The Easternlands was a realm renowned for its rules and principles and for its reverence for holy law and communion with the higher powers. Where demons acknowledge and honored the gods and this she felt she needed right now and what she believed would be best for Ming Yue. Figuring a little guidance in divine law and knowing what the gods want of them couldn’t hurt.
As planned Lady Moon gathered her things it was her attempt at leaving under the guise of an outing, a holiday she called it, and perhaps for good and took Ming Yue. Fleeing to the lands of the East there she took refuge under the care of the Demon Lord Zemmed Hamot the great ruler of the Eastern Lands a kingdom that more than doubled the expanse and worth of her homeland the Beautiful Lands, territory of the Inuyoukai.
Unlike the Taisho, Zemmed was the sole ruler of the east with many nations under him, known simply as the Easternlands or as the Realm of God. A seventeen thousands year old able ruler and demon of God, Hamot belonged to the order of demons that served as advocates for Yate, yet one of the many names for God in the east. Born of the race of the ram, Hamot’s appearance was that of an enormous man, broad and built to be strong with a great beard and the horns of the ram. A demon of sure greatness and stature, and who Lady Moon deeply respected, ever since she was brought before him with her mother as a girl, who were under similar circumstances she had sought to maintain a friend ship with.
Now she would do the same thing her mother did and bring young Ming Yue before the lord of the east in the hopes that he would come under the same impression as he had on her and as the Taisho did on him. Though this wasn’t the first time Ming Yue would be brought before the eastern king, since Hamot was among the many demons that came to congratulate the Taisho and his wife over the birth of their son. At the time Ming Yue was only a baby and so bore little memory of who Lord Hamot even was. She hoped that in reintroducing him to Hamot that the reckoning of the experience would begin the process of resetting the boy’s mind and revering all the ideas his father had put into his head returning him to the way he was before, or at the very least open the boy to a new array of influence. Guidance governed by Divine Law.
But she should have known, “mother I don’t want to be here, where’s father?” he came out and said to her one day it’s what she was hoping not to hear. “It’s too hot, I don’t like it… when can we go home?”
After the training began with his father, not only did his appetite return but Ming Yue also found the means to speak. Still considerably more quiet then the average child once in a while he would come up with questions and comments whenever something out of the ordinary caught his attention. It seemed finding himself in a strange new country far away from home was just that.
“Who is Hamot? I don’t like him. He’s too big and ugly. Not at all like father.” Lady Moon did not like this comment, and considering it far to ignorant for a child whose destiny it was to crown a new Fang, no matter who he may choose. “That’s enough from you!” she snapped back at him, “Hamot is a great lord and his power and wealth exceeds even that of your father. You should show more respect.”
The child grew silent after this. Though it troubled her, for she couldn’t tell if his silence was due to him respecting her wishes, or if her sudden sharpness of temper hadn’t upset him and caused him to withdraw like he was before. He is a hypersensitive child… you need to be exceptionally cautious with him not to upset him. Wise words from Lady Pearl, how she wished she had told her more, or made her demands more insistent.
That evening after Ming Yue had retired for sleep, she discussed these concerns with Zemmed. She told him and explained everything that has happened since the incident with the bandits. After listening intently Zemmed had this to say, “It seems your son faced quite a troubling experience.”
“Yes, it was.”
Though I see the ones having more trouble with it were you,” referring to both her and the Taisho. “The boy himself came out of it alright; in fact you’ve explained he became stronger.”
“Yes he did. He learned a new power, the ability to use poison.”
“Ah, well poison is useful, so long as it isn’t abused. I see, but this isn’t the issue, you said that Miss Pearl explain to you that Ming Yue faced an additional experience with this demon he had encountered.”
“Yes, she told me that he absorbed the feeling of bliss from him and got exited. It seems that instantly redoubled his power and he transformed and pursued the demon, but was stopped by his father.”
“Do you know who this demon was?”
