Chapter Text
April 4, 1971 - The Locked City of Cathay
Fei - or Lady Fei-Ying Yun as the palace elves proclaimed during formal occasions - hated a lot of things.
For one, she hated people. They were all the same. Everyone she had ever come across or heard about would do anything for a little royal treatment. No one was nice to any member of her family unless they wanted something. That was an undeniable fact that also applied to the ones in her own immediate family - all nine of them. Nineteen if Fei counted her father's wives and consorts.
Fei has heard it all. How many times had one royal consort allied with another and then once the first was promoted, she would completely abandon the one who helped her gain her higher status? How many times has she heard one uncle accuse another one of disclosing an important secret just to look good in the Emperor's eyes? Enough times for Fei to learn that the best thing to do in surviving life in the palace is to trust no one and to keep one's mouth shut.
People also got worked up over the silliest things. Fei realized almost straight off the bat because of how people treated her since she was born. It was not her fault that she was the eighth child of the eighth child and in the eighth generation of her family. She was coined the Auspicious Child and thus gained what she called privately "Auspicious Child Perks". The one perk that seemed to harp on everyone was the most was that that the Emperor actually visited her on her birthday. Just the fact that he knew her name without any prompts had set her apart from all of her female cousins and most of her male ones.
The children that actually befriended her ended up only doing so because their parents, or themselves, hoped being near her would gain some positive attention from the Emperor. If not for personal gain, they would be nice to her out of fear of repercussions since the Royal Seer had advised the Emperor that if the Auspicious Child were to live a hard life, it would mean hardship as well for all of them.
People were the worst.
Second of all, Fei hated that she was born a girl. Even with her "Auspicious Child Perks", being a girl meant that she had to divide her time learning real subjects so that she would practice her calligraphy and dancing. The boys didn't have to worry about any of that. They could spend as much time as they wanted on charms, the history of their kingdom, and, most importantly to Fei, the study of magical beasts.
Fei might hate people but she loved animals, birds especially. Fei knew it was because she grew up with Xiao, her pet crane, at her side. He was her best friend and she knew that if he could speak, he would agree with her. They were inseparable for as long as she could remember and at times, she even thought she could read his thoughts and he could read hers.
Whenever she could slip away from her studies and her family, Fei and Xiao would always sneak off to the Royal Aviary in one of the Emperor's gardens. It was her favorite place in the palace and since she had never left the palace, it might as well be her favorite place in the whole world.
Being a girl also meant that Fei could not be part of the Expanse, an event that only occurs every two hundred years where the kingdom of Cathay opens its doors and allows only a chosen few male descendants to go out to the world, learn all they could, and bring back that knowledge. Cathay had separated from the outside world, both magical and Muggle, many centuries ago and this was the only time anyone in the kingdom was allowed to leave. The Expanse was taking place this year.
At least, Fei thought glumly, I don't have to participate in any ceremony or traditions for that.
Those she hated the most. She would give anything not to have to attend another blessing of another royal newborn or go kneel through another mind and leg numbing Lunar New Year banquet. She would feign illness like the Crown Prince's third wife constantly did, but that would mean she would have to be on bed rest for a full day and miss out on either going to the aviary or the royal library to read about magical creatures.
Thus, when the palace elf especially assigned to her - an "Auspicious Child Perk", Po, informed her that the Emperor decided that for this year's Qingming Festival, only the male descendants need to attend, she was overjoyed. Not having to be with her family for a Tomb Sweeping Ceremony? For the first time in her life, she was glad of her gender.
She was so eager to get to the aviary with Xiao that she almost didn't hear her siblings chatter excitedly about the Expanse during breakfast.
"I bet the Crown Prince won't be allowed to go," Fei's third brother said. He was a short and round 14 year old boy who often stole food off of Fei's plate when he thought she wouldn't notice, which she always did, "He's too important…Imagine him out there exposed to... Muggles. "
The sibling shared a somber silence. There had not been a Muggle inside the kingdom of centuries but everyone knew that if they spotted one, they had to stay as far away from them as possible. Muggles were unclean and were bringers of death.
The two palace elves assigned to take care of the royal children used that moment to hurriedly refill the plates with assorted toppings for their rice porridge - pickled radishes, mashed seaweed, dried squid. The children sat around a wooden circular table with an intricate mother of pearl inlay depicting a crane amongst peonies. Their stools had similar markings. They ate from white porcelain bowls filled with rice porridge and spoons made of ivory from a Cloud Mammoth's tusks. Enchanted golden chopsticks floated around the table, picking out the toppings the children wanted and placing it into their bowls.
