Black Tiger Blind Passion

The Tiger's Den

 I reached down to where I knew the towel laid and dip it into the water I had filled.

I raised it to where I knew he would usually sit comfortably.

The flesh was soft yet firm. I caressed the scars that marred his back. They littered his skin 

deeply which told of the horrors he went through as a child of war. His back was wide and filled

 with boundless strength and power restraint within his taut muscles which flex under his skin 

whenever he moved. Every touch of my cool finger tips to the heat of his back paints the 

terrifying magnificence of this man. Every moment spent in this room gathers more fire to my

 burning desire to see the harsh overbearing beauty this man holds. Every time I washed his 

back. I curse my blindness. A horrifying urge to wish plagues my every fiber of being. But alas 

wishing is not my right as a slave. Wishing is only for the privileged like him. My Lord. The black

 tiger. "My Lord, Emperor has begun the investigation. What should be done?" The man who 

usually comes to report to him asked after reciting a long-winded account of what was currently

 happening. I pretended I did not hear anything. I was a wall. A beam. A mute retarded slave. 

I dared not breath or make a sound.

"Hmm. Remind Minister Gou what should be done. All remain on duty." 

His deep voice resounded in the vast space of the bathing room like that of a dragon. 

It held power which send a shiver down my spine and numb the tips of fingers and toes as they

 curled at the sensation. Dark and deep. I wondered if he was as dark and dangerous as his 

name. Black Tiger. Biao Hei. That was his name. Whispered in fear in every crevice of every 

courtyard in the empires. What followed his steps were dangers from his enemies in the 

shadows. "Sir" The sound of the panel closing behind indicated the man's exit. A brooding

 silence shrouded him, and I was left to admire his powerful body. I was lost again in seeing 

what he was like with every touch that seems unintentional on my part, but I was jolted to 

attention at the heavy sigh that escaped him. I put down the towel on the low stand on the right

 side. It was more of a stair step that descended from the little raise of the pool's edge that the 

Lord liked to rest his elbows on. I rose carefully on the last step I had knelt on, with my bare feet

 I began to tentatively get closer to his hair. I knew where everything was but the amount of 

water that splashed on the smooth stone steps I knew from experience I would fall and cause

 trouble for Master. With practice, I sat down much closer to his back that radiated heat that

 seems to invade my cold skin. I unwound his untamed hair. Placing his glazed high-quality 

hairpin to the left side. I sank my skinny almost skeleton-like fingers into his thick hair to soothe

 his scalp with light scratches. I love this moment. Since I could hear the satisfied sounds that 

left him. He was like a placated bear. The noises from his lips were endearing. They burrowed 

into my heart like worms eating away my rotten heart. Reverberating in my ears like the death 

toll. I allowed a moment of rebellion to slip a smile on my face. I knew I won't get in trouble

 since I have always kept my head low. I ran my fingers through his hair one last time before

 reaching down where I had always placed the comb on the right of him and dip it in the water I 

raised the wet comb and softly comb his hair. I made sure that his hair was washed like this. To 

make it smooth and glossy. Though I have not seen what glossy looks like. I know what it feels 

like. I never wanted this to be over. So, I slowed down my pace.

The sound of the panel opening again jolted me out of my foolish thoughts. I reverently put 

down his hair and the comb and with a bowed head, I expertly step down the three steps to 

stand to the side as I feel the air move with the new arrival. I tried to brush away unseen 

wrinkles on my hanfuu with shaky hands. Nervous and slightly agitated at the peaceful 

atmosphere that had just shattered. "Sire, Vice-Captain Lei is in the antechamber waiting for 

you." The air tensed until it was too unbearable for me.