The lake practically sparkles as Mimi finally staggers through the trees, her shoulders stung, and her body felt like one giant bruise. It felt as if she had been walking for hours.
"I am so glad I double checked with Daiyu on directions," Mimi mutters to herself as she carefully sits down on the bank.
Muscles that she did not even know she had ached horribly. Daiyu had recommended the lake after Mimi finally sent her a panicked message early this morning after seeing her infected shoulders. The clan leader had sent her multiple messages of congratulations, which slowly devolved into those of concern. Mimi had yet to respond.
Wary of checking out the Cloud Recesses cold springs due to the number of cultivators. Daiyu had recommended this mountain lake. Daiyu's people called it "The Mirror," and Mimi could certainly see why. The water is like black ink. Taking off her shoes, Mimi dips her foot into the water and immediately yanks it out. The water is ice cold. Biting the inside of her cheek Mimi pulls off her outer layers until she is only in her shift. The silk bandages still covering her shoulders, she left alone. Carefully getting to her feet, Mimi assesses the water.
"Okay, don't be a pussy," Mimi growls before running into the bone-chilling water.
Shivering, she dunks her head under. She could barely make out her foxtails in the dark water. Her tails wrap around her protecting her from the cold. It took some getting used to, but the cold water did loosen her joints and heal her aches. Taking a deep breath, Mimi floats on her back, watching the sky. The sun warms her exposed skin. Kicking her feet, Mimi propels herself further from the shore. Reaching back, Mimi pulls the silk hair tie out. Allowing her long black hair to spread out in the water. A couple of her tails pop out of the water like furry sea serpents.
"Well, I'm not quite a mermaid," Mimi mutters to herself. She was passing into the shadow of a low cliff that hung over the lake. Kicking off the side of a rock, Mimi propels herself into the sun.
Sara had a professor friend who had a cabin in the mountains that opened on to a dock. It was a shitty little reservoir that often smelled of rotten fish, but Mimi loved laying on the dock watching the stars.
"Why do the stars always seem to have the saddest stories?" Sara surmised, her fingers combing through Mimi's hair as Mimi had reclined with her head on her wife's stomach. The ideal pillow.
On the edge of sleep, Mimi remembers staring up at the stars lazily, "Because mythology is full of dicks."
"No. Just think about it, the betrayals, the love, the tragedy that goes into explaining complex shapes in the heavens," Sara tugs a little on her hair.
"Are you hinting that you want one of those 'name a star' things for Christmas? Honestly, I think having a black hole would be better."
"Lady Shen!"
Yanked out of the memory, Mimi opens her eyes to see none other than the clan leader diving into the water off the cliff. Fuck. She only had enough time to marvel a little at the perfect line his form made before his body cleaved through the water.
"Clan leader," Mimi nearly shrieks in surprise, tugging her foxtails into the water and hiding them behind her like a small child hiding a treat they were not supposed to have. The foxtails around her body shudder.
"Lady Shen! Are you alright?!" Lan Xichen reaches her swiftly, his long hair clinging to his face like that child from "The Ring."
His forehead band is crooked, and he seemed to be still wearing multiple layers of clothing.
A hysterical giggle burst from her lips, "Are you alright?"
The confusion seems to pass over his face. Out of habit, Mimi pushes his hair back out of his face and adjusts the forehead band so that it is more centered. His eyes grow large, and Mimi pulls back.
"I came to meditate," Lan Xichen forces out finally, "I saw you and thought . . ."
Feeling a little guilty for laughing and not responding to his messages, Mimi can't help but swim a little closer. He flinches as her unseen tails reach out to brush against him. Slapping her tails away from him, Mimi begins to swim for shore.
"Thanks for trying to save me," Mimi says, watching as the clan leader easily keeps pace with her in the water.
He smiles a little, but it does not reach his eyes, "I feel more embarrassed than anything."
"Umm, do you mind turning around, while I," Mimi gestures at her clothing.
"Oh, of course, my apologies," the clan leader turns his back and covers his eyes.
Her "modesty" protected, Mimi finally steps onto the shore and begins shaking herself like a canine.
"Are you well?" he asks, and Mimi pauses as she shrugs into her dress and adjusting her skirts around her tails. Hiding them from view.
Feeling her cheeks burn, Mimi throws her robe over her dress, "I did receive your messages. I just slept for a long time, and then my sister's cultivation partner recommended this lake for my wounds. You can turn around now."
Picking up another towel she had thought to bring, Mimi tosses it at him and, without meaning, hits him in the face.
"Oops," Mimi awkwardly grabs her other towel and yanks her hair through it, making it fluff out in all directions, "Sorry."
But the clan leader does not move the towel away from his face.
"You probably should not swim here," he says softly, holding the towel in front of his face.
