threads 424-shenglu 3

    ling qi embraced hanyi tightly, her nose full of the wintergreen scent of her junior sister''s hair. said junior sister squirmed as she hugged her back, patting her shoulders. she could feel the increased chill as her sister’s snow white cheeks flushed a dark blue.

    "c''mon, big sis. not in front of everybody!" hanyi whispered.

    ling qi snorted. she gave her sister a final hard squeeze before straightening up, resting her hand on hanyi''s head. they stood at the edge of shenglu where the temporary stables had been set up. workers and merchants passed them by with lowered heads. bao qian looked on, amused from the driver’s seat of his wagon.

    "be well, my sister. perform your duties diligently, and bring honor to the ling clan on your journey."

    moons, she sounded so old, talking like this.

    ling qi rested both of her hands on hanyi''s shoulders, looked her in the eyes, and smiled.

    "and have fun, of course. don''t trouble sir bao too much."

    "i''m not going to trouble him at all!" hanyi whined.

    ling qi looked at her.

    hanyi looked back.

    ling qi held her gaze.

    her junior sister looked away. "... i''ll be good."

    ling qi ruffled her hair. "i know, little sister. see you in a few months."

    it still ached to let her family go, but it was a good ache in its way. she couldn''t keep hanyi tied to her hip.

    "i will do my best to keep your junior from a crooked path," bao qian said wryly. "and i bid you farewell, too, lady ling. the road goes ever on, but it leads back around in time."

    "it does. bao qian, thank you for taking care of my sister."

    he nodded cheerfully as hanyi climbed into the back of his wagon and pulled his driver’s hat down more firmly on his head. with a tug of the reins, he got the horses moving, sending the wagon rumbling into motion as it left the yard and slowly turned to trundle down the road going north.

    ling qi remained where she was, unmindful of the respectful berth the mortals and low cultivators left around her, until the colorful vehicle began to vanish over the top of the nearest hill. only then did she turn to go, beginning to consider the work on her desk today.

    she had filed for the import route for the chestnuts, of course, but she also had to write back to several correspondents, file through the invitations lady cai had received for their visit to xiangmen for the duchess’ wedding, and...

    near the gates of shenglu, she paused and turned her head, looking back over her shoulder at the northern road. she recognized that qi.

    wait. was that horse pink?

    no embroidery. no decoration. just clean beautiful silk and a thrumming, deep resonance of qi.

    fabric rustled. the sleeves billowed in a wind that was not there and that she had not made.

    longing. please.

    ling qi took a deep breath and stroked her thumb on the collar of the gown. she felt the silk purr like an affectionate cat.

    she set it—her—down over the side of the bed and began to get changed.

    her gown fit perfectly, of course. it hung on her with the exact perfect weight, tight where it should be, loose where it should not. more than that, it was so much more present than the fine mortal weaves she''d been using.

    it felt like security. blows that she would need to twist around and dance and scatter herself to avoid in regular cloth would shatter uselessly against the cai gown’srustling silk.

    she swept her fingers over the black silk and watched as whirling snowflakes and ice blue flower petals bloomed. embroidery emerged like the flashing scales of fish just under the surface of the lake.

    fur hems to match her mantle bloomed along her sleeves and at the bottom hem of the gown with a thought. the silk slippers rippled, expanding and thickening into a pair of rider’s boots before just as easily and silently changing back into soft indoor slippers.

    ling qi hugged herself around the waist. "i have missed you."

    the silk thrummed, and through it, she felt a deep reservoir of darkness and wind like a pitch black night full crying breezes. what she felt and heard in the lonely songs of the night breeze weren''t words but feelings, more like the simple emotions of a child.

    embrace. warmth. love. love. want. home. home home home home home.

    silk and fabric clung to her skin, and she felt her qi drain precipitously like it was a glass of water being handed to a thirsty child. but she didn''t feel even a moment of fear. a simple chiding pull back on her energies was enough for the eager spirit to withdraw without question.

    she felt curiosity radiating out and a childish desire to please. the colors and patterns of her gown shifted and cycled rapidly through numerous dark hues and silver and white embroidery. her collar rose and fanned out. then, it shrunk and grew snug, a fur ruff appearing. a trailing train of lace and floating silk emerged from the lower half of the gown before it shrunk back down, an elegant and snug cut slit up to the knee for movement. wide sleeves. narrow sleeves. loose sleeves. bound sleeves.

    beauty. enhancement. soft? airy? mysterious? inscrutable? imposing? domineering! untouchable! powerful!

    "ah, tone that down. my heels do not need to be that high." ling qi patted at the swooping high collar that had bloomed behind her head. she kind of liked those elbow gloves, but... no! no. she looked like some kind of theater villainess.

    sad.

    "not right now," ling qi relented. "the fur ruff at the neck, the long mantle, snowflakes and flower petals, close cut... and flat heels!"

    saaaaaad.

    now, she was worried. her dress might just get on too well with sixiang.