Was it the morning, was it the night? He didn’t know. The room was still tightly closed, the windows tightly shut, and not a ray of light pierced the place. He was hurting, all over. The ropes narrowed his hands and feet so much that his circulation certainly didn’t flow there. His members had long gone numb, his overall body was aching. The door had opened itself many times and each time, the person had carried more insects to thrust into his bleeding flesh. He had long stopped tossing, stopped trying to free himself. His feverish mind was making him delirious, one moment he was conscious, the other he was passing out. It was less than a day of torture yet Yenaigai was already questioning his sanity.
However, as hurt as he was, the former Lian young master still stubbornly refused to let out a single sound, no way would he implore and beg with his tormentors. That’s what he thought. That’s what he fiercely held on as a lifebuoy. Nevertheless in his head or dream maybe, he was beseeching. Not sure if he was so soundless anymore. In his moments of awareness, he felt like he heard someone shouting but it could have very well been his own voice. The worst part was that he wasn’t sure for what he was so suppliant about but the hollow voice was still earnestly pleading.
In his delirious state, real memories and fantasies were mingling, confusing him to the point where he couldn’t differentiate which was what anymore.
“Mistress, mistress,” he was faintly calling without even noticing, lost in the creation of his tormented mind.
He saw the late queen. Her eyebrows were creased; her face was flushed with a fury that was on the verge of exploding. She was glaring at the eight years old girl in front of him. From where he was, he couldn’t see the expression on that girl’s face but her voice was steady when she proclaimed him hers. No one could touch him. Not even her mother. Just like this, she was revoking the orders to take his life.
A so blatant disrespect. Ink could certainly be squeezed from the queen’s face.
He let out a groan; the pain came back with ruthlessness. The room was still dark. He still couldn’t see anything, not even his body. He drifted again in his mirage world.
“Really?” said a child’s voice without a single trace of fear. “This daughter hadn’t seen any rule against it. Could the queen pass those written papers for this one to see?”
That had riled the queen.
“Impudent child! If you are to have a consort then you’re no longer welcome in this queen’s residence. Construct your own! Old enough to have a consort then old enough to leave the residence!” Her voice had been a shout, she hadn’t infused qi in it but it still left a deafening silence.
His young self had wanted to intervene. The queen who was usually always trying to please her daughter was now chasing her out. And somehow it was his fault. He wanted to rush in front to beg but the young girl blocked his path and even though he desperately wanted to see her face he could only see her back. Her voice was still even as she answered her upset mother.
“This daughter knows.” She paused for some seconds before adding. “The manor by the forest could still be used.”
Whether that last part had been a request or an affirmation, only she knew. Nonetheless, her words deeply angered the one in front of her. To have her daughter so ready to leave her residence and what more not even considered living in the palace where her own residence was already constructed was, to say the least maddening!
“Then go away” she roared.
The scene faded; daughter and mother pair disappeared and left in the dark, he shouted at the top of his lungs; his young feet ran to catch up with them. But the faster he ran, the faster they were going far away. He stumbled and fell, their faint image couldn’t be seen anymore, the darkness was now complete. Gripped by despair he crouched down, holding his knees, and murmuring things even he knew nothing about.
Someone lightly tapped his shoulder to get his attention. Lifting his face, he found the young mistress in front of him, slowly; the obscurity was fading as her appearance became clearer to him.
She had a slight frown on her face, as she was considering his state. Never having comforted anyone before, she seemed trouble not knowing where to start. In the end, when she talked, her comforting words had been a little scary yet at the same time deeply moving.
“… If you want revenge, that’s fine too. You’re one of my people now, your hatred is my hatred.”
What woke him this time, he didn’t know. Or maybe he wasn’t awake yet but drifted in another form of illusions. The darkness was still here, he could vaguely hear the insect moving, could feel them biting him, tearing his flesh apart. It was unbearable. He felt that so clearly. He wished he couldn’t.
Then quite brusquely the physical pain disappeared and she was in front of him once again. A little older. And she forgot a little about him.
Her physique grew. Her memory loss also.
That was, somehow, procuring a far greater pain to him than what he had endured previously.
Awake? In a dream? Illusion? He didn’t know. However, his pleading became clearer to him. Let her not forget anymore. Let her not forget about him. About herself. About them. Let her not forget anymore. This time was supposed to be different. The oracle had said so. Let her not forget anymore...
