The Water Dragon's Deal

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.

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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