White Tiger

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Iswung my sword at Leo’s head and he blocked me. We moved closer, our swords locked at the hilts, and he grinned. He threw his arms out into a massive push and flung me almost to the other side of the room. I landed smack on my behind and we both laughed.

John had come in without us noticing. ‘Come on, Emma, you can do better than that.’ He closed the door behind him and leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, watching us. ‘That was absolutely pathetic. Stop trying to match Leo’s strength, you know he is much stronger than you. Match him with skill.’

Leo lowered his sword, came to me and put one hand out to help me up.

When I was on my feet I readied myself again. ‘Can you look after Simone while we’re at the ceremony tonight?’ I asked him. ‘I don’t think she should go along.’

Leo lowered his sword. ‘Why not? They’ll all take True Form. She loves it when they do that.’

‘She’d really enjoy it, Emma,’ John said.

‘John, they’ll be discussing your oath. They’ll be talking about you going and about you coming back. Do you want to have to explain that to her right in the middle of the ceremony?’

John and Leo shared a look. ‘She’s not completely aware that you’ll be leaving her, my Lord,’ Leo said.

‘You’re probably right, Emma,’ John said. ‘Leo?’

‘I’ll mind her. She’ll be fine here.’

‘We’ll have to tell her eventually, Emma.’

I sighed. ‘I know.’

‘But you should be the one to choose the time. I trust you.’

‘Good idea, my Lord.’ Leo readied himself. ‘Try again.’

I raised my sword and threw myself at him. Leo flattened me before I was even close.

‘Pathetic,’ John said, and went out.

Leo grinned at the door. ‘He is so damn impressed with you.’

I pulled myself to my feet. ‘How about we give him something to be impressed about?’

Jade nodded when she was finished preparing me for the ceremony. I rose and checked myself in the changing room’s mirror. I did look like a princess. It didn’t feel like me at all.

‘He’s waiting outside, my Lady,’ Jade said. ‘I’ll be along shortly, just let me fix my make-up.’

John was leaning against the wall outside the changing room. He pulled himself upright when he saw me and his eyes shone. He wore a black silk robe, trimmed with gold on the toggles and loops, the ends of the full-length sleeves and the edge of the mandarin collar.

‘I’ve never seen you in this one before; it’s always been plain black,’ I said. ‘I like the gold edgings.’

‘You like it? Mr Li made it to match your dress.’

‘It’s wonderful, but your hair’s already coming out. Turn around and let me braid it for you; it might stay put longer.’

He obligingly turned. I raised my hands to take out the tie and stopped. ‘Can I do this?’

‘Yes, but only my hair. Nowhere else.’ He grinned over his shoulder. ‘Especially while you look like that.’

‘I’ll take that as a compliment.’

I pulled his hair from its tie, carefully smoothed it and braided it for him. I raised it to my face; it really did smell of the sea. I lingered, enjoying the silken feeling.

‘You’d better stop now, Emma. That feels…’ He hesitated. ‘A little too good.’

I tied the end of the braid and moved my hands away. ‘Done.’

He turned and smiled down at me. ‘Now you turn around, let me see.’

I did a quick twirl and he watched with admiration. He moved closer to see the detail of the work Jade had put into my hair and froze.

‘Jade!’

Jade came out of the changing room in a plain black cheongsam. She saw his face and stopped dead.

John roared with fury and pointed. ‘What is Lady Emma wearing in her hair?’

‘Just some lovely old pieces that I lent her…’ Jade’s eyes widened. She collapsed onto the floor and fell over her knees. ‘My Lord, forgive me, I will remove them immediately…’ She gasped a huge sob. ‘This affront was not intended. I cannot believe I have insulted you like this. Please permit me to hang myself when the ceremony is completed.’ She moaned softly, shaking her head through the tears. ‘Apologies, apologies.’

‘John—’

He raised his hand to stop me. ‘Please, Emma.’

