[story] more than human
author: n kaouthia
The Far North is dragon territory, where dragons are born. In the sky exists the Altar of Heavens, where dragons from all cultures - the East, the West, the North, the South, Center - congregate. And what are these five places? The West - what we call Korea. The East, Japan. The South, the lesser countries. And overseeing it all, the Center: China.
Together, they are one kingdom: the Badlands.
"You were exiled from the Altar of Heavens."
Xue sounded far from impressed. He might have even sounded a little disgusted. Or at least, as disgusted as a monk of his stature and spiritual wealth could be. Both of which he had, in great multitudes, and whenever Jihye was around him she felt like vomiting a little - Xue reeked of goodness. But she refrained from doing so: Xue was, after all, still her other half, the phoenix to her dragon.
"Xue, I know my Central isn't perfect, but it's understandable."
"I'm so unsurprised."
Jihye averted her eyes. She tried to adjust the sedge hat on her head, but it tilted forward and hid her eyes. "Xue, the Dragon Kings are rich bastards with nothing to do but yell and breath at each other and make it rain. You hear it all the time, don't you?"
"I do live in Thunder Range, Jihye," Xue said. "And I do hear when the Dragon Kings argue. It seems far less frequent now that they've finally exiled you. I suppose it was for a good reason."
"Well... You know how I am." Jihye shrugged. She smiled slyly. "So, Xue, how is the monk life?" She tugged at his monk's robes. "Still celibate? Or do you think you can leave that celibacy behind for a bit?"
Xue pulled away. "I'm sorry, Jihye, but no. A thousand times no. Especially not for you."
"I won't be thwarted, Xue."
"The more important matter at hand," Xue said, smoothing his robes out, "is that you were exiled from your homeland, and you are wearing a sedge hat when there isn't even a sun out."
Jihye cleared her throat. "Well, the true reason I came here is... well..." She flattened her shirt with the palms of her hands. "The reason the Dragon Kings exiled me from the Altar of Heavens is, uh... I was cursed. By a shamaness."
Xue smiled. "A heartbroken shamaness, I assume?"
"You know me so well," Jihye said, her smile turning warm. "I told her that I didn't want anything serious... and then she cursed me. Now I can't go anywhere because of these damn horns and eyes! Everyone thinks I'm a demon of some sort! Or worse, they realize I'm a shamed, cursed dragon, and they don't allow me anywhere for fear of bad luck." She shook her head. "I need your help, Xue. I need to break this curse."
Xue looked thoughtful for a moment, but then he shook his head. "I don't know many shamans who would help a dragon like you... but perhaps you could go to the Badlands and ask the Empire for help. Their shamans are very talented."
Jihye scowled. "The Empire? The Badlands? Why would I go from one form of tyranny to another?" She shuddered. "Besides, I've been to the Empire a few times. They sell dragons out there! Or what passes as dragons, anyway. They have fat bodies and bat wings."
"Removing your horns may be the only way the Dragon Kings will accept you back into the Altar."
"I don't want to go back up there," Jihye hissed. "They're old and no fun."
Xue rolled his eyes. "Well, still, try the Empre." He patted Jihye on the shoulder. "You might meet a stunning young man or woman there."
Jihye knew he was only being sarcastic, but the idea still made her smile. "Good idea... Want to go with me and we can meet one together?"
"No, Jihye, I do not. But should you need my assistance, feel free to return." And then Xue closed the door on Jihye, effectively shutting her out.
Jihye could still fly, regardless of what form she was in, so she rode the clouds to the palace entrance, where the guards met her with their swords and shields. "State your purpose," the guard said, the sharp end of his sword dangerously close to her neck.
Jihye reached up to hold her sedge hat down. It would be most inopportune if anyone saw she couldn't hide them. They would know right away she was a dragon - and not a very good one, at that, if she couldn't hide her horns from the public eye. "My name is Jihye, the Dragon of the West. I am here to speak to the Emperor. As proof, let me show you my true form." She changed in front of them, into a long, blue dragon, her scales shining and glistening in the sunlight. "See that I am true and let me pass."
The guards raised the gate for her. She returned to her human form, making sure to keep the hat on.
A page escorted her to the main hallway. "The Emperor is not present at the moment," he said. "The Empress herself, however, is."
"That's fine too," Jihye said. The page gave her a strange look, and then he opened the door to the throne room.
As expected, the Empress was beautiful. Unexpected, however, was the depth and breadth of her beauty. Jihye, as old as she was, had only imagined such beauty before. It was no wonder that she was the Empress. Wars could have been started over her - and they probably were, considering her unusual green eyes and her darker skin. Her bright clothes, ornamented and gilded by the colors of the Badlands Empire, only made her seem more magical, more majestic than anything Jihye had ever seen - and she had seen a lot of flair and shows of extravagance in the Altar of Heavens.
"Empress Chizuko." Jihye knelt down on one knee like a soldier, her head down. "It is an honor to meet you. I am Jihye of the West."
"It is an honor to meet you," the Empress said. "I saw you from the scrying pool. You may stand. Your Central accent is wonderful."
"Thank you." Jihye stood. "If I may speak freely..."
"Of course."
"Empress Chizuko, your Central accent is wonderful too. And ... I am surprised to hear that you are also a magic user... I was under the impression that the royal family lacked that natural talent."
"A rumor." The Empress smiled. "My husband is very gifted in the magic arts. So what is it that you require, Jihye of the West? Perhaps something to cure that ailment of yours?" She motioned to her own head, and Jihye's drifted up to the large crown.
Jihye smiled. "Well... yes..." She removed her sedge hat to reveal her bright horns. "It is a problem."
"Except that when I looked through the scrying pool, they were well-deserved." The Empress gave her a wry smile. "Is that not true, Jihye of the West? Even the brokenhearted, as strange as they are, tend to give out suitable, fair punishments."
Humbled, Jihye looked at the ground. "Well, yes, maybe I did deserve it. It just seems that, ah, human women tend to believe that I can develop feelings for them right away... But it takes centuries for a dragon to develop feelings of desire and love for another. Devotion and kindness, we understand, but other things - well, that is beyond our scope."
The Empress clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "I see..."
Jihye frowned.
"I don't see why I should help you," the Empress said. "After all, you said it yourself that the curse is upon you for a good reason. Why remove it? Clearly, you have failed to learn any lessons so far."
Jihye cleared her throat. "Yes, Empress, that is true..."
"Then the matter is settled."
Jihye started. "S-so my coming here was futile? You won't help me, Empress?"