"Oh?" Mimi sat down on the warm rocks, her tails soaking up the heat from the stones.
"The lake is said to be cursed."
Lan Xichen explains, "The water is said to be this color due to the number of corpses that have sunk into its depths."
"Oh."
"I am sure it is merely a legend, but I remember when I was young, my uncle punished a young man for trying to reach the bottom of the lake. The young man claimed that the arms of the dead waved to him from the lakebed like seaweed."
Feeling a little itchy, Mimi pats the spot next to her, confused as to why the clan leader is still holding a towel in front of his face, "Why don't you sit down and dry off?"
"Are you decent?" the clan leader asks carefully, and Mimi realizes that her white dress is somewhat see-through due to her wet undergarments.
Mimi quickly dries herself with her, foxfire, "Yes, I'm decent."
Running a hand through her hair, she realizes there would be no doing anything with it. The clan leader lowers the towel as if not entirely believing that Mimi would not flash him. Blinking innocently, Mimi pats the spot next to her, still trying to calm her wild hair with both hands.
A little wary of meeting his eyes, Mimi stares at his feet and realizes that he is wearing his boots.
"You didn't take your boots off," the words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself.
"I was concerned," Lan Xichen says defensively, staring down at his presumable corpse water-soaked clothes.
Summoning a ball of foxfire, Mimi allows it to float over to him, "Here, hold still."
The ball of green fire zooms over to the clan leader and proceeds to dart around him, drying his clothing faster.
Task accomplished, the ball of foxfire affectionately whirls about Mimi, finally resting in her hands. Staring into the green flames, Mimi allows the heat to warm her.
"Thank you," the clan leader sits down next to her, giving her and the ball of fire plenty of room.
"Looks like we are even," Mimi says teasingly, winding her fingers through the green flames.
"An attempt at saving a life and drying one's clothing is not the same," Lan Xichen says, staring curiously at the ball of flame.
The fire dissipates, and Mimi pulls her knees up to her chest, burying her feet in the warm stones, "What would? Killing a water demon by chance?"
He chuckles, "I shall think about it."
"Ahh, so I am always going to be in your debt. I see how it is," Mimi glances over at the clan leader, slightly amused. He is smiling at the water.
They sit in comfortable silence for a moment before the clan leader quietly breaks the silence.
"Were you injured last night? The bandages on your shoulders are bleeding through."
Biting her lip, Mimi slowly nods, "The water demon bit me. I thought going for a swim would help."
"May I see?" Lan Xichen asks.
"I had my sister put some salve on it," Mimi defends.
The clan leader is not meeting her eyes. He is . . .awkward. Mimi remembers how her wife used to make that face when they just started dating. A, "well, I have you hear, but I am not sure what to do to make you stay" look. Finally, coming to a decision, Mimi begins taking off a couple of her outer layers. She awkwardly reaches for the bandages but can't reach and does not want to rip them with her claws.
Letting out a slight huff, Mimi turns so that her back is to the clan leader, "Have at it. I was going to make my way to the infirmary at some point today."
Humming a little, the clan leader gently begins to remove the bandages. Marveling at the strangeness of the silk, he asks, "How did it go last night?"
"Erm, I survived," Mimi flinches as his fingers graze the bite marks.
"I cannot treat this here. This bite is infected," Lan Xichen holds out her outer layers for her to put on.
Knowing it is better just to get it treated, Mimi puts on her shoes. She has barely put the boots on before the clan leader has scooped her up like a bag of potatoes.
"Clan leader!" Mimi yelps, "It's a two-mile hike. You can't possibly carry me that far!"
"I can, and I will," Lan Xichen promises.
Mimi tries to wriggle out of his grasp halfheartedly, but his arms were as strong as they were gentle. Sighing in resignation, Mimi rests her head on his chest. His heart is beating rapidly.
"You do realize that it will look very suspicious if you bring me back like this?" Mimi teases, "No, chaperone, our hair mussed. Think of your reputation."
Lan Xichen stops and stares down at her seriously, "I do not care."
Speechless, Mimi allows him to readjust her in his arms so that she is more comfortable.
"Does this mean I still owe you?" Mimi asks after a moment of silence.
"What do you think?"
Smiling to herself, Mimi leans back, and the smell of mint soothingly washes over her.
"Do you eat mint leaves?" she asks suddenly.
The dark-haired clan leader looks down at her curiously, "I do. I find it calming. Why do you ask?"
"Just curious."
With the combination of the rocking motion and the sunlight warming her skin, Mimi fell into a doze, only waking to the sound of shouts.
It took a moment to realize where she is, but her hand is clinging to the clan leader's jacket. They were apparently standing outside his residence in Cloud Recesses.
