“Luo-Luo, I’m bored. Let’s go out and play, ya?”

Innocuous as the statement seemed, Luo-Luo jumped in fright, and not just because Lin-Lin dropped in from out of sight, hanging upside down from the tree branch just outside the window. Repressing the memories of her last adventure with Lin-Lin, Luo-Luo wracked her brain for an excuse, any excuse to remain in her safe, sheltered room. Sweet and charming though she might be, Lin-Lin’s idea of fun not only differed from Luo-Luo’s, it also walked a thin line between insane and suicidal. Climbing trees taller than buildings without so much as a rope, racing at breakneck speeds through grass fields on their quin-pulled rickshaws, or exploring the dark alleys and twisted streets of SuiHua’s seedy underbelly with only a single guard as protection, it was all too much for Luo-Luo to handle. She’d much rather sit in the courtyard playing music or composing poetry instead of running about with reckless abandon, but in Lord Husband’s absence, Lin-Lin had gone from lovable trickster to incessant... dare she say it...

Lin-Lin was a curmudgeon.

Even though Luo-Luo didn’t say it out loud, using such foul language even in her thoughts made her blush with shame, but she still couldn’t bring herself to follow along with whatever deranged activity Lin-Lin thought of next. Luckily, she had good reason to deny the grouchy half-hare, so she put on her most sympathetic smile and said, “As much as Luo-Luo would like to join you, have you forgotten our promise to Ser Charok? We agreed to look after little Tali and Tate while he trains with Ser Gerel, so we must remain at home until they arrive. Also, Luo-Luo has much to do regarding Lord Husband’s business ventures, which may take most of the day.” It only took a few minutes to write a letter explaining Lord Husband’s instructions and it was already on its way to Nan Ping, but what Lin-Lin didn’t know couldn’t hurt her. Feigning sympathy, Luo-Luo added, “If Lin-Lin wishes to go exploring, then Luo-Luo will be happy to remain here and look after the children, though this means Anrhi and Sorya will also have to stay so they can look after the animals.”

Puffing her cheeks in a sinister pout, Lin-Lin huffed and turned to the animals in question. The half-hare wasn’t the only one to turn malcontent in Lord Husband’s absence. Aurie and Sarankho were all but inconsolable and the bears were little better, all of them camped by the gates and menacing everyone who entered the courtyard as if blaming them for not being Lord Husband. Sympathetic as she was, this resulted in Luo-Luo spending most of her days locked inside her room for fear of being attacked, or worse, dragged out on another of Lin-Lin’s insane adventures.

“Fine.” Lin-Lin’s reply was curt and churlish, crossing her arms while still upside down. “But when they get here, we’re all going out to lunch. I want fresh dumplings, not delivered ones. It’s not the same. No matter how fast the guards run, it’s always too cold by the time they get here, and you’ve been cooped up inside for two days now. It’s not good for your health, ya?”

On the contrary, staying home was in the best interest of Luo-Luo’s health. Expecting resistance, Lin-Lin glowered until Luo-Luo meekly agreed, her stomach sinking at the thought of another day filled with restless anxiety interrupted by moments of heart-stopping panic. Having secured Luo-Luo’s agreement, Lin-Lin’s scowl reverted to her customary smile as she jumped down to prepare, falling from Luo-Luo’s second story window to land neatly on her feet. “Come my sweet floofies, it’s time to put on your clothes. You hafta look your best so you don’t scare the people in the city, ya?”

As if a silk shirt and hat were enough to make people feel safe in the presence of a vicious predator.

Closing her eyes, Luo-Luo prayed for someone to save her from Lin-Lin. These harrowing incidents always began with something innocuous like lunch, and then somehow, before she knew it, Luo-Luo would find herself stuck with no avenue of retreat, her eyes wide and knuckles white as she awaited the horrors to come. To make matters worse, Lin-Lin knew how terrified Luo-Luo was, but instead of taking a step back, the well-intentioned but misguided half-hare got it into her mind to ‘acclimate’ Luo-Luo to the ‘thrill’ of life. There was even talk of teaching Luo-Luo to fire a bow so they could go hunting together, a prospect which had Luo-Luo trembling from head to toe in a cold sweat.

