The end of the year was fast coming close and bringing with it the change of seasons. These days the air was growing colder so the inhabitants of the capital were already preparing their coats for the oncoming snow. Compare to the previous years, this time, winter was really settling earlier. One couldn’t quite say if it was natural or if the mood of that mythological beast, protector of their country, was changing again. One couldn’t really know.
In the middle of the capital, laid the vast imperial manor. It was the highest building in the Dai capital, and also the well-guarded one.
Sitting in one heated room of this palace, a woman, dressed in somber red, was slowly sipping her tea. The court had ended not long ago, and she was taking her usual break. It was Xian Shanlin, the royal advisor and one of the late queen’s younger sisters. An anaconda, her contracted beast, was lazily sleeping in one corner of the room. The cold air outside forced it out of its small lake in its mistress' courtyard. The water was starting to freeze, making its scales itched way too much. The heat in the room and its long bathing times in the large tube specially fabricated for it, inside, was far better.
Shanlin's mood wasn’t particularly good, for earlier, those senile elders still resolutely refused to revise their decision about crowning her dead sister’s daughter. After all these years and all she had done, one really couldn’t understand their ways of thinking. She softly blew on her heated cup, those annoying sentences coming to her mind once again.
“Do hold your tongue royal advisor, for it’s not your place to question our choices!”
“For all those centuries, the queen had been the child of the precedent queen; who are you to propose your own flesh and blood when you failed to be queen!”
Anger rose again and she flung the cup in her hand on the ground; the sound of broken ceramic had the head of servants coming.
Angrily, she spat.
“Get me another tea. This one is too cold.”
The woman who came bowed; not daring enough to say that this tea had just been prepared so couldn’t be called cold. She simply commanded those behind her. Two men entered one wipe off the broken elements while the other brought another set of tea.
The anaconda leisurely lifted its head to see what the commotion was all about, before setting it down again and coiling around itself.
Shanlin lifted her new cup of tea, forcing herself to be calm, thinking about her eldest child. What were those people unsatisfied with Su Qiun for? She was at the bottleneck of late medium, almost breaking through at early adept, had a good head on her shoulders and had the love of the people. What did that Seyran had that they were so insistent about her being queen? They really couldn’t decipher between good or bad!
“Where is Su Qiun?” she asked the servant kneeling by her side to fill her cup again.
“Answering, the first princess is dividing foods at the orphanage.”
“Good, good.”
No matter what, it was better to still have the support of the population. Then Shanlin frowned a little.
“Where is Bai Ming?”
“Answering, the fourth princess still hasn’t returned since morning. Right general already went looking for her per your wishes.”
That child, how can she be so impatient? Where was the need to rush things?
Shanlin set her cup on the small table, the servants quickly disposed of it. Frowning, she reflected on yesterday’s decisions. Had they really been sensible? The night before, she had confided the truth about the crown princess to her younger daughter, Xian Bai Ming in the presence of her elder one Xian Su Qiun. That child had been really quiet, diligently listening while others were talking. It made her mother’s heart proud that in six years of absence her child had really matured.
When she was ten years old and her core had just been formed, Shanlin had inscribed her daughter Bai Ming in the alliance academy, thus making her follow the steps of her elder sister, Su Qiun who also studied there. The alliance academy wasn’t in Yande, but in the neighboring country and the teaching there was far better than the one in the imperial academy of Yande since just the best teachers were chosen from each country that formed the alliance. It takes six years to complete the course and Bai Ming returned home just yesterday, bringing with her the news that she had been declared the best student of the year. In the ending contest of the course, it was she who had the pleasure of winning the sacred beast given as the first prize, the golden lion.
Shanlin thought her old enough to understand the situation and even help her sister win the throne. Who would have thought that the following morning that same child would go missing? Her whereabouts unknown, Shanlin had ordered the right general to join the searching party. One couldn’t help but think she went to make trouble for the one who was in the forest.
A cool wind coming from the garden gently blew on her face, and taking in the scenery of white flowers in front of her, her brows slightly relaxed. By this time the next year, her child would be seating on the position she had always been refused to, that was the conviction in her heart. No matter what she had to do, Shanlin was confident in her ability to gift that throne to her daughter.
As she was thinking this, a voice said
“Mother, Your youngest daughter has returned”
In the middle of the courtyard, Xian Bai Ming appeared, perched on her lion, her face full of smile.
“Leave us” Shanlin ordered her servants. Men and women bowed and left.
Bai Ming got off her golden lion. The five guards that followed her since her tenth years respectfully stayed behind the lion.
