Questions

"What in the heavens is that supposed to mean?"

It definitely wasn't the reaction Wanhai was looking for, and he was taken aback.

"It means we're mates. Our kiss was the vow, the tying of our bond, the seal to our agreement. We are fated now, and you will be my bride."

Whatever reaction of disbelief Wanhai was expecting, he didn't prepare himself for the laughter.

"You..." Lanfei gasped, still laughing, "are insane. You don't even know my name."

"That matters little. I can just rename you," Wanhai said nonchantly.

"Rename me?! I am not some PET you brought home! You cannot rename me as if I do not already have a name!"

"What is your name?"

"Lanfei!"

"Well, now I know your name."

Infuriated, Lanfei clenched her hands into fists. This boy pushed down every button she had in the span of five minutes, and she swore to every god in the universe if he says just one more infuriating thing, she would plummet the living saints out of him with her bare hands.

Amused, he looked at her angry face. She was so cute when she was angry.

"What is it that you would like to know?"

"Everything! Where is this place, what happened to my classmates, what magic you used there, why I know how to turn into a dragon, what the king-person said back there, everything!"

Seeing that mournful expression flash on his face, Lanfei stopped.

"He was the emperor, not a 'king-person'," Wanhai snapped. "Do not disrespect him. He was my father, and a great ruler."

"I'm sorry," Lanfei shrunk back as she apologized, but curiosity got the better of her. "What happened back in that room, what did he say?"

"He... He was ruling as emperor until the spirit of the river goddess was found. The empress, my mother, she was a human, just like you. My father had brought her here more than a thousand years ago, and claimed the throne righteously as his own, with the river goddess ruling beside him.

"Eighteen years ago, she passed away, and the spirit that flowed within her found your mother while she was pregnant with you. Because they're mates, their life force were tied together. My father was using the last of his energy to stay on the throne without the river goddess' power. Now that the emperor has seen you and has confirmed the river goddess is found, he too will pass away. He was giving me his goodbye."

"Oh," Lanfei gasped softly. "Shouldn't you be with him?"

"Dragons do not surround themselves with people when they pass. They isolate themselves and in the silence, find peace. That was the last time the emperor will see anyone."

Hearing that, Lanfei felt her heart drop. "That seems like such a lonely way to die."

Wanhai shook his head, strong determination lighting his eyes. "No, because he has seen you. My father loved the empress, but couldn't see her when she died. Now he has seen her spirit in you, he can pass on serenely."

"...I never thought of it that way," Lanfei said softly, feeling bittersweet about this supposedly happy yet sorrowful ending.

"Come, you'll change out of your clothes, and then we'll talk."

Wanhai beckoned servants with a twist of his hand, and four maids appeared out of a gush of wind beside Lanfei, successfully scaring her.

"Wha—"

They ushered her away, without a word, all the while Lanfei confusedly tried to go back.

"Wait, hold on—Wanhai!"

The screen doors shut, and her cries went unheard.

The women busied themselves with removing her uniform, much to Lanfei's horror.

"What are you doing—stop! Wai—"

Stripping her naked, they pushed her into a lovely bath, with dried dates and cherry blossoms soaking in the water, wafting a sweet smell.

Lanfei hit the water like a cat, and was desperate to climb out. She screeched as one maid scrubbed her back while another poured water over her head.

They held her down as her hair was washed and every inch of her skin was scrubbed. Lanfei hated every single moment of it, and fought throughout it all. She had never felt so uncomfortable, and shame, in such a luxurious bath too.

She tired out as the women pulled her out of the water, chattering in a language she couldn't understand but could guess more or less what they were saying.

They dried her and rubbed some kind of oil into her skin and hair, lighting Lanfei's face in embarrassment once again. At that point, she knew there was no use in struggling, so she let it happen with a discontent, uncomfortable scowl.

Three women dressed her as two more pinned up her hair. She wasn't sure when or how more servants showed up, but she was in no mood to ask.

They slid on one garment after the next, and placed so many pins in her hair she could barely hold her head up. One woman painted red on her lips, eyelids and on her forehead, for whatever reason. Her robes dragged behind her as she was finally allowed to leave. Her clothes and accessories felt like stones tied to her body, and she was unsure why any of it was necessary.

