Chapter 1

"Lady Mayflower! Lady Mayflower!" My maid, Lan Jin, cried, riding after me, a note of distress evident in her voice.

 

I laughed, urging my little black pony, Twister, onward. She whinnied, snorting as she trotted toward our house.  Poor Lan. She never liked riding much, especially since her horse seems to always be so keen to throw her.  

 

Twister carried me into the stable. I gathered the skirts of my scarlet kimono as Papa’s butler helped me off and a groom came to lead Twister away. Lan’s little brown pony came trotting in, snorting. “Lady Mayflower,” Lan panted, “You gave me quite a fright! Please don’t abandon me like that again!” She slid down from the horse with the help of another groom. 

 

“Milady,” The butler bowed. I returned the bow. “Shall we?”  I snuck Lan a mischievous smile as I followed behind him.

 

We continued into the manor. We have been living in this house for the past thirteen years, ever since I was two years old. There were three floors, each one built with polished oak, each one with at least six rooms.  The rooms we greet guests with were a half of the first floor. The other half was the kitchen. The servant’s quarters were in the basement by the wine cellar.  The second floor was mainly the guestrooms, the dining room and of course, our library. The third floor consists of a series of bedrooms in case the second floor is full, and we were free to stay in any one we wish when there isn’t anyone there, but I stay consistently in the last room, the one right by the stairs to the roof. Lan stayed in the one beside mine, as she is my personal maid. Papa and Mama’s room is down the far end of the hall. Papa’s study is also located on the third floor, and he spends most of his time there.

 

I spend most of my time either on the roof or in the library. My father thought it fit to teach me how to read, seeing as how I am his only child, although a daughter. I liked to curl up in my favorite spots with a book in my free time, which was pretty much all day, since we hardly had guests and I had learned all that I could from my governess about three years ago.

 

“Milord,” the butler bowed to Papa. I bowed. Lan bowed.

 

Papa nodded back at us, smiling. The butler bowed again and exited the room, Lan following behind.

 

We stood for a moment. Neither of us said anything. 

 

“So,” Papa said, breaking the awkward silence, “My cherished daughter. How was the town today?”

 

I smiled a little uncertainly. “Beautiful.

 

What was happening? Why, Papa seemed a little…how should I say it? Unlike himself.  He was fidgeting with the large sleeves of his black kimono, a glint of nervousness in his brown eyes.

 

“Uh…Papa?” I was worried. He had never been like this before…

 

“Y-yes?” Papa gasped, apparently startled, as if coming to his senses from a trance.

 

            “Are you alright?”

 

            “Yes, yes, Daughter, quite alright,” he beckoned to me, standing up, “Come with me, Mayflower. We have guests,” his expression was a grave excitement as he turned to me, “Very important guests.”

 

            I groaned. We’d had guests all week, all of higher position than the last, and for some crazy reason, all at tea time, and as the oldest daughter and of course, hostess, since Mama was at Grandmama’s,  I’ve had to pour tea for the Baron of Siou, the Earl of Fung-Zhong, and the Duke of Tong-Liang.

 

            Papa gestured into the room impatiently. Sighing, I followed him in. Nothing could’ve prepared me for what I saw upon coming into the drawing room. I gasped and fell to my knees immediately. “Your Imperial Majesty!”

 

For sitting there upon our best carved chair was Emperor Lu, and at the right of him, sitting in a row, his two sons, the Crown Prince Luan and the Prince Rin.  Emperor Lu was wearing robes of splendid yellow silk, embroidered carefully with dragons. Crown Prince Luan wore a green tunic, also silk, and Prince Rin attired in a black Kung-Fu suit. Indeed, the royal family, also the richest in the whole kingdom, dressed well.

 

“You may rise,” Emperor Lu said, benevolently. He was an average-sized man in his mid-sixties, with dark hair in a topknot, brown eyes, a kindly voice and a fatherly demeanor.

 

I stood.

 

“And you may sit,” The Crown Prince muttered smugly. He was thin, with his father’s hair and eyes but not his kindness.

 

The emperor nodded his consent. I sat in the chair farthest from the emperor. Papa placed a plate of coal in my hands. I almost groaned in the presence of the emperor, but I stopped myself in time, laid the coals in the ro under the rocks with the long metal chopsticks, and heated it. Soon the rocks were heated and I set the kettle of water I got from one of the maids over the rocks while another maid served the emperor and his sons to sweets.  I bowed to my guests and turned, going to get a tea set.

 

Slipping into the kitchen, I found my best tray for the tea things and set a small wooden plate of tealeaves on it. Turning, I rummaged through my box for the ladle and the ladle rest, for I always put the tea things in a box that I labeled “Tea”.  Instead, I pulled out four ceramic teacups and set them in a square-like fashion right by the plate of tealeaves, and continued searching for my ladle and ladle rest.

 

My heart drummed in my chest. Oh my god! I’m going to be serving tea for the Emperor and his sons! Oh my god!  What was I to do? What if I spill something? What if I break something?

 

And it was in that sense that I reentered the drawing room, having found my ladle and ladle rest and laid a pair of wooden chopsticks at the edge of the tray, and I tried my hardest to not let the tea things rattle as I entered the room.  The water in the kettle was boiling by now, judging by the steam curling from the lid, and I hurried over, still trying to do so gracefully. Then I took the kettle off the ro by the handle. I held the plate of tealeaves an inch above the teapot and slid the tealeaves into the teapot with the chopsticks. And then I took the lid off the kettle.

 

My hands shook. All right, calm now, Mayflower. Carry on serenely. Calm.

