Empress (A Tickle Commission)

Reconditioning

The heat that warmed the halls of Fu Palace was distinctively unique and nothing like that of the surrounding forests. The air carried a thickness to it that clung to the walls and all who breezed through it. The lavish rooms and corridors were always at least slightly dewed with a humidity that boasted unique scents. Not of incense or flowers, but of more human elements. Sweat. Passion. The succulent nectar of men and maidens in the midst of carnal expression. Each resident of Fu Palace was more than familiar with such engagements and each seemed to carry their own unique flavor of heat, heat that pumped life through those red velvet halls like blood through the veins of a lover. 

Floating down the halls in a fluid stride, a black cloaked phantom made her way toward the palace throne room. Xianying’s boots tapped hard against the stone floors of the East Wing. She reached up and pushed off her black hood with one gloved hand. Her hair, long and black like a furious brush stroke of ink, flowed behind her, tapping against the fluttering tail of her cloak. Her eyes sparkled and cut, slivers of glass. Against her back, a bow was strapped to her shoulder. A small quiver of arrows tapped against her side. She passed several rooms and maidens, all who averted their eyes so as to not catch hers. Guards kept watch at every junction, standing stoically and beastly strong. A silence, even in breath, fell over them all as she walked by.

Xianying stopped by the kitchen, caught up in the pleasant aromas of roast duck and steamed bao. There, she found three maidens, all dressed specifically to the liking of the Crown Prince Fu Jie. Thin fabrics clung to their youthful bodies, with dresses of cheap linen that would tear easily. They wore their hair and makeup to exact specifications, creating a uniformity between them. She caught all three servants in the middle of preparing dinner for the Prince and her, his advisor, as well as lesser dishes for the many servants. Xianying walked in and grabbed a freshly picked peach from a fruit bowl. She sank her teeth deeply into it. Her lips lifted in a smile to the sweet juice filling her mouth. The servants seem to tense up and work harder with her in the room, a sight from which she never tired. She toyed with them by pacing around the room slowly, watching each flinch at her boots tapping the floor. 

“How’s dinner coming?” Xianying said, breaking the silence. One servant spoke up first. 

“F-fine, miss,” she said. She shook a little as she peeled potatoes. Xianying walked to another and took another bite of her peach. 

“When?” Xianying punctuated the one word to get through to the other servant, making her jump a little.

“Right on schedule, miss,” she said frantically. “Same as every night.”

“Good,” Xianying said. She gave a hard slap to the maiden's rear cheeks, causing her to shriek a little before immediately returning to her work. Xianying chuckled and took another bite. She found the third servant preparing a tray with bowls of rice. She lingered over the girl for a moment, leaving her anxiously focused on her task. Xianying’s eyes bore into her without ever meeting her gaze. The frightened maiden dared not speak up or look directly into them. Xianying took another bite of the peach, only her breathing cutting through the tensed silence. The maiden, pretending to not be bothered by the inspection of her superior, turned to walk away to prepare more of the dinner. “No. Stop.” Xianying’s words caused all girls to stop where they were, but the single maiden felt the weight of Xianying’s full attention. “Come back here.” She spoke firmly. The servant did as she was told, turning and walking to Xianying while keeping her head lowered. 

“Y-yes, miss,” the girl choked out. Xianying tilted her head.

“Tell me, do you like being here?” Xianying asked. The maiden swallowed and nodded.

“Yes, miss, of course.”

“‘Of course’,” Xianying replied, emulating her words. “Are you proud to belong to your Crown Prince Fu Jie?” She came closer to the girl. “To be under his care? To be his property?”