She looked at her reflection in the mirror. She brushed her wavy maroon hair and tied it back in a loose braid. Her bangs gracing over her eyebrows and layered out the sides of her face. Her somber green eyes seemed to tell a different story than some could believe through her devilish smile. This is Tara Shaman, empress of Xing and she has one year to live.
Alchemy: (n) the science of understanding of deconstructing and reconstructing matter. However, it is not an all-powerful art; it is impossible to create something out of nothing. If one wishes to obtain something, something of equal value must be given. This is the Law of Equivalent Exchange, the basis of all alchemy. In accordance with this law, there is a taboo among alchemists, human transmutation. This is strictly forbidden.
She closed her book silently. "It may have been a while, but I have finally finished my research." She muttered to herself "Still, I wish that I had those powers." She sighed "but I wasn't granted that gift." She picked up her throwing star and threw it at the wall. "I hate this." She shook her head "Bored." She walked over to the wall and yanked out the star. She gazed at the holes that she had left before. The black jaguar that sprawled out on Tara's bed raised her large sleek head. She walked over and stroked the short black fur that covered her head and back. She let out a long satisfied purr. "Don't worry Ariel. Trust me." she smirked "I'll find an Alchemist who can help me." she placed her hand over the middle of her chest over her heart. Then she knocked on it. It made a metallic hollow echo.
Suddenly a loud crash reverberated through the walls of the mansion. She and Ariel looked at the door. Then they turned to each other. She smiled. She grabbed her stars and throwing knives. She wrapped them in their leather pouch and strapped it to her belt that held up her baggy army green cargo pants. Her black combat boots hit the ground as she threw the heavy metal door open and bolted out. Ariel followed, obediently running to fight for and protect her mistress. She skulked down that hallway, a throwing knife in hand. She turned the corner where the crash happened. Nothing, there was nothing. All of a sudden a little girl appeared from around the corner "Oh hello, you must be Lady Tara of the Shaman clan." She smiled "I am Heiress Mei of the Chang clan. You betrothed, Ling of the Yao clan, has gotten in to trouble."
She rolled her eyes. As usual. "Well come on in to the kitchen and we'll discuss everything." She beckoned them down the hall she had just came down. She hesitated before following her. Ariel walked beside her. They waltzed in to the kitchen "Do you want a cup of tea?" Tara asked.
Mei nodded as she slipped in to a chair "Yes please,"
Tara filled the kettle with water and put it on the burner. She turned the stove on and the small flame began. "Do you know why I am here?" she asked May and she stood and stared at the tea cups.
"Well, everyone assumed that you were kidnapped." Mei replied.
She smirked "That's not true. I left because I was going to die at any time and I would have liked to have spent my last moments not being told what I must do and who I must wed. I ran out of the house, got an exit visa and left. I hoped no one would find me, until now." The tea kettle screamed. She took it off the burner, turning it off and poured it over the tea bags in two cups. She turned around one cup in each hand and set one down in front of Mei and one in from of where she was sitting next to Mei. She smiled "So what brings you here?"
"Well my clan, as you know, is the poorest state and is in threat of extermination. So I came here to seek eternal life. If I bring it back to the Emperor then he won't exterminate my clan and we can keep living our lives." She explained taking a sip of her tea now steeped.
Tara nodded "Oh really, what is wrong with the Emperor?" she took a swig of her tea.
"He has taken ill and is slowly dying." Mei sighed.
She sighed as well "What a pity." She shook her head.
"Ling Yao came here to seek eternal life as well." May replied.
"Oh really," she shook her head "I've never met Ling. They just walked in one day as I was beating my teacher at chess. A young ambassador to the Yao clan announced that I shall be married to their prince Ling Yao. He told me it was an honor that I was chosen over many of my more beautiful sisters and fellow noblewomen." She sighed "Well I was stuck in this betrothal and I hated it. Always, Prince Yao likes a cooking woman like you. Do this to impress him, even though you've never set eyes on him. I had grown sick of it. I had lost all of my freedom and since the accident I had only a few more years to live."
"Um," Mei interrupted "may I ask what happened?"
She shook her head and looked down "No, I can't tell you. It hurts too much to remember. It's my fault in the first place."
"Oh okay, still will you come back to save your fiancé and possibly my clan as well." She asked. They both finished their tea.
Tara smirked "I won't help my fiancé, but if it saves your clan." She looked up "I'll accept."
She smiled "YEA! Now we have to go to town."
"Town," Tara asked.
She nodded "Of course, why are you so nervous?"
"Well, I haven't been outside in years." Tara replied slightly shaking.
"Why not?" she asked.
Tara stopped shaking "Well since I am terminal, I don't know if it was safe."
"Trust me," she smiled and took her hand "If I'm safe wandering the city streets, someone like you will be just fine."
Tara took one last look at her room. The papers of countless diagrams and paragraphs of notes that once littered the beige walls were packed away in a leather satchel. Her clothing stuffed in to a suitcase. She carried her belongings with hesitation towards the large hole in the ground floor wall. "Well Ariel it's time to leave this place." She sighed and stroke her panther's head.
"Are you coming my lady?" Mei asked.
She nodded "Yeah," she looked out to the street. People drove by quickly in her automobiles. Others walked on the sidewalk too wrapped in their own little worlds to care about the person walking next to them. The day was hot and the sky was clear blue. Not a cotton cloud disturbed the serine abyss.
Mei smiled and took her hand "Come on."
She looked over at her panther who was already out rubbing her face against a fish stall. The man selling the fish was terrified. She laughed and took her first steps in to an sheltered world, all to save a little girl's clan and to possibly save her husband. Tara was both excited and afraid, for what was to come was an unknown future. All humans feel this way, even those with clockwork hearts.