A slightly shorter chapter before we get down to business (to defeat the Huns?)
Over the course of the next few days, Chase noticed a change in his apprentice.
During their training, she had a viciousness and furiousness to her that he had never expected of the once-Xiaolin dragon.
She was quicker than before and when she would go down, exhausted from the day and he would ask if she was ready to quit, she would not reply, only growl and lift herself back up and regain her fighting stance.
After she truly could not fight anymore, she would dismiss herself, inquire to Mao's whereabouts for her wounds and then eat and go to bed.
While he could not be more thrilled at the advancement she showed to him, he was feeling . . . . something every time she shied away from him.
They were still mating, but instead of the passion and vigor at their beginning, she seemed eager to get away from his body once they were finished.
He was almost offended.
After all, he had centuries to perfect his technique. Women across the world had praised his skills. Lan-Ying herself passed out after their first session, and often went bone-less during the ones after.
Part of the reason he was so fond of the young dragon was the passion she exhibited, matching him in both fighting and in mating.
When she was acting so aloof and odd, it made him question what had happened to his fiery dragon.
Brooding on his throne, he listened vaguely to the village elder that had travelled to his palace to plead for help in protecting his lands from feral wolves that had been slaughtering his people.
Chase had already decided to send some of his felines to kill the creatures in exchange for some of the village's more abled bodied men for his armies, so he allowed himself to instead ponder how to fix his current situation.
A couple of months ago, he would not give a second thought about anyone's problems or concerns.
He would go about advancing his own needs and desires, letting the problems of others solve themselves.
But for the first time since he had drank the Lao Mang Lone, he found himself genuinely concerned for another being.
He could try to justify it by saying that her issues were interfering in his life and he needed to fix it to regain his sense of peace, but deep down he knew.
He knew that having Lan-Ying around was changing him. He now made plans for the future involving her. When he landed a hit harder than he thought, he felt anxious when she did not get up immediately. The idea of spending all day with her, training and bathing and mating in their bed did not seem like a waste of his valuable time, but instead a break from life that he needed.
Chase Young could feel his ancient, cold heart thaw a bit with every passing day.
There was even a shadow of apprehension of what would happen if she regained her memories and wanted to be Kimiko once more.
And so, to calm his chaotic mind, he decided that actions need to be taken.
He dismissed the elder after his request was fulfilled, and set out to discover what exactly Wuya had said to cause a change in Lan-Ying, for it could only be that damned witch who could upset the balance he had created in his home.
Lan-Ying, in the meantime, had been busy watching General Stein train with one of the younger cats.
He always intimated her in his human form, looking like something straight out of Norse mythology. He made no effort to flip the large jungle cat who charged at him, even laughing when the feline squawked like a kitten when the general grabbed him by the gruff of his neck.
The female had been spending a lot of her free time lately watching the generals fight and train.
It wasn't so much that she was fascinated with their fighting, for she had learned long ago that she needed to develop her own style of fighting, for she was neither strong like Stein, nor swift like Mao.
No, it was how they so effortlessly shifted forms, from human to beast.
To them, it was as natural as taking a breath, as they did not even stop their stride when they changed.
She had asked Stein once how he came to be fully clothed when he changed, while Chase was often nude after his shift.
Stein, after getting over the loud cough he made after hearing the details about their intimate life, mentioned that each feline had an enchanted collar that aided their changing state so they were never without clothing.
After that conversation, she had stopped questioning things, thinking that magic was the untold reason for most things in the palace.
Still, she watched as all the inhabitants of their home could switch to which ever form suited their needs.
Must be nice.
Making her way to the empty library, she noticed that the fireplace was lit and curled in front. She watched the fire flicker against her scales, the way her tail flicked unconsciously, her claws scratching the floors as she flexed them.
Although she loved her body, had become more comfortable in it since her awakening (as she had taken to calling the first incident of her memory), the cruel witch's word echoed to her very bones.
She liked Chase. Admired him, respected him and yearned for him. He was a good master, a generous mate and fair, yet tough, ruler. She wanted more, sometimes, though.
In her current state, she was levels below him. She wanted to be his counterpart, to stand beside him as an equal instead of a pet.
She couldn't do that when she was stuck padding around on all fours, or slithering like a snake around his throne.
Sometimes, she dreamed of what she would look like if she were human.
In those dark fantasies, she had dark hair, like Chase's, but sleeker, and so long she could wrap it around herself.
She could be small and thin, just like her current body since she knew how to fight when everyone thought she was to tiny to make a difference.
Pale and so beautiful, that's what she wanted. Wanted to be able to stand besides her teacher and be noticed.
Her eyes, however, would be the same. The Heylin warrior once commented that he admired the way her eyes reflected the fire within her soul.
" Hot and burning or calm and dangerous, both so beautiful" were his words as she lay beneath him one early morning.
Lan-Ying let out a sigh, closing her eyes and escaping into her human-formed fantasy.
She slept so deeply, she did not hear a certain golden-eyed man enter the room and stand over her.
It wasn't until he ran his finger lightly down her spine that she finally awoke.
Locking gazes, she turned her body and adjusted her position so she could look at him.
