Disclaimer: I don't own Jade Empire sadly enough, Bioware does and I'm not making any money off this story so please don't send Henpecked Hou's wife to beat me up….or sit on me.
A/N: I've renamed Wu the Lotus Blossom as Mai Ling the Raging Dragon, or simply Mai as she'll be called most of the time. So when you think of Mai just picture Wu, I'm not using the name Wu because frankly I can't pronounce it properly and I haveta think this story through. That is much easier to do if I actually know how to say the name of character. So I'm sorry if this causes any undo stress to the reader, I usually include character descriptions anyway.
P.S.: Mai is pronounced simply as My if you didn't already know that.
Warning: This story contains female/female femslash content for those of you don't know, that means a romantic relationship between two consenting females. If this offends anybody you can hit the back button on your web browser now. Also there may be some slash content(Male/male) implied and some Hetro romance as well. Lemon(in later chapters) Lime(in this chapter F/F content warning.) and other fruits ahead.
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
So many titles for one woman, Mai Ling the Raging Dragon, Mai Ling the Last True Spirit Monk, Abbot Mai. All of them she like and she felt she had earned three life times over. Though why so many names the people had chosen for her, she didn't even want to ask and they all clung to her like Kang's adhesive liquid. It had been three years since that faithful day she had stepped away from the palace into the cheers of the Empire.
Three long years since all she had ever known as truth and lie crumpled around her ears faster Black Whirlwind after a bowl of bad whine. Since then the Empire had rebuilt itself well, She had rebuilt herself in a manner of speaking. Dirge had been remade from the ground up, the bodies of her ancestors put to proper rest in a new monument dedicated to old memories and a shining new future. She was now the Abbot Spirit Monk, trusted by the Empress and the Great Water Dragon herself to protect this place and help a new order of beacons for the dead flourish.
Kai from the Black Leopard school and any of his students who had wanted to join, which was most all of them. Had been the first to the new order, she had liked the boys upon their meeting, sensed the good in them and the good they could do. Kai was now her First Brother or Second Monk, bah more titles.
Mai shook her head and turned from the window and her thought. Thinking of Kai to deeply only led her back to thinking of the Empress, hell thinking of anything lately caused her to think of the Empress.Sun Lian the Heavenly Lily, her Heavenly Lilly, or at least that is what she had promised the woman three years ago just a few paces from the very stairs she was walking down now. Her feelings since then had not changed or wavered one bit, they just…both had their own duties to the Empire. Duties that kept them separate from each other. But were these her duties to the Empire? Or was Mai doing this to make things right with herself? To make up for her Master and her own gullibility?
Wasn't her true duty to keep her promise and stand next to the Empress? That was certainly what her heart truly wanted, but it still had an old ache within it, one that not even her Heavenly Lilly could sooth. Mai grumbled crossing her arms over her chest she took a long breath in order to calm herself. Not wanting to show her followers any outward signs of the distress edging its way into her mind.
Dressed in the dark blue and red trimmed robes of the Spirit Monk order Mai Ling the Raging Dragon was an imposing figure for a woman, standing at 5'6, with long black that went down to the middle of her back and scattered wildly around her shoulders when she let it free of the bandage holding it together. She was trim and fit, four prefect muscles outlined on her toned stomach and the arms and legs of an arena fighter.
Mai stepped lightly barely making a sound as she let her deep brown eyes close, she knew this place well and could hear the movements of her fellows well enough to trust that she wouldn't run into anything or anyone. She let herself sink into thought for a time trying to clear her mind of its constant need to wonder about the Empress, when she felt something on her shoulder and heard the soft flap of wings. She opened her eyes to find Jon Woo, Dawn Stars carrier dove sitting placidly on her shoulder with his tiny leg held out ready for her to take the letter he carried.
She looked to him with a small smile moving to sit on one of the low walls in the courtyard she sat down taking him onto her finger and removing his letter.
"Now what is it you have here for me?" She ask Jon Woo though she expected no answer.
No sooner had she set Jon Woo on the wall did she feel another weight on shoulder, looking up she saw an Imperial carrier eagle baring the yellow and red seal of the Empire around his neck. Mai blinked at the second bird sitting more regally holding his own leg out.
"Well this is certainly a day for news isn't it?" The voice of Henpecked Hou rang in her ears, Hou was a short man thinned down to the bone and balding from years of consuming to much whine and in later years a rather large loud over-baring wife, hence the name Henpecked. Mai grinned, Hou had been hiding there for nearly a week now, it had only been two months since he had, had seven daughters and his wife was running him ragged even more so then before making him care for the babies as well as run a delivery business.
"Certainly seems like it." She reached up and caught the apple he tossed her as he came to sit next to her.
"Are you ever going to go back?" She took a bite from her apple. Hou shivered visibly,
"Well no doubt my lovely flower of the city has been missing me greatly." He took a breath and swallowed.
"But do I have to?" He was honestly begging and she could see the fear in the eyes of the old bun master now. It hurt her to have to encourage him to leave, he was a good cook and that was they had to found to be of almost irreplaceable value.
"I'm sorry Hou but some of the others are getting worried your lovely flower might storm Dirge looking for you." On that note she really would hate to have to order the bridge blown up again, even if it was to protect Dirge and stop the on slot of the wife. Though she doubted blowing up the bridge would do to much to stop Hou's wife.
Hou nodded to himself knowing that was a possibility indeed. "Well I'd really hate for her to come looking, I'd hate even more to have to go back but I suspect I probably wont be safe any place for long."
"I could go with you." She offered softly. "Try to talk some sense into your wife, maybe get her to allow you to sponsor Black Whirlwind in the drunken master competition?"
Hou looked grateful for the offer, for about a half a second before his eyes widened and he began failing his to large for his arms-hands around. "What?! Are you kidding? If I walked up to our front door with another woman the consequences could be disastrous!"
At that thought Mai nearly fell over laughing, he was right and while she would hate to face his wife she doubted it would be to much trouble if it came down it. Though she suspected he was more worried for what would happen to him after she left. Regardless the whole train of thought struck her as incredibly funny.
Hou huffed and crossed his skinny arms. "I'm so glad you find all this funny."
