Chapter Text
Carp Tower was a beautiful place. White stone paths inlaid with swirling gold peonies shining in the sun. The white peonies in the Jin insignia lined tall walls surrounding the garden, elegant architecture that could not be replicated in a painting curved up the tower in the center.
It gave her a headache.
Overwhelmed, Jin (F/N) often had to flee to the forests of Lanling for a break. The war ended so long ago, but her eyes still couldn’t get used to her home again. It was too much. The glittering gold in the paths and halls reflected in the sun, swimming in her vision. Everywhere in the tower, it’s just so loud. Even the rich, dark wood the tower was built with had gold accents that reflected the sun.
In the days when the Yiling Patriarch walked among them, she would wander the forest aimlessly with her bow. She would join her martial brothers and sisters on nighthunts and travel through the Jin territory at a whim.
But the Yiling Patriarch fell long ago.
Jin (F/N) sat against a tree in her claimed clearing. Wildflowers of all colors littered the ground; her martials siblings would have called them weeds. Small targets were loosely secured in the trees, every breeze threatening to knock them down.
She leaned back completely against the tree. She had barely rested her eyes when the leaves started rustling to her left. Her eyes snapped open once more. Her hair snagged on the bark as she turned her head. “You’re ten thousand years too young to hide from me, come out.”
Reluctantly, the small sect heir stepped into the clearing. He looked between her and the targets partially hidden in the trees and nodded to himself. Chin up, he stared into her eyes.
“Teach me to shoot!”
“Hah?” She stared incredulously at the kid, mouth open. “Can you even hold a bow yet?” He flushed, in anger or in embarrassment, but he was only 5! There was no way Jin (F/N) could give him a weapon.
“I can! Uncle said I can do anything!”
That probably wasn’t what Sect Leader Jiang meant. Still, she reached into her qiankun pouch and grabbed a wooden bow.
“Try it then. If you can draw it, I’ll teach you.” She strung it and carelessly tossed it towards Jin Ling. He fumbled the catch, but quickly recovered.
They stared at each other for a solid minute before she raised a questioning brow.
“I need an arrow.”
“An arrow comes after you can draw her.” He puffed his cheeks angrily, but the Jin woman did not falter.
He moved into a stance with a pout, and tried to draw the bow. His arms shook with the effort, but it did not budge. Quietly, Jin (F/N) walked up and gently bent his arms and pushed his back. Repositioned, the string pulled back halfway. Jin Ling released it with a huff.
“Not bad, Young Master. You have potential. Try again in a couple years and maybe you can do something with it.” He bit the inside of his cheek.
“I want to do it now.”
Sighing, she kneeled beside the boy. “Pushing too far now could cripple you. Waiting is better, why the rush?”
“It would make Uncle happy.” Averting his eyes, Jin Ling shyly fingered a flower that was almost as tall as him. Jin (F/N)’s eyes widened before softening completely.
“I’m sure your desire to improve makes him happier than anything else,” She paused her words to glance at the sky, “Now go on back before it gets dark.”
He took a couple steps away before turning his head back. “Can I… come back again?”
“If the young master wishes.” She raised a hesitant hand to the top of Jin Ling’s head, careful not to mess up his hairstyle.
He came back almost every day.
“Don’t you have any other friends to spend your days with?” Jin (F/N) asked a few months after he first approached her. She wasn’t bothered by him, but surely someone his own age would have been better company?
“You think we’re friends?” He stopped braiding his flowers and looked at her with shining eyes.
He completely missed the point.
She didn’t respond, but that didn’t seem to bother him. “I have a friend now…” A smile almost as blinding as the golden robes they both wore covered his face before he pushed it back. “I mean, of course. We’re friends. Why wouldn’t I be here.”
Covering that angelic expression with a prickly one she could only assume he learned from Jiang Wanyin, Jin Ling stuck his nose in the air. Jin (F/N) couldn’t help releasing a chuckle.
