"Now it's over."
It takes several moments for the words to register with Milla, and several more for her to realise there's no longer a gun pressed into the back of her head. Hands shaking, she feels the back of her head and finds her hair is damp. Fearing the worst, she slowly opens her eyes to find her shaking hands are also damp… but there's no blood, just sweat. "Huh?"
Confused, Milla turns and almost leaps out of her fur at the sight of Shang Nanhu Nawang's wide‑eyed corpse behind her, a bullet hole in the centre of his forehead. The sight triggers an uncontrollable wave of nausea, though she just about manages to stop herself throwing up. Desperate to look anywhere else, Milla turns her back on Nawang's corpse only to see a surprisingly familiar face.
"Bet you didn't expect to see me again," Mipham greets, the lowered pistol in her hand smoking slightly.
"But… why?" Milla asks, confused.
"When my enemy treads me with compassion while my allies treat me with contempt, I question whether I'm on the right side," Mipham explains. "In this case, I decided to switch."
"Oh… Uh… Thanks for… that."
"Just returning the favour." Mipham's ears prick at the sound of approaching sirens. "Ah, that's my cue to leave," she informs, holstering her pistol. "See you around, Měi Lán."
"I uh… I prefer 'Milla'."
"Ah, then see you around, Milla," Mipham winks before fleeing the scene as fast as she can.
"Yeah, I… Bye." She… She saved my life… Why?
A couple of minutes later, the sirens arrive outside the casino and fall silent. Moments later, the front door opens to reveal three figures: Empress Kelsang, her bodyguard Temba, and private detective Rinzen.
"By the Deities…" Kelsang breathes in shock at the scene in front of her before quickly regaining her composure. "Temba, check Dolma's alive, and if she is, arrest her. Rinzen, search Nawang's body," she instructs before turning to Milla. "And you must be Milla Basset. I am Empress Kelsang, and I owe you an immense debt of gratitude for what you have done today."
"I…" Milla replies, not sure what to say.
Kelsang smiles kindly. "It's OK, Milla: you're safe now, I promise."
Milla looks to Rinzen.
"You can trust her," Rinzen assures.
Milla nods, picks up her sword and sheathes it, then approaches Kelsang. "I…"
Kelsang crouches in front of Milla and takes the hound's hands in hers. "Let it all out," she instructs softly.
Seeing the kindness in Kelsang's eyes, Milla can hold it in no longer: she throws her arms around the Empress, buries her face in her shoulder, and cries uncontrollably as the relief that the nightmare is over overwhelms her with joy.
Kelsang holds Milla close to her in a comforting embrace. "No‑one your age should ever have to go through what you've been through," she comforts, softly stroking Milla's hair. "Yet not only did you handle it, you emerged victorious against all the odds, saving my Empire in the process. You truly have the strength of the Bái Shén, and you have my eternal unconditional respect and gratitude. Come, let's get out of here."
Milla offers no resistance as Kelsang gently lifts her and carries her out of the casino, wrapping her legs around the Empress's waist as she clings on for comfort.
A few hours later, Milla stirs awake. Hmm… that was a good nap… this bed is so comfy, I‑ Wait… I'm in a bed‽ Confused, Milla sits up and opens her eyes to find she's in a regally decorated bedroom, her freshly‑laundered clothes and her sheathed sword waiting for her next to a modest selection of fruit juices and three protein bars on a small table beside the bed. Where am I?
A moment later, there's a gentle knock on the door. "Milla?" a voice asks just loudly enough to be heard. "Are you awake?"
Where have I heard that voice? Milla thinks a moment… and that's when the memories of what happened in the casino earlier come flooding back. By the Ancients, I almost… I should answer the door. "Just a moment," she calls.
"Take as long as you need," the voice replies.
Milla slides out of bed, quickly dresses herself, and answers the door to find Empress Kelsang waiting for her.
"Good afternoon, Milla," Kelsang greets. "I hope I didn't wake you. How are you feeling?"
"I… I'm not sure," Milla replies. "Where am I?"
"In my Palace," Kelsang answers. "I brought you here after we left the casino, though I understand if you don't recall the journey, given how overwhelmed you were by the whole situation. May I come in?"
"I… Yes, of course." Milla steps aside to allow Kelsang to enter the room. "Sorry, I'm not really feeling like myself at the moment."
"There's no need for apologies, especially after all you've been through," Kelsang assures as she enters and perches on the end of the bed. "You've not touched the juices or protein bars, I see. Are they not to your taste? I can send for something more to your liking."
"Huh? Oh, no, they're fine, I just…" Milla tails off.
"You really should have something to eat and drink," Kelsang encourages softly.