She sat up having scared the Imperial eagle over to the wall, the bird ruffling his feathers indignantly. "I'm sorry Hou."
"Well I don't see you doing any better in the romance department." The bun master continued to huff. "When was the last time you and the Silken Foxy one hit the sheets Hmm?"
Mai blinked at the question and looked down stammering. "We….Uhh…I…Hou!" She finally said her features taking on a note of warning.
The bun master held up his hands in a placating manner. "I owed you that." He grinned, she simply nodded agreeing that was fair.
"But I mean come on aren't you dancing around this whole thing rather slowly? The first kiss the two of you shared was right over there." He pointed toward the area where the their tents had been set up that faithful night. "Three years ago! You know she cares, why are you still here? And don't try telling me its because Spirit Monks have to be celibate, I know you were born here so I know that's crap."
Mai had to grin at that, she just had to, shaking her head she finished off her apple and tossed the core into one of the trash holders. "I'm needed here, for abit longer at least Hou…But thank you for your encouragement…"
Hou smiled sincerely at her for once and got up, bending to pick up the package dropped by the Eagle in an attempt to get it's recipients attention.
"Will you read your mail already? The birds are getting restless." He said chucking both letters and the package at her, affectively ending their conversation on relationships. She nodded dismissing the impatient letter carriers with a wave of her hand. Satisfied their jobs had been done Jon Woo and the Eagle left off to find the resident bird keeper at the tower to be fed, watered and get some rest before returning to Mai to see if she had anything to send back with them when they left.
The Raging Dragon opened Dawn Star's letter first, flicking the folds out of the with a movement of her wrist she turned so that Hou could stand behind her to read. The letter was shorter then Dawn Stars usual ones and more sloppily written as if tears had stained the page.
Dear Mai,
I wish this could be a social letter. I want to know how you are and how the temple is flourishing, I pray you are well. But unfortunately I cannot waist this letter on small talk, I must tell you that all here is not well. Something feels strange, I can't figure out what it is but the air is turning fowl, almost like the time the cannibals were taking over the forest. I can sense something, someone just at the edge of powers vision.
If I could see them clearly I could deal with this on my own. But they wont present themselves and I know they are a threat. To what end is also something I cannot figure out on my own. The students are starting to feel unsafe here and I fear the problem will spread to the whole town, I cannot face losing Two Rivers twice. Old friend I beg your help and guidance in this matter. Please come see me as soon you are able.
Your dear friend,
Dawn Star.
Mai let out a breath she was unaware of holding. Since the fall of Emperor Sun Li, Dawn Star had traveled back to the ruins of Two Rivers on her own, she gathered people from Tien's Landing and the survivors of the original tragedy, merchants and others who wanted safer stable lives and rebuilt the town. It had grown and done very well in a short time, so Dawn Star replanted her garden and fixed up the ruins of the school after putting the ghosts there to rest for herself by building a large shrine with her bare hands. She reopened it and became its leading Mistress in the fighting arts.
Mai had asked her to join the order and use her gift of what Mai liked to call a spiritual sixth sense, several times but it was clear that much like herself her old friend had her own wounds to lick and tend to and she could do that best by honoring the fallen and rebuilding Two Rivers. Now it seems the tranquil new life her friend had worked so hard for was being disturbed.
A frown creased the Abbots features, she heard Hou behind her scuffle his feat. "Well it seems like we're going back into the city after all." He said after some short moments.
"I wont make you come with me." She said opening the letter from the Palace praying to her mistress Water Dragon that no more bad news was to be dropped in her lap.
"And stay here cooking and cleaning for the others?" The bun master chuckled. "Now what fun would that be? You always get yourself into one thing or another and I want to be there to bail you out."
"Thank you Hou." She said with a grin despite herself and punched him playfully in the arm. Hou gave her a look and went to turn away, he knew very well the next letter could be private. But he still wanted to read it, just incase it was private you see. Mai did not notice he was watching over her, well if she did notice she wasn't concerned.
This letter was short as well but she recognized it as Lian's hand writing not one of her servants or advisors or such.
My Raging Dragon,
I received a letter from Dawn Star, she was seeking to know if you were at the palace, I heard there was a problem so I wrote this to arrive at the same time her next letter to you would. I am afraid I must keep this short, the Court and the Ministry of Harmony has kept me very busy as of late. They demand I pick a suitor soon, or at least produce the one they seem to think I have been hiding for their approval.
None the less I regret I cannot go with you to help Dawn Star with her troubles. But since I cannot help you, perhaps Silk Fox can. I know how dangerous and unhelpful it can be now to walk the world as your self. So put my gift to some use will you? Stay safe, but please visit the palace as soon as you can. We need to talk.
Always,
Your Heavenly Lilly.
Mai's eyes flashed for a moment, We need to talk. Those were indeed ominous words and the way they were written in the letter made her heart stop in her chest. Hou on the other hand blinked putting his hand on his chin.
"What does she means Silk Fox can help you? I thought she was Silk Fox?" He asked uncertainly.
Mai pulled the package with the royal seal onto into her lap. "I don't know."
But as soon she began to tear away the plain paper of the package her lover's mysterious words were clear. Folded neatly in the paper wrapper was black and gold mask and 'cat suit' that made up the Silk Fox costume. Mai's smile broadened despite her feeling of impending dread, some day's she believed Sun Lian's cleverness knew no bounds, she as right about one thing, it would be easier to investigate the problem with out everyone keeping their guard up over Mai Ling the Raging Dragon, or offering to join the order or any of the other problems her legacy brought her.
"Well, that Clever woman." Hou said with a smile. "Full of surprises that one."
Mai on the other hand was stunned silent, Lian had given her the costume, which meant she either had another. Or was giving up her freedom to allow Mai to enjoy it. Did this mean their talk was not going to be as grave as Mai had feared? Or was it simply the calm before the storm?
Whatever it was Mai resolved that if she was going to make her first trip away from the temple, away from Dirge itself since it had been rebuilt then she was going to the palace first, after all Lian had promised her that she would make time for them and so far it was Mai who was keeping her from fulfilling it. She grabbed a pen and some paper jotting down a note to Dawn Star, she hoped her dear friend would understand that she had put work before herself for far to long and she needed to visit the Empress first and for most, then she would be along to help her however she could.
