Chapter Two: Adaptation

Mingzhu. I twirled a lock of hair around my fingers, letting the name sink in. An elegant name to be sure, though perhaps a simple leap. Pale skin, white hair, silver eyes—it wasn’t hard to guess why he had named me as such. Pearls or sacred treasure. An argument could be made for either.

‘He.’ I pursed my lips in displeasure. It hadn’t been until the latter half of my shopping excursion with Qiu that I had realized the emperor never introduced himself. I hadn’t the faintest idea what his name was. The people of the Obsidian Terraces all seemed to revere him, only ever referring to him by title or honorifics.

Then there was the issue of my new residence. Living in the palace made little sense if I was to become a cultivator—or rather, relearn the arts. Whatever the pretense for my presence was. It would have made more sense for me to reside at the sect or school itself, both of which were just off palace grounds.

“Lady Mingzhu? I will see you to your rooms.” A man dressed in a black and violet uniform approached me, acknowledging me with a slight bow, cupping one hand with the other. “Should you desire any changes to your rooms, Qiu will make the arrangements.”

They are treating me with far too much courtesy. I acknowledged the man with a faint nod and followed him through the grand palace. “I hope I’m not being an inconvenience. I’ve yet to learn why I am being treated so…so…favorably.”

“His Imperial Majesty is unshakable once he’s made up his mind, my lady.” The man shook his head. “Whatever his reason is, it isn’t for a student such as me to know.”

I frowned but remained silent. When we arrived at my rooms, the man dismissed himself. However, upon entering my rooms I found another there. Though a dragon like the rest, this one turned on his knees to kowtow with his head to the floor when he noticed my presence. His clothing revealed peeks of his muscular torso and arms, and a silver torque encircled his throat. His skin seemed to have a tinge of blue, similar to the azure hue of his scales. His hair was a deeper blue and was so long he could have knelt on it.

“Lady Mingzhu, my name is Shui,” the man spoke, his forehead still to the floor. “I am one of the emperor’s gifts to you, and am to serve your every need while you reside in the palace.”

I raised an eyebrow. A personal servant for a student? The emperor had a great deal of information to divulge…if I couldn’t get it from Shui.

“Please dispense with the formalities. I’ve been living in the streets, not in the lap of luxury.” I shrugged off my over outer robe and put it aside. Shui tentatively raised his head, his expression making it obvious that he wasn’t sure if I was serious. “I have many questions I would like to ask you…but I wish to take a bath first. Which door…?”

“I thought you might wish to bathe after spending so long in the city,” Shui spoke in a proud tone, rising gracefully to his feet. The refined and confident way he carried himself didn’t quite strike me as that of a mere servant. He swept across the room to an ornate pair of doors and pulled then open with a flourish. “When I arrived, I drew a bath for you and laid out a change of clothes His Imperial Majesty provided. Will you require assistance?”

“No, I can bathe myself.” I shook my head, feeling heat rise to my face at the idea of male help. “Thank you for going to the trouble.”

Shui tilted his head slightly, a subtle expression of surprise on his face. “I… You are quite welcome, my lady. Shall I fetch dinner for you?”

“Only if it isn’t too much trouble,” I stated, earning an outright dumbfounded stare from the grey-eyed man this time. “Otherwise—”

“Lady Mingzhu, forgive me, but perhaps you didn’t understand,” Shui began cautiously, “I am your servant, and it is my honor to do anything you command of me, be it drawing you a bath, bringing you food, protecting you from attackers, or slaying your enemies. My life is yours.”

“I’m not accustomed to having a servant,” I pointed out, watching as the tension seemed to leave Shui’s shoulders. “I don’t know how much the emperor told you, but I have been sleeping on the streets. The people of the Terraces have been giving me small rewards such as food, drink, and a place to bathe in return for my efforts in guarding them from Blighted creatures.

“Beyond those actions of the past few days, I remember nothing of my life before waking up in the Obsidian Terraces. Whatever your emperor sees in me, I have no idea what it is.”

