Lyn sat at the old wooden table under the window and looked out. The inn she worked at was slow today, just like every day. She had already cleaned all 2 of the guest rooms, scrubbed the tables, and even swept and mopped down the floor. She was this close to smashing a vase, just to have something to do. That would only lead to beatings, still tempting though.
She idly toyed with a bit of frayed cloth on her dress. Her little village maybe had 200 people in it. She knew everyone by name, favorite food, and how many drinks they could handle. Chu Tung Minh, the old blacksmith walking outside her window, liked turkey legs, and can only manage 4 shots of the house-made moonshine, ruou de. He was with his apprentice Duu Huu Hoang, he was 15, almost her age, his hair was singed, and his tunic burned from stoking the forge. Seemed like they were heading out into the fields, some cart probably broke a wheel or something.
She turned back to her people-watching. It looked like a couple slipped into an ally to have some fun. She didn’t get a good look at their faces, which meant that the gossip tonight would be very fun.
“Lyn! Girl! Stop lazing about! If you got time to lean, you got time to clean!” Her master Laixe Nole called from his office. “Do something! Or I’ll make you wish you did!” She jumped off the bench and ran to her room. Well, it would be better to call it a closet more than anything, it didn't have windows, the only furniture was her straw mattress. The mattress took up the entire floor, and it was barely big enough to fit her when she slept on her side. Nailed into the walls were two nails, she kissed Duu Huu for them. So that she could have something to hang her clothes on.
She changed out of her good rags and put on her not-so-good rags. They were just old hemp cloth scraps that she got. She cleaned Thodet Xinhdep’s workshop for a few months to get enough, and then found an old fish bone in the kitchen trash pile for a needle, and frayed a scrap of cloth to get some thread. She was really proud of her rags. Even if they had more color and variety than a field of wildflowers.
She put on her clothes. It was really just a large ill-fitting smock with a leather belt. She got that from giving Da Cha, the leather worker, some extra spicy pork feet under the table. When she got caught stealing from the kitchen her cost went up, and she couldn't lay or sit down for a month.
In the central courtyard, the compound surrounded, she found the outhouses in the shade of an old white wisteria vine. The inn she worked at was really pretty, even the outhouses. Everything was painted in nice pleasing pastel shades, pinks and greens, and reds. Everything just went well together. She pushed one of the toilet houses off of the hole they were guarding, a hole she would never ever want to ever be in. A place where spiders and other creepy crawlies lived. Lyn shivered just thinking about needing to deal with those evil beings.
She went and got a hand cart and loaded it full of dirt from her secret dirt mound. It was sweaty work. Lyn decided that after this and before the dinner rush she would go and sneak into the bathhouse. She really wasn't supposed to, It was only for paying customers. But a rag bath just never made her feel clean, especially after a hard day's work like this.
Thankfully it only took 5 cart loads to fill in both holes. Now for Present Lyn, to thank Past Lyn, after all Past Lyn, was able to get Duu Huu to dig like 10 holes as tall as him and put all the dirt in her secret pile. It only took a few kisses, and a promise to get him when a fight was happening at the inn, he loved that arrangement. She dug up a plank, she stole it from the lumber pile the inn kept, hiding underneath was the hole. Aside from her clothes, this was probably the best idea she ever had. Besides, Duu Huu was a pretty good kisser. Actually, she could use a metal needle now that she thought about it.
Laughing to herself, and reveling in her ingenuity and her feminine wiles, Lyn, snuck her way into the bathhouse. She knew that the woman's bath had peepholes hidden through the greenery that decorated the pool. So she went to the Men’s side. After all, the men are loud, and the only man at the inn was the master. She knew he was too busy sampling his moonshine and other goods to come out to the baths in the middle of the day.
So she willed away some time, rubbing the dirt off, and washing her hair, she was extra bad and used some scented soap. It would add to her cost if anyone found out, but she wanted to feel pretty today. After all, she needed a needle and Duu Huu liked the scent of eucalyptus.
She hummed to herself as she soaked in the pool. Her body was clean, and she managed to get her long thick black hair tied in a messy bun to dry. All was good. Very good.