She called Jon Woo over and attached the note to his leg sending him off in a hurry. She turned to Hou when he began to follow her as she jogged the length of the courtyard.
"I hope you don't mind going to the Imperial Palace." Hou for his part shrugged.
"As long as we don't have to fight our way through hordes of golems, gaurds and assassins this time I suppose I can stomach going back." Mai chuckled softly as she sprinted into the main hall seeking out Kai
He was sitting peacefully in front of the new statue of the Water Dragon in his daily state of meditation. She cleared her throat and waited for Second Monk to look up.
"Oh hello Abbot." He said rather cheerily until he noticed the serious look on her face he sobered up after that.
"Your going to have to handle things here on your own for a few days. I have some business in the outside world that needs attending to. The others know well that you are in charge in my absence."
Kai nodded The Abbot Monk did not need to state her reasons for leaving the temple to him, that was her privilege as Abbot but he knew if she was leaving then it was truly something important.
"Yes Ma'am you can count on me to take care of things until your return." He said with a sincere smile. Mai nodded giving him a short bow.
"I have faith in you, you will do fine Kai, send a carrier bird to find me if there is any trouble." Kai gave a nod at the instructions and Mai was off again when she knew he understood. Hou following her wake, the temple had more then just the Water Dragon to care for, now there were two more dragons that took up residence there. Both of them related to the Water Dragon so they were entitled to stay and enjoy the temples hospitality. One was the gold dragon Rios the mate of the great Water Dragon the other a silvery dragon Areios, their daughter.
Areios and Mai had become fast and close friends during her stay. Mai walked up to the resting place of the large silver dragon and petted her scales gently. Areios stirred after some moments of petting and fixed her dark blue eyes on Mai.
"Will you take me to the Palace and the to new Two Rivers?" Mai hated flyers she always had and actually feared the rickety machines so if she could get her friend to give her a ride it would sooth her nerves even more. She didn't have to wait long before Areios tilted her head.
"Sure!" The large rumbling but surprising feminine voice said. "I'd love to go flying again." Mai smiled and scratched her whiskers thankfully.
"Thank you, I'll be back when I'm ready to go." The dragon nodded and uncurled herself stretching and preparing for flight. Mai jogged off to her chambers and began hastily packing a small bag. She put the Silk Fox costume near the bottom of the bag for safe keeping and headed out to find Hou standing near Areios having his own bag in hand.
"Everybody ready?" The dragon said in a cheery voice sniffing them over for good measure to make sure it was really them, not that she distrusted humans. She especially liked these two humans. One was her mothers favorite human as well as her own personal favorite, the other cooked really, really good tasting meals for her. But after what had happened to her mother in their very home…She was forever inclined to be cautious.
Satisfied they were exactly who they had been last time she saw them she leaned her great scaly form to the floor to allow them to hop onto her back. She knew the Spirit Monks leader would have had no trouble with simply leaping onto her back but her smaller skinnier companion was a tad to clumsy for the dragon to want him to be jumping at her.
"I'm ready as I'll ever be." Hou laughed softly, it was a sarcastic comment but he had learned recently that divine beings didn't always grasp the concept of sarcasm. Something he was never entirely to sorry for. Mai just leaped to the dragons back and made herself comfortable at Areios's insistence.
"Yes lets go." She said gripping her hands into the dragons mane gently as she could and letting Hou find his seat.
"Where to first?" The dragon asked leaping and jetting the three of them off skyward.
"The floating palace." She said with a grunt trying to ignore the fact that Hou was suddenly crushing her ribs with his small frame. You'd think after years of constant training and the whole fight for the empire, she would have been able to ignore the grip of one man as small as Hou but his skinniness only severed to deter from the amount of force he could apply to something when he was scared.
It didn't take them long before they landed at the disused entrance to the grand palace, it was floating after all and Areios could fly fairly fast and steadier then those damn flyers ever could. They landed and Mai waved Areios off not wanting anyone to see to much of the great dragon flying up. After entering Mai looked around and detangled Hou from her torso.
"I can't breath!" She said pulling the small terrified man off of her. Hou nodded and backed off.
"Sorry." He said rubbing his bald head. The started to venture out the door, it wasn't but seconds after that they were surrounded by gaurds. Apparently this entrance wasn't as disused as it once was, that or it had literally become infamous after their first little jaunt into the Palace those three years ago. When Lian had shown them the way when Mai and Dawn Star still believed the capture of the Water Dragon was the Emperor's dirty work. Not the horrid plain to become a god laid out twenty years in the making by their own master, as it had turned out to be.
Either way they were surrounded and Mai paranoid about this place even after years dropped into her legendary strike stance as a first basic reaction. Hou gave her a look.
"Hey just don't beat the crap out of them to badly ok?" He said eyeing the gaurds over counting at least twenty, no problem for his friend here he knew. But he didn't want to test the Empresses patience by hauling a bunch of broken gaurds onto her door step.
"Please I'm a monk I don't beat the crap out of people." She said a hint of laughter coloring her words.
"You're a Spirit Monk and I've seen you do it." He shot back after a moment, the gaurds remained unmoved by their banter.
"Who are you?" The one in the big feathered helmet demanded rather loudly.
Mai moved out of her stance and cracked her neck by reflex. "I am Mai Ling the Raging Dragon."
She was confident they would leave her alone now, nobody bothered the hero of the empire from doing pretty much anything, even using an old entrance she thought should be abandoned. Maybe this was why Lian gave her the costume? Were they guarding the exists so well now she couldn't sneak out if she wanted to?
Ok so they normally wouldn't bug the hero of all the empire, unless they didn't believe her. From the looks on the gaurds faces they were close to laughing, why she had no idea. But apparently she wasn't the first one coming through here to make that claim and they thought she was just another bandit trying to get away with breaking in. She would have been insulted if she wasn't above such pity things, still she did feel her pride sting just a tad.
The gaurds gestured at her with their weapons and she obligingly put her hands behind her head, not that she needed them to really kick ass. But she was going to handle this peacefully, beating up a ton of her gaurds and causing more paper work wasn't a good way to start when you were trying woo the Empress. Again for a second time she might add.