"He won't get picked. He's too old," Fei's second sister said. She was a slim and pretty 16-year-old, who was already promised to wed some powerful magistrate's son. Her age and her secured future made her act like the grown-up of the group. Fei's eldest brother and eldest sister were both already 18 so they had moved out of their house earlier that year. One was preparing to be a royal advisor to the Emperor and the other was enjoying being a newlywed, "Remember, the whole purpose of the Expanse is to learn the ways of the outside world. It needs to be a child. A child's mind absorbs information faster."
"But they have to choose an adult to go with them as a guardian," Fei's fourth brother said. He was 12 years old and liked to kick his ball against the wall when Fei was trying to sleep, "What if they choose the Crown Prince?"
"Like I said, I bet Emperor Grandfather will forbid him to go," Fei's third brother said and then drank down his bowl of rice porridge in one big gulp.
"If I get chosen," Fei's fifth brother, who was the same age as Fei but two months older, said as he motioned for his chopsticks to grab some more pickled radish for his porridge, "I'd pick our third uncle for sure. He's fun. Much more fun to be around than Father."
"It would be unfilial and dishonorable to not choose our own Father," Third Brother lectured.
"We'll see for ourselves tonight," Third Sister said as she tried to feed a spoonful of porridge to their youngest sister, a one-year-old. Third Sister was 13 years old and showed much more affection to the baby than she ever did with Fei. The baby and Third Sister shared the same mother so Fei knew it was more to do with their shared parentage than of who Fei was.
However, Fei was bothered by what Third Sister had just said.
"What?" she asked. The children around the circular table all jumped in surprise. It was rare for Fei to speak and even rarer for her to engage in conversation with them. Fei stared straight at her Third Sister until the 13-year-old shifted uncomfortably on her stool.
"What do you mean we'll see for ourselves tonight?" Fei clarified.
"Oh. You came in late for breakfast so you didn't hear the Emperor's decree this morning," Fei's youngest brother said. Fei kept quiet and did not point out she was only late because she was cleaning up the mess he made in their shared room. Po was most distraught when he saw her doing so and had insisted she go to breakfast and let him take care of the rest but at that point, she was already halfway done.
It would be a waste of her breath to tell all of this to her brother so instead, she just turned her attention to her second sister, someone Fei knew would take great delight in divulging important information to the ignorant.
"What did it say?" Fei asked.
"The participants of The Expanse will be decided tonight in the Hall of Supremacy and Grandfather Emperor has decided all descendants, male and female, must attend," Second Sister said, rising to the occasion, "So you should make sure to dress appropriately. I've heard that we'll even have a few special guests from the outside world attending to see who will get picked to go to their kingdoms."
She leaned in a bit closer to Fei and Fei could feel her eyes scan her from head to toe.
"You should think about tying up your hair too," her sister advised, "Something more formal."
Fei didn't respond to that. Her hair was just fine the way it was. She had the front part of her hair tied into a small bun behind her head, secured with a jade hairpin shaped like a crane, and the rest of her long, black hair hung loose right down to her waist.
"But...if it's only males that are able to go, why do we need to go?" Fei asked, "It's not like we'll be chosen."
Second Sister looked at Fei in surprise. "Don't you want to be there in case such a high honor is bestowed on someone from our family?"
Not really, Fei thought but shrugged in silence instead. She pushed her bowl away and then excused herself from the table. She had lost her appetite. It was bad enough she had to kneel through another ceremony. Now she had to watch others get to do what she desperately wanted more than anything in the world - to go and actually see it.
When she got to the family courtyard, Xiao greeted her by immediately lowering his long neck and touching his beak to the cobblestones. There was a red spot at the top of his white crown. It was the only part of him that was red. The rest of him was white, save for a little black that ran down his neck and along the tips of his wings. When he righted himself back up, he stood importantly at six feet tall. He ruffled his feathers and then bent his long legs so that Fei could climb on his back.
She sat with her legs dangling from his left side, her silk slippered feet hanging in the air. Her hossu, a bamboo staff with a bundle of long, white hairs sprouting from the top, was tucked safely in her white silk waistband that held her robes together.
"I have to go to court tonight," Fei said miserably as he flew off towards the Royal Aviary.
Xiao responded with a trill that was a melodic arpeggio but going downward.