But soon all good things ended. The sun started to stream in thick sunbeams. The white and gold wisteria that came in through the windows gleamed. It was almost time to prepare dinner. Lyn donned her not-so-good rags and ran to her closet. And changed into her uniform. If she dirtied or damaged it, her Master would increase her cost double what the garments were worth. Not even mentioning giving him an excuse to punish her.
It was a pale pink ao dai. The outer tunic was a faded pale pink, with a long apron that was painted with vibrant red wisteria blooms. Her pants that peeked out from the slim apron were a plane pastel green. All cinched together with a vibrant red sash, she tied it extra tight to help make her not curves into curves. With that needle, she could try and do point work. She had an extremely small square of red silk, she could use those strands and make a picture on it or something and sell it.
With future plans ruminating in her head, Lyn flounced down to the kitchen. It was around the back of the inn in its own separate building. Supposedly, like 60 years ago or whatever, the kitchen burned down, and that ruined the original building. When the master's grandfather rebuilt the inn he built the kitchen as far away from the dining room as possible. Which made sense, but also made a lot of the food cold from having to take it from so far away to the tavern room. It really didn’t matter since Lyn had exactly zero interest in what happened here.
She opened the door and was hit by a wave of heat and scents. Anything from fish sauce to soy sauce, to oyster sauce. She could smell chicken and pork frying on the stove. It seemed like people were going to get something nice tonight, she was absolutely going to snitch some on the way to the tavern.
“Girl! Get over here and bring this to Phi Thuong, she’s managing the bar tonight!” Nhabep Baothu, a heavy woman, obviously enjoyed sampling her craft. Everybody does, at the every new years festival, Nhabep always wins first prize in every baking and cooking competition. She is so good, other villages plan their festival so she can come and compete. She waved her wooden spoon through the air, an old thing, probably older than the inn. It was polished to a gleam from the many thousands of hours she handled it.
Lyn scurried to grab the platter, it had a metal cover in a vain attempt to keep the food from the nighttime air. After Lyn left the kitchen, she peeked at what appetizers were going to be served today. “Oooh, spring rolls. My favorite.” She stuffed one into her face, choking it down quickly, so the evidence would disappear by the time she walked through the tavern’s back door.
She put the platter on the warming counter, sometime in the past one of the Master’s ancestors created a heating shelf. It was really just a metal box that had an opening for warm coals to be shoveled inside. It was usually her duty to clean it. Some nights the box was extra hot, and she burnt her fingers putting the food on it, and other nights, like tonight, it was a delicious temperature. She put the spring rolls on it to heat them back up, and just rested her everything on its surface.
While she was lazing about (if asked she was waiting for tasks). She spotted Duu Huu, his singed brown hair was nicely combed and he washed the soot from his face. He was wearing one of his nicer robes, a deep red single-breasted ao dai, which had a lighter red geometric pattern stitched in. and his pants were a bright white. He looked ravishing.
Lyn looked into the polished surface of the warmer to check how she looked. Earlier in the bath, she saw a couple of volcanoes appear on her forehead. So of course she tried to make them leave by popping them, only for them to not erupt. So now a small problem became a large red problem. She covered them with bangs. but then she looked shy hiding behind her hair, so she put her hair into two buns in the back, keeping them in place with two pairs of newly stolen chopsticks. She had a couple of freckles across her cheeks, and her ears stuck out too much. So he pulled some hair in front of them and framed her face more.
After preening herself, she strode her way over to Duu Huu. He seemed to have seen her and started to straighten his clothes out. He looked handsome. As Lyn got closer her confident stride turned into something else, something smaller and lighter, like a rabbit pawing its way to the unknown.
“Hay, Lyn, um, how are you today?” Duu Huu greeted her. His voice was nice and low, smokey like the fire he tended. She looked up into his black eyes. He was almost a head taller than her.
“Uh, it, um. It was nice. OH! I used your holes again today! They were amazing!” Lyn felt like she shouted at everyone. “I, uh, I want your needle!” Lyn was happy. She came over with an objective, and she finished it.
Duu Huu’s face went a bright red. His friends around him started to laugh, and pat his back. It felt strange to Lyn, why would they congratulate someone on selling a needle. Boys were weird.
She saw Duu Huu swallow, his nice and long neck was right at eye level after all. He shifted his broad shoulders, made from all the sweaty heavy lifting of charcoal bags for his apprenticeship. His calloused hand grabbed her wrist, he even cleaned under his fingernails today, and pulled her out into the courtyard. She heard all of the boys woo, and clink their mugs together. Boys were really weird.