"I told you, Lan Zhan, that there are large dogs here!"
That was Master Wei, her brain supplies, not wanting to wake up yet, she looked out through her lashes.
The younger brother to the clan leader is staring at her with an unreadable expression. Probably thinking I am very unseemly, she thinks.
"She has bite marks all along her shoulders. Very large ones from the water demon. No dogs Master Wei," Lan Xichen reports, "I daresay there are probably more. She was reluctant to show me these."
He soon is laying her gently on a mat and evidently went to close the door. The smell of mint fills her nose. Still pretending to sleep, she felt the back of a hand lightly caress her forehead and then cheek. The hand changed direction and lightly brushes the hair out of her face. Mimi remembers those fingers, and not being able to help herself, pushes her head into the hand like a cat wanting attention.
"Lady Shen," he calls softly, "I know you're awake."
Grumbling, she opens her eyes slowly and realizes he is sitting close to her on the mat. He was looking a little worse for wear. Mimi sits up, pushes his hair back out of his face, and readjusts the forehead band to be more centered. As soon as she touches the band, her wrists are gently encircled by his hands. Holding her in place.
"You have read the Gusu clan rules?" he breathes his eyes like molten rock. She could not look away.
"Of course, but there are more than 3000. I was tested on this," Mimi murmurs, feeling almost hypnotized.
He drops her wrists, "Let me get some fresh bandages and anesthetic."
Mimi dutifully removes the outer garments and sits with her shoulders exposed, "If I have offended you in any way . . ."
The clan leader shushes her and begins unwinding the bandages.
"Why did you not find me last night?" he asks as Mimi grits her teeth as he goes over the wounds with a hot cloth.
"I returned very early in the morning and didn't think you were awake," Mimi answers honestly, closing her eyes at the pain.
"Why didn't you come find me in the morning?" he asks, voice still calm, but there is an underlying edge of steel underneath it.
Mimi doesn't answer. The pain of the wounds is making her a little dizzy.
"Are you alright, Lady Shen?"
"Do you have something I can hang on to?" she asks, looking back at the clan leader. She didn't want to put a dent in the floor with her claws.
Not liking the look on her face, he nods, "One moment. Don't move."
"I don't think I could," Mimi shouts at the retreating figure.
A few minutes pass, and the pain in her shoulders and back worsens, the pain becoming unbearable. Why was it acting up now? She thought. That corpse water was probably what did it. She was going to kill Daiyu and Qiaolian when she was able to get up. If she ever got up. A sudden pain lances through her spine, and she lets out a godawful bark. Her vision is blurry as she recognizes two figures in blue rush back into the room. The one in the dark blue cradles her to his chest, holding her up. Immediately engulfing her in the mint smell, she recognizes the clan leader.
"I brought Wanji here. Just stay calm," he explains softly as Mimi begins to protest.
"What did you use?" the stoic younger jade twin said softly.
"Nothing but freshwater," Lan Xichen exclaims, stroking her arm gently.
"The wound is infected. Poisoned most likely," Lan Zhan predicts. He lifted the bowl and sniffs it.
Peering around, Mimi catches sight of black water being wrung out of the rag along with blood.
Mimi flinches from the look, "What do you mean poisoned? Was it from the lake?"
Beginning to picture little dead hands coming out of her back, Mimi bends her neck to look. All she can see is her shoulders and back marred with red, green, and black bruises. As if reminded of her presence Lan Zhan nods to her respectfully in greeting, his eyes curiously taking in his brother holding on to her tightly.
"You have been poisoned by Xichen's water supply. I will collect the herbs needed. We will also need fresh water," he commanded, now more determined, "Wash her wounds with freshwater and rub aloe into the marks while I am gone. Use spiritual energy to keep her awake. Do nothing else."
The cultivator rose and quickly disappears from sight.
Mimi buries her face into Lan Xichen's chest, hiding her tears. She breathes in the mint off his clothing.
"I don't know how this happened," Lan Xichen exclaims, stroking her hair, "Now I need to get up and boil water."
Mimi let him go, and he lowers her onto the mat. He takes off his cloak, wraps the pillow with it, and tucks it under her head.
"Clan leader," Mimi presses her claws into the bedroll, "who is watching the girls?"
"They are in the library. I took them there myself," the clan leader answers immediately, soothing her.
Closing her eyes, Mimi buries her face into the cloak. The pain is excruciating. Like little people with knives stabbing her in the same parts of her spine, over and over. She settles in a fetal position, trying not to scream. In a state of panic, Lan Xichen washes her entire back with the hot water. Mimi passes out from the pain.
Alarmed, Lan Xichen caresses her cheek and runs his fingers through her sweaty hair, "Lady Shen?"
