[many voices now twine in the wisteria-scented air. kaede knows she cannot remain apart. there is little stamp of ichimonji here, much as she wishes it to be so. she must host a goddess. and now she understands it is only a matter of days before she and her children are found, along with layre and the lady fujiwara. the lady forbids Kyoami and Tatsuhime to come with her, though of the two she believes only her daughter might listen. petals are woven into her fur, and the stain of mapleleaf dye slants up her ankles. the dilute of wisteria and rose is her perfume. there is no court without her, and she knows this to be true. her summons is polite, an ask that the new ones upon the island gather to meet the mother of clan ichimonji.]

---

looking to meet tianlong wolves, open to all!

many voices now twine in the wisteria-scented air.

kaede knows she cannot remain apart. there is little stamp of ichimonji here, much as she wishes it to be so. she must host a goddess.

and now she understands it is only a matter of days before she and her children are found, along with layre and the lady fujiwara.

the lady forbids Kyoami and Tatsuhime to come with her, though of the two she believes only her daughter might listen.

petals are woven into her fur, and the stain of mapleleaf dye slants up her ankles. the dilute of wisteria and rose is her perfume.

there is no court without her, and she knows this to be true.

her summons is polite, an ask that the new ones upon the island gather to meet the mother of clan ichimonji.

༻❁༺

---

Yue had spent much of her time getting to know the area that the dynasty inhabited, and the places just surrounding it. It was perfectly suitable, she admitted to herself after a particularly long jaunt amongst the weeping wisteria, had it already not been so well inhabited by a myriad of animals, both large and small.

It made for interesting times, but Yue found that she could not settle herself here, with so many things still up in the air.

She took much comfort in being entirely surrounded by those she knew and loved, those who had crossed worlds alongside her. The Empress had begun to rejoice in the idea of projects anew – a new world, new groups to greet, a new body. It invigorated her as almost nothing could, except perhaps war strategy and council.

and, clearly, this was infinitely better as there was far less suffering as a result.

Yue heard the soft summons from behind, returning from one such jaunt under the trees, to visit the shoreline, and then quickly return. The Empress, pleasantly surprised with yet another stone to turn over, quickened her pace and chuffed to herald her own arrival.

It wasn’t customary for her to answer a call, nonetheless answer without a single attendant in her retinue, but here the Empress was, and answer she was wont to do – and she did it with a glimmer of gaiety and appreciation. Strange times called for stranger solutions, and Yue was slowly opening towards the idea of possibility.

Greetings, the empress tested in Mandarin, before fluidly switching to common. "You have summoned the great dynasty of Tianlong." Her words were a miasma, brief but saccharine. The Orchid then turned her crown askew, awaiting the woman's purpose. For she had known they were here, had sought them out.

There was a reason.

---

༻❁༺

[the air tastes of portent. lady kaede has held that flavoring too many times over a bitter tongue not to know its zing. it is not long too wait before she is approached. as with the girl and her maidservant, this stranger carries the gilding of nobility. perhaps of more. lady ichmonji knows her own breeding to be impeccable, but she has never touched the hem of royalty even at her power's peak. now she is hardly more than a matron, a mother with fatherless children whose existence speaks her fall. yet she has chosen to lie; he is a dead man. and the strength of the lie gives kaede more relief than she cares to ever admit. diamond-shining, graceful as a tigress, this vision speaks a language which kaede thinks she has heard before. dynasty. tianlong. familiar, and yet not. i greet tianlong dynasty, says the lady with a small bow. saltwind catches their ornamentation, surrounds both she and the other with the scent of those purpled flowers. those glowing eyes bid the former noble speak. she makes an attempt, slipping into japanese for a moment; i am lady kaede of clan ichimonji. if there is familiarity, let it be known. kaede waits.]