"The Empress is busy with the court." The guard said he gestured them along with his weapon. After of course taking both of Mai's Crimson Tears blades from her back and the hunting knife Spear Catchers Leaf had given her. After searching Hou, he proceeded with them followed by the rest of the team under his command, who surrounded her as if they might have been rather afraid.
"We'll wait out here until the session has concluded." Mai stood hands behind her head waiting calmly watching Hou bounce on the balls of his feet. She took short stock of the room they were in, it was actually the imperial hall that lead to the throne room and she supposed the room where Court was held.
As she looked around she noticed a painting prominently displayed on the wall. A painting of her no less, standing in front of Dirge the morning of the battle, cuts adorning her body like badges of honor, splattered in more blood then could possibly be her own. Her wild black hair flowing in a breeze she didn't remember being present at the actual battle. The one of the Crimson Tears held high in one hand, blood covering the blade and the moon shaped blade that served as the handle guard as well. The hunting knife drawn back in her other hand its blade soaked with red. She was crouching in a defensive stance that was now one of the key point stances to Raging Dragon style.
For their defense the only thing they forgot was the piles and piles of fallen bodies surrounding her, not that she was proud of having to have had to slay so many. It just seemed to her that they went out of their way to glorify her blood spattered wounded self and weapons. That it was completely pointless to paint the tranquil forest, river and roaming hills that made up the background and not the actual battle field. She figured it may just be the politics of the thing, they wanted their hero painted as just that a hero. Blood stained and battered yet triumphant and ready to defend her people again. Not as one who could slaughter so many golems made with the spirits of the dead and lotus assassins that were people just like her and not go mad with the senselessness of it all.
She shook her head and resisted the urge to stretch her tired arm muscles. The last thing she needed was one of these antsy gaurds giving her a warning spear in the back. She wondered faintly if she should point the painting out to the gaurds, while she was no longer in the blood stained purple clothing. It was obvious to any one with eyes she was that woman. Well that's what she thought anyway but if she had learned anything about Imperial gaurds. It was that they hated to be embarrassed and once they got to the Empress it would be embarrassing enough.
So arguing with them and pointing the painting out now would only make them angry. The second to last thing she needed was a bunch of angry gaurds with a half hour of time to kill and her to use a punching bag. It took about that long before a gong sounded and the gaurds 'guided' them into the large room. It was a circular room with stands lining one side set to face a throne that was on the other side. The middle of the space was bare and Hou figured this was where criminals and prisoners got their sentencing, if it was used for anything else he didn't want to know.
Mai took a breath and twitched her arms under her robes to relieve some of the ache in the tensed muscles. Other then that she looked as if she may as well have been walking the courtyards in Dirge.
'Oh sure she can be ms calm and collected.' Hou thought feeling his heart flutter into his stomach again. Not only was the Empress her lover but if on the bazaar off chance things took a turn for the worse. She could probably fight her way out of here and back to Areios. All he could do was hang onto her boot straps and pray. He didn't know why he was nervous but he was, something was off. It didn't feel right, he almost expected his wife to jump out from behind the throne.
Then his alarm suddenly grew ten fold as he stole another glance at Mai the unease was visible on the Spirit Monk's face. He knew Mai well enough to know that if anything bugged the woman bad enough for her to show it on her face…Then things were very far from ok. Mai's jaw twitched and her gaze was fixed straight ahead, on the throne that was now right in front of them. More specifically the woman sitting in said throne.
Because she was not Empress Sun Lian The Heavenly Lilly, of course decked out in the royal yellow and red midriff exposing top and high slit skirt indicative of empress, black hair flowing down her shoulders except for the few points it was held up at. The woman sitting there could very well have been her twin sister, if she had, had one that is. Even though she seemed to be fooling the others well enough, it would take more then looking amazingly like the Empress to fool Mai.
The Spirit Monk blinked trying to convince her mind her eyes were wrong, it was a fruitless attempt. She didn't have anymore time to ponder what was going on before the woman turned her face toward them and the gaurds promptly threw her to knees. Except they over shot and she landed on her cheek with a huff, Hou landing next to her seconds later in a flurry of well muffled curses. Having very little idea what was going on she decided to stay on the ground where she was instead of getting up and spitting out the flood of questions coming to her mind.
"What are you doing?" The 'Empress' asked pointedly at the gaurds, rather then their captives laying on the ground. To Mai the woman speaking only served the make the differences between herself and the woman she was imitating more plain. Her voice was one tone to high and did not hold the silky tendrils of command that made Lian such a remarkable woman. Then again Mai could have just noticed this because she was rather paranoid with time, age and all that happened to her, not to mention the fact she was in love with the actual Empress.
The lead guard in the feathered helmet stammered and for his part seemed fairly uncertain of his snap judgments now.
"This woman was caught using the old service entrance and she claims to be the Raging Dragon."
"You idiots! That is Mai Ling the Raging Dragon." The woman said in a reprimanding tone. With that Mai wasted no more time in springing to her feet and dusting off her robes, Hou took a few more moments to hobble to his feet not so much muffling his curses anymore. The gaurds immediately backed off very afraid she would now actually toss every single one of them out of a window and watch them free fall.
"Finally somebody with a decent set of eyes." She said softly, the members of the court and the Ministry that had stopped their retreat from the room when the new prisoner was brought in. Now resumed their seats interestedly at mention of the great hero of the empire wanting to see what would happen to her for her brazen comment.
Now that she got to looking at the woman, she saw the gaggle of handmaidens surrounding the throne. One in particular caught her attention causing a barely noticeable grin to spread over her features.
"Leave us." The woman commanded, the council members took a moment to whisper among themselves before hastening out of the room, the gaurds made a grab at Hou but with another look from the woman on the throne decided that he wasn't worth it and scurried out of the room.
Hou looked at Mai again inching closer thankful he had not been taken by the gaurds. He caught the slight grin on her face and his tension eased abit. Did that mean things were alright? Or did it mean it was about to get dangerous in here? On second thought maybe he should have gone with the gaurds. Mai strode toward the throne not minding the woman's eyes on her one bit. She wasn't interested in the fake anyway.
