(WARNING: Please read before reading:
-This story has a little dark, mature, and violent content. I have rated it M for caution.
-This story is NOT an ADULT story, that is NOT why it is rated M.
-This is a dark story. Death and cruel things will happen.
-Meiling is a vital character to my story. I like Meiling very much and hope nobody will hate me for my cruelty.
-This is a very, very, very long story. Reaching the ending is not guaranteed. as are all my stories.
-Please continue reading.)
My Love's Greatest
Summary: The greatest love cannot be measured nor diminish, only vanish, or take you far. As the three chosen ones, they venture through vast unknown and battle against dragons, evil, and death, only striving for their love and the prevention of Disaster.
Part I. Serpent's Island
She was breaking into sweat. Her breathing had become heavy and erratic. The sun glared from above, a round chubby face jeering at her pathetic fleeing. She wiped her brow with the back of her hand and squinted up at the jagged mountains. They were the enormous barring teeth that held her like a prisoner in its jaws. Its size would not diminish no matter how far or long she walked. The wicked queen, had she placed a spell upon these lands for her?
She slumped down on the hot desert sand. How many more days? She would die. But she needed to keep on going. Going. Going. She had promised. She would be there, and he, too, there. She would escape the Serpent Queen's wrath and be free at last. Reaching those mountains that walled her in, falling in the arms of her beloved… but here she was with declining hope. Her bare feet hurt on the coarse, hot sand dunes and her throat was parched. No water. No food. No rest.
The mountains seemed to faze in the heat and all consciousness was slipping.
Flashback
The crescent moon glowed in the dark night. All else was still. The stars were absent, the wind quiet, the crickets silent, and the pond a mirror of blackness. There was not even a ripple over the clear, glass water.
A jet-black haired girl with a skinny frame was walking. She walked softly on the dirt path barefooted over cold, smooth stones. Her eyes gleamed ruby red as they leered over the night's tranquility.
In her roughened hands she carried pails. Water sloshed over the sides whenever she managed to stumble. But it was only a few times since she wouldn't dare bring empty pails to the Serpent Lady's bathtub. She laughed at the thought, but relinquished her sound immediately. If anyone heard, she would never feel the night's soothing moonbeams again.
The eerily green palace appeared from the mist. She stated her position, quarters, duties, and her name.
"Lu Dan."
The palace gates opened to her and she stepped in, immediately dulling her eyes to black and turning her hair from long jet black to silver pinned in a bun.
Her art was illusion, and her true identity to be masked. If any of this were to be disclosed, not only her life, but also the entire mystical line of the island would vanish as well.
She entered the kitchen and set down two of the pails on the table, and she then exited into the mudroom. She dumped two more pails into the pump that would give the Serpent Lady enough hot cleaning water to wash in the morning, and at last, she dumped the next two for everything in the palace. Six large pails to be filled three times a day, and she was the old lady with the job. To other servants it was a mystery, but nobody asked questions. Nobody wanted to disturb peace in the Serpent Lady's grounds as the Lady enjoyed to do so.
She headed to her chambers that she shared with dozens of others. It reeked of dung, sweat, onions, garlic and spittle, of old ladies and young ones. She climbed to the top of the last bunk and tried to sleep. There was the sound of loud snores, coughing, and heavy breathing. She wrinkled her nose in complaint. But it had been already ten Turns, and she was soon fast asleep, prepared to wake up in another four hours.
0
She was on her morning job. The ponds silky surface wrinkled as she dipper her six pails into the water. It was near dawn but the velvety curtain of night still covered the sky, lightly, along with a few soft touches of pink and gold to the east.
As she trod back, the gold touched the array of forest trees, sick with wilting leaves and peeling bark. It wasn't even close to winter cold, but the Serpent Queen had sucked the island's lushly green beauty into her hands.
