Empress - Chapter 18 (Patreon)

A trickle of sweat clung to the back of Meiling’s neck, glistening in the rising morning sun. Short gusts scattered leaves and flower petals through the air. It tossed Meiling’s hair and carried with it the scent of rain. Faint light cast shadows that stretched across late summer blossoms. In the distance, roosters from the village cried out their morning praises while pheasants from the woods beyond Meiling’s home exchanged playful greetings with one another.

Meiling soaked it all in. She stood among the natural beauty of her family’s land in the clearing beyond her mother’s shrine. Her eyes were closed, her breathing was still and controlled. She listened to the music of the world around her as she practiced her martial forms. Meiling sunk her feet into the grass. Assuming a crouching stance, arms out wide for control and balance, she held the position firmly and meditated. The qi of her family ground streamed upward against the soles of her feet. She stayed in the quiet, feeling the familiar energy start at her feet and rise further through her body.

Once she had spent several contemplative minutes in a stance, Meiling carefully shifted her body into another. Her movements were deliberate and precise, every muscle contraction guided by the qi pulsing through her. She breathed in and out slowly. Through the wind whistling between the trees, her mother’s voice came as a faint whisper. From behind closed eyes, Meiling pictured the land as it once was. Colorful and pristine. She brought herself back to a time where the trees were taller, the grass tickled up to her ankles, and her mother’s smile, brighter than the sun, started everyday off as a blessing. She recalled back to her mother preparing dinner, teaching her and her brother the ways of the world, and sharing stories of adventures that she had written out in her book. She remembered being out in that same meadow learning from her mother the nuanced techniques of kung fu. She heard her mother’s laugh in the encasing breeze closing in on her, the voice that she had been so long without.

‘Fight,’ she heard it whisper. Forming into another pose, the voice forced her to think back to her training. Standing atop that same patch of grass, she had fallen. The ground seemed to hurt so much more back then. Over and over she would fall. Tears would press against the backs of her eyes, only to be calmed by her mother’s gentle voice and touch. Her mother would help her up, brush her off, and speak to her clearly. ‘You have so much greatness within you, my Meiling. Do you know what it is?’ The woman’s voice echoed through her channeled mind. ‘It is love, Meiling. It will not always come, but when it does, you must be prepared to fight for it. And in that, you honor me. You honor your family. You honor yourself.’

“Mother,” Meiling’s lips trembled. Swelling began to rise behind her eyes once more. She swallowed and focused her mind, holding a new stance with immovable tension.

A slight rustle in the grass caught her ear. A distinct heat traced over her skin as a quiet presence approached from behind.

"Glad to see you still practicing," Sima Yi greeted her. Meiling winced. Her mother’s voice had faded. The ghostly memory of her face vanished. Meiling became thrust back into the present. She opened her eyes and spun around. She sent a swift kick soaring up at head level. The top of her foot met a blocking forearm. A burst of wind blew scattered leaves across the grass.

"You," Meiling sneered. Sima thrust the kick away with a quick jab to Meiling’s jaw. She ducked and deflected the attack. She stepped back to counter with her own series of blows to his chest and chin. Her fists pounded against his blocking hands. She pushed him back, recoiling to send a hard kick to his chest. Sima caught Meiling by the ankle, bracing Meiling to launch a higher kick to the side of his head. Her foot struck the man hard against his cheek. He let go of her and staggered back.

"Wow," Sima said, rubbing his face. "I'm impressed."

"I don't care," Meiling said. She stood firmly defensive, her eyes narrowing at her intruder. "What do you want?" Sima Yi huffed. He looked to the side, the taste of blood teasing his tongue.

"I'm not allowed to come home?" Sima asked.

"You chose your home," Meiling said, "and it's not here." Meiling's fist tightened. The burning in her chest continued to rise. She launched forward with another rapid series of punches and elbows, all of which Sima managed to block and deflect.

“You’ve gotten a lot better over the years," Sima said, shielding his face.

