The Onyx Empress - Chapter Sixteen (Complete)

Author: Milady Dragon

Author's Note: And here we are, at the end. Thanks for reading! Next up, we head back into the past (or the near present, as it were), for "Exchange Programme", a SHIELD-centric story that follows Jemma Simmons and Leo Fitz as they become the first of SHIELD's participants in the SHIELD/Torchwood exchange programme. See you next Tuesday!

30 June 5310 (Earth Standard Date)

Ddraig Llyn

Xia loved Ddraig Llyn.

It was home, now.

But then, anywhere Nathan was, was home.

Here, though, she had a real family, one that had accepted her and who was determined to help her learn everything that she could about the outside universe.

The dragon had settled in nicely, although the magic – or technology, she was told – that had gotten her here from China had been confusing to her and no one would really explain it yet. They'd put this strange mat thing down in front of her, told her to step onto it…she'd been in China one moment…and here, the next. It had been exhilarating and frightening and it had made her upset to her stomach for a short time after her arrival. Zǔfù Ianto had made her soup and she'd felt better, and he'd kindly explained that she would get used to the sensation at some point. She'd believed him, even if she was still waiting to know how it worked.

The valley was different from her home in Beijing, and yet it was the same. It had the same sense of age and power, and it was clean and she was free to fly wherever she wished. Lisa had cautioned her about travelling outside of its confines until she knew more about the world she'd found herself in, but she'd told her new vūmā that she really hadn't wanted to. Xia knew herself, knew it would be a while before she was ready to face the rest of the world.

There were trees and mountains, and the lake was clear and cold, and perfect to swim in. Xia had loved to swim when she was younger, but once her parents had been murdered and she'd been taken in by the Emperor she'd given it up, having been told it was beneath her dignity.

Here, she could swim to her hearts' content.

The houses were different, but a good sort of different. Her new jiātíng apparently lived somewhere else that Xia couldn't go to yet, and so they'd all moved to the valley for the time being, in a house that had been built on the slope of one of the mountains. Fùqīn Phillip worked away from Ddraig Llyn, and would often be gone long hours, but she had Fùqīn Clint, as well as Daisy and Skylar, and Xia would bask in their attention and love every time they were together. Zǔfù Jack and Zǔfù Ianto would often visit, as well, and Xia would find herself in their great house nearly every day.

However, it was Nathan that Xia's thoughts would often fly to.

She could see him now, from her perch upon the tallest mountain in the valley, flying gracefully over the placid waters of the lake as he dodged his biǎo xiōngdì, Dylan and Dilys, both brilliant green and gold, laughing as they played a game of tag together.

She and Nathan were so very young. Him acting so carefree with them was proof of that.

If Xia was honest, she wasn't ready for Nathan to grow up. She, herself, wasn't ready to grow up, either, now that she had a chance to finally be the child she'd had to give up being, before the cavern. She thought about her pearl, placed lovingly within the hoard her Fùqīn Phillip had arranged to have moved from the cavern and resting within the house she was now sharing with the Coulson-Joneses. It held the memories of her parents, and their time together, and she would always cherish it.

She liked to think her old jiātíng would have approved of her new one.

As she watched, Zǔfù Jack joined the play over the lake, his larger blue-grey form plummeting through the game of tag and slamming into the water, sending up a spray that caught both Dylan and Dilys by surprise. Nathan, though, had seemed to have expected it, and had gained a little altitude and therefore had missed getting wet.

"Are you alright?"

Xia twisted her long neck around, to see Fùqīn Phillip walking up the path. She smiled, pleased to see him. "We had not expected you back so soon."

"My business wrapped up early." His voice was full of affection, and Xia found her own heart full.

Everyone not a dragon had taken to wearing a translator, so that Xia could spend time in her dragon form. Yes, she could not understand the others when they were dragons unless they sang, but she was fine with that. There were universal ways of communicating, and Xia had found herself figuring things out as circumstances presented themselves.

She would begin her lessons in what was called Galactic Standard next week. Xia was looking forward to it.