The Empress smiled. "I'm afraid not," she said. "Curses are given for a given, often under stress. They are meant to teach you a lesson--whether the lesson is good or bad... that is your choice to make." The Empress shrugged her shoulders. Her shawl moved to reveal the barest hint of flesh. Jihye felt a hunger grow inside her.
"Empress," Jihye said, lowering her voice. "If I may be so bold to suggest--"
"You may not," the Empress said. "Even as royalty, I understand the pains of a broken heart. I am not as despotic as some people portray me." She waved her hand dismissively, shaking open a fan in front of her. "Thank you for gracing me with your presence, Jihye of the West, but please leave. The royal family has finished hearing your case."
Jihye blinked. When she opened her eyes, she stood outside the palace gates. Her body tingled with transportation magic.
Damn.
"With the way you put it, of course she wouldn't help you," Xue said as he poured Jihye a cup of tea.
Jihye sighed and adjusted her shirt. She took a long drink of her tea and slammed the cup down on the table. "But still! She's supposed to help her people!"
Xue glared at her. "You're not her people. And please refrain from breaking my furniture."
Jihye rolled her eyes. "'Please refrain from breaking my furniture,'" she mimicked. "Come now, Xue, when did you start worrying about domestic things like furniture? You can always ask the nearest townspeople for their cups and tables."
"You'll learn what it's like to truly own something someday." Xue sat down across from her and sipped his own cup of tea. He was much more graceful than Jihye, much more refined. It made Jihye want to reach over and punch him in the face, but Xue was one of the few people who still tolerated Jihye.
"Someday I'll see the Empress naked."
Xue looked like he was going to throw up. "What?!"
Jihye leaned forward conspiratorially. "She's very beautiful. I think that she might even like me." She grinned. "What do you think, Xue? Do you think I can woo the Empress?"
"Empress Chizuko is a very pious, faithful woman. She wouldn't stray from the Emperor's bed for anyone." Xue scowled. "And if I haven't reiterated it enough, let me remind you again, Jihye: no human in his or her right mind would stray from a comfortable bed to spend a night with you, no matter how talented you may be."
Jihye snorted. "You're just jealous."
"Jealous of what? Your unending desire for trouble?"
"No, my conquests."
Xue poured himself another cup of tea, his hand and wrist trembling with enough restraint to hold back a great flood. "Humans are not conquests. After spending so much time with them, I thought you'd have known that by now."
"Humans are just too sensitive. Always babbling about the matters of the heart." Jihye leaned back in her chair and stared at the ceiling. "I never thought I'd say this, but I miss those old bastards up in the sky now. At least their rules of life are simple."
"Maybe it's time you learned something."
"What do you want me to learn?" Jihye crossed her arms over her chest. "Sensitivity? Kindness? Love? All those petty emotions--"
"They are far from petty," Xue said. "Some men and women have accomplished much more than any dragon or phoenix with their sensitivity, their kindness, and their love."
Jihye closed her eyes and tried to shut Xue out. As much as she cared about Xue's opinion, sometimes she felt like all he spoke about was finding yourself and spiritual fulfillment. If that was what being among humans and their silly traditions did to you, she didn't want any part in it.
"I don't know why I put up with you," Xue muttered under his breath.
Jihye ignored him and stood. "I think," she said, putting a hand on Xue's shoulder, "it's time for me to impress the Empress."
When Jihye came to the palace the next day, the Empress wouldn't see her. The guards forcibly kicked her out: they literally took her by the arms and threw her facefirst into the dirt. Jihye merely picked herself up and flew to the Empress' bedchambers, landing on her balcony with awesome deft and grace.
"Empress Chizuko!" Jihye called out. "It is I, Jihye of the West." She stood awkwardly, listening.
Water sloshed inside of the Empress' chambers, and Jihye froze when the Empress stepped out onto the balcony, still dripping wet, her body covered only by a thin towel.
The Empress stared at Jihye, running a hand through her hair. "It is an honor to have you come here to my personal chambers." Emphasis on personal chambers. Jihye suddenly felt ashamed. "However, I am in the middle of something. If you could wait one second... I need to put on proper attire."
"Of course." Jihye bowed, her face flushed. Damn, damn, damn. She was an idiot! She turned around, her back to the door.
Soft footsteps made Jihye turn around. "Empress--"
Even in plainsclothes, the Empress was beautiful. Her long black hair still dripped water, but her skin was smooth perfection. "Jihye of the West... It surprised me to see you." She straightened her hair over her shoulder. "You are trying so hard to impress me."
"Who wouldn't try to impress you, Empress Chizuko?" Jihye laughed, but a flush rose up her neck.
"But stalking me and ignoring my wishes - that is far from impressive. In fact..." The Empress took a step closer and put her warm hand on Jihye's face. Jihye flushed an even deeper shade of red. "It deters me from you."
"Oh." Jihye took a step back and bowed. "My apologies, then. How may I impress you, Empress?"
The Empress smiled. "Oh? You're interested?"
"Of course, Empress. Anything to impress you."
"I see." The Empress crossed her arms over her chest. "Well then... in the East, my father has sent reports that a giant lizard is attacking the towns. Not a youkai like they usually are. But this monster, he is large... the King of Monsters."
"The King of Monsters," Jihye said, imagining a creature larger than King Munmu, or maybe even larger than Ao Ming, the stupid tortoise.
"Yes, yes. He is attacking my land, but there is nothing the shamans can do. But you're a dragon, are you not? You could do something." The Empress tossed a smile over her shoulder and walked back into her room. "Get rid of this monster for me, and I will you give a special reward, Jihye of the West."
"A reward?"
"I will find a way to lift the curse from you." The Empress smiled.
"All right." Jihye did need to get rid of the horns. Otherwise, the pool of people who would want to sleep with her would decrease drastically. But still... fight a giant monster?
"Please," the Empress added.
"All... all right."
Jihye turned around, gulping.
This was not going to be easy.
"I don't understand this stupid idea of yours. Why must you defeat this monster, again?" Xue frowned. Instead of anger, concern and compassion filled his eyes. "Why must you impress the Empress?"
"Because the Empress is beautiful," Jihye said, "and I would like to experience that beauty in bed. It's not stupid."
Xue sighed, long and full of complaint. "Jihye--"
"I don't want to hear it. I just want to ask you if you'll help me." Jihye grinned. "Come now, it'll be fun. You've spent the last thousands of years stuck down here in Thunder Range, being altruistic! Do something for yourself for once, Xue. We can fight a giant monster together!"
