It took him quite a while to control his laugher. Apparently, it took CalRimRan1Literally cal (bright) + rim (cold) + ran (moon) almost as long to control his anger. And so, when the door opened again, CalRimRan was back to his respectable, cold and indifferent posture. He was properly dressed as well, forehead ribbon included. As if nothing had happened, he took both hands to his forehead and bowed politely. FeiWan2Literally fei (raging / furious) + wan (fire) couldn’t hide his smile as he nodded in acknowledgment.
So that’s how he was going to play it. Fine. FeiWan could easily work with that.
“I was informed that you wished to meet me indoors,” FeiWan announced, not wanting to waste the opportunity to remind him that CalRimRan had actually been the one to invite him in. Of course, FeiWan knew that, by inviting him in, he hadn't meant to invite him into his bedroom. But such minor details could easily be overlooked.
“I do apologize for my tardiness,” CalRimRan declared, his voice as soft and calm as always. “I was requested to attend a meeting with our Elders.”
FeiWan raised an inquisitive eyebrow at that.
“Your Elders?” Weren’t they all somewhere in the Heavenly Mountains, half-Empire away from the Palace?
CalRimRan straightened his back and nodded.
“We have our ways to maintain contact.”
Of course they had, FeiWan thought, his smile solidifying on his face. After all, no one really knew what kind of powers the Demon Clan possessed, much less what they were capable of. All they knew was that the Demon Clan didn’t possess any daitai3Literally dai (light) + tai (mark), or holy Markings, considered Heavenly Blessings. They’re the source of power., and that their power apparently didn’t depend on a certain kind of energy. It was almost as if the people of Wen were using an instrument called daitai to access some heavenly power, while in the Demon Clan’s case power itself flowed freely and unrestrained through their bodies. And that was exactly why they were at the same time feared and generally … disliked. After all, no one really liked the idea of having anything to do with some strange people with unrestrained access to power, not to mention that no one could predict what they were able to do with it. Even someone as confident and self-assured as FeiWan couldn’t help feeling a bit … uncomfortable at the thought of that.
But at least his answer did explain the formal attire FeiWan had seen on his bed. It didn’t explain, however, where they’d gotten such delicate and intricate clothing. Surely they weren’t making it themselves. Which meant that someone had gone to the trouble to carefully study their dressing code and had probably sent it as a gift. But then, who had embroidered his tunic?
If FeiWan remembered correctly, all that embroidery actually had some occult meaning, and only a few members of the Demon Clan were considered competent enough to sew them on their clothing.
If CalRimRan had worn that tunic to some meeting with his Elders then the embroidery must be real, and not some quickly-put-together-copy made by some royal tailor. So maybe there was someone amongst the people now staying in the White Pavilion that could perform that work?
Even if that was so, someone must have undoubtedly sent them their clothes, FeiWan considered, carefully observing him from head to toe again.
Who could it be? By doing this they were probably hoping to gain some kind of favor with them. And it really pissed him off! Even more so since he didn’t know who it was! Was it CalWan4Literally cal (bright) + wan (fire) again? It was his kind of move, after all. He most definitely had to find out who it was! The man he had entrusted with the task of watching over the CalDai5Literally cal (bright) + dai (light). Unlike the Empires, the Dragon Clan has no royalty. They have a Leader. CalDai is a personal title (not inherited), and it refers to the youngest son of the Leader, reason why ZaiWin and the others sometimes refer to him as a prince (which he is not). was clearly not doing his work!
CalRimRan practically flowed past him, his footsteps completely soundless. All FeiWan could hear was the soft sound of rustling clothes, accompanied by a whiff of his flowery scent.
Had he managed to piss him off again?, FeiWan considered, following him towards the main hall. Well, he had been rudely staring at him again. Damn! He really wanted to know who had sent him those clothes! Would CalRimRan tell him if he asked him?
Raising his hand, FeiWan almost caught the white ribbon flowing amongst his equally white hair. Realizing what he was about to do, he quickly lowered his hand again. Instead his gaze was lost on his straight back. Beneath all that immaculate white were the most horrible burning scars he had ever seen on a breathing, living person. How had he gotten them?
Thinking back, FeiWan tried to remember if he had ever seen CalRimRan’s back, when they were young. Had he had them back then as well? Since he obviously couldn’t have burned himself like that, who had? Who had dared inflict such harm and damage to the precious CalDai of the Demon Clan?
The bright light that suddenly washed over him forced him to blink. They were back to the main hall, and its tall windows, added to its white walls and floor, probably made it the brightest room in the entire Palace. And yet, as far as FeiWan was concerned, only darkness inhabited that place. He really hated that hall. It was probably time to take his leave.
Completely unaware of his sudden dark mood, CalRimRan softly made his way to the large table.
The man who had delivered his message to FeiWan was still there and, at the sight of the CalDai, immediately turned to him with an annoyed complaining expression on his face. But before he could utter a single word, CalRimRan simply raised his hand and lightly shook his head. And that was all it took to silence his fellow countryman.
Yeah! That’s right! Shut it!, FeiWan thought, glaring darkly at the other man. He could as well scram! He had no love whatsoever for those CalRimRan’s knockoffs!
The other man pursed his lips, bowed his head, and left.
Much better, FeiWan congratulated himself. Not!, he immediately corrected his initial assessment. He was still inside that damned room. He should as well bid his farewells and schedule another encounter for the next day. He had just opened his mouth to politely excuse himself when CalRimRan spoke.
“Would you like to come with us when we leave?”
FeiWan just stared at him for a moment, before he literally gapped.
What?! Was he hearing right? Surely the honorable CalDai hadn’t just invited him to return with him to his boring village.
“We’ve said it before. You are one of us. You would be welcomed in our village.”
He had heard him right!, FeiWan concluded, still in disbelief. And yes, they had told him that, when he’d left the village. All that polite, politically correct bullshit. Stuff like “you’re one of us now”, and “you’ll always be welcomed amongst us”. Stuff he obviously hadn’t taken seriously, not even for one second. But never mind that! The important question right now was …
“Why?”
CalRimRan placed his hand on the white surface of the table and gently caressed its smooth surface, almost as if he were comforting a sad, living person.
“Why not?”
FeiWan frowned, suspicion growing inside his head. There was no way he was going to simply accept an invitation like that!
“I thank the honorable CalDai for his kind invitation. But, unfortunately, at the present moment, my presence is needed in the Palace.”
“Is it really?”
FeiWan’s frown deepened at the sound of that question. Where was he trying to get with that ludicrous conversation? What was he trying to imply?
“Has the El’Gin6Literally el (supreme) + gin (gold). Name given to the male children of the Emperor. Could be translated into prince in the common language. really changed his mind about what he himself declared inside these same walls?” CalRimRan insisted, his gray eyes growing cold again, filling with what FeiWan could only call unwarranted disappointment.
“What?”
No matter what he meant, FeiWan was starting to get a bad feeling about the direction of that conversation.
“Have you really forgotten?”
Yes, he had forgotten! He had no idea of what CalRimRan was talking about, and he fucking didn’t want to know! If it was related to anything that had happened inside that damned room, the honorable CalDai could be pretty damn sure he had forgotten!
As if he had heard his thoughts, CalRimRan sighed, a look of pity on his beautiful face, and gracefully waved his hand.
¡¡¡¡Vete con él!!!!