Resisting the urge to break decorum and hug him, Yan’s heart broke as she watched Grandpa struggle with his emotions, unsure how to proceed after Rain’s ‘demonstration’ forced him to action. Still laying on the floor, Jin Tok gaped like a fish on land while alternating his wide-eyed stare between Rain, Grandpa, and the crowd of disdainful nobles, unable to comprehend the nuances of what just happened or why no one would speak out against Rain’s actions. Arrogance and stupidity blinded Jin Tok to the truth laid bare for all to see. Grandpa was no longer merely a respected Teacher and former hero past his prime, but had reclaimed his standing as a Peak Expert of the Empire, a living legend few could hope to match, a man almost above criticism and reproach. What’s more, since they first met, Rain had gone from nameless ‘savage’ to publicly accepted Number One Talent of the Empire and Imperial Consort, his standing so far above Jin Tok’s, they were as different as Heaven and Earth.

A child born into wealth and reputation, Jin Tok was a feckless half-wit dumbass who still had yet to realize how far his family had fallen. His ‘heroic’ father made many enemies in life and Grandpa had to call in every chit and favour he had left just to keep the Cho family alive, but they were all too mule-brained to see it. What Jin Tok thought he could accomplish by ruining Grandpa’s return to glory, Yan would never understand, but despite the snivelling shit-bag’s hateful actions, she knew Grandpa would forgive him, for such was the price of love.

Much as she loathed Jin Tok, Grandpa only saw the child he once held in his arms and swore to cherish and protect, not the hateful man that child grew up to be. It broke her heart to see Grandpa in so much pain, so against her better judgment, she reached out and gave him a gentle push, so light it was more of a pat, but that was all the prompting he needed. Marching over with resolute purpose, he lifted Jin Tok onto his feet with a harsh glare, but ruined the authoritative atmosphere by straightening the shit-bag’s clothes and smoothing his hair like a proper doting grandfather would. Whatever Grandpa Sent made Jin Tok shrink like a turtle into his shell, but from his aggrieved expression, Yan wagered the idiot hadn’t learned a damned thing from the experience.

They would have all been better off if Rain had cut Jin Tok’s throat, but Grandpa would never forgive him for it, especially since he was already partially responsible for instigating the feud between Kai and the People which started the sequence of events which led to Kai’s death.

Keeping a firm grip on Jin Tok’s arm as if afraid he’d bolt and run, Grandpa apologized to the crowd and excused them both, dragging the shit-bag away for a verbal haranguing, but he was too soft-hearted to do more. A real shame since Jin Tok could do with a caning or twelve, but sadly, all Yan could do was learn to tolerate his presence since it seemed like he would once again be a part of Grandpa’s life. Putting it out of her mind, she commanded Shana to hang back as she approached the Chief Provost and the Blacksmith, hoping to get through the next bit without the sweet girl chittering for hugs and treats. Careful to stop at a safe distance so she wouldn’t accidentally poke anyone with her horns, she showed her respect with a full bow while her words made her position clear. “Du Min Yan greets Lieutenant General Akanai and Divine Blacksmith Husolt. On behalf of Grandfather, this one thanks you for coming and apologizes for his unexpected departure.”

Still yet to recover from Jin Tok’s disruption, the crowd didn’t even pretend they weren’t listening in on the conversation, waiting to see if the Chief Provost would claim credit for Yan’s impressive Martial prowess or otherwise denigrate the living legend. Truth be told, the People deserved at least half the credit, for while Grandpa’s teachings sped things along, at least once a week he’d sigh and shake his head while admitting she would have excelled even without his guidance. It was a matter of pride and it wounded his greatly to believe he’d stolen Yan from the People, but she knew they didn’t see it that way.

Well... most didn’t.

With a smile and a nod, the Chief Provost replied, “Your time in Central has served you well. I hardly recognized you on stage the first day during your phenomenal performance against Wu Gam.” Her reminder earned her a derisive snort from the surly Eccentric sitting nearby, but the Chief Provost merely ignored him and continued. “So young and already utilizing External Chi, Du Min Gyu’s prowess as a teacher may even surpass his already formidable skills as a warrior. Admirable indeed.” While the crowd voiced their agreement, the Chief Provost Sent, “It gladdens my heart to see you thriving child. I know how difficult it must have been as a woman and demi-human in Central, so allow me to profess my admiration for your strength of will and character.”

Her cheeks blazing from the high praise, Yan mumbled her thanks as the Blacksmith winked and nodded at her shield hanging from her shoulder. “Your fan is a pretty piece, but I told you before, your shield is a piece of Inspired work, some of my best. Don’t neglect it now, or you’ll break my heart, girly.”

Beaming from the amicable exchange, she nodded and chose her words carefully so not as to give away their silent exchange. “Thank you for the high praise. This one is undeserving and still has much to learn, but she will always remember her roots.” A month ago, she wouldn’t have dared utter those last words as it would have given rise to a public condemnation of both her and Grandpa, but now she could proudly declare her origins instead of hiding them like a shameful secret.