His voice changed as he spoke to Jade; it was as cold as ice. I had never seen him so angry. ‘I do not give you permission. You will remove these items and give them to me, together with any others you hold in your possession, directly after the ceremony. They must be cared for properly. You have obviously had these items in your possession for a long time…’ He took a deep breath. ‘…while in my service, without thinking of the ramifications. I will consider appropriate punishment for you later. Sometimes I wonder where your brain is, Jade.’

He turned to me and spoke more warmly, ignoring Jade quivering at his feet. ‘You couldn’t have known, Emma. You’ll probably be as upset as I am when you find out what they are. Go inside with Jade and have her put something else in your hair. Hurry, most of the dignitaries are already here.’

Jade rose, brushed down her cheongsam and led me back into the changing room without looking at me. As soon as we were inside she closed the door, raced to the table and grabbed some tissues to wipe her face. Her make-up was ruined; she concentrated and it all disappeared.

She sat me in front of the mirror and quickly plucked the ornaments from my hair. I lifted one from the table; it was stiff and transparent, with bands through it of darker and lighter shades of brown. The end was gilded with twenty-four carat gold and had small bells hanging off to make a musical sound as I moved my head.

I realised what it was. I shot to my feet in horror and flung the comb onto the desk. ‘Oh dear Lord, that’s tortoiseshell!’ A wave of nausea hit me and I bent to take deep breaths. ‘Jade, that could have been him! Left on a beach to die, chopped into pieces and used to make this! He wouldn’t have been able to defend himself in True Form if he was in front of humans.’

Jade grabbed some more tissues and wailed into them. ‘I know! I deserve to die.’

I sat down again. ‘Put something else in, quickly. Why the hell do you have these?’

‘Like I said, my grandmother gave them to me. I’ve had them for a long time. Most hair combs and ornaments are made of tortoiseshell—it’s the best for combs, it never breaks your hair.’ She gasped and stared at me in the mirror. ‘I have snakeskin shoes in my apartment in Happy Valley. Please don’t tell him. I’ll remove them immediately.’

‘My God, Jade, you’re a dragon, you’re a serpent yourself! How could you have snakeskin shoes?’

‘I just thought of them as nice clothes.’ Her voice dropped to a whisper. ‘Please don’t tell him, my Lady.’

‘Don’t worry, I won’t, but you are in serious trouble.’

‘I know,’ she moaned. ‘I hope the punishment is something fitting. I deserve to suffer most mightily for this offence.’

‘I’ll think of something,’ I growled softly.

‘Thank you, my Lady,’ she whispered. ‘There. These are only sterling silver, and do not match the dress, but they are better than nothing. You’d better run.’

John tapped on the door. ‘Sorry, Emma, you have to come, it’s starting.’

‘I’m coming.’

John led me to the entrance of the ballroom and stopped. He smiled down at me. ‘You will be fine, Emma.’

I took a deep breath. ‘I can do this.’

We walked into the room together.

A long black carpet stretched before us, through the middle of the ballroom to the throne at the end. All the dignitaries knelt in orderly ranks on both sides of the carpet, facing the throne, silent.

The throne was raised on a dais above the floor and was an old-fashioned Chinese Imperial style, made of jet-black ebony. The back was elaborately carved, but not with the usual dragons; instead it was an elaborate pattern of twining snakes and fierce-looking dragonheaded turtles.

John and I walked side by side along the aisle to the throne. It was eerie to pass through that silent space with so many people kneeling on either side of us. I desperately wished I could hold his hand.

Jade and Gold followed behind us; both had changed their clothes. Jade’s cheongsam was plain black; Gold’s long robe was also black, without any decoration.

When we reached the throne John gestured for me to sit first, his eyes glowing with amusement. I sat, and he sat next to me. ‘You’re doing fine,’ he whispered.

Jade and Gold both knelt in front of the throne, then took their places as Retainers standing behind us. Jade still sniffled occasionally and her eyes were red. She hadn’t bothered to replace the make-up and she looked pale and drawn.

