Shui Yue sat on the floor under the palace’s eaves, her back resting against a pillar and her legs folded casually. To her right, a wide staircase sloped downwards while a palace wall rose on her left. Taking some melon seeds from the bag resting on her lap, Shui Yue happily munched away while admiring the sky outside. It was clear and blue, with cute puffy clouds floating about leisurely. Ah, if only the harpies surrounding her would go away, then it would be a perfect day!

“Are you listening, you backwater garbage?” spat one of the three angry concubines looming over her intimidatingly.

Shui Yue determinedly ignored them. Ah, this day was so nice and sunny!

“Her Majesty is just playing with you for now, so don’t get too cocky!” yelled a shrill voice.

“You and your insignificant little household hold no weight here!” howled another maliciously.

“Look at her, she’s so scared she can’t even say a word,” taunted the third.

Unmoved, Shui Yue simply nodded and intoned in a bored voice, “Yes, yes, I’m so scared of you ugly monsters, so can you just go away and leave this delicate young maiden to tremble fearfully in peace?”

Three venomous glares immediately shot at her.

Ooh, so scary, Shui Yue thought as she carefreely crunched another melon seed while rolling her eyes.

Seeing this, one of the harpies screeched, “Did you just roll your eyes at me, wretch?! Do you think I won’t dig them out for that offense?!”

The harpy’s foot clad in an exquisitely embroidered shoe swept out, kicking the bag of melon seeds out of Shui Yue’s lap. The bag flew and landed on the staircase, the seeds spilling down in a stream.

Shui Yue looked at them mournfully. Such a waste!

But unsatisfied, the harpy reared back her leg as if wanting to make Shui Yue follow down her bag of snacks as well.

A mellow voice suddenly called out, “We think that’s enough, Concubine Li.”

The harpy froze with her leg raised and almost stumbled. The two other harpies caught her and they quickly turned towards the newly arrived person with wide eyes, bowing deeply, “Y-Your Imperial Majesty!”

Standing at the bottom of the staircase, Empress Ran Xia merely smirked at them with unfathomable eyes.

She was a tall woman, her posture indolent yet valiant. Dark reddish brown hair was twisted into a crown atop her head before spilling down her back. Her skin was smooth and creamy, her curvy figure seeming lithe yet strong. A sardonic smile adorned her devastatingly beautiful face and her light amber eyes glinted with a mesmerizing light.

“And what has been going on here?” she asked, her voice still pleasant and smooth. Yet one could not ignore the sense of danger it evoked and the powerful pressure she emitted.

Concubine Li swallowed and stuttered, “I-I…I was just…”

Shui Yue stood up, stretching her body leisurely to get out the kinks before turning to face the empress. “We sisters were just playing around a bit, goofing off by calling each other names, y’know?”

The four women blinked at her uncomprehendingly. The concubines didn’t know why it seemed like she was helping them, while the empress shook her head confusedly. “What you say still escapes us.”

Shui Yue shrugged and extended her hands upward. “Then let it escape you, let it be free! And if it belongs to you, it will return on its own.”

The empress looked at her with increased bafflement. “We are afraid we still do not understand what you mean.”

Shui Yue sighed. “Neither do I most of the time.”

The reason Shui Yue had defended the concubines just now was simple: She pitied them. She pitied how they measured their worth according to their usefulness to their households or the empress’s favor towards them. They lied, plotted, and schemed against each other, but it was only for their own survival in the treacherous waters of the imperial harem.

And as a transmigrator from the twenty-first century, Shui Yue naturally felt bad for these concubines.

The empress looked at Shui Yue with a small smile, already understanding this reason.

In a teasing voice, she prodded, “Then what explanation does Concubine Shui have for Concubine Li’s action of kicking down your bag of seeds?”

Shui Yue answered nonchalantly, “Oh, she was just lifting her foot to show me the embroidery on her shoes, but ended up kicking away the bag by mistake because of a loss of balance. I’ve chosen to gracefully forgive her for it.”

Concubine Li’s face twitched, but under the empress’s gaze, she still chose to take this life-saving straw and got out through gritted teeth. “I thank Concubine Shui for her graciousness.”

Her head was bowed to hide her expression while her clenched fists trembled under her wide sleeves.

Pretending not to see it, Shui Yue waved a hand as if in regal pardon. “We’re all sisters here. There’s no need for apologies between us.”

