"I think our judge is biased in deciding a winner," Lan Xichen snorts.
Despite her protesting the entire way, the clan leader had managed to herd her to the infirmary to check her arm. He had hoisted a giggling Dumplin into his arms, hanging her upside down, and Mimi had no choice but to follow.
Damn clever clan leaders, Mimi thought, Chen had begged off, choosing to stay in the library. The traitor.
"Honestly, clan leader, I believe that this is unnecessary. It was just a cramp," Mimi reaches for her littlest sister, but the clan leader puts the child on his shoulders, just out of her reach.
Dumplin waves at her in delight, and Mimi sighs with resignation. It was apparent that she was not going to win this game of keep away.
"Please sit down," Lan Xichen very gently lifts Dumplin from his shoulders and sets her on the table; he pats the spot next to the child.
Mimi adjusts her skirts and sits down next to Dumplin on the table.
"That was fun!" Dumplin hugs her sister's side, rubbing her face affectionately into Mimi's dress, "the clan leader is so tall, Mimi."
Mimi can't help the grin that tugs at her lips to see her sister so happy. She leans over, and Dumplin nuzzles their noses together.
Turning back to the clan leader who is watching with an unreadable expression, Mimi says, "Do your worst."
He looks over at her arm, he raises his hands, "May I?"
Looking the man over, Mimi nods approvingly.
He very gently touches her arm, moving expert fingers over the tendons and ligaments, "Perhaps it was ill-advised doing a handstand contest after a day of carrying one's sisters up a mountain. That is not including slaying six nag right afterward."
"Probably," Mimi allows grudgingly.
"I was worried perhaps your shoulder had popped out of its socket," Lan Xichen presses his fingers against her shoulder, and Mimi can't help breathing in his minty scent.
His fingers were rough but gentle, Mimi thinks as he presses his fingers to a particularly sensitive spot, and Mimi sucks in a breath.
"Out of socket?" Dumplin asks, her voice layered with concern.
"Sometimes when you work your muscles too much, your shoulder will pop out of its socket. You have to push it back in, and it hurts," Mimi explains, and her little sister entwines her tiny fingers with her sister's golden claws to show her support.
"I had a friend do that while she was performing. She had to be hauled out of the dance hall on a stretcher," Mimi says offhandedly, looking at Dumplin, who is studying her sister's claws like a new toy.
"What was she performing that made her do that?" Lan Xichen asks with interest, holding a container of something Mimi took to be some sort of healing agent.
"I am going to put a little of this healing salve on your arm to reduce the chances of any more muscle spasms if that is alright," Lan Xichen tries not to stare at the very sharp looking claws that the child is holding.
"Erm, yeah, go ahead. And my friend is an aerial performer, like an acrobat," Mimi winces at the coldness of the salve as the clan leader systematically massaged the cream into her skin.
"That is fascinating," Lan Xichen smiles at her, "I once saw such a performance when I visited Carp Tower," his voice turns sad, "You sometimes forget that actors playing such a role can be injured."
Mimi senses an underlying meaning to his words and is about to ask when Dumplin interrupts, "My sister can fly with ribbons!"
"Truly? That explains the handstands," Lan Xichen meets her eyes, and Mimi feels like she swallowed a tortoise.
"Erm, yes, it was something I did abroad," Mimi feels her face flush.
"Perhaps you could provide us with a demonstration some time," he asks, his sadness momentarily forgotten.
"Perhaps," Mimi repeats; the idea of performing in front of the clan leader sent goosebumps along her skin.
Mimi had performed for her wife on several occasions; in fact, a performance was when they first met, but this is different.
"Excellent. We do not see such entertainment here," the clan leader puts the cap on the salve and returns it to the shelf.
He picks up another container and carries it back to the sisters. Mimi sniffs the air and realizes whatever is in the box contained sugar.
"How does your arm feel?" he asks.
Experimentally moving her arm back and forth, Mimi realizes that it did feel much better.
"Better. Thank you," Mimi stretches it over her head, stretching her back out in the process.
Unscrewing the lid, the clan leader peeks inside the container and, with a clumsy flourish, reveals a piece of candy.
Grudgingly feeling like she should be responsible and allow her little sister to have it, Mimi nudges her sister forward. Dumplin takes the candy reverently, and Mimi has a strong suspicion that her sister has been utterly won over.
He produces another two pieces of candy and gives them to Mimi. He flinches a little as she delicately takes the pieces of sweets from his fingers. Up close, he could see just how sharp the claws were. No wonder the nag's skin had parted for her so easily.
"Thank you, clan leader," Mimi smiles as he sneaks another candy to Dumplin.
"Of course, I still feel guilty for leaving you to fend for yourselves yesterday," the clan leader confesses, turning away to put the candy container on the shelf.
Mimi sneaks her extra pieces to Dumplin, who takes it eagerly and shoves it into her mouth.
"I would have done the same if it were switched, and I was defending my cubs," Mimi says, watching Dumplin unwrapping her candy and putting it in her mouth.
Making a happy cub noise, Dumplin molds herself to her sister's side like an adorable barnacle.
"I am glad you understand," Lan Xichen studies the sisters, he didn't have much experience with women, and he certainly had no previous experience with sisters.
Yet it struck him as rather strange that the little ones were so eager to follow their eldest sister like little ducklings. They did not even seem bothered that they were far from home and far from their mother, especially the youngest child. He had noticed it briefly at the hotel as well.
"It must be difficult being so far from home," he says sympathetically, hoping that the nag had not spooked the sisters.
"Not really," Dumplin says, playing with her eldest sister's claws.
"You don't miss your home?" he asks curiously, looking at the eldest sister whose eyes were distant as she quietly waits for her sister's reply.
"No. Not really. I have Mimi and Chen," Dumplin looks up at her sister beaming, and Mimi smiles down at her.
"We are not close to our family," Mimi carefully runs a clawed hand through her sister's hair, and Lan Xichen marvels at how careful the Lady Shen is as she gently touches her sister's head.
"Perhaps that makes the parting so much easier," Lan Xichen finally says.
A strange silence fills the room, and Lan Xichen realizes he still has so much left to do before the welcome feast.
"Now, Lady's Shen," the clan leader looks between the two sisters, "I must regrettably leave to make sure the plans for the welcome feast tonight are being followed," he points a slender finger at Mimi, "I would recommend taking it easy. No handstands or grappling with nags."
He looks down at Dumplin, "I want you to make sure your sister follows these rules and to report back to me if she does not."
Solemnly nodding, Dumplin looks up at her eldest sibling, "You are going to do what the clan leader says?"
Feeling the weight of both their stares, Mimi shrugs, "It appears I've been outvoted."