Aiyue's Uncertain Future

Aiyue: The youngest child of Wu family had boarded a ship under the instructions of her sister, which Aiyue was told were from their father; although Daiyu had not spoken to their father at all about her plans to have Aiyue sent to the Emperor and not the man that she was originally set to be married off to. Aiyue was very nervous to be going on this journey by herself, but her sister had told her that it needed to be this way, their father would become extremely suspicious if both girls just disappeared. Daiyu passed a small bag to Aiyue as she pushed the Kirin onto the deck of the ship that would hopefully take her to safety that contained two necklaces that belonged to their mother and several bracelets that Aiyue had admired of Daiyu's. "I will always be with you as long as you wear these my sweet MeiMei" The sisters hugged tightly and kissed one another on each cheek before the captain of the ship ushered Aiyue into his cabin; Daiyu had paid him extra to ensure that no one knew that the youngest of the Wu's was effectively running away from home. When the ship had finally reached the docks of The Tether, the captain asked that Aiyue would wait until dusk to go ashore, he would take her to The Emperor himself, as it was safer for her and it would guarantee that word would not get back to her father of where she had gone. She did as she was told, as she always did. Aiyue watched as the sun slowly set over the ocean and the other ships at port and when she finally heard the knock on the door from the captain, she rose to her hooves, brushed her hanfu off and granted him entrance. "I'm ready Captain." She said, in a shaky, but confident voice. The captain nodded softly, proud of the young woman that had been placed in his care for the time being. "Your belongings have been taken to The Emperor's rooms already." The poor sir was still unsure of how to address the courtier as her sister had not provided him with that information upon securing her transport from their home to The Tether. Aiyue crossed the length of the Captain's cabin after leaving him a small token of her appreciation on his desk next to a photograph of himself and a young woman; two cherry blossoms entwined together with a note that read "For your wife." Taking a final look at the small room, Aiyue wrapped her arm around the arm of the captain that was so much shorter than she and ducked as they left the cabin. She had not seen much of the ship that had brought her to her new home, but she was thankful for the men that had called the ship home for the journey. She wanted to offer the captain something for risking his life and the lives of his crew, but she had nothing save the gifts that her sister had given her. And she could not bring herself to part with those as they were the last things of her mother and her dear sister she had. The Captain took the young courtier through the atrium of the Tether, which was packed full of people, making the soon-to-be concubine tense up just a bit, and straight to the Golden Moon hotel within the Tether's own walls. He had been given the number of The Emperor's main room, and upon reaching that door, he knocked three times before waiting for confirmation to enter.

Emperor had just returned to his throne room to take a moment for himself. Initially with his depths into the suite which consisted of many rooms. He did not have any knowledge of them entering. A servant would have greeted them. Looked over a list of papers and become very flustered about even letting them in. Especially all the various trunks and chests that were not on any of their supply lists. After hearing their story though the servant felt incredibly bad if he didn't help and ushered them quickly through the suite to the throne room. When there had been a knock upon the doors, Emperor's eyes shifted suspiciously towards the gilded archways guarded by the stone work of two foodog statues; no one had arranged any audience with him. This was nearly unfounded. The Imperial mastiff sat up. Massive expanse of his frame filling the large throne seat and casting a bestial shadow to stretch across the marble floors. Furred palms placed solidly upon either of his thighs. "Best be a good reason I am being disrupted..." A gruff rumble spilled from dark lips. The intense glower of his eyes burning a proverbial hole through the doorway. "Enter." His posture was rigid. His face a mask of unyielding disappointment and contempt. Heavy set wrinkles etched into his forehead and down the thick bridge of his muzzle. Saggy jowls hung low and dreary. Deep set pupils giving them a beady and haunty aspect. Still as iron as he waited for who had arrived without any invitation. Shrouded in black furs and obsidian silk. Staring as they would enter and awaiting for a good explanation. The servant was immediately flagged off with a cut of his eyes and sweeping motion of a hand for them to quickly be sent fleeing out from the room, bowing repeatedly as they stepped backwards until fading away from sight. Eyes shifting down upon them settling with scrutiny upon the kirin female and the Captain escort. Slowly pulling his opium set from his long sleeves as his nerves were already frayed and he had a feeling he would be needing it.