"I know," Fei sighed, "But at least we don't need to go to the Royal Crypts this afternoon."
Xiao responded with the same notes and then they fell into silence as they soared over the city, high up in the clouds and hidden from sight. The spring air rushed past Fei's hair, face, and robes. The sleeves of her sky blue ruqun whipped behind her, the extra fabric billowing against her sides. They fluttered even more violently when she let go of her grip on Xiao's shoulders and raised her arms. She closed her eyes and savored every second of the wind, the stillness, and the freedom.
When they arrived at the Royal Aviary, she was not surprised to see Po already standing on the bridge that led to it. The aviary was a circular gazebo that stood in the middle of a big pond covered with lily pads. There were no wires or mesh between the bamboo slats as it was enchanted so that the herons and cranes inside could not escape. The entrance was an archway with two birds carved at the top of the frame. One was a crane, the other a phoenix. Inside the enclosure, four palace elves in green silk raced around, tending the birds and receiving or delivering the messages they brought in.
"Lady Fei! I did not find you in your room after your meal so I came here," Po said with a deep bow. He was wrapped in a purple silk that used to be Fei's blanket and tied with a white cord. He was a rather young elf, compared to the majority of palace elves assigned to the family. He had been promoted from the kitchens when Fei was born. The older and more experienced palace elves always went to the heirs higher up in line for the throne and Fei was number 96.
Po was also much bigger than the other elves as well in that despite his lean limbs, he had a small potbelly and equally rounded cheeks. It was more to do with Fei sharing her meals with him from time to time than his previous position. An Auspicious Child Perk was that she got more servings than others and she thought it a waste.
"I didn't ask so there is no need to explain," Fei replied but then gave him a pat on the shoulder as she walked towards the aviary, "There is no need for you to come. I am perfectly fine with Xiao. You can take it easy if you'd like."
Po straightened up and smiled broadly, revealing crooked but pearly white teeth. "Thank you, Lady Fei, but I actually came here to make sure you drank this." He snapped his fingers and a handleless, green teacup made of porcelain appeared in his coarse hands. Smoke started to billow out from the top and down to the ground. "Broth made from the bones of a Babble Fish. The kitchen elves made some this morning for the Emperor, his male descendants, and the special guests from the outside world. I asked them to save me some for you."
"Why me? What does it do?"
Po's smile stretched all the way to his long ears that had one gold hoop dangling from his right ear. "If you drink this, then you will be able to understand the foreign tongues of our visitors."
Fei frowned. "But...But I won't be needing to talk to any of them."
"Don't you want to know what they are saying tonight?"
"Does it matter? It's not like it'll affect me," Fei asked and then when she noticed the crestfallen expression on his face, she understood, "You wish to know the details of what happens tonight."
Po lowered his head and a blush came to his face. "I-I know I cannot ask of you the details but if L-Lady Fei could maybe..."
Fei rolled her eyes. "Why do you want to know, Po? It'll only make you sadder knowing that you can't go with them."
"Oh! But to get the details, any details, will help me imagine what is out there…" Po said as he looked up at the sky and blinked big, watery brown eyes at the clouds, "That shall suffice for me."
Fei sighed and then slowly nodded her head. "Alright. I'll tell you everything but I still don't want to drink that stuff."
"Wise choice. It has an awful texture and after taste...like if you drank coffee grounds doused in lemon water," a soft voice chuckled from behind her.
Fei whirled around and blinked rapidly. The oddest looking man Fei had ever seen came strolling out of the aviary. He was tall, thin, and, judging by the color and the length of his hair and beard, was extremely old. He wore a robe that Fei had only seen drawn on ancient scrolls. It was different from the one she wore in that it was one piece and looked very heavy. He also had a purple cloak wrapped around him. The fastener was hidden behind his silvery beard. He had on half-moon spectacles that perched at the tip of his long and crooked nose. His blue eyes twinkled as he smiled at Fei, tucked his hands in his sleeves, and bowed at the waist.
"I've been instructed to greet members of the royal family like this," he said, "However, if you are not a member, then consider this me practicing until one of them comes along."
"I…" Fei started to say and then snapped her mouth shut. It was the first time in a while that her mind had gone blank. Then she remembered what her siblings had said and then a thought came to mind, "You are here for the Expanse."
"Yes," the man said, "May I...stand up now? I fear that at my age, there is a chance that I'll get stuck like this if I hold this posture any longer."