"I do do things for myself, that don't include doing foolish things to woo women and men." Xue grimaced. "I'm a monk."
"Yes, I know," Jihye said. "A stupid, stupid monk."
"At least I'm not a stupid dragon, without morals."
"I have morals." Jihye glared at him. "I have plenty of morals. What are you talking about? There are things I refuse to do."
"Like what?" Xue asked. "You'd refuse to... forego fornication? Is that it? Because I doubt it. Or refuse to break women's hearts? I can't imagine that you have any restraint in your blood at all, Jihye." He turned away from her, his back stiff. "You are so far from what a true dragon should be, it starts to make me sick."
Jihye's glare deepened. The lines in her face became more pronounced. "You don't mean that."
"I mean it," Xue said. "Most dragons know devotion and kindness. I have heard you say those lines to women before, but they are all lies. You are only a dragon in appearance! You refuse to commit to anything!"
"I'm commiting!" Jihye stood, knocking the chair over. "I'm commiting right now. I'm going to get the Empress and get this curse lifted and--"
"And then what? What will you do? She's the Empress! She has a husband! You won't fall in love with her, Jihye. You'll simply take her and then leave her, because that's what you've always done. You can't protect anything except your own hide!"
Jihye stalked to the door. "I don't need you anymore," she spat. "And I'm going to get the Empress if it's the last thing I do!" She slammed the door behind her, and didn't wonder why her heart hurt so much, why she missed Xue even when he had made her so angry.
Jihye's scales glittered beneath the sky as she flew toward the East. Her heart was still heavy in her chest, but she couldn't go whimpering back to Xue now. Xue probably didn't want to talk to her; at the moment she didn't want to talk to herself either. She just had to go through with what she said she had to do.
She snaked through the air like a swan in the water. The clouds skimmed her horns and whiskers, soft pillows against her skin.
A roar in the distance froze her. She pulled back and flew higher into the clouds. Her heart beat hard in her chest.
When she heard a rumble, she broke through the clouds. Jihye's heart stopped. The King of Monsters - well, that name was well-earned. If she had stacked all the Dragon Kings - from the East, West, South, Center - then this monster would still have dwarfed them. He was the color of the dark sea, his eyes black as coal, a row of sharp dorsal fines lining his back. No wonder no one had been able to kill him: he seemed almost too big to kill.
"I'm so crazy," Jihye whispered.
She braced herself. She dropped straight down on top of him, landing as a human onto the dragon's large cranium. She pulled a long staff from the magical confines of her shirt and in one swift movement slammed it against the ear of the monster.
The monster roared, a sound that almost broke her eardrums, she was so close. It reached up above his head and grabbed Jihye. He tossed her against the mountain, and her back cracked and broke against the sharp rocks. "That wasn't fair," she hissed, in her native West, as her back realigned itself. "This isn't fair... you're a giant monster. And even as a dragon, I can't do anything to you. Fight me as a true warrior, or be known as a coward."
The monster changed in a burst of light. As a man he still towered over Jihye. His robes were the color of the night: black shadows flickered over his body, and his skin was glossy like a lizard's.
Jihye put a hand on the ground and lifted herself up. She steadied herself on her two feet and held the rod in front of her. Was this really worth it? Jihye suddenly began to feel that she didn't really want to fight this monster - a woman wasn't worth the pain.
Jihye still hadn't recovered completely. She swayed. "Before you fight... tell me who you are."
"I am the King of Monsters," the man said. "As they call me, it is my true name. I am the monster children dream about in the dark... The terror of the farms - the family-killer, the creature that separates. I have been conjured up from the dark recesses of the human mind--"
"I've heard enough," Jihye said, hurling herself at him. He parried her throw, and with a force greater than any man, he caught her with his hands and threw her against the mountain wall.
"I cannot be defeated," the man snarled. "I am strong within the hearts of the East."
Jihye reached into the inside of her long robes and pulled out a dagger. "But I am not of the East, so you are weak within mine." She twisted, as though to stand up, but she braced her foot against the wall and threw the dagger at him.
The man caught it between his fingers. "You think that a mere dagger can hurt me?" He cackled, throwing his head back. He picked up Jihye's rod and snapped it into two, then four, then six pieces. "Come now... like you said, let us be real warriors." He folded his palms and fingers flat against each other and bowed, his hands twisting back to take a defensive pose.
Jihye narrowed her eyes. She did the same, her eyes never leaving the man's face. Her hands were stiff and upright.
They stared at each other, dragon to lizard, and then, in one fluid motion, they kicked off the ground and flew toward each other. Jihye took one deep, calming breath and reached out to strike him, but he parried her blow with his arm. She struck again, her hands moving like snakes around him, but the King of Monsters flipped in the air and slammed his foot into her chest, knocking her back.
Jihye's lungs burned. She fought for breath and purchase against the rocks. The King of Monsters somersaulted towards her, his feet one sharp arrow toward her face, and she dodged, grabbed his ankles, and tossed him through the air.
He rebounded: she heard the rocks shift and break behind her as she ran across the walls. The King of Monsters sprinted after her. Jihye wondered how such a big, lumbering monster could be so graceful as a human, fast enough to follow her.
She turned around and pushed herself back toward him. She pushed the wind out in front of her, and the wind cracked and tore the stones from the walls and launched themselves at the King.
But these too, he dodged. He spun into the air, becoming a formless blur, and then his feet slammed against the debris. They turned into dust, small particles of sand that rained down on Jihye and blinded her, and so she did not see the single rock that gravitated toward her.
It slammed into her head. She fell hard, almost blacking out on the way down. She barely caught herself by scratching at the walls. But then she didn't need to: the King of Monsters grabbed her by the waist and brought her down to the ground, a body slam that cracked her ribs and stopped her lungs.
The King of Monsters put one foot on her quickly collapsing chest. She tasted the blood in her mouth. Dragons weren't supposed to die, she thought. Dragons were immortal. Dragons were supposed to live.
An orange blur hissed and burned in the air. It struck the King of Monsters like an arrow and yanked him up into the air. It became the distant star. A lightness.
Jihye smiled so hard, even as tears filled her eyes. Xue. Xue. She felt her heart beat faster, her ribs putting themselves back together, her lungs rejecting the bones that had become lodged inside them. There was still hope. Maybe things between her and Xue could be mended.
But the King of Monsters returned to the ground unscathed in a single, fluid motion. He took another defensive pose. His eyes never strayed from Jihye, who was pulling herself out of the hole that he had created, every muscle in her body crying out, aching, and complaining.
