Suu looked around at her room one last time before she shuffled out after her mother who looked a little tired and pale. She supposed that anyone would feel that way upon being forcefully removed from a place that was their home in such a manner, not to mention what she'd managed to understand that their years here had not been easy either. She thought that maybe Mother was just feeling out of sorts because of the hand that they'd been dealt, after all she had attempted to follow the orders of the Feng Family to the letter and only ever interacted with them more because of her being sick. It would normally take a heavy toll on someone and drain them of their health and beauty, but it seemed that her mother was an exception.
They were packed into a small carriage, drawn by a slow horse and driven by an old man. The wheels creaked and moaned while the carriage itself was so badly maintained that it shook and rattled them with every small bump! Suu knew that the family didn't really care about her but this was ridiculous, normal people didn't treat others like this; let alone family. It was like some bad drama on TV or something, and she hadn't really watched much in the past years but she'd heard from a few friends that shows like this had become popular among their age group. If only she could tell them that it was real, and speak to them again.
Kasi looked at her distracted daughter. They drove through a few districts slowly, the unmarked carriage hiding their identities as was the purpose. The window curtains were simply staked into the walls to avoid them flipping over at all. She agreed that it was best that they were kept a secret, so as to avoid anyone seeing the current healthy glow that graced Suu's once pallid and gaunt face. The effects were apparent more so to her because she was looking for them, but if anyone truly paid any attention to them they would have noticed that her baby had color in her cheeks for the first time in years that didn't come from a fever. As a mother this made her want to shed tears of happiness, however she wouldn't live long enough to see the full effects.
She had placed the evidence for allowing Ki to take the fall the same night that she had conducted the ritual. She'd allowed the girl to find her 'secret' of beauty, which was fake prepared remains of the ritual. Really it was just the blood of a swan, mixed with detoxification herbs. She also found a 'diary' of foods that would allow for her to grow her beauty. But really she would hide Suu away while she used the evidence of where she had performed the 'Transference', coupled with some of the hidden pages to the diary that she made which Ki couldn't unlock but upon coming into contact with her 'husband' would be open to all. It was not how she expected her life to end, but she'd accepted that one day she might have to pass her life onto her child when Suu was born with such an unhealthy disposition. Kasi was endlessly thankful to her own mother Lidoia for having performed the ritual for her when they were invaded so many years ago. It hadn't occurred to her that she would ever have to follow in those same footsteps, however a mothers love knew no bounds, she would do as she must to allow her child to live peacefully and happily.
Suu turned and looked at her mother whom was deep in her own thoughts, and wondered why she was so calm about them being thrown out of the family. She only knew about cultures like this from passing history shows and a bit of knowledge about women's rights prior to the 20th century. Even though they were given more money by the Head Wife, she wasn't sure of the prices of things here at all. The laws and the etiquette were as foreign to her as this world and she feared that she would slip up and reveal that she wasn't the original. She knew that it wouldn't have a good outcome, and she wondered if her Mother would attempt to kill her after finding out the truth.
Thinking honestly, she wondered what they would do for survival. She supposed maybe she could learn about embroidery from Mother and earn money that way, but only if they could even buy property first and weren't going to have run ins with the government attempting to close them down for being illegal could she do that. It was going to be a long year, she would have to find something that could give them a chance to survive. Mother hasn't had an easy life either from the vague memories of the original Suu, having been captured and sold as a slave during her own childhood many years ago, and then forced into becoming a mother when she was barely old enough to have moved away from her parents in the 20th century. She couldn't fathom why her Mother wasn't resentful of the cards she'd been dealt or even of herself for having been born; let alone being born so sickly, but she was grateful that there was SOMEONE who wouldn't leave her alone and struggling.
As the two were immersed in their thoughts they arrived at a house in the lower middle section of the city, where the courtyard they now were to live in had been cleaned up and setup for them. From Suu's perspective it was a lovely and secluded little place. Passing through the front gate gave her the impression of simplicity. The yard had a few bamboo planted and the house was located to the right of the gate, it only had the one building which was a good size for two people to live in. Once she went in to explore she saw that there were a few rooms, a kitchen and a toilet. It was big enough that she felt it was too big anyways, as she would have to either help clean it all or hire servants. Just that thought alone gave her a headache, she preferred to live alone and quietly.
Kasi looked discomfited by the size of the house, knowing that at the very least before her child could have married a man who would have provided her with safety and children whom would grow to do better things than herself and Suu would had been her driving force for so long. Now, there was no way she would be able to let Suu marry into any family in this country. They looked down on people with Quwu blood and treated them lower even than the slaves bought for lowly tasks. Suu has no advantages here, and would have to grow up quickly before the ritual was completed and she departed this world. She knew a bit of the embroidery and sewing techniques that she herself had mastered and at least had a basic education in etiquette, as well as some words. But the child had been grossly ignored when it came to such things, only because she was not expected to make any kind of marriage that was advantageous since she was likely to die. Now she would have to hammer into her all that she knew to avoid there being any y'all of how she suddenly had more knowledge than the family had allowed her to learn.
