Stood On The Edge{OPEN}

[Baozhai Lin]

She's beautiful as usual with bruises on her ego and
the killer instinct tells her to be aware of evil men.
That's what you get for falling again;
you can never get him out of your head.

Silence filled the air as Lin let her feet touch the ground. Jade eyes scanned the garden gently as she took in another deep breath. Her father had yet again put her threw the daily routine of having her meet with a variety of suitors. They were all the same to her, one after another who lavished her with compliments. Telling her how her beauty had struck them to the very core of their being, how they would never look at another women as long as they lived after seeing such a angel. It was all flattering, though it was all that seemed to matter to most of them. They found her outward appearance to be the most appealing thing about her. None of them knew her. Not one had the brain to ask her thoughts and perhaps her point of view on the world.

It did not matter to them. All of them came to her father looking for the same thing over and over again. A obedient wife who would look good and never mutter a word to them but praise. Hardly was she looking for someone to marry because she was in love with them. That would never happen, marriage to her was a contract between two consenting human beings. Lin did though want to be treated like a human being, not as if she was some sort of trophy. Her sister were just that to their husbands. After all the eldest was married and now having children, her husband never really spoke to her, only had her around to raise kids and clean. Her second sister had married out of pure lust, the man had wanted her and she had wanted him. The other believed it to be true love, the first time they had met. Yet he cheated on her and she denied such things.

All of them trophy's and Lin would do anything to be anything not like her sisters. It was quite possible after all Lin was very much different from her sisters. They had never really payed much attention during lessons when they were young and Lin on the other hand had. Her main focus had and always would be what she could learn. Reading book, after book most of the time she found herself more interested in those then the world that surrounded her. People confused her, she had such a hard time grasping why people would go against their basic intellect and do something compulsive. She supposed though it was human nature, that was all that really made sense to her in her mind. Even when it came to their lessons on being a proper lady, Lin had exceeded her sisters. The only reason for that was her need to gain knowledge. Her sisters had probably in the end applied it better in life.

Lin could act like a lady there was no doubt about that but she did have a opinion which was to most men a downside. The ones that came to her, she would question on end and soon enough they would be disappointed. All of them came searching for the same thing, a pretty face to fill their house with. A wife to take to parties so that she could laugh and clasp onto their arm like a helpless animal. A women with very little opinion, who lived to serve them to the bitter end. 'What a dull existence' Lin thought to herself.

Soon as she took in her surroundings Lin found herself in the back of her house. In the garden her father had made so long ago for her mother. Now though it was taken care of by Lin, it had been dead for a long time. Now it had regained its life and for Lin, it was her pride and joy. For hours Lin would sit in this garden, with a piece of parchment and would write down any and everything about the plants. Taking care and maintaining what now had to be the pride and joy of their home. Sitting herself down on the edge of the fountain, her white dress flowed around her soft skin. This one had showed her arms, it had a strap that went around her one shoulder and it was trimmed in gold. All she had on her head was a gold band that went all the way around her head, with a green gem in the middle. The gem rested on her forehead and her fingers graced it softly.

Hearing footsteps Lin looked up to see her father standing near the fountain and looking at her "another one has come to vis-" Naturally though before he could finish his sentence Lin narrowed her eyes "another?" her voice sounded annoyed. "Whoever it is" pursing her lips she locked eyes with her father "send him away". Her father looked frustrated "you could at least make a effort" his voice was cold "you are lucky that anyone would want to marry someone like you, twenty without a husband it is only luck that you get anymore proposals". Rolling her eyes, Lin looked away "send him away" was the only phrase that came from her lips.

Lin had no doubt that her father would make up some excuse, about how his daughter was feeling under the weather and could not bare to talk. Sighing she laid back on the cool stone, her hair falling to the side and draping off. It was almost to the ground but it seemed as though it was just short enough to hover about it. Pulling a flower, she twirled it between her thumb and index finger. It was a beautiful blue color and Lin let a smile grace her lips as she looked at it. With that, she shut her eyes and let her mind envelope in her thoughts. Into a world that was only hers.No one, not even her father could take it away from her.

[Sun Dao]

((I hate to see an open thread go so lonely, and since we are the only ones trying to use the free rp, I'll try to make an attempt here. Didn't leave much wiggle room here though, so I'll make an effort at a reason for my character showing up))

Sun Dao stood in what was one of the most well designed gardens he had ever had the privilege to view. A good deal of thought and emotion had gone into its construction, that was very clear. Despite such a lovely atmosphere, at the moment Dao was a bit confused. When he had stopped here to ask directions, after a short conversation was ushered out to this garden. He hadn't even gotten around to asking directions, or indeed to state his purpose at all.

Now that he thought about it, the man who greeted him did say something about meeting a woman first, before they talked further. Perhaps the woman they wished me to meet is master of this household? He thought to himself, attempting to impose some form of logic upon his current situation. That would make sense.. I did dress in some of my best clothes, perhaps they must always formally receive nobles. Sun Dao grimaced slightly at the prospect of a formal ceremony for simple directions. He promised himself to always travel in common clothes from now on if that were the case.

He assumed then that he would be summoned inside shortly, or perhaps received out here, he couldn't quite tell. The garden soon took back his full attention, and Dao decided that this detour would be entirely worth it if he could enjoy this scenery for a few minutes longer. Without noticing it, the man had begun moving very slowly from one part of the garden to another, identifying plants and admiring their placement and the care required to maintain them. These were beyond maintained actually, it seemed that they were actually loved. Appreciated.

A small movement caught Dao's eye, and he realized with a moderate deal of surprise that there was a woman lying on the edge of the fountain, only a short distance from where he had stopped wandering. Blinking a few times to reassure himself that the woman was in fact there, he came to the conclusion that she had been there the entire time. He found himself rather embarrassed at this detail, and opened his mouth to speak.

He closed it again almost immediately. Had he been noticed already? Was she ignoring him? Is this who he was asked to meet? What am I even doing here, anyway? Finally he opened his mouth once again, finding words in this second effort.

"I, uh.. Pardon me, are you the one I am supposed to meet with?" Well they weren't the best choice of words, but at least they were something.