"You think you can defeat me?" the King of Monsters asked. "Even your friends cannot deter me!"
A screech ripped through the air. Xue, his feathers red and hot like a burning sun, came through the air and grabbed the man by the shoulders. He tossed him like a rag doll and pecked him with his sharp beak.
The man grabbed Xue by the wings and Jihye cringed at the sound of breaking bone, the distressed cry in Xue's voice. Oh, Xue. Beautiful, sad Xue. Sweet Xue, who had dealt with her lack of honor, her misgivings about humanity, her complete immorality toward men and women alike. Xue, who could have been the hero of his own story, who had simply pushed away his potential to become some sidekick to her, Jihye, who couldn't defend - who wouldn't give up anything if it didn't benefit her in some small way. Xue, who was so honorable. Xue, who protected her, who loved her like his other half.
The world became quiet. In that instant, she felt no pain. She only saw Xue, his wings shattered, his wings stripped of their luster. She saw his dull, lifeless eyes.
Then she saw red. Her blood boiled hot and overflowed from her veins. She launched herself off the rocks, her skin peeling back to scale, and she grabbed onto the King of Monsters with her claws. She bit into his shoulder and ripped the flesh off his bones; she slammed him against the floor until his arm cracked; she clawed at his stomach until his stomach broke open; and she broke each arm, slowly, painfully, until the King of Monsters lunged back at her, turning into the giant monster that he was once more, the blood pouring out of his quickly closing wounds.
The King of Monsters roared at her. His dorsal spines glowed, and then he opened his mouth. Jihye barely dodged it as a neon-blue light shot out of his mouth and destroyed the mountain behind her into a pile of ash.
Jihye circled around him and evaded his claws. She summoned inside herself all the power she possessed in her bones. The clouds darkened above her.
Jihye gave a final roar. Electricity channeled itself through her and the storm beat down upon the land like an army.
A great flood came over the mountains, full of the waters of her rage, black and blue, sparking with lightning and power. It smothered the fire in the King of Monster's mouth and tore him apart, piece by piece.
Jihye didn't watch. Instead, she was on the plateau, shielding Xue with what remained of her power, until finally, she couldn't anymore, and the waters washed over her.
Jihye awoke to find Xue sitting beside her, only one of his arms in a cast. He was sleeping, still, and though he looked like he had rested there were large bags under his eyes. His one good arm was bandaged from the elbow to the tips of his fingers, and his clothes looked ruffled, like he'd just woken up.
"Xue?" she whispered.
Xue's eyes opened. "Good news," he croaked. "I spoke to Ao Guang. He said you can return to the Altar of Heavens."
"Oh." Jihye reached out to touch his good arm. "Thank you."
"Of course." Xue smiled and touched her hand. "And I have skinned the King of Monsters for you. Or part of him, anyway, as proof for the Empress. She sent for you while you slept."
"You did that for me?"
"Why are you surprised?" Xue stroked her hair. "I have always gone above and beyond the call for you. You are my best friend."
Jihye stared at his kind face. Her eyes watered, and she turned her back to Xue, her whole body aching at the notion. "Xue..."
"Yes? What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry." Jihye rubbed her eyes, but it didn't take the hurt away. "I'm a stupid dragon."
"Yes, you are. But that is part of your charm. The stupidity." Jihye heard the affection, the smile in his voice. "Everyone is charmed by you."
"Then I hurt them."
"Yes, that is true as well." Xue stroked her hair some more. He pushed some strands behind her head and stroked her horns. "But that is because you have a thick skull and do not learn things. You've learned a bit, though."
"What do I do?" Jihye turned back to Xue, watching his face. "What do you want me to do?"
Xue patted her head and pulled away. "I think it might be nice to talk to the Empress. After all, you did just save her homeland from a very large lizard."
"And yourself?"
"Oh," Xue said. "Well, I am a monk. I live to serve. I will continue to be here, in case you need me."
"All right." Jihye closed her eyes and reached out to squeeze his hand. He squeezed it back. "Thank you, Xue."
"I love you," Xue said. "Even though you are a stupid dragon."
Jihye opened her eyes and smiled. "Me, too," she said. "Even though you are a strange bird."
Jihye bowed before the Empress. Her horns glittered in the light of the throne room. "Empress Chizuko," she said, voice stiff with formality. "I am here to honor you with the hide of the King of Monsters." From her bag she pulled out a coat of the monster's skin. She laid it flat before the Empress.
"I heard of your battle from my relatives," the Empress said. "They told me that a fenghuang from the Center was there."
"Yes, he was," Jihye said. "He is the yin to my yang. He fought honorably, as well. Without him I would not have been able to defeat the King of Monsters."
"I see." The Empress smiled. "Well, as I promised, I have a special reward for you."
"No," Jihye said. She stood. "That is fine. I came to deliver this to you, as a token of my honor and loyalty to the Empire of the Badlands. I do not require a reward."
The Empress' smile changed. "I saw you from my scrying pool when you were exiled, Jihye of the West. I spoke to the Dragon Kings. They said that you had no honor, or morality. You simply existed for the pleasures of life."
"Yes, that is true," Jihye said. "But I have learned loyalty and devotion, even kindness... Perhaps love." She thought of Xue, who had learned tenderness. "And that is why I cannot accept your reward. It was avarice that made me press you for your company, and for that I am sorry." She bowed again, her forehead brushing the cold floor.
"And what of the cure to your curse? You could walk among humans freely once more."
Jihye hesitated for a second. Only a second. "That too, I would have to deny. You told me once that curses are given to teach a lesson. However, I feel that I am far from learning my lesson... and so I will bear this curse until I feel the time is right. Besides, it's exotic and different."
The Empress seemed surprised, but in a pleasant way. "And here I thought you couldn't change. You were in such a hurry to lift the curse."
Jihye smiled. "I thought that as well," she said.
"Hmm."
"I will have to take my leave now," Jihye said. "Please send for me, should you need anything."
"Wait," the Empress said.
"Yes?"
The Empress stood. "Jihye of the West... the Sun Guard was recently demolished by a recent skirmish by the desert borders. Sandworms ate some of my best soldiers."
"Oh... I see." Jihye studied the Empress' face. "In case you're asking me to join the Sun Guard... then, I will accept, with honor."
"It is I who is honored to have you part of my Sun Guard." The Empress smiled. "Thank you."