“No, unfortunately, I sent men out to search for him but they came up empty handed. So I was forced to give up.”
“Well thieves are masters at being elusive. That’s how they survive by eluding our people, your men were seeking a thief and one of them,” as he said this Lady Moon just seemed to know he was speaking if the Silver Fox Gang, the most notorious band from amongst the demon criminal underworld.
“Well I knew very well that the likely hood of actually finding him was slim. But I just couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Great Fang was so persistent in assuming Ming Yue’s intent for desiring this demon was out of the need for vengeances. He was just so adamant about not pursuing him. It was just to angering for me.”
“Indeed the Fang does seem to fall short sometimes. If it had it been my son I would have immediately sent out the guards, especially when dealing with them!”
“The Silver Fox Gang?”
“Yes,” Hamot answered with a weary nod.
“Had trouble with them have you?”
“Not directly, in my observations they been to smart and managed to avoid any direct confrontations with imperial law. Their targets are usually minor mansions and out of the way castles, though your story about them taking Ming Yue doesn’t sound like the typical heist one would expect. The leader of the Silver Fox Gang a demon Yoko, known by the name Kurama a shape shifting spirit fox with the ability to manipulate plants is a demon well renowned for his cunning and flawless and swift executions. To think that he would just nab a child, that is obviously of high rank carelessly out of the woods and just run with him don’t sound right to me.”
“So you don’t believe it was him then?”
“No I believe it was them. Only they slipped. But now that I think about it your story begins to make sense, since I’ve recently come aware that the gang is no more.”
“What were they caught then?”
“No from what my recourses have informed me they broke up. This happened about a year ago. And I heard a story to, something that matches what you just told me. I was told that the cause for the dismissal of the gang was due to a foiled heist that was instigated by the gang’s second in command a demon known as Yomi and ended in disaster, and that the Youko lost his faith in his followers and abandoned them.
I have a list of names and descriptions of known members of the Silver Fox Gang, if you can get a description from your son we might be able to figure out who he encountered that day, and get some more answers.”
“Yomi?” the name gave a strange feeling, as if there was something about it like a vague premonition, “Yomi,” she repeated it, “hm that’s very interesting,” it made her curios, and yet as weak as the feeling was, she second guessed it, “though I must say its a little nerve wracking sometimes that I really wonder if I really want to know. The demon could be a hideous thing for all we know. Great Fang saw him but all he said about it was there wasn’t much to speak of.”
“Well none of the demons in the Silver Fox Gang are known to be giants or are deformed. As I’ve said the Youko is too cunning for that, he didn’t rely on the strength of his followers to get things done, to the most part they were just pawns, so he kept them simple, clean, yet beneath him. He was smart enough never to let a demon join him that could out match him to any degree, and should a member show such potential he wouldn’t be slow to kill him off.”
“Hum, so he’s a demon that won’t be challenged, typical enough for the ambitious.”
“Indeed.”
“But you are saying that rumors suggest it was this demon named Yomi that launched the attack on Ming Yue?”
“If the story I heard is the same, then probably.”
“And what type of demon is this Yomi?”
“Not much is known about him other than he’s not a demon of the west despite his name, which is probably just a title or assumed name. But of what is spoken he is known to be a reckless killer, bodies are said to be scattered in pieces each time he strikes. The demon seems to have a passion for blood.”
“Again how typical, is that all?” The feeling remained.
“Offhand yes.”
“Hm, well I suppose I could try to question Ming Yue about it though I am hesitant to bring it up since he seems to have forgotten all about it. I wouldn’t want to reawaken any unnecessary memories just for the sake or possibly pursuing this demon now.”
“It probably wouldn’t do you any good anyway. The demon Ming Yue encountered is likely not to be on the list and even if it was Yomi he’s a demon that can no longer be found. Reports came to me that he was killed back at the point where it all came apart. A spy observed it. The Youko betrayed him and hired an assassin to kill him.”