She had not heard a toad crick or a cricket's harp since the Serpent Queen seized reign and infested the land with crawling snakes. Sure there had been snakes before, but now there was a teeming abundance of deadly ones, uprooting all mystical lines defying her word. Ten Turns ago she had appeared in front of the king, killed him, and assumed power.
"Dan" shuddered in utter hatred, but at the same time, fear. She knew herself to be a disgrace to her true family name, for she lived only by hiding beneath the despicable Queen's shadow. Many times she thought of revenge, everyday as she walked back and forth through the dead forest filled with hissing snakes.
But once she stepped into the Queen's reaches, she could feel the immense power that surpassed her own and cringed.
She, last of the Lin mystic line of the Island, Lin Meiling, breathed because of her fear, desperation, and magical blood. Maybe the Serpent Queen knew this, and so never bothered to eliminate the puny bug that worked for her.
Meiling had never seen her, or at least not face to face. If she ever dared to stare into the Queen's deadly eyes, she would perish immediately. She only knew the back of the Queen's head. Midnight black hair tied with jade pins and then flowing silkily to the floor. A golden headdress shaped as a serpent, its tail curled and delicately poised.
She knew the Queen's face to be pale, and skinny, as were her witchlike fingers, almost skeleton-like. Her long, painted fingernails were as sharp as knives, and they clicked against each other as she stroked her gigantic pet snake wrapped around her shoulders like a shawl. Her voice was cold, snakelike, and sent freezing shivers down people's backs, as though she had poured ice water on them.
Meilling had never seen the Queen in person, only heard about her in hushed, fearful whispers.
But her face was beautiful, they said. Her eyes were thin, deadly, and blood red. Once you looked at them, you could never look away again. Her grins wicked. Her lips were red and alluring.
Meiling believed that was all she would need to know about the Serpent Queen.
But she was wrong.
Much later would she learn a hidden secret the Serpent Queen had hidden for many Turns.
00
It was another early and regular morning. The mansion was bustling in a silent way. The cooks cooking, the firewood burning, the water running, the servants serving, and the Servant Lady taking her morning bath, which had the water Meilling brought in late last night. Meiling listened to the snake's hissing as they slithered across the floor where she was sweeping, their red eyes watching her. She knew they suspected her, and so covered her eyes with the mat of her hair and moved sluggishly, stupidly.
Still wary, they snarled, flicked their tails and passed. She waited until they were gone and sighed in relief.
Safe.
As long as they made no reports, she was fine.
Afternoon shift.
Night shift.
Rest.
Sleep.
Prepare to wake up early the next morning.
The same cycles she had kept for ten full Turns. The next morning, and everything would change.
000
Meiling woke up earlier than usual with a tremble in her body. It was a foreboding of change. She tried sitting by the hearth and rubbing her joints, but the tremble remained. She glanced westward and pressed her trembling hand on the window. It stopped. What was west? The ocean.
She took off her hand and it began trembling again. Grabbing her pails, she ran out and headed west, her body seemed to know the way. She couldn't stop, she ran all the way to the shore.
There were rocks and ebbing tides. There were pieces of debris among the rocks as well. She leaned over to see better.
Broken wood? A shipwreck?
She looked up. It was hard to see through the ocean mist. She squinted her eyes to peer through the shrouding mist. She managed to make out a bobbing figure in the water.
It drew nearer and she no longer needed to pinch her eyes. Next thing, she was in the water charging at the figure.
It was a boy. He was clinging onto a large chunk of the boat, and was unconscious.
Meiling tugged him to the rocky shore, and became soaked from the waves that had washed over her, and panted from all the effort.
Spluttering seawater as a wave crashed over him, the boy awoke and crawled onto the dryer rocks. He saw Meiling and immediately stood up and made a fighting stance.
She only glanced at him demurely, "I'm not in a fighting mood."
He attacked.
She jumped back in alarm, "Hey! I just saved you! Is this how you—"
He tackled her to the ground, shouting something in a foreign language. Meiling felt her head hit something hard and moaned, grabbing at the throbbing injury. With her other had, she clamped it over his mouth and made a shushing sound.
