Chapter 9
“We can go now,” said Sheiji to Fa-Ying and Inon. “My audience with His Regency is over.”
“Good,” replied Fa-Ying. “That was very foolish of you, Sheiji. You could have…Sui-Tsai could have killed you!”
“I know,” replied Sheiji. He caught Fa-Ying’s eye and nodded at the wall. Fa-Ying nodded. They had become very good at understanding many different nods and expressions on each other’s faces.
“Inon, go ahead and check his Majesty’s room,” commanded Fa-Ying.
“No, Inon, stay. I wish to have you with us,” Sheiji replied.
Inon stood looking from one to the other, not sure who to obey. Fa-Ying stood looking at Sheiji who stared back with a pleading expression on his face.
“Oh! All right then, Inon. Stay with us,” Fa-Ying consented.
Carefully and quietly, the three snuck to their secret meeting room in the wall. They rarely met there in the day, because of the risk of spies.
“What happened in there?” asked Fa-Ying when they were safely in the room. Inon stood staring wide-eyed around him. Then suddenly he fell to his knees before Sheiji crying, “Vua, Your Majesty. What a place!”
“Get up, Inon,” Sheiji said. Inon stood slowly, still wide-eyed.
“Listen, Inon. Here, in this room, we are safe to talk about anything without fear of spies. But here, also, we have no rank. We are only friends. Here, I am not your king, Fa-Ying is not my advisor and you are not my bodyguard. We are simply friends. Do you understand? Treat me as you would any one of your friends.”
“Yes, Vua…what shall I call you?” asked Inon.
“Sheiji,” replied he. “Just Sheiji.”
“Yes…Sheiji,” Inon answered