It stung to admit it was mostly due to Grandpa and Rain rather than her own efforts, but she wouldn’t complain too much about it.

Once the Chief Provost dismissed her, the crowd lost interest in Yan’s reunion and she allowed herself to relax a little. Standing before the Bloody Fanged Wolf Baatar, all Yan could think of was how her thick-skulled hero once mistook her for a boy, so she said her greetings and moved on before breaking into nervous laughter. Though her face bore more lines than before, Speaker Sarnai still looked the part of cold, mature beauty, her gaze sharper than ever as she sat in her wheeled chair and studied Yan like a lamb on the chopping block. Thoroughly intimidated, Yan beat a second hasty retreat and was met with warmth and cheer as Alsantset ignored all decorum and politics to pull her into a hug. The twins were equally exuberant to see her as they leaped into her arms, clamouring about all the things she’d missed while showing off their lion puppets.

Oh how she missed their pale, chubby cheeks and little nub horns...

Promising to come visit and play soon, Yan extricated herself from their grasp and exchanged a warm smile with Charok before braving the next hurdle. Skipping past Mila’s surly grimace, Yan opted instead to face Lin’s adorably bashful expression, the sweet girl clearly holding herself back because of their present surroundings. “Well?” Yan asked, holding her arms out wide. “I don’t even warrant a hug now?”

Giggling in delight, Lin threw herself into Yan’s embrace and said, “Hi Yan-Yan. I missed you lots. I almost forgot how nice you smell, like a warm summer breeze.” After enjoying the embrace for another second, Lin remembered herself and leaned back, though she kept her arms firmly wrapped around Yan’s waist. With an endearing, tearful pout, Lin whispered, “How come you never wrote back?”

“I’m sorry,” Yan Sent, squeezing the darling girl tight. “I wanted to, but anything I wrote would have been intercepted, altered, and used against me or Grandpa. I’m not even sure if I received all of your letters, the first one came six months after I left.” A poorly scrawled letter from Rain which rambled on far too much without really saying anything of note. “You heard all the trash Jin Tok spouted just now, but a year ago, the result would have been much worse.”

“But things are better now, ya?”

Lin’s optimistic gaze was too much to bear and Yan almost broke down into tears of joy as she nodded in reply, too choked up to speak. As wonderful as Grandpa and Eun were, there were still times when Yan had been so lonely in Central, with no one her age to trust and talk to. Even though they’d never been the best of friends, she’d formed a deep bond with Lin and everyone else during their travels south to see the Society, a bond she cherished deeply and longed for ever since she took her first step in her journey to Central.

Flashing her beautiful toothy grin, Lin hugged Yan tight once more and said, “Good. Now, enough stalling, go make up with Mi-Mi ya? Don’t worry, she looks angry, but she isn’t, not really. You know how she is, she’s not happy unless she has something to be grouchy about.”

True to Lin’s words, Mila stood with arms crossed and lips pursed, but Yan steeled her nerves and wrapped her arms around the stiff redhead, hugging her tight while explaining everything through Sending once again. With a dainty, derisive snort, Mila finally relaxed and returned Yan’s hug, squeezing so hard her ribs creaked and feet lifted off the ground. “Politics,” Mila Sent, her disgusted tone conveying exactly what she thought of them. “I still haven’t completely forgiven you yet. What were you thinking returning Shana and Zabu like you did? You could have left a note at least. I thought you refused his betrothal, but Lin believes otherwise. Which is it?”

A good question. “... I don’t know. It’s not something I’ve spoken with Grandpa about, but I’m sure he won’t stand in our way, only...” Did Grandpa have other plans for her, like a political marriage, or worse, a marriage with Jin Tok? No, Grandpa would never be so callous as to use her that way, he himself never married because his parents insisted he marry the “right” woman without caring for his opinion, but the question remained, was Rain even still interested? “I’m sorry for causing you worry Mila. I didn’t think things through, returning Shana was a knee-jerk reaction after I received an invitation to his banquet in honour of his new concubine.” And she regretted it every second since, barely able to bring herself to wake in the morning without the adorable squeaks of the quin pups to greet her. Besides, Rain had enough adorable pets around him, from the friendly, long-haired wildcats to the round and skittish black bears, not to mention the darling hare perched atop the Guardian Turtle, looking so fetching with his silken bow-tie and angry scowl. Focusing on her conversation, Yan put on a brave front and asked, “Was he upset?”

It was a stupid question to ask. Either he was devastated by her backhanded refusal and she caused him pain or didn’t care and she meant nothing to him anymore, but regardless of how he took it, she needlessly complicated things with her actions. If only she’d waited a single day, then she would have known there was no longer a need to hide their connection and could openly flaunt their friendship. She cared nothing for the benefits his new status brought, only that it allowed her to be both Du Min Yan and Adujan of the Bekhai.

