I gleefully breathe in the fresh air as I step out of my large home. Its always so pleasant in my home, China. Who could resist such a wonderful country? Its absolutely wonderful. Being isolated from most of the other noisy, bragging countries is such a blessing to me. I don't have to listen to England fighting with France and neither of their kids' bickering. A child would be sort of... nice though. Damn, if this is jealousy getting to me then I better take a walk. Northwards sounds nice for the moment- not like anyone lives there. Its just a freezing waste land owned by no-one but me, myself, and I.
The benefits of being greedy.
Hm, some supplies would be nice. Because, not even a crazy geezer like myself would go in that freezing wasteland unprepared. I return to my pleasant sanctuary to get prepared for the benefit-less trip. Ohkay so first things first: a thick, thick sweater. I'm not quite accustom to such attire but for now I'll make an excuse. I quickly get out of my white kimono and slip on the clothing that felt like a second skin to me. Alright, I'm standing in the middle of my room with only a shirt on- some undergarments seem necessary. I walk casually towards my dresser and pull out a pair of shorts. Trying to walk and put your boxers on isn't as easy as it may seem. I take my last final hops and end up at my closet. Good. Some pants, some really husky pants will do me good in those hazardous tundras that cursed those lifeless lands. Why am I going again? Oh whatever, I hate starting something without finishing it. Alright, now for a nice big overcoat. Didn't France give me one a few centuries ago? I think he gave it to me cause it was in bad taste of fashion. Now... where did I put that. I walk out of my room and proceed to my back room.
I cough lightly when a wave of dust crashes with my face. I open the door as wide as it would go ans stepped soundlessly into the practically colorless room. There where many beautiful antiques in here. I wonder why I never brought them out. They are such beautiful items someone would bring them out of the darkness and let them spread there wings... I'll do it later.
I lift a few items- a handful of them where quite heavy! I mean, have you ever tried to pick up a solid gold, foot tall Dragon statue?! Not very easy, and, though I wont admit it publicly, I'm not the strongest country at the moment. I need some children to help me out. Uh, I mean- No! I hate kids! They're so annoying and not helpful at all. Babies should just turn into adults lightning fast so that we don't have to listen to their bickering while they are mere children. God, me and a child- pfft, like a one in a million chance. Anyways none of the females I know -mortal or non-human- are very attractive in my opinion. There aren't that many people here anyways. The world is so young right now.
I open a cardboard bow with some odd writing on it. Cutting open the tape that sealed its contents I thought about what else to bring. So far I could only think of food and water. Lots and lots of food and water. I lift the flaps of the box and fan away the flakes of dirt that flew out of the bin. I lift up the first thing in the container: the overcoat I was looking for. I pull the apparel out all the way and bat away the soot that clung onto it. I put my stick thin arms through the holes of the gear. The thing is HUGE. It runs about a foot and a half past my feet. Making itself look like a slug slurring across the dirty wooden floor. It is a pale tan color- not a shade I was quite fond of. I more liked red and purple. Pretty colors like those. The finery kind of makes me get the fuzzies inside, oh wait... that's just another dust bunny tickling my skin. Maybe I can find a smaller one. I look back into the box and pull out another overcoat. Same style, same color, waaay different size. This thing, went on the ground standing upright, got up to about my middle thigh. In other words not that big. I toss that aside in unison with the previous frippery. I pull out another, this one perfect for my size- though it does have those revolting colors. I pull it on and continue looking through the contents of the portmanteau.
I find a scarf this time. It's a very pale white and is at an excessivley long length. about one and a fourth of my size. I wrap it comfortably around my thin neck, I have to wrap it about five or six times, it was so long. I finally walk out of the dirty room and leave to get some food. Rice! Rice is good frozen, nuke, anything! I grab a basket that is usually hung on a person's back and open up my icebox. I grab all the rice that is in there and stuff it into my basket. Air tight and all types of weather resistant, nothing will make me grow hungry.
Alright I'm ready, time to leave. I bid my good-byes to my servants, hinting that the house should be in tip top shape when I come back. Tip top. I've been around England so long its affecting my health. With a groan, I step out of my house and head towards the north. This is going to take a while so maybe if I picked up some willing travelers it wont be all that boring. Hm, someone who can read maps, professionally, would be a good person to have tagged along. I know someone good enough for that job. Someone to carry all the stuff though... hm, maybe just one of the more well built servants would be my best bet. I oughta bring a notebook or two to record my sightings. Yes, that sounds nice. I can just ring up the geologist, for now I'm going to look for my best servant.
"LINE UP!" I yell, but the language I yell it in is standard Mandarin Chinese. All my thirty-six servers aline in a perfectly straight row, all facing me. I look over the group- every so often telling one of the weaker ones to leave. After a short while I end up with two very muscular men. One full Asian the other half Asian and half English. I don't quite know how I know this but I guess its just the benefit of the doubt. I choose the half-breed. I don't want any of my pure people to go to waste anyways. I find his name is Dmitri Donskoi and that he's had experience with General Winter or so they call it up North.
I get the map-reader and we take off for the foreign land. People cheer as we prepare to cross the civilized area of my home and into the barbaric un-named lands. People pray for our lives and give us a few good luck charms, and if I squint my eyes I think I can see a few betting on our lives: Whether we'll come home or not. I almost let a shiver slip down my spine- I remember the last man who tried to go into these alienated lands, the poor soul was never seen or heard from that day forth. But I am confident- I will discover all the riches of these lands and bring them back for my people to prosper with. I will tell them all my stories and they shall all believe no matter how impractical they may sound. For I am Wang Yao and everyone will put there faith in me, who wouldn't?
I yell a mighty farewell as we take our first steps into the unexplored land.
