(No man can be my equal)
(Beijing 1690)
"So exactly what did you do this time?" Katniss asked.
"Me?" Clove replied. "I haven't done anything. Much anyway. So as far as I know it's YOUR fault we're here."
"Here" was defined as a stretch of street pretty much like most other one in this sprawling city. However this one was a bit different. It was nearly empty, something really unheard of in this teaming metropolis. Of course the squad of heavily armed and ornately armored stern-faced Imperial Guards that surrounded them and marched them down that street probably accounted for the absence of anyone else.
Up till this afternoon the pair had been having a wonderful time. It was a time of awakening and expansion and activity in China. K'ang-hsi, the fourth Manchu Emperor of the Quin Dynasty had occupied the Imperial throne now for thirty years (and was to continue to do so for another thirty). Although rebellions by members of the former Ming dynasty had continued in the south of the country the central regions were enjoying a period of peace and stability such as they had not had in decades.
Art, music and literature were on the rise, encouraged by the Emperor and the Imperial Court. Commerce was in full bloom, internal and external trade filling the royal treasury year after year. And compared to the cities Katniss and Clove had visited and lived in over the last decade Beijing was a party that was never-ending.
The pair was still flush, having found little opportunity to spend their money. Indeed they had invested part of their gold in the caravan they had arrived with and received a handsome return on that. So they indulged themselves. They sampled foods of all types and the various wines and liquors that were available. They made a pact that each would keep an eye on the other to avoid too much ingestion of either food or drink. Neither wanted to have to resort to the exercise regime they had forced themselves to when their appetites out grew their clothes.
Clothes changed. Travel worn woolens and rough cloth gave way to linens and silk. They stayed with boots, but replaced their aged footwear with hand crafted ones of the finest leather. They stayed in elegant hostels rather than cheap inns.
Not that either one threw money around carelessly. Immortal or not both had come from poor, in Clove s case desperately poor, families and old habits die very hard. Both participated in the seemingly endless fairs and parades, demonstrating Katniss's skill with the bow and Clove's abilities at tumbling and knife throwing. Once again they backed themselves against all comers and usually won.
That the winnings remained "mostly" and not "always" was due to Clove's canniness. It s hard to get people to bet when they think there is no hope of winning," she advised her companion. "My father taught me that you can skin the same mark over and over IF you give him time to grow a new pelt AND allow him to win a little occasionally."
One problem they sought serious and top-flight advice on was their swords. The ones they had purchased in Damascus were of exceptional quality but several combats, including a couple of Immortal duels where the non-challenged party nearly gnawed her fingers down to the bone in fear followed by giddy relief at the partner's victory, had shown them something was wrong with the plain, cross-hilted long swords they had crafted for them.
A visit to several different schools of sword fighting and crafting led them to one in particular that they would later find out was run by a retired Imperial Guard and usually frequented by members of that elite group. The master watched the pair practice for two weeks before rendering his verdict.
"The metal of your swords is superior but they were not crafted for your hands," the still fit elderly Manchu told them sternly. "Your sword," he pointed at Clove, "is too heavy and long for you and yours," this time Katniss was on the receiving end of his comments, "is not balance for your height and reach.
There was a waiting period when new blades were crafted for them. For Katniss the choice was the yanmao dao, or "goose-quill saber. Generally straight with a slight curve near the tip it was strong, balance perfectly for her and could be used for both slashing as well as thrusting. Clove was presented with a duan dao or "short dao". Similar in design of the liuye dao, the "willow leaf saber." it was a cut down version of the most common form of Chinese saber which was the standard sword for both Chinese cavalry and infantry.
Because weapons training was an integral part of many forms the girls became interested in the Chinese martial arts. Clove particularly took to the unarmed combat, her training as an acrobat serving her well in learning the basic moves. Katniss had a little more trouble but persevered and the girls often trained together at the home they had rented. They had fun and it certainly was good exercise.
Once again the ancient sport of exercise in a prone (among many others) position was offered to both of them on a very regular basis. The Chinese men were quite fascinated by the girls. They received a number of offers, some polite and many more blatant. They could have made a fine living as sex partners for hire or even have been kept women by entranced rich men. None of it was appealing and the offers were refused, politely with a smile when possible, forcefully when politeness didn't work.
Some of the men were quite appealing; strong, handsome and nice. But neither Clove nor Katniss felt really attracted to any of them. It was impossible to put into words, nearly impossible to frame the thoughts, but both of them kept themselves celibate because they didn't want the other to be "uncomfortable". Neither one of them spoke of it or they might have realized that "uncomfortable" was taking the place of "jealous".
That unseen observer might have rolled his or her eyes and sighed in loud exasperation at the inability of both women to acknowledge what was really going on. Fortunately someone was about to step in and figuratively bang heads together, even more so when that person found out how the day had begun.
Of course the day's beginning was the after effect of the night before. And the night before had been the start of the Chinese New year and all the celebrations that it involved. There had been parades and fireworks and parties until the wee hours of the morning. And all of those had involved two Immortal girls.