He pulled her to a bench under her favorite pink wisteria vine. The seat was well hidden from the rest of the courtyard, so none of the staff could see them there. It was a nice place to relax and hide away from them. She sat down on the stone bench. Some time from the table to now, Duu Huu’s hand moved from her wrist to her hand. She liked the way his fit in hers.
“Wha… What.” Duu Huu cleared his throat, “about my needle”. That last part was a little higher than his usual smokey voice. She liked that too.
“I want it,” Lyn said and internally congratulated herself. She knew exactly what she was going to make with it first. Maybe a little flame pattern, it would fit Duu Huu’s profession. And if it looks cool if he might let her sew it on one of his work clothes.
Duu Huu sat down on the other side of the bench, far away. She didn’t like that. Lyn scooted closer until their legs touched. She must have pinched her cheeks earlier cause they felt hot.
“I’ll even kiss you for it.” she inched closer,” Ok?.” They were nearly the same size when sitting. Duu Huu seemed to have trouble swallowing, he really should try drinking a glass of water. As she leaned close she could smell the wood smoke on him. It was a heady scent, and she liked it.
“Y… You… w… waantt to dddo it hheere!?” His voice got really squeaky, like a mouse. It was really cute, having such a high voice in such a big body.
“Ya, where else is there? It's just a kiss, and after, I'll make you something really nice in a few months.” Even sitting he was a bit too tall, she snaked her arms around his handsome neck and pulled him to her.
Their lips met, it was a chaste kiss, nothing like what some of the women at the inn gave their regulars. But, it felt really, really good. Especially when he pulled her close with his arms wrapped around her waist.
Sparks and static chased through her body, starting at her lips, and racing to her back, only to plunge down into her toes. Only to race right back up to her lips and start again. She ended up in his lap, her arms pressed between them. She could feel his chest, nice and hard from years of throwing around sacks of charcoal and hammering metal.
She could feel his large hands explore her back, all the way from the top of her head to her waist. He didn’t stray lower, like the gentleman he was. And she felt shivers everywhere his hands touched.
She felt lightheaded, it was great. This was why he was an excellent kisser.
Eventually, reluctantly, she had to come up for air. Lyn’s lungs felt like they just ran around the village twenty times, and so did her legs. She had to pant.
Only an inch away from Duu Huu, and she felt him pant on her lips. She smiled. “So, that means you’ll get me my sewing needle?” She leaned onto his chest, just happy.
She felt him stiffen. “Sewing needle?” She had to agree, the kiss almost made her forget stuff too.
“Ya, sewing needle. So I can sew stuff. Can you make one for me?” She looked into his eyes. They seemed kinda disappointed. She’ll kiss him after they're done talking to make him feel better.
He sighed, “Sure, I can make you one tomorrow. I know you know it's only a quart penny to get like 30 of ‘um, right.” Duu Huu just hugged her closer, and she rested her head on his broad shoulder. She was a perfect fit.
“Ya, but you know I don’t got that much to spend. I need to save every little bit so I can pay off my cost.” Lyn tallied up her life savings in her head. She had close to 3 silver coins. An amount that takes most maids years to save up. Twenty-seven more, and she could pay off her bondage and be a free woman.
He rubbed her back with one hand, and the other idly played with some hair that came loose. “I know,” he whispered into her ear, and she shivered.
They sat for a little while and shared more kisses, each as toe curling as the last. The sun set while they were in their little haven. The Shadow of the buildings hid away the sunset. Lyn knew she needed to go back to work. Or the Master would add to her cost. She just couldn't pry herself away. She just felt safe. She liked being safe.
She felt him shift, and he stopped rubbing her back. After a squeeze he let go, probably to go back to his friends. He worked all day, and now he wanted to have fun. To complain about the master he was apprenticed to, and how his back always hurt. Sometimes she massaged it for him when his bellyaching annoyed her too much.
They slowly walked back to the tavern. Lyn attached herself to his arm, feeling the hard muscles. At the door she let go, she needed to be professional, or her cost would go up. She took a deep breath, and with all the confidence she could muster opened the door. Only for it all to be blown away with the death glare Phi Thuong threw her way. Apparently abandoning her job for ten minutes was noticed, and not appreciated. There goes her pay for the night.