I can already feel the cold nipping at my very being as we walk in the knee-deep snow. Who knew 'General Winter' should be such a sadistic bastard. And, day's seem to only last an hour or two?! We just started our walk and it's already began to turn dark. Luckily, Dmitri had enough wits to bring a bright lamp that has so far 'brightened' our way- though everyone's emotions seem quite cold. God, I hate puns. And, snow- I hate that too. Nevertheless, I shall continue our exploration of this land and make it China's. Yet still, it has been a 'long' day in the, shall I say, 'Land that never was' so a break would be good. "Halt." my order simple and easy to follow. The pair do as told as I turn to them. I tell them that we are going to make an igloo and I want them to do it quickly, but Dmitri timidly mentions that making an igloo here is physically impossible and we need to find a cave to stay in. With another groan I agree with him and we search for a cave.
Nyugen, the geologist, was the first to spot the cave. We all speed-walk over there, relief etched into all of our features. We come to the entrance of the cave, it gave off an empty feeling like a hollow soul owned this place. Before I could step in Dmitri stops me, "Some-one's here." He says, his voice full of knowledge and worry. I push him aside and tell him that if anyone tries to attack us we'll just go ninja on their sorry asses.
Nervously he steps in along with Nyugen who seems perfectly fine.
We set up camp in the cave, I was glad it was slightly warmer in here then it was outside. We make a fire that was exceptionally large and got out our rice and other foods. Dinner was nice and I was happy to see that there was about enough leftovers for five people with just one serving of rice. I chose a great thing to bring along. With a smirk, I rest my head in my arms and prepare for sleep- my comrades are already asleep. I close my dark-chocolate brown eyes and think about how happy my people will be once they find out that there home has even more land to bear fruit from. Just a mere second from Dream Land I hear footsteps. They're light and I could tell the person was trying to be sneaky. Nevertheless, being barefooted quite helped them with their stealth. How do I know the person is without shoes? Well I can hear the sound of flesh on rock, I have quite good hearing, you know. I forthwith sit up from my laying position and am baffled to see that there is no-one but my servants in this empty, lifeless cave. I frown and snuggle up more into my overcoat. I use the smaller version of the overcoat as something to cling onto, like a toy, and use the extra ends of my scarf as a pillow. Bundled up till it made a use-able lump to sleep on. I let my eyes close once again, yet I can faintly still hear the small pitter-patter from the footsteps.
I wake up slowly from my dream cold, much to my dismay. I curl myself inwards, eyes still shut, and tightly hug the mini-overocat. Well, I would hug the mini-over coat if it was there. My eyes open up in surprise when I hear the light sound of ruffling, heavy clothing and someone chewing. I was even more pulled back when my eyes met the back of a pale-blond haired head. I silently raise from my lounging position and rest my eyes on the... child?! He is curled up on my mat, eye's closed and silently chomping on the rice cake in his small hands. I look up from his hands and look at his facial features. He is pale. Extremely, deathly pale- I've never seen someone, a child for that matter, so white. Not even Arthur's children where this lightly skinned. He has bags under his shut eyes, he looked like he was an insomniac. I then notice the attire he is wearing: My miniature overcoat and a pathetic excuse for a shirt and pants. I also notice the extreme amount of blush on his face- it was like permanent marker that the cold drew on him. I almost felt pity for the child but those thoughts ran out of my head when I saw that all of last nights food is gone! Wait, was this child... that hungry? I look at his shirt that is lifted slightly to show some equally pale skin. I uneasily note that the youth is starved. I can see his hip bones and ribs so easily it was like as if someone just got the poor child's skeleton and wrapped it up in one thin sheet of skin. White, white skin. Being this pale musn't be good for him. I let my curiosity get the better if me and I touch the lad's hip-bone. Shuddering at the rough touch, something caught my eye. I look up again to see the pup's eyes staring wide at me- he has very beautiful purple eyes, I don't think I've ever seen someone with such large irises. I almost flinch when the boy starts to quiver and tears began to well up in his innocent eyes. The child looks around the age of six so he should have the decency to not scream out in public.
Well, he did have the decency, but he instead ran off to hid behind a sleeping Dmitri.
Who brought out a rifle and aimed it professionally at the child's forehead.
"Don't shoot!" I yell as I got up to save the now shuddering youth. I lift the boy into my arms and almost fell from noticing how light the kid was. I was expecting him to be at least a little heavier. The blond buried his chubby face into my overcoat as I slightly glare at Dmitri. "Child," the boy looked up at me with glazed over, purple eyes, "what is your name?"
The child thought about it a bit before he says, "Ivan." He had an alienic accent, nevertheless it was smooth.
"B-But most people call me Muscovy...!" He timidly quotes with childish amusement. I was talking to the youth a bit more about things like if he knows anything about China or has ever even heard of the place. I am flattered to hear Ivan say that he loved all of the amazing stories about China. He says he wants to become one with my Asian country so that everyone can be happy together. He says he was invaded by the Mongols not too long ago so he ran off into this cave. I am happy that we stumbled into each other. This boy, er, Muscovy seems like a very interesting child and I'd like to know more about him. I get Dmitri to pick up the campsite and let Ivan keep the overcoat: Muscovy was exactly what we were looking for.
Muscovy was a little more then a small timber fort lost in the middle of the forests of Russia. This story has some historical reference, but not much.
Like on how China is taking care of him, yeah- that's not historically correct.
But Dmitri Donskoi helped in the growth of little Muscovy.
Nyugen was just there cause he can be.
Constructive criticism would be gladly appreciated. Along with suggestions for future chapters or different stories overall.
Done while Listening to: Chop Suey -S.O.A.D.