something?”
“Come and I’ll tell you.” He climbed up the manor wall with ease, although she didn’t know how he was able to find any purchase. Crouching low at the top, his dark eyes sought hers, before he said, “Don’t be angry, Skybright.” Kai Sen dropped noiselessly down onto the other side of the wall. “I like you .” She heard him say again.
Then there was nothing more except for the soft murmurs of the evening.
Skybright purposely overslept the next morning, hoping Zhen Ni would come to her. When her mistress arrived, she made it a point to seem limp while lying in her bed. Zhen Ni rushed to her, hands outstretched.
“What’s wrong, Sky? Are you ill again?” She leaned over Skybright, the silver sleeves of her robe fluttering.
“It’s only a headache, mistress,” she said in a meek voice. “I’m sorry I didn’t come to you this morning.”
“Nonsense!” Zhen Ni touched her wrist. “That’s what I have Rose for. I love your company too much and you never get a break. It’s no wonder you’ve fallen ill. Especially after that—” She pursed her lips, “episode.”
Skybright gave Zhen Ni a weak smile.
“Shall I have Oriole send you some rice porridge? Would you like Nanny Bai to make a tonic?” Zhen Ni fussed with the few cushions on Skybright’s bed, and her heart swelled with love for her mistress. It only made her feel worse for lying.
“I think you’re right, I just need to rest.”
Zhen Ni patted her hand. “I’ll ask the household not to disturb you and to be especially quiet if they’re outside your bedchamber. Better yet, I’ll ban them from coming near this side of the quarters!” She grinned, delighted by her own fantastic idea. “I’ll check in on you before the evening meal. You must feel better by then or I shall be worried.”
Skybright smiled. It was so like Zhen Ni to command her back to health. “I promise I shall be, mistress.”
“All right. You’re sure you don’t want anything?”
“I really have no appetite.”
“Rest well then. Lan and I were going to spend the day composing bad love poetry and attempting calligraphy. She’s better studied in the women’s language than I am! And her calligraphy is quite impressive for a girl,” Zhen Ni said in one long rush.
Skybright had been excluded from the weekly lessons Zhen Ni had with her tutor on the simplified words used in the women’s language. Lady Yuan had thought it improper to teach a handmaid how to read or write. Now, it was something that her mistress could share with Lan.
“She can even paint a little! Lan’s father taught her how to paint the most delicate plum blossoms. You should see how she purses her lips and squints when she does them.” Zhen Ni mimicked Lan’s expression then burst into laughter. “Then she dabs the petals in the palest pink—”
Her mistress broke off, catching the sour expression on Skybright’s face. “Oh, I’ve tired you with my chatter.” Zhen Ni leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, just as they used to do in parting when they were little girls. She smelled of lemon soap, and the sweet subtle scent that was her own skin. “Do rest, Sky.”
“I will, mistress,” Skybright lied.
She was becoming quite good at it.
Skybright sneaked into the kitchen again while Cook was away serving the morning meal. She threw away the day-old food that she had laid out for the hungry ghosts, and exchanged it for fresh rice, pickled cucumbers and garlic eggplant, steamed red bean buns, and a cluster of lychees. She grabbed a jug of rice wine and three cups before slinking back to her bedchamber.
Frustrated that she cared so much, Skybright took too long deciding on what to wear to meet Kai Sen, rifling through the wardrobe, discarding one outfit after the other. She had never dwelled before on her own appearance—it only mattered that Zhen Ni was beautifully dressed and put together. She finally chose a tunic the color of
“Come and I’ll tell you.” He climbed up the manor wall with ease, although she didn’t know how he was able to find any purchase. Crouching low at the top, his dark eyes sought hers, before he said, “Don’t be angry, Skybright.” Kai Sen dropped noiselessly down onto the other side of the wall. “I like you .” She heard him say again.
Then there was nothing more except for the soft murmurs of the evening.
Skybright purposely overslept the next morning, hoping Zhen Ni would come to her. When her mistress arrived, she made it a point to seem limp while lying in her bed. Zhen Ni rushed to her, hands outstretched.
“What’s wrong, Sky? Are you ill again?” She leaned over Skybright, the silver sleeves of her robe fluttering.
“It’s only a headache, mistress,” she said in a meek voice. “I’m sorry I didn’t come to you this morning.”
“Nonsense!” Zhen Ni touched her wrist. “That’s what I have Rose for. I love your company too much and you never get a break. It’s no wonder you’ve fallen ill. Especially after that—” She pursed her lips, “episode.”
Skybright gave Zhen Ni a weak smile.
“Shall I have Oriole send you some rice porridge? Would you like Nanny Bai to make a tonic?” Zhen Ni fussed with the few cushions on Skybright’s bed, and her heart swelled with love for her mistress. It only made her feel worse for lying.
“I think you’re right, I just need to rest.”
Zhen Ni patted her hand. “I’ll ask the household not to disturb you and to be especially quiet if they’re outside your bedchamber. Better yet, I’ll ban them from coming near this side of the quarters!” She grinned, delighted by her own fantastic idea. “I’ll check in on you before the evening meal. You must feel better by then or I shall be worried.”
Skybright smiled. It was so like Zhen Ni to command her back to health. “I promise I shall be, mistress.”
“All right. You’re sure you don’t want anything?”
“I really have no appetite.”
“Rest well then. Lan and I were going to spend the day composing bad love poetry and attempting calligraphy. She’s better studied in the women’s language than I am! And her calligraphy is quite impressive for a girl,” Zhen Ni said in one long rush.
Skybright had been excluded from the weekly lessons Zhen Ni had with her tutor on the simplified words used in the women’s language. Lady Yuan had thought it improper to teach a handmaid how to read or write. Now, it was something that her mistress could share with Lan.
“She can even paint a little! Lan’s father taught her how to paint the most delicate plum blossoms. You should see how she purses her lips and squints when she does them.” Zhen Ni mimicked Lan’s expression then burst into laughter. “Then she dabs the petals in the palest pink—”
Her mistress broke off, catching the sour expression on Skybright’s face. “Oh, I’ve tired you with my chatter.” Zhen Ni leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, just as they used to do in parting when they were little girls. She smelled of lemon soap, and the sweet subtle scent that was her own skin. “Do rest, Sky.”
“I will, mistress,” Skybright lied.
She was becoming quite good at it.
Skybright sneaked into the kitchen again while Cook was away serving the morning meal. She threw away the day-old food that she had laid out for the hungry ghosts, and exchanged it for fresh rice, pickled cucumbers and garlic eggplant, steamed red bean buns, and a cluster of lychees. She grabbed a jug of rice wine and three cups before slinking back to her bedchamber.
Frustrated that she cared so much, Skybright took too long deciding on what to wear to meet Kai Sen, rifling through the wardrobe, discarding one outfit after the other. She had never dwelled before on her own appearance—it only mattered that Zhen Ni was beautifully dressed and put together. She finally chose a tunic the color of
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