“Oh so he’s dead then.”
A feeling of disappointment crept over her as she said this, it was bizarre.
“That is the information I received. After that the Youko disappeared, and the gang fell apart.”
“I see.”
“Now about your husband, you’re explaining to me that he’s tried to manipulate Ming Yue?”
“Yes.”
“To turn him into a Fang?”
“Again yes.”
Hamot shook his head. “How disappointing, I would have expected better of him then that. You know you’re husband was a demon many have had great prospects over as well. He was expected to be perfect.”
Lady Moon Sighed, “And for some years he was. Nothing he did was anything short of brilliance that is until the incident, and then for some reason his flaws became apparent.”
“Well he isn’t perfect, I knew that when he was announced the successor of the nation. His father spoke to me about it, old Mount Fang, where he had this to say; Great Fang has indeed grown into a fine demon, his power is unparallel in the west yet at the same time he leaves me with great concern. When I required he told me, he has earned his ground but he lacks the understanding of principle. He fawns too much over the weak and meddles with others for this he has a bad habit of making unnecessary enemies. Also he is still much too friendly with humans, I catch him communion too often, but I’m afraid he has grown too old and too established for me to reprehend.”
Lady Moon nodded, “Yes, well that is true. He does commune with them, and it’s been an annoyance to say the least, but of course no one can say anything about it to him. My words have been disregarded from the start on that issue.”
“Yes, the same went for his father’s. It seems the Fang has trouble in abiding to the most basic of holy commands. That is to ‘honor thy mother and thy father’.”
“Great Fang, states that he doesn’t follow the ways the eastern god, as he called it. He says he knows the way of the spirit, and would never accept the guidance of other sources.”
“And all the more a fool he is for it.”
This is all Hamot would say on the subject. So it was changed, “so you are concerned for your son’s future?”
Again Lady Moon sighed, “I suppose yes. To me it just looks bleak. Especially with the arrangement Great Fang has molded for him. I can just see it now, Ming Yue striding down the road to become a great demon, on quest for power when the truth comes slapping him in the face. Just how will we face him when that happens?”
“You suspect he will meet somebody, a demon, but you just don’t know what demon?”
“Yes, I do. It’s a deep feeling I have.”
“That is troubling.”
“I know it is, but what can be done about it, unless Great Fang provides him with a proper mate there is no other path left for Ming Yue.”
Hamot nodded, but then said, “There is one way.”
Lady Moon raised a brow, “Oh, so you have something in mind?”
“Perhaps but it would require your son’s approval.”
“Ming Yue’s?”
“Yes, I was thinking instead of worrying about it I could have my daughter Hanna Marry your son, that way his future as a lord will be secured.”
“Hanna?” the Lady inquired stunned. Princess Hanna, daughter of Hamot was an elegant woman, resembling her father only that she to bore the upturned horns of the ram. Her form was that of a tall and slender woman with long brown hair and dark eyes. A Lady Moon remembered well and reassessed her as the only woman or demon in all of demons world that more than qualified for Ming Yue. She was only four centuries younger than her father and at thirteen thousand had long established herself as a renowned worldly leader, only second to Hamot in the east.
“Really, isn’t she already married?”
Hamot shook his head, “No, she never married. She had kept herself single for this very purpose. Her stature can easily grant any man the rights of passage to become a ruler.”
“So could Ming Yue though, but for our nation, which is much smaller. Are you sure you would want to betroth them?”
“You son is already a fit match. He has nothing he needs to prove, the engagement can be made right now if we wanted.”
“Interesting, however I’m hesitant to tap that road, since it’s the same thing Great Fang is doing only from a different approach. I still think in the end the result will be the same. He could marry Hanna, but what bothers me Ming Yue is a Lunar Hound and a male and so he is bound to be only attracted to other males, at least that is the understanding.”
“Hmm,” Hamot hummed as he gave thought to this, “are you certain he’s expected only to find attraction in the males?”