---

<3

the air tastes of portent. lady kaede has held that flavoring too many times over a bitter tongue not to know its zing.

it is not long too wait before she is approached. as with the girl and her maidservant, this stranger carries the gilding of nobility. perhaps of more. lady ichmonji knows her own breeding to be impeccable, but she has never touched the hem of royalty even at her power's peak.

now she is hardly more than a matron, a mother with fatherless children whose existence speaks her fall. yet she has chosen to lie; he is a dead man.

and the strength of the lie gives kaede more relief than she cares to ever admit.

diamond-shining, graceful as a tigress, this vision speaks a language which kaede thinks she has heard before.

dynasty.

tianlong.

familiar, and yet not.

i greet tianlong dynasty, says the lady with a small bow. saltwind catches their ornamentation, surrounds both she and the other with the scent of those purpled flowers.

those glowing eyes bid the former noble speak.

she makes an attempt, slipping into japanese for a moment; i am lady kaede of clan ichimonji.

if there is familiarity, let it be known.

kaede waits.

༻❁༺

---

The woman was refined, with a type of grace that Yue deeply appreciated. She spoke softly, in common and then in another tongue – one that registered within the Empress’s mind, like a key that unlocked a hidden, unvisited corridor of a library. The language rushed to fill her, and the woman’s face held an endearing expression that desired to pry for more.

She introduced herself as a lady, bestowing the appropriate honors – perhaps not as expressly as the Empress had become used to, but it is perhaps made sweeter by the swirling floral miasma that had whipped up around them. The clan she spoke of was unknown, and the name sounded as names did when they came across the great waters.

So, she was foreign – but in these new lands, so was Yue.

"I am Téng Yuè, cherished visitor," the pale orchid returned the introduction and then dug at the point. "How may I help you, Lady Kaede?" There were many things that one could assume from another by scent and sight alone, but what good would that do when the Empress could glean words directly from her own lips, with their own description of truth and fantasy?

---

༻❁༺

[to hear her own tongue is to feel the dewdrops of relief, water upon the blades of desert grass. they are not alone. and yet lady ichimonji feels she has never been so alone. the presence of a new dynasty here threatens her own. but she has no soldiers, no force with which to press back against tianlong. submission is a necessity. it hurts to relinquish, and yet there is understanding in the tear of her spirit. to keep tatsuhime and kyoami safe, she must capitulate. cherished visitor. how many of these wolves have come? i wish to know of the dynasty and if there is a place in this court. the sting is tenfold against her pride, a scorpion stinging it into paralysis. téng yuè. ichimonji kaede. téng yuè is polished as a finger jade carved to the shape of the moon. kaede thinks she is more than she has introduced, but does not assume. she waits.]

to hear her own tongue is to feel the dewdrops of relief, water upon the blades of desert grass.

they are not alone. and yet lady ichimonji feels she has never been so alone. the presence of a new dynasty here threatens her own. but she has no soldiers, no force with which to press back against tianlong. submission is a necessity. it hurts to relinquish, and yet there is understanding in the tear of her spirit.

to keep tatsuhime and kyoami safe, she must capitulate.

cherished visitor. how many of these wolves have come?

i wish to know of the dynasty and if there is a place in this court.

the sting is tenfold against her pride, a scorpion stinging it into paralysis.

téng yuè. ichimonji kaede.

téng yuè is polished as a finger jade carved to the shape of the moon. kaede thinks she is more than she has introduced, but does not assume.

she waits.

༻❁༺

---

The lady, shrouded in mystery, wished for a place amongst the dynasty – furthermore, she wished for a place amongst the court. Yue then allowed her gaze to tighten an imperceptible amount, suddenly becoming shrewd in the way she observed. Who was this woman, who wished not just for information, but food and protection?

She was quiet, seemingly melancholy. Perhaps she was as discerning as the group of Egyptians had been, but more realistic in her approach – to not be combative, but to assimilate. After all, she knew nothing of these people, but sought aegis amongst them. She was a beautiful, gilded statue – soft spoken and withholding.

"May I assume you have served on a court, gentle lady?" the empress sought more information, but did not immediately dismiss the possibility.

"You understand the ways of a harem?"

She, too, sought allies. Yue’s own retinue was bare, despite how Shenlei’s flourished. Even the mighty Emperor had welcomed in a once-enemy as wive, giving her an esteemed place in the harem.

If this was the land of possibility, then Yue greatly desired a soft place to land.

