Chapter Ten: Disciple

The three servants sat with MeiLan at the stone table in the garden. The morning sun was just burning off the last of the dew, and the air was crisp and fresh. Butterflies danced from flower to flower, and small birds were flitting from branch to branch among the trees in search of their breakfast. 

"It's the first of the month," MeiLan said, smiling at her servants. She passed each of them a small sachet containing their salaries. Emilian took the purse of coins with an expression of wonder and turned it over in his hands. He didn't dare to open it and count the money, but he couldn't stop his lips from smiling. After years of begging, it felt good to have his own money in hand, money that he could spend on anything he chose. 

The others accepted their payment graciously and put them away quietly. They had worked for MeiLan for many years. Mister Lee had been with the family since she was a child. Getting paid for their labor was an ordinary experience for them. MeiLan continued to eat her breakfast. "I want to go to the market today," she said between bites. "The weather is fair, and I'm feeling restless. The carriage has been repaired, so I think we should all go." 

The faces of the servants brightened at the suggestion, but Anak was mindful of MeiLan's condition. "Miss, if there is anything you need from the market, you can send one of us, it is not necessary for you to trouble yourself." 

"Who said I am troubling myself?" MeiLan sighed and picked up her teacup. "I've been confined to the manor for too many days. I'm beginning to feel like a bird in a cage. As soon as the morning chores are finished, prepare the carriage."

Emilian and Mr. Lee quickly finished their breakfast and then hurried back to the stables. The horses had already been fed and groomed, and the manure was removed from their stalls. They brought out the mare called Pristine and began harnessing her to the newly repaired carriage. By the time they had finished, Anak had cleared away the breakfast mess and the ladies were prepared to leave. Emilian stole a glance at his mistress. She was wearing a jade-colored silk dress with delicate embroidery on the bodice and wide sleeves. Her long dark hair was pulled back and pinned with two ebony hairpins. The wind blew slightly and made her hair blow across her face, and he had a strange longing to push it back into place.

The thought embarrassed him, and so he remained at the horse's head while Mr. Lee assisted the women into the carriage. Once they were seated, Lee took his place on the driver's bench, and Emilian continued to walk with one hand on the horse's bridle. He remembered what had happened at the Peach Festival, when the horse was spooked by a stray firework and decided to continue on foot. There would be no way of moving quickly through the streets of the city on a market day anyhow, so he would not slow them down by doing so. 

The carriage took them to the open-air market in central Blossom City. Here the streets were crowded with vendors selling all kinds of wares, from silks and cottons to tools and fruits. "I'll stay with the horse," Mr. Lee said, "You walk with the Miss." Lee put a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Protect her with your life, Emilian."

Emilian bowed slightly, and then hurried to follow the two women into the crowded market. He ran his fingers over the waist tag on his sash to remind himself that he no longer had to cower away from the eyes of the merchants and the city guard. He had every right to walk behind his mistress. At moments he even had the impulse to reach out and touch the silk of her sleeve, to hold on to it as if it were her hand. Although he knew he had no right to think such thoughts, they still played in his mind as he stood beside her watchfully while she admired a handsomely tooled bridle from a tack merchant. She looked at many things but bought very little. As they progressed through the market, Emilian noticed that her usual smile slipped, and her expression became pensive and a little sad. 

He could not understand what would make her sad. He thought maybe her legs were beginning to ache too much. His guess may have been correct, as she shortly gestured toward a restaurant. "Let's stop for lunch, I'd like to sit down." She struggled up the steps of the building to the restaurant. It pained Emilian to see her struggle. If he could have done so, he would have lifted her and carried her as he had done the day that they returned from the temple. But he knew to do so would be an embarrassment to the good lady. So, he could only follow close behind her and stand at the ready in case she lost her balance and fell.

The three of them proceeded to the table without mishap, and the hostess led them to a table in a private room, enclosed by heavy golden curtains, pulled back and tied with red tasseled ropes. They were just about to take their seats when one of the curtains sneezed.

Emilian immediately remembered his promise to protect MeiLan, and he leaped to the curtain, ready to draw the small knife he kept at his belt. "Who's there! Show yourself you thug!" he poked his finger into the curtain, around the area he assumed would be the hidden person's belly and was rewarded with a grunt.

"Hey! Who are you calling a thug!" A slightly familiar voice grumbled. Emilian fought to untangle the curtain from around the man and was rewarded with a broadly smiling white-haired Master Long. His face was just as handsome and boyish as ever as he smiled down at MeiLan first, and then the others in the party.

"You again!" Emilian gave his sleeve a harsh shake. "You always seem to turn up when there is food! How did you know we would be at this restaurant? Are you shameless?"

"How did I know anything?" Master Long chuckled before sitting down at the table uninvited. He grinned at Anak. "My dear lady, allow me to introduce myself, I am Master Long." he spread his tattered robe behind him with a flourish, "And it is fate that we meet here at this table today! Because, though you did not know it, you came to seek my services."