“That is the understanding of Lunar Hounds that are born male, there has never been a case in our history where a Lunar Hound male had ever expressed affection towards a woman or ever married one. It has been said that all Lunar Hounds are bound to the rightful successor of the nation, and which is of course always male.”
“Interesting, that is a very peculiar development.”
“I suppose, but true more than likely.”
“Well I would still like to entertain the idea that he would accept. How about we do this at the turn of his adolescence you or we approach him with the offer. The hand of my daughter Hanna for when the time comes and he inherits the nation.”
“Interesting, well Hamot I came here expecting no such thing but… agreed. I will notify you when he breaks from boyhood.”
And so it was arranged, without any need for approval of her husband Lady Moon had agreed to have Ming Yue betrothed to Hanna and daughter of Hamot, Over Lord of the Eastern Lands.
And so it was arranged, without any need for approval of her husband Lady Moon had agreed to have Ming Yue bestowed to Hanna daughter of Hamot, Over Lord of the Eastern Lands. After this lady Moon remained in the east with Ming Yue for half a year, during this time she had enrolled Ming Yue in the school of Sacred Learning.
Hamot advised it, rather than to entrust him simply to a tutor but suggested that he see through a through course and receive the basics under traditional guidance, and she agreed. The house of Sacred Learning was among the oldest schools in the demon’s world, it taught everything from morality to rights of common living, current to ancient history, mathematics, reading, writing and the arts to the study of scripture and Divine Law.
In the Demon’s World, especially in the east, despite common misconceptions that the only that mattered n the demon’s world was power, all schooling and or system of study was considered sacred, for to demons, in the real demon’s world learning was everything, for knowledge was Power.
And so Ming Yue attended the school of Sacred Learning, though his period of study last only for the first semester before he eventually fell ill.
“I want to see father,” he began complaining. “It’s too hot here, and I don’t like the food.”
Ming Yue had stopped eating, and as before his physical condition began to decline. Lady Moon’s alarm was heightened at the quickened pace of his descent, yet she was surprised. The lands of the east were not the west; here Ming Yue was subject to drier air and hotter temperatures not to mention the lack of vital forests and rich vegetation. The scent of the flowers was different, he liked the jasmine but found the cactus flower repelling. Also he complained that the water tasted different and that there was the scent of too many demon’s in it. Ming Yue never drank water if it bore any trace of the scent of others and so during his time he drank little water.
But over it all she knew that the main cause was simple because he missed his father. Dehydrated and fasting Ming Yue’s health slipped fast. Lady Moon felt she had no choice but to return him to the homeland, and back to the Taisho. However as a precaution before she went had one final word with Hamot over Ming Yue, “I would like you to send missionaries to the west and establish a school there so Ming Yue will have a place for study and a private tutor as well. We need more productive reasons to keep Ming Yue aside from his training and separate from his father as much as possible, but also because it will be good or the nation for the demons to have a chance at higher learning.”
Hamot agreed to this, and so Lady Moon returned and the Taisho and son were reunited. Upon her return Lady Moon said little more to his husband then what arrangements she had managed to work out with Hamot, the Taisho merely stood by and complied to all of it. Much of which he agreed to and seemed quite pleased with. The only thing he had trouble with was the idea of the school, “I can allow tutors to come into this land and preachers, but missionaries establishing schools that I don’t know about.” But it was the arrangement with Hamot’s daughter Hanna that took his interest, “ah a good arrangement Hanna will make a fine bride for Yin Jia ̅n.”
Lady moon winced at the name, but let it go. To her he was still Ming Yue, and it would be months before she would learn to address her child by any name other than the one she had chosen but eventually the Taisho’s stubbornness prevailed and he broke in. But regarding Hanna, se knew Great Fang would be pleased, for it literally doused the flame of warning she had ignited with him over Ming Yue and his expected preference for men. So long as he marries Hanna there won’t be any worry as to who he choose to become the next lord, and should another Fang exist he would have a much fitter opponent with whom to prove his might.
