The sun made its ascend from the horizon, spraying beams of the morning light onto the landscape below. The sea was turning to a gradient of shades of ever shimmering blue while the dark outlines of fleets of trading ships and green water militia vessels casted lines of sliding parallel bars of inky shadow into the pier beyond and the water beneath. Amongst those shining rays that penetrated, their end was met at the sight of piles of cargo, including: rolls of silks, cotton or nets; carts that carried a wide variety of fresh acidic fruit, neatly packed in dry, compact spaces; barrels of countless brands of beverage; boxes and large sacks of salted and marinated beef and pork, sealed air tight using salt water brine; and most importantly, a merchant’s precious stock of monetary earning exports, such as the aforementioned rolls of cloth, cushioned porcelain flatware and decorative vases and lavishly artistic furniture woodwork.
The laborers carried on with their duties, seeing that more than half of their work was completed before dawn as some continued to load the fabrics and hardware, while the others unloaded the remaining imports of silver, cotton or tobacco. The silver crates were currently on track to be the fastest category to finish their discharge.
Back at the warehouses, supervisors paced themselves as they inspected the cargo and coordinated the workflow. One such individual was flipping through the catalog with frustration. Leaning on a crate, he signaled for the nearby workers to support the frontline lifters. He screamed that they were behind schedule and that more manpower must make up for the unfortunate malfunction of one of the port's primary cranes. If the delay was inevitable, he could receive a dangerous punishment. Next, the man instructed a feeble laborer to quickly inform the main office about the inoperable crane. And after a loud yelp, the feeble worker proceeded, passing drydocks full of wooden hulls and empty cuboidal holes with tall metal beams striking upwards. The headquarters was located on the opposite side of this particular section of the harbor so there were even more piers that he ran past. Nearing the red brick dwelling, the man accidentally slipped on wet ground, knocking over a middle-aged fisherman and his bucket of bait worms for the morning. Although the fisherman didn’t fall off the edge of his platform, all the worms were plunged deep into the dark waters below. A few bubbles later, and the fisherman’s wooden bucket was seen floating amidst the crashing waves.
Obviously, the middle-aged man was in extreme fury and he began to lash out at the laborer. The feeble man recalled his supervisor’s words and immediately surrendered to him. Reaching out for his pocket, he handed the fisherman the little bronze coins that he had left from yesterday. This was meant to be for his lunch before his next wage earnings for the day. Sadly, he had no time to deal with a grumpy old man with his job at risk.
He knew that fishermen, especially old men like him, would normally go fishing near dawn and come back to the docks before midday and its burning heat waves got to them. They would then sell their catch in the street markets to earn the day’s money before returning to their shelters, just for the next day to repeat the cycle all over again. This was a scenario the feeble man could say the same for himself, albeit a different job. Thus, he would not judge the middle-age man’s anger and he continued the last length to the destination. A while later, the man walked out of the door with successful results. On the way back, the feeble laborer sighed at the realization that today’s work would be even more torturous, given his gurgling, empty stomach.
Moving closer to the main office building, the staff member who wrote the report about the primary crane, moved on to his next pile of documents. It was to be given to a postal messenger and he had to approve the transaction, to which he did just that. Aside from one particular bundle of papers.
At the front, it read in English, “To the eldest Hamilton Claure von Kiefrurpez”
Recognising the further details below, the officer made his way up to the second floor where flocks of carrier pigeons lie in fresh cages. He then went to the appropriate pigeon and attached the papers to a fastened enclosed leather bag on the bird’s back. Handling it gently on both his palms, he launched the trained pigeon out of the window and in turn, it flew through with grace. Afterwards, the man headed back to his station.
.
.
.
The pigeon soared high over the streets and warming alleys, making sharp turns from the other carriers’ flight path.
The streets were starting to rumble into its daily chaos. Street vendors could be seen pulling out their carts to their licensed places. They unlocked cover hatches and installed their signboards. Pulling out freshly bought stock or refilling the shelves with the old and unsold, their hands worked at a steady and efficient pace.