When he sat across from her and held his hand out, she knew it meant to curl her body around him, a comfortable position they both enjoyed. However, lately whenever she did that, it just reminded her of how different their bodies could be.
She chose instead to sit up and look at him.
She swore that he twitch at her rejection.
" I am tired of your constant distance." he began, crossing his arms in irritation.
Silence was his answer.
" Whatever it is that Wuya said, I warned you not to take it to heart. Instead, you have let her worm her sick little way into your head and are now suffering as hundreds before you. I must say, I am disappointed."
Lan-Ying shifted uncomfortably, looking down.
After still no reply, he stood and started down at her.
" Whatever your reasons, I expect you to get over them and soon."
When he turned his back to leave, he was instead faced with a very angry dragon.
She moved so quickly that he had heard nothing.
Hissing, she finally spoke up.
" You think it is that easy? That I can just get over it? I tried to not let her in my head" she approached him, and for the first time in a very long time, he felt a jolt of something akin to alarm.
" I ignored her barbs about my intelligence and her blatant invitations to her bed. I even let her comments about me being a free loading mutt slip by. But she found a way in."
Narrowing her eyes, she turned to look over his shoulder, losing her confidence.
"It's like she knew. She identified what had been worrying me. Like she made a scratch that she knew I would pick at until it made me bleed."
The blue dragon flinched when a gloved hand reached out to stroke her cheek.
" Tell me" was his gentle command.
Lan-Ying did not know dragons could cry. But had discovered the possibility, as she let the hot tear race down her scaled face.
" I am not enough," she said quietly.
Chase said nothing as what she admitted sunk in.
Words failed her as he leaned in and caressed her lips with his own.
He had never kissed her while he was human; she had always thought it made him uncomfortable. Apparently, she was wrong.
She began to kiss him back, but he pulled away.
" Wuya is a manipulating bitch. She wants what others have and will do or say whatever she can to get it." he said in a soft tone that she did not recognize.
Lan-Ying smiled at him slightly.
" Does that mean I have you?" she asked.
Shifting his form, Chase loomed over her with a fiery gaze.
Leaning down to touch their foreheads together, he gave her a look that lite her insides aflame.
" For longer than you could ever realize."
Moving together, they reclaimed all of the passion and lust that had been lost before.
Later, in front of the fire, Chase watched Lan-Ying doze on his chest.
He had shifted back into his human form, but kept the young dragon on top of his chest for comfort.
After their talk and subsequent make up, he had much to consider.
Lan-Ying was easily a female he could envision by his side.
She already attended many of his war meetings and audiences with his people.
With her instincts from her Xiaolin training still ingrained in her, his training was to fine-tune her ferociousness and skills. She was already better than most of his army, and could hold her own against him as well.
Looked down at her peaceful form, he considered his options.
He could keep things as they were now, but deep down part of him realized this problem wasn't over. She would always feel like she was missing something because she was.
However, if he helped her regain her true form, with a little Heylin help, and become the woman and dragon she was always meant to be, than he would not just have an apprentice and lover.
He would have a mate. Someone at his side for all time.
Thinking of a delicate throne next to his in his grand room, he pondered how his position had been missing an Empress for fifteen hundred years.
Thinking of the perfect opportunity to debut Lan-Ying to the Heylin side, he gently shook her until she peaked open an eye at him.
" Hmmm" she murmured sleepily, shutting her eyes once more.
" The winter solstice approaches. Traditionally, the Heylin alliance throws a sort of . . . party, if you will.
" Mmmhmmm" she replies, still hazy.
" This year, it will be held here, in the ballroom" he carried on.
" We have a ballroom?" she asked, eyes reopening to peak at him.
Smirking, he continued.
" Indeed. I believe it will be the perfect time to formally introduce you to the other Heylins"
That got her attention. Looking up at him slowly, she appeared skeptical.
"Oh? That's good, right?"
Chase gave a firm nod in confirmation.
" Okay. How many people are we talking?"
Chase pondered for a minute, trying to recall the all of the members. Obviously not everyone claiming to be evil could come. Only a select few active and prominent people.
" No more than fifteen or twenty."
The dragon nodded, looking neither happy nor upset at the news.
" There, I hope to introduce you not only as my apprentice, but as my mate" he said offhandedly.
She bolted up. Lan-Ying knew that Chase was not one to joke (ever) but almost felt as if he was kidding.
" Truly? Is . . . that what we are?"
Chase took a deep breath.
" I believe so. Don't you?"
Lan-Ying showed her agreement by restarting their previous activities with vigor.
So in regards to some questions, I don't really plan on having the Xioalin dragons side of the tale until much later in the story. It will be there, and I have plans for it, but I would prefer to concentrate the bulk of the story to Chase and Kimiko for a bit.
Also, don't worry about a pregnancy subplot. Chase is over 1,500. He knows how to prevent offspring.
The next chapter will be the Heylin Solstice, where things are GOING DOWN Y'ALL.
Or not. I don't know because I haven't written it yet.
Any who, with father's day coming up, and my dad living farther away, I will be traveling for a bit. I will try to get some writing done, but I predict a bulk of it happening on Friday, when my house will be empty and I will be free to marathon Big Bang Theory, so expect the next chapter by. . . Saturday maybe?
Happy readings, everyone.