Jihye smiled. When she left, she found Xue waiting for her outside the gates. They embraced warmly, and Jihye's heart sung with how things had changed.
the end
The Far North is dragon territory, where dragons are born. In the sky exists the Altar of Heavens, where dragons from all cultures - the East, the West, the North, the South, Center - congregate. And what are these five places? The West - what we call Korea. The East, Japan. The South, the lesser countries. And overseeing it all, the Center: China.
Together, they are one kingdom: the Badlands.
"You were exiled from the Altar of Heavens."
Xue sounded far from impressed. He might have even sounded a little disgusted. Or at least, as disgusted as a monk of his stature and spiritual wealth could be. Both of which he had, in great multitudes, and whenever Jihye was around him she felt like vomiting a little - Xue reeked of goodness. But she refrained from doing so: Xue was, after all, still her other half, the phoenix to her dragon.
"Xue, I know my Central isn't perfect, but it's understandable."
"I'm so unsurprised."
Jihye averted her eyes. She tried to adjust the sedge hat on her head, but it tilted forward and hid her eyes. "Xue, the Dragon Kings are rich bastards with nothing to do but yell and breath at each other and make it rain. You hear it all the time, don't you?"
"I do live in Thunder Range, Jihye," Xue said. "And I do hear when the Dragon Kings argue. It seems far less frequent now that they've finally exiled you. I suppose it was for a good reason."
"Well... You know how I am." Jihye shrugged. She smiled slyly. "So, Xue, how is the monk life?" She tugged at his monk's robes. "Still celibate? Or do you think you can leave that celibacy behind for a bit?"
Xue pulled away. "I'm sorry, Jihye, but no. A thousand times no. Especially not for you."
"I won't be thwarted, Xue."
"The more important matter at hand," Xue said, smoothing his robes out, "is that you were exiled from your homeland, and you are wearing a sedge hat when there isn't even a sun out."
Jihye cleared her throat. "Well, the true reason I came here is... well..." She flattened her shirt with the palms of her hands. "The reason the Dragon Kings exiled me from the Altar of Heavens is, uh... I was cursed. By a shamaness."
Xue smiled. "A heartbroken shamaness, I assume?"
"You know me so well," Jihye said, her smile turning warm. "I told her that I didn't want anything serious... and then she cursed me. Now I can't go anywhere because of these damn horns and eyes! Everyone thinks I'm a demon of some sort! Or worse, they realize I'm a shamed, cursed dragon, and they don't allow me anywhere for fear of bad luck." She shook her head. "I need your help, Xue. I need to break this curse."
Xue looked thoughtful for a moment, but then he shook his head. "I don't know many shamans who would help a dragon like you... but perhaps you could go to the Badlands and ask the Empire for help. Their shamans are very talented."
Jihye scowled. "The Empire? The Badlands? Why would I go from one form of tyranny to another?" She shuddered. "Besides, I've been to the Empire a few times. They sell dragons out there! Or what passes as dragons, anyway. They have fat bodies and bat wings."
"Removing your horns may be the only way the Dragon Kings will accept you back into the Altar."
"I don't want to go back up there," Jihye hissed. "They're old and no fun."
Xue rolled his eyes. "Well, still, try the Empre." He patted Jihye on the shoulder. "You might meet a stunning young man or woman there."
Jihye knew he was only being sarcastic, but the idea still made her smile. "Good idea... Want to go with me and we can meet one together?"
"No, Jihye, I do not. But should you need my assistance, feel free to return." And then Xue closed the door on Jihye, effectively shutting her out.
Jihye could still fly, regardless of what form she was in, so she rode the clouds to the palace entrance, where the guards met her with their swords and shields. "State your purpose," the guard said, the sharp end of his sword dangerously close to her neck.
Jihye reached up to hold her sedge hat down. It would be most inopportune if anyone saw she couldn't hide them. They would know right away she was a dragon - and not a very good one, at that, if she couldn't hide her horns from the public eye. "My name is Jihye, the Dragon of the West. I am here to speak to the Emperor. As proof, let me show you my true form." She changed in front of them, into a long, blue dragon, her scales shining and glistening in the sunlight. "See that I am true and let me pass."
The guards raised the gate for her. She returned to her human form, making sure to keep the hat on.
A page escorted her to the main hallway. "The Emperor is not present at the moment," he said. "The Empress herself, however, is."
"That's fine too," Jihye said. The page gave her a strange look, and then he opened the door to the throne room.
As expected, the Empress was beautiful. Unexpected, however, was the depth and breadth of her beauty. Jihye, as old as she was, had only imagined such beauty before. It was no wonder that she was the Empress. Wars could have been started over her - and they probably were, considering her unusual green eyes and her darker skin. Her bright clothes, ornamented and gilded by the colors of the Badlands Empire, only made her seem more magical, more majestic than anything Jihye had ever seen - and she had seen a lot of flair and shows of extravagance in the Altar of Heavens.
"Empress Chizuko." Jihye knelt down on one knee like a soldier, her head down. "It is an honor to meet you. I am Jihye of the West."
"It is an honor to meet you," the Empress said. "I saw you from the scrying pool. You may stand. Your Central accent is wonderful."
"Thank you." Jihye stood. "If I may speak freely..."
"Of course."
"Empress Chizuko, your Central accent is wonderful too. And ... I am surprised to hear that you are also a magic user... I was under the impression that the royal family lacked that natural talent."
"A rumor." The Empress smiled. "My husband is very gifted in the magic arts. So what is it that you require, Jihye of the West? Perhaps something to cure that ailment of yours?" She motioned to her own head, and Jihye's drifted up to the large crown.
Jihye smiled. "Well... yes..." She removed her sedge hat to reveal her bright horns. "It is a problem."
"Except that when I looked through the scrying pool, they were well-deserved." The Empress gave her a wry smile. "Is that not true, Jihye of the West? Even the brokenhearted, as strange as they are, tend to give out suitable, fair punishments."
Humbled, Jihye looked at the ground. "Well, yes, maybe I did deserve it. It just seems that, ah, human women tend to believe that I can develop feelings for them right away... But it takes centuries for a dragon to develop feelings of desire and love for another. Devotion and kindness, we understand, but other things - well, that is beyond our scope."
The Empress clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "I see..."
Jihye frowned.
"I don't see why I should help you," the Empress said. "After all, you said it yourself that the curse is upon you for a good reason. Why remove it? Clearly, you have failed to learn any lessons so far."
Jihye cleared her throat. "Yes, Empress, that is true..."
"Then the matter is settled."
Jihye started. "S-so my coming here was futile? You won't help me, Empress?"