In the company of another specialized trader, hawker store owners lay scattered across all corners. A lot of similar setups were indistinguishable from trader good merchants but for most culinary owners, there would always be noticeable aromatic smoke rising from a myriad of large pots and woks. Soups and sauces that were made fresh for the day would certainly alleviate their dishes to a higher quality and overall, their pride as a chief was expressed. If the novelty of the foods removed a competitive variable, the taste of the meal and subsequently, the skills of the chef, would prove a more significant reason for their number of regular customers, juxtaposed with their neighbors.
Carriages and stagecoaches were like ants from the bird’s eyes. Like an army of these emerging out of their hill mounds after detecting nearby food, more and more of the horse-driven vehicles rode across the damp stone roads. Light reflected off their shiny paint job.
The pigeon then passed a group of pagodas. The lights within were just lightened up and their windows opened wide for the pleasant morning wind. The Middle Kingdom’s flags, placed upon tall spikes, fluttered grandly in the wind. Steering to the side, the bird nearly crashed into one and after a short sight of golden yellow cloth, the pigeon saw his destination.
Descending over the walls of the enclosed segregation zone, where the tall walls cast a blanket of darkness over the local stores and the dimming lamp posts, a glimpse of the gentleman’s dwelling was spotted by its right eye.
It was of foreign architecture, resting upon a small hill and surrounded by an all-encompassing patch of lush overgrown bushes that intertwined deeply within the cracks of its stone wall. A polished iron gate leads into the front yard and the bleak double doors. Ultimately, the 3-story manor took the shape of the letter L with the perpendicular hallway ending off with a columnar pillar that houses the lord’s primary bedroom that consists of two consecutive circular floors, connected by a spiral staircase.
The pigeon braced for impact and safely landed on the extended window frame. Scratching its feet, the pigeon knocked on the solid glass before releasing a loud call for double measure.
And after a minute of waiting, the curtains were drawn and the windowpane opened. Hamilton appeared in front of it with a bright smile. Petting the bird, he took the paper documents and sent it flying off back to the office. Both of them were readily greeted by a very picturesque view of the bustling seaport of ShanWei, bathed in the warm yellow of sunlight.
Having lived on a high vantage point, this was his everyday pleasure to witness.
‘Maybe one day, I will have Lady Xu by my side to complete this already perfect landscape. Hmm…Should I hire a talented painter before that?’
His thoughts raced as scanned through the papers. All of them were apparently letters sent from his family and close associates.
Still in his cyan nightshirt, Hamilton grabbed his newly brewed cup of black Sinae tea and lethargically sat on his red velvet armchair. His bare legs snuggled comfortably within the white fur rug. His room was mostly in the dark with only natural lighting making most places visible. With a snap of fingers, his reading lamp lights up with a flame.
Most of them had a red wax seal so Hamilton deemed those not the priority for the moment and tossed them upon his work desk amidst other tall piles of parchment and books. This is because there was a separate part of the bundle that he received with a stamped pink seal. Checking once again if the color was indeed pink, only one word crosses his already reluctant mind.
‘Clementine…’
Breaking the seal with his thumb, Hamilton unfolded the letter, allowing a thick puff of a flowery tang to overwhelm his nostrils. Grunting in irritation, he swatted the paper in the air for a while before reading it properly.
‘Has she begun using a new perfume from the Meso Unity?!’
The letter read:
Greetings my dear Hamilton,
May God bless me with another day in your presence. It has been 3 years since your last homecoming and I am feeling the depriving illness once again. Hamilton, if you are reading this, here is my kiss for the day.
Life in the Kiefrurpez household is constant and smooth. The twins are now lasting longer under combat with Sir Serisan by a minute and according to the swordmaster himself, if their progress continues at this pace, in less than five years, both of them would have already gained their ‘Ego’.
Well, isn’t that fascinating news, dear?
Our eldest children are destined for greatness.
In regards to the youngest Judeline, she has just completed her first walk across the nursing hall without falling once. It is truly miserable that circumstances dictate that she could not call out to you as ‘Papa’. Poor Judeline has only known your majestic appearance through the portrait paintings you have taken. I am now in tears as I write this, dear Hamilton. I want you to come home as soon as possible.