His muttering was said in a fading voice and soon, Yenaigai passed out for the nth time.
***
Bai Ming had rushed to her courtyard after being threatened by Su Qiun, her heart still holding traces of fear. Jumping down her lion she practically ran to that room, ordering it to be lit. The damn fool was motionless in the middle of the floor; behind him, was a trail of blood starting from the corner of the room, where she left him, to where he was now. Insects were sparsely on it, but most of them were still feasting on him. Quickly, she ordered her bodyguards to chase them away and bring hot water. Without any delicacy, his clothes had been torn and the water splashed on him repeatedly to cleanse the wound. Bai Ming reluctantly removed a bottle of medicine from her bag, ordering one of her guards to tend to his wounds. The medicine was particularly good, and while it wasn’t instantaneous, it did help heal external wounds without leaving scars. She had repeatedly used it at the academy so she was particularly clear on that fact.
The cool soothing sensation of the lotion on his skin eased the tension on his face and while he still didn’t regain consciousness, the darkness disappeared from his various illusions. Since the medicine had no effect against poison -albeit those insects had a non-mortal one- his body was still feverish and his mind still very much in chaos.
The young man nursed and now out of danger, the heart of the princess eased and with it, her anger returned. Her elder sister really did threaten her for this good for nothing! Such a heavy killing intent, no way could it have been not genuine. She looked at her hands. They were still shaking a little. She clenched them by her sides, closing her eyes to calm her breathing and her erratically beating heart. A resolution came to her. She would work hard to quickly and completely controlled her sacred beast. Su Qiun may have the experience and some beasts but she still didn’t have a sacred one. Becoming stronger was certainly the solution. Let’s see by then who will dare take her lightly.
She looked at Yenaigai, her heart really dissatisfied. From her bag, she took out another bottle. It was shorter than the previous one, with a clear liquid like water inside. Bai Ming poured the whole content into Yenaigai’s pried open mouth and as her guard tilted his head for it to go down his throat, her anger eased a little.
“Dump him on the road, where he would be easily seen.”
Those words said, she finally left the room, much more at ease.
***
In the meantime, the capital was in an uproar. By night time, the entire imperial city knew what occurred in the palace and no doubt by tomorrow, even the outer city would as well. As hard as she tried, it had been impossible for Shanlin to hide what happened and more times than she liked she wished they hadn’t had the idea of permitting simple citizens to assist to her daughter’s returning banquet. As it was now, those people had already filled in everyone outside. When the events were taking place, preventing information’s leak hadn’t been her priority at the time. Unrelated people had been escorted outside and no official had ordered their silence. And when she remembered about it, those members of the assembly were already ushering her to an immediate reunion.
The three out of four bearers of tradition were there, the right general too, four ministers and even Su Qiun was here as well. In ordinary time, she shouldn’t be. That wasn’t the court but a reunion of the assembly, her presence was by far unsolicited. Then again no one chased her away. Some frowned but it was just that and with no one to openly discard her, she had no qualm in staying.
The matter discussed wasn’t small. It would lead to the panic of the population were saying the ministers, particularly emphasizing the misgivings of the royal advisor and the first princess for letting the citizens inside the palace at the time. Nobles were maybe gossipers but it would have taken time for the information to reach the whole country, a time they could have used to handle the trouble correctly but now it was just a matter of weeks maybe days for everyone to know what had transpired those last few hours. There were refutes, arguing about one another’s responsibilities. Obviously, they were all alright with the idea of inviting them and had approved at the time. How did it become solely her fault and that of her daughter? The right general reasoned with this mindset too. That debate lengthened itself with everyone rejecting the fault on the other.
In the end, it was elder Shen who redirected the conversations from where they shouldn’t have strayed. How the heck could there have been an imposter in the palace for so many years? Some members weren’t sharing this opinion. For them, it was the one claiming to be the crown princess now that was the imposter. Obviously, no one could have cheated them so skillfully for seven years, not talking about those present; the royal family certainly could discern their members.
“Living all these years with the crown princess, could royal advisor really not recognized?” asked elder Shen.
“Elder is jesting. When had the crown princess ever been someone closed to get to? I reckon I hadn’t spent more time with her than any other official. As for that sleeping person's identity, it still wouldn’t be late to recognize her after a clear investigation.”
Elder Shen frowned but it was elder Yue by her right who responded.
