House Song

Far in the northeast, beyond the Great Wall, lived tribes of nomadic dragonkin that evaded the demon races through cunning and will. This is where House Song originated from, and the House of Dragonkin, although the youngest of the Six Great Houses, has stood strong within the safety of Bei Ma ever since. Song Qiu, the only daughter of Song Qian among many sons, bit into the raw pheasant breast in her hand. It was juicy and one of her favorites. It would likely be her last meal at the Song Palace Tower. She sat at a long table with family and house councilors present. Some with legs crossed, others sitting seiza as the feast continued to roll in.

“Why did you do it, Master Qian? You seemed adamant that there was no point in sending a daughter to the Celestial Palace.” Asked the House Song Steward.

Qiu just continued to eat her pheasant breasts silently as the ‘grown-ups’ did the talking. Eventually, her father replied, “No one else would bite. Not just because of the concerns of this new Emperor’s ability to use a wife properly, but out of fear for that seductress.”

Qian wiped some food from his horns as he spoke.

House Song had the characteristics of dragons, in particular the horns of them on their heads, as well as a scaled tail and scaled bit of skin around their arms and neck. The sexual dimorphism was what stood out most incredibly. While males of the Dragonkin stood upright at about seven to eight feet tall, females only reached about four to five feet tall when fully matured. Qiu was tall for a female, at about five feet exactly. Her skin was pale. Paler than any hue a human’s or elf’s skin can get naturally, and her hair was long and a navy blue. The scales and horns on her were of the same color as her hair, and her hair was styled to emphasize her bangs and sideburns, a style popular with royalty in the Sun Empire to the east.

“It was Empress Dowager Yi’s hope that the Great Houses would fail to offer any daughters,” Continued Qian, “For ten years I’ve sat idle while she sews her web, she did not think an unimportant Head of House like me would threaten her meticulously built status quo.”

“But to offer the young missus to her. Are you not concerned?” Asked the steward.

“Concerned?” Qian laughed, “My daughter is usually silent, but I can see the fire in those amber eyes of hers. She’s got demon blood flowing in her veins.”

Qiu simply smiled after taking the last bite of her pheasant breast. It was an unsettling and sadistic smile. She then reached for the live octopus on the table and bit into it with her fangs. The creature’s tentacles writhing around her forearm as she consumed it.

“See that?” Announced Qian to the dozens at the long table, “She is eager to see her new playground.”

Many of the family members at the table just smiled nervously, knowing how Qiu behaves. Qian who was sitting across from Qiu leaned in and lowered his voice so that only she could hear him. Qiu was slurping up an octopus tentacle as he spoke. “This is not just any playground, my daughter. This is espionage. Learn everything you can and report regularly, you know how to do this, you’ve been trained your whole youth for this moment. Keep the dynamic changing and if at all possible, keep that Yi in check.”

Qian sits back straight. Qiu dips her head in a halfhearted bow. And asks, “And the boy?”

She was of course asking about the Emperor she was the same age as. Qian thought for a moment and replied, “You may have his child if he wishes. But make him beg. He seems the type that wants his wife to hold the leash.”

This got Qiu excited, and she smiled again, baring her fangs in the process. A child. Unlike Elves, Dragonkin could have a human’s child, and unlike beastfolk, the dragon traits were always dominant. Qiu thought about it, reaching for another raw breast. If she could play her cards right, she could start a new dynasty, a Song Dynasty. The Grand Celestial Empire would be ruled by dragons.

Qiu’s fangs sank into the juicy breast.