The Taisho was indeed pleased with this.
As planned Lady Moon gathered her things it was her attempt at leaving under the guise of an outing, a holiday she called it, and perhaps for good and took Ming Yue. Fleeing to the lands of the East there she took refuge under the care of the Demon Lord Zemmed Hamot the great ruler of the Eastern Lands a kingdom that more than doubled the expanse and worth of her homeland the Beautiful Lands, territory of the Inuyoukai.
Unlike the Taisho, Zemmed was the sole ruler of the east with many nations under him, known simply as the Easternlands or as the Realm of God. A seventeen thousands year old able ruler and demon of God, Hamot belonged to the order of demons that served as advocates for Yate, yet one of the many names for God in the east. Born of the race of the ram, Hamot’s appearance was that of an enormous man, broad and built to be strong with a great beard and the horns of the ram. A demon of sure greatness and stature, and who Lady Moon deeply respected, ever since she was brought before him with her mother as a girl, who were under similar circumstances she had sought to maintain a friend ship with.
Now she would do the same thing her mother did and bring young Ming Yue before the lord of the east in the hopes that he would come under the same impression as he had on her and as the Taisho did on him. Though this wasn’t the first time Ming Yue would be brought before the eastern king, since Hamot was among the many demons that came to congratulate the Taisho and his wife over the birth of their son. At the time Ming Yue was only a baby and so bore little memory of who Lord Hamot even was. She hoped that in reintroducing him to Hamot that the reckoning of the experience would begin the process of resetting the boy’s mind and revering all the ideas his father had put into his head returning him to the way he was before, or at the very least open the boy to a new array of influence. Guidance governed by Divine Law.
But she should have known, “mother I don’t want to be here, where’s father?” he came out and said to her one day it’s what she was hoping not to hear. “It’s too hot, I don’t like it… when can we go home?”
After the training began with his father, not only did his appetite return but Ming Yue also found the means to speak. Still considerably more quiet then the average child once in a while he would come up with questions and comments whenever something out of the ordinary caught his attention. It seemed finding himself in a strange new country far away from home was just that.
“Who is Hamot? I don’t like him. He’s too big and ugly. Not at all like father.” Lady Moon did not like this comment, and considering it far to ignorant for a child whose destiny it was to crown a new Fang, no matter who he may choose. “That’s enough from you!” she snapped back at him, “Hamot is a great lord and his power and wealth exceeds even that of your father. You should show more respect.”
The child grew silent after this. Though it troubled her, for she couldn’t tell if his silence was due to him respecting her wishes, or if her sudden sharpness of temper hadn’t upset him and caused him to withdraw like he was before. He is a hypersensitive child… you need to be exceptionally cautious with him not to upset him. Wise words from Lady Pearl, how she wished she had told her more, or made her demands more insistent.
That evening after Ming Yue had retired for sleep, she discussed these concerns with Zemmed. She told him and explained everything that has happened since the incident with the bandits. After listening intently Zemmed had this to say, “It seems your son faced quite a troubling experience.”
“Yes, it was.”
Though I see the ones having more trouble with it were you,” referring to both her and the Taisho. “The boy himself came out of it alright; in fact you’ve explained he became stronger.”
“Yes he did. He learned a new power, the ability to use poison.”
“Ah, well poison is useful, so long as it isn’t abused. I see, but this isn’t the issue, you said that Miss Pearl explain to you that Ming Yue faced an additional experience with this demon he had encountered.”
“Yes, she told me that he absorbed the feeling of bliss from him and got exited. It seems that instantly redoubled his power and he transformed and pursued the demon, but was stopped by his father.”
“Do you know who this demon was?”
“No, unfortunately, I sent men out to search for him but they came up empty handed. So I was forced to give up.”
