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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1946762" data-attributes="member: 15043">Trading Places“Who are you?”Two voices asked the same question, each with the same inflection, their faces with the same look of puzzlement.  One looked up from a road of dust, his cloak now a light brown from the dirt, while the other looked down, clad in bright blue silken robes, giltwork on their large, flowing sleeves.What the? Felonca asked, her face in astonishment.  It’s almost as if Nayu had a lost twin brother.“We are not assassins!  We’ve come to warn of great danger to the north!” Felonca suddenly blurted out.  He’s in expensive robes, and Nayu said those flags are the symbol of the Hu family.  He’s probably someone important!  And by the looks on the guards faces, if we don’t give an explanation soon, there could be trouble!  She immediately dropped onto her knees and performed a kow-tow.  “The Military Governor of the Borderlands is amassing an army!  He means to destroy these lands!”  She felt two hands suddenly touch her arms, and pull her up.  The tall young man looked down at her, and gave a reassuring smile.“That’s not neccessary.  Please,” a hand motioned for her to move beside Nayu, who was slowly rising from the ground as well.  “If I can be of service, I will help as much as possible.  My name is Hu Shikai, I am the son of the Governor and Prince of Langya.”It took the party some time to spill their story to the stranger.  Unfortunately, it took him a mere second to dash their hopes for immediate help.“Hai,” he sighed, looking down, dark concern filling his face.  “I... wish I could help right away, but sadly, there is pressing business I must attend to.”“Pressing business?” Nayu asked sharply, forgetting his place.  Remembering he was talking to a prince, Nayu suddenly flushed, and gave a hurried bow.  “Excuse my anger, Excellency, but what, may I ask, can be more important than an army of unholy creatures threatening your northern borders?”  And what could be more important that helping me locate my parents!?The young man’s face turned, twisted with a pained expression.“The funeral of my father, sir,” Prince Shikai said softly.  “The Governor passed last night in his sleep, and the funeral is tomorrow.  Until I have been blessed and consecrated as the new governor of Langya, I can do nothing other than offer you the assurance that once I do become governor, that this matter will be dealt with immediate and forceful action.”Nayu suddenly frowned, a wrinkle in his brain telling him something wasn’t right.  For a second, he held his tongue, fearful that more questions might make the prince think him impudent.  The restraints lasted only a few moments.  Just before Nayu opened his mouth, his diplomatic side forced him to bow his head, in an attempt to soften the next probing question.“I am aggrieved to hear of that, Your Excellency.  However, this young servant’s mind is perplexed. Your Excellency, if your illustrious father has passed, why, may I ask, are you riding away from Mingzhong?  Surely the funeral for the governor would be held within the walls of the capital city...”To Nayu’s surprise, the young man’s face changed as suddenly as the wind, a slight smile on his lips.“You are a very observant man.”  The Prince’s flowing robes fluttered in the wind as he approached very close to Nayu, gripping both of the sorcerer’s shoulders.  “I may have some use for you, if you would care to hear it.”Some use for me?  That sounds ominous...  and the way his face changed so suddenly.  No man who is really grieving for his father would smile so quickly after his father’s demise.  “What might this humble servant do for Your Excellency?”“I...have business to attend to in Xianlung, which means I will not be able to attend my father’s funeral.  I need someone to go in my stead, as it would be disrespectful to my father’s memory if his youngest son was to not attend his memorial.”  Nayu’s eyes went wide, his suspicions growing larger.  Is he offering for me to take his place for a day?  Why?  Something is most definitely wrong here.  Nayu knew better than to ask what would keep him from his father’s funeral, but Felonca wasn’t.  Nayu immediately scowled at her after her impertinent question.  The young man, however, merely gave her a smile.“Business, as I said.  If you,” he turned back to Nayu, “would be willing to take my place at my father’s funeral, I would be willing to compensate you and your friends handsomely.”How handsomely?  How handsomely to take your place in what will likely be a dangerous place?  