriously? A Liao princess, doing something like that..."
"She even brought a bastard child back. What a joke."
"Sure, she's beautiful. But what's beauty worth, if she eloped with a Han and had his kid? If I were her "
The words cut off, smothered by a sharp, icy voice.
"If you were who?" The steward was smiling, but his voice chilled the air. He stretched out the words, "Criticizing the royals, bold of you. You'll serve as a warning maybe the gossip will stop. Take them away."
Royal scandal must never be spoken of. The steward was surely acting on orders to quiet things down. Otherwise, the Liao would be shamed again. Then he looked at me, that same unreadable look. "His Majesty calls. Come with me."