It was too much for a sheltered, faint-hearted lady like herself, far too much.

A knock on the courtyard doors interrupted Luo-Luo’s waking nightmare and a burst of optimism flooded through her, hoping this was the answer to her prayers. When the door opened to reveal their unexpected caller, Luo-Luo’s optimism faded away, only to be replaced with surly dejection as Lin-Lin squealed with delight. “Yan-Yan!”

Mother Above, why must you taunt your children so?

“Hello Lin,” the horned hussy said, smiling as she twirled Lin-Lin about. “How have you been?”

“Bored! Are you staying in town? When did you get here? Tali and Tate will be here later, so eat lunch with us, ya? Luo-Luo, come down, it’s Yan-Yan!”

Quashing the urge to close her window shutters and throw a tantrum in her room, Luo-Luo tidied her appearance and left her shawl behind before heading out to greet the woman who ruined all of Luo-Luo’s hard work. If Yan hadn’t left those quins in Lord Husband’s yurt or had the sheer audacity to sneak into his bed, then Lord Husband would have long ago succumbed to Luo-Luo’s feminine charms. Instead, all her efforts had only driven him into this hussy’s arms, and now all of Central was talking about their betrothal instead of Luo-Luo’s. A most vexing outcome, made so much worse by how close she’d come to victory only to have a veritable stranger swoop in and snatch it out of her grasp.

And now she had to go smile and play nice with the homewrecker.

Greeting the hussy with an elegant curtsy, Luo-Luo bent lower than decorum demanded, flauntin her curves before Yan’s boyish frame and short hair. “Consort Luo greets Sister Yan.” While curtsying, she studied Yan’s outfit with a critical eye, wondering how the woman had the nerve to go out in public dressed like a strumpet. No, saying such was a disservice, for even the most vulgar of harlots wouldn’t dare be seen in public wearing skin tight leggings, leaving nothing of her hips, thighs, or buttocks to the imagination. Scandalous is what it was, outright pornographic even, but considering Yan’s... deficiencies on her upper body, she supposed the woman was merely working with what little she had to offer.

Yan’s smile was as false as her inflated reputation, her animosity towards Luo-Luo as plain as day. “There’s no need to curtsy,” Yan said, helping Luo-Luo stand. “Even though you’re merely a consort who was foisted onto Rain without warning, we’re all one family now.”

Hmph. What a hateful, detestable woman. Unfortunately, without Li-Li, Lord Husband, or Mila here to shelter her, Luo-Luo had no choice but to swallow the insult, for Lin-Lin was too innocent and guileless to see through it. Pulling them both into her embrace, the half-hare giggled and said, “Yay! This is so nice, ya? We should go see if Mi-Mi wants to join us for lunch so we can all catch up together.”

“Sounds great.” Gently extricating herself from Lin-Lin’s arms, Yan turned away so the sweet girl couldn’t see her dour grimace, as if being close to Luo-Luo offended her ‘delicate’ sensibilities. Spotting the half-worn shirt around Aurie’s neck, Yan grinned and sauntered over with her customary salacious gait, those all-but-exposed hips swaying from one side to the next. “Hello darling Aurie,” she cooed, grabbing the wildcat’s cheeks in both hands as she pressed her forehead against his. “Aren’t you just precious in your little shirt?”

“Mwarrrrrrrrrrrr,” Aurie yowled, his fangs bared as he pulled away to settle down with a huff, a cold reception which gave Luo-Luo a small measure of satisfaction. If this brazen half-deer thought it was so easy to win Lord-Husband’s pets over, then she was in for a rude awakening. Luo-Luo had been feeding the wildcats for days now, tossing them whole raw chickens and meaty sheep shanks to feast upon and they still treated her with frosty disdain.