Aiyue: The Captain looked at the servant as they backed away, bowing. He too bowed low and was shocked to find the Kirin female still standing upright when he returned to his own upright position. "Shèngshàng, I was instructed by this young lady's sister to bring her to you." The captain spoke with the same shaky tone that Aiyue had back on his ship. As for Aiyue herself, her orange orbs took in the Emperor and fear started coursing through her. While this man was vastly different than the man her father had intended to sell her off to, he seemed more brutish and that frightened her a great deal. She placed an easy hand on the captain's shoulder before she stepped forward and lowered herself into a seated position between the two men. "Shèngshàng, I am Wu Aiyue. My father is one of your Generals. I believe that my sister came to you asking for help." The young woman spoke in perfect Taigorian, her gaze glued to The Emperor's feet. She was far too shy to look him in the eye. She continued, her voice gaining some confidence, "She said that she came to The Emperor on my behalf to beg that He might remove me from my father's care as my father plans to sell me to a man that would abuse me and my..." her gaze now shifted back to the captain for a moment, "My powers." She gulped hard. It had never been something the family really spoke up, Aiyue's powers; they knew they were present within the child, but they hardly acknowledged the gifts until after the death of the mother. It was hard for Aiyue, even now, to admit out loud that she had such gifts while in the room with two complete strangers, but she knew that this was the only way to prove to The Emperor that she was who her sister had said she was.

Emperor squinted towards the Captain and would lean ever so slightly forward to address the sea goer. Offering a solemn type of nod. "Good she is here now and you have done your job." Eyes snapping towards the door in a way that meant he was dismissed as well. The Imperial did not trust just anyone within the inner sanctum of his house and there were many secrets contained; sometimes in plain sight, within these walls in which he would rather not be revealed to the public eye. Not only that but as the kirin spoke of her powers...Mere mortals tended to be fickle about such subjects. It was best this meeting was made private. He would wait for the man to leave. The echo of the door clanging out, filling the room with it's humming vibration of closing. The mastiff let this hang in the air between them. He simply had a way of making things very uncomfortable...drawing that feeling out and making on linger within it. He stroked his long beard as she knelt and faced her head down. A tut of thought leaving his muzzle as he pried open the wooden box he had pulled from his sleeve pocket. Slowly looking over every inch of her without even courtesy towards her feelings about him staring in such a crude fashion. She was in his house...seeking his services. he held the cards and would do as he liked. A grumbled murmur as he pulled out an old cracked wooden pipe..as his most fancy one had been stolen. He was still quite upset about that. He went about stuffing herbs into the bowl and striking a flint stone over it to light it. Taking a long inhaling puff and expelling the white mist towards the ceiling. "You are much more pretty than your sister at least." Taking another drag on the pipe before his hand settled over his thigh holding it there. "Your sister promised me you would be useful should I take you in. What are you willing to give? Hmm? It is a pity my old General does not know how to keep his household in order. Maybe I will be needing to pay him a visit." He scoffed. Looking deeply towards the kirin with a flicker of fire growing in his eyes. "Prove you are worth my saving and protection. Only then will you have it."

Aiyue gasped when mention of paying her father a visit reached her ears and her head snapped up to look the Emperor in his eyes, "Oh please, Shèngshàng, do not do that." She inched closer to the throne, walking on her knees, her hands clasped together. "I beg of the Emperor, please do not let my father know that I am here." Thoughts of the abuse and torture she and her sister would endure caused tears to pool at the corners of her eyes. She lowered her head once more, shaking it. "Please, I beg of thy." Her words were now as shaky as her entire body. "While my father was a good man in public settles with the court. At home, he was anything but. After my mother passed away, he sent my brothers to our grandparents so he could control my sister and I." She whispered, almost as if sharing the memory would make it happen again. Aiyue wrapped her arms around herself in a mock hug, she now sat on her hooves and closed her eyes, which caused the tears to roll down her cheeks. "As for my powers, I can grow flowers out of thin air. As well as vines. Though they are never fruit baring." Feeling a bit brave now that she was talking about something that she was so extremely confident in, the Kirin dared to look up at The Emperor once more. "Would The Emperor like a demonstration?"

