Morning - Part 2

Later that morning, Prince Thallios and Leiyu were seated at a table within a gazebo in another courtyard. There was a generous spread of flatbreads, dumplings, dolmas, palov, and kabobs laid before them. Attendants stood near the columns and waited patiently.

So much food, Leiyu thought. Is he feeling bad about what happened earlier and trying to make up for it?

Prince Thallios did not eat any of the food. He simply sat there sipping tea from a gilded cup. His eyes were lowered for the most part, although he occasionally looked up at Leiyu. When Leiyu glanced back, the prince averted his eyes.

Awkward indeed, Leiyu thought. The pain in his back had already dulled. It wasn’t any worse than the minor injuries he sustained when he was a disciple training under shifu. Still, he wondered how the petite prince was even capable of such strength. Who had trained him? And what was with those glowing eyes?

Leiyu glanced back at the table. He had not eaten at all today, so the sight of all this food was causing his mouth to water. The prince was not giving any indication of wanting to eat, so Leiyu decided that the attendants’ efforts to put together this delectable meal should not go to waste. He grabbed a flatbread and tore off a small piece. While he munched on the crunchy crust and chewed on the fluffy interior, the prince took another sip of tea.

There was a rustling from the side of the gazebo, and Leiyu’s eyes darted to the direction of the sound. He saw a large bird with iridescent blue plumage and a long green tail run across the grass. The creature had a crest of feathers on its head that gave it a regal appearance. He had never seen such a creature before. Turning to the prince, he asked, “What is that, Your Highness?”

The prince’s eyes lit up. “Ah, that is one of our peacocks! They’re beautiful birds. My mother loved them when she was still here.” The prince’s expression changed to a wistful one, but he blinked a few times as if to dismiss the feeling. “We have an aviary in another courtyard that houses all the birds. Would you like to go see them?”

Leiyu looked at the table of food, most of it still untouched. Were they going to leave all this here? He still had half a piece of flatbread in his hand. The prince noticed his hesitation.

“Oh, no rush,” the prince said. “We don’t have to visit the aviary right away. You can finish breakfast first.”

Leiyu tore a small section off the flatbread and slowly placed it in his mouth. After he finished chewing and swallowing, he asked, “Are you not hungry, Your Highness?”

The prince’s eyes widened. He quickly took another sip from his tea cup. His cheeks took on a rosy color. He set the cup back on the table and exhaled. “No, I’m fine. I usually don’t have much of an appetite.”

He is rather thin, Leiyu thought as he took another bite from the flatbread. But not to the point of starvation. Leiyu remembered some of the people he saw when he lived on the streets as a child. Gaunt faces, sunken eyes, some of them practically bones with just a thin layer of skin. He remembered how his belly ached on the days he couldn’t scrounge up any food. How could a person sit before a feast and not want to eat? But he supposed that was the privilege of being born a royal. If food was always available, you didn’t have to hoard it.

“Your Highness, would it be all right if I saved some of this for later?” Leiyu asked, motioning at the food.

The prince snapped to attention as if he had just been pulled out of a reverie. “Oh, of course! Take as much as you want. But I could also have the attendants prepare another fresh meal later.”

But where will all this food go? Leiyu thought. I hope you’re not just going to throw it away. At least let the others eat it. Of course, he was just a guest in this palace, and his standing was tenuous. Best to remain agreeable. “Thank you very much, Your Highness.” He grabbed a few more pieces of flatbread and stashed them into his robes. When he looked up, he noticed the prince looking at him with an expression that seemed like pity.

“Leiyu?” the prince said. “Are you all right? I’m still very sorry about this morning. I don’t know what happened.”

Leiyu arched an eyebrow. What do you mean you don’t know what happened? he thought. Are you not aware that your eyes were glowing? He wondered if he should bring it up. Maybe not now. The prince might not react well to it. “I’m fine, Your Highness. I generally recover quickly from injuries.”

The prince frowned. “Well, if you want to, I can summon the palace doctor.”

“Oh no, Your Highness, that won’t be necessary. Please do not trouble yourself.”

“All right. Just let me know if you change your mind.” The prince looked toward the exit of the courtyard and then turned back to Leiyu. “Would you still like to see the aviary?”