Concubine Li ground her teeth, but prudently stayed silent. The other two concubines kept their heads lowered, unwilling to draw attention.

The empress tilted her head, curious to see how far her Xiao Yue would go to keep protecting that woman. “Then Concubine Shui, we would like to hear you explain how the ‘mistaken’ kick from Concubine Li could have enough force to make the bag fly and fall halfway down this long stairway.”

Shui Yue didn’t even blink. “Concubine Li obviously has very strong legs due to all that dancing. She could probably knock my head off my shoulders and score a goal with one kick.”

The three concubines stared at her blankly while the empress chuckled darkly. “Such fervent defense… It seems that Concubine Shui is really close with Concubine Li.”

Concubine Li felt her back prickle with alarm. The way the empress said it, it almost sounded like…

Shui Yue grinned cheekily and beckoned with a finger. “If you’re jealous, then why don’t you come here and let me show you how much closer I am with you.”

The empress’s gaze deepened as she promptly climbed the staircase to stand before her.

One hand lifted to rest on the small of Shui Yue’s back, the other cupped her cheek, a thumb brushing her smiling lips. Looking at those limpid wide eyes sparkling with anticipation, that lovely face framed by curly black hair, the empress’s heart melted.

Shui Yue closed her eyes and tilted her head up. Licking her lips, she parted them in a silent invitation. She felt a puff of warm breath, smelling of spice and steel and garden roses, washing over her a mere moment before soft lips pressed against hers. Shui Yue impatiently poked out a tongue to lick at the seam of those lips, then plunged inside when they parted.

Ran Xia let the slick little tongue play inside her mouth before sliding her own against it. She pulled the younger woman closer into her body, feeling the two soft mounds press against her own as her Xiao Yue’s warmth soaked into her front. Letting a hand slide into her Xiao Yue’s hair, Ran Xia cradled the back of her head. She sucked at the sweet tongue that was enthusiastically exploring her mouth, then pushed her own to invade the younger woman’s mouth.

Shui Yue let out a soft, breathless moan and melted against Ran Xia. Her hands restlessly roamed over the other woman’s shoulders, waist, and back, eager to feel the familiar lines and curves of the body hidden under these pesky clothes. She raised a leg despite her cumbersome ancient clothing and wrapped it around Ran Xia’s strong and slender waist, holding her closer.

The sounds of their lips sucking and tongues licking mixed with the occasional groan and whimper as the two women lost themselves in each other.

A choked gasp interrupted them abruptly, let out by one of the three stunned concubines who’d been given the impromptu roles of audience.

Suddenly realizing that the other concubines were still standing at the side, gaping at them with open mouths and wide eyes, Shui Yue felt disgruntled.

Heck! If they wanted to take kissing lessons that badly from her, they should at least pay her with snacks first!

Shui Yue abruptly disengaged from the kiss and pushed away the empress. Raising a trembling hand to her reddened lips, she complained mock-pitifully. “Your Majesty, you…you’re such a beast! Taking advantage of me in broad daylight!”

“…” The three concubines looked at her speechlessly. Which of them didn’t see who was taking advantage of who here?!

The empress, however, only smiled, already having gotten used to her adorable little concubine’s playfulness.

“Then how about we invite Concubine Shui to a walk as an apology?”

Shui Yue was pleased to hear how the empress’s voice still sounded husky. In a good mood, she nodded. “Very well, then. I shall magnanimously accept.”

Witnessing how the empress’s favor for this little concubine had only grown stronger since last year, the three concubines quickly left with bitter hearts.

Soon, Shui Yue and Ran Xia were strolling hand-in-hand in the palace’s garden.

As they walked, their bodies pressed together. Shui Yue snuggled in closer to the taller woman, a content smile on her face. Looking at her Xiao Yue’s expression, Ran Xia smiled indulgently, her eyes warm.

Unlike today, the day Shui Yue had transmigrated over had been a dreary day. It had been raining when she’d woken up in this woman’s body, lying on the sludgy ground. There had been a noose around her neck, its other end tied to a broken branch nearby.

After allowing herself a minute to panic, she’d diligently gone through the body’s memories. This person was also called Shui Yue, aged eighteen and newly entered into the harem.

Due to palace schemes, a senior concubine had tried to kill her, stringing her up in the empress’s personal garden before leaving. But under her weight, the branch had broken, which instead ended up killing the original concubine Shui Yue, facilitating the soul of the lonely modern office worker Shui Yue’s arrival into her body.