With little else to do, she skedaddled to the kitchen to run more food. With her back to doing her job, the woman that had to pick up her slack knowingly smirked at her. She glided her way back to serving the tables. Lyn just kept walking between the two buildings. Pick up a platter, snatch a quick snack, put it on the warming table, and repeat ad nauseam until everyone is passed out drunk or went home. Usually the former.
At least that was until she walked through the door to silence. The tavern was never silent. There was always someone or something making noise, the master drinking with and sampling some of the girls, a cat meowing to get attention, and the general creaking of the century-old building. This time there was nothing, none of the 60 people in the tavern so much as breathed. Even a quick glance could tell you why.
A God had walked into the building. Well, God had floated into the building. He sat there, floating. Like off the ground. Like a bird. But, he didn’t need to flap anything. His legs were crossed, hands resting on his knees. He had two swords that casually floated behind him. Two slabs of metal taller than anyone she has ever seen. They glowed a silver light, brighter than the fire in the hearth.
The God just waited, Lyn didn’t see any blood on the ground or even ashes. So nobody was smote, she hoped.
Floating there the God looked resplendent in glowing white silk, with gold threads depicting a large tree, and thousands of small glittering green glowing emeralds for the leaves. His sash seemed to be a belt crafted out of glowing gold plates, attached to each other with thick silver wire. It looked like even one thread of his robe could buy everyone and everything in the town and out to the horizon.
If Lyn could get even a thread, if she could get any debris from the God, he could be a free woman. She marched right up to him, under his steely gold gaze.
It was drowned out by his everything else, but his skin glowed a soft gold too.
She walked up, well, she tried to. But there were so many people in the way that there wasn’t really a good spot to get through. So, she did what every other smart person would do. She got on all fours and crawled through people's legs. They barely noticed her, even when she would crawl on someone’s foot.
Popping up at the front of the crowd, she brushed off her ao dai. Made sure that any mud these cretins brought onto her nicely washed floor was suitably dislodged. Thankfully it was early enough that nobody had thrown up tonight. What a silver lining.
She entered the nice and demure persona that she had mastered for being in front of the Master.
“Good evening your majesty.” Her voice wavered. How could she not be scared? Sure, she was the only one that moved but, still the man was glowing and floating. Everyone knew that gods could be capricious.
His gaze turned to her. Easily one of the scariest things to have happened to her in a long time. Maybe she should stay bonded.
His face turned from an impassive gold statue to a kindly grandfather. His frown turned into a sad smile, the corners just barely lifting.
“I am in need of a room. I would like company as well.” His voice easily echoed through the room, even though it wasn’t any louder than a regular man’s.
Lyn swallowed. “Follow me, your Majesty. I shall bring you to your room.” Lyn turned, then flinched, SHE FORGOT TO BOW! In haste, she bowed so low she kneaded herself in the forehead, never mind the fact that she was bowing in the direct opposite direction, or the fact she just showed a God her butt. The day had started so well.
With that thought running immediately through her mind, she snapped upright.
She jumped and spun around. Facing the God, his sad smile is a bit more open now. She bowed just as lowly again. Straightened once again, and started to push her way through the crowd. She needed to make a wide enough space for her flying money sack. After too much shoving and an unseemly amount of grunting to move the sacks of booze and muscle, they made it to the door that led to the stairs. Which presented another problem.
The gods' swords were taller than the door. And his shoulders were wider than it too. Was he just going to bust his way through the wood? Would he shrink down to regular sizes? Would he grow the size of the door? Lyn stood there glaring at her newest greatest enemy, number two at least, right after the master.
The God chuckled. Green magical sparkles turned the handle to the door and opened it. Lyn saw the doorway get bigger, it was happening. The God was growing the doorway, real magic was happening right in front of her. She was in awe. The god was so powerful to grow a whole doorway.
Then she was through the door.
The god didn’t really make the door grow… HE MADE HER FLY THROUGH THE DOORWAY! Lyn was ecstatic! She had actual magic used on her and she didn't turn into a newt or something! Truly incredible! This day has only gotten better and better.
Lyn felt when the God put her back on the ground. Was she angry that someone just manhandled her without permission, of course. Was she going to hound a God that could make her fly with ease, absolutely not.