“Well thieves are masters at being elusive. That’s how they survive by eluding our people, your men were seeking a thief and one of them,” as he said this Lady Moon just seemed to know he was speaking if the Silver Fox Gang, the most notorious band from amongst the demon criminal underworld.
“Well I knew very well that the likely hood of actually finding him was slim. But I just couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Great Fang was so persistent in assuming Ming Yue’s intent for desiring this demon was out of the need for vengeances. He was just so adamant about not pursuing him. It was just to angering for me.”
“Indeed the Fang does seem to fall short sometimes. If it had it been my son I would have immediately sent out the guards, especially when dealing with them!”
“The Silver Fox Gang?”
“Yes,” Hamot answered with a weary nod.
“Had trouble with them have you?”
“Not directly, in my observations they been to smart and managed to avoid any direct confrontations with imperial law. Their targets are usually minor mansions and out of the way castles, though your story about them taking Ming Yue doesn’t sound like the typical heist one would expect. The leader of the Silver Fox Gang a demon Yoko, known by the name Kurama a shape shifting spirit fox with the ability to manipulate plants is a demon well renowned for his cunning and flawless and swift executions. To think that he would just nab a child, that is obviously of high rank carelessly out of the woods and just run with him don’t sound right to me.”
“So you don’t believe it was him then?”
“No I believe it was them. Only they slipped. But now that I think about it your story begins to make sense, since I’ve recently come aware that the gang is no more.”
“What were they caught then?”
“No from what my recourses have informed me they broke up. This happened about a year ago. And I heard a story to, something that matches what you just told me. I was told that the cause for the dismissal of the gang was due to a foiled heist that was instigated by the gang’s second in command a demon known as Yomi and ended in disaster, and that the Youko lost his faith in his followers and abandoned them.
I have a list of names and descriptions of known members of the Silver Fox Gang, if you can get a description from your son we might be able to figure out who he encountered that day, and get some more answers.”
“Yomi?” the name gave a strange feeling, as if there was something about it like a vague premonition, “Yomi,” she repeated it, “hm that’s very interesting,” it made her curios, and yet as weak as the feeling was, she second guessed it, “though I must say its a little nerve wracking sometimes that I really wonder if I really want to know. The demon could be a hideous thing for all we know. Great Fang saw him but all he said about it was there wasn’t much to speak of.”
“Well none of the demons in the Silver Fox Gang are known to be giants or are deformed. As I’ve said the Youko is too cunning for that, he didn’t rely on the strength of his followers to get things done, to the most part they were just pawns, so he kept them simple, clean, yet beneath him. He was smart enough never to let a demon join him that could out match him to any degree, and should a member show such potential he wouldn’t be slow to kill him off.”
“Hum, so he’s a demon that won’t be challenged, typical enough for the ambitious.”
“Indeed.”
“But you are saying that rumors suggest it was this demon named Yomi that launched the attack on Ming Yue?”
“If the story I heard is the same, then probably.”
“And what type of demon is this Yomi?”
“Not much is known about him other than he’s not a demon of the west despite his name, which is probably just a title or assumed name. But of what is spoken he is known to be a reckless killer, bodies are said to be scattered in pieces each time he strikes. The demon seems to have a passion for blood.”
“Again how typical, is that all?” The feeling remained.
“Offhand yes.”
“Hm, well I suppose I could try to question Ming Yue about it though I am hesitant to bring it up since he seems to have forgotten all about it. I wouldn’t want to reawaken any unnecessary memories just for the sake or possibly pursuing this demon now.”
“It probably wouldn’t do you any good anyway. The demon Ming Yue encountered is likely not to be on the list and even if it was Yomi he’s a demon that can no longer be found. Reports came to me that he was killed back at the point where it all came apart. A spy observed it. The Youko betrayed him and hired an assassin to kill him.”
“Oh so he’s dead then.”
A feeling of disappointment crept over her as she said this, it was bizarre.
“That is the information I received. After that the Youko disappeared, and the gang fell apart.”