“Aww, sweet baby, you miss your daddy, don’t you? It’s okay, he’ll be back soon enough.” Digging her slender fingers into Aurie’s thick fur, Yan rubbed the wildcat’s head until he rumbled in what was apparently delight. Before long, Aurie’s head laid on Yan’s lap while the other wildcats and bears jostled around her for their share of affection while the horned hussy laughed and giggled. Even the rabbits were now hopping over to greet this stranger, squeezing out between the bars of their enclosure where they were usually content to lay about.

Unfair. Yan had spent so much less time around the animals than Luo-Luo, so how could she win their trust so easily?

“Don’t be jealous.” Her arms still wrapped around Luo-Luo’s waist, Lin-Lin whispered, “Yan’s always been good with animals, but they’ll come around to you soon enough, ya?” Flashing an impish grin, Lin-Lin ran over to join Yan and the animals, leaving Luo-Luo standing with her handmaidens off to this side.

At least until Luo-Luo saw her handmaiden’s pleading looks. With an inward sighed, she waved her hand and said, “Go ahead.”

At least Anrhi and Sorya had the decency to look ashamed before scurrying off to join the animal cuddle pile.

Though she seriously considered it, Luo-Luo decided it’d be too rude to leave without saying a word and knowing Lin-Lin’s penchant for keeping everyone together, the sweet girl would pout and mope if Luo-Luo insisted. Taking a seat nearby, she kept a wary eye on the animals while doing her best to be a part of the gathering, but her distance and lack of participation meant she was once again on the outside looking in.

Was this to be her life forever more?

“Has Rain named the bunnies yet?”

“Yea, but I can’t remember them all. The brown one is Tawny Yi, and... I think George is over there.”

“...The one trying to force its way into Jimjam’s mouth?”

“Ya.”

Yan giggled. “I can see why you don’t let Shana stay here.”

“Don’t laugh Yan-Yan, she almost ate a bunbun. This one, I think. Or maybe that one. I’m not sure which. All I know is hubby called it Hopper.”

“I’m surprised it hasn’t happened yet.” So was Luo-Luo, but she hated to agree with Yan, even on something as basic as this. Oblivious to Luo-Luo’s thoughts, Yan and Lin-Lin chatted about this or that, and Luo-Luo sat and smiled in silence. Soon, the conversation took a turn to their recent exploits, and Lin-Lin cheerfully detailed each torturous event she put Luo-Luo through. Yan’s smile grew with each passing second, and when Lin-Lin was done with her tale, the horned hussy said, “Well, that sounds like so much fun. I’m so jealous of all the fun you had together.”

“Don’t be!” Lin exclaimed, not noticing the blood draining from Luo-Luo’s face. “We can all have more fun today!”

“Wonderful,” Yan said, her voice oozing with delight. “Why don’t we start with racing rickshaws?”

This... this... Bitch!

Luckily (or perhaps not... it remained to be seen), Lin-Lin preferred to try new things rather than the same old things. “Mm, I was thinking we could go hunting instead, ya? Luo-Luo can use one of hubby’s crossbows and we can stay out for a few days.” Lowering her voice to what she thought was a whisper, but was still loud enough for Luo-Luo to hear, Lin-Lin added, “She’s so jumpy and nervous all the time, I thought I could build up her courage. You know, bring her around and show her there’s nothing to be afraid of so hubby won’t leave her behind all the time.”

As touched as Luo-Luo was at Lin-Lin’s misguided intentions, she moved quickly to block Lin-Lin’s suggestion of a multi-day hunt. “Pleased as Luo-Luo would be to join you, there is still work to be done, so until everything is dealt with, this one would be remiss if she were absent for too long.”

Ignoring her as if she never spoke, Yan pinched Lin-Lin’s cheeks and said, “Be honest, you adorable scamp. You’re just angry Rain left you behind, and you couldn’t complain because she’s here too.”

Lin-Lin’s sheepish giggles revealed the truth behind Yan’s words and Luo-Luo’s spirits plummeted. Did this mean she was expected to ride with Lord Husband to war? As loathe as she was to be apart from him, Luo-Luo was petrified by the mere thought of living on the front lines. Even SuiHua felt a little too close for comfort with so many injured soldiers streaming into the city for treatment and rest. In fact, this was the very reason Yan had returned, to replenish her soldiers lost in battle, which is why Luo-Luo kept quiet and accepted the horned hussy’s abuse. Luo-Luo’s heart ached for the valiant warriors left behind, but such was life, and she was grateful for their heroic sacrifice, but that didn’t mean she hoped to join them.