"Shut up." She whispered, glancing about warily.
If any of the spying snakes had heard, surely it would only spell trouble. She surveyed the boy on top of her. This boy himself spelled disaster. Her peace was ruined. Oh why had she saved this hotheaded boy?
The boy seemed to understand whatever showed on her face and sat back. But did not look apologetic at all about her head. He no longer made any move to attack though, but sat solemnly, watching her warily.
She rubbed her head and sat up as well. They both examined each other as though measuring up how much they could trust one another. Meiling noticed his auburn eyes and dark brown hair. He definitely was from another land, had a shipwreck, and had washed up on the Serpent's Island's shores. And she had found him. Saved him. Been attacked by him.
She curiously what he was thinking about in his mind. A black haired, ruby-eyed and skinny little girl—
Meiling was struck with realization. No! She had forgotten to illusion herself and mask her identity! What if…
She buried her face in doom. He perked an eyebrow. Girls here are strange, he thought to himself, but interesting. He had seen all that she had thought. In his eyes she was a frail, dirty, and smelly little girl who had no reason to save his life. He only wanted to know two things.
Where he was, and if she had ever bathed in her life. Actually, maybe he wouldn't want to know, really.
He needed to know where this foreign place was. He didn't need to concern himself over the girl's reasons, smells, or mental stability. There were more important duties.
He tried asking again, using his hands. He nudged her to watch him. He pointed to the ground and moved his hands in question.
Meiling nodded. Ah, he was wondering where he was. She pointed to the ground and imitated a snake.
Serpent's Island.
"Serpent's Island, I never planned here but I could still—"
Meiling was still gesturing, "You must get off. This island is dangerous. The Serpent Queen will find you and kill you. Get off while you can."
"Ur… what was that? Evil Queen? Get off? I'd need a boat. Make one at least. Take a stay for a few days at least…"
He'd have to stay. She'd have to risk her life to protect him. She thought about the way she had cowered out of things, the way she was living now.
"Ok. I'll help you."
It was the beginning of the change in her life.
0000
"A bit late." Sneered the cook.
Meiling apologized and began sweeping. Often she dozed off to think about the boy. She had already revealed her true self for the first time too, no being able to disguise herself now. But he was a foreigner, he didn't know about the mystical line. Building a ship, didn't that mean he needed wood? Would the Queen notice anyone chopping trees in her forest? And tools, he would need tools. Was there a carpenter in the mansion?
She felt the illusion slipping and she had to slap herself twice to focus on it while sweeping the ashes by the firewood.
Collecting wood was first. And a place to hide, those shore rocks would never be enough. She couldn't have another innocent head snapped by the Queen. What about the difference in languages? …The questions rolled on.
00000
At last, noon sift. She was off early. She ran to the ocean shore. He wasn't there. Fear pounded in her chest. Where on earth was he? She searched and searched. Not a trace.
She began panicking. What if… what if… the Serpent Queen? Had she found him? Killed…? Was this her punishment for trying to defy the Serpent Queen? Hadn't she only known the boy for only an hour or so? What was this emptiness? Loss of hope?
"Why are you crying?" A foreign voice.
She spun around, tears dripping from her wide eyes. Alive! He was alive! Sudden anger filled her, "Why'd you do that? Wicked trick! Hide so I couldn't find you?" She tried to throw a fist at him in fury, not bothering to explain.
But he had seen her searching and knew, he laughed, "Ha ha, so you were worried about me?"
Her anger faded. His laugh was like a dog's playful barking, his voice dripping chocolate.
"I went looking around."
"No, you must stay hidden."
He shrugged. They found a good hiding spot a good distance from the Queen's reach but closer to the pond where her job was done. At night she handed him some tools she "borrowed" and showed him the best places to cut wood, and how to do it so he would respect the tree's life and look as if nothing had changed in that spot.
