Empress Ying

VI

- ...someone who looks like me?

Now that's interesting. 

Duchess: Yes exactly. We, however, did not find him in Da Shili. We found him here, in the capital, in front of our door. He was still small back then, around the age of two. His origins are unknown but we kind of have a lead. We are unsure, so we will tell him when we are certain of our findings. The only thing that was with him as he was here was a chain with a pendant and his name written on it. "Akari Ying Yi". Except for the fact that he may come from two different nations, we don't have so much information about him. 

Akari... Ying Yi, also similar to my name, did Ying Xi know about him? Why didn't he tell me anything? Oh, wait! Now that I think about it, he did mention something about our family having names in two languages. He said mine was "Kairi". He could indeed be my brother. But why did Ying Xi hide it from me?

Duchess: Are you okay?

She brought me back to reality. 

-When can I see him?

???: See who?

A boy entered the living room. He had the same dark and wavy hair as me, the same tan skin, same facial features, except my eyes which were a mix of dark green and brown and his were hazel.

Now that I think about it, Ying Xi had the same eye colour as me but lighter coloured hair. Since my eye colour was quit unique where I lived, I believed him without asking too many questions.

 I stared at this 13 year-old looking boy. I felt so comfortable in his gaze. It was like I already knew him. The duchess stopped the staring contest.

Duchess: Yi'er, here you are! This is your sister, Ying yue. We adopted her in Da Shili.

I stared at him again

Ying Yi: Oh... Ehm it is nice to meet you.

- likewise.

We didn't talk much. He told me that he is currently a scholar for government affairs in the royal academia. He is also learning kung fu. I chatted with the other siblings. They were all attending the royal academia in different branches. 

After that, we ate dinner and all went to sleep. 

[...]

It has been a few weeks from now. I am currently studying for the entrance exam in the royal academia. I want to study military strategies and states affairs. It has been burdesom. I have so many books to memorize and explain. Thankfully, my new family is helping me. Family... do I dare say so? On the surface, we may seem so but so far I'm concerned, I still have my doubts. I just can't seem to trust them. It is unfair to them, since they are treating me so well and are understanding. Trusting became difficult for me. It is sad that me, a 11 year-old girl, has trust issues. Why did I have to get betrayed by my "mother". Why did my friends frame me. Why did my dead master want to take advantage of me? I ask myself these questions every day and it is always the same answer. Silence. I can't explain what is happening to me. What if I open myself to them and they also end up betraying me?  I removed the dagger that I placed under my pillow and stared at it. Am I being too dramatic? Maybe every 11 year-old goes through this stuff as well. No, that's very unlikely. I placed my dagger back to its original spot.

Since the day I stepped into Kodaina Umi, I haven't heard from Ying Xi. I have so many things to ask him, like is Ying Yi indeed our brother, why didn't he tell me and where do we come from. Ah Ying Xi, please show up. I'm starting to get impatient. 

The day passed. After lunch, I started studying again. I stumbled across a book called; "The grace of Yansu". The book was old and the writings were almost erased. My heart shivered every time I turned to the next page. I was so scared to tear the book apart. The book was about the beginning of our era. The era of the holders of Yansu. 

~~~

For a very long time, humans and animals coexisted on this planet. Trees were growing and flowers where bluming. There where no governmental conflicts, and every one was equal. Paradise on earth. People loved singing songs around fires and dancing with their loved ones. Until one day, when everything changed.

The sky became red and the rain was acid, sulphuric acid. An underwater volcan erupted without anything being prepared for it. The toxic gases where liberated in the atmosphere. People started dying excessively and food was very short. So short that humans had to take unspeakable means to get to food. Famine, Sickness, Death, Corpses. This paradise collapsed in front of its very needy people. Within the paradise collapsed peace, morality and trust. In the end, only a handful of people survived. The exact number is unknown. These people roamed the earth for corpses they can make use of to survive. 

Long after the disaster, grace come from the sky to solace the survivors. "You who remain shall not be forgotten and be granted grace." After that, every survivor was granted a different "Yansu", an element they could yield and make use of to get the human population on its feet once again. This Yansu shall be passed on future generations.