“That won’t be necessary. Having been recognized by Fenrir is proof enough.”
“That matter is still strange.” Said Mehwan, the right general by Shanlin’s left. “How many generations had it been since Fenrir last chose a queen? Isn’t it, instead, showing that our protector is being manipulated?”
“That’s my opinion too. Let us examined the crown princess’s corpse first, as for the one claiming that identity, checking her could also be of help to decide.”
“Really?” said the mocking voice of elder Tian, “I hadn’t heard prime minister contradicted that young woman when she asked the question at the time. Or was it that fear got your tongue stuck?”
The addressed one retorted and the arguing went on for hours; the bearers of tradition may choose who the queen would be but that person’s affiliation with the palace was principally what was questioned. If she wasn’t a descendant of the conqueror, obviously she had no place been queen.
“Why not wait for her to wake up.” Finally suggested Su Qiun to the dissatisfied parties. “As long as she tells us what happened, won’t we know it? What’s true, what's false, it would be fine to decide then.”
There was a false steadiness in her voice. Su Qiun knew her cousin to be sick. When small, it was rare occurrences for her but she did suddenly fell unconscious and it took minutes for her to wake; by the time she left it was about a full hour of unconsciousness. By today she hoped, that sickness let her pass out for an entire day or much more than that. Delaying the decision as long as possible.
A couple of hours later, it was decided that the person was to be properly investigated but in the meantime taken care of and respected as the real crown princess. However, it was to be done just in the palace, without announcing the specifics to the population. The announcement and what it entailed could still wait for the end of the investigation.
As the reunion was nearing its end, it got interrupted by Shanlin’s close servant woman, stating that the sleeping person was now awake. At the same time, another servant came to report to the bearer of tradition the same thing too.
Shanlin and Su Qiun showed a false calmness, as the royal advisor was stating.
“As the matter is still on hold, it is better for just the family to go.”
She didn’t wait for others to agree or refute, just stood up, bowed and walked away. For those who wanted to argue, Su Qiun politely said.
“Real or false, it’s still better for close family to check first.”
Saying so, she proceeded to bow and walked away, catching up with her mother.
“About what’s said outside, even tomorrow…”
“Mother needs not worry, daughter already took actions.” Said the first princess with a smile, even though her fists were clenched in her robes. She was so angry. Everything was derailing! And what did her mother thought? Waiting for tomorrow to act? Who would!
“…Qiun’er” whispered her mother who was very well aware of her temper. “No need to be so angry with your sister. It was but a small error that could be taken care of.”
Taken care of? The smile was even on her face as she answered.
“Fourth is still young, how can I, as the elder, think too deeply?” She stopped walking when they reached the end of the corridor and lightly bowed her head “Forgive me for I still have a matter to attend to.”
Shanlin sighed as she watched the departing form of her daughter taking one direction as she, herself, took the other. The annoyance in her eldest daughter face behind that mask of stiff politeness, was, for her as the mother, really easy to see.
***
Outside, the rumors were fast progressing, distorting themselves as they left one mouth to another. Yet the essence was the same. There had been a new crown princess who was recognized by Fenrir. Everyone was curious about that fact, and just some hours after rushing out of the palace as though it was on fire, there were people in front of its various gates now, peeking inside, letting between them and the guard little space, with the hope to see the inside. It mattered not that they were rebuked and chased; they would still come and wait.
“The protector is obeying her” they whispered.
“I always thought there was something wrong with her, no wonder! She couldn’t have been queen Xie’s daughter, so she was an imposter”. There were some claiming to have known for years now but kept silent just in fear for their lives.
Then a new vague of rumors were spread, contradicting the first ones. The one who came was an impostor it said, and she had been killed by the crown princess. Once again, there were some known-it-all, that made their voices heard. However, in the midst of it all, some were saying,
“So what, if there is an impostor or not. In the end, what did that crown princess do for us all those years?”
“The first princess is still the best.” And they proceeded to list what their benefactor did for them, embellishing it to the point of rendering her a goddess.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
Voices echoed that mindset and a smiling person left the crowded place to find another crowd to exploit once again.