What could she, a mere Imperial Servant with no training in battle, ever hope to accomplish on the front lines?

While Luo-Luo was frozen with fear, Yan continued her conversation with Lin. “As much as I’d love to bring you hunting, we can’t. Not only do I have other matters to attend to, you forget that we’re in a military zone under martial law. We can’t go traipsing around armed with bows and crossbows, not without drawing unwanted attention.” Turning to Luo-Luo, Yan smiled sweetly and said, “Tell me, what sort of business does Rain have you working on? Perhaps we could help lighten the load, but I’m afraid all I know is it has something to do with... cheap iron? We didn’t have much time to speak of it.”

Even her interest sounded condescending, but Luo-Luo grit her teeth and explained to the best of her ability. “Sister Yan is correct, though also incorrect. Cast iron is more than just cheap iron, for it offers a whole new vista of possibilities. Even Lord Husband has yet to comprehend the full breadth of his discovery, too focused on its use in war effort to consider the deeper implications.”

“Oh?” Her full, pink lips pressed to hide a smug smile, Yan asked, “What sort of implications?”

“Well... all sorts.” Flustered by how quickly Yan cut to the heart of the matter, Luo-Luo fell back on an argument she had already used, but to no effect. “It’s so easy to create and use, we could replace so many mundane items with cast iron alternatives, like wagons, ploughshares, furniture, and more. Why -”

“Wagons?” Interrupting with a frown, Yan shook her head and said, “An iron wagon would be far too slow and heavy for a team of two horses. Four or six horses to a wagon would increase costs significantly, which all but invalidates any benefits a sturdier wagon might bring.” As Luo-Luo prepared her rebuttal, Yan continued, “Unless... What if you made the wagon smaller? Say, enough for two to four passengers... On the flat plains of Central, we could use them to move water and ammunition to patrolling units, or rush heavily injured soldiers back to safety and Healers.”

There was something in Yan’s eyes which kept Luo-Luo from saying she didn’t think the idea was feasible. Perhaps the poor girl was speaking from personal experience, having lost soldiers on her journey back to SuiHua. Not an unreasonable assumption since it took her at least eight days to make what should have been a five day journey...

“Wah, so smart.” Clapping her hands, Lin-Lin added, “And if those stinky Defiled show their ugly faces, then you can just smash them with your wagon, ya?”

...

Mother in Heaven...

“Yes!” Yan exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement. “We could fix blades to the wagon to clear grass and Defiled alike. It wouldn’t work on a wooden wagon, the whole thing would come apart or be far too difficult to carve, but iron can be welded together. Can it be protected from rust? Oh, who cares, if it’s as cheap and easy as you say, then even as a disposable weapon, it could be worth it against the Defiled.”

Stomach queasy from picturing vehicles of destruction smashing through flesh and bone, Luo-Luo was saved by Tali and Tate’s arrival. She was so happy to put an end to this line of inquiry, she didn’t even mind that Tate threw himself into Yan’s embrace instead of hers, his plump, pink cheeks blushing as Yan smothered him in kisses.

What was it about Yan which drew men and animals alike to her? In Luo-Luo’s eyes, the half-deer woman was beautiful indeed, but she was far from the ideal Luo-Luo’s instructors instructed her to become. Perhaps that’s what infuriated Luo-Luo the most, that in spite of all the hard work and effort she put into becoming a paragon of grace and beauty, Yan barely had to lift a finger to rival, if not surpass her. As aggravating as it was, on some level, Luo-Luo was glad for the competition. After surpassing all her peers, she finally had a challenge to overcome, a trial laid out before her by the Mother Above.

And no matter how difficult a trial might appear, the Mother always left a path to salvation. Luo-Luo only had to seize it.

Chapter Meme