‘Am I on the right side?’ I said under my breath.

‘Doesn’t matter at all,’ he replied in the same low tones. ‘This will dissolve into anarchy the minute all the oaths are sworn anyway.’

Everybody in the hall chanted the Imperial greeting ‘Ten thousand years’ without looking up. ‘Wan sui, wan sui, wan wan sui.’

The rustling of their robes echoed through the ballroom as they rose and silently moved to the sides of the hall.

Many round twelve-seater tables appeared, together with elegantly dressed waiters. Everybody sat and the drinks were served.

‘We don’t get anything to eat or drink until this whole insufferable charade is over,’ John said. He smiled sideways at me. ‘But it’s worth it to see the look on your face.’

‘You really are enjoying this far too much,’ I growled.

‘Oh, the fun is just beginning,’ John said, and rose. Everybody in the hall stood also. There was complete silence.

‘I have chosen Emma Donahoe to be Guardian and Regent after I have lost this form,’ John said. ‘You will serve her as you serve me. Her orders are to be obeyed as mine. And I swear…’ He took a deep breath and the silence became even thicker. ‘I swear that when I return, I will find Emma, and Raise her, and marry her, and take her to live on my Mountain. This I swear as Xuan Tian Shang Di.’ His voice became fierce. ‘She is my chosen, my promised, my Lady. Is there any dispute?’

Nobody made a sound.

‘Good. Swear allegiance to my Lady,’ John said, and sat.

‘Way to go, Ah Wu!’ Bai Hu shouted from one of the front tables, and everybody dissolved into loud applause. I even heard a couple of cheers: there appeared to be some Westerners towards the back. The guests relaxed, talking and laughing.

‘Close your mouth, Emma,’ John said without looking at me.

‘How come they’re all so thrilled?’ I said. ‘They should be horrified. I’m just a nanny.’

‘Word gets around fast,’ John said. ‘Jade’s told everybody all about you. She told her grandchildren, just like she said she would.’

‘I didn’t know she was married and had children and grandchildren,’ I said. ‘But I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.’

‘Dragons don’t usually marry,’ he said with amusement. ‘They are too fickle. We reptiles are a degenerate bunch. Often the Jade Emperor is at his wits’ end at our behaviour.’

‘He’s not the only one,’ I growled softly.

He made a soft sound of amusement. ‘They’re all quite impressed, particularly that you stayed with Leo and Simone when the demons attacked the Peak apartment. They agree with Bai Hu. You really are exceptional.’

‘I don’t want them to kneel to me.’ I sighed with exasperation. ‘They’re gods, John, and I’m just an ordinary human, nothing special at all. It will kill them if they have to bow down to me.’

Bai Hu rose and came to the base of the dais. He fell to one knee and saluted us. ‘I swear allegiance to you, Lady Emma, as Regent in the absence of Lord Xuan and the minority of Princess Simone. I vow to obey you for as long as you live.’

He rose and raised his arms. ‘Look, my Lady, it didn’t kill me at all.’

Tiger hearing. I should have known.

He became more serious. ‘You’re the best one for the job, Lady Emma. Lord Xuan has chosen well. I look forward to the wedding. You will make a fine Empress of the North.’

He changed to an enormous white tiger, at least three metres long. He bowed to me in True Form, then changed back to human form.

John and I nodded back.

Bai Hu grinned, winked and returned to his table.

Qing Long rose. He wore his old-fashioned robe of turquoise silk embossed with silver scales. His long turquoise hair floated behind him as he moved.

He fell to one knee at the base of the throne without saying a word.

‘Words are not necessary from one such as he,’ John said as we both nodded back.

Qing Long took True Form and I jumped.

‘Steady, Emma,’ John said.

I gathered myself and let him know I was okay with a very slight nod.

