SKY OF PAPER: AN ASIAN STEAMPUNK FANTASY

CHAPTER 32

　

It was the largest, most glamorous parade the capital had ever seen. Two hundred drummers beating in thunderous unison atop steam-driven floats, summoning an intricate choreography of a thousand dancers richly adorned in brightly colored silk and finely crafted jewelry made of gold and jade. Performers bounded to and fro, wearing long, flowing dragon costumes, while pink, red and white petals tossed from the decks of low flying airships rained down to the cheering masses below. Metallic streamers, fluttering from balconies and pillars, glinted and sparkled against the afternoon sun.

How proud General Fung must have been, for this was his celebration.

As a man whose rise to power caused both shock and controversy, he was determined to make sure the nation knew without a doubt, that he was the new Emperor, that under his rule, prosperity and fortune would find new prominence throughout Rui Nan.

The parade flowed like a turbulent river, starting from the Imperial Palace at the city's center, down it's main streets, through the market district in the south and back towards the center again. Standing proudly on one of the balconies that jutted from the palace's outer walls, was the general himself, watching the thunderous procession as it went by.

Though it was obvious that many people seemed concerned with the newly revised government, I was still too young to have any opinion on such things. Instead, as I stood atop one of the floats, playing the taiko drums, I found myself deeply enchanted, embraced by the spectacle of the moment.

A few weeks earlier, the old man proudly revealed his so-called, good news. It was an exclusive contract, a very special one, he said. Considering the lack of customers who were interested in our skills, any house would have jumped at the very mention of someone interested in employing we chienkuu ko.

Just the same, Madame Quoli's eyes lit up and gave the man her full attention. But before he continued, he summoned Ren Tzu and handed him a scroll sealed with wax. He seemed to recognize the emblem on the seal immediately, and bowed graciously as he took it. Though all of us were curious about the scroll, the old man was quick to regain our attention by pulling out another scroll that detailed the contract.

There was no denying that I was excited at the prospect of going back to servicing airships. How I had missed the euphoria of flying; so much so, that I even briefly considered offering myself to serve aboard one of the Imperial Warships.

But this was not the promise I had imagined. Instead of guiding ships, I was hired to be a musician, mindlessly beating drums for the delight of the public, while Kassashimei danced at the front of the float with the performers, dressed in her formal robes. Madame Quoli thought that it was the most petty thing our house had done yet and asked Miss Nishio to decline. But knowing that the old man would never personally offer a contract unless it had some measure of importance, she accepted whole heartedly. Though initially disappointed, I was still engulfed by the majesty of the moment, the sheer grandeur of all the sights, sounds and excitement that seemed to fill the entire city that day.

Again and again, I was swatted on the back of the head by the drum leader who had to constantly remind me to stop looking around. I apologized, but he swatted me again and threatened to deduct from my house's compensation.

I found it difficult to take him seriously.

For that brief moment, I was happy, even amongst harsh men with swatting sticks and tea house managers who felt that performing in parades were hardly worth the time for what little money it paid.

All the while, Ren Tzu sat patiently in the back, watching over me like he always did, hardly moving at all, as if he’d surrendered himself to becoming part of the float's decoration.