"Hmmm, let me find the fox among the hens." She said softly moving over to the handmaiden which had caught her attention before everyone left, the woman wasn't small and petite like the rest of her fellow handmaidens beside her. But dressed in plain baby blue robes her hair held back away from her face and neck staring patiently and obediently at the ground, she fit the part.
The fake Empress made no move to stop her nor did she say a word as she lifted the Handmaidens chin up to look at her face with a gentle forefinger and thumb. Figuring most likely that it useless to convince her otherwise. Mai felt her grin widen as a rush of relief soared through her chest. There staring up at her now were the features of the true Empress Sun Lian.
"Indeed, you did." Lian smiled up at her a soft chuckle coming from her throat. "I never expect this ruse to fool you."
"Then who is it for?" Mai asked tilting her head uncertainly as she reluctantly let go of Lian.
"There have been several attempts on my life in the past months. This scheme as well as the extra gaurds patrolling the corridor, were concocted to protect me, not many know of the switch. Fa Mulan(1) is far more adept at fooling everyone else." Lian said in her silken tones, Mai was happy to see her smile had not faded.
"I see, well I should have sent word I was coming. But it was rather a snap decision on my part." Lian just shook her head gently.
"It is alright, I'm very happy to see you regardless. Come we will go to my chambers. We have much to discuss." Lian turned given the other handmaidens and the fake a look which clearly stated they weren't suppose to follow. Mai chuckled and grinned at Hou.
"Remember you're a married man, so do try to behave." Hou scuffled his feet.
"Couldn't try anything if I wanted you ruined the mood reminding me of my wife." Mai followed Lian chuckling softly.
Lian slowed down abit and carefully threaded her fingers with Mai's linking their hands. When they got to the royal chambers Lian closed the door behind them, she turned to look at Mai with an uncertain look on her face.
"Tell me do you still feel the same for your Heavenly Lilly?" She asked in a soft voice mimicking the conversation they had, had three years ago outside the tents the night before the battle of Dirge after Mai's return from the land of the dead.
Mai smiled softly at her turning to face her fully. "I haven't been able to stop thinking of you."
"I have missed you greatly and I did not except you to come rushing to the palace." Mai chuckled softly.
"Your letter put a fear in me I haven't felt for a long while. The thought of losing you if I did not act was a great one to bear."
Lian could not help but smile and even blush just alittle. She looked away to hide it when she felt the warmth of her loves gentle hand on her chin once again. Mai lifted Lian's face again and leaned over to kiss her. Lian didn't resist letting her lips press against the Spirit Monks. She had certainly missed this, they had in truth only had the one kiss those years ago. Of course Lian had spent the night in Mai's tent as well. She had been to paralyzed by the fear of the up coming battle, to do anything other then simply lay and take comfort in Mai's arms around her.
The rest of the time afterward they were both kept extremely busy with their duties. By the time Lian had taken the throne and gained enough trust by healing the wounds to the living thing the empire was, ones that her family shamefully had inflected. Making the people sure that she would as she intended to, do the right thing by them. She had only to discover Mai had already gone back to Dirge and began rebuilding.
The only times they had seen each other afterward were the few terse meetings in which it had taken to convince the entire council to allow the order to be reborn. Neither of them could have spent any time with each other then or the council was sure to think something suspicious and Mai simply would not have the Spirit Monks accused of being anyone's secret guard dogs. But Lian's feelings had not changed or wavered, Mai was still the person she felt the closest to in the world and the one whom she was sure held her heart.
She had spent three years praying Mai still felt the same now she was sure and she felt a great weight being lifted off her shoulders. She moved to wrap her arms around the taller woman's shoulders pressing them closer together as she let her tongue slide out of her mouth stroking against the lips of her Dragon.
Mai let out of small sigh of contentment she now understood why the woman chose to call herself Silk Fox, her incredible cunning had to be only half the reason. Her skin, her tongue, her lips all soft and smooth, like fabric she named herself after. She explored Lian's mouth slowly tenderly, trying not to drown in the feelings threatening to over-whelm her. She felt dizzy by the time she finally pulled away from the kiss for air. Lian kept her in the embrace though rubbing her stiff shoulders with a tender care.
"Mmmm, your being affectionate." Mai said leaning in to kiss the Empresses neck softly.
Lian whimpered in delight. "Affection is a part of my character from time to time, a private one, but it is there."
Mai nodded against her neck, she felt Lian's hands sneak over the neck of her robes pushing the top part of her Gi open. Sun Lian gasp softly when she saw the Dragon Amulet hanging around Mai's neck by the thick leather strap. In all seven of the slots there was a gem as there should. The only one she recognized was the jade green one set in the dragon faces forehead. The Imperial Favor Gem, the one Lian had, had one of her servants give Mai as a gift when she first greeted her as the princess in the flyer docking station in the Imperial city. Rescuing her dragon's peasant hide from the guards no less.
"I keep it close to my heart." Mai said watching as the other woman ran her fingers along the Amulets surface.
"I…thank you, I'm glad you would keep it close." She smiled softly moving the hard metal amulet aside to kiss the warm flesh underneath it. Next she took the Crimson tears swords from Mai's back and placed them both next to her own sword Fortunes Favor. Lian untied the amulet from her neck and set it aside as well, then the Empress's hands found the ties which held her Gi closed. Gasping in surprise as Mai's hands found her own and held them gently in place effectively stopping her, Lian looked up.
"You said something about someone making attempts on your life?" Mai prodded gently. She was fool for stopping where this going and already she could feel the not so rational side of her mind beating against the rational side in an attempt to silence it. This was one of those times she wished she could have listened to Sky's advice when he said she should just forget the more important things for as long as she could when she could.
Sadly she was just not that kind of woman. The disapproving look on Lian's face making her wish all the harder she was.
"It is not important at the moment, I can fill you in later if you truly wish. But everything is in hand My Dragon." Lian made to raise her hands again only to find Mai's grip on them was firmer then before. She shook her head and sighed irritably now. Unfortunately, the fastest way to finish a conversation with Mai was to actually finish it.