“I see.”
“Now about your husband, you’re explaining to me that he’s tried to manipulate Ming Yue?”
“Yes.”
“To turn him into a Fang?”
“Again yes.”
Hamot shook his head. “How disappointing, I would have expected better of him then that. You know you’re husband was a demon many have had great prospects over as well. He was expected to be perfect.”
Lady Moon Sighed, “And for some years he was. Nothing he did was anything short of brilliance that is until the incident, and then for some reason his flaws became apparent.”
“Well he isn’t perfect, I knew that when he was announced the successor of the nation. His father spoke to me about it, old Mount Fang, where he had this to say; Great Fang has indeed grown into a fine demon, his power is unparallel in the west yet at the same time he leaves me with great concern. When I required he told me, he has earned his ground but he lacks the understanding of principle. He fawns too much over the weak and meddles with others for this he has a bad habit of making unnecessary enemies. Also he is still much too friendly with humans, I catch him communion too often, but I’m afraid he has grown too old and too established for me to reprehend.”
Lady Moon nodded, “Yes, well that is true. He does commune with them, and it’s been an annoyance to say the least, but of course no one can say anything about it to him. My words have been disregarded from the start on that issue.”
“Yes, the same went for his father’s. It seems the Fang has trouble in abiding to the most basic of holy commands. That is to ‘honor thy mother and thy father’.”
“Great Fang, states that he doesn’t follow the ways the eastern god, as he called it. He says he knows the way of the spirit, and would never accept the guidance of other sources.”
“And all the more a fool he is for it.”
This is all Hamot would say on the subject. So it was changed, “so you are concerned for your son’s future?”
Again Lady Moon sighed, “I suppose yes. To me it just looks bleak. Especially with the arrangement Great Fang has molded for him. I can just see it now, Ming Yue striding down the road to become a great demon, on quest for power when the truth comes slapping him in the face. Just how will we face him when that happens?”
“You suspect he will meet somebody, a demon, but you just don’t know what demon?”
“Yes, I do. It’s a deep feeling I have.”
“That is troubling.”
“I know it is, but what can be done about it, unless Great Fang provides him with a proper mate there is no other path left for Ming Yue.”
Hamot nodded, but then said, “There is one way.”
Lady Moon raised a brow, “Oh, so you have something in mind?”
“Perhaps but it would require your son’s approval.”
“Ming Yue’s?”
“Yes, I was thinking instead of worrying about it I could have my daughter Hanna Marry your son, that way his future as a lord will be secured.”
“Hanna?” the Lady inquired stunned. Princess Hanna, daughter of Hamot was an elegant woman, resembling her father only that she to bore the upturned horns of the ram. Her form was that of a tall and slender woman with long brown hair and dark eyes. A Lady Moon remembered well and reassessed her as the only woman or demon in all of demons world that more than qualified for Ming Yue. She was only four centuries younger than her father and at thirteen thousand had long established herself as a renowned worldly leader, only second to Hamot in the east.
“Really, isn’t she already married?”
Hamot shook his head, “No, she never married. She had kept herself single for this very purpose. Her stature can easily grant any man the rights of passage to become a ruler.”
“So could Ming Yue though, but for our nation, which is much smaller. Are you sure you would want to betroth them?”
“You son is already a fit match. He has nothing he needs to prove, the engagement can be made right now if we wanted.”
“Interesting, however I’m hesitant to tap that road, since it’s the same thing Great Fang is doing only from a different approach. I still think in the end the result will be the same. He could marry Hanna, but what bothers me Ming Yue is a Lunar Hound and a male and so he is bound to be only attracted to other males, at least that is the understanding.”
“Hmm,” Hamot hummed as he gave thought to this, “are you certain he’s expected only to find attraction in the males?”
