His Favored Empress

Eye Opening Chat

He was walking down a long corridor with freshly dyed, red fabric swaying in the breeze. A bright light shone down from above while a thick white mist rose from the floor, so thick he couldn't see the step in front of him. Looking down at himself, he was surprised to see himself wearing a golden robe with a puma embroidered in white, silk thread on the sleeves. His expression soured and he threw his hands up in irritation.

This damn creature. It was everywhere.

Shaking his head, Shaugn kept walking down the corridor. It was then he realized there seemed to be a pan flute playing softly in the background. He couldn't help but think about all the movies with calm mystical scenes right before a big fight. 

Shaugn chuckled to himself. It was absurd. Who the heck would he fight with?

Not that he was worried. In his reality, he'd taken several years of martial arts and boxing. He could hold his own against anyone trying to do him harm. He stopped in his tracks and frowned at a thought.

Maybe not against a Shaolin master from the old movies or John Wick but an average Joe, he was straight.

As he got to the end of the corridor, a piece of fabric covered what appeared to be a door. The cloth fabric that had been dancing since he entered the space, stopped swaying and hung still against the wall. The pan music stopped filling the room with endless silence. The mysterious mist seemed to be sucked from the room and the light above dimmed. Shaugn felt like a rock dropped into his stomach. What waited for him beyond this fabric?

"I'm a man of the 21st century. I've seen countless horror movies and thrillers. Whatever this is, I can handle it." He clenched his hands into fists and nodded his head. "Right." After giving himself a pep talk, he brushed the fabric aside and stepped into the next room.

A force pulled him forward into darkness. He felt disoriented and nearly fell to the floor. This room was completely pitch black. He couldn't even see his own hands. There was a slight rustle of fabric then nothing but his own breathing.

Shaugn rubbed his forehead. Ok. So this wasn't anything he'd ever imagined.

"Hello?" Shaugn called out. He put his hands out and took a few steps forward. The darkness was still. He could see nothing and hear even less. This was beyond creepy. Shaugn felt his heart rate climbing. What the hell was going on?

The room partially lit up as a tv screen appeared in the gloom. On it was a frozen image of a man that looked just like him with slightly darker eyes. The man was facing the left and smiling at someone there. Shaugn walked toward the tv and the image panned to the left. The man on the screen was smiling at Xoan who was standing beside him. They were both dressed in red robes. Shaugn smiled in understanding. This was their wedding day.

Shaugn watched as the entire day played out. From Xoan picking the OG up at his home and taking him around the city, to the soldiers holding their swords in the air forming an arch for the newly married couple to run through, to their tender first night as newlyweds. It was a magical day for the two people involved.

Shaugn felt a little sting in his chest. Was this to make him feel guilty? He hadn't done anything with Xoan.

Xoan's voice spoke from the image. "You are the first, Shau, to treat me like a person. To listen to me and not expect anything of me."

OG Shaugn smiled. "All I want from you, my lord, is your love and happiness."

Xoan cupped Shaugn's face in his hands. "You have them and then some."

As they kissed, the scene changed. Several images scrolled by. OG Shaugn in court by Xoan's side. A power duo that brought out envy and admiration in the ministers and generals. OG Shaugn working in the clinic. The immense love of the people and the scorn of other physicians who only catered to the rich. OG dealing with the consorts and servants. Loved by those who believed in merit, fairness, and unconditional respect and despised by the rest used to favoritism and rank.