I had escaped the Sanctum quickly enough that no one was near when I began vomiting. My actions had been daring, my words bordering on an outright challenge, and I had been shaking with fear the entire time I spoke. I had barely been able to contain the contents of my stomach before escaping, spewing that morning's breakfast all over an outer corridor. It took a moment or two of dry-heaving before I was finally able to gain control.
There had been little push back after I had all but threatened the Elders of my Sect. No words demanding I remain when I turned and left, trying my hardest to appear angry and insulted instead of frantic and fleeing. I was no actress and was certain I was fooling no one.
My attempt to leave with dignity was spoiled by the noise my churning gut made. What dignity I could maintain only held together by the slimmest of margins. The howling fear that threatened to overwhelm me swallowed with the bile that I forced under control. Fear that broke free and left me in that empty hall, just far enough away that emptying my stomach wouldn't be noticed, unless one of the Elders had decided to flex and extend their perception.
Deciding the safest and smartest thing to do once I had myself under control was to head to Elder Shadow's office and wait, I only paused long enough to wipe the remaining spittle and vomit from my face before I fled, cycling Qi to my legs and activating [Lightning's Rush].
I admit I considered leaving the Sect entire, returning to Xiwang and hiding for a decade or ten, but only for a second. It would have been cowardly to leave, and I had a sneaking suspicion that if I did, I might be dragged back ignobly. Besides, I wasn't ashamed of my actions or my words.
I had decided to act, to play the Diva for a reason, so it was only right for me to take my punishment and allow Elder Shadow to berate me for my decision. Still, I felt we both had some explaining to do. I still harbored quite a lot of resentment for the ambush the Patriarch had set, an ambush that seemed to have targeted all parties. Maybe the Patriarch had a reason for holding that meeting with the entire Sect leadership as a witness, but I would have appreciated some warning, and an explanation of that reason beforehand.
There had been plenty of time for a message or missive to have been sent. If they were worried about anonymity, the computer sitting in my apartment was linked to everyone in the Sect. That network should be private, and messages should be able to be exchanged without anyone the wiser. And if they thought that system was infiltrated and compromised, then they had a much larger problem than they'd discussed at our initial meeting.
I felt Elder Shadow's arrival before I saw him, the normally restrained and staid aura that he cultivated as indifference was missing. I wouldn't say he was angry, more resigned and disgusted. He didn't say anything to me as he passed me in the hall and entered his office, but he did leave the door open, waiting for me to enter.
"What were you thinking?" He demanded as soon as I shut the door behind me.
"What was I thinking?" I exclaimed in disbelief.
"What was the Patriarch thinking? I was supposed to remain circumspect, a nobody that would go unnoticed. How was that meeting discreet and circumspect?" I asked. "And what role did you play in that ambush? I had assumed discussions between the two of us would be shared with the Patriarch, but to find myself paraded in front of the entire Sect with no warning?
"What did the Patriarch hope to gain?" I wondered.
"My investigation into the smuggling operation was supposed to be done within the shadows. You solicited my aid and stressed that I should keep a low profile. We have barely begun, and everyone will think about my name when the issue of smuggling is raised now.
"The seedpod was only the first piece of information collected, and that information is already shared. How am I supposed to ferret out any further information when I am now a known quantity?"
"The Patriarch intended to use the smuggling operation and the discovery of the seedpod as a distraction. If people were focused on that, she hoped that meant they were overlooking other more sensitive matters," he explained.
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"So, I am left holding the bag? She decides to expose information I shared with you, private information, by the way, without bothering to discuss it with me, or give me even a word of warning.
"There is no hint of the changes she had made to plans I agreed to, no notification of the changes for my role? Nothing to let me prepare myself for what I would find when entering the Sanctum, or give me the opportunity to opt-out?"
"She wanted a less scripted response," he said, defending the Patriarch, "but the smuggling information would have been ignored and forgotten if you had waited and allowed the true reason for the meeting to be discussed."