Emperor saw her groveling and crawling towards him balling her eyes out. This only amused him slightly and annoyed him somewhat. The ugly crying made her face distort and snot and drool to drip from her orifices. The mastiff reeling his head back and taking another puff of the opiate. "Stop that." Pushing his foot out so she would not get so close that she might be clinging off of his garments with her dampened hands. "You will just have to wait and see what I mean by that." He gruffed. Features still plain, always on a neutrally hostile level. When she spoke of her powers and this seemed to cheer her up he nodded. "Fine go ahead. Impress me." As he sank his weight back into the cushions of the throne and toted on the pipe. Relaxing some what now that they were alone and no one else should be disturbing them. "Perhaps I will take you as my wife...and have you give me all of yourself." Lips stretched in something a keen to a smirk but far more wicked and cruel. Jowls stretching out of ordinary propositions to reveal a singular large canine tooth at one side of uplifted maw.

Aiyue would have normally shuddered at the thought of 'giving all of herself' to someone, but her sister had told her that this might be something that was demanded of her. "Should that be something The Emperor wishes, I will gladly accept the show of affection." Aiyue rose to her hooves now and walked back a few steps, she closed her eyes softly and began to hum a light tune to herself with her hands out before her, palms up. As her humming continued, a soft light began to shine from the centers of her palms and from them, what seemed like a small sapling. Though her song was finished, the growth within her hands had barely begun, so Aiyue started humming another tune, this one deeper and far longer than the first. This one allowed the sapling to grow into a large vine that began twisting its way up Aiyue's arms toward her elbows before changing direction and handing down toward the floor. Aiyue opened her eyes at this point, checking to see where the vines were going and if anything was growing from them. What she had not anticipated was the fact that her orange eyes were now a glowing hue of neon. Switching back to the first song, the vines began to grow several varieties of flowers now. It looked like it should have taken every ounce of energy from the young courtier, but in truth, it was doing the opposite; it was restoring the energy that her earlier outburst had taken away from her. When she finally took note of the vines and flowers being so very close to the stairs before the Emperor, she stopped humming. The only thing this caused was the vines to cease growing, for them to fall from Aiyue's palms, she would have had to close her hands tightly to sever the connection.

Emperor perked his brow as she accepted..albeit with some hint of reluctance within her voice...that she would welcome his affection. He gave his beard a lengthy brush through with his fingers. He highly doubted she would appreciate his 'affection' since it was a non-existent concept within his world. For now though he would allow her the pleasantries of thinking about it how she would like to imagine things going. It would only bring him entertainment when the look on her face...surprised...dismayed...might appear when he turned the tables on her to demand what it was he might desire at any given moment. As she stepped back his eyes followed her. Ears perking to the sounds of the humming as it grew louder and resonated within the room in a melodic tune. Watching closely as foliage sprung to life within her hands and spilled out over the floor. Creeping and budding. Exploding with colorful blossoms to fill the room. When she stopped them just at the bottom of the stairs his head tilted slightly. "Interesting." Was his only assessment of an immensely beautiful power. Though he was a man of few words and fewer compliments. "For now you will be placed in the role of a courtesan in my household. You will find my Empress and subject yourself to her for inspection and quality testing. When she has approved of your presence then I will accept you as a wife. For now you will live in the servant's quarters until a proper room is prepared for you and any others I may take on as a concubine." He snapped his finger and a servant would enter to show her to her room.

Aiyue bowed her head low, "Thanks be to The Emperor." She spoke softly but loud enough for him to hear. When the snapped for servant entered the great room, Aiyue bowed one last time toward the Emperor before she circled her finger in mid-air and sent a single blossom from the vine closest to him to land on the throne next to him. As she closed her fists, the rest of the vines disappeared, leaving only that lone blossom next to the Emperor as she made her way behind the servant. Aiyue was not sure if the life that her sister had arranged for her was going to be any better than the life she was already living at home, or the one with the vile man their father had started to arrange, but she believed that if she tried hard enough, The Emperor would at least treat her better than either her father or that other man had.