The Empress smiled. "I'm afraid not," she said. "Curses are given for a given, often under stress. They are meant to teach you a lesson--whether the lesson is good or bad... that is your choice to make." The Empress shrugged her shoulders. Her shawl moved to reveal the barest hint of flesh. Jihye felt a hunger grow inside her.
"Empress," Jihye said, lowering her voice. "If I may be so bold to suggest--"
"You may not," the Empress said. "Even as royalty, I understand the pains of a broken heart. I am not as despotic as some people portray me." She waved her hand dismissively, shaking open a fan in front of her. "Thank you for gracing me with your presence, Jihye of the West, but please leave. The royal family has finished hearing your case."
Jihye blinked. When she opened her eyes, she stood outside the palace gates. Her body tingled with transportation magic.
Damn.
"With the way you put it, of course she wouldn't help you," Xue said as he poured Jihye a cup of tea.
Jihye sighed and adjusted her shirt. She took a long drink of her tea and slammed the cup down on the table. "But still! She's supposed to help her people!"
Xue glared at her. "You're not her people. And please refrain from breaking my furniture."
Jihye rolled her eyes. "'Please refrain from breaking my furniture,'" she mimicked. "Come now, Xue, when did you start worrying about domestic things like furniture? You can always ask the nearest townspeople for their cups and tables."
"You'll learn what it's like to truly own something someday." Xue sat down across from her and sipped his own cup of tea. He was much more graceful than Jihye, much more refined. It made Jihye want to reach over and punch him in the face, but Xue was one of the few people who still tolerated Jihye.
"Someday I'll see the Empress naked."
Xue looked like he was going to throw up. "What?!"
Jihye leaned forward conspiratorially. "She's very beautiful. I think that she might even like me." She grinned. "What do you think, Xue? Do you think I can woo the Empress?"
"Empress Chizuko is a very pious, faithful woman. She wouldn't stray from the Emperor's bed for anyone." Xue scowled. "And if I haven't reiterated it enough, let me remind you again, Jihye: no human in his or her right mind would stray from a comfortable bed to spend a night with you, no matter how talented you may be."
Jihye snorted. "You're just jealous."
"Jealous of what? Your unending desire for trouble?"
"No, my conquests."
Xue poured himself another cup of tea, his hand and wrist trembling with enough restraint to hold back a great flood. "Humans are not conquests. After spending so much time with them, I thought you'd have known that by now."
"Humans are just too sensitive. Always babbling about the matters of the heart." Jihye leaned back in her chair and stared at the ceiling. "I never thought I'd say this, but I miss those old bastards up in the sky now. At least their rules of life are simple."
"Maybe it's time you learned something."
"What do you want me to learn?" Jihye crossed her arms over her chest. "Sensitivity? Kindness? Love? All those petty emotions--"
"They are far from petty," Xue said. "Some men and women have accomplished much more than any dragon or phoenix with their sensitivity, their kindness, and their love."
Jihye closed her eyes and tried to shut Xue out. As much as she cared about Xue's opinion, sometimes she felt like all he spoke about was finding yourself and spiritual fulfillment. If that was what being among humans and their silly traditions did to you, she didn't want any part in it.
"I don't know why I put up with you," Xue muttered under his breath.
Jihye ignored him and stood. "I think," she said, putting a hand on Xue's shoulder, "it's time for me to impress the Empress."
When Jihye came to the palace the next day, the Empress wouldn't see her. The guards forcibly kicked her out: they literally took her by the arms and threw her facefirst into the dirt. Jihye merely picked herself up and flew to the Empress' bedchambers, landing on her balcony with awesome deft and grace.
"Empress Chizuko!" Jihye called out. "It is I, Jihye of the West." She stood awkwardly, listening.
Water sloshed inside of the Empress' chambers, and Jihye froze when the Empress stepped out onto the balcony, still dripping wet, her body covered only by a thin towel.
The Empress stared at Jihye, running a hand through her hair. "It is an honor to have you come here to my personal chambers." Emphasis on personal chambers. Jihye suddenly felt ashamed. "However, I am in the middle of something. If you could wait one second... I need to put on proper attire."
"Of course." Jihye bowed, her face flushed. Damn, damn, damn. She was an idiot! She turned around, her back to the door.
Soft footsteps made Jihye turn around. "Empress--"
Even in plainsclothes, the Empress was beautiful. Her long black hair still dripped water, but her skin was smooth perfection. "Jihye of the West... It surprised me to see you." She straightened her hair over her shoulder. "You are trying so hard to impress me."
"Who wouldn't try to impress you, Empress Chizuko?" Jihye laughed, but a flush rose up her neck.
"But stalking me and ignoring my wishes - that is far from impressive. In fact..." The Empress took a step closer and put her warm hand on Jihye's face. Jihye flushed an even deeper shade of red. "It deters me from you."
"Oh." Jihye took a step back and bowed. "My apologies, then. How may I impress you, Empress?"
The Empress smiled. "Oh? You're interested?"
"Of course, Empress. Anything to impress you."
"I see." The Empress crossed her arms over her chest. "Well then... in the East, my father has sent reports that a giant lizard is attacking the towns. Not a youkai like they usually are. But this monster, he is large... the King of Monsters."
"The King of Monsters," Jihye said, imagining a creature larger than King Munmu, or maybe even larger than Ao Ming, the stupid tortoise.
"Yes, yes. He is attacking my land, but there is nothing the shamans can do. But you're a dragon, are you not? You could do something." The Empress tossed a smile over her shoulder and walked back into her room. "Get rid of this monster for me, and I will you give a special reward, Jihye of the West."
"A reward?"
"I will find a way to lift the curse from you." The Empress smiled.
"All right." Jihye did need to get rid of the horns. Otherwise, the pool of people who would want to sleep with her would decrease drastically. But still... fight a giant monster?
"Please," the Empress added.
"All... all right."
Jihye turned around, gulping.
This was not going to be easy.
"I don't understand this stupid idea of yours. Why must you defeat this monster, again?" Xue frowned. Instead of anger, concern and compassion filled his eyes. "Why must you impress the Empress?"
"Because the Empress is beautiful," Jihye said, "and I would like to experience that beauty in bed. It's not stupid."
Xue sighed, long and full of complaint. "Jihye--"
"I don't want to hear it. I just want to ask you if you'll help me." Jihye grinned. "Come now, it'll be fun. You've spent the last thousands of years stuck down here in Thunder Range, being altruistic! Do something for yourself for once, Xue. We can fight a giant monster together!"
