Threads 397 Recovery 5

“Sis! Look, I’m finished!” Biyu announced happily, drawing her from her thoughts.

It was bending the physician’s orders, but she had taken to conducting the meridian clearing exercises with some more intensity. The light pulses of energy she had been sending through her circulation while she breathed was tinged with a hint of lunar qi. She was being very careful, stopping any time she felt a twinge.

“Are you?” Ling Qi asked, focusing on her little sister.

Biyu held up the cut of rough paper smeared with dark paint proudly. A tall blob of purple and blue and black stretched across the page. There was a pale brown oval at the top of it decorated with two chilly blue circles.

Frankly, it looked frightening.

But the ghostly dark blob was set right in the middle of a smear of green paint and colored splashes that she recognized as Biyu’s take on the forest stream she had taken her to play in now and then. It stood under a bright blue sky with a happy yellow sun. It was also hugging a much smaller blob depicted in pink and with a white oval face to stand out.

“When Sis is better, let’s go,” Biyu said seriously.

Ling Qi reached out, gingerly taking the painting from her little sister.

She remembered how upset Biyu had been when she saw Ling Qi for the first time after the battle at the summit. It had taken hours to convince her that the current Ling Qi really was her Big Sister. Having to explain that Biyu couldn’t sit in her lap while she was recovering wasn’t any less pleasant.

“Of course we’ll go, little sister. I promise.”

She felt a knot cinch down in her still ashen dantian. She would. However busy she became, she’d make the time.

She cast her eyes around the room. Originally, this room had been used for storage, but it had since been rearranged for Biyu to play with her paints in.

“Okay! Does Sis like the painting?” Biyu asked, laying her hands on Ling Qi’s knees.

“It’s very good, though am I really that big?”

“Yes!”

Well she couldn’t say it was wrong.

Biyu huffed, crossing her arms. “I wanted to use the glitter though. Sis should have sparkles,”

“You know Mother said no more glitter.” Ling Qi rested her hand on Biyu’s head.

She had not known what glitter was, only that it wasn’t toxic or dangerous, and that Sixiang had given it to Biyu on a whim. It had taken days to get it out of the walls and carpets. Mother had scolded her, and she had scolded Sixiang.

“… kay,” Biyu said.

“May I keep this?” Ling Qi held up the painting. The paint was dry by now.

“Yes! It’s for Sis to get better!”

“You’re sweet, little sister.”

It was an active effort to summon up the qi for it, but the paint-heavy paper shimmered in her hands and vanished, disappearing into the safety of her storage ring.

“Ah, Sis can still do magic!”

“That’s right. Once you have your magic, no one can take it away. But… maybe don’t tell mother I did that, okay?”

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

***​

The soft strains of the zither echoed out over the moonlit garden.

Her fingers were regaining some strength. No one complained when she practiced like this. It was strange how fast she could pick up an instrument these days. A few hours of trial and error were enough to let her understand the nature and tenor of every vibration the strings could give, exactly how they would sing from a touch anywhere along their length, and from there, it was all in the composition. It was a small skill, a mortal skill, but it was still an advancement of sorts.

“It’s good to see you smiling properly.”