“Ha!” Rolling her eyes, Mila Sent, “You forget, but he’s not the sharpest spear in the armoury. The mule-headed idiot never gave your motives a second thought and is still clueless as ever, too busy spoiling those pups silly and ruining any chance they have of growing into proper battle quins.”

The unsharpened spear in question stood a little ways off, the centre of attention now that Grandpa was gone, fending off a horde of fawning bootlickers with his customary tactless, unintentional discourtesy. She’d already noted this during his improvised strip show on the streets of Nan Ping, but Rain had changed considerably in their time apart. Gone was the scrawny, slouching, bedraggled youth, and in his place was a strapping young man dressed to impress and brimming with confidence. Although he still had plenty to go before he could be called anything but lean, his wiry athletic form filled out his high-necked tunic well, his shoulders broader and back wider now that he stood up straight, and his pants were just tight enough to give an impression of his cute butt and shapely calves. Though shorter than most, if not all the guests, there was an air of command about him, not demanding respect, but expecting it, yet still friendly and approachable thanks to his easy, charming smile. Longer than she remembered, his silken black hair was brushed to one side, showing off his piercing amber eyes to full effect. When his sharp gaze locked onto her eyes, a chill of fear ran down her spine while a shudder of excitement coursed through her, ready to follow him into the closest room and do whatever he bid her.

Mother Above. He had no right looking as handsome as he did, no right at all. How was a woman to resist?

Freeing himself from the crowd with the help of his Death Corps guards, Rain made his way over to Mila’s side and greeted Yan with his brilliant smile, so genuine and goofy her heart melted to see it. “Yan,” he said, slipping his arm around Mila’s waist. “It’s so good to see you again.”

And that was it. No ‘I missed you’, no ‘I still love you’, not even a joke about becoming his fourth wife. Just, ‘good to see you’ while being all lovey-lovey with Mila. When did they become so intimate? Uptight Mila seemed perfectly fine with this public show of affection despite her parents standing only a few metres away. It wasn’t anything overtly salacious or indecent, merely one hand resting on her hip, but their actions were so casual and practised it spoke of a deep level of trust and affection, far more than they’d shared when Yan parted ways. To make matters worse, Rain’s new concubine towered over them nearby, a gorgeous goddess with long legs and huge tits whose every action exuded sex appeal as she clung to her ‘Lord Husband’s’ sleeve and studied Yan with a wary gaze. With Lin’s undeniable charisma thrown into the mix, was there even still room for Yan in Rain’s cluttered love life?

Fucking hell. What a difference a year makes...

Summoning a phony smile, Yan swallowed her disappointment and replied, “Good to see you too.” Turning aside, she wave Da’in over and said, “Let me introduce you to my new... What would I call you anyways? My God-Sister?”

The willowy woman’s smile had a seductive cast to it, her eyes half-lidded and head held at a slight tilt, giving her the illusion of vulnerability despite being one of the most dangerous young women Yan knew. “Actually,” she drawled, linking arms with Yan as she spoke, “We’ve met, and since you call Godfather ‘Grandpa’, I would technically be your God-Aunt. Be a good little girl Yan-Yan, and greet your God-Aunt nicely.” With a petulant smile, Da’in switched to Sending and said, “You naughty, deceitful seductress. To think, I spent an entire morning raving about how bold and daring Falling Rain was yet you didn’t see fit to tell me he’s smitten with you.”

“Smitten?”

“Yes, utterly smitten and ready to heel at your command. Have you seen the way he looks at you? Like a starving predator lying in wait. I’ve already forced you to share your beloved Grandpa, so your God-Aunt won’t fight you for your little lover, even after such a spectacular and seductive display of arrogance and power.” Pursing her lips, Da’in added, “That said, he seems like a man of voracious appetite, so if he’s looking to add to his harem, be sure to think of your dear God-Aunt first, okay? I won’t settle for being his concubine, but neither will I insist on the position of primary wife. Mother and Father have been nagging me to marry for years now, and I fear they’re contemplating having me drugged, chained, and sold off to my prospective husband-to-be.”

Starving predator huh? Brimming with confidence thanks to Da’in’s perspective, Yan completed the introductions and stepped aside to greet Li Song, even though the two of them weren’t that close. In fact, the surly wildcat seemed overtly antagonistic and Yan had no idea why, but she couldn’t be bothered to puzzle out why. Knowing Rain was still interested filled Yan with both joy and trepidation, her heart pounding and nerves aflutter as she struggled for control. He still cares, so don’t screw it up, but you’re not orphan Adujan anymore. You’re Du Min Yan and you can’t afford to be seen throwing yourself at men. You must be ladylike and demure lest you bring shame upon the Du family name, even though no one blinks twice when the men of Central whore about with reckless abandon. Thus, she had to be sneaky about throwing herself at Rain and wait until after nightfall to seduce him.

Only a few hours more, and then...

Chapter Meme