Emilian slept so deeply that the old man had to shake him awake in the morning.
"None of those lazy habits here! Get up boy, there is work to be done!" Lee shook him by the arm. "Up! Or I'll bring the cold water!" His words were threatening, but his face was smiling and friendly.
Emilian dressed quickly, and washed his face, before following Lee down the ladder to the stables, where they began to work by feeding the horses and scraping manure from the stalls. Although Miss MeiLan had only four horses, Lee and Emilian assisted the Yongli stable hands with all of the horses in the compound, nine in total. The work was hard, but satisfying at the same time, and Emilian felt a sense of familiarity with the horses. Although in his short memory as a beggar, he hadn't been near a horse, he knew how to handle all the equipment and even how to groom them and pick the dirt out of their hooves. Was it possible that he had been a horse boy before? The horses seemed to like him too. They stuck their heads over the stall doors, looking for rubs and scratches, and responded well to his calm chatter. Lee watched him closely, nodding and smiling in approval whenever their eyes met.
They were nearly finished with the chores when he heard the swish of silk. He turned quickly, his expression eager, hoping to see Miss MeiLan, but instead he found himself staring at the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. It was the cousin, who seemed to favor pink feminine dresses and heavy gold jewelry. An elaborate headpiece was arranged over her hair so that jewels dangled around her temples. This was his first chance to see her properly and it took a lot for him not to stare. He lowered his eyes as she came closer.
"You are that homeless person who saved us yesterday," she walked around him, waving her fan nonchalantly in front of her face. "I heard that my cousin has given you a place as a servant. Are you really qualified to work for a noble family, boy?"
It annoyed him that the pretty girl was calling him "boy". He didn't know his own age exactly, but he felt that he must surely be older than her. Although her social ranking made her a superior, he still felt slighted by her disrespect. He also remembered how careless she had been of her cousin the day before, the fact that she'd left MeiLan alone while she had gone to enjoy the fun, not caring if her relative was beset by thugs or bandits while she was alone. Emilian felt an instant dislike for the girl.
"I'm Miss Minnie, by the way. This is my father's house. What is your name?"
Emilian refused to answer, he just continued to stare at the ground.
"Oh, are you stupid?" She teased him. "Well, if you don't have a name, I will just call you the horse-boy. So, horse-boy, prepare my mare. She is the dapple gray there at the end, the one called Honey."
Emilian set his jaw stubbornly. He was Miss MeiLan's servant, he would not take orders from this spoiled, insolent girl. He did not budge.
"Do you dare to disobey me?" She asked hotly. She raised her hand as if to strike him, and he felt a moment of panic. If he caught her hand and stopped her, she would probably scream, and he would be in trouble. He would probably be thrown out of the compound. But if he stood there and allowed the girl to slap him, he would be humiliated. Before she could swing, a voice called out, "Stop, Minnie." The words were soft, but the command was sharp enough that Minnie immediately dropped her hand.
"Cousin MeiLan! Your servant is very rude! And…and…lazy!"
Lazy! Now it was Emilian who wanted to slap the girl. He ground his teeth together and stared hard at his own feet, his hands balled into fists at his sides.
"I am sorry that my servant has displeased you, cousin. However, Emilian is my servant, and no one may discipline him except for me. I have some things to discuss with him now, so please ask one of the other grooms to assist you." She passed her cousin and took Emilian by the elbow. "Come, walk with me."
Emilian allowed Miss MeiLan to support herself on his elbow as they walked slowly down the path, away from the stables, away from the sputtering and angry girl, and into the gardens. "It is not wise to make an enemy of Miss Minnie," MeiLan said slowly as they walked. "The Master is often away on work, and my aunt is very busy with social engagements, so there is no one to uphold discipline in the home compound." She gave him a look, willing him to understand the meaning behind her words. He thought she was saying that the Miss was spoiled and unruly, to which he could wholeheartedly agree. The girl was a brat.
"But don't worry," MeiLan continued, "I won't let her bully you. Let's have tea."
