The Lotus and the Dragon

One - Ice and Memories

Liên held a strong love for a lot of things.

Her siblings, for example, always brought a smile to her face. Food of all kids, especially sugary fruits and her brother Trí's meals, blessed her tongue with each bite. Swimming distracted her. When missteps left purple blooms on her cheek, she asked her older brothers for advice, snuck to the kitchens for a treat, or dove into the forbidden lake behind the village.

Liên also despised a lot. For example, she sat, arms crossed, as she glared at her aunt.

"Please, Liên, I just want to help," Dì Ngọc insisted, sickening blood red lips twisted into a thin, fake smile plastered on her ghostly pale face whitened with powders. "You aren't going to be a very good wife if you can't do simple embroidery. Listen to me, Liên. You don't want to disappoint your future husband and our empire, do you?"

"I do not, Dì Ngọc," Liên mumbled in reply. Her amber eyes flicked downwards across the fabric on which she struggled to etch an intricate design of a dragon.

"Then why must you be so incompetent?" Ngọc exclaimed. "Every day, I try so hard to help you learn to become the best queen to represent my empire. Our empire. I'm so patient with you, but all I ever see is your failure."

Liên tried not to roll her eyes. Her dearest aunt failed to mention the beatings she lovingly gave to Liên with every tiny mistake, her lack of patience, and terrible teaching skills. Liên knew if not for her aunt's want for the Emperor's approval, the young princess might be kicked out of her own empire.

When Liên remained silent, Ngọc leaned forward. Her dark eyes narrowed and her attempts of a genuine smile faded.

"You are pathetic, Liên. How disappointing. The only princess of eight children, and you can't do the simplest of tasks required to fulfill your role. You're just like your mother."

Liên stood up sharply, fire practically seeping from her skin. Her eyes blazed with only the worst and deadliest of intentions.

"Don't speak of my mother," she growled. "You have no right." 

She lifted her hands where crystal shards began to form, fully prepared to cause her aunt the most harm as possible, but something colder than the ice on her fingertips gripped her elbow.

"Why so angry? You need to learn to control yourself," Ngọc hissed.

Her iron grasp stopped Liên's arm, curling tightly. Liên shivered at the touch.

Suddenly, Ngọc moved back, releasing Liên and smirking. "You looked like you wanted to murder me," she cooed, voice rising an octave as if she spoke to a toddler. "I'm your aunt, Liên, and don't you forget it. We're family. Blood." Her sinister laugh swirled around the room, filling every corner and every crevice. "Don't hurt family."

At that moment, someone knocked on the door. The Emperor himself, Liên's father, stepped inside.

"Hello, con," he greeted, nodding to his daughter, who dropped her head in response. "Ngọc, how was she today?"

"There is always more to learn," Ngọc replied simply. "Thank you for trusting me to teach my beautiful niece."

The Emperor chuckled. "It's you I should be thanking. Well, I'm here to say it's time for the meeting with Prince Anh, Liên. Please come with me."

Liên obeyed, leaving her aunt to join her father. As usual, she contemplating telling her father about her experiences with her aunt, but she remembered how many times the Emperor grew bitter, denied her, and shot her down at any mention of Ngọc's wrongdoings. "Liên, I love you, and I thought you knew better than this. I know you dislike your lessons, but that's no excuse to lie about your aunt," he usually said. She decided to stay silent once again, walking a step behind her father.