Wangxian Prompt/Self-fill Dump

What I've Done Pt 4

Jiang Yanli was a sweet and mild girl, often overlooked for her demure presence as is expected of a well bred future Lady of a Great Sect. However many either forget or do not realize she is her mother's daughter and thus was sharp of mind and when the need arose, of tongue. She has taken notice of her mother's sudden and strange behavior. That night she came bursting into their rooms and held them as if she let go she would never be able to do so again. There was also the fact she not only sent out Yinzhu and Jinzhu to find Auntie's son, but nurses him back to good health. She remembers the loud fight her parents had just days before her mother found her precious a'Xian and brought him home.

She has lurked in shadows and behind corners, listening to her mother's plans and sobs. Yanli doesn't know everything, but it seems her mother had either a vision of the future or was somehow transported back in time. Either way, Yanli promised herself, her late Auntie and her mother that no matter what happens she will help protect a'Xian. Her beloved a'Xian had a face meant for smiling and should always smile with happiness and love. She has helped her mother temper a'Cheng's temper, helped him understand that just because they have a new brother, does not mean he is loved any less. Her mother also started giving them each special lessons. Wei Ying was a brilliant boy and her mother had to exhaust resources to give him sufficient stimuli and outputs for the resulting whirlwind of chaotic energy. A'Cheng was started on his duties as future sect leader by being lectured by their mother and having him run errands and learn to barter and trade, when to fight and argue as well as when to concede or mediate. In top of that, he was given a practice whip and was taking to those lessons with vigor.

So Yanli attended her usual lessons, but also learned talismans and healing at her mother's behest and stayed up a bit later than her brothers to learn how to grow her core and fight with a sword and a knife. Her mother wanted her to be able to protect herself, even if she ultimately puts away her sword and never cultivates again. So Yanli knee something was not quite right when her father came home and seemed singularly concerned about only a'Xian. She and a'Cheng had felt for the first time, the sting of being pushed aside for another, but at the same time, they watched how scared Wei Ying suddenly became of their father. And now her mother has gone to visit their relatives in Meishan Yu. But again, Yanli had been spying and overheard her mother order to three of her Shixiongs to keep a close eye on her father.

Thus bringing her to where she is now. She is sitting on the dock across the large lake within Lotus Hall, home of the Jiang. She has donned a vibrant green handy that blends well with the tall grass surrounding the lake her hair carefully braided in darker green ribbons and pink ones carefully tied into floral shapes that one could mistake her hair for a lily pad and lotus bloom and what little of her actual hair for the muddy bottom of the lake from which lotuses grow. She was perfectly hidden in plain sight. She watched as a'Xian was having swimming lessons with a'Cheng and several of their age mates. Swimming was a must have skill of the Jiang Sect. Even the civilians must know how to swim since they live on the water and make a living from the water'as bounty.

She smiles softly as the boys and girls playfully splash around, joyful shrieks and giggling filling the otherwise peaceful silence. At some point they had begun trying to do tricks as they jumped into the water or make the biggest splashes or trying to slip as soundlessly into the water as possible. She took mental notes on techniques and even style. Perhaps a fun competition to help improve both morale and skill by having contests when it came to their main skill, swimming. She will bring it up with her mother once the Madam made it back home.

Yanli's mental score keeping nearly made her miss when her father appeared and even as he smiled at the children, he must have said something because of there was a bit of a mad dash to get dressed and by the looks of it, to sword practice. She saw a'Cheng look back when he realized a'Xian had not followed, but then their father shooed him off more firmly and now it was only the three of them. Yanli slowly eased her way into the water, slipping saliently in and diving just deep enough to be unnoticed but still close enough to the surface to breech for air. She swam quickly and with urgency. Her father had a strang look in his eyes when he had first seen a'Xian those few years ago and the look was very disturbing even now that a'Xian was nearly of presenting age. She had received her sword already, Yinhua, and she has not let it go yet, and maybe never will. She surfaces close to the dock, half hidden underneath it, a water talisman in hand just in case she needed to attack her own father.

"--special child, you know? You're born with both sexes and as such can bring great power and status to any Sect or Clan you marry into... Your mother gave birth to you as repayment to me for giving up your father to her and my love for her.... So you will become second bride upon your 16th year." She heard her father say and she nearly gasped out loud in shock. However a'Xian sound of shock masked hers.

"No, that is not possible! My a'Niang and a'Die loved one another and me. They would never do that!" A'Xian cried out, doubtful and scared. He must be looking for a way out, but this lake is private and not even her mother's appointed guards would be allowed here.

So taking a deep breath, Yanli let her spiritual energy fill the talisman and quick as a viper she was out and on the dock, blasting her father with a ball of water that slammed the man into the wall and left him unconscious. She quickly pulled a'Xian to her chambers and got them both into a hot bath and dressed. She said nothing, letting a'Xian 's scared sobs fuel her rage and yet steel her nerves. She quickly called for the three seniors and told them to send word to her mother of an incident. When asked she merely met their eyes with a steely look and the knew. They left to do as told and she turned to bundle her precious a'Xian into her warmest blanket and sat with him. Moments later a'Cheng burst into the room and instead of getting jealous he calmly sat by his brother and Cuddled him. She is thankful he doesn't ask and a'Xian has dozed off. She is allowed time to think and plan. She was the daughter of the Violet Spider and she would let the world know it....