She learned his name. ShaoLang. He learned hers. They learned to talk to each other freely, aided with hands and motions. She told him about the Serpent Queen. He told her about dragons, and then about the Seven Islands.
"This is Serpent's Island, or the Serpent's Tail." He drew a squiggly line that indicated the island, "And this is my home, Dragon's Lair." He drew a blob.
She nodded, "So there are really other islands as well?"
He took a large bite out of a green fruit and wiped the seeds oozing out of the side of his mouth, "Yeah. Seven islands total. There's this one, mine, then Elder's Palm, Phoenix Talon's, Atlantis…the underwater world, Lion's Den, and Angel's Haven."
"Have you seen them all?" She asked in bewilderment.
"Not yet." He was grinning widely as he drew each island in the dirt, "But I will. I'm on a quest you see."
"A quest?"
"Yea." He frowned, "I've got to find—" He shook his head, "Not supposed to tell. Sorry."
And then he'd be quiet for the rest of the day, and then accidentally slip out the same thing the next.
It passed like this for two weeks. She was in the habit of snooping into the cook's and now and then and pretend to be stealing early rations. She got caught twice but she bribed the cook with another pail of water. That made seven pails. But for him, she thought, it'd be worth it all.
She asked him if he had any siblings. He nodded a bit soberly, "Three brothers. One died at war, another of sickness. One gone missing. Make it two now if you include me. Four sisters. I'm immune to girls now."
She wondered how it'd be like to have a sibling. She didn't remember having any back then. Blood was a binding thing, she thought, ignoring ShaoLang's lack of enthusiasm in his siblings.
Meiling's days were never filled so much sunshine as they were when she and ShaoLang sat together. During midnight the moon bathed them with silver mist, and his eyes seemed to sparkle. Her heart beat uncontrollably as she watched his dark chocolate hair dip over his forehead and then be lifted again by the breeze. His chuckles were like smooth pebbles dropping in the pond, and his sweat like pearl beads.
She loved to watch him in the hot, sunny afternoons as he worked on his quickly growing ship, the pounds of the hammering, and his rippling muscles as he struck and blow. His determination inspired her. Although he was stranded on an island with a deadly Queen ready to find and kill him, he worked and planned with no hesitation or fear.
What could she do to be like him? How could she help him achieve his goal? She begged him.
"Tell me what I can help you with?"
But he only shook his head, "Nothing, you've done so much already. You've fed me, given me tools, and hid me. I'm already indebted to you. Don't make me any more broke. I can't do anything for you."
"Then take me with you." Meiling held in her breath, shocked at her rash words.
ShaoLang's eyes were wide, but he gave it a moment's thought and shrugged, "I'm fine with it."
She couldn't breathe out. He wouldn't mind. She could escape. She could…be with him. Her heard pounded in excitement.
"You'd really take me?" She was nearly whispering.
"If you really want to go. It's the least I can do." He gave a small smile.
It spread glowing warmth within her and unleashed the chains of fear inside her heart. Joy, hope, and love brimmed inside her. The things she had not allowed in her for Ten Turns, and all of it had come back to her with just that small smile. The edges of her mouth twitched into a smile. The first time in Ten Turns…
ShaoLang looked surprised, "You're pretty cute when you smile." He laughed, and encouraged her to do it more often.
A blush rushed over her thin, pale cheeks. He had called her cute.
"Then I will always keep this smile for you, and you only." She smiled again, and this time more broadly.
He merely laughed, not knowing she had meant those words from the bottom of her heart. Not knowing how deeply, hopelessly in love she was with him. Oh how pitifully trapped she was in that hole, enraptured with his smile, laugh, and words. And yet how far she would go with his image in her mind forever until she would die.
000000
The happy days ended after that day. They could not hide from the stealthy eyes of the Serpent Queen and those of her crawling snakes forever.
break