I should have known we would meet eventually. I've known since I was old enough to comprehend that we were destined to meet as foretold by the stars many moons ago. Yet even after all this, I was nowhere near prepared to meet my and my family’s arch enemy. So far, I was not impressed. Judging from the circumstances under which we met, the threat of a surprise attack was minimal at best.

    “Jaejoong stay still. I can’t pack your wound if you keep fidgeting.” Changmin grumbled.

    I came back to myself from my thoughts and focused on the frowning man in front of me. Changmin was a childhood friend and nearly a brother to me. His father and mother had been servants in my father’s house for many years. When the time came and I took over for my father, Changmin came with me as my assistant. Our relationship was much less formal than the one our fathers had had with each other, but I liked that. It was nice to have a close, trustworthy friend in this kind of life.

    “I told you to take it easy. It hasn’t even been a full day since you were injured and you’re already out and about, ripping the wound open again. Your fever won’t go away so quickly now. Don’t complain when I confine you to your bed.”

    “I am sorry to have troubled you so much.” I offered, trying to placate the younger man.

    Changmin only sighed as he finished mixing the clay-like substance and began soaking pieces of linen in it. “Master Jae (God that sounds so weird OTL) you don’t trouble me...I am only worried about the health and well-being of our leader. Now hold still this is going to hurt.”

    I grit my teeth as he began to fill the sore wound with the mixture-soaked bandages. For being so young, Changmin was a genius with medicinal plants and practices. The packaging he was using was one of his own inventions of sorts and had been proven quite effective.

    I studied my friend silently as he worked to keep myself distracted from the sharp, stinging pain in my side. The late night preceding our clash with the Red Dragon was beginning to take its toll on the young medicine man. His lightly tanned skin on his hands was dry and ashy from the constant washing after caring for the wounded. Dark circles gave his eyes their own shadows and the light stubble on his face spoke volumes of when he’d last gotten some sleep. My guess was two nights ago before preparations for the attack had begun.

    Besides his short, black hair and kind, almost innocent-looking eyes, there was nothing too extraordinary about him. As was common with everyone in the Lotus, he was able to defend himself with a sword, but but he was a terrible cook.

    I let out a grunt as he finished wrapping clean linen around my abdomen to keep the packing in place.

    “There all set to go.” Looking up, he blinked those dark orbs at me. The complete trust and innocence in them tugged at my heart, making me want to shield him from the cruel world we lived in.

    “What?”

    Offering a small smile, I shook my head and began to shrug on my Yukata. “Thank you. Why don’t you get some rest? I’ll send one of the others to care for the rest of the men.”

    Changmin pursed his lips a little as he searched my face before giving a sigh. “Alright. Just promise me you’ll take the medicine before bed. And take it easy. That cut is more serious than you’re treating it.”

    Standing gingerly, I gave his shoulder a pat. “Rest easy my friend.” Silently I left the warm glow of my bedchambers and into the cold walkway bathed in silver moonlight. Tired and sore as I was, I still had another matter to attend to . Slowly I headed for the tearoom, stealing a quiet walk in the moonlight and borrowing its strength. The smooth, polished wood beneath my feet was a familiar comfort that gave me a sense of being grounded. Living the life that I did, it was easy to forget that this compound, filled with age-old cherry trees and serene koi ponds surrounded by rock gardens, was my home. This was where I had grown up and learned all I needed to effectively lead the Lotus.

    A gentle breeze caressed my warm skin and sent a wave of the scent of cherry blossoms over me. I stopped and closed my eye, breathing in the scent of home and memories of a time when the rivalry between the Lotus and the Red Dragon was just an old folk-tale.

    “You gripe about my manners yet I am stuck waiting for you while you swoon like a maiden in the moonlight.”

    Opening my eyes, memories floated away like cherry blossoms on the breeze. “If I do recall, you were the one visiting me at such a late hour unannounced.”

    The blonde leaned in the frame of the rice paper wall with a smirk and a thumb hooked through the rather plain belt (Obi?) of his Yukata. Mika was a family member of sorts (a cousin several times removed or something like that) who was rather famous for wearing outrageously colorful clothing and being quite a ladies man (Although rumors of him breaking a few men’s hearts were quite frequent as well). He was thin and young and quite abysmal with a sword.

    Despite being born into the Lotus family line, Mika was not part of the inner family and as such had no direct affiliation with the family business. Instead, he was a good informant and infiltrator.

    “Well I apologize for assuming news on a new trade deal between the Capitol and the Red Dragon would be important enough for an emergency visit.” He retorted with a good-natured smile.

    The dangling of that tempting bit of information earned an eyebrow-raise from me. “Hm fair enough.” I offered a small nod before moving past my cousin into the warm tea room, leaving the magic of the night behind.

    Mika slid the door shut before moving to take a seat across the small table from me. Instead of sitting properly, he had on leg bent at the knee so he could rest his elbow on it, his cheek resting on his fist with a curious look on his face as he observed me.

    I gave him a questioning look as one of the few women in the compound began to pour drinks for us.