I would love to have another child before my womanhood is nearly up. As you are informed, I am turning 33 this upcoming month. So why don’t you grant me a little birthday present? A present in which…It’s a secret. Hamilton, I am confident you are smart enough to figure out where I am coming from.
Life is a blessing when I got you for a spouse. Everyone admits that. Before Mother revealed it was you who will be my partner, I had a deep, bleeding grudge for this heartless tradition. And it’s all because I desire you the most. But now, I think this is not so bad as I got you in the end. That’s all that matters.
I thank the Gods once again.
My prayers had been answered!
Anyhow, did you hear about what happened during Karienie’s tea party? She came out with her messed up hair, screaming all about…
There continued five full pages of detailed recitings of gossip and rumors amongst her faction and the opposing ladies of Houses. Just to ensure he would not regret missing a single detail that could prove useful in the future, Hamilton decided to read every page with the fullest attention. In conclusion, he gathered nothing of importance.
Checking the clock, he realized he had just wasted 15 minutes to entertain her banter. But, the gentleman made no effort to show frustration about this and finished the last of his tea. He then rang a nearby lever that connects to a bell further away. Less than a minute later, Ferase and two other servants dressed in black waistcoats and white shirts made their entrance.
“Master Hamilton, what a pleasant morning it is. Did you sleep well? Huh…”
And as Ferase looked at his bed, the old man was shocked to see the bed had already been made. The grand red blankets were smoothened and tucked under the tall mattress. White pillows were neatly arranged while golden rope held the curtains. Facing back to his lord, Ferase reprimanded him.
“Master Hamilton, again you go about with these tangents. Let the servants do what they are paid to do. We cannot let you be exhausted before the day even starts.”
However, rather than obliging, Hamilton countered.
“Ferase, that fact, you have repeated it over and over again like a malfunctioning record player. And I will say once again, today, they are free until the afternoon for their previous hard work for the wonderful, comfy nights I slept in.”
“...Master Hamilton, you are too kind!” The two servants lowered their heads in unison before joyfully making their way out gracefully.
“Master Hamilton, this is why people gladly serve you.” Ferase sang his praises.
“Ferase, you flatter me.”
Hamilton took out his sandals.
“Shall we head for the dressing room?” Ferase gestured to the door.
“Prepare me the usual, Ferase. This time, my green Noin long coat.”
Hamilton instructed as he made his way out of the room.
“As you wish, Master Hamilton.”
The door to the following long corridor was gently closed by Ferase.
---
And as Ferase assisted his lord to finish dressing up, he made some inquiry.
“Master Hamilton, what is the agenda for this wonderful day?”
“Last night, I read reports and checked for any inspections or meetings. Unfortunately, there is none to address.”
“...Master Hamilton, wouldn’t you say it is fortunate that today may be a free day for you?”
“One of the only ways I could get in touch with Lady Xu is through our joint venture. With this and that and how hectic her work ethic is, I feel rude to intrude on her progress.”
“So,” Ferase finished the last button and handed Hamilton the green coat, “Which restaurant for breakfast?”
“Haha, Ferase, you got me. Hmm…I think I crave for star dumplings today.” Hamilton adjusted the lapels.
“Then I shall arrange for a stagecoach.”
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Ferase walked to the exit.
“I dismissed myself first, Master hamilton. We will be waiting in the courtyard.”
Hamilton nodded as he headed for his personal armory.
---
The journey downhill was quick and fresh as they passed misty forests. A couple of turns and roundabouts lead them to a large three story teahouse several blocks outside the walled segregation zone. While foreigners were free to roam within the outer walls of ShanWei, only a selected few were given permissioned to set up residence outside the segregation zone. Sadly, Hamilton and his companions were not the exception. They instead follow a curfew to which all should retreat behind the walls by midnight but that was pretty lax in security enforcement.
Hamilton went down onto the tiled pavement first, followed by the elderly Ferase. The driver closed the door before heading away to a nearby stable. He would be back in several hours.
“After you, Master Hamilton.”
And he stepped into the raised platform, bending under draping red cloth.