"I do do things for myself, that don't include doing foolish things to woo women and men." Xue grimaced. "I'm a monk."
"Yes, I know," Jihye said. "A stupid, stupid monk."
"At least I'm not a stupid dragon, without morals."
"I have morals." Jihye glared at him. "I have plenty of morals. What are you talking about? There are things I refuse to do."
"Like what?" Xue asked. "You'd refuse to... forego fornication? Is that it? Because I doubt it. Or refuse to break women's hearts? I can't imagine that you have any restraint in your blood at all, Jihye." He turned away from her, his back stiff. "You are so far from what a true dragon should be, it starts to make me sick."
Jihye's glare deepened. The lines in her face became more pronounced. "You don't mean that."
"I mean it," Xue said. "Most dragons know devotion and kindness. I have heard you say those lines to women before, but they are all lies. You are only a dragon in appearance! You refuse to commit to anything!"
"I'm commiting!" Jihye stood, knocking the chair over. "I'm commiting right now. I'm going to get the Empress and get this curse lifted and--"
"And then what? What will you do? She's the Empress! She has a husband! You won't fall in love with her, Jihye. You'll simply take her and then leave her, because that's what you've always done. You can't protect anything except your own hide!"
Jihye stalked to the door. "I don't need you anymore," she spat. "And I'm going to get the Empress if it's the last thing I do!" She slammed the door behind her, and didn't wonder why her heart hurt so much, why she missed Xue even when he had made her so angry.
Jihye's scales glittered beneath the sky as she flew toward the East. Her heart was still heavy in her chest, but she couldn't go whimpering back to Xue now. Xue probably didn't want to talk to her; at the moment she didn't want to talk to herself either. She just had to go through with what she said she had to do.
She snaked through the air like a swan in the water. The clouds skimmed her horns and whiskers, soft pillows against her skin.
A roar in the distance froze her. She pulled back and flew higher into the clouds. Her heart beat hard in her chest.
When she heard a rumble, she broke through the clouds. Jihye's heart stopped. The King of Monsters - well, that name was well-earned. If she had stacked all the Dragon Kings - from the East, West, South, Center - then this monster would still have dwarfed them. He was the color of the dark sea, his eyes black as coal, a row of sharp dorsal fines lining his back. No wonder no one had been able to kill him: he seemed almost too big to kill.
"I'm so crazy," Jihye whispered.
She braced herself. She dropped straight down on top of him, landing as a human onto the dragon's large cranium. She pulled a long staff from the magical confines of her shirt and in one swift movement slammed it against the ear of the monster.
The monster roared, a sound that almost broke her eardrums, she was so close. It reached up above his head and grabbed Jihye. He tossed her against the mountain, and her back cracked and broke against the sharp rocks. "That wasn't fair," she hissed, in her native West, as her back realigned itself. "This isn't fair... you're a giant monster. And even as a dragon, I can't do anything to you. Fight me as a true warrior, or be known as a coward."
The monster changed in a burst of light. As a man he still towered over Jihye. His robes were the color of the night: black shadows flickered over his body, and his skin was glossy like a lizard's.
Jihye put a hand on the ground and lifted herself up. She steadied herself on her two feet and held the rod in front of her. Was this really worth it? Jihye suddenly began to feel that she didn't really want to fight this monster - a woman wasn't worth the pain.
Jihye still hadn't recovered completely. She swayed. "Before you fight... tell me who you are."
"I am the King of Monsters," the man said. "As they call me, it is my true name. I am the monster children dream about in the dark... The terror of the farms - the family-killer, the creature that separates. I have been conjured up from the dark recesses of the human mind--"
"I've heard enough," Jihye said, hurling herself at him. He parried her throw, and with a force greater than any man, he caught her with his hands and threw her against the mountain wall.
"I cannot be defeated," the man snarled. "I am strong within the hearts of the East."
Jihye reached into the inside of her long robes and pulled out a dagger. "But I am not of the East, so you are weak within mine." She twisted, as though to stand up, but she braced her foot against the wall and threw the dagger at him.
The man caught it between his fingers. "You think that a mere dagger can hurt me?" He cackled, throwing his head back. He picked up Jihye's rod and snapped it into two, then four, then six pieces. "Come now... like you said, let us be real warriors." He folded his palms and fingers flat against each other and bowed, his hands twisting back to take a defensive pose.
Jihye narrowed her eyes. She did the same, her eyes never leaving the man's face. Her hands were stiff and upright.
They stared at each other, dragon to lizard, and then, in one fluid motion, they kicked off the ground and flew toward each other. Jihye took one deep, calming breath and reached out to strike him, but he parried her blow with his arm. She struck again, her hands moving like snakes around him, but the King of Monsters flipped in the air and slammed his foot into her chest, knocking her back.
Jihye's lungs burned. She fought for breath and purchase against the rocks. The King of Monsters somersaulted towards her, his feet one sharp arrow toward her face, and she dodged, grabbed his ankles, and tossed him through the air.
He rebounded: she heard the rocks shift and break behind her as she ran across the walls. The King of Monsters sprinted after her. Jihye wondered how such a big, lumbering monster could be so graceful as a human, fast enough to follow her.
She turned around and pushed herself back toward him. She pushed the wind out in front of her, and the wind cracked and tore the stones from the walls and launched themselves at the King.
But these too, he dodged. He spun into the air, becoming a formless blur, and then his feet slammed against the debris. They turned into dust, small particles of sand that rained down on Jihye and blinded her, and so she did not see the single rock that gravitated toward her.
It slammed into her head. She fell hard, almost blacking out on the way down. She barely caught herself by scratching at the walls. But then she didn't need to: the King of Monsters grabbed her by the waist and brought her down to the ground, a body slam that cracked her ribs and stopped her lungs.
The King of Monsters put one foot on her quickly collapsing chest. She tasted the blood in her mouth. Dragons weren't supposed to die, she thought. Dragons were immortal. Dragons were supposed to live.
An orange blur hissed and burned in the air. It struck the King of Monsters like an arrow and yanked him up into the air. It became the distant star. A lightness.
Jihye smiled so hard, even as tears filled her eyes. Xue. Xue. She felt her heart beat faster, her ribs putting themselves back together, her lungs rejecting the bones that had become lodged inside them. There was still hope. Maybe things between her and Xue could be mended.
But the King of Monsters returned to the ground unscathed in a single, fluid motion. He took another defensive pose. His eyes never strayed from Jihye, who was pulling herself out of the hole that he had created, every muscle in her body crying out, aching, and complaining.
