Spirited Away: Sacrificed to the Dragon God

One

'It is a very great honour to be chosen,' my mother said, as she placed peonies in my hair.

I said nothing. What was there to say?

My life was soon to come to an end.

I felt no neither sorrow nor anger. I was completely numb.

This was something that the village had done for over sixty years.

After the Great Flood, as they called it.

Following several years of prosperity, the village was plagued with torrential rain that caused the nearby lake to flood the area. Crops were lost and many had drowned.

The rain poured for many months until a dragon happened to be flying overhead somehow saved the village.

There was hardly anyone who remembered it anymore.

'The sacrifice must be honoured,' the few who did would say.

Every seventeen years, to show their gratitude to the dragon god the villagers would send a girl out onto the lake where the dragon god dwelled. Not one of those girls was ever seen again. But strangely, a cartload of treasures would sometimes be left outside the former home of the girl. Many thought that it was simply a very generous gesture of appreciation for the sacrifice.

As the time for the sacrifice drew near the village elders gathered to divine who would be chosen to sacrifice to the dragon god. Fate chose me.

My family was one of the more prosperous in the village, and I was considered one of the prettier girls. Many consider beauty no matter how much of it you had as a blessing but it was now more of a curse.

I was dressed in a simple qipao. There was some embroidery along the sleeve hem and collar. Ironically they were of dragons and water-lilies, my favourite flower and my namesake.

I sat quietly as my mother carefully applied make-up to my face.

With a final swipe of lip paint, I was declared ready.

I glanced at my reflection in the mirror on my dresser. I blinked, barely recognising myself. My already pale face was white like the moon. My lips were deep coral pink, and my eyes appeared larger than they were. My hair had been swept into a half bun and fastened with a deep blue ribbon and a pink peony.

'Xiao-Lian, it's time,' my mother said.

I stood up from the chair and she lightly held my arm as she led me through the house. It was not the largest in the village but it was big enough that I was able to have my own room, which I sometimes allowed my little brother to share with me.

As we stepped out of the room we were met by my father.

He nodded at me.

Father has never smiled. I know he loves me, he just could never show it. The most I ever got from him was a pat on my head as a child.

My little brother ran up and clutched me tightly. I wished he would never let go.

The whole village had gathered to watch as I was lead down to water's edge where a small boat was waiting.

It was still early morning so the mist still hung on the lake.

I stepped into the boat and sat down.

I took one last look at my family. My father with his stern countenance; and my mother's sweet smiling face. That smile seemed strained now and her eyes shone with unshed tears as she clutched my little brother's hand, who was openly crying.

I tried to offer him a brave smile but it only made him cry harder.

The boat was pushed away from the bank.

There was no paddle but the boat seemed to move on its own.

The further the boat glided, the thicker the mist became. It wasn't long before I could no longer see the shore.

I do not know how long I drifted, but eventually the mist parted like a curtain to reveal a shrine.

The Dragon God's home.

This was where I was to be sacrificed.

The shrine doors opened, and before me stood a man that could only be the Dragon God. He was almost too beautiful to be real. Long inky black hair that hung loose down his back; and his skin was pale like the moon. Broad shoulders supported a strong neck and he towered over me by at least two heads. He also wore an elaborate golden head-dress encrusted with blue-green and emerald stones. A pearl-like jewel was embedded in the centre of his forehead, and a strange marking surrounded it. He was dressed to the nines in a long deep blue robe and white trousers tied with a green sash that matched his eyes and his feet were shod in black slippers. His face was stern looking with high cheekbones with a strong nose and jaw. But what caught my attention the most were his eyes. They were a deep green that seemed to glow with their own ethereal light.

'Welcome,' he said.

Realising that I had been staring, I lowered my eyes.

He held out his hand to me.

I reluctantly took it.

The next thing I knew, he was holding me in his arms and we were floating. Up to the sky.

Looking down was like watching the surface of the lake, but the expanse was so much greater. It was surely like gazing at the ocean.

Where was he taking me? Was that shrine not his home? My head was awhirl with questions.

Finally, our feet touched solid ground.

I looked about me.

This must be the dragon god's real home. The house was so big that it must be a palace. The walls were painted white with golden roofs that gleamed in the late morning sun. The windows were round and covered with rice paper.

The flower beds held many flowers that I had never seen before. The morning dew still clung to them, making them sparkle like they had been adorned jewels.

I suppose if there I were to choose a place to die, this would be it.

I turned to him and said, 'Let it be done.'

His brow furrowed.  'Let what be done?'

'You are going to eat me. That's why I'm here, isn't it?'

'You are not going to be eaten.'

He isn't?'  Then what...?'

'You are here to be my wife.'