Too Strange, Too Bizarre

The car slowed as it approached a tall guarded gate which opened slowly for them after a flashlight ran over the car and driver. They rolled slowly up the driveway gravel crunching under the wheels of the car. Changying looked out into the darkness trying to make out the tall building they approached. The car swung around to the right of the building and drove down further towards a group of townhouses that sat like a small village before another large building. It was difficult to make out the details of the houses in the darkness but as the car pulled up in front of one of the townhouses Changying smiled at the quaint, charming façade.

Joseph helped her from the car, and they walked toward the door seeing it opened by a young woman who bowed her head as they entered.

"It will be a pleasure to serve you during your stay here," she said quietly. "I will show you to your rooms so you can sleep for a few hours before your meeting with the Commander." She led the way upstairs and opened the door to Josephs room before taking Changying to hers. The girl faded away and left Changying to explore the austere room which took all of a minute.

Sighing she turned off the light and lay on the bed, she had little idea of what to expect here. Visions of all of the books she had read about sexual slavery, consorts and courtesans rolled through her head like a movie. She sat up and hugged her knees to her chest wondering once again what she was doing here; it was too strange, too bizarre. Every part of her brain told her to run away, to leave before it went any further. She shut her eyes and tried to picture Wang, his smile and his eyes the way he looked at her when they were alone. She took a deep breath and reminded herself of the future they had spoken about.

The darkness began to lighten outside the window, and she stood to go to the window to look out at the slowly approaching dawn. She saw a group of men leave the big house and jog out into the sounding land with precision. She followed their movements until they disappeared then she turned back to the small room. She needed some water, and she wondered if she would disturb anybody if she went down to look for a kitchen.

Changying opened her door and peeked out into the dark hall. She knew wandering around the dark was not a good idea. There was a small movement at the other end of the hallway and a small voice sounded in the darkness.

"How may I serve you Miss?" the girl who had showed them to their rooms asked.

"I was just going to get a drink of water if you could just tell me where the kitchen is I can get it," Changying said quickly.

"It would be my pleasure," the girl said and hurried off before Changying could stop her. Leaving her door open she went back into her room and stood at the window once again watching the sunrise feeling Wang's absence already. The girl returned within minutes holding a small tray with a jug of water and glass. She placed it on the empty sideboard and withdrew closing the door behind her.

Changying tried to keep her mind off the unknown and concentrate on what she did know. She knew that family was a massive part of Wang's life, and he couldn't be complete without that. She knew that he wanted her to do this. She knew that she would be here at this place for two weeks before going to the Sitting with Joseph to be presented to the twelve. She knew that if she managed to impress here and at the Sitting, she would be allowed to complete the remainder of the trial back at the farm with Joseph working on the histories.

She stopped and thought about that. Two weeks intensive training and the rest of the time would be spent doing what she loved to do. Suddenly the trial seemed infinitely more achievable than it had before the news that she would be taken to this place tonight, instead of the farm. She returned to the bed and lay down again feeling better in the light of a new day. She managed to fall into a light doze for what seemed like minutes but was in fact close to an hour when she was finally woken by the soft voice and hands of the young woman who served the townhouse.