"Big sis... Big Sis!"
Her eyes snapped open as she found herself in the field of peonies. However, that didn't matter at all as before her sat three very familiar figures. One was a seductive beauty in a red brocade flowing across her bare legs barely protruding out as she lie amongst the flower with a metal cup of wine in one hand and the other on top of a rock as well as supporting her head delicately. Pheonix eyes and alluring red lips. An alluring beauty with a vicious texture of seduction. Next to her sat a tall figure in green flowing brocade and a pair of small antler coming from her forehead. She sat there almost unmoving except for when she moved to drink the floral tea from her cup. Serene and aloof, she watched remained stoic till the girl with long black horns on her head stared at Lotus with a look of defeat on her face. Seeing this, Lotus felt rather pained and lost as she made quick glances between the two tall women sitting next to her.
"Big Sister!" The little girl called out with a small smile, "The tea is so bitter..."
Hearing this, Lotus looked rather surprised and made a brief glance to her older sister with the pair of horns.
"This..." She hesitated nervously.
"What about wine?" The little girl spoke up nervously, "May I try some of that?"
"No." The two tall women responded bluntly in unison, "You may/can not."
The alluring woman smirked playfully and brushed the hair on top of her head with the palm of her soft hands, "You are too young to have alcohol, little girl."
"But I want to try some..." The girl muttered in disappointment, "Big Sister seems to enjoy it a lot..."
"Maybe when you're fifteen. Then, I'll share some with you, little girl." The woman continued with a chuckle, "If you drink it not, it will also be too bitter for you to swallow. It's more bitter than tea, you know?"
"All right... But, I'm not 'little girl' either." The child said firmly, "Big sister gave me a second name!"
"Oh? What is it?"
"Mo Li!" She responded with a proud smile, "Big Sister named me after a flower! I like it very much!"
Hearing this, the woman laughed.
"Stop laughing!" Mo Li muttered in dismay with pouted cheeks, "It's not funny!"
"Second sister..." The tall woman scolded her with a few simple aloof words shutting their second sister up immediately, "Mo Li is a wonderful name. Third sister picked a good name. Treasure it as you do now. It is not often that we have the opportunity to give anyone a name."
"Of course!" The girl nodded with a proud smile once more to see that someone such as their eldest sister actually agree with her, yet her next words froze her rigid once again.
"As for tea... Could this be your first tea party?"
"Eldest sister..." Lotus called out hesitantly and softly, "Mo Li is still a child. Children have a harder time understanding the value and taste of tea or wine. May we allow her an exception and let her start with something easier for children her age please?"
"Something easier?" The tall woman looked to her curiously as she noted curiously, "Does third sister have any recommendations?"
Lotus nodded, "This... What of Chrysanthemum tea? We can mix it with the juice of sugar cane and the plant is a herbal tea, so our Mo Li can benefit from this. She can also have it all season and we can shift her drinks over to some lighter flavor tea over time?"
Hearing the word "sugar cane", Mo Li's eyes lit up. Lotus wanted to laugh but forced herself not to as she looked to their first sister nervously, "Eldest sister..."
Second sister smiled wide upon her words and the reaction of the young child, "Sister. if you don't agree, it would be hard to have to bring sweets and candy to every tea time we have. Why not let this little girl get this drink instead? She neither likes cakes nor tea, but she didn't say anything about not liking sweet drinks. As a child, there's nothing wrong with letting her have her fill while she still can, can it? By the time she becomes an adult, she won't have the chance anymore."
Eldest sister grew hesitant as she was backed into a corner. Finally, she sighed, "Very well..."
"Yes! Much thanks!" Mo Li jumped and hugged eldest sister surprising them all.
"Oh my!" Second sister gasped in surprise as Lotus's eyes widen in horror.
Not even eldest sister's young niece dares to hug her aunt!
Their eldest sister stared down upon Mo Li's eyes as Lotus sat on the side watching nervously. After a moment of silence, their sister raised her hand.
Her second sister and Lotus scrambled in a panic, "S-Sister-!"
"Ow~!"