***
The sleepy Yue Meili yawned by the door, not the least disturbed by Tian Gu’s glare. Their captain wasn’t by their sides, so the Yue descendant enjoyed being a little more relaxed, exposing her tiredness. By sunset, the crown princess’s personal guards usually shifted position with the palace guards and by then, Yue Meili would be the first to sleep. But that hadn’t been the case today. Instead, they were forced to stay by that suddenly-appeared-crown-princess’s side. A direct order from elder Shen. However, since that little bird inside the room would only tolerate two persons inside at a time, the three of them, Yue Meili, Zhang Bei and Tian Gue, were asked to stay outside by their leader.
Her back still sore from the lashes, Yue Meili didn’t move much but sighed and yawned constantly which was really starting to annoy the one by her right. Wanting to distract herself from her sleep, Yue Meili started a conversation with the grumpy Tian Gu.
“I gotta say, elder Shen should envisage having those many oracles being lashed a hundred times. No, a thousand times.” The other said nothing so she continued with a little higher voice. “That big of an event and they failed to predict it, doesn’t that mean that those previous predictions they did were mostly flowery words that turned mud into treasure –intricate lies-?”
“Subordinate Yue,” came a voice behind them, as the door opened. Captain Shen went out with an elderly woman. Cold sweet run down Meili’s back. Could what she said just now be counted as disrespecting her captain’s elder? The glare leader Shen was giving was really frightening!
Shen Ai, however, added nothing more after this interpellation, instead, she turned to Zhang Bei by Yue Meili’s left and asked her to call a servant to escort elder mistress Jing back. Zhang Bei gave a comforting smile to her fretting comrade and left with the elderly woman. Yue Meili was really waiting with her breath caught for the earful her superior was certainly going to give. She hoped it would just be an earful and not a higher punishment. She didn’t even dare to turn around to see the person’s face. It was only after the door closed once again that she released a long sighed, feeling that she just lost ten years of her life. Tian Gu was fast to scold in hushed tones.
“That’s why I tell you to shut up. You never listen! Are you sure you’re really affiliated with elder Yue? Such a silent person how did you turn out like this?”
Yue Meili pursed her lips, a little unsatisfied.
“That’s exactly why I’m affiliated with her. Always frowning and scolding without words. I have such a cute face, how can I be that scary! She needs someone to teach her how to talk!” Then she muttered. “Well, the leader is really affiliated with elder Shen no doubt. Such a stern person, one needed to know how to loosen up.”
And when Zhang Bei returned Meili was fast to usher her into the room. Least would it be good if the captain suddenly decided that she was to be the one inside with her.
***
Inside the room they were guarding, the fluttering lashes of Seyran, finally opened. Upon waking up, she found herself on a bed, covered with thick furs. A smell of blood lingered in the air. She was feeling weak, disoriented, her overall body slightly aching. She would be unable to go rampant as of now. It would be considered good enough if she could form a barrier in front of her.
The chamber was hot. That familiar hotness created by Huang which had personally lighted the multiples candles with its own fire bathed her with a deep sense of security. Added to that the heat from the fur, the sensation was very pleasing, so she laid there, not getting up or sitting. To eat now wouldn’t be bad had been the thought that followed.
Shen Ai who just returned to the place paused in her tract. She didn’t think that the person would have woken up. Elder mistress Jing had said she would certainly be out until the next day. As Zhang Bei was entering the room after her, she ordered.
“Go and call back elder mistress Jing.” then she added. “Send someone to notice the bearers of tradition too.” She doubted her elder would forgive if she wasn’t notified immediately.
And once again, it was two persons in the room. Plus the bird, one shouldn’t forget it, hostile beast it was, couldn’t be so easily forgotten.
When the searching gaze of the one on the bed landed on her, Shen Ai snapped out of it and bowed respectfully.
“Your loyal subject pays her respects to the crown princess. May the crown princess lives a thousand years.”
There was wariness in that voice. A state of carefulness that had she been in a better shape, Seyran would have given reason to be. But at this very moment, it was quite unnecessary for she doubted herself to be able to successfully strike at that woman.
Shen Ai stood up from her bow, looking carefully at her. The woman didn’t lower the fur; instead, she tucked it for it to cover her body until her nose, seemingly taking as much heat as possible. Was it so cold? The room was as though it was on fire already! The captain wondered if it was really that frail-looking woman who made her shivered in fear mere hours ago.
“That’s an awfully long time” she replied with an almost inaudible voice.
Huang, who was by the windowsill, heard her, finally noticing that she was awake. It flapped its wings and came close to her; Landing on the fur by her chest.
