Lusts of a Questing Heart

I was on my way to the market when I saw it. A little white pebble, glistening in the sun, just sitting there in the middle of the road. I bent down and picked it up, examining it carefully.

“That’s a good-luck stone,” said a man standing nearby. “It's very rare. You've been blessed.”

I smiled at him and thanked him, then put it in my pocket. I could feel its sharp edges digging into me as I walked, but I didn't mind.

I walked into the marketplace, stopping at every stall to examine their wares. The day before had been Princess Huan's birthday, so there were many beautiful flowers for sale; it seemed like everyone was trying to buy her a gift. It was always busy on days like this; no one wanted to be caught at home if they could help it, because the palace guards would rush through the streets and arrest anyone who wasn't at work or at the market. But no one ever left their homes empty; they would put out everything they owned on display so that if a guard did check in on them, they'd look too poor to arrest.

At last I reached my favourite stall, where a kind old woman sold silk scarves and ribbons with tiny birds embroidered onto them. She always gave me a discount; she told me she liked my boyish face, and that she thought I looked just like her grandson who had gone off to war years ago and never come back. If soldiers were coming through town she would hide her wares under her bed and pretend not to be home until they left; once, she even hid me there with her as well, though I don't remember what we did in such a small space together all that time without getting bored or hungry or needing to pee. But being hidden away only made me feel closer to her - she was like an auntie of mine that I hadn't known about before now!

The old woman was smiling as usual when I walked over to the stall, but when she saw my eyes she frowned slightly and gestured for me to lean in close so that we could talk quietly together. I did so eagerly; we both knew how important it was not to draw attention these days!

"I've got something special for you," she whispered in my ear. "I'll give it you for half price."

"Oh sweetheart!" replied another woman's voice behind me, "you don't have enough money for anything today."

The old woman spun around angrily and stared right into the face of the new arrival: Lady Mei Long herself! Many people were always afraid of Lady Mei Long because she had such strange powers - some said she could fly through the air on bird wings!, others said that when she looked into your eyes you would tell her everything you knew without even meaning to do so! - but I wasn't afraid of her at all. She could never scare me away from my Auntie Xia after all!

"You silly girl," scoffed Lady Mei Long dismissively, "who buys anything anymore? Only peasants and fools who have nothing else to sell." She turned back around dismissively and waved her hand as though brushing aside a gnat buzzing about her head for too long.