The anaconda, which was peacefully sleeping, awoken when smelling another beast in the roundabout. It lifted its head menacingly in the direction of the newcomers letting its tongue tasted the air while making a terrible sound. The lion roared in response, its long teeth showing as it demanded obedience. Lion and snake, which were meeting for the first time didn’t really appreciate each other’s company it seemed.
“Shun’er stops that.” Bai Ming ordered her animal.
“Li” Shanli whispered, and the big snake obediently coiled around itself again, not caring about its surrounding once more. That’s when the lion stopped too.
Bai Ming frowned in dissatisfaction. She had recently formed a contract of equal with that sacred beast. It was already tamed so it didn’t create any problem but even now it seemed, it was reluctant to completely be ordered around and in front of other sacred beast wanted to fight for dominance.
Shanlin was also a little dissatisfied. This child, she really doted upon her too much, even daring to bring her contracted beast here in her premises, and she didn’t even properly discipline it. But looking at the grown-up face of her child that was like a baby when she left, the royal advisor couldn’t bring herself to scold her. This child really was her pride for, after all, that sacred beast was the proof that she won this year’s final test.
“Don’t make things difficult for others” she just said, contemplating the animal. That lion was really big, two times a normal lion and it was said it could grow bigger than that.
By the lion’s paws, there was a young man tied up, that one of the guards was still holding down by the shoulder. Shanlin’s brows furrowed.
“Right general, what’s the meaning of this!”
The right general, who arrived a little after the fourth princess, knelt in front of the royal advisor.
“Answering, this one couldn’t persuade the fourth princess.”
Bai Ming was already sitting by her mother’s side.
“It’s alright mother, it wasn’t difficult to catch him.” She said lazily, her smile mocking as she directed her gaze towards Yenaigai. “Let mother have a good look, bring him here.”
Yenaigai was forced to walk in front of them and then kicked by the knees to kneel. He glared at the mother and daughter pair, staying silent but inwardly cursing them.
“Is it really young master Lian? Lian Yenaigai?” She lifted his chin. “One really wouldn’t know it if one wasn’t told. Life hadn’t been easy for you.” He was really different from the proud young boy in her memories. She couldn’t help herself but mock. “If that day Lian boy had followed his family he wouldn’t suffer so much now.” Yenaigai forcefully freed his chin, willing he had the power to kill that woman.
Glared at like that, Shanlin just smiled and asked her daughter. “What about that woman?”
“She didn’t even dare come out and let her servant be caught.”
“Is that so?”
Shanlin had some doubts about that but as long as Seyran was unwilling to come down her mountain, Shanlin was fine. If she came then things could become complicated.
“Lock him in one of the donjon’s cell”
Bai Ming was a little unsatisfied about this.
“Can’t I play with him?”
“What good point is there in a broken plaything?” But her daughter persisted so relenting she said: “Don’t let anyone see him!”
Bai Ming bowed with a smile on her face. Just by looking at them, her bodyguards understood, as one of them put a cowl on Yenaigai’s head.
“This daughter won’t disturb mother any longer”
Bai Ming jumped on her lion her face radiant with a smile as she ordered her contracted beast to take her in her own courtyard. As they were going she directed her gaze towards the biggest pavilion in this part of the palace, the one the crown princess was supposedly occupying.
When coming back from the alliance academy she really didn’t know the truth. She thought, like everyone in the capital that the second princess who would abuse everyone was the real one. Who would have thought that it was actually just an imposter controlled by her mother and her eldest sister?
As a child, it wasn’t easy to see that cousin’s face for the second princess didn’t like mingling with others very much. She was distancing herself even from her own mother, the queen. Then ten years ago she went to the manor inside the forest. What everyone thought was that three years after that she came back, when in reality the ones who came back were her servants and an imposter who played her role for seven years now.
Towards that cousin she couldn’t really remember the face, Bai Ming had no tender feelings and she really couldn’t see why her own sister couldn’t grab that throne for herself. Between family and stranger, one still preferred to be ruled by a close family. And anyway, what makes that Seyran more qualified than others? If it was about blood then all of them also had the blood of Xian Yuuna the conqueror running through their veins and if it was about ability then she, Bai Ming, wasn’t she the most qualified?
Absentmindedly, Bai Ming stroked her lion’s fur as she was thinking along those lines. What kind of feeling was it when one ruled over an entire nation? Was it like that instant when one formed a contract? That feeling of power rising? A cold wind blew and her smile grew wider. Xian Yuuna had had Fenrir as her contracted beast when she formed the Yande country and that beast was still here, ever loyal to the royal family. Small, Bai Ming wanted to take it as her own and at this very moment, she felt that that thought wasn’t childish anymore. In history, before Fenrir refused everyone, it used to be the current queen’s contracted beast. Certainly, with the conqueror’s favorite beast, no one would deny crowning her, not even the bearers of tradition!
