Bk2: Chapter Four (13)

"You said you have something for me," the Nether Lord said calmly.

"Ah, yes," Little Nse said and took a seat. He slowly sipped his tea by the side, allowing silence to roam first. Only then did he look up at the Nether Lord and nod to him.

"I hope you like my gift," he said and the Nether Lord looked down at the table before him and found a rolled parchment before him. He unrolled it and looked at it briefly, only to look up sharply.

"Is this real?" he asked.

"It will be if you do what I ask," Little Nse said.

"What do you want?"

"Open the door to the dark path and hand me a key," he said and the Nether Lord froze. For some reason, Lizzy felt as though the air around her got too cold and stiff to breathe.

"You dare to ask this of me? Do you think this path can be opened for anyone?" he asked. His voice sounded like a clap of thunder.

"It cannot. No one must walk it before darkness does, so only darkness will," Little Nse said solemnly for a second. Lizzy thought she was looking at an old man.

"Just because you say so?" the Nether Lord asked.

"Yumen, I am the only one who has met him, the most recent version of him. You must do as I say if you wish him returned," Little Nse said.

"Your claims are yet to be verified,"

"And it will never be if I fail," Little Nse said and silence returned. He sipped his tea leisurely, without care. One would not think him awaiting a reply at his calm attitude.

"I will think about it. When I make my decision, I will tell you," the Nether Lord said and Little Nse got up after this and strolled away. He paused at the door for a second and looked back at the Nether Lord.

"You must already be suspicious of why darkness would exist in versions. I am too. When I met him, I could not tell who he was. But one thing is clear. He must regain his power before he is forced to drop this version of himself. Then, it might be long before anyone can recognize him again," Little Nse said and walked away.

Lizzy glanced at the Nether Lord's figure as he got up and followed suit. She followed him to the door and watched him get in the sedan chair. The curtain remained raised as though the servant were waiting for her to follow. With a slight frown, she got on and the sedan chair was lifted after the curtain was dropped.

Inside, none of them spoke. Lizzy for some reason, now that she had heard him speak realized that he could and wished to say a great many things. Still, she could not form the words no matter how much she tried. Her thoughts seemed scattered till the sedan chair was dropped again. She looked at the figure opposite her who made no move to get off and thought she may be the one to get off now. She tentatively stepped down and noticed something familiar about this place. This courtyard reminded her of the courtyard back at the Nether halls. She looked back at the sedan chair that had been raised again and watched as it was carried away. This time, watching from the outside, she could confirm that the servants moved very quickly while carrying this chair. She looked forward at the door on the other side of the courtyard and found five maids before her. Oddly, even though they were dressed like other servants, they were only veiled from nose down. They bowed as they saw her approach.

"My Lady," they said and she paused. She was already used to the bowing in this odd land, but calling her a lady was very unsettling.

"You speak," she said, "Who are you?" she asked.

The leading aid stepped forward and bowed, "We have been assigned to you, my lady," Lizzy allowed them to lead her inside the room. She seemed to recognize every bit of this place. It looked like the Nether Lord's chambers in the Nether halls, only slightly different. She took a seat and watched them serve her tea.

"Assigned to me? By whom?" she asked, taking a sip. She had never tasted anything like this before.

"His Majesty," The maid answered and Lizzy frowned.

"Who?"

"Every concubine is a signed four maids and a head maid. Her majesty is..," the maid started to say.

"Wait, What?!" Lizzy slapped the table and immediately found herself back on the train. She looked down at her hands on the table and realised she must have slapped the table here too.

"Lizzy!" Helen scolded. Lizzy looked up at her lady through her veil and almost broke into tears.