“Of course, A-Ling is always welcome here.” She leaned over from where she knelt next to him and put a flower crown on his head. Although Jin Ling made a show of not liking it, he left it on with a pleased blush.
“I’m going back to Yunmeng soon,” he spoke after a few minutes, looking up at Jin (F/N) with pleading eyes, “Will you… come with A-Ling?” Suddenly switching to childish speech, he offered her his sloppy flower crown. Biting her lip, she accepted the crown but shook her head.
“I belong in Lanling. Sorry, I can’t come with A-Ling.” His expression fell. Jin Ling recovered quickly, huffing with that same prickly expression from before. He couldn’t hide the tears that fell though.
“I wish you were my mother.” Jin Ling sniffled. Jin (F/N)’s hand froze on his head before she took it back.
“Don’t say that,” She held a hand up as Jin Ling tried to protest, “Jiang Yanli was a wonderful woman. The best I’ve ever known. Never forsake her.”
She schooled her expression back into a gentle one when his remorse showed.
“A-Ling just wants to stay with Lady Jin…”
“A-Ling can when he comes back,” She went back to stroking his hair, “I don’t have to be your mother to care for you.”
“Don’t have to be my mother…” Jin (F/N) got a bad feeling as he muttered to himself, but did not comment on it. Whatever Jin Ling was planning, it would probably be fine.
This was why she hung out in the woods.
It had been a nice day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing. Jin (F/N) had felt nostalgic and missed the way the breeze would catch the white peonies, pushing them gently towards the glittering paths through the garden. Carp Tower really was a beautiful place.
But then three Jin ladies stepped into her path. They were adorned in lavish gold jewelry, giggling to themselves as if they were having tea instead of blocking the way.
Naturally, a scene like this gathered an audience.
“Poor Lady Jin, lost her master and couldn’t find a husband. Now she can only rely on a child!”
“Disgraceful behaviour from a disgraceful lady!”
Jin (F/N)’s eye twitched as the ladies laughed into their sleeves. Was this the respect being from the main family gets now? No one would have dared block an inner disciple like this before. Besides, she wasn’t even old, what about not having a husband! Their sisters didn’t have husbands! Sighing, she was about to find another path to continue her walk when a small golden blur ran out in front of her.
“Don’t talk about my Aunt that way!”
Arms spread wide, Jin Ling shouted at the ladies. The servants gathered gasped, muttering to themselves.
“... Aunt?”
“Has Sect Leader Jiang accepted a fiancee?”
“Why would he choose… her?”
“A-Ling.”
Horror crept over her face as joy covered Jin Ling’s.
“Uncle!” Jin Ling grabbed Jin (F/N) by the wrist and dragged her over to the intimidating man in purple. She lamented her sloppy appearance as he looked her over, internally crying about her luck.
“Sect Leader Jiang.” Saluting respectfully, she did not dare meet his eyes.
He sighed and rubbed his head. “I suppose this makes you Lady Jin, then.”
“I… yes.”
Jin Ling paid no attention to the awkward atmosphere, standing proudly between the two.
“Perhaps instead of jumping to marriage,” Jin (F/N) internally groaned as a new voice spoke up, “Sect Leader Jiang and A-(F/N) should get to know each other.” Jin Guangshan smiled at them with his hands behind his back. The smile on his face was that of someone with no intention of helping his poor, helpless cousin. Bastard. “May I suggest a trip to Lotus Pier? After all, Lady Jin has been restless these past few years.” His amusement radiated out of him as he watched his grandson look up at his uncle with pleading eyes. That useless, scheming, no good—
“Very well,” Jin Ling cheered as Sect Leader Jiang sighed, “Pack your belongings, Lady Jin. We leave in two days.”
After the two Yunmeng people walked away, Jin Guangshan rested a hand on Jin (F/N)’s shoulder. “Just think of it as a vacation.”
He laughed as he left, leaving Jin (F/N) alone to comprehend what just happened.