“Don’t you dare patronize me,” Meiling snarled. She advanced faster onto Sima Yi, adding quick kicks and harder blows. Sima absorbed the heavy hits. He managed to catch a few light punches to the chest and shoulders, sending him stumbling backward.

“That’s enough, Mei,” Sima Yi said. Meiling continued charging with attacks when Sima Yi sent a hard heel strike to her chest. Meiling felt the air escape her lungs. She staggered back, just barely able to keep herself standing. She held the spot he had struck her, heaving painfully. “You know I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Then why come back?” Meiling asked, coughing through a dry throat. “Why not stay gone? With your new family!” Meiling dashed at the man, arms raised ready to strike again. She caught Sima with a few quick blows that he only nearly was able to block. Meiling’s fist slammed against his frame, sending hard thumps trembling through his body. When a kick caught Sima across the side of his head, he fell back, stumbling to his knees.

“M-Mei!” Sima groaned in pain. He held his palm to his cheek. Sima stretched out his jaw and waited for the ringing to cease in his ear.

“You used to be better,” Meiling said. “No, you used to be good. But then you gave it up for a life of servitude, just like everything else, so I say you deserved that.”

“By the gods, Meiling, you just won’t grow up, will you?” Sima Yi asked. He rose to his feet, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip.

“Like you would know?” Meiling asked. “I think I managed to grow just fine without you.”

“Not while you’re still pulling your old tricks,” Sima Yi said. “Causing mayhem, playing the thief, being put into the public stocks for your own amusement. You call that growing up?”

“I call that living. I call that something you never understood.”

“You’re reckless, Meiling, and one of these days you’re going to slip up and get yourself hurt, maybe even killed,” Sima Yi said.

“I live carefree under the heel of no one, just like mother,” Meiling said. “Like mother wanted for us.” Sima sighed. He glanced back at his mother’s shrine. Flowers shifted in the wind by the base.

“You think you know mother better than I?” Sima asked.

“You think I don’t?” Meiling asked back. “Why? Just because you were hers and I wasn’t? That’s what you’re thinking right now, isn’t it?”

“Meiling, I didn’t say-”

“No, say it.”

“Mei, I’m not here to start this with you,” Sima said, huffing angrily. Meiling bared her teeth and swallowed. She closed her eyes for a moment. She sucked in deep breaths and collected herself. “I really wish you’d understand why I did what I did. I just wanted to protect you.” Meiling chuckled.

“I didn’t need protection,” Meiling said. “But I spent a lot of nights needing a brother.” Sima paused. His eyes fell to the ground.

“I want us to be done with this,” Sima said. He rubbed his temple. His shoulders slumped beneath his regal robes. “Are you ever going to forgive me?”

“Are you ever coming home?” Meiling asked. Sima hesitated again. “Didn’t think so.” Meiling turned and started off for her house. Sima stayed behind in silence before rushing after her.

“Mei,” he called out with no response. “Mei! I’m sorry, but I need your help.”

“Oh do you now?” Meiling said. She kept her eyes forward, her pace picking up as she carved a path through the trees.

“The crown princess, Yuanji,” Sima started.

“Who?”

“Look, I know you don’t keep up with the royal family.”

“Because I’m not some stranger’s lapdog,” Meiling snapped back. “I have my own family to honor. At least someone should.”

“She’s gone missing, Mei,” Sima said. Meiling stopped to belt out a hearty, mostly mocking laugh. “She didn’t tell me where she would be specifically and we need her back at the palace.”

“So, just so I’m understanding you correctly,” Meiling started. “You abandon your family to watch over someone else’s and you can’t even do that right?”

“That’s not it at all. Yuanji, she’s… free spirited. Strong headed. Stubborn. Not unlike someone else I know.”

“Well, glad at least someone has you watching over them- oh wait.” Meiling gave another forced, condescending laugh.

“I have reason to believe that she may have run into you at some point,” Sima said. “Before she left, she was fawning all over mother’s diary and going on and on about the public stocks, wanting to see them in action.”

“A lot of people come to see my ‘art’.”

