Tuesday, January 18, 2022 - Midtown, New York City, United States

The abrupt shift in tone caught Tommy Xu off guard. The young woman sitting in front of him appeared human to his sense. But the amount of magic she had held had been, well, terrifying. And that crown? It was not fully manifest yet, but she was Ekerri’s heir for sure.

And now she sat back down, having released all her magic, calm as, well, calm as her quoted words from Li Quinzhao. She who had been bold and amazing and lovely but always running against the wall of her sex.

He shook his head slightly and took a sip of the cup in his hand. He was not one for reminiscing, even about long dead lovers, the dangers of nostalgia were well known to the immortals.

The Lay Mou actually was pretty terrible. But it was important that he own things like this and to be cultured. When was the last time he had flown high and taken an animal on the hunt? He could feel his wings waiting to spring forth, but he ruthlessly suppressed it.

Her words had bitten hard. How had she known to quote Quinzhao? It had shaken him more than it should have.

Now she sat in the chair and regarded him calmly. Her eyes hazel and non-glowing. She sprawled in the chair, as if on a divan, her long legs askew and the plunging neckline of her jacket hinting at more underneath. He could smell the vicuña that made it up which didn’t comport with the other smells coming from her. Borrowed? Or were the other smells of cheaper hair product and makeup the truth?

Where did her confidence come from?

The Fuzanglong had always guarded their treasures from all. And had always been canny. Those that remained were few but wealthy beyond imagining. He looked at the pearl in his hand. It felt reassuring and warm and radiated magic like a warm fire. A fire that he would normally have used to burn this girl to ash.

She caught the look, “I won’t be taking your trinkets from you.”

He was unguarded and ashamed she could read him so well. For what reason had he lived so long if he was to act like he had just hatched? The Tianlong would have flayed him if they saw this behavior. If Ekkeri hadn’t slain most of them.

He sat down behind his desk, steepled his hands, and took a slow, quiet breath to realign in front of this girl. This child. This fascinating child with a half-baked crown and more magic than was wise or, frankly, sane.

The arrogant child was examining her nails. It was a pose, of course, but even her comfort in doing that was a message.

“You caught me off guard, I’ll admit.” He smiled ruefully.

But she did not agree and thus surrender her verbal advantage but instead pushed.

“I may surprise you even further.” She murmured and even went so far as to wink, as if the sally was unworthy of more than amusement.

Now he truly smiled. She was young, he could smell her age and knew that was true. But she knew the value of subtlety. And, if anything, had exposed how complacent he had become in the past thirty thousand years. He should let the Tianlong punish him. Being outmaneuvered by a child. He would submit to the Heavens judgment for his weakness. Later.

Her reaction to his smile was one in return, and perhaps what endeared him even more was her reply, one of true candor, “I would not have put it behind me regardless. After all I did not agree to your games.”

This bold child smiled in his face, and he laughed at her bravery. He even caught the whiff of magic she was using to keep from sweating which made it even more admirable, she was not insane but actually courageous.

He steepled his hands again. He liked the pose as it made him seem thoughtful. “Now let us discuss allegiances. For your braveness and jocularity, I would take your allegiance. But should a dragon bow?”

“Should a future Empress?”

“I suppose it depends on where the balance of power lays.”

Now she sat up, and her smile took on a different character as she was intellectually engaged.

“Power is an ephemeral judgment that changes with the winds. Is it the Azure Dragon that holds sway or White Tiger? No, they guard the cardinal directions in a dynamic tension. And such is power, the give and take, the sleight and the real. The rules and the ruler exist in similar tension, each held hostage by the other.”

“And so what can we base our allegiance on that will have more foundation than the gauche flexing of muscle and fiat?”

The Fuzanglong caught the trap, “Why should I put down those things I am strong in? I have might and wealth. I know my advantages.”

“Don’t put them down, just put them away for now. Enough metaphor. Let’s talk transparently and honestly: we cannot trust one another yet. But we can start somewhere.”

The shift in tone was effortless. This artful child. This beguiling child.

She went on. “I want your support. I need your support.” The word need was a great concession. It was candor.

“I have been crowned. I have enemies. And the Thousand Kingdoms emerge.”

“What? I knew there were a few more leaks. But the Kingdoms return?”

“They do. And I offer that freely. And another thing. Ekerri had also returned. He crowned me and I have not seen him since.”

“Ekerri.” He hissed. And his composure was broken again. But he controlled himself. “I thought Emperor Ekerri long gone. But that crown you wear has his stench all over it.”

“He crowned me and cut me loose. I have started to suspect for not good reasons. So I will make my offer and leave. You can call me once you have thought about it.”

“My offer is simple, one, power to be yourself and to one day soon, fly the skies in your true form; two, revenge against Ekerri, should he be playing me.”

The dragon held up his hand, his oh so human hand that he had worn for hundreds of years, “that would be something. But how shall each happen?” He remembered flying in his true form a few months ago, during All Hallows' Eve, the one day a year he allowed himself to, and he realized he wanted something more than his treasures at the moment.

This conversation had forced him to unearth the true fear he lived with. Humans, once vermin, possessed weapons of vast destruction.

“The first is simple, the emergence of the Thousand Kingdoms happens now. How it happens is mine to influence, being uniquely positioned between worlds. The second, well, the second is something I think we will work together on. Us, and perhaps, the Aqrabuamelu.”

His hastily gathered composure dropped and he stood up. “The Aqrabuamelu? Those bugs? They would back you over Ekerri? Why? They are warrior cultists and fanatics.”

“Yes. And I am Innana reborn, their redeemer for the betrayal by Utu-on-Earth, the Emperor Ekerri.”