The Wandering God

24 Great Meal Fit For a Dragon's Son 1/3

The girl is... Ao is...

"Lord Kageyama. You wanted to speak to me?"

Kageyama turned. Ao had appeared in the entrance to his rooms. She wore a long robe like dress, such as noble ladies often wear to court or with company. It was of soft grey silk, dyed with vibrant gold-copper fish, much like the one he had just been watching in the pond. The orange fish were offset circles of ripples done in turquoise thread.

The fish theme was further carried over into her hair, which was fixed in an ornately coiled bun atop her head with a number of long hair pins. From the pins hung jangling charms in glass and gold. More brightly colored fish.

To match her beautiful dress and hair, Ao's makeup was done to perfection, not a line of black out of place, her lips perfectly rouged. Kageyama had thought it was strange, the first day he had seen her go out, fully made-up, into the woods. But she had returned with out a single sweat mark maring her powder.

Although it was cooler in the forest than in Linjing proper,  and much cooler than Zhanghai, it was still warm. Kageyama did not understand how the girl could walk about fully attired like that, and not feel the heat.

Ao stood there, before him in his rooms, fully dressed and presented, like she was about to attend an audience at the royal court, and not just back from a walk in the woods. As regal as a queen.

Not a queen...

Her dress made her look like royalty, true, but Kageyama knew, that even without all her fine attire and makeup and jewelry, Ao would still look regal. Even when they had first met, and she had traveled with them in the clothing of a lad, the woman had walked as though the world were beneath her, her feet treading on clouds.

He knew it then. It was strange, after everything, it came to him, just like that.

Not a queen. A goddess.

He recalled words thrown back at him as she swayed away down a hall of Chuanfang that summer. "How do you know I am not who he thinks I am?"

Seven hells.

Kageyama sighed, and composed his face into what he hoped was a severe expression.

"Tonight, at the banquet," Kageyama began. Ao's eyes, which had been trailing across the contents of his room, snapped to his face. "You will speak only when spoken to. Understand?"

Her eyes widened with indignation, but her smile betrayed her amusement. "I am confused as to why I am receiving such a warning Lord Kageyama. Do you really think me so crass as to cause a scene in someone else's home?"

"Only when spoken to. And no schemes. No mischief." Kageyama found himself holding up a finger in warning, as he used to do to Sanli when the man was younger and had had a penchant for causing trouble.

Ao folded her long trailing sleeves across her chest. "Lord Kageyama, I can assure you, your worry is misplaced. I am quite insulted," she said, her voice full of laughter.

Before Kageyama could reply, Sanli spoke up from where he leaned against the door frame. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to side with Sho Sensei on this, Ao. The last banquet we attended, you engaged yourself to a dragon. Who later tried to kill you. We all remember that quite well."

Ao laughed. "Fine. I promise to be on my best behavior. No mischief. No false engagements."

"Good," Kageyama grunted.

Sanli chuckled from the doorway. "Shall we go? My dear family is awaiting."

*~*~*~*~*~*