Bk2: Chapter Four (12)

She found herself sitting in lotus fashion in the Nether Lord's study, a low table before her and a cup of hot tea trailing steam into the air. She looked around and he was not seated where he usually would be. He was instead, standing at the doorway, looking her way. For some reason, she felt as though he was waiting for her to follow. She got up from the ground where she sat and walked towards him. For some reason, her fear of him had lessened. As the thought went through her mind, she rejected it. She was still very afraid of this tall being. Only, she had gotten used to the fear. She walked over and stopped before him. He only looked down from the dark mask and turned away.

He walked towards the sedan chair on the ground and got in. She watched as the masked servants paused without moving and realised they were waiting for her. She took in a deep breath and followed suit. She got in and sat opposite him and felt the sedan chair being picked up. The sedan chair was quite large and curtained all around. Still, his figure sitting there before her, made her feel as though the space was too small. She made sure to only look down on her hands and nothing else, but she could still feel him looking at her.

It did not take long before she felt the sedan chair being put down again. She knew these were not normal people to be able to move this fast.

The Nether Lord looked away from her and got out. Only after he was out did she release a breath and make a move to get down. She followed behind him into what seemed to be a receiving hall. The floors and walls were still grey, but bright flowers adorned the courtyard into the hall. Sunlight streamed into the hall through the paper gauze windows into the halls, brightening up the room. The servant bowed as they walked through. She felt it unusual at first that people bowed to her, but she soon got used to it the more times she appeared in this unknown world. She saw the Nether Lord take a seat on what seemed to be a throne chair and she followed behind him. She paused only for a millisecond to figure out where she would be sitting. Oddly, there were two more chairs; one to each of his sides. One of them looked only slightly less decorated and smaller than his. It seemed to be made for a woman; The other was a low chair, typically with no legs and had a small table before it. The Nether Lord's chair and the second chair were slightly elevated on a platform, while the other was lowered. She did not think too hard. She walked for the higher chair and sat. For some reason, she felt the air around still when she did this but did not think too hard about this.

This is a dream, she told herself; what could possibly harm her here? Of course, she did not believe the words she told herself, but it helped calm her down. Even though she felt the masked servants who never looked up glance at her once in a while at the Nether Lord too, she did nothing. But she understood. It must have something to do with where she was sitting. She too waited for the Nether Lord to say something, but words never left his mouth. If he did not say anything, she would not. No matter what or who this chair was for, she did not care she would not be staying long.

Large doors opened before them and a young boy walked in. He looked around the hall and chuckled lightly.

"Ah, Yumen. I can never get used to this grey world," he said, then looked towards where Lizzy sat.

"Ah, a mortal. You are trying to make fate again then," the boy said.

"Tie Nse!" the Nether Lord said grimly. It was the first time Lizzy had heard him speak. His voice sounded like a rush of wind on a stormy day.

"No, It's Little Nse now," the boy said as though correcting a child.