“I understand, my lady.” Shui nodded, a small smile coming to his lips. “Please, enjoy your bath. I will bring dinner to your rooms for you to enjoy.”

Shui bowed to me before gliding out of my rooms, a rather pleasant expression on his face. I didn’t understand why he seemed so…proud to serve me. I had thought myself to be no one of consequence if someone was capable of swapping places with me so easily, especially after learning that Lady Xu’s clan appeared to hate cultivators. Her daughter couldn’t have been very powerful if she hadn’t been permitted to train.

I stripped off my rags and slid into the steaming bath, admiring the floral scent drifting upward from it, and the flower petals floating on top. Everything had been laid out meticulously. A gilded tray on the edge of the bath held colorful, ornate bottles of soaps and oils to use. Within reach were brushes and cloths to wash myself with. My change of clothes was laid out a safe distance from the tub, with various combs and hair ornaments nearby.

The idea of having a personal servant didn’t sit well with me, but I had no valid reason to refuse either. Especially not when he seemed so genuinely proud of that status. I resolved myself to at least give the new lifestyle a chance. At the very least, the emperor must have had a reason to give me a servant.

Once clean and feeling a little more relaxed, I got out of the bath and dried myself before pulling on the soft lavender sleepwear waiting for me. I combed through my damp hair before deciding to let it hang down my back to dry.

“Ah, did you enjoy your bath, my lady?” Shui shifted on his knees to look toward me. On the table before him was far more food than I could ever hope to eat in one sitting.

“Yes, thank you, it was a nice change of pace.” I padded over to the table and knelt across from Shui. “I do hope that you will be dining as well? There is no way I can eat so much.”

“Ah…that…” Shui cleared his throat and shook his head, clearly taken aback. “It isn’t unheard of for a servant to dine with their master, my lady, but it is…unusual.”

“Humph. Food is always better when shared,” I stated, reaching for the nearest plate. “If you’re hungry, you’re welcome to join me. I’m tired of eating alone like some stray dog.”

“You have truly been living on the streets?” Shui frowned, hesitating a moment before reaching for a steamed bun. “Forgive me, but my lady does not speak like a street urchin.”

“Mmm…I noticed that as well,” I murmured, selecting various things to put on my plate. “What did the emperor tell you when he…‘assigned’ you to me?”

“That an esteemed female guest was in need of a loyal servant capable of protecting her while she grows,” Shui answered at once. Something about his answer sounded rehearsed, making me wonder if there was more to it. “His Imperial Majesty, his clan, and the sect he founded have many enemies, as does the Obsidian Terraces. None of these enemies are above targeting a supposed weak link for leverage.”

“And they will think I’m a weak link because His Imperial Majesty never keeps women around?” I raised an eyebrow when Shui turned a little pale.

“I did not mean to imply…”

I tilted my head. “Hmmm? But it makes sense that I would be seen as a weak link. Given his reputation, there’s few leaps of logic for his enemies to make. A woman in the palace or his school is unusual, from what I understand. Enemies will think that I am a future concubine or wife, will they not? Such a woman would be an obvious target for most.”

“You are correct, my lady.” Shui sighed, nodding once. “However, it is also custom that people of high status in the Terraces have at least one dedicated servant. Since His Imperial Majesty and Qiu both hold you in high regard, it would raise too many questions if you had no servants. Anticipating your unease, His Imperial Majesty decided one would be enough to fulfill your needs for now.

“Aside from my training as both a servant and as a combatant, I am well-versed in history, politics, and other states of affairs you may wish to learn of. It is my hope that you will use me to relearn our world.”

“Well! There’s certainly a great deal to cover on that front!” I laughed. “I’ve plenty of questions for you too, but I suppose I will start with one at the forefront of my mind—Lady Xu’s behavior. Couldn’t any one of the cultivators here have crushed her? How could she speak so easily if enslaving the people here? How come she acted as if cultivation is both a sin and a farce? Why has no one dealt with her offensive existence?”