"Come ON Katniss," Clove had chided her friend who had made vague noises about an early night of it. "Life can't all be practice and swords and archery and preparation for the next duel. What good is it to live forever if we don't enjoy it?"
Actually Katniss hadn't needed THAT much convincing. The pair enjoyed themselves all night long, awakening well after the sun rose. Quite a long time after the sun rose in fact. But it wasn't the hour of their rising that surprised them.
(Earlier)
Katniss managed to pry open one eye. Their bedroom had woven shades covering the not very abundant windows but the light still was too much. She closed it again and concentrated more on her pounding headache. After a deep breath or twenty she decided her raging thirst was more important than lying here half cold and half warm. This time she got both eyes open.
So that was why she was cold in places. She was nude. And that was why she was warm in other places. It was because she was tangled up with another nude body. It was a nice body, smooth and slender and firm and...
"Oh God."
The tousled head beside her lifted up, blinking sleepily. "What is it Katniss?" Clove's eyes popped wide open as she took in the exact same picture that had caused the other girl to cry out.
For a moment nothing happened. Both girls searched their admitted foggy memories, each trying to remember exactly how and why they had ended up in bed together sans clothes. Had something happened? Besides the copious amounts of wine of course.
Katniss and Clove often slept in the same bed. After all, out on the trails they had wandered it was cold at night and much warmer when two blanket rolls were put together and shared. Besides, they both felt more comfortable when the other was close at hand. But they didn't sleep together nude. Or had it been more than just sleeping? And how would they tell? While both were quite familiar with how the morning after sex with a guy felt this was completely new.
So as they had been doing the pair acted as though nothing was going on. Somewhat awkwardly they got out of bed and got dressed. They avoided eye contact as they did but both kept sneaking glances at each other's bodies.
Clove had seen Katniss nude before of course but never like this. "God, she's beautiful," she thought, not knowing that Katniss was making the exact same appraisal as her and coming to the same conclusion
Now dressed they staggered to the kitchen area where their hired cook prepared a meal. After all but inhaling it and drinking several strong cups of tea they felt they would survive.
It was then that the group of Imperial Guardsman had entered their house, brushing past servants and ordered the two girls to come with them. Not really wanting to argue the situation with ten capable, hard-bitten soldiers who were not answering questions the pair did as they were told.
To their surprise they were taken directly to the Forbidden City. "Well it s a chance to see it," muttered Katniss s they passed through the Outer Court. "Yes but are we going to be around to tell anyone about it?" returned Clove as they were guided deeper and deeper into the palace complex, entering the Inner Court.
That worry was reinforced shortly as they both felt the presence of another Immortal. "Hope we're not being led to execution," whispered Katniss. Clove nodded. By the time they were shown through a doorway the two of them were tightly holding hands.
To their surprise the guards did not enter the small enclosed courtyard with them. Also to their surprise the small figure that stood up from the low stone ring surrounding a fountain in the middle of the courtyard was only armed with a smile. And to Clove's surprise Katniss ran forward, dragging her along, with a shout of happiness. The red-head flung her arms around Katniss and hugged her close, incidentally including Clove as well.
"Oh God I've missed you!" Katniss seemed as though she was about to cry.
Clove felt as though someone had stabbed her. It took a moment to sort out that what she was feeling was jealousy; that she was jealous of this red-head Immortal. That was ridiculous wasn't it? Of course it was. Of course it wasn't. Katniss was HERS.
Before her runaway thoughts could spur any action Katniss let go of the other girl, wiped her eyes and grabbed Clove again.
"Deirdre I want you to meet Clove. Clove Honor this is my mentor Deirdre O'Connor."
Clove turned red, something she hoped was not picked up as the older Irish Immortal hugged her as well. Deirdre then proceeded to get them all seated around the fountain with Katniss between them. Clove listened and relaxed as the two other women almost babbled as they talked at the same time.
"How have you been? Where have you been?"
"What have you been up to?"
"You just missed Duncan. He was here no more than ten years ago."
"You just left Paris not two years before I got there from Italy."
Katniss told of their recent adventures and how they had come to be here and Deirdre told how she became a tutor for the Emperor's children "And how many there are you just wouldn't believe. What a horny old and prolific goat he is. My father never dreamed of anything like this. which reminded Clove that Deirdre was the daughter of the last King of Ireland. Finally the two came up for air. Deirdre laughed.
"Clove I'm so sorry. We all but excluded you but it's been a century or more now since we've seen each other. I want to hear about you now. When did you two meet and how long have you been together?"
With interjections from Katniss Clove began to tell about their meetings and how she had split from her former allies. She talked a little about her origins and then more about how she and Katniss became partners. When she finished Deidre clapped her hands in delight.
"That's wonderful. So how long have you been together?"
Slightly puzzled Clove mentioned Vienna again.
"No, not how long since you met. How long before you two became a couple?"
Katniss and Clove sat there with their mouths open. The pose was copied by Deirdre moments later.
"Oh for heaven's sake!" the older Immortal exclaimed. "A blind person could see that you two love each other! And yet you've never told each other? I can't believe it."
(To be continued)