***
At another side of the palace the third princess, Xian Xue Zhi was training her fighting skill. She infused some qi in her sword until the weapon glowed a little and then put herself in a defensive position, ordering the women in front of her to attack. It was three against one, ending with Xue Zhi defeating two of them but the last one put a dagger by her neck. Once again, she lost. She frowned, a little annoyed but returned the salutation the three gave as they bowed, acknowledging the end of today’s training. A servant brought her a cup of water and another one took care of her sword.
“Princess, the royal advisor is now inside her courtyard.” Whispered a servant to her.
“Draw my bath quickly, let’s not make mother wait.”
The servant quickly left to do as bid.
The palace had that rule which stated that every child should pay his respect to his mother upon waking up. Usually, it was done between five to seven a.m in the morning. But today, when she went, her mother already left so she couldn’t help it but returned to do it later. It seems all the others paid their respects already but Xue Zhi really couldn’t bring herself to do it at the same moment as them, that’s why she usually waited to be the last one. She had but one policy since those previous years: less contact, less trouble.
After her bath she changed into clean clothes and with four servants following behind her: one female three males, she took the direction of her mother’s courtyard. After a moment of walking, she saw from afar a woman dressed in complete white with a long procession of servants behind her. Even though one couldn’t recognize her at this distance, one could still recognize the clothing that represented the four principal clans behind her. Xue Zhi stopped and bowed her head in their direction, her servant stopping and doing the same. This one was, after all, the crown princess.
Since coming back from the forest seven years ago, until now, Xue Zhi had been unable to get close to that elder sister no matter what she did, so she stopped trying.
Xian Jue Seyran had recently celebrated her ninetieth birthday, it had been so pompous that no one in the capital could pretend it didn’t happen and every noble had come. Xue Zhi always knew that this woman had never been the respectful type, even in front of her late mother, the queen, she didn’t hesitate to retort back. But one still thought that she had a brain. Instead, she angered every one of her invitees and by the end, everyone left the place in anger, outraged by what was said.
The procession finally far away, she lifted her head and kept walking in the direction of her mother’s place. That second princess, this kind of person in the end, even if she would be queen, one couldn’t quite count on her.
***
At the manor’s gates, by the forest, the little red bird Huang was chirping some explanations. Yes, it could feel some residential qi left in the forest that wasn’t there before but really, it couldn’t tail it. Not talking about that the track vanished suddenly but this bird was a respectable one, not some kind of dog!
Seyran pointed the white stone by its claws.
“Can’t you use that?”
It wasn’t that Huang was unwilling, but it really didn’t know how.
Seyran lifted her head to look at the blue sky. Somehow, a vague sentiment of regret crossed her. She wished she had directly left some of her mana on that servant. At the very least tailing him wouldn’t have been complicated then. Still looking at the sky, she saw a bird fly by. Then she gazed at the forest some feet in front.
“Go ask what the animals saw” she ordered the bird, which grumblingly left to do as bid.
One didn’t really know if it would get the answer, for no one around the forest particularly liked that condescending bird. But anyway who cared if they were willing, Huang thought darkly. Now it could cultivate let’s see which one of those beasts dared refuse to talk!
***
Back in the palace, the third princess, Xue Zhi, had been denied the passage by her mother’s servants. She was asked to come back later when the royal advisor would be free to see her. Now she was entertaining someone. Seeing one of her elder sister’s, Su Qiu's, servant not far away, Xue Zhi clenched her fist in her robes but otherwise, her face stayed expressionless. What important guest, wasn’t it just the first princess? Stating she understood, she left the place as she came.
Planning to go back to her courtyard, she changed her mind and turned left to visit her aunt. The late queen had two sisters: Xian Shanlin, who became the royal advisor and Xian Minqi who unfortunately went a little crazy after losing her sole daughter. That Xian Minqi now never stepped out of her residence and would; most of the time confused her son Xian Xin Fen to her lost daughter, which actually led the boy to always wear female clothing.
When she came, the servants didn’t dare refuse to announce her even though the third prince ordered them to say his mother was sleeping. Seeing as that cousin was unwilling to go and even directly stepped in his mother’s bedroom, the eleven years old Xian Xin Fen could only bow in acknowledgment and make room for the eighteen young woman by his mother’s side.
