Editing Jing Li: Magnificent view
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| − | "Wait!" Li-Li said to her, as they made yet another switch back on the road up. He smiled at Kui Ji-min | + | "Wait!" Li-Li said to her, as they made yet another switch back on the road up. He smiled at Kui Ji-min. |
The day had turned bright and they were almost at Han Gu. Early dew had set the grass down low to sparkling bright green. The few clouds lounged with the riders before moving on. One could see for dozens of li and spring was obviously in charge of the decorations. | The day had turned bright and they were almost at Han Gu. Early dew had set the grass down low to sparkling bright green. The few clouds lounged with the riders before moving on. One could see for dozens of li and spring was obviously in charge of the decorations. | ||
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Kui Ji-min felt a mess. He hadn't said anything about her tear torn red eyes this morning and at first things were going well. She had a special surprise for Li-Li for this evening, and her mind had been enthralled by it. Then the realities set in. She had not reined in the palfry early enough and it had bounced for a while. Her butt hurt. The lowlands had been damp and her hair was starting to squirm its way out of the braid she had been too tired to really do before they set out this morning. She had kept Li-Li's gift close at hand but hadn't really had time, with brother in the room, to try it out and get a proper opinion. Did it really match her eyes or was it that green found on molded vegetables? She hadn't dared look in the actual sun light, he was up and running before Heaven told anyone to wake up! | Kui Ji-min felt a mess. He hadn't said anything about her tear torn red eyes this morning and at first things were going well. She had a special surprise for Li-Li for this evening, and her mind had been enthralled by it. Then the realities set in. She had not reined in the palfry early enough and it had bounced for a while. Her butt hurt. The lowlands had been damp and her hair was starting to squirm its way out of the braid she had been too tired to really do before they set out this morning. She had kept Li-Li's gift close at hand but hadn't really had time, with brother in the room, to try it out and get a proper opinion. Did it really match her eyes or was it that green found on molded vegetables? She hadn't dared look in the actual sun light, he was up and running before Heaven told anyone to wake up! | ||
| − | She liked watching him move. When it was a reasonable hour, anyway. When times had been good for them this past winter she would watch him dress. His clothing had been simple, until Niu Pa's woman arrived. Zinya. Wow... | + | She liked watching him move. When it was a reasonable hour, anyway. When times had been good for them this past winter she would watch him dress. His clothing had been simple, until Niu Pa's woman arrived. Zinya. Wow...how can anyone compete with that sort of beauty? And her knowledge of how to have men pay their utmost attention? And her dainty but skilled riding? She even had a style name like all the men! Kui Ji-min had never caught Li-Li looking too long at Zinya, but he probably did. Everyone did. Tonight he would wear clothes she had recommended for him! |
She and brother talked long into the morning hours. They had come close, perhaps closer than she wanted, to leaving. He was sensible but well, sometimes too sensible. She brushed back a loose lock of hair and hoped he didn't see it. Drat! He smiled at her just then. Would he want a woman who can't even keep her own appearance proper? | She and brother talked long into the morning hours. They had come close, perhaps closer than she wanted, to leaving. He was sensible but well, sometimes too sensible. She brushed back a loose lock of hair and hoped he didn't see it. Drat! He smiled at her just then. Would he want a woman who can't even keep her own appearance proper? | ||
| − | Brother was there, stable as always. She could feign a spell and he'd take care of her. She'd done that more than once with you-know-who. Eventually he'd gotten tired of it, and tired of her. Li-Li | + | Brother was there, stable as always. She could feign a spell and he'd take care of her. She'd done that more than once with you-know-who. Eventually he'd gotten tired of it, and tired of her. Would Li-Li tire of her too? Could she keep busy enough to stay out of trouble? Would he put up with her making mistakes, like forgetting to put on under slippers this morning? How was she supposed to walk when the stirrups had chafed the outer edge of her feet raw? Are we ever going to get to this old guy? |
| − | She winced. Her best drawings for Hu hadn't really taken into account what the main cities looked like. Even from here she could see ideas to incorporate. Assuming Li-Li kept her on as architect. Would he want her work after seeing what a real architect could do? Was there any way for her to do better quickly so he'd be impressed? | + | She winced. Her best drawings for Hu hadn't really taken into account what the main cities looked like. Even from here she could see ideas to incorporate. Assuming Li-Li kept her on as architect. Would he want her work after seeing what a real architect could do? Was there any way for her to do better quickly so he'd be impressed? |
| − | Could she actually call him "my lord" and mean it? Well, and keep meaning it? Or at least, act like it most of the time? When he was distant, the hurt was familiar. | + | Could she actually call him "my lord" and mean it? Well, and keep meaning it? Or at least, act like it most of the time? When he was distant, the hurt was familiar. What's-his-name had been the first, when she would skip poetry classes to practice math. He wanted a proper young woman, she wanted to be almost any place else in the world but in his house. Father had not really approved in the first place, but that was part of why she did it. |
| − | If he decided to keep her, would father approve? Would he feel honor bound to go through the litany of her life mistakes so any man would feel well informed enough to likely run away as quickly as possible | + | If he decided to keep her, would father approve? Would he feel honor bound to go through the litany of her life mistakes so any man would feel well informed enough to likely run away as quickly as possible? What would he say if he ever met some of her bad choices? |
Drat! He had urged his large horse to move towards her. Would he notice the lousy knot she had made in her sash? What drove him to wake up before the lamps were cold from the night before? She hadn't had time for any real preparations. Why couldn't he get drunk like the others and be too bloody eyed to see anything in the morning? | Drat! He had urged his large horse to move towards her. Would he notice the lousy knot she had made in her sash? What drove him to wake up before the lamps were cold from the night before? She hadn't had time for any real preparations. Why couldn't he get drunk like the others and be too bloody eyed to see anything in the morning? | ||
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She turned to him but bowed respectfully. It might keep him from seeing the exhaustion lines on her face. Staring at his hands worked; she had felt those hands pull her close when she had bad dreams. The past few days she had spurned him. Were those hands still for her? She braced herself for his dismissal. Really, it made sense. She wouldn't even tell him her real name and he had been willing to take her to the capitol! He had been nice and she had treated him like...well...the way she had been treated. | She turned to him but bowed respectfully. It might keep him from seeing the exhaustion lines on her face. Staring at his hands worked; she had felt those hands pull her close when she had bad dreams. The past few days she had spurned him. Were those hands still for her? She braced herself for his dismissal. Really, it made sense. She wouldn't even tell him her real name and he had been willing to take her to the capitol! He had been nice and she had treated him like...well...the way she had been treated. | ||
| − | Kui Ji-min sighed, and looked at him. She and brother would find their way back, she had saved a few coins here and there. Of course, brother had saved more even though he got less. A tear started but kept somewhat hidden. She was | + | Kui Ji-min sighed, and looked at him. She and brother would find their way back, she had saved a few coins here and there. Of course, brother had saved more even though he got less. A tear started but kept somewhat hidden. She was tired, yet it was probably for the best. She'd leave his gift for him. |
Her hand felt warm air as his war horse moved it's head by her. Her horse stood stock still as his move slightly sideways. He was close. Everything that could go wrong had and he was close enough to not miss anything. | Her hand felt warm air as his war horse moved it's head by her. Her horse stood stock still as his move slightly sideways. He was close. Everything that could go wrong had and he was close enough to not miss anything. | ||
