24: The Capital, Vallath Imperial State. ( Estate of The Emperor)

The carriage pulled up at the front of the Emperor's Tower. It was glorious to look at upfront. The building was made out of precious grey marble and had a so many windows to spare. There were imperial enforcers at every corner of the place, heavily armed with guns of great magic.

Jade opened the carriage door and Alora was eager to escape. Jade sensed her racing heart and gave her the control of her body back

"I can feel-", Alora clinched her fists. She stretched out her arms and couldn't believe her eyes. She stretched out her legs. She was in shock. "Everything!"

"I was hoping for that result.", Jade said, "And if you think about running away you will get shot down before you even leave the gate."

Alora looked out the window and saw the swarm of enforcers at every corner. From very the top of the tower to the front door and those just standing around the yard, they looked ready to kill anything that moved. Jade came out of the carriage and Alora was right behind her. They walked up the small fleet of stairs up that let to the front door.

The two enforcers standing by the door bowed their heads as Jade passed them by.

"It's good to have you home Lady Jade.", they said.

Jade stopped and faced the glass door. She turned her head to the enforcers. "Is my father home?", she asked.

"He stepped out.", one of the enforcers said, "There was an emergency special council meeting in the upper city."

"Im not surprised.", Jade chuckled humorously, "If he stopped surrounding himself those fools, maybe we would have conquered the Northern Lands by now. Anyway-"

Alora realised the Vallath's next move. The Northern Lands, the largest nation on the Western continent. If it falls the Vallath would have access to the sea to invade the Eastern continent.

"Attacking the Northern Lands is a suicide mission!", Alora outburst, "The magical power possessed by the fairies of the North Is unreal and you will all be dead before you know it."

Jade turned her head to Alora. She walked right up to her. Alora was starting into the cloth that covered Jade's eye. She saw the small days old blood stains on the corner of the cloth. Jade didn't seem to happy.

"I didn't ask you to talk, did I?", she said.

"I am just reminding you that the North might not be as advance as the rest of the nations but their magic is incomparable.", Alora said, "Provoking them isn't such a wise idea."

Jade's sinister smile graced her face once again. Alora fell a few steps back in fear of what Jade was going to do to her. Jade turned back to the Imperial enforcers. "Did father leave any instructions?", she asked.

"He did mention that he wants to see the prisoner as soon as he arrives.", the enforcer said.

Jade and Alora walked into the tower. Alora looked up and the ceiling was limitless and nothing but natural light everywhere. There were exotic green plants in the corners of the wall and a small pool of blue clear water in the centre of everything. It was a magnificent feet to behold.

"Alright my father is going to be back soon so you will join us for dinner.", Jade said.

"There's no need to be hospitable.", Alora spat on Jades boot, " I am not telling you anything."

Jade stretched out her finger tips. She wiggled her fingers and Alora went flying across the room. She was pinned against the wall with the magic pressing her entire being into the wall. Alora couldn't breath

and she was struggling so hard to get air.

"I would have danced in your blood if I had the chance.", she was fuming, "My father needs you alive and I would never disappoint father."

Jade let go of her hold on Alora. She came crashing down to the ground. She tried to get up but everything hurt. She stood up and dusted herself off. Alora had been testing her patience for far too long and she was nearly at her breaking point but Jade slowly calmed down realising the bigger picture.

"Father is on his way.", she said, "Prepare for dinner."

Jade signal for an Imperial enforcer outside. The enforcer came running to the service of Lady Jade.

"Yes my lady?!", he said overzealously

"Take our guest to the holding room.", she said.

The enforcer grabbed Alora by the arm and dragged her to the holding room. The holding room was down a stairway underneath the tower. They reached the holding room way below the tower after going down what seemed to be an endless stairway.

It was a large open and nearly empty room. It had a bed in the corner of the room and a filthy toilet in the other corner. It looked a lot like a prison ceil only without the mass gathering of criminals.

"Alright this is where you will be sleeping. Make yourself cosy.", he said, "Someone will call for you when the Emperor arrives."

The enforcer walked off and Alora was left alone. She sat on the bed with a lot on her mind. She had heard stories of the emperor from a lot of people and they were far from pretty. Most people claimed he was more ruthless and heartless than Jade. He made her the monster she is after all. He single handedly made Vallath the great empire it stands to be. She couldn't help but think about what he was going to do to her, was she going to killed with his bare hands or was he going to feed her to dogs. So many scenarios ran through her mind that all had one thing in common her brutal death.

She needed to escape and go back to Sarania and as fast as possible. She got the first tangible information about the Vallath Empire's next move. The resistance hadn't gotten a drop like this in years and it was given to her on silver plater. She needed to warn the rest of what is to come and maybe warning the Northern Lands of what is coming their way might better their chances of putting to rest the Vallathian Empire.

Alora sat on her bed waiting for hours and no one showed up. Suddenly she heard footsteps emerging from the stairway. It was the imperial enforcer from earlier.

"The Emperor would like to see you now." , he said.