Dragons, I have always liked them as a symbol, they signify power, strength, nobility, virility, reliability, honor, all the positive traits one can imagine are possessed by dragons, while everything undesirable is excluded. Of all the dragons that exist in the Empire, whether they be the actual beasts or works of art, the dragon that has forever and will forever captivated my attention are the tattoos on the God-Emperor's back. I had always known that dragons were considered virility symbols but I did not truly know this until that night at Dirge, I had never cared so much for anyone but nothing in my life up to that time even came close to preparing me for what the human body can truly due if it is given the proper… motivation. That night it was as if the tattoo became the perfect map of the body and what can be done to provoke various responses and the intensity of such responses, a sentiment that has been reinforced countless times since Dirge.
Dirge changed me in so many ways, it was the first time I had ever been with a man, while I certainly enjoyed indulging in humor that indicated otherwise much to the shock and embarrassment of my handmaidens, I wanted my first time to be special and was completely surprised when it completely surpassed all expectations. Yet another way that Dirge changed me was in philosophy, when I cornered Ming outside of the Assassins' Fortress, I was ready to follow him to the grave and tried desperately to admit to him how I felt, while I stumbled over my words, Dawn Star approached attempting to barge in with a similar confession, Ming was polite as he dismissed her, but the complete lack of interest on his face and in his voice was unmistakable, Dawn Star stalked away in tears and having realized that I had been chosen, this was the first time that I knew I loved Ming and I felt my loyalty to him be galvanized.
While in the tent I spoke of our conversation outside of the Fortress and admitted as afraid as I was for him there, I was so much more afraid for him now as he was forced to confront his old master. It was then that Ming suddenly had look of fire in his eyes and I was completely surprised when he grabbed me by the cheek bones and brought our eyes in direct alignment where he proceeded to swear that neither death nor life, ghosts or demons, height not depth, gods or dragons, the Natural Order of Things, or anything in the Great Dragon's creation would ever separate the two of us and that he would do anything, anything to keep me safe and the two of us together. I will not deny the intensity of that night at Dirge, but of all things that transpired between us that night, those words were the most intense thing that occurred in that tent. The intensity of Ming's words changed me, before though I neutral in my alignment to the philosophies of Sagacious Tien and Bladed Thesis, I realized that I was completely willing to do for Ming what he had said he would do for me and that anyone or anything that got between the two of us was dead.
Ironic that the thing that forced Ming to make good on his promise was the Water Dragon. As a Spirit Monk the Water Dragon was Ming's patron deity and I personally remember the Water Dragon being one of my favorite gods as a child and the one I truly enjoyed worshipping through my life. It's not like Ming wanted to absorb the Water Dragon's power and become a god, but to truly make good on his promise to me he needed the power of a god and the Water Dragon just happened to be the only avenue. I mean if Ming destroyed the Water Dragon's body and allowed it to be reborn and defeated Master Li and became Emperor at my side, he as Emperor still would not have been strong enough to protect me from our enemies, I doubt the Lotus Assassins would have taken kindly to the change in administration and I doubt even the palace would be safe from those animals. But as a god, nothing was out of his reach, he could guarantee my safety and make good on his promise that we would always be together and we would always be safe.
Ming never regretted his decision, though he did shed some tears after he killed Dawn Star. Ironic, after I no longer saw her as my rival, I had actually begun to like Dawn Star, I honestly thought she would have faith in Ming as a god and his ability to rule the Empire but her stubborn devotion to the Way of the Open Palm, in the end proved to much and Ming was forced to kill her to keep his promise to me. I remember the battle between them, if one could even call what happened between them a battle. I had just killed Hou, his lack of actual combat had taken its toll on his skills, Sky and Dawn Star stood back to back waiting for the Black Whirlwind, Chai Ka, and Ming and myself. I closed in on Sky along with the lummox and the demon while Ming back flipped behind his friend. I did not even have a chance to fight the thief as the demon's claws and the Whirlwinds' axes had a greater range than my sword and left a bloody mess behind. I turned to see Dawn Star's last moment, she had been slowed down with Heavenly Wave and Ming again back-flipped behind her and without a moment's pause he impaled her through the heart with Fortune's Favorite. I will never in my whole life forget Dawn Star's scream as the blade pierced here, which was soon followed by a gurgling noise as blood leaked from her mouth as she slumped to the ground, her face frozen in a mask of agony.
I could see the look of pain on Ming's face as well as the tears and having become more mature from my experiences at Dirge I realized that Ming really did love Dawn Star, she was as a sister to him, but Dawn Star got in the way of Ming's promise that we would always be together and that he would always protect me so he was forced into killing her. Having just realized that Ming had killed the person that he loved the most next to me, just so he could keep his promise to me changed me as much as that night in Dirge had. I realized that the one constant in my life from that moment on would be Ming, no matter what changed, Ming and his promise to me, his Heavenly Lily would always be there and nothing, not even the Water Dragon or any other person loved by Ming such as Dawn Star, or loved by myself such as my father would ever change that.
It has been some time since Ming slew the Water Dragon and claimed her power for the sake of our love for each other. Centuries have passed, yet as a god Ming remains his youthful self and because of my liaisons with him I also retain my youth. Countless changes have swept the Empire since then, changes in politics, religion, philosophy, economics, war, society all have changed and would be unrecognizable to the Ming and Lian of centuries ago. Yet there are a few things that have always remained constant, Ming, myself and the promise that Ming made to me in Dirge all those years ago, this never has, nor will it ever waver.