The Emperor's Daiyu (BWAM)

9) Sword

Xiang

"I am the Tai Yen"

Her words etch my sound waves as she rests lifeless in my bed. I watched her from afar as the healers ran across my room, trying every possible way to bring her back to life.

Smelling salts
Water
Nothing coaxed her to rise.
I pray she wasn't dead.

An hour passes before she finally wrestles with slumber and wakes. I had carried her into my own room and laid her in my own bed. I needed to keep a close eye on her if what she said was true.

She sits up from the sheets and looks around the room, trying taking in the unfamiliar environment.
She spots me behind my white curtains by the window and quickly pulls the blankets to her throat once as she realizes her nakedness.

"Who are you and this time? Be truthful." My tone was stern.

She watches me from across the room, contemplating whether to tell me her truth.

"I was truthful when I told you who I was the first time emperor"

Now I was impatient. How dare she demand for a meeting then waste my time lying about her origins.
I made my way across the room, storming to wear she rested.

Her arm is in my palm now as I  force her to stand.
"Tell me who you are!" I shouted impatiently

She took a deep breath in and frowns. "I told you who I was  emperor but you choose not to believe me!" She glares, her voice strong and defiant. Her eyes fix onto mine as she stood at the mercy of my grip.

Hastily, I let her go, pushing her to the bed. She drops into the bedding and glares.

My feet pace across my marble tile.
What was I to do? Keep questioning her and doubting her words?

I sit in my velvet green chair and watch her. We were feet apart.

Her movements were still and limited. She didn't know whether to run away or be defiant and stand to face me.

"Stand" I say, pushing a thumb to my lips. I wait for her to rise from the bedding. I required a closer inspection, maybe that would afford me some understanding. She grabs the cotton sheets as she rises from my mat but I signal her to drop them.

She wanted to scream on behalf of her relinquished autonomy but knew better.
Timidly, she dropped them and stood from the bedding, walking over to the middle of the room.

The soft rays of the setting sun radiated against her luminous glory. Her skin was magnificent, filled with a certain quality of luster I could not place.
And her eyes?
They were magnetic, as brown and rich as a treasured seed; simply spellbinding.

How dare she test my temperance?

I craved to know more about the vision that stood before me.
My feet were quick to meet her. I circle around her, like a lion eager to attack his prey.
"Who are you"

"I am the Tai Yen" she says, careful to steady her voice. She knew she must show me her respect for I was the master of her fate.

"But the Tai Yen is not a person? It can't be" I whisper, careful to falter my words.
It was supposed to be a list! That is what my father told me.