"They began several months ago, with a poisoned drink that was meant for me, had it not been for a bumbling servant. Several weeks later there were some well placed traps. There has been nothing since then, so you can stop worrying." Mai nodded taking it all in account and thinking it over. She couldn't connect the dots on her own, though she was satisfied that Lain had told her what was going on.
"Now where were we?" She grinned as she released Lian's hands to lean down and run her tongue along the rim of the woman's ear. She moved her arms as she felt the Heavenly Lilly pull her Gi off, helping her slip it off her shoulders to fall to the floor.
Lian was sure she had never felt bliss like this before. Mai was trailing soft kisses down her neck, pushing the satin fabric of her Kimono down her shoulders to pool onto the floor next to Mai's Gi. Her lovers hand roamed carefully up the expanse of her stomach to brush strong calloused knuckles along the underside of her breast with teasingly delicious intent. She felt the hand inch up with a torturing slowness, moments that felt like an eternity later. Fingers found the rose colored peak of the firm creamy globe of flesh and Sun Lian the Heavenly Lilly was lost in bliss with a sharp throaty cry.
Mai was marveled at the contrasts between them, her skin was marred with years of scars, the areas of her not stark reminders of her master, training and journey and all the years of lies there in. Hid lethal muscle under rough callus's. Lian on the other hand was soft as silk and satin, tender skin carefully hiding powerful muscles an outward appearance which belayed the true power and grace she knew well the other woman's body held.
They kissed once more one of slow and passionate promise of things to come. A giggle reached Mai's ears as she picked Lian up in her strong arms and carried her across the large room to the big decorative bed pushed against the far wall on the other side of the room.
Hou heaved another breath, what he thought for sure was his last. How in the world did his wife get here?! To the Imperial Palace of all places?! Which he reminded himself was floating thousands of mile in the sky! Now he was convinced she was a demon! Her reach truly seemed to know no bounds! He scrambled out of the way as another body of yet another palace guard was hurled at him by his large lovely wife.
He had just been sitting in one of the many rooms of the grand palace drinking some tea with the Empress's Handmaidens and a few of the gaurds. Who seemed polite enough in wanting to make up for their mistake, waiting for Mai to return, which if the glint in both women's eyes was any indication he thought that would take awhile. He was content to wait none the less he was enjoying the company, the luxurious accommodations and for once the less then hostile atmosphere. Don't get him wrong he liked traveling with Mai she found her way into some interesting situations and met up with some memorable people. But one usually felt as if they could lose an important body part at any minute.
The bun master turned delivery man had waited nearly the entire night, playing games of Yi and dice with the gaurds as they came and went for their shifts. It was only a few moments ago nearing morning. He could tell the sun was just rising. When his wonderful flower had appeared bursting through the door shaking off fifteen of the palace's finest much as an Ox would flies.
The gaurds had leapt up in defense and were immediately knocked back down, not to get up again for some time. Hou had taken off like prey would run from a predator. Sprinting as fast as he could out of the room and down one of the many halls, his wife careening after him screaming threats to his well being.
"You get back here! Do you hear me Hou!? Stop running! You've got a lot to answer for little man!" Apparently, Hou thought ruefully, leaving his delightful darling with his seven screaming daughters, had been enough to work her into a foaming rage. Not at all his intention, merely an un-thought of side effect.
He just barely dodged yet another object flying his way, he didn't take the time to see what it was. He only knew that his wife had been wielding a set of frying pans when he had last taken the time to look back at her, so it very well could have been well anything. He had to find Mai, who better to deal with a demon? Hou knew they were going to be in the Empress's chambers. So he picked the cleanest, best cared for and most expensive looking hallway he could see and threw himself down it.
Lian's chambers were bound to be in the richest part of this huge place, so following the best looking corridors should take him there. He prayed to the any deity in the heavens that would listen and take pity on him, that it would take him there and before he ran out of the strength to run. Hou scrambled making a sharp left turn down the next hall, his wife gaining on him. Goddess she could run entirely to fast for a woman of such a large size!
The bun old master rounded the corner and in the middle of the hallway spotted a large set of golden double doors adorned with the royal seal. That was it! He had made it! He made a mental note to ask Mai about joining the monastery as a cook and dish washer full time after all this was done. He certainly owed some god something. Racing toward the door Hou grabbed one of the large handles as he passed and heaved with all his limited might. The door flew open and Hou scrambled in without a second thought, at just that moment his wife caught his leg and he went flying. Straight into a huge expensive bed and the figures pressed together in it.
Mai ran her tongue along Lian's inner thigh again, her sigh of contentment joining Lian's deep groan of enjoyment, her hips jerking unsteadily in another useless attempt to get her to lover's tongue to go where she needed it most. Lian groaned again, her breaths coming to her in short pants. She couldn't think rationally enough to voice her need. Instead she pulled Mai's tangled hair trying to guide her head. This only seceded in making the Raging Dragon move away from her thigh all together, that was half of what the Empress wanted. She whined her disappointment as the woman simply trailed her tongue along to the point of her hipbone.
They had spent the entire night making love like this. Sleeping in each others arms when their strength had left them or even talking when they weren't tired enough to sleep but the mood had passed anyway. She discovered that Lian had not changed much in the last three years, she had gained a whole new insight on needs of her people and a truer since of good and justice. Though as the saying went you could take the woman out of the costume but you couldn't take the Silk Fox out of the woman.
Mai had gotten her second or was it third, no fourth wind? She'd lost count really. All she knew was here she was again nibbling the ultra sensitive point of her Heavenly Lilly's hipbone. Taking a great joy in listening to her strained pants and feeling her writhe beneath her, knowing the other woman was so incredibly close to her release. Lian whimpered and brought her knee up to nudge her partner along this time. Mai just grinned and lifted herself from her elbows onto her hands crawling back up to face Lian.
"What's the nudging for hmm?" She asked her captive lover in a low husky tone.
"Mai!, bmayca zicd dyga sa huf!.(2)" Lian pleaded softly in her ear using Tho Fan, the second most common language in the Jade Empire. One which sounded absolutely lyrical when the Empress spoke it, especially in that tone.
