VI

Restraint

"Luo Zheng is celebrating the day of the coronation of his ancestor, Emperor Luo Ming," Nysha explained to me on the way to the manor. "We'll attend the ceremony, talk a little, watch some dancers and listen to some music, then be on our way."

"That's it?" My own face weighed on me when I talked. I felt like an onion. To be fair, Nysha had succeeded - I hardly recognized myself. What was that paste she'd smeared me with made of to give me such a natural tan as hers?

"That's it. We'll be gone before the moon starts sinking... After one or two quick detours where we get an up-close look at his manor of course," her smile faded. "You're not going to fly off the handle, are you? The duke will welcome us at the gate and..."

"Isn't it too late for you to ask that?"

We'd reached the decorated streets where security was increased three-fold. Carriages drove through the saluting avenue of guards with the occasional entourage giving us a few curious glances. Everyone heading towards the manor carried some emblem of the golden dragon with them. Gravures, badges and embroideries; I wore a headband around my head depicting one, and Nysha's was coiling around one of her armbands. Aside from the customary gesture, I had two more scarfs bound around my upper arms, flowing behind my steps. Another sash that was much longer than necessary tied my orange-brown robe tight. The robe was divided into many loose pieces; an assortment of sheets pretending to be a whole. A shame there's too little wind around here, Nysha had said while dressing me.

Her attire was similar to mine but leaned towards its extremes. Her scarfs were more colourful and abundant. The bands climbed around her, creating bridges through the rings in her robe. From her naked arms more cloth hung to her sides like flags on a pole. She'd made both sets of clothing herself, long ago, in case she'd need them. Also because she enjoyed doing so.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," I answered her doubtful glare. Should I have been flattered that she chose me to come along despite it all?

"I've held a grudge once," I said; it was a severe understatement. "Some time ago before I came to Zhanhai. It didn't end well."

"A grudge?" Nysha tilted her head, leaning in closer.

"I don't like thinking about it. What's important is that I've always been told I was a fast learner. I now aim to learn from my mistakes, so we'll see how that goes. Look, we've arrived."

The carriage in front of us passed, revealing the tall gates of the manor without any signs of its barrier. Two guards stood to the side, their backs as straight as their spears. Nysha grabbed my hand when we walked past them to meet Luo Zheng and his guard captain Huo Lan. They turned to us, a trace of surprise flickering across their faces before it was covered by polite smiles.

"I welcome you to my modest home!" The duke and his guard bowed in greeting. Nysha replied in kind, but I stood still, staring at his lowered, defenceless head. Luo Zheng was covered from head to toe in gold adorned cloth, donning the dragon representing his lineage. Nysha shot me a nervous glance whereas the duke had trouble hiding his dissatisfaction. I swallowed the whirl of emotions welling up within me.

"I'm not much familiar with your customs, I must apologize," I smiled strained, and stuck out one hand, keeping my other below. "A Sun's Greeting to your Highness," Luo Zheng sceptically straightened himself to receive my hand. "I'm known in this land as Huan Ren, but it's a borrowed name. You must understand, the troubles of travelling a foreign empire are many, and I do not wish to add more than needed. A great alliance may bind our lands since the border fell, but the same can not yet be said of the people's minds. I want there to be none of that between us. Please, call me, Kayin. For my wife and I to be invited to your castle on such an occasion is a great honour to our history."

"You flatter me too much, Kayin," Luo Zheng let go of my hand, smiling while he shook it off at his side. Too tight for a grip between old friends? "I am no highness but a humble duke. I'd be pleased if you called me, Brother Luo. Brother Ghanzhu has told me much about your wife. Dyrakiel, I've always wanted to visit it once, alas my duty to my people binds me. The great honour is all mine to personally meet someone from the distant land where the wind is born. I must say, your command of our language is excellent. Flawless even. All I know are but a few words of dyrak myself."

And yet you elude even our simplest of customs? His scrutinizing gaze spoke silently.

"A bow is one not easily given in our land, Lord Luo Zheng," Nysha stepped in, one eye glaring at me. "I apologize for my husband's conduct. Our greatest tutors have taught him well, succeeding superbly with his studies, yet failing him in other matters."

"It seems, I must have offended you," I added, shaking my head gravely. I lowered myself in an extravagant bow, stretching my hands out in front of me. "My sincerest apologies, Brother Luo, I have shamed myself."

"Please, there's nothing to apologize for," he gestured me to rise, but I didn't. "I was in no way offended."

"Are you showing me mercy?" I raised my head.

"Mercy?" He asked, stunned. "You must be exaggerating."

"Mercy, my most revered duke, is a favour hard to come by," I met his eyes. The silver in mine turned the cogs in his head, but he didn't manage to draw the correct conclusion. "One that must be appreciated, no matter how small, for it may well be beyond the reaches of our mortal coil. It is nothing to be squandered, nothing to be taken lightly, nor is it done half-heatedly. It is a gift. One that I can not speak of giving easily myself. So, even a little of it, I will treasure as I do my lifeblood.

"There's something you must know about me. The Wind Spoken do not forget. I do not forget. My past clings to me like the winds of Khenma's flowing deserts. Debts, I must repay, if in time. For now, you shall have my good prayers. May Tyzhan bless you with safe travels, and may your excellence stay in good health so He may guide us together on a better day. Until then, blessed be your wind."

I took off one of the scarfs bound to my arm and wrapped it around his shoulders. He offered no resistance. Luo Zheng was speechless, and so was Nysha, while Huo Lan frowned in the back, ready to step in if he noticed something was off. The duke, being overwhelmed by my antics, hurried us past him into the garden before his manor. As much entertainment as I'd provided the growing queue of people waiting behind us, they were getting impatient.

"What. The hell! Was that?" Nysha whispered furiously into my ear, pinching my hand. "And Tyzhan? Fire on your tongue, if you must, get it right at least! It's Thyec Zhan-saal!"

"Don't be so uppity about it."

She took a deep, calming breath. "This is my fault. I thought this was a great way to hide your appearance, but if I'd known that would happen, I should've taken Grey with me!"

"I feel wronged. Shouldn't I be praised by my dear and loving wife?"

"Wronged, how so?" Nysha scoffed. "Praised for what exactly?"

"Forget it, I did take it a bit too far. I apologize for that," I exhaled, relaxing my tensed muscles. Smoke mixed with a sparkle of silver light that rose from my mouth to join the stars in the night. I still had much to learn about restraint, but there was some progress at least. A fast learner indeed.

"How did you come up with all that anyway? Most," she stretched the word aggrieved, "of what you said wasn't all wrong. A bit too theatrical and overbearing, perhaps, but otherwise..."

"I brushed up on my memories after meeting you." It's amazing how many things you thought forgotten, or never thought remembered, are memories so easily retrieved sometimes. "I've read a few books once. Like, 'Naesh and Kaya, two winds divided,' or 'The Prince of Khenma.'"

"Oh, I love those, I didn't know they read them here!" Her eyes shone for a spare moment before they grounded themselves again.

"That was your impression of the Prince?" Her face lit up before it was marred by her frowns, "...If that's your goal, citing His Highness was a poor choice. Didn't you read it to the end?"

"Stop assuming too much, I just used what came to my mind at the moment. Are you satisfied now? Let's go inside and get this over with, you don't have to actually play at being my wife and keep nagging. See, everyone's staring at us."