"You think you can defeat me?" the King of Monsters asked. "Even your friends cannot deter me!"
A screech ripped through the air. Xue, his feathers red and hot like a burning sun, came through the air and grabbed the man by the shoulders. He tossed him like a rag doll and pecked him with his sharp beak.
The man grabbed Xue by the wings and Jihye cringed at the sound of breaking bone, the distressed cry in Xue's voice. Oh, Xue. Beautiful, sad Xue. Sweet Xue, who had dealt with her lack of honor, her misgivings about humanity, her complete immorality toward men and women alike. Xue, who could have been the hero of his own story, who had simply pushed away his potential to become some sidekick to her, Jihye, who couldn't defend - who wouldn't give up anything if it didn't benefit her in some small way. Xue, who was so honorable. Xue, who protected her, who loved her like his other half.
The world became quiet. In that instant, she felt no pain. She only saw Xue, his wings shattered, his wings stripped of their luster. She saw his dull, lifeless eyes.
Then she saw red. Her blood boiled hot and overflowed from her veins. She launched herself off the rocks, her skin peeling back to scale, and she grabbed onto the King of Monsters with her claws. She bit into his shoulder and ripped the flesh off his bones; she slammed him against the floor until his arm cracked; she clawed at his stomach until his stomach broke open; and she broke each arm, slowly, painfully, until the King of Monsters lunged back at her, turning into the giant monster that he was once more, the blood pouring out of his quickly closing wounds.
The King of Monsters roared at her. His dorsal spines glowed, and then he opened his mouth. Jihye barely dodged it as a neon-blue light shot out of his mouth and destroyed the mountain behind her into a pile of ash.
Jihye circled around him and evaded his claws. She summoned inside herself all the power she possessed in her bones. The clouds darkened above her.
Jihye gave a final roar. Electricity channeled itself through her and the storm beat down upon the land like an army.
A great flood came over the mountains, full of the waters of her rage, black and blue, sparking with lightning and power. It smothered the fire in the King of Monster's mouth and tore him apart, piece by piece.
Jihye didn't watch. Instead, she was on the plateau, shielding Xue with what remained of her power, until finally, she couldn't anymore, and the waters washed over her.
Jihye awoke to find Xue sitting beside her, only one of his arms in a cast. He was sleeping, still, and though he looked like he had rested there were large bags under his eyes. His one good arm was bandaged from the elbow to the tips of his fingers, and his clothes looked ruffled, like he'd just woken up.
"Xue?" she whispered.
Xue's eyes opened. "Good news," he croaked. "I spoke to Ao Guang. He said you can return to the Altar of Heavens."
"Oh." Jihye reached out to touch his good arm. "Thank you."
"Of course." Xue smiled and touched her hand. "And I have skinned the King of Monsters for you. Or part of him, anyway, as proof for the Empress. She sent for you while you slept."
"You did that for me?"
"Why are you surprised?" Xue stroked her hair. "I have always gone above and beyond the call for you. You are my best friend."
Jihye stared at his kind face. Her eyes watered, and she turned her back to Xue, her whole body aching at the notion. "Xue..."
"Yes? What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry." Jihye rubbed her eyes, but it didn't take the hurt away. "I'm a stupid dragon."
"Yes, you are. But that is part of your charm. The stupidity." Jihye heard the affection, the smile in his voice. "Everyone is charmed by you."
"Then I hurt them."
"Yes, that is true as well." Xue stroked her hair some more. He pushed some strands behind her head and stroked her horns. "But that is because you have a thick skull and do not learn things. You've learned a bit, though."
"What do I do?" Jihye turned back to Xue, watching his face. "What do you want me to do?"
Xue patted her head and pulled away. "I think it might be nice to talk to the Empress. After all, you did just save her homeland from a very large lizard."
"And yourself?"
"Oh," Xue said. "Well, I am a monk. I live to serve. I will continue to be here, in case you need me."
"All right." Jihye closed her eyes and reached out to squeeze his hand. He squeezed it back. "Thank you, Xue."
"I love you," Xue said. "Even though you are a stupid dragon."
Jihye opened her eyes and smiled. "Me, too," she said. "Even though you are a strange bird."
Jihye bowed before the Empress. Her horns glittered in the light of the throne room. "Empress Chizuko," she said, voice stiff with formality. "I am here to honor you with the hide of the King of Monsters." From her bag she pulled out a coat of the monster's skin. She laid it flat before the Empress.
"I heard of your battle from my relatives," the Empress said. "They told me that a fenghuang from the Center was there."
"Yes, he was," Jihye said. "He is the yin to my yang. He fought honorably, as well. Without him I would not have been able to defeat the King of Monsters."
"I see." The Empress smiled. "Well, as I promised, I have a special reward for you."
"No," Jihye said. She stood. "That is fine. I came to deliver this to you, as a token of my honor and loyalty to the Empire of the Badlands. I do not require a reward."
The Empress' smile changed. "I saw you from my scrying pool when you were exiled, Jihye of the West. I spoke to the Dragon Kings. They said that you had no honor, or morality. You simply existed for the pleasures of life."
"Yes, that is true," Jihye said. "But I have learned loyalty and devotion, even kindness... Perhaps love." She thought of Xue, who had learned tenderness. "And that is why I cannot accept your reward. It was avarice that made me press you for your company, and for that I am sorry." She bowed again, her forehead brushing the cold floor.
"And what of the cure to your curse? You could walk among humans freely once more."
Jihye hesitated for a second. Only a second. "That too, I would have to deny. You told me once that curses are given to teach a lesson. However, I feel that I am far from learning my lesson... and so I will bear this curse until I feel the time is right. Besides, it's exotic and different."
The Empress seemed surprised, but in a pleasant way. "And here I thought you couldn't change. You were in such a hurry to lift the curse."
Jihye smiled. "I thought that as well," she said.
"Hmm."
"I will have to take my leave now," Jihye said. "Please send for me, should you need anything."
"Wait," the Empress said.
"Yes?"
The Empress stood. "Jihye of the West... the Sun Guard was recently demolished by a recent skirmish by the desert borders. Sandworms ate some of my best soldiers."
"Oh... I see." Jihye studied the Empress' face. "In case you're asking me to join the Sun Guard... then, I will accept, with honor."
"It is I who is honored to have you part of my Sun Guard." The Empress smiled. "Thank you."
Jihye smiled. When she left, she found Xue waiting for her outside the gates. They embraced warmly, and Jihye's heart sung with how things had changed.
the end