---

༻❁༺

[a harem. it is a demotion, even to think of it. only training stills kaede's lashes. only sheer will keeps her form from shifting. a harem! i have served in a court, téng yuè, says the lady softly. she holds the vision of that lovely face with effort. but i do not think i am fit for a harem's demand of purity. there is pride in this. there is something to which she can cling. she was a wife -- once. from history kaede summons this half-truth. my husband is dead. she can still remember the tackiness of the red upon his mouth, as if he had exhaled an ocean of pure carmine ink. priceless. an image can be horrible and have an unknown worth. this moment must remain bright and suspended. it was the second that her life changed in every way. he leaves me two children, a son and a daughter. a dead husband. an elegant lady. if téng yuè is kind, if she accepts this common story of pain, then kaede will be safer. the lady ichimonji believes truly that she has escaped the word which she can barely think. a place of silken luxury, tethered for all eternity to the Son of Heaven. she has been noble. this she must remain. perhaps the dynasty will have need of a tutor in etiquette or maybe the study of arrangement. priceless. kaede is still. polite. not quite meek, but not turning her back upon it. if such is commanded from her, then she will give it. for kyoami. for tatsuhime.]

a harem.

it is a demotion, even to think of it. only training stills kaede's lashes. only sheer will keeps her form from shifting.

a harem!

i have served in a court, téng yuè, says the lady softly. she holds the vision of that lovely face with effort. but i do not think i am fit for a harem's demand of purity.

there is pride in this. there is something to which she can cling. she was a wife -- once. from history kaede summons this half-truth. my husband is dead.

she can still remember the tackiness of the red upon his mouth, as if he had exhaled an ocean of pure carmine ink.

priceless. an image can be horrible and have an unknown worth. this moment must remain bright and suspended. it was the second that her life changed in every way.

he leaves me two children, a son and a daughter.

a dead husband. an elegant lady. if téng yuè is kind, if she accepts this common story of pain, then kaede will be safer.

the lady ichimonji believes truly that she has escaped the word which she can barely think. a place of silken luxury, tethered for all eternity to the Son of Heaven.

she has been noble. this she must remain. perhaps the dynasty will have need of a tutor in etiquette or maybe the study of arrangement.

priceless. kaede is still. polite. not quite meek, but not turning her back upon it. if such is commanded from her, then she will give it. for kyoami. for tatsuhime.

༻❁༺

---

Oh! Perhaps this strange woman had the gift of clairvoyance, for how perfectly she knew to play to Yue’s deepest held beliefs: that women and children too often are the receptacles for the wrongdoings of the world, and particularly the wrongdoings of men. Men waged war and did not think twice about the sacrifice; yet this was a concern that plagued the Empress, more than daily. It was the thing that kept her up at night, to know that she was in a position of power, but unable to stop the suffering of the world.

Yue did good where she could, in ways small and nuclear as well as grand and far-reaching. She was benevolent to her handmaidens and court, when she had them. The Empress doted upon her friends well, passed laws she saw fit to create balance in the world, and righted the wrongs that were brought before her throne. Slums were bettered in her name, and criminals held accountable in courts she governed.

Here was yet another opportunity to do good. Yue began to trust the lady Kaede implicitly, knowing that if this was a facade, then the Empress was knowingly falling into her trap. Knowingly, and willingly, for Yue would never turn away a mother and her children in need.

"and you are married still," Yue affirmed passionately, stepping up towards the other with her breastbone held out, covering the woman’s paw with a pale one of her own – symbolizing that she had officially come under Tianlong’s aegis. More specifically, under Yue’s own wing of protection.

No, the harem would not do, for a harem was to create heirs for the dynasty and this woman not only was a widow, but had children. In Tianlong, women did not often remarry. Sometimes, they even followed their husbands into the afterlife, becoming ancestors side-by-side, hand-in-hand.

Yue wanted to be truthful with the woman, to give her a chance to craft the life she wanted – not the life she thought had befallen her. "Tianlong is not to settle here," the Empress spoke in a hushed tone, aware that this information could be used against them. She and Shenlei felt exposed here. Crowded. At risk of eventual attack.

"Soon we will depart. You may once again have your Isle," she conferred the options, withdrawing her paw and walking back a step to give the Lady some space to ponder, "but with Tianlong, you shan't face winter alone."