Xue Zhi sat down, tried to make small talk with Xin Fen but the other would only reply with short sentences, not even look at her, his head down. She lost interest and turned to look at her aunt. Xin Fen had said that she had a crisis this morning and she, who usually doted upon him thinking he was Shao Yang, recognized that it was Xin Fen instead. Her anger grew and she attacked him, destroying whatever was close to her –which actually explained the state of the rooms she passed before coming to this bedroom. People had to come and forced her to take some medicines.
Sleeping like that, one really couldn’t assimilate her to a mad person; her face was so serene as though she was having a peaceful dream. Xin Fen stayed quiet all along, seeing Xue Zhi caressed his mother’s face. After that, she turned to him and considered the bruises on his face. There were others under his clothes too, certainly.
Xin Fen was the only one among them children who didn’t have his own courtyard. He stayed all day long in his mother’s and wouldn’t even come out if one didn’t come specifically looking for him. When she would think him Shao Yang, Minqi would be quite proud of him and pampered him but when some flicker of sanity would come by and she remembered him to be that son who didn’t even have a core, an intense rage would burn her stomach, making one think she was in front of her mortal enemy instead of her own flesh and blood.
Xue Zhi did once try to let him have his own courtyard. She did have that small authority if nothing else, but this child refused to move. It was unknown if he liked being by his mother’s side or if he was scared of being other’s bullying target. Servants looked down upon him, the consorts and the other princes and princesses too, but no one acted against him in broad daylight for his mother was still his protector.
But between all the children he was the only one she was willing to get close to and not because she wanted him to be her shield. She felt that he was the only one who could understand. Contrarily to him she had a core but hers hadn’t formed itself by her tenth birthday but her eleventh. A difference of a year had sufficed for her to see the true faces of those surrounding her. Better than the others, she understands what that cousin was living.
Some few words were said and after that she took her leave stating she would order some servants to add some medicines to the one he already had. All along he hadn't talked that much and once she was gone, he only stared at her back, without any real expression on his face.
By her courtyard’s entrance, the young woman saw a big lion with a woman on its back. Xue Zhi frowned but kept on walking. When she came by their sides, that’s when the beautiful youth came down with a smile.
“Elder sister" she acknowledged "and here I thought I missed you. Your servants were unwilling to let me wait inside.”
The woman in front bowed. “Forgive this lowly one, it was the orders.” She repeated what she was saying, for now, five minutes.
“Didn’t elder sister missed fourth?” asked Bai Ming ignoring the one who talked. “It’s been six years”
Xue Zhi didn’t answer, just stared at this lion in front of her. Since when was it permitted to take his contracted beast when greeting someone in this palace?
Bai Ming saw her gaze and stroked her animal.
“Isn’t Shun’er beautiful? Hope Third can forgive. This one was in a hurry to meet you and forgot to let him by my residence.”
Xue Zhi still didn’t have a contracted beast and was quite annoyed by the sight of this one. In the imperial academy, contrary to the alliance academy, there weren’t things like a final test where one could win a sacred beast and even if there were, she didn’t really think she could win with her level.
“Fourth had left for so many years, one wouldn’t be angry about little things like these.”
Bai Ming smiled and Xue Zhi smiled too and continued.
“It’s just that this elder sister’s residence is a little messy. Fourth should greet the other members of the family and come back after that.”
Bai Ming was a little annoyed at being refused the entry but didn’t argue. It was more because she was following her mother’s orders to greet everyone that she came here than any familial longing.
“Then this sister is going.”
Hoping on her lion she went away.
Between those two sisters, there was still a lingering feeling of contempt borne from years before.
Xue Zhi entered her yard and by her verandah, leisurely sat a young man taking sips from a cup of tea. By his side there was his sword, still in its sheath. He had forced his way here so many times, not caring about the servants that he wounded that she was forced to make an exception for him. Contrarily to others, he could come and go as pleased; she wouldn’t mind anymore. But at this very moment, she didn’t want to see him.
“Scram!” she ordered.
“So angry, what exactly happened dearest?” he asked with a sweet voice and a lazy smile playing on his face.
She let out a contempt snort at his question.
“Your voice was honeyed when talking now, one could almost think that it was a sincere tone, that it was a reunion between beloved.” Xian Jun Lin said as he crossed his feet staring at her while she was passing by his side to enter the residence. Anger was faintly discernable on her face.
“I, as your twin, won’t even get an answer?”
Xue Zhi pursued her lips no longer paying him any attention. Even if she wanted to force him out, she didn’t have the ability. His level of cultivation was higher than hers. So she just ignored him!
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