Lyn cleared her throat. She really needed something to drink. “Your majesty, your room is right this way.” She led the being to the farthest door to the right. She had just dusted the room two days ago, so she knew it would be clean… Unless the Master decided to use it.
Well, the god hasn't smote her yet, so she took the gamble.
Opening the door, she saw that, yes, the master had decided to not use the room. The bed was still made, and the copper mirror hung, polished to a mirror shine, which took forever for Lyn to do. She sighed in relief, everything was as it should be.
She led the God to the small table in the middle of the room. He silently floated behind her, she hoped, not really having the gumption to look.
“Uh, I guess, um, I’ll be your company for tonight. IF… if that's ok with you.” Lyn still couldn't turn around. If he wanted to get rid of her he would need to talk. Lyn didn’t think she could handle being discarded with a handwave like she was trained to. She needed absolute certainty that her chances didn't slip away.
“You are more than enough child. Come let us sit and converse. I do believe we have much to converse over.” His voice was like a rich deep honey, like you could sink into the air, like the very air stilled and waited for him to finish speaking. For all, Lyn knew it was just his magic, powerful magic.
She nodded. And made her way to the cupboard and grabbed a few pillows to sit by the low table. They were old silk pillows, rarely used, the master couldn’t afford to replace them if damaged. They were in the inn’s red color but mostly faded from the decades. She quickly fluffed them up so they could sit.
After placing them down, one on each side of the table, she sat first. Really her training said the guest should sit first, but he was floating in a sitting position.
Thankfully, he sat on the pillow without comment.
“Uh, So, um… What do you want to talk about?” She was smooth, like a gravel road.
He chuckled, Lyn stopped breathing for a second. “Please, tell me about your day. You must have had an interesting one, hmm?” He placed his hands in his lap, his back still straighter than the swords that hovered like furled wings behind him.
Lyn forced her eyes to leave the implements of death and focused on the liquid gold of his eyes. “Well, today started out really well! I cleaned the floors, it was easy cause nobody threw up last night. So I just needed to sweep and mop up the mud, easy. Then I got to see Duu Huu, through the window go and do something. Oh! I was tasked with moving the outhouses! It was amazing! A few weeks ago, I traded Duu Huu and he dug like 10 holes for them, and then I went and “found” some planks in the old wood pile in the back, covered the holes, and put dirt on top. That way, when I get told to move the outhouses, I can finish it in about an hour instead of three days! So because of that I went and used the bathhouse!” Really it was a really nice day. Especially after she and Duu Huu made the trade beneath the wisteria. Really nice.
“It seems like this, Duu Huu, is a special boy to you. Do you have any intentions?” Lyn had to look away. She made sure her hair was covering her forehead.
“Well, I like, uh, I feel… I feel good kissing him.” Lyn had never ever admitted that to anyone. And, here she was telling an actual god. Well, it's not like people don’t pray more embarrassing things to Gods anyway right?
“Oh, then he must truly be a special boy. Tell me, child, how did you end up working here? You seem young to have such a burden.” Lyn noticed he had long hair, longer than hers. His hair was blacker than a moonless night, but still somehow glowed. She couldn't place the color exactly, but it glowed almost black. She only noticed his hair because he mirrored her, but instead of flattening his bangs, he tucked a stray hair back behind his ears. They were just the perfect shape too.
“Well, when I was a baby, my parents came from a couple of villages over and sold me to the inn. Apparently, they were desperate and only got a few bags of rice to last the winter. I don’t really remember them that much, but at least working here is better than on a farm! I hear loads of the men yell and moan about how much their backs hurt from all the planting. So I guess in a weird way, I’m thankful they did this to me. What about you? Why did you come here?” Lyn deflected.
“Hm, I was merely wondering. Seeing the land for what it is. How it has changed from centuries gone by. This land has changed.” He had a far-off look as if he was seeing all of the histories that played out in the fields outside. His hands wondered idly, finding a strand of his hair and fiddling with it.
Lyn couldn't not see the absentminded action. She wondered how the god gained such a habit.
“Ah, one such as I, on the path to immortality, have seen much. I hunger child, go and fetch us refreshment.” Lyn did as she was told. She bowed at the door and sprinted down the steps to the tavern. It was empty, so it must have been later than she thought. Maybe the God used time magic. She flung open the door to the courtyard, sped past the trees, and tackled the kitchen door open.