“That is the understanding of Lunar Hounds that are born male, there has never been a case in our history where a Lunar Hound male had ever expressed affection towards a woman or ever married one. It has been said that all Lunar Hounds are bound to the rightful successor of the nation, and which is of course always male.”
“Interesting, that is a very peculiar development.”
“I suppose, but true more than likely.”
“Well I would still like to entertain the idea that he would accept. How about we do this at the turn of his adolescence you or we approach him with the offer. The hand of my daughter Hanna for when the time comes and he inherits the nation.”
“Interesting, well Hamot I came here expecting no such thing but… agreed. I will notify you when he breaks from boyhood.”
And so it was arranged, without any need for approval of her husband Lady Moon had agreed to have Ming Yue betrothed to Hanna and daughter of Hamot, Over Lord of the Eastern Lands.
And so it was arranged, without any need for approval of her husband Lady Moon had agreed to have Ming Yue bestowed to Hanna daughter of Hamot, Over Lord of the Eastern Lands. After this lady Moon remained in the east with Ming Yue for half a year, during this time she had enrolled Ming Yue in the school of Sacred Learning.
Hamot advised it, rather than to entrust him simply to a tutor but suggested that he see through a through course and receive the basics under traditional guidance, and she agreed. The house of Sacred Learning was among the oldest schools in the demon’s world, it taught everything from morality to rights of common living, current to ancient history, mathematics, reading, writing and the arts to the study of scripture and Divine Law.
In the Demon’s World, especially in the east, despite common misconceptions that the only that mattered n the demon’s world was power, all schooling and or system of study was considered sacred, for to demons, in the real demon’s world learning was everything, for knowledge was Power.
And so Ming Yue attended the school of Sacred Learning, though his period of study last only for the first semester before he eventually fell ill.
“I want to see father,” he began complaining. “It’s too hot here, and I don’t like the food.”
Ming Yue had stopped eating, and as before his physical condition began to decline. Lady Moon’s alarm was heightened at the quickened pace of his descent, yet she was surprised. The lands of the east were not the west; here Ming Yue was subject to drier air and hotter temperatures not to mention the lack of vital forests and rich vegetation. The scent of the flowers was different, he liked the jasmine but found the cactus flower repelling. Also he complained that the water tasted different and that there was the scent of too many demon’s in it. Ming Yue never drank water if it bore any trace of the scent of others and so during his time he drank little water.
But over it all she knew that the main cause was simple because he missed his father. Dehydrated and fasting Ming Yue’s health slipped fast. Lady Moon felt she had no choice but to return him to the homeland, and back to the Taisho. However as a precaution before she went had one final word with Hamot over Ming Yue, “I would like you to send missionaries to the west and establish a school there so Ming Yue will have a place for study and a private tutor as well. We need more productive reasons to keep Ming Yue aside from his training and separate from his father as much as possible, but also because it will be good or the nation for the demons to have a chance at higher learning.”
Hamot agreed to this, and so Lady Moon returned and the Taisho and son were reunited. Upon her return Lady Moon said little more to his husband then what arrangements she had managed to work out with Hamot, the Taisho merely stood by and complied to all of it. Much of which he agreed to and seemed quite pleased with. The only thing he had trouble with was the idea of the school, “I can allow tutors to come into this land and preachers, but missionaries establishing schools that I don’t know about.” But it was the arrangement with Hamot’s daughter Hanna that took his interest, “ah a good arrangement Hanna will make a fine bride for Yin Jia ̅n.”
Lady moon winced at the name, but let it go. To her he was still Ming Yue, and it would be months before she would learn to address her child by any name other than the one she had chosen but eventually the Taisho’s stubbornness prevailed and he broke in. But regarding Hanna, se knew Great Fang would be pleased, for it literally doused the flame of warning she had ignited with him over Ming Yue and his expected preference for men. So long as he marries Hanna there won’t be any worry as to who he choose to become the next lord, and should another Fang exist he would have a much fitter opponent with whom to prove his might.
The Taisho was indeed pleased with this.