Empress (A Tickle Commission)

Outing

A basket harness of freshly pulled turnips and leeks hung across Meiling’s torso. It lightly tapped against her chest as she walked the trail from her house back into the heart of the marketplace. In each of her hands hung wicker baskets, one of cabbages and the other of potatoes. Against her back, bundles of rice stalks hung over her shoulder, packed tightly together. She walked through the path, her footings sinking into the dirt below with each heavy step. Meiling strolled with her back strong and narrow down the path. She turned back to her companion, inching by behind her.

“How you holding up back there?” Meiling asked. From behind, Lee took slow, struggled steps as she carried a single basket of barley with both hands. Lee grunted as she fought to catch up with Meiling. Meiling stopped to watch the girl take her stride. Lee made her way up to Meiling and let the basket hit the ground for a brief rest.

“H… how… do you do this… all by yourself?” Lee asked, panting. The petite girl wiped her head of sweat, brushing aside her midnight locks. Meiling stood, a glimmer shined in both eyes as she gazed back at Lee. Her stare lingered. Her eyes squinted naturally into a wide smile.

“You want me to carry it?” Meiling asked. Lee lifted the basket with a long grunt before waddling it over to Meiling.

“I can... do it,” Lee said, her voice strained as her muscles tensed all over her frail body.

“You sure?” Meiling asks. Lee trotted out in front Meiling as Meiling watched her pass with a smile.

“I… I can...” Lee said with a straining voice. She got another ten steps down the path before having to set the basket down again. Lee puffed heavy breaths over the grainy assortment.

“You can do it,” Meiling said, walking up next to her. Lee looked up to Meiling, carrying two baskets, a pack of rice, and a carriage hanging beneath her ample chest.

“How… do you… do this… by yourself?” Lee asked again, her breaths sinking achingly deep in her chest.

“I usually just make two trips,” Meiling said. “You want to turn back and I’ll take these into market myself?”

“No… I can do it,” Lee said insistently. Lee lifted the basket again and continued down the path. Meiling smiled and laughed to herself. “What’s… so funny?”

“Nothing, you’re just so…” Meiling began saying. Her face warmed as she stumbled over her words. “Strong. You’re strong. You can do it.” Meiling hauled her own supply alongside Lee, struggling to maintain her single basket. Lee’s arms locked in front of her. Her back tilted, narrow and stiff. Meiling carried her supply with a quiet ease, except when Lee’s soft, struggled whines would cause her to stop and assess her friend’s condition.

“Do you… not have… like, cattle or… a mule for this?” Lee asked.

“A cow,” Meiling said, “but she’s not a carrier. Her name’s Chen. She was sick when my mother found her the year that she died. Chen’s owner was going to let her die off, but my mother took her and nursed her back.”

“Why have… I not seen… her?” Lee asked. Meiling smiled down to the girl, entertaining her with conversation to distract from her strain.

“She’s mostly wild now,” Meiling said. “She lives in the groves behind the woods. She’ll return every so often for food or to be milked. If you stick around long enough, I’m sure you’ll meet her.”

“Can’t wait….” Lee said. Her enthusiasm was not lost on her aching tone.

“But I don’t have her do anything that I wouldn’t do myself,” Meiling said. “She doesn’t have many years left. I want to make her time left as carefree and pleasant as possible.”