Inside she saw Nhabep Baothu and Master drinking from a bottle of moonshine. “Master!” Lyn bowed deeply, not so much that she hit herself. It was quick but looking into his eyes made for a bad time. “This humble servant requests refreshment for the guest!” she was shaking, as she always did in front of the master. She could hear heavy footsteps pound over to her. She shook harder.
His hand grabbed her chin. Yanking her face to meet his. His breath stunk. Beady black eyes bored into her own. “You fuck this up, and you die.” Lyn tried to nod, instead, he slapped her face, hard. Lyn fell to the ground as the slap rang out in the small space. She shook even more. “Hear me. You better do every single thing the cultivator asks for. If there is any string out of place, you will not survive to see the next night.” the Master stomped his way back to his bottle.
Nhabep Baothu left her seat and started to make a spread from the food left over from the night. There was more than usual. The spread was coming together, and Nhabep told Lyn to get a specific bottle of wine from the cellar which Lyn did. She entered the wine cellar, and her eyes decided to cry. Her cheek hurt, she was so scared. She thought she was helping a god. Instead, she was serving a cultivator. A capricious immortal man. Responsible for the clouds that perpetually covered the sky. He wasn’t a God, but like a God could still kill every single person in the village and not even remember it.
With trembling hands, she took the wine bottle. It had some writing on it, but she was never taught. She went upstairs. Presented the wine to the Kitchen matron who gave her a nod. The food was done and plated. Lyn reached for it but was stopped by Master grabbing her arm.
“Remember girl, nobody will come and help you. If you mess up, you are on your own. And, if the cultivator spares you, be assured.” he growled into her ear. “ I. Will. Not.”
He let go of her arm with a shove, and she slammed into the table. Thankfully she didn’t mess up the food.
She found her burden and made her way to the room once again. Walking slowly through the abandoned inn. The revelers, not leaving due to time, but fright.
As she neared the door, Lyn hoped her trembling was unnoticeable. She forced her smile on. Nobody likes talking to a sad sack. She would have tried to fix her hair, but her hands were full.
She tried to push the door open with her foot. Usually, she could since the door’s latch was broken. As Lyn stood before the door, it glowed emerald green and opened.
She stepped through the door, and everything was the same. The glowing man that she once thought a God, now a monster in man form. Stories said they were capable of obliterating mountains in their sleep. His yellow eyes glared at her. Lyn tried not to shake.
She slowly stepped to the table to lay down her burden. The tray being the betrayer it is, clattered as her hands began to tremble. She sat on her old pillow, possibly to be her deathbed, and looked at her doom.
He sat there, menacingly. Great swords floating in the air, the prophets of her doom.
The Cultivator reached and missed the table. His hand continued across and rested on her cheek.
“Child,” His honey voice a trap, a place for bugs to land thinking it was safe. “who has hurt you.”
Lyn could only close her eyes. She knew she bruised easily. Usually, the Master only hit her in areas that didn’t show. Her skin felt prickly with pain. This was to be her end. She knew she was crying. Thankfully she didn’t try to use makeup to help with her needle negotiation.
“Child,” She felt her cheek warm, “be not afraid, I am here not for your or anyone’s life.”
His hand left her cheek. Lyn looked down. She saw her reflection in the silvered tray. The bruise she expected to find was not there. The Cultivator had to have used magic to heal her.
“It’s not my place to say Master Cultivator.” Lyn couldn’t look him in the eyes, she could not allow him to see her tears, she needed this to be perfect. She hid behind her bangs. She needed to be a perfect host.
“L… Let’s ha… Have some spring rolls, they're my favorite.” Mechanically Lyn reached for a spring roll. The cabbage that was usually so perfectly cooked, the shell that was usually so crip, was but ash in her mouth. Her stomach could not handle it, she only took one bite before placing it on her plate.
“Child,” the cultivator started. Lyn looked up at him. His smile seemed forced. “This old man is tired. Leave me to my meditation.”
At his dismissal Lyn jumped up from the seat and ran to the door. Ripping it open she flew to her closet.
She collapsed onto her straw mattress that her Duu Huu helped her stuff.
She sobbed.
Tomorrow would be her last.
