Post by Prince Fu Ying Piao on Dec 28, 2008 17:25:20 GMT -5
I sat in my room reading a story about a Yeshuite character. He was apparently the son of their god and I was reading his trial. I found it interesting that he was faced with death but would not back down or change his story. He was very loyal, a trait that was very honorable.
I heard the door open loudly behind me and I turned around to look as I was startled out of my reading.
In walked my father. I could smell his customary trail of liquor following him. I had heard that he was a good man in his younger days. At least he still had the decency to keep his drink mostly in house and away from the public eye.
"Piao," he said, his voice filling the room. "I have been told that you do nothing but sit in here and read." He looked around the room, I had books piled everywhere. I did truly do more than just read, but it occupied a large amount of my time.
He picked up my hand and squinted at my face in the poor light that was in my room. "You look pale to me." He said as if his thinking I looked pale would make me so even if I sat in the sun for hours every day.
He turned and looked at my mother, who cowered a little before him. I had not noticed her presence until then. She looked at the floor and I knew she would not dare to look at his face unless he specifically told her too. She was not Empress' wife and did not have that privilege. "You have spoiled him too long."
He turned back to me, a look that said he was putting great effort into thinking. He had not yet turned his brain into curry with his drinking for the night. I wondered what he would do with me. I was not next in line as his successor and in truth I did not care. I would be happy enough as an adviser or something just as simple. It would leave me more time to do as I pleased. Though I know that my father would not be happy to hear such from me.
He finally sighed, a moment that showed some of his former self remained. Then a grin broke on his face. He moved so that he could watch both me and my mother's reactions and said, "I think a trip would do you well. Some time away from your mother to become a man and some time to see that there is a world outside of this dusty room." I couldn't help but to look around when he mentioned dust, my room was as clean as it could be. So, I suspected he was really referring to some of the older manuals I had lying about.
The Emperor thought a moment more and said, "We have made ties with a land called Terre d'Ange. It is said to be of great beauty and it's people even more so. I want you to travel there and spend some time. Before you go, however, you will be trained in their language and customs. I do not need you making a fool of our people." I almost laughed at his last phrase, but I knew better. At least I stayed sober, it was hard to think with to much wine in your system. I had tried it once when I was 13.
And so three years of training took place. I found the language difficult at first, but as soon as I started to grow custom to it I learned quickly. It was not the only language other than Ch'n that I had learned, which helped greatly. They had some very unusual customs, however. I was taught everything, their religious beliefs. I learned about their creed to love as thou will. I found the Nightcourt to be very interesting and secretly wondered how my father would feel if I visited it.
I heard the door open loudly behind me and I turned around to look as I was startled out of my reading.
In walked my father. I could smell his customary trail of liquor following him. I had heard that he was a good man in his younger days. At least he still had the decency to keep his drink mostly in house and away from the public eye.
"Piao," he said, his voice filling the room. "I have been told that you do nothing but sit in here and read." He looked around the room, I had books piled everywhere. I did truly do more than just read, but it occupied a large amount of my time.
He picked up my hand and squinted at my face in the poor light that was in my room. "You look pale to me." He said as if his thinking I looked pale would make me so even if I sat in the sun for hours every day.
He turned and looked at my mother, who cowered a little before him. I had not noticed her presence until then. She looked at the floor and I knew she would not dare to look at his face unless he specifically told her too. She was not Empress' wife and did not have that privilege. "You have spoiled him too long."
He turned back to me, a look that said he was putting great effort into thinking. He had not yet turned his brain into curry with his drinking for the night. I wondered what he would do with me. I was not next in line as his successor and in truth I did not care. I would be happy enough as an adviser or something just as simple. It would leave me more time to do as I pleased. Though I know that my father would not be happy to hear such from me.
He finally sighed, a moment that showed some of his former self remained. Then a grin broke on his face. He moved so that he could watch both me and my mother's reactions and said, "I think a trip would do you well. Some time away from your mother to become a man and some time to see that there is a world outside of this dusty room." I couldn't help but to look around when he mentioned dust, my room was as clean as it could be. So, I suspected he was really referring to some of the older manuals I had lying about.
The Emperor thought a moment more and said, "We have made ties with a land called Terre d'Ange. It is said to be of great beauty and it's people even more so. I want you to travel there and spend some time. Before you go, however, you will be trained in their language and customs. I do not need you making a fool of our people." I almost laughed at his last phrase, but I knew better. At least I stayed sober, it was hard to think with to much wine in your system. I had tried it once when I was 13.
And so three years of training took place. I found the language difficult at first, but as soon as I started to grow custom to it I learned quickly. It was not the only language other than Ch'n that I had learned, which helped greatly. They had some very unusual customs, however. I was taught everything, their religious beliefs. I learned about their creed to love as thou will. I found the Nightcourt to be very interesting and secretly wondered how my father would feel if I visited it.