The Water Dragon's Deal

Story by WotanAnubis

TITLE: The Water Dragon's Deal

AUTHOR: WotanAnubis

FANDOM: Jade Empire

DISCLAIMER: I don't own these characters and am not making a profit.

RATING: NC-17

PAIRING: Silk Fox/Radiant Jen Zi

NOTE: It's strange that it took so long for me to write a Jade Empire fic. I have a fierce love for the game that borders on the ridiculous and have made complete runthroughs of it more times than I can count. Nevertheless, here is my contribution to Jade Empire pr0n. Finally.

* * * * *

Minister Sheng groveled in front of the Imperial Throne, which was the right and proper way of doing things.

Strange and malicious rumours had spread through the Imperial City, but Minister Sheng was far too wise to believe any of them. The very idea that Empress Sun Lian the Heavenly Lily disapproved of her humble subjects debasing themselves in front of her was sheer lunacy. The Empress not demanding proper respect was like fish not demanding water. It was unthinkable.

And so it was that Minister Sheng gave his report to the Most Glorious Light of the Heavens in a slightly muffled voice, what with his face being pressed firmly against the floor and all.

However, before he had assumed the proper position, he could not have helped laying eyes on the Empress, May Her Reign Last A Thousand Years. It had been a complete accident, as he was sure his inevitable interrogators would understand, but it had happened anyway. In so doing he had learned, through no fault of his own, that one of the rumours circulating in the Imperial City was undeniably true.

Empress Sun Lian the Heavenly Lily was with child.

Actually, that wasn't the rumour, exactly. After all, the Palace had announced the most joyous news of She Who Outshines The Sun's happy expectancy some months ago. The Palace had also seen fit to inform the unworthy public that the Heavenly Lily's pregnancy was not in any way improper, even though she was unwed and no man shared her bed. The Celestial Bureacracy, feeling that the Sun dynasty had to atone for its sins, had decreed that the Brightest Star Of All would not be allowed to find happiness with any man, but, in recognition of the fact that the line must continue, had also gifted her with a child.

However, for some reason that Minister Sheng simply could not fathom, the lowly rabble had somehow got it into their heads that this perfectly reasonable explanation was not, in fact, true. Foolish gossip suggested that the Empress's delicate state was the result of some fling with a baseborn flyer mechanic or the outcome of some dark sorcery crafted so that she would not be forced to share her power with a husband.

Utter nonsense of course and Minister Sheng would have none of it; a fact which he was more than prepared to firmly declare no matter how tight the thumbscrew.

"Was that all?" the Voice That Could Command Mountains asked.

"Yes, Most Radiant One," Minister Sheng told the floor.

"In that case, you may leave."

Minister Sheng wondered if he should thank his Empress for her gracious dismissal, but decided against it. He did not want to be seen as some insufferable sycophant, after all. He gratefully rose to his feet. As he did so he accidentally lay eyes on the body of the Empress again. Mere seconds later, he saw She Who Moves The Heavens's bodyguard narrow her eyes at him. Minister Sheng shrieked in a most dignified manner and, bowing profusely, moved away from the throne with some haste.

"What a tiring little man," Lian sighed when she at last lost sight of the Minister.

All around her nobody but one had heard her. It was not the kind of thing an Empress said, so she had not said it, so they had not heard it.

"Some things never change, I suppose," Radiant Jen Zi, the only one who had heard her, remarked calmly.

"They should," Lian said. "How else am I going to return respect to my Empire?"

"I'm sure you'll find a way," Jen Zi said.

"I wish I shared your confidence."

Lian let her gaze sweep across her throne room, trying hard not to let distaste show on her face as she saw soldiers, servant girls and eunuchs with permanently downcast eyes.

"Since there are no others who requested an audience with me today, I shall now retire to my chambers," she announced loudly.

Nobody moved.

Sun Lian gave a mental shrug and rose from her throne. It wasn't as easy as it had been. Fortunately, Jen Zi took her hand and helped her to her feet. That was one of the better aspects of her pregnancy, she had to admit. Her lover could hold and support her out in the open without anybody giving it a second thought.

She had not planned to become pregnant so young. In fact, she had not planned to become pregnant at all. Oh, she had known in a way that one day her duty demanded of her that she invite a man into her bed, but she had never really thought of it. Had never really wanted to think of it.

Then one day, after her customary meditation, Radiant Jen Zi had spoken to her in a voice that had not been her own. Even in de

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