 

I swallowed and ladled into the four cups, making sure I filled each only halfway. This was the cleansing ritual. Then I tipped all the tea in all four cups into the waste water bin and set the cups back on the table. Then I ladled again, this time filling it three-fourths. My governess had taught me to never fill the teacup completely full.

 

I set the cups on the table and turned, drawing my fan from my kimono sleeve, and thus, began fanning the tea. I could tell it was still too hot and I waited, fanning, until the steam was mostly gone. And then…and then…the final part.

 

I knelt, swallowing hard. Slowly. Peacefully… but my brain was screaming at me! I was serving tea for the Emperor! And if I spill something…would he send me to the gallows?

 

I glanced at them. Emperor Lu was sitting serenely, his expression an encouraging smile. No, Emperor Lu was much to kind to do such a thing. But that pompous Crown Prince might.

 

I held the cup above my head, keeping my gaze on my own knees. And then, Emperor Lu lifted the teacup from my fingers. I glanced at him for a second as he sipped the tea. And then I stood up, walked over to Crown Prince Luan and knelt, doing the same thing I did with the Emperor. This was how it was done. One serves the one of highest position first and goes down the line.

The Crown Prince smiled smugly and took the teacup.

 

I moved to serve tea for Prince Rin. Close up I could see that he was about my age, though silent and expressionless as he was. And yet the most curious thing about him is…his hair…well…it wasn’t in a topknot. It was cut, apparently very, very recently, sticking unevenly in all directions and I couldn’t help but wonder. What happened to him? It is our tradition that men must have long hair as well, although in topknots…and yet…Realization dawned on me. Fathers were allowed to cut sons’ hair as a sign of disgrace if the son disgraces him. I wonder.

 

After I served tea for Papa, I took the tray back to the kitchen and retreated to the place I was sitting and watched as the men enjoyed their drink.

 

“Lord Hsia,” Emperor Lu broke the silence as he set his cup on the table in front of him, “Your daughter does an impressive tea ceremony.” I blushed as he smiled my way. Papa looked proudly at me.

 

The emperor beckoned to Papa. “Shall we continue into a more private place for the subject, that of which I’ve come to discuss with you?”

 

Papa bowed as he stood and walked out after the Emperor, leaving me in the room with the two princes.

 

“They’re probably talking about that,” Crown Prince Luan said in a mysterious manner.

 

That interested me and I pressed on, “What is it?”

 

            Crown Prince Luan smirked at me. “Something you obviously don’t know.”

 

            Aghhhhh! That conceited, piggish�"

 

            “A shame,” said Crown Prince Luan absent-mindedly, inspecting his nails, “I would consider you, really, if I’m not already betrothed to the Sultana of Kan. You do perform a wonderful tea ceremony.”

 

            I gasped. What? What was he saying about considering me? What does that mean? And then it dawned on me and I inhaled sharply and fell back into my chair, silent. How could Papa do this to me? I’m barely fifteen! And he’s trying to marry me off! How could he! No. How dare he!

 

            And the door reopened and Papa reentered, the Emperor beside him. Although Papa didn’t look too pleased, the Emperor was smiling through and through. “Luan, Rin,” Emperor Lu beckoned to his sons. Then, turning to Papa and me, he nodded his acknowledgement. We both fell to our knees once more.

           

            So it was that the Emperor left our house.

 

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            “Milady?” Lan walked into the library.

 

            “Yes?” I asked absent-mindedly, closing a book.

 

            “Milord wants to see you in his study.”

 

            “Alright. I’ll be up in a moment.”

           

            Lan bowed and retreated out of the room. I sighed, replacing the book back where it belonged. I’ve been trying to avoid this moment all afternoon by hiding everywhere I could think of. But now I have to go.

 

            I walked out. Why was Papa so keen on betrothing me all of a sudden? Is that why the Baron, the Earl and the Duke were here?

 

            Well, I thought bitterly, Papa’s hit the jackpot.

 

            I knocked.

           

            “Come in,” Papa called. I pushed the door open.  His study was still as disorderly as I remember it to be the last time I was in here. There was a pile of books sitting on the left corner of his desk, papers and writing brushes lay everywhere. There was hardly any space on the floor for walking.

 

            “Ah! Mayflower!” Papa took two long strides to where I was and hugged me.

 

            “Papa,” I couldn’t help but smile as he stepped carefully back to his desk.

 

            “I asked you here to discuss a…well…very important matter.”

 

            “I know, Papa. I know.”

 

            He looked surprised as he stared at me, jaw dropped.

 

            “But…how?”

 

            “The Crown Prince told me,” I lied. Crown Prince Luan didn’t actually tell me. He dropped a hint.

 

            “So you know you’re betrothed to Prince Rin?”

 

            I nodded. “But Papa�"I’m…I’m only fifteen! Why are you so eager to marry me off?”

 

            Papa gave me an apologetic smile. “Emperor Lu suggested and I couldn’t refuse, could I?”

 

            I sighed. Okay, maybe I should forgive him. I mean, if Emperor Lu ordered him to…

 

            “Trust me, I didn’t think it would be…Prince Rin either…” Papa grimaced. I knew what he meant. He had wanted to betroth me to the Crown Prince instead. Ugh.

 

            “Good night,” I turned around, all consideration of forgiving him were gone. Ugh! How dare him! I would’ve said he thought me a tool for power had I not known better!

 

            And I made sure the door made a magnificent crash as I slammed it shut and walked out, heading towards my bedroom. I need to get all of this out of my thoughts for a while, at least until Mama comes back. Then I might have a chance of getting out of this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[rae52]

it's really good so far i'm loving it