Preponderance of the Words

[flwyd]

In three days (if you combine yesterday and today as a single unit of mostly sick) I've exceeded my word count for the first two thirds of the month. Combining the two stories (hey, creative word count inflation is legit), I've written 10,509 words this month. More than 20% to the goal and a whole week left. Is it achievable after all?

It's a good thing that tamheals was feeling uncomfortable about a Thanksgiving with my parents and had invited friends over. My fuzzy-brained possibly contageous self didn't have to drive anywhere, could snack on tasty food throughout the day, and didn't expose professional wind instrument players and octogenarians to scratchy throat/heavy mucous/spacy head illness.

Thanks to Tylenol and Jasmine green tea, I wrote my best text segment yet this evening. Comments welcome. Please pardon the forced line breaks and LaTeX formatting. I'm writing a novel with vim, you see. (As he hits <ESC> to go back and change a word.)

61. Chung Fu / Inner Truth
above Sun The Gentle, Wind
below Tui The Joyous, Lake
The Judgement
Inner Truth. Pigs and fishes.
Good fortune.
It furthers one to cross the great water.
Perseverance furthers.
The Image
Wind over lake: the image of Inner Truth.
Thus the superior man discusses criminal cases
In order to delay executions.


Tui lay on her side on the thick down bed. A full moon shone through the
east window, illuminating the outline of her legs and arm. Her belly
had been in pain that evening, her forehead in the morning. Now her
heart ached as she longed for Ch\^{e}n to return from his business in
the other territories. She respected his drive to improve the standing
of his house and land and admired his strength and abition. But she
still wished he was lying behind her, his warm breath in her ear, his
strong hands squeezing her breasts, his soft lips kissing her shoulder,
his firm muscles supporting her shoulder blades, his aroused phallus
stimulating the base of her spine. Instead she had a cat curled in
her armpit. He was soft, loving, and always present, but it wasn't the
same as being wrapped in strong arms, pinned to the bed.

``Hello, young one'' hissed a voice in Tui's ear. Suddenly her torso was
wrapped in two slender arms, her legs pinned to the bed by a swift ankle
maneuver. Tui gasped and tasted a whif of jasmine perfume and wood smoke.

``Madam Sun?'' she asked with fright.

``You're a sharp one, child.''

``You scared me, mistress. Why are you here?''

``And you often anger me. I often ask why you are here.''

``I came only with your blessing, mistress.''

``Oh, you have come many times without my blessing. I know you carry
my husband's seed.'' Tui gasped as Sun slowly drew her finger nails to
a point at Tui's belly button, raised slightly above her regular ample
level. She thought she had concealed the fact well these three months.
Ch\^{e}n didn't know. Even her serving girl was ignorant of the matter.

``Please do not begrudge me, Madam Sun. I did not ask for this gift.
I know you wish to bear Ch\^{e}n's children. It is proper for you to
do so. I do not wish to cause you any slight. I hope to bear this child
without notice and raise it in private. Everyone shall think that you
bear his first son.''

Sun's limbs released Tui. Suddenly the sensation was replaced by
the biting pressure of a thin reed around her throat, a cold piece of
wood pressed against her wind pipe. Sun's knuckles pressed against the
base of her cranium. Failing to gasp for air, Tui flailed her arms and
tried to wriggle free. Suddenly the pressure released, the bind slid
to her shoulders.

``You are like a fish and I am like a bird,'' Sun whispered in Tui's ears.
``And lucky for you, I am not a sea bird; I fly in the woods. We both
carry an egg. And it is our duty to care for that egg, to brood and
nurture it that it may join the world in full health and truth.''

``You have conceived? That's wonderful news, mistress.''

``The oracle has confirmed it. In the past I wanted to strangle you,
but now I give you a gift. `Round your neck is a bamboo necklace;
at its center hangs a wooden dragon. I fashioned this charm so that
your child will grow strong and proud. He shall be a great leader of
the Ch\^{e}n house.''

``I am deeply honored by your gift, madam, in both token and in spirit.
I must give you one in gratitude.''

Tui's whole body quivered as she stood from the bed and walked shakily to
the trunk she'd arrived with a year before. She knelt down and searched
for a few minutes, finally emerging with a bowl, a small bag and a tiny
statue. She slid her door to the side, shivering as the chilly autumn
night introduced itself to her naked body. She placed a fallen leaf
at the bottom of the bowl and filled it with water from the courtyard
fountain. Placing the bowl on the table beside her bed, she asked Sun
to stand and disrobe and then sprinkled a white powder from the bag into
the bowl's cold water. She knelt and traced her finger around the bowl's
edge at the water surface. The subtle energy of her fingertips created
a whirl in the bowl, sucking the powder to the center and spreading it
out again. She inserted her finger in the vortex as it swirled to a stop.

Tui whispered an ancient spell as she traced her water-annointed fingers
up Sun's meridians from toe to crown. The elder woman twitched as the
water trail tingled her dry skin. Tui traced a figure 8 around Sun's
gently sagging breasts, then a circle around each nipple. Over her belly
she followed the shape of an egg three times, sealed with a kiss to the
elegant peach swirl in the center.

Tui picked up the carving from the table in her right hand, pressed it
into Sun's right hand and pulled their clasped hands to Sun's chest
above her heart. ``This sheep was carved from ivory when I was born
and charged with magic from one of the great sages of the Tui house.
It has brought me health, luck, and joy.'' Tui knelt and brought
Sun's hand to her belly, having her press the sheep flat into her skin.
``I have aligned your body in accordance with inner truth so that your son
may be radiant with boundless energy. That he may arouse great passion
and respect like his father and that he may rule with the gentleness and
wisdom of his mother.'' Tui felt a tear splash against her forehead and
stood to meet Sun's waterfilled eyes with her own moonlit bowls of joy.
Still clasping the token to her womb, Sun raised her left hand and
caressed Tui's round face from ear to chin.

``You have the symbol and power of my birth. You have my blessing.
You have my complete devotion in all manners. I am a proper, respectful,
and obedient concubine in your majestic house. You are my mistress,
Madam Sun, and I shall fulfill your every wish.''

Tears trailed down Sun's careworn cheeks, joining the mystic rivers traced
along her body. ``I am no longer bitter toward you, sweet Tui.I honor and
respect your fertile body, your sorcerous mind, and your joyful spirit.
I see now that you are in the perfect place, a vital part in the house
of Ch\^{e}n. I am honored by your humility, and I shall be gracious and
virtuous as your superior. Our wombs have accepted the thunderous seed;
may we now be perfect as we nurture our eggs. When we blossom may the
world bless the fruit of our loins. May the children we bear live as
twins, forever devoted to each other and to their family.''