I honestly didn't know where to begin. There were so many things I wanted to share, stories buried deep within me, but also so many I knew I had to keep hidden.
Eventually, I decided to start with my childhood. Back when I adorned my hands with henna, wore sarees for guests, and spoke with the countless relatives that always seemed to be around.
The three of them–Ariya, Yichen, and Lianyu, listened intently. I was pleased to know I made a decent storyteller. But soon came the time to explain how and why I had ended up in China.
"I'm surprised you never told us before," Ariya said.
"Well, to be fair, you never asked," I replied.
Lianyu added, "I remember it had something to do with an arranged marr—"
"Please! Let's listen to Meilina's story!" Yichen interrupted with a pout.
I held back a laugh. This whole moment felt oddly silly considering what I was about to say.
"I suppose we've known each other long enough now to share our truths," I said softly.
"I'll begin with my real family life. It wasn't as joyful as I've made it seem. Beneath the tea parties and festivals, there was nothing but hatred."
They all looked at me in confusion. I knew this would take a while.
"In Bharat, specifically, in my family, inheritance was everything. The oldest son received double what the other sons got, and if he died before inheriting, the next in line would take it all."
"We were a noble family," I continued. "Our status was among the highest in the kingdom. My father and uncles often visited the palace, even sitting with the Emperor himself."
"With most wealth and power destined for the eldest son, the younger ones were left with scraps, unless they took matters into their own hands. Why work when you could simply remove your competition?"
Ariya and Yichen gasped. Lianyu remained composed, as if such things were not foreign to her.
"Everyone fought for inheritance. Brothers, wives, cousins, their relationships strained and poisoned by the greed passed down from their parents."
"I was raised in that chaos. My mother, a woman of sharp mind, knew exactly what the sister-in-laws were capable of. Poisoning food wasn't a rare occurrence. Even children weren't off limits."
"Though I couldn't inherit anything as a daughter, I was still considered a blessing, the more children, the better, they believed."
"My mother taught all three of us, my brothers and me, how to detect poisons, how to defend ourselves, how to kill."
A moment passed. I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice for dramatic effect.
"From a young age, I was taught how to identify poisons by scent, taste, texture. I was taught the many ways one could kill a family member without leaving a trace."
It landed perfectly. Their wide-eyed stares proved it.
"She always said, 'Better safe than sorry. If someone is trying to remove you, remove them first.'"
"My eldest brother, being the heir, was kept under constant protection. My father personally trained him and my younger brother in swordsmanship. But he refused to teach me, saying it was a waste for a woman."
"My mother disagreed. She sat beside them during lessons, memorizing everything, and later passed it all to me. My brothers even helped me practice when we were alone."
"I trained until I turned sixteen, the age I became suitable for marriage. Suitors came and went. I rejected all of them."
"I was stubborn, and if I didn't approve, the marriage would be canceled. But my father's patience wore thin. He was determined to marry me off, especially since my older brother had just received his full inheritance."
"Then came a Chinese merchant. He was visiting Bharat, and apparently, my father thought him the perfect solution."
Sheer silence followed.
"He decided to marry me off... while I was asleep. I was thrown onto a ship bound for China—along with the wealthy merchant who was to be my husband."
"What happened next?!" Yichen cried, alarmed.
"That's awful! Who needs murderous relatives when you have a father like that?" Ariya added sympathetically.
I laughed, surprisingly comforted by their reactions.
"Well, I knew I'd be noticed if I tried to escape as a brown woman in a foreign land, so I had to disguise myself. A servant came into my chamber. It was just the two of us."
"I used part of my saree, there's a long section that remains loose, to strangle him just enough to make him unconscious. I took his clothes, covered my face, and escaped."
I said all of it in one breath.
Now came the inevitable questions. But they just stared at me, unsure where to begin.
"So… you know how to kill someone?" Yichen asked, slightly in awe.
"Yes. Depending on the resources available," I answered coolly.
"Are you skilled at swordfighting?" Ariya asked next.
I was about to answer when Lianyu beat me to it.
"Have you ever killed a family member? And has anyone ever tried to kill you?"
That one sobered me.
"No to both. As a daughter, no one saw me as a threat. And since I wasn't in danger, I never had reason to retaliate."
But I knew they had more questions—ones they felt too uncomfortable to ask. So I answered them anyway.
"My father wasn't the eldest son. He was the third. The firstborn died in battle. My father was ambitious, he worked hard to gain status, but when he realized only one man stood between him and power, he killed him."
"Only three sons remained. The others grew paranoid and desperate. Assassins, poisons, traps, nothing was off-limits. But none of it worked."
"My father lived through it all without a scratch."
I looked down, my voice low and bitter.
"My father was a genius. A brilliant, monstrous genius."
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Chapter Ten: "The first sign was a cough, soft, then sharp, then feverish. Lianyu burned through the night, and Meilina's world began to fray at the edges. Thrown out like wilted silk, with nothing but the scent of blood and jasmine clinging to her sleeves, Meilina learns what it means to fall. And this time, there may be no one left to catch her."