Upon entry, the two gentlemen were greeted by the immediate gazes of every Sinae man in the area. They were the only white men there.
However, that didn’t bother the duo, and one of the waiters awkwardly signaled them to a table by the windowside.
Pouring them ordinary tea from the vase on the wooden table, he asked regardless, “He-Hello, dear patrons…What could I get for you today?”
“Ferase, isn’t this a new place?”
“A new day, for a new chef, Master.”
“If you told me earlier, this would have been an opportunity to invite Lady Xu as a guise to translate.” Hamilton whined.
“Don’t you feel embarrassed, Master Hamilton?” The old man smiled.
“...”
In a sigh, Hamilton turned to the anxious, dumbfounded waiter.
“Saven flease,” Hamilton spoke in a dry and flat Mandarin tone while he pointed to a drawing of star dumplings on a wooden board hung on the wall. His face was running with blood.
“...”
Everyone fell silent, denying what they just heard. An outsider just spoke their mother tongue, albeit horribly and they could not make anything up about that.
The waiter stood responseless for several moments. Hand rubbed on his round chin, and after he successfully deciphered what Hamilton’s words meant, the waiter shouted to the back with a jolly voice, “Roger, kind Sir! Chef, upcoming seven bowls of red-braised pork belly star dumplings for two!”
He wrote down on his notepad and left the two gentlemen with relief.
Exchanging glances with each other, Hamilton scrowled, “I will never let this slide, Ferase. So never tell a soul about this, especially the Lady.”
Smiling gleefully, Ferase replied, “At least you applied it here, Master Hamilton, although her English is leagues ahead than your Mandarin.”
“Was that last part necessary?”
“No, it wasn’t.”
Disheartened, Hamilton averted Ferase’s faze. THe gentleman glanced lazily at the streets beside him. Surprisingly, he spotted several passersby wearing his company’s cotton tunics and pants. There were a couple of already ripped in busy spots and others made into miniature children rags. A band of rickshaws suddenly zoomed past his view in great urgency and a cat nearly got run over by a carriage. Its leg was mangled.
Grimacing away from the scene, the waiter from earlier came to deliver their order at the right time.
He opened the lids to reveal the steamy interior. A dark sauce was soon poured into individual bowls.
“Enjoy your meals, white-skinned Sires!” rang the waiter.
“Thank you for the meal.”
Ferase handed him the payment in utter shock. He had one doubt.
“Master Hamilton, what did you actually say to the waiter?”
“Seven of these, please.” Hamilton’s face had a hint of regret.
“He must have thought the order was per person. Oh well, there is no use crying over spilt milk. Eat as much as you can, Master.” Ferase took a blowing bite. “It’s just as delicious.”
“I agree. Did they catch the pig this morning?! The meat’s very succulent and sweet.”
Opening the next tray of star dumplings, they nibbed the center before dipping the rest in the sauce using chopsticks.
.
.
.
“The only complaint I find is about the tea. There’s none of that deep bitterness.”
“Master Hamilton, I could order their specialized menu if you so desire.”
The gentlemen were on their last pieces.
“Don’t mind my banter. Apologies, Ferase.”
“Alright.”
And Hamilton finally swallowed the remaining chunks.
“Here, Master.” Ferase handed him a large white napkin.
The restaurant was still packed with people and for those that exited, there were still new customers to take their seats and the waiter from earlier was nowhere to be found.
“Did they change shifts, Ferase?”
“I assume so.”
As Hamilton stretched his body upwards, his idle eyes slowly shifted to face out the window and towards the nearby junction. The roads were now jam packed with vehicles of all sizes and without a police conductor, Hamilton admired the unbelievable synchronization of the organized chaos.
Taking another cup of ordinary tea, his eyes instinctively saw something very peculiar. On the pavement beside, amidst the horde of yellow skinned Sinae, a trail of them were being shoved to the side with force.
‘A child?’ He guessed, and it was true.
As the child approached the front of the crowd near the edge of the road, Hamilton could hear the screams and wails. The child cried out in a deep accent, “Mommy! Pappy! Mommy! Where are you?!” And to his horrid surprise, the boy never accounted for the ongoing traffic. He made his way directly in front of a charging herd of horses pulling a cart of long wooden beams. It was inching closer every second and its hooves cracked louder and louder. The boy cries helplessly.