Jade was about two metres long in dragon form. Qing Long nearly filled the hall. He was close to twenty metres long, all glittering silver and blue. His scales shifted from pure turquoise to shining silver as he moved. He raised his head and the scales rattled like steel knives. His head was the size of a pony; it nearly brushed the high ceiling. He lowered his head to see us and his eyes came to the same level as ours on the dais, still an astonishing shade of blue. His fearsome teeth were only about two metres from my head.

He bowed gracefully as a dragon as we both nodded back.

He changed back to human form and stood for a while without moving. Then he fell to one knee again, saluted us, and spoke loudly and clearly. ‘My Lady Emma. I am your servant.’

John and I nodded to him again. He backed away, then returned to the table he shared with the other two Winds.

‘He does you great honour, my Lady, and I am very pleased,’ John said.

‘I’m just scared to death,’ I whispered. ‘But you were right. Truly exquisite.’

Zhu Que rose from the table and came to the bottom of the dais. She fell to one knee and saluted. ‘I vow to serve you, my Lady.’

She rose, and took True Form. She was a huge phoenix, at least three metres tall. Her feathers were mostly red, with a rainbow of iridescent colours shimmering through them. Her tail spread behind her, similar to a peacock’s, but red shot through with shining colours.

She bowed, then reached around with her beak and pulled out one of her tail feathers. A few people in the hall gasped.

She changed back to human form and walked gracefully up the stairs to the top of the dais, her red robe flowing around her. She held the feather out to me with both hands and I rose to take it. It was nearly a metre and a half long, but hardly weighed anything.

‘Thank you,’ I whispered. ‘You are incredibly beautiful.’

‘My Lady.’ She bowed, smiling, then turned and walked back down the stairs. She turned to us and bowed again, then returned to the table. She glowered at the Tiger before smiling at me.

I admired the gorgeous feather in my hand.

‘She also greatly honours you,’ John said. ‘A gift of one of her feathers is a rare thing indeed. It has miraculous powers. Look after it carefully, it is very precious.’

‘They’re showing the Tiger up,’ I whispered. ‘They’re doing their best to put his nose out of joint by outdoing him.’

‘You are very perceptive sometimes.’

Most of the remaining dignitaries that saluted me and swore allegiance were people I hardly knew. All of the Generals were there; others were staff from the Mountain. A couple were Westerners and were particularly sympathetic when they swore allegiance.

They all bowed to me in human form and in True Form, if their True Form was different.

It was appalling.

What would I tell my father and mother if they came to visit? The ring John had given me was obviously an engagement ring, even though it wasn’t a diamond. And they’d hear everybody call me Lady Emma. I was in so much trouble.

About two hours later, when everybody had sworn allegiance, John led me down off the throne and we sat at the table with the other three Winds. Everybody rose and congratulated us. Bai Hu embraced me, kissed me on the cheek, and shook John’s hand before sitting next to me.

‘Thanks for the ballroom,’ I said.

‘My pleasure. Most of the staff are tame demons. Running costs are really low.’

‘I thought that must be the case,’ I said. ‘They don’t seem at all bothered by anything.’

Bau Hu grinned. ‘I’ll trade you fifty of mine for this one,’ he said to John.

‘No deal,’ John responded, lightning-fast.

‘You don’t give up, do you?’ I said.

‘It’s not fair. I have hundreds of women, and not a single one could possibly hold a candle to you.’

‘She can do level five energy work. She can destroy level fifteen demons with her bare hands. She has nearly completed a part-time MBA, with a High Distinction in Accounting,’ John said.

‘It’s not fair,’ Bai Hu said. ‘None of my women has anything beyond a diploma.’

‘Women like me just have too much sense to be carried away by something as despicable as you,’ I said.

‘She has a point, Ah Bai.’

‘A hundred. A hundred of mine. And ten fine Arab stallions.’

‘Still no deal,’ John said. ‘She’s mine.’

‘The hell I am,’ I said. ‘I don’t belong to you.’

John’s smile widened.

‘Twenty Arab stallions and fifteen war-trained Arab mares, some with foal at foot.’

‘You have Arab horses?’ I said.