“You surprisingly hadn’t left.” She acknowledged its presence in a muffled voice, ignoring the captain who was on guard without it being too obvious.
Seyran had fainted and the situation hadn’t seemed like something the bird could take, had it left, she really wouldn’t have minded.
The little bird seemed to swell as it puffed its abdomen in a haughty manner.
“This one will never be a servant but this one cannot help but be devoted, devoted, ah!”
A real devotion to her qi and mana! Ah, nothing could compare to the taste of those two things. Who wanted to cultivate or eat simple fire and qi again when the goodies were free here?
There was a suspicious honesty, mingled with sweet nothingness in that chirp voice of this liar of a bird but Seyran felt way too tired to care about it. So long as it stayed she didn’t mind giving mana or qi. It chirped some more about it before changing to a reproaching tones.
“… but really, of all the time you could have fallen asleep you chose to do so in such a manner!”
There was an intonation in that chirp that had it been her servant she would have no doubt recognize as worry but coming from this bird one couldn’t help but doubt that fact.
Shen Ai looked at the light that was growing in intensity on the candles as the bird chirped with fervor to its mistress. It was the same fire that it used to attack two of her subordinates when the four of them were present in the room previously. They had stepped back until being out of the room before it stopped. Even when the healer came, it had fussed and played with the fire and hot wind. Ordered by her elder to protect that woman, she couldn’t really battle against what she supposed was her contracted beast so she had indulged the animal until now. Yet, why was it increasing the temperature again? Out of happiness? This really made people want that feathered thing to be unhappy for the rest of its life!
Beast and mistress were conversing, completely ignoring her. The beast was chirping and the human responding in a muffled, tired voice. Shen Ai had spent seven years with the dead, supposedly imposter. She had devoted her sword to that woman and with the time she may not have completely grasped what kind of woman she was or understood her, but she knew her habits and the whatnots of her life. And most of all, she knew that she had hated everything that she saw in her. Her elder asking her so suddenly to now devote her abilities to this new woman, was it even something she could adapt to so easily? That aside, the person shared a striking resemblance to the dead one, could she really separate their identities? Let’s say by whatever means she was the genuine thing, seven years of unpleasant memories associated with that face was too engrave in her to really change her point of view she feared.
The temperature kept on increasing and finally, Shen Ai frowned. Her back was now aching. It may have been tended to, but the wounds were still not healed and the heat was making it somewhat itchy. The bird jumped back a little as the crown princess finally slowly sat on the mattress. Shen Ai was glanced at once again, so she corrected her standing position, schooling her feature and ignoring her sore back.
Seyran faintly smiled at the sight. That woman had wanted her life just some hours ago and now she was obediently waiting on her? It wasn’t that that very fact was unbelievable seeing as some of her previous subordinates in Unzu were people she had fought against, but that woman’s submissive manners sounded so false.
“Where is my servant?”
The captain really didn’t know who the other was talking about and could only reply that.
A knock sounded, as Yue Meili’s voice said
“The royal advisor is asking for an audience.”
“Is it that woman with a lion?” asked Seyran to the one in front of her.
‘Is she talking about the fourth mistress?’ Shen Ai thought and deciding it to be the case, she clarified “Royal advisor is her mother.”
Seyran’s eyes turned cold as she advised Huang.
“Go now.”
‘Would you really be alright? You don’t even seem like you could stand up, you know? What if you were attacked, what about my meals then?’ Those were Huang’s thoughts but in the end, it tactfully refrained from voicing them, and obediently flapped its wings, going out from the slightly opened windows to search for that servant as previously asked.
The heat that was basking Seyran was slowly letting her body created mana. By now she could form a relatively weak barrier of mana but since her qi’s reserve wasn’t that low, she could reinforce the barrier with it. So, letting the bird quit her company wasn’t that troublesome. She may not attack, but she did have a certain defense and if worse comes, the bird would use the stone to come back and teleport them away the moment she opened and released its qi’s outside by completely opening the windows.
“Let her in”
The woman who entered the room didn’t really look that old. She was dressed in dark red brocade clothes. Seyran vaguely remembered Yenaigai talking about that person and upon seeing her, she had an imprecise sensation of familiarity yet nothing else. Not even her name came to her mind. However, Yenaigai’s voice insisted in her mind, reminding her that the throne was what she was coveting since the previous queen’s time.
