Chapter Fifteen: Lonely Alley

Emilian ran his fingers over the purse of coins on his belt. He had not yet purchased anything, because he found no real need. MeiLan had provided him with meals and clothing and shelter, and at times she was known to generously buy everyone special treats in the market. He was satisfied with his life, and so the purse remained unopened.

However, the thought had occurred to the young man that no one ever gave MeiLan anything. She was kind and patient and friendly to everyone, and yet she received nothing in return apart from the gratitude and loyalty of her servants. Emilian knew if he had asked her, she would have said that was enough for her, but he had it in his heart to bring her a special gift.

He was unaware that he was being watched as he moved through the market. He had his waist tag and he had grown used to being able to move about freely, so he wouldn't have been concerned even if he had known. He had nothing to hide. He stopped now and then to examine goods or watch entertainers, his dark eyes always scanning for just the right thing.

Finally, he stopped at the display of hairpins and headpieces for women. Many of them were made from gold or silver, and he knew the coins in his pocket could never reach there. However, there were more modest ones, carved from wood, and some painted with bright colors. He picked up one which had a carved horse head at the end, and turned it in his hands, admiring the artistry.

"That's part of a matched set," the fat merchant informed him, "you have to buy both."

"How much for both?" he asked, picking up the twin piece so that he held one hairpin in each hand.

"Ten coins," the man said jovially.

Emilian's face fell. "I only have eight." He sadly set the hairpins back on the table.

Normally, the merchant would not bargain, but it had been a slow day, and something about the young man moved him. Perhaps it was a certain sadness in his eyes or a strange feeling of nostalgia that the boy evoked. "Fine, fine, give me the eight coins and they are yours. I hope this young lady is worth spending your last coin."

Emilian's face split in a happy grin as he untied his purse and dumped his entire month's pay into the merchant's hand, in return for the simple box containing the matching horse hairpins. He was still grinning as he walked away with his treasure. He had some other errands to run for his mistress before he could return to the manor. His mind was busy trying to rehearse how he would give them to her, and what speech he would make when he presented her with the box.

"Lady Zheng, you have been so kind to me, please accept this token of my gratitude." He shook his head at himself. "No, no, much too formal. Miss Meilan… I'm grateful for everything you have done for me, please accept a small gift…" He turned down the narrow alley that led to the stationary store. He was too absorbed in his own thoughts to notice that the alleyway was strangely deserted on a market day and did not even notice when Minerva stepped out of a doorway halfway down.

"Hello, Horse Boy."

Emilian looked up abruptly and found Minerva standing before him, although she seemed somehow different. If he had moved closer, he might have smelt the wine on her breath. As it is she was doused in a heady perfume that made him feel a little lightheaded. He stopped a respectable distance from her and bowed warily. "Miss Minerva. I did not know you were in the market today."

"What?" her lower lip moved out in a pout. "You mean… you didn't plan to meet me here?"

"Huh? Uh, no, I'm on my way to the stationary for ink." He tried to step around her, but she immediately moved to block his path, and stepped closer, close enough that she could reach out and put her hand against his chest. He looked down in surprise at her small hand pressed against his sternum. 

"I've seen you looking at me, Emilian," she lowered her voice to a sultry whisper. "You think I'm pretty, right?"

Emilian swallowed and his eyes darted around nervously, hoping to see someone else in the alley. At times he did think she was a beautiful woman, but she was very ugly on the inside. "Where is your maid?" He asked uneasily, taking a step backward. Just then he noticed that they were completely alone. How was that possible? Miss Minerva never walked alone, and it was a busy market day.

Minerva smirked and moved closer again, forcing him to back away again until his back hit up against the pillar of a vacant shop front, and he could no longer escape from her advances. "You know I am the most beautiful," Minerva said, her hands reaching for his body again. "MeiLan is not even pretty, why do all of you fawn over her?" 

Emilian shook his head in confusion. "All of who?"

The young woman snorted, "You, Master Long, even Pang Xi!" her eyes flashed darkly. "What spell is she using over you? Look at me, Emilian!" She reached up and pulled the pins from her hair, letting it fall down over her shoulders in a black cascade. "See my face? See my figure? I could even dance for you."

"Miss Minerva! PLease! Stop this!" Emilian tried to look away, knowing that what she was doing, and that how she was behaving was not only inappropriate, but also somehow contrived. Minerva despised Emilian, she treated him with haughty disdain whenever they met, with cold eyes and a mouth twisted in dislike. Why was she now trying to seduce him?

And more disturbing, why did he feel a small stirring of desire?

She caught his hand and pressed it against her small breast. He could feel the soft, fleshy lump beneath her dress. "See, I am also a woman," she slurred slightly. "Why do you hate me?"

He yanked his hand away, knowing that if anyone saw him, a servant, with a hand on a lady's breast, he would be flogged. "I don't hate you. But I am busy, I must go now." He tried to step around her small body, but she caught his shoulders and pressed herself against him, standing on tippy toe to press her lips against his mouth. At the last second, he covered his face with the only thing in his hand, the box containing the hairpins he had bought for MeiLan.

Minerva made an angry and frustrated noise and swiped the box out of his hand. "What is this?"

"Give it back!" Emilian tried to take the box from her, but she quickly put it behind her back. He could have easily overpowered her, but his face was already burning with shame from her strange behaviors.

"Why Emilian, have you bought me a gift?"

"It's not for you! That box is for…"

Minerva cackled and stepped away so that she could crack open the box. "Oh, it's a cheap trinket!" She held up the carved pin. "A wooden hairpin? Who wears a wooden hairpin? A farmer's daughter?" She snapped the box closed. "But still, it's a token of your affection, isn't it? And it would be too rude for me not to accept."

Emilian ground his teeth in frustration. "That is a gift for MeiLan, give it back!"

Minerva narrowed her eyes at him meanly, "I think you are confused." She lowered her voice, even though there were only the two of them in the alley. "Should I tell my mother about this? Should I tell her how you cornered me in a lonely alley, forced this gift into my hands, and then touched me so intimately? Should I tell her how Meilan's stupid servant fondled my breasts and tried to kiss me?"

"But I didn't! You lie!"

Minerva laughed again and twisted her hair back into place, this time using one of the wooden horse pins to hold her long ebony locks. "Who will they believe, the horse boy, or the daughter of the captain of the guard?" She sniffed and turned on her heel, her skirts swishing around her legs.

It seemed that the moment Minerva disappeared around the corner normal activity resumed in the alley, and shoppers began to pass again. Emilian rubbed his hands against his trousers, but he couldn't seem to rub away the feeling of her soft breast beneath his palm, nor the way her small body had felt pressed against him. How could he hate her so much, and yet enjoy the feel of her body? More than that, he was angry that she had taken the hairpins. She was a mean and crafty woman; she didn't deserve any good thing. How could he get the hairpins back? If he tried to take them, he would probably be accused of theft. She had already shown that she wasn't above telling lies to get him in trouble, and even implicate MeiLan in the process.

He turned toward the stationary shop with a heavy step. Now he had no gift to give his mistress, and not a single coin left in his pocket.