What is this business......someone is probably trying to kill him. Nayu realized.  His eyes and raised eyebrow asked the question for him.  The Prince cleared his throat.“I would make it worth your while by paying you four thousand gold taels.”  Nayu’s eyes remained locked with those of the prince, and the sorcerer crossed his arms even as Felonca let out a slight whistle.“And,” the prince added with a smile, “I will do my utmost to find where your parents are at, and to ensure they are safe and sound.”  This time, it was Nayu’s mouth that opened slightly.“What all would be involved in this... charade, Excellency?” Nayu asked guardedly.  I can’t let him use them to box me into something! he shook his mind.“Nothing out of somewhat tedious ceremony,” the prince replied.  “Knowing when to offer blessings to the winds, blessings to the sky, to the sea, to Heaven and to Earth.  Knowing when to bow and when to kow-tow.  Oh, and also knowing how to act around certain people.”“Such as?”  He’s got you Nayu.  Admit it. Nayu’s mind realized.“Considering I just returned from exile with my mother, it would be wise to act unfriendly to my older brother, Hu Mang, as he was the one who tricked my father into exiling me in the first place.”  For a second, the Prince’s eyes looked off into the distance, a sharp, angry glare at the center of their gaze.  The icy tension in the air ease, as the Prince turned back to Nayu, and gave another smile.  “Should you wish, I could send along a one of my court scholar’s to train you in the ways of proper decorum, and how to act around certain people.”“Agreed,” Nayu said solemnly.  I’m not doing this for the money, but for Mom and Dad!“Excellent!” the Prince beamed.“What exactly have you gotten yourself into?” Felonca asked worriedly as the column receded into the distance.  Before Nayu could reply, a high, nasally voice interceded.“What has he gotten himself into?  You mean what have I gotten myself into, young peasant!  I am a scholar, a clerk of the court, yet my master has seen fit to assign me to educate you... ruffians!”  A pair of beady black eyes looked down a long thin nose at Nayu, Felonca, and the others.  “Bah!  I do not know what sin I committed in the eyes of my princely master to be placed in this lot!”The fretting ended with a deep breath, and the scholar, his long, thin fingers continually running over his equally luxurious, elegantly trimmed beard, began his work.“For you to pass as a member of the court, let alone a prince of the court of Langya, you must give off an air of grace, an air of elegance, an air of civility.”  He backed away from Nayu, before shaking his head in disdain.  “I see you clearly lack these three things, just from one look.  We will have to rectify this.”Oh no... we have to deal with him too?  Felonca rolled her eyes at the elaborately clad scholar, his tall thin headdress blowing slightly in the breeze.  “If it helps any, you’re more attuned to civilization than I am, Nayu.”  The reassurance caused Nayu to stifle a giggle, and a huff to come from somewhere behind Felonca.“No!  He needs to pay attention!” she felt thin fingers and weak hands grab her shoulder and insistently push her to the side.  She stepped aside, her eyes wide with disbelief and fury.  She flicked her hybrid tail in annoyance as the blustery man walked up to Nayu, and began tsking.“Deplorable.  Horrible,” he kept saying, walking around the young sorcerer, inspecting his clothes, his slight slouch.  “Stand up straight!” he barked.  When Nayu patently ignored him, he pulled out a riding crop and slapped him on the back with it.“Stand up straight!”With a growl, Felonca watched Nayu comply, her own anger and fury reflected in his own eyes.  She started to stalk over to the still fussing scholar, until she saw Nayu’s hand flash imperceptibly upwards.  She stopped, their eyes having a conversation that the tuttering fool wouldn’t let them have.If you need him thrashed, tell me, Felonca’s blazed.“Naturally, you common peasants don’t understand the need for proper attire, attire that pleases the eye, the harmony of nature, and the dao,” the scholar added with a growl.  “Such dirty leathers, smelly wool, that does not of this!  Now... young man.  Walk forward.”Nayu gave a look of distaste, and complied, a move that sparked even more tsking and huffing.“You walk like a peasant.  Your arms must flow!  You must be as water, flowing through the air effortlessly as a stream passes a rock!” the scholar scolded.“It’s going to be a long three days,” Nayu sighed.</blockquote>

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