The maids all spirited away after completing their task, leaving Lanfei in a long hallway with only one door at the end.

Unsurely, she stepped towards it. She could almost sense him behind this screen, waiting for her. Letting out a sigh through the nose, Lanfei slid open the door.

Wanhai couldn't hide his surprise. She was a marvel to see, in red robes and her hair pinned up.

"You will never—swear this to me—never do that again without my permission."

Wanhai snapped out of his gazing, and frowned slightly.

"What do you mean? Did you not enjoy the bath?"

"Enjoy?! I was stripped naked by strangers and forced in the water! It was the most stressful thing I've endured since being brought here!"

Wanhai couldn't help but laugh. "Than you certainly won't be happy to know they dressed you up like a bride and sent you to my private chambers."

Lanfei's blush grew like wild fire, and she avoided his piercing gaze.

"I didn't know—I haven't seen myself yet."

"Oh?" Wanhai raised a brow. "It would be a waste if such a beauty could not see it for herself." He got up from his spot among the cushions and pulled up a silvery mirror from his sleeve. Its surface rippled when moved.

In it, Lanfei saw herself. She looked different, like a royal empress from a story. Her robes were an imperial red, with golden embroidery of ancient dragons. A golden sash held it together, with a ruby silk string garnish.

The robe was open enough at the throat to be elegant, but showed just enough skin to peek a man's curiosity. Maybe it was the dim lighting but her chest seemed... bigger? Lanfei blushed when she saw, and moved her attention elsewhere.

Her makeup was traditional yet strange in a way she's never seen before, perhaps because it was bridal. Her eyelids were lined with a deep crimson while below the corner of her eyes were a sweet blush. A lotus was drawn on her forehead, it's countless strong petals rising up. Her cheekbones were touched with a bit of rouge to upset her paleness—it was simple but effective, and upon closer look Lanfei realized why.

She looked different. She used to be a bit more tan around the forehead, with more puff on her cheeks. Her lips became rounder while her face slimmed down, and her skin evened out—the patchy redness of her face became a pretty, solid white. Gone were any acne scars, pimples, or clogged pores.

It wasn't just that either; her hair transformed itself into something else. It was longer, silky and pure black, different from the lighter, weak, dry strands she had before. Even her body morphed, and she realized she now stood taller. When her mortal form had to look up at him before, it was no longer necessary now.

But the most striking difference lied in her eyes.

Even in the muskier lighting with incense in the air, she could tell her eyes were a lighter, bluer tone, not quite black nor clear blue, but perhaps a blue shimmer on midnight eyes. It reminded her of her scales. They changed to a big, round shape unlike her slanted cat eyes when she was human. Lanfei took a step back, terrified. She didn't look human.

"What's wrong with your mirror? I don't look like my self."

"There's nothing wrong with the mirror—it's you who have changed. Usually after the first transformation, your appearance will mirror your dragon. If you were born a dragon, you naturally would look like this, but it's no matter because your human appearance is gone now."

"What? Is there any way to change it back?"

"You have shed your human skin—why would you want it back?"

"Because I AM human! This... I don't look like myself. I barely recognize my own reflection!"

"I'm sure you'll get used to it. You have to admit it's an improvement," Wanhai said as he delicately stroked Lanfei's cheek.

"My flaws are what made me who I am, improvement or not. I won't lie and say it's easy to love my blemishes, but I had accepted them as a part of me! How would you feel if—" Lanfei almost said 'if your imperfections vanished', but stopped herself. With his dashing looks and beautiful caramel skin, he honestly didn't have any flaws—at least physically. Letting out a huff, Lanfei brushed aside Wanhei's hand and made a spot for herself on the cushions.

Wanhai's brows bunched up in incomprehension. Every aspect of Lanfei confused him. He found that she was irrefutably more beautiful now, compared to her plain human form. No human could refuse the godly transformation of themselves into something more beautiful, such as himself.

"We can discuss that later—tell me first about why I'm here." Lanfei looked upset, but Wanhei didn't know what he could do to make it better so he simply moved on.

"It's a long history, that dates back before humanity is what it is today. Are you ready to hear it?"

Impatiently, Lanfei nodded her head. "If I wasn't ready, why would I ask?"