"Yeah, I probably should," Milla agrees, returning to the table and selecting a protein bar and the goji juice. "This was the first thing I had in the Empire," she idly comments, referring to the juice. "Seems so long ago now…"
"A lot has happened over the last year or so, more than most see in a decade," Kelsang agrees. "Come, sit and have a chat with me."
Milla perches on the end of the bed next to the Empress. "I think it'll be a while before I've processed it all," she comments as she starts munching her way through the protein bar. "Can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"What's going to happen now? With the Nine Tails and the Order and… stuff."
"The Nine Tails are all being arrested, and they'll face trial for their crimes," Kelsang answers. "As for the Order and their associates, I've pardoned them all unconditionally."
"Good," Milla smiles as she finishes the protein bar.
"There's more," Kelsang continues. "Now that the lies told by the Nine Tails have been exposed, the truth about the Basset Uprising will eventually be uncovered. It'll take time for that truth to fully emerge, but when it does, I'm confident that the name Bái Shén will be respected instead of feared. Which reminds me: I intend to recognise your services to the Empire with honorary citizenship and a suitable title. How do you feel about 'Imperial Guardian'?"
Milla almost chokes on her goji juice at the suggestion. "Sorry," she blushes. "I uh… I wasn't expecting that."
"Don't worry about it," Kelsang assures. "You don't have to decide about the title now, of course: take as much time as you need to think about it."
Milla finishes the goji juice, then fetches the other two protein bars and the lychee juice. "I'm hungrier and thirstier than I thought," she explains, blushing slightly as she starts munching through her second protein bar.
"I can arrange for more to be brought up if you like," Kelsang offers.
"Thanks," Milla smiles. "Um… You're not going to invite me to a big public dinner, are you?"
"I was thinking of organising a small private celebration with myself, you, Rinzen, and Jampa," Kelsang answers. "Unless you want a bigger event?"
"I had to go to one that Mayor Zao held after we defeated Lord Brevon," Milla replies. "I hated it. Having to be super‑polite to random people I've never met… I couldn't wait to get out of there."
"Then I'll stick to the original plan," Kelsang assures. "If you'll excuse me, I have official duties that must be attended to. Will you be OK?"
Milla finishes her third protein bar. "I will be, yeah," she assures.
"If you need anything, all you have to do is ask, and it shall be provided," Kelsang informs. "And if you want to talk more, I'll do my best to make some time."
"Can I see Jampa?" Milla asks.
"I'll send for him," Kelsang replies.
Twenty minutes later, there's another knock on Milla's door.
"Coming!" Milla jogs over to the door and opens it. "Jampa!" she exclaims, throwing her arms around the amber yak and hugging him tightly. "I'm so happy to see you!"
"It fills my heart with joy overflowing to see you alive and well," Jampa replies, returning the hug. "The Empress has told me what you did. You truly have‑"
"‑the strength of the Bái Shén," Milla finishes.
"Guess you're getting sick of hearing that, huh?" Jampa chuckles.
"A little," Milla admits, blushing slightly as she breaks the hug. "I hope you weren't hurt too badly by Nawang and his men," she continues, moving to one side and inviting Jampa into the room.
"I was roughed up pretty badly, but there was no serious injury," Jampa informs as he enters the room and perches on the end of the bed. "I hope the Huxian and her cronies didn't hurt you."
"I'm a bit bruised, but that's it," Milla answers, sitting next to Jampa. "It could have been a lot worse though: I could have…"
Jampa can see the sadness in Milla's eyes. "What matters is that you're alive and well," he assures softly. "While it's important to recognise what could have been, dwelling on such matters serves little practical purpose other than to hold you back from moving forward."
"Carol said something similar to me after the Brevon Crisis," Milla smiles, her mood improving. "You'd would get along very well with her, I'm sure."
"She does sound like she has a wise head on her shoulders," Jampa observes. "May I make a suggestion?"
"Sure."
"You've spent the last year being a warrior, and for someone your age, that's too long. Therefore, I suggest that for the next few days at least, you simply be a kid," Jampa suggests.
"I… I'm not sure I know how," Milla admits, blushing. "I grew up feral, then moved in with two former Red Scarves and helped save the world. Not exactly a normal childhood."
"What do you like to do on the days you aren't saving the world?" Jampa asks.
"Watch cartoons and fun movies, wear pretty dresses, help Carol in her workshop, make sushi with Lilac, sunbathe on the roof of our treehouse, chase butterflies through the trees, play in piles of leaves, help Lilac trick Carol into having tea parties…" Milla tails off. "I really miss doing all that stuff."
"Sounds to me like you know exactly how to be a kid," Jampa assures. "Though I'm afraid I must disappoint you and refuse to wear a dress," he adds humorously.