Since she was in the empress’s residence anyway, Shui Yue had marched into the palace, making a fuss about wanting to see the empress until she was granted a private audience. Despite Shui Yue’s wretched appearance like that of a drowned rat while the noose still hung around her neck, the empress had been very composed while meeting her.

Shui Yue had brazenly told the empress everything about the people scheming against her, and surprisingly, also about her transmigration, unhesitatingly pouring out her knowledge about her own world to reinforce her authenticity.

The empress listened to her calmly, then sent her back to rest after saying that she would take care of it.

The next day, two concubines were thrown into prison for attempted murder. This earned Shui Yue the other three concubines’ ire.

The strangest thing, however, was that the empress seemed to now have taken an interest in her.

And so, Shui Yue asked around about the empress’s life to decide whether she should accept her advances.

She learned that the previous emperor—the current empress’s brother—had died in an accident, leaving behind a three-year-old daughter and one-year-old twin sons. The throne had then been passed to Ran Xia, who’d decided to adopt her brother’s children and choose an heir from among them in the future. Because of this, the imperial court also stopped bothering her about children, leaving her to her harem of women in peace.

Hearing this, Shui Yue had been surprised at the progressiveness of this world.

After a period of shared glances and exploring kisses, Shui Yue had chosen to accept the empress’s pursuit, and romance slowly budded between them before blooming into full-fledged love.

As Shui Yue was thinking back to all this with a soft smile, Ran Xia suddenly spoke, “Xiao Yue, will you marry me to become my empress-consort and rule by my side?”

Shui Yue stumbled, clutching onto Ran Xia’s arm to keep herself upright. Taking a breath to compose herself, she asked in a rare flustered voice, “Ah-Xia, d-did you…just propose to me?”

Ran Xia smiled with warmth and affection. “Xiao Yue, I love you as I’ve never loved anyone before. I am willing to protect and cherish you, and I hope you would do the same for me. I want to spend my life with you, watching you smile mischievously as you use words from your world that I don’t always understand. I want to wake up next to you every morning, I want to raise my nephews and niece with you, I want to laugh and cry and share my entire life with you, just us loving each other until we both turn to dust.”

Turning to her, Ran Xia finally asked, “So, Xiao Yue…will you marry me?”

Shui Yue looked up with wide eyes at her lover’s earnest expression bearing hints of apprehension. Parting her trembling lips, she finally whispered, “Yes.”

After a second of stunned silence, Ran Xia let out a shuddering breath in relief and hugged her Xiao Yue. The delicate scent of her lover’s hair filled her nose as Ran Xia pressed her lips to the top of the younger woman’s head.

Shui Yue embraced her back, burying her face in her lover’s shoulder.

“Since you have accepted my proposal, I will abolish the harem,” Ran Xia finally spoke.

Shui Yue hesitated for a moment before asking concernedly, “Can you…make sure that the concubines still live well after that?”

Ran Xia let out a helpless chuckle. “Xiao Yue, you’re too kind, but yes, I’ll make sure that this will not burden your conscience.”

Reassured, Shui Yue smiled happily and praised, “The Empress is so generous!”

“I’m glad my Xiao Yue thinks so.” Her tone then turning meaningful, Ran Xia remarked, “But my future wife seems to worry so much about those concubines. Is it because of that Concubine Li?”

Shui Yue’s mouth twitched. “Ah-Xia, don’t tell me…you’re really jealous of her?”

Ran Xia simply raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer.

For a moment, Shui Yue didn’t know what to think. Then she burst out giggling while hugging her lover closer. Ah, her empress was so cute!

Seeing this reaction, Ran Xia felt her heart softening.

After her laughter subsided and she wiped away tears of mirth, Shui Yue enticed, “Ah-Xia, if you’re jealous, then why don’t we find a secluded place so that I can show you with certainty that you’re the only woman for me?”

Eyes darkening with desire, the empress lifted up her beloved lover and headed straight to the nearest shadowed grove in her private garden to thoroughly celebrate their engagement together with passionate lovemaking.

And so went on their perfect day.

crimson_carnation

This is my first try at GL/yuri, written for the Yuri Garden Writing Competition (2019) hosted at the Yuri Garden. I hope you liked it~ (๑⁀ ᗜ ⁀๑)

If you're interested in reading more yuri oneshots, I have another entry called 'Spring Dream' that you can read here. I also recommend checking out more entries of this year's competition here (๐• ω •๐)