The fifteen-day forced march from Nue-Li had reduced Chinua and Hye to shadows of their former selves. The sun had long vanished, leaving the sky a deep, bruised purple as they approached the colossal, ominous gate of the central military camp on the outskirts of Ntsua-Ntu City.
Their clothing, once sturdy, was now little more than sodden rags clinging to dangerously depleted bodies. The continuous grinding of the iron shackles chafed their ankles and wrists raw, turning the skin a sickly red and black. They shuffled, their movements stiff and agonizing. Their simple shoes had long since worn through, forcing them to walk the final stretch on blistered, bleeding feet.
The harsh, dry northern winds had cracked their skin into a mosaic of wrinkles, and their lips were a mass of painful fissures, constantly oozing pinpricks of dark blood. Chinua's natural vibrancy was suppressed by a film of dirt and exhaustion, yet the fierce, ancestral dark brown Magoli eyes beneath the grime held a terrifying resolve. Hye, leaning heavily on the strategem, played the part of a broken man, his sharp intellect hidden behind a mask of physical suffering.
To the many soldiers they passed—the central soldiers—the pair were simply two anonymous, wretched prisoners, a political curiosity being escorted to the prince's custody. No one recognized the legendary Strategist Hye, and no one recognized Hmagol's Princess of the People in this state of ruin. The anonymity was their shield; the exhaustion, their sacrifice. They had reached the heart of the conspiracy, exactly where they intended to be.
Dzhambul walked straight into the grand conference room, just as General Khartsaga and his five captains were concluding their monthly meeting. Dzhambul's presence was a statement: the military command was now under the control of the Second Prince.
As soon as Dzhambul walked in, Khartsaga and his five captains quickly stood up and formally greeted the prince. Khartsaga led Dzhambul to the main seat at the conference table, then stood beside him. The heavy doors opened once more as two guards, their hands firmly gripping the shackles, escorted Chinua and Hye into the room.
"General Khartsaga, you are now in charge of making sure these two prisoners do not escape until they are brought to court," Dzhambul announced, his voice carrying the authority of the newly ascendant power.
"Your Highness, I will make sure of it," Khartsaga replied, his eyes dutifully scanning the wretched prisoners. But as he looked closely once more, examining the grime-caked face and the fierce eyes, a horrible realization struck him. The person standing before him, in shackles and rags, was none other than Chinua, Hmagol's Fourth Princess and the Eastern General of the East Military Camp. His face turned pale as a ghost; he hadn't recognized Chinua at first glance due to her terrible appearance.
"That prisoner..." he pointed at Chinua, his hand trembling slightly. "Is the Fourth Princess."
Dzhambul sighed, a theatrical expression of annoyance. "Since you know that she is the Fourth Princess, then you know what to do."
"Yes," Khartsaga replied, still looking at Chinua and wondering deeply how someone like her, so beloved and powerful, could be held in shackles as a prisoner.
"As for him," Dzhambul said, his smirk returning as he looked at Hye. "You can throw him in the dungeon. Let him see what loyalty gets you."
Hye let out a theatrical sigh and forced a silly smile. "Ah... now how much I wish I were a royal! At least I would have a warm bed tonight and take a warm bath..." He stared directly at Dzhambul, showing no sign that he was defeated by Dzhambul's cruel treatment. His lips still curved into a smile, and his eyes still seemed to taunt Dzhambul. He then turned to Chinua. "Hey, if they bring you good food, remember to save some for me for tomorrow's breakfast."
Chinua looked up at Dzhambul and Khartsaga, her voice rough but steady. "There is no need to treat me better than a common prisoner, as this will only make you look bad, General Khartsaga. You can place me in the military prison with him."
Khartsaga swallowed hard. He knew that Chinua was the beloved daughter of Batukhan and a fierce popular figure. If Batukhan knew of his poor treatment of Chinua, he would not only receive the King's wrath but also the wrath of the people who loved and looked up to Chinua as their role model.
"Your Highness," Khartsaga stepped forward and gently bowed to Dzhambul. "If Your Highness does not mind, I suggest that we should not place Her Highness and her friend in the common military prison, but in a confined room under guard. I will send loyal soldiers to guard them and make sure they don't leave the room. As Your Highness may already know, the Fourth Princess is also of royal birth and..."