A shout came from the game out over the lake. Fùqīn Clint had joined the game, as had Daisy and Skylar. They looked as if they were having so much fun, and Xia yearned to join in their play.

"You know you'd be welcome," Phillip said, as if reading her mind.

He really hadn't, but in the short time she'd been there Xia had come to learn that her new Fùqīn had a way of reading people fairly accurately.

"I know. Perhaps I shall…in a little while."

Fùqīn Phillip stood beside her, close enough that she could feel his slight chilliness. "There are times when I wished I had a dragon form," he admitted as more and more of the clan joined in on the game. "But then, they'd expect me to play with them, and I find that's a little beneath my dignity."

Xia snorted laughter at that. He was indeed quite dignified, but Xia had had a chance to see him comfortable and relaxed at home, and knew that this was just a persona he put on for his work with Torchwood.

"Go on," he urged. "You deserve to play, after everything you've been through."

She really, really wanted to. "May I ask a question of you, first?"

He gave her an encouraging smile. "You can ask me anything, sweetheart, and if I can answer, I will."

She thought that might be his response. Xia knew that there were things he couldn't talk about, like his work; but then there were things he wouldn't talk about, if he thought they would somehow set back her progress with learning this new century.

"If, once I have learned all about this time and have assimilated, I decided to leave…would I be able to?"

It had been preying on her mind of late, even though everyone had assured her what she did would be her decision. Now that she was officially committed to Nathan, her new family might not want her to move away from the valley. Certainly, she'd noticed that many of the Joneses lived away from Ddraig Llyn, but was she an exception? She shouldn't worry, she knew that, but she still had to ask, especially after what had happened to her before, with the Emperor.

Fùqīn Phillip's pale blue eyes grew sad. "We would certainly miss you, but you'd be welcome to go wherever you wanted. I'm only sorry we've somehow made you feel that we wouldn't let you go if you chose to"

She hastily assured him that wasn't the case at all, and he looked a little happier for her reassurance.

"I can understand. This is all new to you, and given your past experience, perhaps I should have been more surprised if you hadn't asked about it."

She was certainly glad he realised that she'd meant to offence. There was just one more thing she wanted to enquire about. "And if I was to take Nathan with me?"

That made him laugh. "Xia, I don't think you need to take Nathan anywhere. The bigger battle would be to get him to stay behind."

"And this does not bother you? That I would take your son from you?" She couldn't help but wonder; they really had all been so kind to her, that it almost felt as if she was repudiating that kindness.

The human who had accepted her wholeheartedly stood tall in front of her, not losing eye contact, sincerity glowing in his pale eyes like his magic deep within them. "Nathan is his own man. He's been travelling for longer than Clint and I have been mates. This is just something he does. It's really just a matter of when the two of you go and make your lives together somewhere else, not if. In fact, he's already preparing for when that does happen. He meant it when he said he wanted to show you the stars, Xia. That he wanted to give you your freedom. And, I'll be honest with you… I think it's going to happen a lot sooner than Lisa is anticipating. I think a combination of his natural wanderlust and your curiosity are going to send the pair of you out into the universe, and that you'll be your happiest out there until you're finally ready to settle down."

"You sound so certain."

"Well," he shrugged, "I like to think I'm a good judge of people. And that's how I judge you two." He smiled sweetly. "Now, go and join the others. I'll get dinner started."

Xia leaned down, the better to touch her cheek to his. "I do love you, Fùqīn."

Phillip rubbed his face against her scales. "And I, you." His lips pressed against her snout in the human form of affection. It tickled a little, but she liked it very much.

He stepped back. "Go on with you. Have them all in for dinner in an hour."

Xia laughed. "I shall do my best."

"That's all we can hope for."

With a bright laugh and a flex of her flight magic, Zhu Xia Daiyu – Xia Coulson-Jones – took to the air to join her new family in their playtime.

She was free.

Nathan had given her this.

And she would be with him for all of their eternity.

Fin

Notes on the Chinese in this chapter (thank Google Translate for any mistakes):

Zǔfù - Grandfather

Jiātíng - Family

Fùqīn - Father

Biǎo xiōngdì - cousins