"You'd look silly in one anyway," Milla giggles. "Thanks: I needed that," she adds with a happy sigh.
"My pleasure," Jampa replies. "So, what do you want to do?"
Milla thinks a moment. "Watch movies and pig out on snacks," she decides. "Can Rinzen join us?"
"Of course," Jampa agrees.
"And Empress Kelsang?"
"If she's free."
"Yay!" Milla exclaims. "I'll race ya!" she chirps, leaping off the end of the bed and bounding out the room on all‑fours.
"Milla, wait up!" Jampa calls as he dashes out the room, doing his best not to be left behind. After all that's happened, it's such a relief to see her happy and full of energy, just like any twelve‑year‑old girl should be. If only she wasn't so fast…
Over the next week, Milla stays at the Imperial Palace as Empress Kelsang's honoured guest, spending most of her time pushing her worries to one side and having as much fun as possible. But eventually, homesickness sets in, and Milla decides it's time to return to Dragon Valley. With Empress Kelsang unable to neglect her imperial duties and Jampa settling into his new role as Chief Imperial Advisor, Rinzen volunteers to see her safely to Dragon Valley.
There's just one last person Milla wishes to visit before she goes home.
Early afternoon in Lamkha, Rinzen parks his new luxury off‑road car outside the Dmar Wamo and shuts off the engine. "Are you sure you want to go in alone?"
"I'll be fine," Milla assures. "After all, I have the strength of the Bái Shén," she adds jovially.
Rinzen cannot resist a polite chuckle of amusement. "I'll be right here if you need me."
"Be back in a minute." Milla gets out of the car, checks her new outfit is straight, and enters the inn where she finds a familiar sienna beaver behind the bar.
Champo notices the new arrival immediately. "Ah, Milla Basset, how great to see you again!" he greets. "Love the new look," he adds, referring to Milla's fitted asymmetric jade crop top that passes over her left shoulder and under her right paired with a pleated skirt with alternating vertical orange and jade stripes asymmetrically hemmed at mid‑thigh on the left and at the knee on the right. "Definitely more 'you' than that cloak you had when you first arrived."
"Thanks: I designed it myself," Milla blushes as she sits at the bar. "Well, not entirely by myself: Empress Kelsang helped me. I hope the Nine Tails didn't hurt you."
"Not even slightly," Champo assures. "Though I must admit, I did surrender without resistance."
"I'm sure you did what you felt was right," Milla smiles. "Oh, before I forget: I came to give you this," she adds, placing a hemp bag containing ten times the amount of money Champo originally gave her.
Champo blinks in surprise. "Wow, that's… You really didn't have to," he replies, happy about the amount offered yet reluctant to accept it.
"I know, but I couldn't leave without doing something to show how thankful I am for your help," Milla explains. "Please, I insist you take it."
"Well, since you insist, I guess I have no choice," Champo accepts. "I promise to put it to good use."
"I'm sure you will," Milla smiles. "I'd like a goji juice, please."
"One goji juice on the house coming up," Champo replies, quickly taking the hemp sack into the office before returning and serving Milla her drink.
As Milla takes a sip, a russet marmot approaches her with his two friends. "So, you came back," he greets.
"Just stopping by on my way home," Milla replies calmly. "I don't want any trouble."
"Good, because we don't either," the marmot assures. "We just want to apologise for what happened last time," he continues. "We were wrong to judge you based on actions you had no part in, and I hope you can forgive us for our foolishness."
Milla looks the marmot in the eye and only sees sincerity. "You scared me a lot when you accused me of coming to destroy the Empire," she replies sternly. "It hurt to be accused of something so terrible. But I understand now that you were even more scared of me than I was of you, and for that reason, I accept your apology. I hope that in future, you'll refuse to give into fear and take the time to get to know someone before judging them."
"We promise we will never again give in to fear," the marmot vows. "May the Five Deities guide you home safely."
"And may they guide you and the rest of the Empire to a better future for all," Milla smiles.
"I think you really got through to them," Champo compliments as the marmots quietly return to their seats.
"I hope so," Milla replies. "A lot is going to change across the Empire now that the Nine Tails are no more and the truth about the Basset Uprising can be uncovered."
"All for the better, I hope."
"Me too." Milla finishes her goji juice. "Well, it's time for me to head home," she sighs.
"Will you return one day to visit us?" Champo asks.
"I will," Milla promises. "I'll try and bring my friends with me too."
"They'll be more than welcome," Champo smiles.
Milla slides off the bar stool. "Until next time."
"Looking forward to it."
Milla quickly waves goodbye to the marmots, smiling as they happily wave back, then heads back outside and into Rinzen's car.
"Ready?" Rinzen asks.
"Ready," Milla confirms. This time tomorrow, I'll be home.