As she was seizing the person, so was the other too. Shanlin hadn’t interacted much with her elder sister’s daughter, go figure why that child had never liked other people’s presences by her side; the royal advisor was a little curious about the real person face. To sculpt Min Shan’s appearance, Su Qiun's contracted beasts had used the memory of its mistress and arranged it as what it could be in some years ahead. Seeing the real deal, Shanlin thought that those chameleons, although mere common contracted beast, were quite good. What really satisfied her thought was the pale face of the person. That sensation almost made up for the unpleasant heat present in this place.
When she tried to order the windows opened a little more, she was rebuked by Seyran and in the end turned her gaze to the captain.
“Leave us” ordered she to the head of the personal guards.
Standing still without even batting an eye at the order, Shen Ai glanced at the one on the bed; after all, this was the one she took her orders from.
“Bring us wine” had been that one’s response.
Shen Ai almost got the idea that without Fenrir by her immediate side, the person was intimidated thus followed after what she herself had previously ordered but Seyran really just wanted wine. Looking at that woman outfit’s colors really let her remember that drink she dearly missed.
The captain walked out, as the royal advisor approached.
The woman started to talk. Seyran could hear the sound but it wasn’t really making sense to her, for she wasn’t really listening; instead, she was already tasting in her mind the precious nectar. Another knock was heard, announcing the arrival of a certain healer. This one, Seyran didn’t permit her the entry. Huang’s heat for the moment was doing bliss to her body and she was in no mood to be touched by a stranger.
Her long-awaited wine entered then. A big bottle carefully carried by Shen Ai personally. A full glass was poured and as she tasted it, it left a pleasantly burning sensation in her throat. The ignored royal advisor’s lips twitched. She once again tried to order Shen Ai around but the other one turned a deaf ear to her. Annoyed, she cursed the whole Shen family for having irritating people as she took by herself one small chair near the table in the corner of the room. She sat near the bed, as Seyran’s mocking eyes followed her movements.
“Scram!”
Shen Ai once again looked at Seyran and the other merrily looked at the door. Whether that woman went or stayed, Seyran didn’t really care. And as for this seated person, she was just waiting for her to express her real intentions in coming here.
Captain Shen thought her gaze meant ‘go out’ thought, so she went out, leaving the two by themselves. Shanlin took the other cup that had been brought and poured herself a good quantity of wine too, bringing it to her lips, swallowing, she hoped, her rapidly growing anger. She had talked so much, yet the other person had said nothing at all!
“Where is he?” Seyran finally addressed her.
Did she even hear what had been previously said? That long speech about acknowledging her as the crown princess, Shanlin wanted to ask, but inwardly she knew that the question would be ignored so instead, she carelessly said.
“I fail to see who you’re talking about.”
Seyran smiled. She didn’t really remember that woman’s name, but she did hear the post she was occupying.
“If royal advisor wants the throne” she said, “then it can be yours.”
The hand that was holding her glass paused before resuming its direction and placing the glass on the floor. Looking at her niece’s eyes, Shanlin found she could read them even less than before. There was an uncomfortable feeling coming from that child. One didn’t know if what she was saying was the truth or a lie. Truthfully even as a child she never understood Seyran but now she became harder to understand!
“What are you saying child.” She smiled adopting the position of elder. “Don’t be silly. You’re the crown princess, the assembly is just waiting for you to get better. Everything will go smoothly no need to fear. As planned you’d have your crowning next year.” She paused then let out a sigh as though there was a deep regret in her “Such a pity that for seven years we gave our affections to the wrong person, being so easily manipulated…”
She rambled, talking incessantly. With a soft voice and a more discernable smile, Seyran cut her “Royal advisor has such a sweet voice. One can’t help but want to hear more.”
Shanlin paused and stared at her. The girl who used to guard her emotions so much was now so openly smiling, maybe it was because she wasn’t accustomed to that for she couldn’t remember when that smile had been directed at her, but Shanlin thought, there was definitely something wrong with that smile.
Shanlin did indeed have a pleasant voice. She was never engaged in a real battle, didn’t get a coarse throat for shouting too much to the point of forgetting to infuse qi but directly shout at the top of her lungs like the previous queen did. Looking at her hand holding the glass, Seyran thought that if people didn’t have the habits of making everyone who has qi learned to fight, that woman’s hand would have certainly been very smooth with carefully painted nails. Such a person, thinking one thing and stating another, those cowards backstabbers, had she once again the ability, she would have snapped her fingers and brought her at the other side of this world, the farthest from her.