He presses his fingers against her neck to take her pulse. Her pulse is steady, and she is breathing. Deciding that she did not look comfortable, he adjusts her so that her head is on his lap. Taking a blanket to preserve her modesty, he begins to tuck it around her legs. She had curled her legs up as he had pressed the hot water to her wounds. So that her long skirts had risen up her leg to nearly her calve. Fascinated by this briefest glance of skin he had not seen since her leg wound, Lan Xichen attempts to lower the skirt, except his fingers touch fur. Could there be an animal underneath her skirts? Telling himself that it is the best course of action, he delicately unfolds her skirts and sees . . . tails. Foxtails. He could see at least four. But he could tell there were more. The tails were . . . lively. One particularly brave tail curls around his hand as if attempting to hold it. The color is identical to Firefly. He looks down at the woman in his lap and gently caresses her cheek before a low chuckle leaves his lips. So many hints, he thinks as the puzzle pieces fall into place. And the cubs? He chuckles, realizing it was not just a unique endearment. The young girls were literally little fox cubs. But she called Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi "cubs" and treated them as such, despite not being foxes. He sighs. So, they were fox spirits. Yet, this woman did not fit the stories he had heard of such creatures. Seductresses that would easily steal a man's soul in the night. Bringers of madness and chaos. Yet, there were also tales of bringing luck, depending on their mood. None of these stories had mentioned elder sisters protecting their own or others. It explained how she had been able to restore Master Wei's magical core. He smiles, go ask a spirit indeed, he thought. But why would she do that unless she genuinely cared about the clan? Lan Xichen felt that he should have been angry, but he couldn't. She had not technically lied to him. This . . . only confirmed what he had long suspected.
At that moment, Wanji steps through the door with a basket of herbs. Wanji sees his brother with the woman's head in his lap. And then he sees the tails. Immediately put a hand on his sword. However, seeing his brother's expression, he puts down the blade and begins mixing the herbs into a paste.
"How long have you suspected?" Lan Xichen asks, carefully folding the skirts back over the tails, hiding them from sight.
"Couple days after she arrived," the white-cloaked cultivator confesses, approaching with the bowl of herbs.
Carefully adjusting the Lady Shen so that his brother could more easily get to her injuries. Lan Xichen stares at his brother as the cultivator gently smears the smelly concoction on to the fox spirit's back.
"You didn't think to mention it?"
"You were laughing again," Lan Zhan says softly.
"I'm sorry, Wanji. I have been lost in my grief," Lan Xichen rubs his brother's arm affectionately.
A small smile forms on his brother's face before he looks down at the fox spirit, "She heals you," he gets up and moves to the door, "I will not tell uncle. Let that poultice stay on until it dries completely and flakes off."
"Thank you, Wanji."
Mimi slowly wakes up to the sound of beautiful music and her growling stomach. Realizing she is on said stomach, Mimi slowly moves her head to the side in the music's direction. Peering through her eyelashes, she sees the clan leader playing upon the guqin. His face is drawn and tired. His fingers slowly traipse across the silk as if every movement were of great effort. Not wanting to interrupt, Mimi continues to stare curiously at the clan leader. His hair is mussed, and his forehead band is a little crooked. He is not wearing his outer coat, which still lay comfortably under her cheek.
Deciding to make her presence known, she compliments, "You play beautifully. What is it called?"
Lan Xichen slowly raises his head to look at her, and a bright smile lights up his face.
"You're awake. Don't move," the clan leader nearly trips over the guqin to get to her side.
"If this is what is called being awake," Mimi gripes, peering at the poultice on her back, "What is this?"
Lan Xichen falls to his knees and checks her back and shoulders, "It's a poultice of herbs that Wanji found. It is only just beginning to dry. I have been instructed to keep you here until it flakes off. How do you feel?"
"Like I battled a water demon," Mimi quips with a playful smile, "How are my sisters?"
"Just fine. Master Wei and Wanji are keeping an eye on them," he watches as she relaxes and lays her head back on his cloak, "You passed out for a couple of hours. I was quite worried."
"I apologize. I honestly didn't think there was anything that could be done. My eldest sister told me that demon bites need to heal on their own."
He raises an eyebrow, more curious than ever to see this eldest sister of hers, "Did you see your eldest sister right after the task?"
Realizing belatedly that he had sent a fox spirit to exorcise a demon, Lan Xichen wrings his hands and wants to apologize. Her soul could have been lost, and she would have had to know this. But done it anyway. Perhaps she had enlisted her sister's aid?
"Yes, she and her cultivation partner gave me their aid," the Lady Shen said, not looking at him.
"I am glad you were able to find some assistance," he says quietly. Mimi looks up at him with her unique green eyes and tilts her head to the side, observing him.
How could he have not seen it before?