She led him around the pond, where the koi fish swam lazily among the lotus flowers, back to the table where they had dined the night before. Anak came promptly with a tray of tea and cakes. She gave Emilian a friendly smile before bowing courteously and disappearing with the tray. Miss MeiLan poured the tea, first heating the cups with boiling water from a small pot then passing the cups over rose incense that wisped from little stands in the middle of the table, then pouring a cup for herself and for him. He accepted the small cup gratefully.
She reached into her robe and pulled out a small silver tag. "I have made this for you." She extended a silver medallion, on which was engraved his name, Emilian, and the name of her house. "If you want to leave the manor, you should wear this. The guards will not be able to harass you, and the merchants will show you respect."
Emilian accepted the name tag as if it were a precious gift. He felt a glow of pride as he tied it to his sash. He belonged to Miss MeiLan, and he was glad to let the world know about it. They sipped their tea quietly, though he was aching to say what he felt. "Miss MeiLan," he said low voice, "I am your most loyal servant, but I can only take orders from you. I will not serve Miss Minnie. I will return to the streets before I call her mistress."
MeiLan sat back and looked at him, a small smile playing about her mouth. "I see that you are a stubborn and passionate man, Emilian." He accepted this as a fine complement. She took one more sip before picking up her carved walking stick and rose slowly to her feet, still graceful despite her condition. "Allow me to take my leave now. The events of yesterday have left me quite tired."
MeiLan retired to her house and sat in the comfortable chair she had brought from her own home. The curtains were pulled away from the wide windows, and she could see the young man returning to the stables. She watched him until he disappeared from sight, and then sighed, and turned to the low table before her. She spread a fresh sheet of rice paper and smoothed it out against the surface. "Anak, please! Bring me my paints!" she called out to her maid.
Her legs were aching fiercely. She had been awake most of the night from the painful muscle spasms and the unpleasant electrical sensations that traveled from her spine to her extremities. The pain had been with her for so long that besides the disturbance it brought to her sleep, she barely gave it thought any more, and she refused to make complaints. This was her curse, and she must endure it honorably. If only she had left more appropriate gifts for the White Dragon.
Anak brought her ink, paints, and brushes. Since MeiLan had spent so much of her life as an invalid, she had become an accomplished painter. She had even done a pair of paintings for the emperor and empress, which her father had presented at court. She dipped her brush in the ink and began to apply it to the paper, with no initial plan of what subject she would paint. But soon it became obvious that the face on the paper was none other than the new servant. His black hair had been pulled back away from his forehead, but bits escaped the leather string to frame his cheeks.
Anak leaned over her shoulder to observe the portrait. "He is quite an attractive man, isn't he?" In public Anak was always dutiful and respectful, in private she relaxed and acted more like the sister MeiLan had indicated her to be.
"Mmm, I suppose he is."
"I think he must be from some noble family. Even though he is wearing a servant's uniform, he does not look ordinary at all."
MeiLan smiled up at her maid. "It seems you are quite smitten, my friend."
"Oh no!" She wrapped her hands into her sleeves, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I was just making an observation. You know I'm too old for that now."
"Is anyone ever too old to find love?" MeiLan asked as she continued to apply paint, giving the face of Emilian depth and shadow, until it appeared very life-like.
"And what about you? I heard that your aunt has had several requests from gentlemen who wish to call on you." Anak waggled her eyebrows. "Don't you have a date to have tea with a silk merchant tomorrow?"
MeiLan blew out an exasperated breath. "And when they see that I am a cripple? They will turn tail and run like dogs."
"Mr. Jinsom was ready to marry you, remember?" Anak said teasingly, remembering the man who had approached Minister Zheng about a marriage when they were in Q City.
"Oh yes, Mr. Jinsom, who is older than my father and as bald as Buddha?" And they both laughed.
"He did sort of resemble Buddha," Anak said thoughtfully, wiping a tear from her smiling eyes, "If Buddha was skinny and smelled like garlic!"
MeiLan made a gagging noise and sat back in her chair, looking at the portrait of her young, handsome servant. With a sad sigh, she rinsed her paintbrush and reshaped the bristles with her fingers. She left the painting to dry and went to lie down on her bed. The sheer bed curtains billowed slightly in the breeze, and MeiLan rested her head on the soft pillow. There was no use thinking about Emilian or any man in that way, it was fate that she would grow old and die alone.