Seyran’s cheeks were already rosy after just the first finished cup, not sure if the alcohol was that strong, then again, she had nothing else in her stomach. She posed her glass on the floor too, before looking into the eyes of the one in the room with her.
“Human beings are so strange. Given they would not take. Not given they would covet. One fear they would remain forever unsatisfied.”
She toyed with the glass, drawing its circular contours with her finger.
“If this one settles her heart on this, there will be no sharing.”
There was a slight pause, Shanlin had an uncomfortable feeling inside her but easily dismissed it. The one in front of her was but a child in the end. Xie’s child. How far could she be different from her mother? Not by much certainly. Deceiving her may be complicated but not impossible. Making it so she didn’t bring Fenrir in it, she could certainly do that. Thinking there, Shanlin laughed agreeably a little.
“Of course there wouldn’t be.” She said in a voice like she was coaxing a stubborn child. “There is just one queen; the assembly is just here to help. After all the bearers of tradition are here to make sure we stick to what was said. Having already you recognized as the crown princess, who would contradict?”
Seyran’s lips curved. Those people, did they really dare lured her with their measly country? When she was this giving and kind they didn't know how to appreciate. When the time came that she was interested, would they have the ability to refuse it to her?
Would such a time come?
Talking to that woman, was really reminding her of the reason why death tended to come easily to her. She was trying to talk about one thing and the other was forcing the conversation about another thing entirely. One that didn’t appeal to her at all. Drinking her second glass, she asked cuttingly.
“And where is that child of yours?” Not sure how many that woman had, she added for precision. “The one with the lion.”
“…”
Shanlin didn’t think for one moment that she would really be this fierce for just someone. She must really be here for the throne in the end, and her servant was but a distraction, she reasoned.
Shalin stood up, patting her clothes.
“I see that you’re now tired. One must, after all, take care after such queasiness. This one will take her leave now.”
As she was going through the door, Seyran’s voice reminded her.
“What I came here looking for, I’ll take back.”
Shanlin clenched her teeth and exited, promising in her head that it would not be so. This time she thought, that throne would not have Xie or her daughter sitting on it.
‘No matter what that throne won’t be hers’
Her snake felt her anger by their mind link and hissed to calm her down.
***
The night was long advanced, the dawn was almost there. Su Qiun was restless, not having slept at all. She got up from the chair and stretched her neck, a cracking sound could be heard. She walked and came closer to the muffling sound.
“Stop” she ordered. The servant retracted her whip, coiling it around her arm. Su Qiun went ahead and retracted the cloth by the mouth of her kneeling and roped prisoner.
“Are you still not ready to cooperate?”
They were in a small room with a flickering light. The ball of light was expressively designed so, for its light to be intermittent. It added the anxiousness of the tortured. Su Qiun looked at the one tied in front of her. It was almost six months now that she was detained here, yet she was stubborn enough to withhold this information still. At first, the first princess hadn’t been in a hurry, so the torture wasn’t really one. Merely toying with her, starving her, making sure to not let her a minute of respite so that she couldn’t cultivate and to further prevent that, she was daily fed with drugs.
The captive one was, of course, the missing member of the four elders, elder Zhang, from the Zhang family. She was the oldest one between the elders so by right, their leader. That’s precisely why she had been kidnapped. If those bearers of tradition were to hide the secret of Fenrir’s control, everything related to it and its documents, it was impossible for this elder as their leader to not know.
The grandmother shook her head. Her voice was weary, almost inexistent as she repeated what she was saying for months now.
“One shouldn’t covet what one can’t have.”
Su Qiun smiled with malice.
“Elder is still unwilling. Elder really can’t blame me anymore.” To the standing servant she said. “Bring those tools here”
She couldn’t be leisure anymore. She really needed to regain her footing with that woman’s arrival. Soon, the needles were heated until they turned completely red and then without mercy, inserted into elder Zhang’s skin. She didn’t have the voice to shout anymore. The greatest sadism in her treatment wasn’t the pain but the fact that every day, she would be cured after her torture, the servant highly praising her courage, challenging her mind a little more every day.
Su Qiun put the cloth back, rubbed her tired eyes and left the premises. What shouldn’t covet? What can’t have? She was Xian Su Qiun, and she going to have what she wanted!