"Well, she got a less scripted response, didn't she?" I pointed out. "And what do you mean the real reason for the meeting?"
"I suppose she did," he sighed in resignation. "You've certainly given them something to think about. I doubt they would care one way or another about the smuggling that you discovered, but by refusing to share that seedpod, they are certain to remember you. You have only made a target of yourself today. Most of the Elders will come out of that meeting and begin scheming to get that pod.
"Denying them access to that seedpod is going to only infuriate them. I'm sure Elders Zhenqui, Korn, Dill, and Satida are holding their own meeting as we speak, and they will be discussing ways to get access to those seeds."
"Which is why I plan ongoing to apologize for my bad manners and give all but Elder Dill one of the pods once we have finished speaking," I admitted. "I hope they believe that we have spent this time with you berating me, pointing out all of my flaws, and explaining to me what an idiot I have been.
"Let them think that my earlier actions were that of a petulant child or a young cultivator that just reached Qi Gathering Realm and is too impressed with her own abilities to realize that she is still nothing more than a frog in a well.
"And I will encourage that belief by agreeing to share the seedpod with each of the Elders, by demanding they agree to a cultivator's oath to not share the seedpod in any form with Elder Dill.
"You staged that scene planning to humble yourself and give them exactly what they wanted later?" Elder Shadow said in disbelief.
"Why?" He asked.
"Because you gave me no choice! I hope they or whoever else is manipulating events behind the scene will look at me as flighty and idiotic. I want them thinking I lucked into finding the smuggling operation." I explained.
"I will gift them the pods, but there will be nothing humble about my actions when I do so. I will be resentful, angry at them and you for forcing my hand. My gift will not be an act of contrition, but a duty forced on me and one I deeply resent.
"I will be fulfilling my duty to my position as Elder Shadow's disciple, and doing my utmost to honor my mentor, as distasteful as that duty might be. I am deferring to your wisdom. But there will be no joy in it. And I will make sure they realize that the way to control me is through you.
"Let them scheme and focus on you instead of me," I concluded. "If I'm really lucky, they will believe I am infatuated with you and that unrequited love is the motive that moves me."
"Why?" He asked, that one word loaded with meaning, demanding so many different answers.
"Because the Patriarch has focused their attention on me, and I want them to dismiss me as nothing more than a bit of mindless fluff."
"That would have happened in any event," Elder Shadow suggested, "if you had stayed long enough to hear the real reason for the meeting."
"The real reason? That's the second time you've mentioned another purpose to that meeting." I asked, with a sense of foreboding.
"Four Element Sect member, my disciple Baroness Jai Myche, was recently elevated to her position and having claimed her land has certain qualities that are sought by prospective suitors. A Platinum Spirit Root. Dual elemental affinities. And a unique mastery of weaponry that served her well in a recent tournament.
"Further, she has allied her house with that of House Penumbra. That has brought her, brought you to the attention of a few families that are interested in forming a marriage alliance with Clan Penumbra. They are hoping a marriage alliance with the new Baroness will allow them to foster a line of children that inherit your abilities and create an alliance with closer ties with Clan Kage.
"Patriarch Umbra informed the Elders, after you fled, that she has agreed to allow the Sect to Host a reception in six months' time. She has also informed the Elders that House Penumbra is willing to bear the expense of this reception and that any Sect member, their family, or those allied with their families are free to use the event to attend with the purpose of initiating their own marriage alliance.
"That meeting was to distract the Sect even further, using the prospect of marriage and alliances to gain the focus of everyone. People will be scrambling to make sure those of Power and ability are at this reception," he informed me. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if one of the Princes wasn't in attendance.
"The kind of politics and jockeying for position and alliance that happens at these types of events will descend into a frenzy of activity. The Patriarch's announcement was a tacit acknowledgment of the alliance between House Penumbra of Clan Kage and the newly formed House Myche."