mizuxfem!oc
The Ningyo (人魚, "human fish") is a creature with both human and fish-like features.
Many fishermen who find these creatures caught in their nets throw them back into the ocean.
For if a ningyo is caught, she will bring misfortune and cal...
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CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR: LITTLE ONE
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"YUE! Where's Yue?!?"
When van Ruyven came to, his cheek was nestled against Chia-Wei's powdered bosom. The candles in the room were blown out, as they always were when they finished being intimate.
Chia-Wei gave a start. The soft silk blanket fell off her shoulders as the commander sat up. He realized he was completely naked. Then, a painful throbbing in his tongue ripped through his jaw. The taste of blood both dried and wet filled his mouth. Speaking was painful.
"Yue? The moon is out," she rubbed her eyes.
"No, no, Yue from Japan! Where is that little—!"
"Yue... from Japan? My love, did you have a nightmare?"
He broke up his words syllable by syllable, "YUE! From JA-PAN! The girl they sent in instead of you."
She blinked blankly, and then grabbed her own chin to entertain his wild idea.
"A girl they sent instead of me, hm..? Do you tire of my company?"
He vehemently denied it. "No! 'Course not!"
"Also, Yue is a Chinese name, isn't it?"
"...."
"So why would a woman from Japan be named—"
"I see your point, thank you!"
His tongue was so swollen, it felt on fire. That Yue bit him, tearing his tongue. He remembered it clear as day. How else could he explain the pain?! And right after there was—
"THERE WAS A MAN!" Van Ruyven yelled out as if it was happening all over again. "In the ceiling!"
He looked up, pointing at the panels. This time, Chia-Wei could not hide her bewilderment.
"...As per your request, there are no men allowed in the palace," she could not hide her frustration with him. "And, my love, I really hope you aren't stooping so low as to insult the Madame."
"No! I—I didn't mean— I know what Madame Shen looks like, and that wasn't—! He was a mixed breed! Blue eyes!"
"There are many mixed people on the island... for obvious reasons. But all of us are pure as per the standards in place."
Her annoyance with him was undeniably obvious. He felt like the biggest idiot to be falling out of Chia-Wei's good graces. He didn't want that. She was his favorite after all.
"Forgive me," he quickly changed his tune, "I think I drank too much immortality. And since I'll be living forever now, you're stuck with me..."
He reached his wide arms around her slender frame and brought her on his lap.