“Shit!”
Hamilton would never allow this to happen, and he sprung into action. Diving through the open window, he dashed straight forward with incredible acceleration. Fortunately, the time was just right where there was a clear route to ensure reaching him the quickest. Zigzagging past pedestrians and carriages, Hamilton blitzed past the boy, snuggling him deep into his arms right before the hooves came crashing down upon where he just stood. Bracing for impact, Hamilton’s back slid across the stone pavement, halted short before the leg of a street stall.
Luckily, Hamilton was wearing very durable clothes so all he had was a slight ache on his side. On the opposite end of the road, Ferase could be heard calling out loud for Hamilton as he followed behind.
Paying close attention to the boy he just rescued, Hamilton was yet again startled by the boy’s appearance. Close to the age of seven, he wore a frilly shirt with a waistcoat, short trousers, long white socks, a cap and blocky black leather shoes. And his skin was comparable to the darkness of those shoes he wore.
‘How did a boy of his status get lost this long within these streets?’
“Child, child! Are you alright?”
Hamilton slowly sat him down, checking for any injuries. Gladly for him, the kid appeared to be fine.
“Hamilton! Excuse me, sorry. Master Hamilton!” The old man shoved through the crowd with his cane in hand.
“Are you alright, Master Hamilton?” Ferase stopped beside them. His face had gotten paler.
“Ferase, don’t worry about me. Please make him stop crying!”
“Understood.”
With that, Ferase took two minutes with the boy as Hamilton watched on. Watching the way the old man comforted the boy and dried his tears made him reminisce about the past when Ferase was assigned to be his attendant at a young age.
“...”
“Master, the boy is currently in a daze. What shall we do?”
But this was no time for such thoughts.
“Ehrmm…The boy must belong to a Black noble family. Given he is lost, we should send the embassy a letter of notice as soon as possible.”
Standing up, Ferase nodded. “That’s exactly what I was thinking, Master Hamilton, so here is my plan for now. I will address the messenger back at the manor and you will stay here with the child, in case the boy’s parents are out looking for him at this very moment. I will hear to your objections.”
“No, that’s the Ferase I know and love! We would be just fine here. Now hurry!”
With one last glance, Ferase took off to where the driver was parked, disappearing into the crowd. Looking closely at the sleeping child on his lap, Hamilton recalled back to the twins and Judeline.
“Whooohh,” He breathed, “Listen up kid, I too have children that I love dearly. So I can tell how desperate your parents are. Therefore, I will find your parents at all costs.”
Of course, his words fell on sleeping ears and the nearby onlookers slowly stayed away. The boy’s body was lifted off the pavement and onto a nearby porch. Using his bare thumb, he swiped off leaked saliva. However, he never expected this next encounter.
“Kid! Hey, kid, wait up for a second! Don’t be afraid!”
A feminine voice frantically screamed.
“What…” And Hamilton recognised who it was.
Facing where the voice came from, he made eye contact with Lady Xu. The icy blue eyes sparkled in her black irises.
“Hah-Hamilton…What are you doing here?” Her breath felt unsteady.
“I could ask you the same…”
‘Whoa!’
In a long gray dress that reached her ankles and wearing a dark navy blue tunic over a wide-sleeved white Hanfu, this was an outfit Hamilton barely saw her in. Moreso, when her long raven hair was braided into two, fastened at the end with red ribbons.
Surprised by his flushed cheeks, he averted her gaze.
“Ar-are you after this boy as well, Lady?” He could have sworn he bit his tongue somewhere in between that.
Bending close to the child, she told him, “I was on my early morning walk when I came across this child. Running children is commonplace in this city and you could never know whether they belonged to street kids, lost kids or playful kids at a glance and at such numbers.”
“...”
“So the only reason I approached him was because he was shouting out in English.”
“...You’re not alone on that, Lady Xu.”
“As I probed more about his name and address, he got frightened and sprinted off towards here. But fiddlesticks, children sure are fast or is this the reality of aging!?”