Lotus paused in surprise as she saw their sister pinch her pointy ears lightly and scolded this child, "Sit down properly. You are in the presence of others. In the future, you can not always behave like this before others."
"Why not?" Mo Li whined in dismay, "This is how I usually thank others, though..."
"Hmph! You need to change the way you interact with others."
"Eh?!"
"Do not whine. Starting today, I will personally make sure you understood how to behave in public. You also do not need to say much thanks. That isn't proper. Just a simple Thank you will suffice." Their sister declared firmly, "If we instill it now, you can remember it for a life time."
"Ugh..." Mo Li grumbled in disappointment.
"Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, ma'am..."
"Ma'am is a term for older women. It would be an insult if you use the term before young ladies such as us. Young miss is the correct term for women with the appearance of under forty. Otherwise, you will make more enemies than you need amongst society."
"Eh~?!" Mo Li cried out in disbelief and horror.
Lotus noticed her second sister's eyes on her and glanced over to see her smile with a wink. Even Lotus was elated to see this and smiled softly.
"Mo Li, eldest sister is not wrong." Lotus spoke up slowly, "Society with humans are just as difficult. They are wary of others easily and ettiquete is needed to prove your status. Even those who came from a background without much will need to learn ettiquete when entering a background with much. They will not only look at you wrongly for lack of ettiquete but also treat you coldly if you act inappropriately."
"No way..." Mo Li's eyes widen in surprise when she heard of this, "I didn't think that living with humans would be this difficult..."
"It isn't always." Second Sister spoke up with a sly smile, "Only when one has power can they act as they please, but remember this, our Mo Li... By acting with such power, there will always be times you have to act ruthlessly and you will always be seen as a source of power and fear amongst others, as a tyrant."
"By acting with strict teachings, you will be admired by others and feared by many for it takes power to maintain such fortitude, as an empress." The eldest said firmly, "With so much power in your small body, you are meant to accomplish something big in the future. People will have their eyes on you once they learn of your strength, either from your family's former strength and fame or from witnesses of your power."
"But, nobody knows of my family." Mo Li grumbled quietly with her gaze lowered to her cup of tea, "I'm... an orphan..."
Hearing this in surprise, Lotus looked to her sisters who weren't surprised at all. Could it have been because of the power of her parents that led to their absence or could it have been a part of life that her parents left her?
"No." Their second sister spoke up calmly, "You do have a family."
"What do you mean?" Mo Li looked to them in surprise.
"Did you truly think we've gathered for no reason?" First sister sipped her tea again calmly.
"Third sister didn't just invite us over for tea and your medicine." second sister said with a wide smirk.
"S-Second sister-!" Lotus started with a bright blush.
"Eh?"
"We also came into this world without any parents." First sister said, "We were told that you may be another candidate to join our tea gathering, So, we agreed to allow you in. Seeing this, we've found you very favorable. Therefore we would like to ask you to become one of our sworn sisters."
"Sworn sisters?"
"Sworn sisters." Second sister nodded with a wide smile, "None of us are related by blood, really. However, we've been so close to one another and enjoy another's company. So, we've become sworn sisters. This means, if we have problems, we will naturally seek one another or see each other as family without any blood relations."
"It's only been our first tea party with you, but it seems we've all become fond of you." Second Sister laughed, "Third sister truly doesn't fail in finding entertainment for us, but we've never thought that we'd gain a fourth sister for ourselves. Would you like to join, our dear Mo Li?"
"Then, I get a family!" Mo Li's eyes sparkled wide when she heard this, "Yes! Yes!"
There was a sigh from our first sister who rubbed her temple, "There's no need for jumping and screeching. A smile and a yes would do, child. And, you should thank third sister. She was the first to have suggested this idea."
Lotus's eyes widen in shock and glanced over to her second sister. She was certain she only shared her wishes with her second sister! How did first sister know?!
However, the woman only returned with a shrug. Lotus sighed inwardly at her own foolishness. Of course, she'd know. She most likely knew that she found it difficult to share her ideas with her as well. Yet, she was pulled in by the hand across the blanket and faced with a bright smile as she heard her new little sister cry out, "Much thanks, Lotus!"
"Eh?"
"Lotus... Lotus!"