‘Don’t tell me she rides as well,’ Bai Hu said. ‘It’s really not fair.’

‘Lady Emma is quite a passable equestrian,’ John said.

Bai Hu looked at me with admiration. ‘I would be honoured if you would permit me to give you an outstanding war-trained Arab mare, my Lady.’

I glanced at John, thrilled. He smiled indulgently at me. ‘If it pleases you, my Lady, I could think of no better gift.’

‘I will bring a selection with me,’ Bai Hu said. ‘I will bring some to your house on the hill, and you can choose one, then we’ll arrange for it to be stabled with Dark Star.’

‘Will the Jockey Club let me do that?’ I said. ‘Those stables are only for ex-racehorses.’

‘They’ll do what I tell them,’ John said evenly.

I had a sudden wonderful idea. ‘Could you bring a pony for Simone? I know she’d love a well-trained pony of her own. In fact, you don’t need to worry about a horse for me, just bring a sweet pony for Simone.’

‘Two hundred women, twenty-five fine war-trained Arab mares, twenty warm-blood warhorses, and my best thoroughbred racing stallion.’

‘That’s a good deal, John, you should think about it.’

‘It’ll be an anticlimax returning to training after that,’ I said as John drove us back up the hill.

‘Things have changed now, Emma,’ he said.

I sighed and sagged into my seat. ‘I just want to sleep.’ I checked my watch: 3 a.m.

‘Me too.’

We drove in companionable silence for a while. It felt good.

‘Bai Hu will bring the horses in three days.’ He winced. ‘No, that’s the day after tomorrow now. In the afternoon.’

‘That was all for real?’

‘Of course it was. I think it’s a terrific idea.’

‘I don’t really have time to go out riding, John. I’m flat out caring for Simone.’

‘If you can’t ride the horse then Bai Hu can provide someone to ride it for you. And we can hire someone to care for Simone if you like. You are no longer the nanny; you are Lady of the House of Chen.’

‘No way I am! Not until I have that shell of yours safely tied up and nailed down, and a wedding band on your scaly little claw.’

He roared with laughter.

‘What?’

‘It’s not that little. And sometimes it’s a flipper.’

‘Whatever. Nobody else cares for Simone. It’s either you, me or Leo. I wouldn’t trust anybody else with her.’

‘As you please. But you are my partner now.’

‘I wish.’

Some of my feelings came out in my voice, and he changed the subject; probably a good idea in such a small space.

‘Any suggestions on punishment for Jade?’

‘Yeah. I’ve been thinking about that. She feels tremendously guilty, John, she really didn’t think. Don’t be too hard on her.’

‘I won’t be. Because you will be the one to punish her.’

‘Oh, thank you very much. What is this: good god, bad god?’

‘Precisely. You want to send her back to the Jade Emperor?’

‘Back to the Jade Emperor?’

‘The Celestial has been exceptionally generous in providing her and Gold to help me in my current situation.’

‘Don’t throw her out,’ I said. ‘She loves us both. She’s a dear friend.’

‘Okay, then you’ll need to think of something suitable to allow her to work off the guilt. Shame her slightly, Emma, but not too much. Probably something along the lines of unpleasant physical labour—she’s not used to that, she regards it as beneath her.’

‘Washing windows?’

‘Perfect.’ He smiled slightly. ‘In True Form.’

‘Oh, now that’s mean. She can clean out the gutters as well.’

‘Perfect! She’ll have to get her precious golden claws dirty.’

We laughed together.

‘And no conjuring rain to make the job easier,’ I said, still laughing.

‘By the Heavens, you are wonderful, Emma. I do love you,’ he said, and froze.

He quickly pulled the car to the side of the road, opened the door and threw himself out.

I rested my head on the dashboard, full of joy and anguish. ‘We are both such idiots!’

It took him a long time to regain control. I moved to the back seat of the car. We didn’t speak to each other at all the rest of the way back up the hill.

Dawn was painting the sky a dusky pink as we arrived at the front of the house.