“Ah, Lady Xu and her clan believe that our abilities are trickery.” Shui shook his head slowly. “Her clan was isolated for a long time, dealing only with occasional nomads and travelers who kept their abilities hidden. Once she learned of the wealth other clans possessed, she sent merchants and emissaries beyond her borders. It wasn’t until she had forged a web of connections and filled her coffers that we learned of her true nature. Now, it would take each of the clans coming to an agreement to…deal with her.

“In her clan, men are merely used for labor and as pleasure slaves. They are barely considered people. With cultivation outlawed in their territories, there are few opportunities for the men to break free from oppression. Lady Xu would enslave the rest of the other clans as testament to her supposed might if she could, but for now she favors lining her coinpurse.”

I grimaced. “In other words, it isn’t convenient yet for anyone to deal with her. A greedy one, is she?”

“I’m afraid so, my lady.” Shui nodded while pouring a cup of tea for us both. “His Imperial Majesty informed me that, the moment he mentioned your power, Lady Xu sought to use you as if you were indeed her daughter. That woman will stop at nothing to increase her influence.”

“My power, hmmm?” I mused, watching Shui pause briefly before setting tea beside my plate. “And can you tell me what this power is?”

Shui shifted backward from the table and kowtowed. “I have been ordered not to speak of it, for your own wellbeing, my lady.”

“Then, perhaps instead you can tell me what he is the emperor of?” I studied Shui as he lifted his head, a small frown on his face. “The title of emperor implies he has an empire, does it not? All I know is the Obsidian Terraces.”

“The Terraces is the capital, my lady,” he stated, glancing toward a nearby bookcase, before fetching a rolled up map from it. “His Imperial Majesty controls the Soaring Empire, my lady. It consists of many nations scattered across airborne landmasses. The Xu clan and the empire they belong to are surface dwellers. Our empires engage frequently in trade, as there are materials, foods, and techniques we have which they do not. The opposite is also true.”

“I see…” I murmured, frowning. Nothing rang familiar to me. “And this emperor of yours, why is he so revered?”

“His Imperial Majesty treats his subjects well and acts with our best interests in mind.” Shui’s eyes lit up. “It’s said he is favored by gods of darkness or chaos, yet his power is only ever used with good intent. He protects us from all that would do us harm.”

Gods of chaos and darkness…? Why does that sound familiar? I took a sip of tea and then rested the cup in my lap. “Thank you for the information, Shui. I think I will take some time to process it before asking for more.”

“It is my pleasure to serve you,” Shui spoke genuinely, bowing yet again. “Please do not hesitate to ask if there is more I may do for you.”

“Ah, well there is something…” I murmured, falling silent to think. However, when Shui began to slip out of his clothes, I quickly spoke, “What are you undressing for?”

“My lady implied the need for company in her bed.” Shui frowned at me, his nude torso exposed. “I am to serve you in any way you desire.”

“T-that wasn’t what I meant! And, I wouldn’t dream of forcing someone to…to…do what you’re thinking!” I flushed and shook my head. “I was going to ask if there is somewhere I may meditate.”

“Meditate?” Shui raised an eyebrow, his frown deepening. “Does this body’s appearance not please you, my lady? Your tone was not at all that of someone who was considering meditation.”

“Ah! I didn’t mean to imply that either!” I exclaimed, growing hotter. “You are very nice to look at, but I wouldn’t dare attempt to invite someone who doesn’t know me to bed! Especially not someone who isn’t serving me by choice. It wouldn’t be right, and—”

“Lady Mingzhu,” Shui spoke gently. “You would struggle to find someone in the palace unwilling to pleasure you. It would be my honor, should you require an such from me.

“If you truly wish to meditate before bed, I will escort you. I have been instructed not to let you wander off alone.”

“I…okay.” I clenched my hands in my lap, still flushed.

Shui chuckled and gave me a soft smile. “Then, please, finish your dinner. I will escort you after.”