“Then she came back yesterday and claimed to have run into someone with a passion for tickling,” Sima continued. “She didn’t give me a name, but claimed to have been regularly involved with an individual that sounded an awful lot like you.” Meiling smirked and shrugged.

“Well, it’s not,” Meiling said, starting off again.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive,” Meiling said. “Pretty sure I haven’t seen any runaway princesses. Probably wouldn’t care if I did.”

“This is important,” Sina said.

“To you, maybe. I’ve been pretty preoccupied with my own stuff recently."

"With what?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because…" Sima said, his words trying to catch up to her. "Because you're still family. You're still my sister."

"Didn't stop you from leaving," Meiling snapped.

"Mei…" Sima sighed, following closely behind. Meiling paused. She glanced around at the birds rustling through the trees.

"Not that it's any of your business, but I met someone," Meiling said.

“Who?” Sima asked. A smile teased the ends of Meiling’s lips. She looked down and let herself ride along the memories and emotions of the night before.

“She’s a traveler,” Meiling said. “Came to Xian to trade and I guess wanted to stick around after one of my ‘shows’. Her name’s Cao Lee and she’s been quite amazing company these last few days.” Sima’s eyes furrowed. He stopped for a moment before speaking up.

“She stopped to watch you in the square?” he asked.

“Most everyone does,” Meiling said.

“What does she look like?” Meiling drew in a long breath. She grinned, staring off toward the flowery treetops.

“She’s… breathtaking,” Meiling said. “Perfect in every way. I honestly wouldn’t be able to describe her. She’s unlike anyone I’ve ever known. We’ve grown very close. Last night was something spectacular.”

“You’ve… laid together?” Sima asked.  Meiling chuckled and stroked her fingers through her hair.

“Oh yeah,” Meiling said. “I can’t even begin to tell you how-” Meiling felt herself twist around by the force of two frimly grasping hands. Sima held her at arm’s length, his eyes narrowed and staring into hers.

“Meiling, you can’t stay with her,” Sima said. Meiling sneered and jerked herself back, pushing him away.

“She’s not your princess,” Meiling said.

“You don’t know that.”

“You calling her a liar?”

“Mei, if they find out you’ve been harboring her, they’ll come for you,” Sima said. His voice rose and deepened.

“I’m telling you, it isn’t your fucking Yu Ji for whoever,” Meiling argued. “And I’m not going to let you stand here and tell me how to live my life while you accuse the woman that’s most special to me of being something she’s not when you’ve never even met her!”

“Meiling, listen to me!” Sima Yi yelled. His face darkened. His stony eyes wilted and shimmered into an expression that Meiling had never seen him wear. She started to fight back, but stopped. Sima searched for the words to say while shakingly touching his face. “Mei, you’re in real danger here. You need to…”

Sima paused. A caw echoed over the surrounding treetops. He looked to the sky to see a bright red sparrow circling above him. It continued to cry out with a call that came frighteningly distinct to Sima. His eyes widened. He covered his mouth and watched for a moment. Meiling tilted her head to look up at what he was seeing.

“What?” Meiling asked.

“I… I have to go,” Sima said. Before Meiling could shift her head to look back at him, her brother was already dashing off toward the palace. He quickly broke out into a hard sprint, running as fast as he could through the trees.

“Good, go!” Meiling called out after him. “I don’t need you! Run back to your real family like always!”

As Meiling stood and watched him vanish between the brush, her words echoed around her. They dissolved into the breeze, leaving Meiling behind with the silence of the woods. The sounds of his footsteps against dried leaves became distant bugs and birds chirping about. Meiling swallowed and huffed. She pushed back against the swelling pressing against the backs of her eyes. Her teeth bared hard behind sour lips. Meiling balled her hand into a fist. She looked down at her knuckles, wet and blistered red.

“Fight,” Meiling whispered to herself. She listened to the wind whistling around her. The path was open. The way was a quiet one. Once again, she was alone. Meiling closed her eyes. She thought she heard her mother’s voice again, but it was only wind.