    “You look like crap.” he stated bluntly as he reached for his cup and took a sip.

    “Well thank you for your kind words.” I replied with a droll expression. Motioning to the woman, I instructed her to send one of the other medics around to take care of the wounded before dismissing her and returning my attention to the jovial man in front of me.

    “I figured no one else here would tell you so I might as well be honest with you.” he replied with a nonchalant shrug.

    Giving a sigh, I took a long sip of my herbal tea. Thinking about it, I always seemed to request this kind of tea when Mika came to visit. The chamomile and jasmine had calming effects that helped keep my irritation in check. Publically I am not an emotional man, Mika was the only person (besides Changmin) able to make me break that behavior. I valued his information and help, but his wily ways and carefree attitude tended to work on my nerves. Tonight I was especially tired and as such my patience was already running thin. “Mika if you came to socialize we can pick this back up in the morning.”

    Mika drained his cup, shaking his head a little. “So cold Jae. I’m hurt.” He shot me a grin. “Alright, you’re no fun tonight so I guess it’s down to business.” He took another sip of his drink before continuing. “I was visiting a few friends in the Capitol and heard that the Red Dragon had struck up a deal with the emperor.”

    I felt my heart drop at that, my attention keenly focused on Mika’s words. “What kind of deal?”

    Mika’s long fingers lazily played with the rim of his now empty cup. “Well since the Red Dragon possess a great deal of land with coal and gold, the Capitol have been allowed to come in once a moon cycle to mine as much as they want in return for Capitol-grade military goods.”

    “Damn disgraces.” I cursed, barely containing my rage as I gripped my hand in a tight fist.

    “Jaejoong...you won’t be able to stand against these kinds of weapon and armour.” Mika warned, fixing me with an uncharacteristically melancholy look.

    “I know that.” I murmured, trying not to yell. “Dammit all.” I fumed, crossing my arms across my chest ,my fists white at the knuckles. “Is there any possible way to strike up a deal of our own with the Capitol as well? Or do you have some connections we could use?” I asked, fixing the informant with a fierce look.

    The Lotus was more than a family business, these men were my family and I would do anything to protect them. “I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit here and let those bastards slaughter my men.”

    Mika’s expression of sympathy and pity both broke my heart and enraged me. The blonde ran his fingers through his hair before meeting my eyes. “I don’t think the Capitol will make another deal...and besides you don’t really have anything worth much to them. I’ll see what I can do about some of my connections to help.”

    Giving a sigh, I sunk down into myself, nodding at the other man. “Thank you.” I replied softly, rubbing a hand across my forehead, feeling a headache building. “It’s late...I’ll have someone show you to a room for the night.” I offered, motioning for the attending woman to come lead him to one of the many guest rooms in the main house.

    Standing, Mika clapped my shoulder gently, his typically jovial face serious and solemn. “Try to get some rest. Come the morning I’ll get started contacting some people that might be able to help.”

    I gave a weary nod and simply dismissed him with a wave. The silence after he and the servant left was deafening. It felt as though all the energy had left the room and was now too weak to pull myself to my feet. A faint shadow shifted on the paper door, catching my attention.

    “I thought I told you to get some rest.” I called out without looking up. I rubbed at my tired eyes as the door was pushed aside and the eavesdropper entered the warm room.

    “You know I wasn’t going to truly rest until I knew you were taken care of.” Changmin countered as he moved closer, his practiced eyes assessing my face.

    Meeting his eyes, I felt my calm mask slipping. “You heard?” I asked softly.

    The grave look on my friend’s face gave me my answer. Squatting, he began to help me stand up. “Your fever is beginning to set in. Let’s get you to bed.” he suggested softly.

    Too tired to argue, I accepted his help up, my side throbbing painfully in time with my head. With Changmin’s help, we walked slowly to my room, the night air cooling my heated skin. “Changmin...why do you stay here? This life isn’t exactly the easiest. With your skill, you could easily take up residence in a town as a medicine man and live a fairly easy life.”

    “That may be so, but that wouldn’t be home. Jae this is my home and the Lotus is my family. You of all people should know that.” He responded gently, fixing me with a look.

     I couldn’t hide the fear that had been bubbling up in my chest from rising to the surface. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to protect you. I don’t even know if I can protect myself let alone my whole group.”

    Leading me into the warm familiarity of my room, Changmin let go of me long enough to close the door as I eased onto my sleeping mat on the floor and slipped out of the upper half of my Yukata.

    “If you gave any of the men here the opportunity to stay or leave, every one of them would stand firmly in their place. “ He assured me as he moved to mix the medicine he had prepared for me earlier.

    I watched him move around and accepted the cup when he handed it to me. Downing the bitter mixture, I grimaced as Changmin moved to sit in front of me.

    “What’s really bother you?” he asked gently. “This isn’t the first time the Red Dragon has had a pretty substantial upper-hand. Why is this time different?”

    Sighing I looked down at the empty cup in my hand, the weight of everything seeming to settle on my shoulders. “How much do you know about the history of the rivalry between us and the Red Dragon?”

~The Lotus End