Kasi could only take things one step at a time. If there was no progress she supposed she could always explain to her... that in their blood ran a power unlike any other. The teachings of their ancestors laid dormant in her for so long, and she'd not been eager to attempt to use it even after all these years... but Suu, she would need it. The only person on Suu's side after she died would be Suu herself, and she could trust no one with the secrets of the Quwu. "Suu, come here for a little while. Mother needs to tell you a few things..." her voice trailed off at the knowledge of what she was about to say.
"Yes Mother." Suu shuffled slowly over, still not completely used to the way these dresses were made. It aggravated her to have to take small steps like a child to avoid falling flat on her face, and other than wearing less she wasn't sure there was any help for that. Suu smiled at Kasi when she drew near, noticing that her brows were slightly furrowed into a frown and automatically she raised her hand to gently smooth the space between her brows. "Mother you'll get wrinkles if you frown so." Her voice soft and filled with affection as well as a small hint of worry.
Kasi took her hand and pressed it against her cheek as she raised her own to cup Suu's, her eyes that were filled with love and pampering turned a bit watery. "Suu I've decided I'll teach you everything that I know... even if you don't remember it all at first you'll have to make sure you practice everyday. I'll also teach you about our people, the Quwu who are called Barbarians by the people of this country."
Suu couldn't help but be a bit surprised at her mother's words, she wanted to teach her everything she knew and about the country that she came from. In all of the memories of the original there was never any mention of these things. But she was grateful, this knowledge would help with making a living later on as well as hopefully give her some advantage when dealing with any people or descendants of the Quwu. Her mind was immediately stimulated at the thought of learning new things. Unbeknownst to her, she would soon regret the excitement that burned within.
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Suu leaned against one of the trees in the backyard, trying to catch her breath. Her mother Kasi had been the Crown Princess of Quwu, in terms of Ki country... but in Quwu they had called her Small Matriarch, as the people of Quwu did not discriminate based on gender both the Small Matriarch and Small Patriarch had equal opportunities to prove themselves fit to be the new ruler.
Her mother had said that she had used a spell called 'Transference ' one of the ultimate forbidden spells of the Quwu Ancestors. It was only to be used when when there was no other choice, when the people were facing destruction in hopes of leaving behind someone who would carry on their legacy and allow them to rise again. Kasi hasn't wanted to tell her, but as the days went by and Suu got healthier and she watched Kasi slowly deteriorate. In a panic she had yelled that she was going to get a doctor. But as she went to rise, she felt her wrist be captured painfully hard. Kasi sat up, and Suu watched as the once full head of hair that looked like a pure black silk waterfall stayed on the pillow. Her skin was pale, eyes yellowed and burning with a passion beyond belief. Her body had shrunk by quite a bit, the clothes hanging off messily.
Suu had blinked back tears at the site of her, her own body had begun to slowly fill out as well. As though she was blooming flower in its peak, her hair had become lustrous and smooth, her face fuller giving rise to an enchanting look that combined the soft features of her mother with her father. Gently curved brows say above slightly legs eyes that arched upwards at the ends giving them a mysterious feeling, her lips now were a plump, pink soft cupid's bow, that had distracted quite a few men when she had gone outside to buy supplies as she learned around money. Unfortunately her chest was still small but they had also become fuller and were no longer a pitiful wash board, her waist was thicker than most women of Ki but still smaller than her mothers, her hips, buttocks and thighs had slowly become full like that of the pinup girls she'd admired in her own childhood.
Now that her mother was in bed she had to do everything in the house which didn't bother her, but it was tiring work to keep such a place clean by herself. She had also told her of the plan to have Ki take the fall for her death, and having poisoned her out of disgust for having to serve a half breed. She found out that Ki had indeed been feeding her poison from the orders of someone, but there wasn't any clues as to who. But to practice witch craft and steal Kasi's looks and kill her was something that would have the girl put to death. She couldn't believe that something so cruel and horrid came from her loving mother, but she realized that having grown up as she had there had to be a somewhat dark side to her after everything that happened. It was so much to take in, the slowly appearing knowledge left her disoriented and unable to move sometimes, feeling not only the life and knowledge of her mother but her grandmother and those even before...
What kind of world had she come to? This wasn't anything like Earth... what would happen to her here in this world? Would she even be able to live here? She thought of the mystical people Kasi had told her about and couldn't find it in herself to accept that she was in a place of magic and where the strong ruled above the weak. Would she ever find a way home, and could she ever be Perla Mann ever again?