"Then let's do what you suggest then, General Khartsaga," Lixin said with a smooth smile, stepping from the background. He understood perfectly that if Chinua's poor treatment were to leak from the military camp into the ears of the common citizens, the seizure of the throne would not be as smooth as they had planned.
"Do as he says," Dzhambul confirmed, smiling at the political necessity. "I will go meet the royal father, and tomorrow morning, someone will come to bring them to meet the royal father." He stood up and then stopped directly in front of Khartsaga. "General, you must ensure that these two prisoners do not escape because their crime is treason."
"I understand," Khartsaga said. Although his mouth expressed understanding, deep in his heart, he did not understand the situation. What he had seen unfolding in front of him—the shackled princess, Dzhambul's casual cruelty—was totally different from the news he and the others had known only a month ago.
Dzhambul walked up to Chinua, his gaze meeting hers. "You may want to pray that the royal court finds you not guilty," Dzhambul said with a cruel smile. "Otherwise..." he patted gently on Chinua's right shoulder, emphasizing the weight of the coming trial, and then walked out of the central military conference room with Lixin.
Watching Dzhambul and his men leave the room, General Khartsaga let out a slow, heavy breath. He immediately stepped forward to greet Chinua, his posture shifting from military formality to uneasy respect.
"Your Highness, I don't pretend to understand the situation, and I certainly don't understand what treason charge you are facing. But please pardon me that I will have to guard you and make sure that you do not leave the military camp," Khartsaga said, his voice laced with genuine discomfort.
"General," Chinua stated simply and firmly, her voice carrying the unmistakable tone of command despite her physical state. "If I wanted to escape, no shackle and no lock could ever bind my wrists." Her fierce eyes stared straight into Khartsaga's, daring him to doubt her power.
"Huh," Hye teased, interrupting the tense silence. "You mean to say you do not know what treason crime Chinua and I were charged with? Are you sure?"
Khartsaga nodded. "I am sure. Two months ago, when the capital received Your Highness's letter suggesting Nue-Li City be a neutral city, His Majesty had publicly awarded Nue-Li City as a present to Your Highness. As far as I know, Nue-Li City belongs solely to Your Highness. Not just that... Envoy Li was sent with the royal decree to officially transfer the city."
"That's correct," one of the captains chimed in, equally confused. "Not just us here, but everyone within Ntsua-Ntu knows about this. It was a celebrated decree."
"That's why... I am not understanding why Your Highness would suddenly be charged with treason..." Khartsaga finished, his confusion deepening.
Hye chuckled, a dry, rasping sound. "No wonder that bastard Dzhambul did not dare shoot the first arrow when we were arrested! He knew if he did, he would have no legal argument in the court!" He turned to look at Chinua, his expression suddenly triumphant. "Since Nue-Li City is legally your city, then whatever resources you chose to lend or trade with the Ginmiao has absolutely nothing to do with the royal court! His treason charge against you—accusing you of betraying Hmagol by dealing with a foreign power—will not have a chance to stand in court!"
Chinua knew that within the thin walls of this military camp, there were eyes and ears listening and looking at every corner. Any crucial discussion, any hint of their true intentions, would be immediately reported back to Dzhambul. Therefore, she decided that her most important discussions would not be here or with these men. She needed privacy and a moment of recovery.
"General," Chinua said, her voice dropping the feigned resignation and adopting a tone of weariness. "We have endured a long, grueling journey to get here. If you don't mind, please allow us bath water, and some decent, clean clothes. I cannot face the royal court looking like this."
Khartsaga, relieved to comply with a simple request rather than engaging in a political conflict, nodded instantly. "I will have the soldiers prepare the clothes and bathwater for you two," Khartsaga said, waving his hand at one of the soldiers standing by the door. "Take Her Highness and Sir Hye to the guest room—the most isolated and secure one we have."
Chinua and Hye were escorted out. Khartsaga watched their shackled forms disappear down the hallway. He then turned back to his five captains, his expression serious.
"Listen closely," Khartsaga commanded. "You five are personally responsible for the security detail. Your job is to make absolutely sure that Her Highness and Sir Hye do not leave that room until tomorrow morning when the imperial guards arrive to take them to court. Place two guards outside the door, and let no one—absolutely no one—approach them without my direct order. If Prince Dzhambul's command is compromised by an escape, we will all pay the price."
"Yes, General," the five captains responded in unison, heading out to secure the perimeter.