"Which services?" Emilian asked suspiciously, as both women seemed to be slightly bemused by Long's handsome face and smooth words. It did not matter that the man was dressed in rags, his appearance had stunned them.

"Let's eat first, and then we shall discuss business." He waved at the waiter, signaling him to come to the table to take their order. A short man with a white apron tied around his middle hurried rover.

Everyone looked at MeiLan expectantly. She seemed to find it difficult to pull her eyes away from Master Long, physically shaking her head and shoulders before looking up at the server and politely ordering an assortment of dishes and a pot of the house tea. Master Long wrinkled his nose. "Tea! Why is it always tea? Sometimes you should order wine! You are a grown-up now, you should drink adult beverages."

"I do not care for alcohol," MeiLan said. "But by the way, Master Long, I'm glad we have met again. You see, at our last meeting you must have given me such a valuable pendant by accident, and it's only right that I return it to you." She reached into her robe and removed the carved jade pendant, which she had been carrying with her ever since the day at the temple. In fact, she felt a strange affection for the little carved disk, and often turned it over in her palm, rubbing the carving with the pad of her thumb. Somehow it had a warm, familiar feeling. It was true that it was necessary to give it back to its rightful owner, but at the same time, she felt a little stab of loss as she extended the token back to Master Long. 

"It was not an accident," Long said, although he accepted the pendant back into his hand. "But you see I have forgotten something. It needs a chain so that you can wear it around your neck." His hands patted around his clothing, until he reached behind his lapel and brought out a delicate gold chain. "Here, please allow me!" He stood from his chair, and after stringing the jade dragon pendant onto the necklace, he looped it around her slender neck and closed the clasp. "There! That's better! Now everyone will know that you are my disciple."

"Your disciple?" she echoed, as her hand moved to trace the pendant that now rested in the hollow of her throat. Her cheeks were pink, and she seemed unusually flustered.

"Yes, I told you, we have business to discuss. But please, Miss, wait until after we eat, Master Long has brought his appetite to the table."

"Mister Long forgot to bring his manners," Emilian grumbled, as he still refused to call the man "master." He had felt his ears growing quite red as he watched him put the necklace on MeiLan with such easy familiarity, as though he had every right to touch her fair skin and move her dark hair aside. He curled his hands into fists as he imagined shoving the taller man aside and placing his hands protectively over MeiLan's slim shoulders. Only his own confusion at what was acceptable made him hesitate and then, after Long returned to his seat the deed was done, all Emilian could do was stew over his indecisiveness. 

"Now," Long grabbed a fistful of peanuts from the courtesy basket on the table. "Tell me, how have you been since we last met?" He chewed happily as he waited for an answer.

MeiLan stared at him, her brow wrinkling in confusion. "Fine. Everything has been fine…and you, Master Long?"

Long stopped chewing, and a confused look crossed his face. "Where have I been? I've been searching for…" he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Well, never mind, I suppose it doesn't matter, you are here now, and we can begin."

"Begin?" MeiLan echoed.

At that moment the server came and began arranging their ordered dishes on the table. Master Long clapped his hands happily. "Oh yes! We can begin eating! Splendid idea!" He picked up his chopsticks and, as before, clicked them together in anticipation.

Emilian could only shake his head and exchange a glance with Anak, who was totally confused by the interaction. Of course, she hadn't had the pleasure of the first meeting with Master Long. Silence descended on the table as they all began to eat. Emilian observed closely that MeiLan seemed to have a poor appetite, and although she turned the food in her dish, she hardly raised her chopsticks to her lips at all. Long on the other hand had already finished enough food to feed three men. "Now!" he dabbed at his lips with a napkin, "we shall begin your lesson with basic nutrition. My dear lady, you cannot expect your body to recover if you are not feeding it well."

MeiLan stopped fidgeting with her food and stared at him incredulously, her hand still poised over the bowl.

"First, nutrition, and then we must undertake exercise to strengthen your body, and finally, we will commence lessons."

"Master Long, I think you are confused. I finished my schooling many years ago, I'm now a grown woman and, though I am most grateful for your kindness, I do not need a tutor."

"I am not a tutor!" Master Long slapped the table, making Anak jump. "You should show more respect. Now, the payment I require is a new cloak." He stuck his finger through one of the many holes and tears in his garment and wiggled his finger. "As you see, this one had become too light for the cold nights. So, you buy me a new robe, and I shall agree to be your Master."

MeiLan considered the man's earnest expression. She thought that he really just needed a new robe and was too proud to beg for the money outright. She believed once she bought the item, Master Long would be satisfied, and would leave her alone. So, she gave him a small smile and agreed to buy him the piece of clothing.  After all, she had enough money to cover that basic need.