She was about to take pity and grant the other woman's request when before she could even move, she felt something slam into her back with enough force to send her crashing down. She felt more then heard the air being driven from Lian's lungs with the force of the blow. After countless moments the mysterious weight somehow left her back and she heard something scramble beneath the bed. She didn't know what was going on, Lian had reached for the covers while coughing and gulping for air. So Mai was affectively tangled in the white silk sheet, blinded and unable to get her bearings.
"What the hell are you doing Hou?" She heard a voice shout, a coarse grating angry voice, though distinctly female. Neither Mai nor Lian had time to think as the entire mattress them included was flung all the way across the room. The air was driven from Lian's lungs yet again as she hit the ground and was flattened by the mattress only seconds after. She felt her knees connect with some part of Mai's body and heard her love's hiss.
"What in….the name… of the.. Water Dragon, is going on here!" The Empress crooked weakly air finally returning to her after several terse seconds of her lungs refusing to work properly from taking such an unexpected walloping. Hou scrambled out from under the large wooden bed frame side dodging his wife and scrambling helplessly to his next hiding spot in utter terror.
"I already tore that temple apart looking for you Hou!" That was the sentence that made Mai sit up, or try to in a tangle of sheets and mattress.
"What temple?! What did you do to Dirge?! So help you!" Mai yelled struggling to get out of the sheets. As a follower of the way of the open palm she was taught to have a very good control over her temper, she very rarely got angry. When she did storms brewed, the thought of that thing stomping around Dirge destroying all she worked for while she was away. Was probably one of the only things that could set her off so bad.
Mai rarely got angry and she never got mad, angry was one thing it was a human emotion controllable within a limit. Animals and ghosts got mad a state of sheer lack of control something completely beneath a Spirit Monk, something Mai strived hard never to let happen. Mai finally wrestled the sheets off of her and sprung to her feet, only to have to dodge something else. When she finally stood up straight what she saw surprised her.
Hou's wife, his tales did not do her justice. The woman standing before her was indeed more of a thing. She reminded her briefly of Mother the disgusting toad demon that turned men into horrid little cannibals. She had been forced to face the creature shortly after meeting Hou infact, destroying it took dropping a whole mountain on the thing literally. She had to admit this woman had a very distinct toad-ness to her. Large bulging eyes, wide mouth, layers of throat and skin folds. She was as big as any actual toad demon Mai had ever seen. No wonder Hou was so afraid.
Mai may have been angry but Sun Lian was mad. Finally fully on her own feet as well, she stood there wrapped in one of the sheets. Over her initial shock at just how ugly this woman was, the cold fury was seeping back in. How dare her! How dare she barge into her room! Interrupt one of the only precious moments she got to be alone with Mai! Though she was mad she did have the ration to take stock of their situation, her own and Mai's weapons were across the room as well as any useful tools they may have had. It also certainly did not appear as if any bare handed strike would do anything to this woman. Short of making her even madder.
"Tore it up I did!" The woman screamed at Mai looking for Hou again who was cowering under the dresser. "Who the hell are these two tramps and did you run into their room?! Hmm?!"
That set Mai off, or well it would have if she wasn't above such things. It was threateningly close to sending Lian into a fit of screams and Mai saw this which is what had caused her to act.
She drew herself up to her full height and stalked toward the woman. "I think its time for you to leave. I'll make sure Hou joins you in the hall."
The Raging Dragon never saw the frying pan coming and it was certainly to late for her to block when the thick copper cooking utensil connected solidly with her ribs sending her flying with a sickening crack of bone. That sent Lian into a fit of screams, Hou for his part valiantly leapt from his hiding spot, before his wife could put the Empress in a cast as well. Or for that matter before the Spirit Monk got back up, he knew broken ribs or not that was not nearly the extent of damage Mai could take and he knew once she got back up. She would be in what he liked to call her 'ass kicking' mode. It was the moment she got so zoned into a fight that her opponent almost always fell.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He said holding his finger up trying to keep from recoiling. "I mean, dear, this, this…Is Empress Sun Lian."
"That's who?" Hou's wife stopped in disbelief and confusion. She looked around and shook her massive head.
"Naw its not. Can't be. To scrawny."
Lian drew herself up moving carefully and reached over picking up Fortunes Favor with a steady hand advancing on the woman. Un-like Mai who was a balanced warrior, not overly advanced in one particular area, Lian was very much speed and stealth. While she couldn't inflect much damage with a single blow, it was very hard to hit her. Giving her the advantage to wear slower opponents down over time.
The larger woman hadn't even noticed the woman Hou claimed to be the Empress move. By the time she registered the movement the skinny, beautiful, shapely woman was all the way across the room brandishing a sword moving toward her. Hou's wife swung the frying pan, which was promptly ducked. Followed by the other which Silk Fox jumped gracefully over.
Lian slashed at the back of the woman's right knee after maneuvering around the frying pans. The cut struck true and the monstrous wife of Hou stumbled back. Lian ceased the opportunity and lunged for the other knee hoping to send her toppling to the ground. Hou scrambled back under the dresser, he knew Sun Lian detested drunken master style so he could offer no help. Not to mention she seemed to have things well in hand on her own.
The second cut did its job and just as Hou's wife was stumbling back. Lian looked up to see the form of the Raging Dragon crumple one foot then the other first right into her face. The blow sent them both reeling Mai forward with Hou's wife and the monstrous woman even further backward, right out the doors of Lian's quarters and out into the hall once again. Mai rolled back across the hall and sprung up next to Lian in the door way with a visible wince. Gaurds surrounded Hou's wife almost immediately and subdued her with shackles. Servants rushed into Lians quarters to clean up the mess made by the ruckus.
"You are dismissed. Leave us and send for one of the doctors." Lian waved the gaurds away with a stern hand. She was going to yell at them for their failure but it would do little good and the less questions the Ministry and courtiers asked about this the better.
Lian frowned as she realized everybody was suddenly staring at her. Mai had her lips pursed and she could tell her lover was trying hard not to grin.
"And just what are you staring at?" She shot at Mai.
Mai's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Just a lovely view of the Heavenly Lilly."