---

༻❁༺

[so. there is to be mercy. her shoulders almost wilt with the relief of it, orchids in a sun three degrees too hot for their survival. through sheer force of will does the lady maintain herself. she will not be relegated to the desires of a man she does not know, birthing princes and princesses that may well not survive the jealousy of a harem. if the emperor has no eye for her, tatsuhime and kyoami might be left alone to thrive. she has educated them, she and layre and lady fujiwara. her daughter is already elegant, her son already a promising hunter. they can be of rank in any place now, she believes. kaede is not ready to be touched. she has not invited it. she has not welcomed it. and yet this simple act of intimacy possesses the ability to almost unravel her again, almost break the carefully maintained dam between the lady and her unshed tears. she cannot let her children weather winter alone, not when an empire offers potential beyond any she might. to remain is tempting, but kaede will not see hunger pinch the bellies of her children, nor starvation set the bones of their small faces in stark relief. we will accompany your court, téng yuè, says the lady ichimonji. she thinks it has already been decided, adding a slight emphasis to show that if she must be possession, she would rather be in this lady's paw. lady rio fujiwara is my lady and mentor to my children. layre is our guardian and teacher to my son. i ask that she be given a place beside me and that he serve the emperor, long may he live. rio was beautiful. in a place such as this, that would not serve her. as long as kaede was able to keep her close, perhaps the head of this unseen and powerful man might not be turned toward the small clan.]

so. there is to be mercy.

her shoulders almost wilt with the relief of it, orchids in a sun three degrees too hot for their survival. through sheer force of will does the lady maintain herself. she will not be relegated to the desires of a man she does not know, birthing princes and princesses that may well not survive the jealousy of a harem. if the emperor has no eye for her, tatsuhime and kyoami might be left alone to thrive. she has educated them, she and layre and lady fujiwara. her daughter is already elegant, her son already a promising hunter. they can be of rank in any place now, she believes.

kaede is not ready to be touched. she has not invited it. she has not welcomed it. and yet this simple act of intimacy possesses the ability to almost unravel her again, almost break the carefully maintained dam between the lady and her unshed tears.

she cannot let her children weather winter alone, not when an empire offers potential beyond any she might.

to remain is tempting, but kaede will not see hunger pinch the bellies of her children, nor starvation set the bones of their small faces in stark relief.

we will accompany your court, téng yuè, says the lady ichimonji. she thinks it has already been decided, adding a slight emphasis to show that if she must be possession, she would rather be in this lady's paw. lady rio fujiwara is my lady and mentor to my children. layre is our guardian and teacher to my son. i ask that she be given a place beside me and that he serve the emperor, long may he live.

rio was beautiful. in a place such as this, that would not serve her. as long as kaede was able to keep her close, perhaps the head of this unseen and powerful man might not be turned toward the small clan.

༻❁༺

---

The Empress stood back and steeled her jaw, knowing in her heart that Tianlong had long experienced more feast than famine; and also knowing that one of her greatest roles in this life was redistributing such wealth, for the betterment of all. Even the realization that there were two other adults in the group – faceless, without introduction – could not sway her.

Still, the Empress needed to craft accountability out of humility, and symbiosis out of generosity.

Yue inhaled, deep into her belly. "Are you willing to be their representative, and substitute your honor for theirs, in all areas that honor would be concerned?" She hoped that she was being clear, for the Dynasty did not oft extend pardon to mere represented factions, but she felt as though she could muster the most threadbare confidence in the company that Lady Kaede kept.

If the companions needed to be ousted, then they would.

"Please, fetch your party and find comfort within our walls tonight," the orchid bade the gentlewoman welcome with the wave of a pale banner, secretly thrilled at the prospect of having more children within the dynasty. Perhaps Yue too might ripen, simply from the nearness of it.

"Beginning at daybreak, it is imperative you present yourselves to the Emperor and the Empress."

Yue found that she grasped others so much more deeply as Yue, than she ever did as Heaven’s Mercy. For a moment, she regretted having to let such closeness with the Lady go.

Tomorrow.

---

༻❁༺