"Oh, yes. You can stand," Fei said and when the man straightened up she frowned at him, "Wait! You are speaking Cathayan. H-How?"
"It is fortunate that Cathayan is a mix of Mandarin Chinese and Mongolian. Thankfully, I am fluent in both so it was not hard to put it all together, especially with the help of the bone broth. It was why I felt it best for me to be the representative of my school...Although, between you and me, there was a particular Professor who was most eager to volunteer for this position," the man chuckled again. "And who might you be?"
Po cleared his throat and stepped to his mistress' side. "This is Lady-"
Fei put a hand on Po's shoulder to stop him. "It's okay, Po. I'm not the one that will be going so there is no need for him to learn my name and who I am. Just like it will make no difference to me who he is. It does not benefit either of us in any way."
"What an interesting way to look at it," the man said.
Fei lifted a shoulder and then let it drop.
Suddenly, a sound of strong wings flapping stirred through the aviary, and then a phoenix swooped out to perch on the man's now raised arm. His talons and beak were gleaming gold and his feathers were crimson red. Fei's jaw dropped. It was the first time she had seen one in real life and it looked even more majestic than any artwork, carving, and embroidery. He let out a loud squawk and the man smiled at it.
"It seems Fawkes is getting a little jealous that I've turned my attention away from-" He stopped short when Fei walked right up to the phoenix and held out a bright green leaf she had pulled out from under her sash. His eyes twinkled once more. "That is very generous of you but Fawkes is a very picky eater."
Xiao came to her side and extended his neck so that he was eye level to the phoenix. The birds talked to one another in a duet of trills and squawks and when it was done, Fawkes lowered his head and nipped the leaf out of her hand.
"It is a leaf from a Night Nelumbo. It's part of a flower that only blooms during a rainy night with a full moon," Fei said more to the phoenix than to the man, "It's Xiao's favorite. I think it helps with their feathers. I noticed he malts less when he eats them. When I eat it, I can see farther."
"You have eaten this yourself?" the man asked quietly.
"I had to," Fei replied as she stroked Fawkes with awe in her eyes, "I didn't want him to eat anything that might've been dangerous so I tested it first."
The man looked at Xiao, who was starting to eye Fei's hand. "Vermillion Cranes...a rare bird of longevity and faithfulness. A friend of it is a friend for life."
"And purity," Fei added, sensing her bird's rising jealousy and using her other hand to stroke his neck, "A call from them could purify basic curses and hexes. They can sense someone who's cursed as well."
"Ah yes," the man said, "They are a distant cousin to the phoenix. One heals and one cleanses...And how did you come about it?"
"It was a gift from the Emperor when I was born," Fei admitted and then she looked back at the man. It was clear that the phoenix was well taken care of so that earned him Fei's respect and civility, "I'm the eighth child of his eighth child and I'm part of the eighth generation since the First Emperor. In our culture, eight is a very auspicious number."
"Quite. A precious gift for a fortunate child," the man said.
"I don't think I am fortunate," Fei replied, "Otherwise, I'd be a boy."
The man did not respond to that. Instead, he spent the rest of his time in the aviary responding to the questions Fei had about the phoenix. Things like how to take care of one, what really happens when he dies, and how did he convince the phoenix to settle for him.
The man had a good laugh at the last question. "I must not have made as good of an impression on you as Fawkes clearly has."
Fei had the decency to blush. "It's not that...It just...From what I've read," she said slowly, trying to get her thoughts in order, "A phoenix is very smart and if I was smart and I could fly...well...I wouldn't need to be with anyone. I would be free and on my own."
The man studied her for a little longer and then he motioned for Fawkes to get off his arm. When the phoenix stood on the floor in front of the girl, the man clasped his hands behind his back. "My arm was getting dreadfully sore. I don't think I'm as strong as I used to be. Now...I have some business to attend to. Will you keep an eye on Fawkes while I'm gone?"
Fei's eyes widened.
"Mind you," he said with a wink, "Fawkes has a real keen sense of hearing, so do not fret if he flies off suddenly. It would most likely be because he heard me call for him."
"Y-Yes, I'd be honored to look after him," Fei whispered, "Thank you."
"No," the man said as he started to walk away, "Thank you ."
Fei returned her attention to Fawkes and in doing so, she did not notice that the man looked over his shoulder at the carvings above the entryway. Each of the birds reflected in his spectacles - one bird on each lens. "Fortunate indeed..."