It only took Lian another moment to look down and figure out that she was as stark naked as the day she was born. The sheet must have come off sometime after she had stepped into the fight and she hadn't noticed. Partly flustered even more by this then she already was and partly enjoying the rather devious and sexy sparkle dancing around in her Dragons eye's. The Empress of the Jade Empire huffed loudly as she covered herself with her arms and crossed her legs for modesties sake.
"Well? What are you all staring at?" She questioned the gaurds and servants still standing in the hall letting more anger seep into her voice. It didn't take them long at all to go back to their tasks and or leave the general area. Hou was still cowering under the armoire(I didn't know the word for really old Asian clothes holdy thinge!) watching, staring at the two completely naked women.
Two very beautiful completely naked women, added in the back of his mind. Now his wife could drive the lust from any man for quite awhile and it was true he didn't have much cause to think of a woman in those terms. But at the moment he couldn't help it. Lian was turned around, giving him a rather memorable view of the royal hindquarters. She was lovingly inspecting Mai's bruised midsection, which gave him a rather alright view of the Spirit Monks well defined chest and muscular shoulders, the Dragon herself to distracted calming her fretting Lilly to feel the small Bun Masters eye's on her.
"Don't worry, I'm fine, I promise." Mai said gently, taking Lian's hands into her own, away from her bruised flesh and broken bones. She brought the captive hands up her mouth and lightly kissed the Empress's long fingers.
"How can you say that?" Lian asked in a not unkind tone, she was very aware of just how much punishment Mai could stand up to, brush off and walk away from. It still didn't make her any happier that she was hurt.
"Your ribs may be badly broken, you must have them set or they wont heal properly."
Hou who was still watching the interaction carefully hidden and keeping his mouth tightly shut. It was a such a sight to see them interact, naked or not. If he remembered correctly it always had been. Even during their journey, when the now Empress then princess had been at her worst and shortest of temperaments with just about everyone. Mai never really had to work to gentle her, on the same note it only took a few bats of Lian's eye lashes or a sway of her hips to pull Mai out of her deep sometimes self hating introspective moods. There was just something between them, something unidentifiable to him, yet it seemed almost tangible and was definitely sweet.
He moved over an inch or so, feeling the needling sensation that meant his foot was falling asleep. The two women were now standing sides facing him, he held his breathe taking in both of their beauty. He could only see part of Mai's face, she had her head pressed to Lian's neck, kissing and licking. He could just make out the breathy sounds of her whispering sweet nothings into Empress's ear. Lian's expression was one of pure bliss as The Raging Dragon slid one arm around her waist pulling her closer the other caressing up and down the line of her stomach, inching teasingly up toward her breasts and down to the apex of her legs.
Hou for the first time in what felt like forever but was only years, felt something shift just under his apron and an unmistakable pressure start to form. As he watched that hand skitter softly about skin inciting giggling and even a few dirty requests from the Silk Fox side of the Empress. The bun master shifted again, stifling a sigh, his got damn foot was asleep!
It was getting hard to keep his weight on it crouched under the armoire, as he shifted again he smacked his head on the thick wooden bottom of the armoire. He yelped out a loud curse then upon realizing his mistake his quickly began trying to stuff himself further under the dresser, which only seceded in causing him to topple out from under the thing entirely.
"So, how's the eye?" Mai asked looking over at Hou, lifting up her arms slightly for the attending doctor.
"Its just great, I'm holding a stake over it because I like the smell of beef." The tiny Bun-master huffed indignantly cradling his face with one hand while holding a slab of meat up to his eye.
"Oh, its just a little bruise. Lian didn't hit you that hard, you had it coming spying on us." Mai said looking down now watching the doctor take a flat wooden plate and put it against her lower chest.
"I'm going to have to set them now, two were knocked clean out of place." He said in a kindly tone. "Would you like something to bite on?" Mai shook her head and indicated he could start whenever he wished.
"Only a little bruise, says the woman who came back from the dead!" Hou scoffed again shifting on his seat to stretch his tired legs. "And how many times must I tell you? I wasn't spying I was hiding."
Mai sighed, her death always did bring a sour taste to her mouth when brought up in conversation. "Actually for his part Lee made sure I didn't suffer. He made it a quick death, so I never had time to fight back."
She still had the ugly red scar right over her heart where her former masters killing blow had caused her ribs to burst through her chest and her heart to explode. Though in an act of mercy if you could call it that, she supposed it was his idea of one, he had used the ingrained flaws her fighting style to land blows that paralyzed her entire body first. She had felt nothing after the first two strikes and was fading into deaths grasp by the time she hit the floor. She hadn't even seen it coming! The man she had always regarded as a father who had trained her all her life, used her as a tool for his own desires, not only that but he had taught her a weakness that he had exploited, killing her with it in the end.
The only reason she was alive today was the water dragon Sheppard of the Dead. No wonder, Lain, Crimson Khana, Sky and so many others had seen a mysterious flaw in her basics one none of them ever quite understood. They had at the time written it off as a deadly trap ingrained within her, she should have taken more notice! She should have realized it really was a flaw and corrected it sooner! No matter she had tightened it up in recent years, it now really was a deadly trap in her style, not just an ingrained flaw.
She was brought out of her introspection with a sharp jolt of pain as the doctor finally set her ribs and went about bandaging them. Hou sighed, he had seen the myriad of emotions pass over Mai's face, to anybody who hadn't spent so much time with her it would have seemed like she was just trying not to focus on the doctor tending to her. But he knew better, he had brought up a sore subject with her. One that she apparently hadn't dealt with as well as she clamed.
He pulled up a hand. "I'm sorry, your right I'm whining to much. I wouldn't admit that to just anybody but Lian would have given me much worse then a black eye if you hadn't stopped her. I just really wasn't trying to spy!"
That made Mai chuckle. "I know, she was just worked up is all. You were a convenient target in the wrong place."
Hou shuddered after a moment. "Yeah, I'm still trying to decide who I should be more worried for at the moment Lian or my wife. Its been long enough since Lain went down to deal with her, I'm starting to wonder."
Mai laughed harder coughing some as the effort strained her ribs. "Your wife definitely. When Lians in a cranky mood she has a tendency to be viscous." Mai looked over at the door wondering just when Lain would be back…She did promise Dawn Star she would go help out with her problem and she wanted more information on the attempts on Lian's life.