A black pouch appears in my hands. I pull aside the cloth opening, to find two small gourds one silver with blue markings and the other blue with silver markings about three inches in length. While the blue one has an engraving of a flower the silver has an engraved blue flame.
I take out the blue gourd and touch the flower pattern, it feels warm the belly of the gourd feels like soft rubber.
How much spirit energy can this little thing hold? It's a sacred weapon but it's appearance is so misleading. I slosh it around and I hear something clank around inside.
I quickly pop off the top and tilt the gourd, but nothing comes out. I slosh it around again this time upside down with my hand under the opening to catch whatever falls out. When nothing falls out, I stick my finger in and pull out .... a ring?
The band of the ring is made of Jade, thats looks like it was carved to look like multiple vines of flowers with small leaves entwined together, with a few blue stones cut like blooming flowers in the center. The inside of the band has an engraving in characters I don't understand.
Wow the person who made this must have really loved the girl they made this for! Look at this detail.
I touch the realistic looking flower admiring the fine details and different patterns on each petal.
"Can we talk?" XiaoLongs voice startled me from behind, I accidentally pierce my finger on a leaf.
A drop of blood dyed the flower red before being absorbed by the ring.
"Ow, yeah we can talk now." Oblivious to the exchange that happened. I put the ring away in the gourd again, it was too big for my kid sized fingers at the moment.
"To answer your question earlier, yes I could show you your past life. But I don't want to. If you have something specific you want to know ask me and I'll do my best to find the answer. I also don't want to be allies. I'd prefer we set boundaries and work around one another." His childlike voice devoid any of the playfulness I'm used to, surprises me.
Well I wasn't expecting that. He's going from calling me mother to tiptoeing around one another.
"Why?" I can't mask the hurt in my voice.
"Because I can't trust someone who's made the same mistake over 11291999 times."
It's actually 11292002 times...but ...
"..." he's got a point... I bite my lip and fight back tears. I shake off the uncomfortable feeling in my heart.
"I didn't make that mistake willingly, maybe the first time yes. But I am not going to sit by and let fate dick me around. I understand why you're hesitant so I won't try to convince you to change your mind, but if later on you do change your mind the offer still stands." I feel slightly humiliated and sad being rejected so I laugh. "So I'm sure my mother's missing me by now, are you going to tell me your conditions or do you need some time to think about it?"
"Don't mention me outside to anyone ...or die, if you hear anything about other dragons let me know, don't die, don't get intimate with the opposite sex, and ..don't die."
Was that many warnings necessary?
"I'll do my best!" I say and take a small peach and gourd pouch, putting them in the sleeves of my dress. "You can have the Big Juicy, bye XiaoLong." I wave goodbye and release my hold on my Mindscape.
———
Back at the castle..
I open my eyes rubbing the tiredness away. I hear light snoring and see my Second brother sitting in a chair close to my bed.
My heart skips a beat, all my brothers are extremely handsome. They carry after my mother in face but father in body and spirit.
Rai Akuma was wearing light purple kimono with little gold dandelions embroidered along his sleeves matched the pattern on his belt. His long black hair half up and held by the bone carved hair-stick my mother made him. I quietly get off my bed and pull my blanket over him. I quickly hide my gourd pouch in a jewelry box underneath the pillow holding one of my crowns, before heading out to go wash up.
"Psst ... you ... hello are you new here? Can you please prepare warm water for my bath and get a set of clean clothes for me. My Second brother is sleeping in my room so try not to disturb him." I close my room door behind me, directing the maid waiting outside.
"You.. yes this lowly ones name Ya Ling ... your majesty is ah.. awake! Yes right away, should I inform your Magesty the Queen of your awakening." She bows nervously.
"Just call me Little Shin or Princess.. and let mother know after I bathe. Thank you." I walk towards the conjoining wash room on the other side of my room to relive myself and rinse my mouth.
Mmm I should talk to mother or big brother about getting some more handmaidens, I can train. Ya Ling seemed nice, I'll have to test her I need loyalty and not someone of faint heart. Kindness can get you killed or taken advantage of.. I need ... them ... back maybe they're still at the edge of Asura Desert. If they are I'll find them and save them this time! They might be there already I might have to ask big brother for help-
-DengDeng-
A light knocking interrupts my thoughts.
"Princess I have your water ready, may I enter?"