“Lin Tsubame. Lin Tsubame. Lin Tsubame.” Lin Tsubame has been an orphan for as long as she can remember. She'd always thought having a family name wouldn't suit her, but her new name feels right at home as she swirls it about her tongue.
“Lin Tsubame,” a quiet voice just above a whisper draws her back from her daydreaming. Two lean arms wrap around her waist and grasp her in a gentle, but firm hug. The breath of his words tickles the back of her neck, “My beautiful wife, if you spend much longer staring at these pastries I may get jealous.”
On Tomo's home world they had a tradition of celebrating weddings with a large decorative pie. Here they have a similar tradition of celebrating with small pastries. When Lin Liqin and his blushing bride rejoined their friends at the main table they engaged in another familiar tradition, trying to smash dessert into their spouse's face.
Lin Liqin was a bit faster and as the pastry in his hand loomed large before Lin Tsubame's eyes a single thought flashed through her head, -Stop!- Lin Liqin heard her voice echo in his head and froze. Everyone but Ku Wei seemed surprised by this development, but Lin Tsubame quickly realized what the cause was and let out a sinister chuckle as she circled her immobile partner.
She playfully teased Lin Liqin, using the jelly from her pastry to draw on his face. However, when she went for the finishing blow she heard his voice in her head, -Rub the pastry on your face.- Lin Tsubame watched as her hand turned back towards herself. She tried to turn away but her hand followed. As it continued its slow approach she screamed in mock horror, before collapsing in a fit laughter as the pastry was smeared across the bridge of her nose and down her cheeks.
A second later the two returned to normal and helped each other clean up while wearing satisfied grins. Lin Liqin was the first to comment on what had happened, “Brother Wei, this is quite the 'toy' you've given us to play with. I'm sure we'll find plenty of interesting uses for it later.”
Lin Tsubame was quick to agree. “Oh, we certainly will! But... to think of this as a wedding present... I'm afraid that these last few years have robbed our poor Little Brother of his youthful naivety,” she said with false grief.
“I had a lot of growing up to do and my time in Egypt has been very 'educational',” Ku Wei admitted. He then added as a reassurance, “There is a limit to the contract. It can't go against a person's moral values.”
Off to the side Lin Liqiu seemed confused as she listened to the conversation with a face of pure innocence. Meanwhile, Ming Jia Ying refused to look up from her plate as the blush in her cheeks continued to rise, threatening to turn her ears scarlet. Tomo just sipped contentedly at his coffee in between nibbles of his pastry as he quietly enjoyed this rare moment when all his pupils were together.
As Ku Wei had said he needed to get back as soon as possible, so Tomo set their course for Egypt, but it would take several days to get there. During that time the newly weds made themselves scarce, rarely leaving their room. Ku Wei spent the time playing hide and seek with Ankoku. His attempts to replicate the cat's shadow techniques were baring fruit as they seemed to be related to his death element.
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Ming Jia Ying watched from the side as Ku Wei was tackled by Ankoku for the dozenth time today. As he stood and brushed himself off he made his way to her table, intent on taking a break. She just watched him, even as he glanced at her between several sips of cool water. Finally, he couldn't hold back and asked, “What is it? Holding your tongue isn't your style Cousin, so out with it!”
Despite his minor outburst Ming Jia Ying remained calm, “When you're ready you can tell me why you need to get back to Egypt so urgently. And if you need help all you have to do is ask and you'll have it. But until you're ready to talk I'll just wait patiently.”
Ku Wei took several more sips before sighing, “I barely remember what life was like before I entered my tower at age five. I spent eight long years there, but that wasn't living. I've lived more as Ren Amun these last five years than I ever did as Ku Wei... and in many ways he feels more real to me now. Most people in the Gaian Empire don't even know there was a Prince Ku Wei, but Ren Amun has people that rely on him. For work, for safety, for their very lives.”
Ming Jia Ying remained silent, not in judgment, but to give him the time he needed to collect his thoughts. As his eyes met hers he expected to see pity, but found compassion instead. Her eyes were full of love with a hint of sorrow, but he could tell she wasn't sad for him, she was sad with him. In a moment of pure empathy her sadness mirrored his own that he had tried so desperately to bury.
Ku Wei had to tear himself away. That one look, no matter how fleeting, echoed back through his childhood recalling every time Ku Xue came to visit him in the tower with that same melancholy look. He finally realized that despite his twin's freedoms he'd felt just as trapped by that tower, perhaps even more so since he knew exactly what Ku Wei was missing out on. Then images of his father and younger brother started to bubble up.
Shaking off the ghosts of his past, Ku Wei returned to the present, back to Ming Jia Ying, “I'm sorry Cousin... I nearly lost myself. It is nice being Ren Amun. I have wealth and status and freedom I'd never known before. And I've been working hard to improve the lives of those around me. But I've been working within their system, a corrupt system not unlike the Gaian Empire's. In the Pharaoh I see Emperor Ku Pa, in the Magistrates I see my father, and in every slave owner that beats their charges I see Ku Shen.”
Ku Wei is clenching his fist so tightly the knuckles have gone white. Ming Jia Ying lays her hand atop his and can feel it relaxing due to the kind gesture. A few moments pass silently as she waits for him to give voice to the determination she sees building behind his eyes. “They aren't the types of people Ren Amun can stop, but maybe I can. I'm going to do to Egypt what we swore to do to the Gaian Empire. I'm going to dismantle it and give the people the chance to build something better in its place.” Ku Wei hesitated for a moment, but continued, “I've spent the last five years building influence in the hopes of bringing Egypt on as an ally and this might ruin any chance of that. It could also weaken them to the point the Gaians can just walk in and we lose our bet with the Emperor. But I need to do this despite the risks.” Ming Jia Ying can feel a thrum to his words and they cause the air to nearly visibly vibrate with force before wrapping tightly around Ku Wei. They seem to bind and weigh down upon him similar to the promise he made her the other day, but he seems stronger and stouter for the burden.
“So do it!” Tomo's commanding voice caught Ku Wei by surprise. As he turned to face his teacher he noticed all three members of the Lin family were by his side. Surrounded by his allies, Ku Wei could feel their unwavering faith that he would make the right decision and see it through.
Before Ku Wei could say anything in response Lin Liqin spoke out, “You know that territory best so we'll leave it to you, Foolish Little Brother, but you're not alone. If you need anything all you have to do is ask.”
“Actually, now that you mention it...” Ku Wei smiled mischievously, “Any chance your old hawk mask could double as a falcon's head?”