Looking at her side profile, Hamilton smiled.
“Either way, he’s safe now. If I wasn’t at the teahouse across the street, the boy might’ve gotten run over.”
“Am I truly bad with children?” TianXing whined.
“Speaking of which, Ferase is on his way to alert the embassy.”
“I think we should inform the nearby police officers, Hamilton. They could also help with the search.”
‘We?’
“...But Lady Xu, what about your appointment today?”
“Mr Tai can handle the administration in my place for the day. As well as that…” TianXing got up, stretching her back, “I could use a change of pace for only today. All that changes would be a deep frown on that geezer’s wrinkled face. Hehe.”
“Haah, alright madam, lead the way.”
But before that, the duo needed to wake the child up.
.
.
.
Finally, after an endearing five minutes of amateurish callings from both adults, the black-skinned boy woke up to a shock. He saw two towering adults, where he could feel their warm breaths.
“Kidnappers! STAY AWAY!” The boy flailed his arms aimlessly.
TianXing pressed her nose bridge in frustration.
Yet again, it took an extra five minutes to clear the misunderstandings.
.
.
.
“So…Auntie and Uncle will help me find my parents.”
The both of them nodded confidently.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, young man! You can call me Hamilton. The wonderful woman beside me goes by the name of TianXing.”
Her eyes widened at his calling, realizing how little Hamilton had said her first name.
“...” Her heart felt heavy.
“So, what’s your name?”
“Kolu…Kolu.Jr Cahee Maj.”
“Splendid, could you stand, Kolu?”
“Of course.”
With Kolu on his feet, TianXing immediately began her lead since at the next avenue, she already spotted an active officer. On the way there, Kolu curiously asked, “Auntie, why do you know our mother tongue and the others don’t?”
Besides a slight twitch of irritation at the word ‘Auntie’, she gladly informed him.
“Well, Kolu, I work as a translator so I must learn your language to do my job.”
“Then Uncle is?”
“Surely like your father, I am a merchant who employs her services.”
“But, Uncle, she does not look like one. All of Pappy’s workers are bearded men.”
To which TianXing held her nose high.
“Finders keepers, losers weepers. Lady Xu is my one and only.”
“No! Pappy is the best in the whole world!”
And a haughty laughter came out of Hamilton.
“That’s enough, gentlemen. Now leave the talking to me.”
They promptly silenced themselves.
---
The police officer wore a scaled gambeson and leather armor on the vitals and joints. His eyes were slothful, monitoring the uneventful traffic junction as his fingers fiddled his brown quarterstaff.
That’s when he saw a beautiful woman approach him in deep distress at the corner of his eye. Never seeing the two foreigners behind her for the moment.
“G-good morning to you, Madam, what seems do be the trouble?” His voice stuttered and flubbed his lines.
“Oh reliable officer, it appears that I have encountered a lost child and it is very dire.” TianXing grabbed Kolu closer to her, showing him to the guard. “Could you please help us find his parents with a search party? He will surely tell you of their appearances.”
“...” The officer slowly examined the child.
He wasn’t anticipating this scenario and specifically for a boy with skin as dark as charcoal. His face soon showed a face of slight disgust.
Now noticing the other blonde foreigner associated with the woman who is a head taller than himself, the officer felt creeped out.
What he saw was a weird mixture of a group, consisting of a Sinae jade beauty, a towering white barbarian and a little black creature that’s extremely human-like.
With his mind made up, the man addressed TianXing for the final time.
“Kind madam, please find someone else to help your…acquaintances. I pray for your blissful day.”
“Hey officer, wait…” When she stretched out her hand, the officer had already left the three of them. She sighed disheartenedly.
At the tug of her dress, Kolu asked worriedly, “Will they help find mommy and pappy?” Even he can feel her disappointment.
“Shall we look for another one, Kolu? There are more to come from, right Lady Xu?”
Hamilton tried to brighten him up, eyeing the both of them.
“No falsehoods there. Let us continue!”
“Alright!” Kolu cheered.
After asking another 10 police officers, none of them offered their aid.