The Concubine Affair

by Quig Shelby

  It was a bright balmy evening, as the Court slowly spilled into the gardens. The Emperor and Bik were surrounded by his retinue of guards. Fu and Zhen were walking arm in arm.

  He might be the Great Master Fu now, but it had not always been so. He’d sojourned the kingdom of heaven for many a year acquiring his knowledge, and it often came from surprising sources; a beggar, a hermit, and a monk. And Zhen had a magic all of her own.

  She saw bodily spectra; gold was enlightened, black demonic, with a rainbow in between. But Fu carried the magic lantern, and its residue imprinted upon him. His inner eye could see a soul, its being and purpose; and all you had to do was brush by his hand.

  ‘Apologies my noble liege,’ said Fu, as he bumped into the Emperor’s most prestigious guest.

  ‘Not at all, surely one can forgive the great Fu Chung Soo after such a magnificent display. Perhaps one day you will visit my castle?’

  ‘Perhaps.’

  ‘The Emperor has such fine fountains thanks to your assistant,’ said the nobleman.

  ‘You mean the priest,’ said Fu.

  ‘Indeed.’

  ‘Tell me, just between us, was it rehearsed?’

  ‘Not at all: I was as much taken by surprise as you,’ replied Fu.

  The nobleman was politeness and servility unbound to the Emperor, but Foo could see his inner spirit tormented under his breast. The claws and fangs unnerved him, and when the beast looked towards the Emperor he was full of rage.

  ‘Let me go and thank the Emperor for such a splendid banquet,’ said the nobleman.

  Fu brushed by many more, and saw besotted spirits looking dreamily at one another, whilst their partners stood by their sides. There were many malicious and envious ghouls, which behind their masters and mistresses smiles looked daggers at one another.

  There were studious courtesans hiding their vices and addictions for gambling, alcohol and heroin: Square jawed guards with terrified ghosts that cowered in their breasts. And eunuchs whose chests stuck out with pride yet belied an inner bitterness.

  Heshen too was caught by Fu who was instantly repulsed by his inner monster, as its withered hands stretched out, and groped towards the youngest girls in Court.

  But saddest of all was the gardener who Fu helped to lift the large water bucket. Years ago his young bride had been murdered in the Palace grounds, and the killer never found. His heart had remained broken. Fu wished he could heal it, and the sadness he felt made him shake.

  ‘Why so sad?’ asked Zhen joining him.

  ‘Some people are so unnecessarily cruel,’ he replied.

  ‘Unfortunately that will never change my love, but remember this, they will never find peace nor will they discover true love.’

  ‘Like ours?’ he asked.

  ‘Like ours, and Wa and Alain’s.’

  ‘You have seen their auras?’ asked Fu.

  ‘Yes, but what of the master magician, has he not seen their spirits?’

  Fu smiled.

  ‘And?’ asked Zhen.

  ‘Like two lovebirds in a cage,’ he replied.

  It was the cage that worried Zhen, and she wondered if any of them could escape from the fiendish devils that life had spewed forth.

  They stepped into the late night supermarket. Orvid intended to keep Karin awake all night, and they needed some calories to burn off.

  ‘Haven’t had those in a while,’ said Orvid, putting the bag of jam doughnuts into the trolley.

  Karin was pushing the trolley behind him, and threw in another bag.

  Orvid stretched for the crisps, and caught someone’s hand. He blinked as a ghostly figure inside the flesh smiled at him. Someone else brushed by him, ‘sorry’ she said, but her inner spirit raised an angry fist.

  At the checkout they stood behind a haunted looking man.

  ‘Peter,’ said Karin.

  It was the gardener at Monks Hill who Karin had once embraced on her sisterly visits. After she realised he could be of little assistance she distanced herself. Nonetheless, he was always a friendly face when she visited Sofia. He was in his forties, but his long grey hair made him look much older.

  ‘Hello,’ he said.

  His basket was full of ready meals for one.

  ‘This is Orvid,’ said Karin.

  Peter extended his hand, and Orvid was almost frightened to shake. But he saw no demon only intense sadness; and an angel in his heart that was forever weeping.

  ‘What’s Peter’s story?’ asked Orvid, as they filled the car boot.

  ‘Why do you ask?’

  ‘He’s a nice guy, but terribly sad.’

  ‘His one true love died years ago at Cambridge University,’ said Karin. ‘She fell in a river drunk, and drowned.’

  Peter had never looked for anyone else, and still kept the engagement ring he never had the chance to give. Miranda’s parents had died of their broken hearts.

  Orvid took the trolley back and brushed by someone’s shoulder. He steadied himself, but the visions had gone, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Something told him it was Fu was close by.

  ‘I told you it wasn’t plush,’ said Ivy.

  ‘It’s homely,’ said Verity describing Ivy’s flat.

  ‘It’s a dump,’ said Ivy.

  ‘Anyway you begged me to come, so what can I do for you?’ asked Verity.

  ‘Oh it’s not what you can do for me, but what I can do for you,’ said Ivy.

  Verity removed her clothes for the most pleasurable massage she could imagine, and she unburdened herself of all her secrets, just falling short of naming Alain, in spite of Ivy’s relentless teasing. Ivy listened attentively wondering how, and when, she and Marcus would poison her; once he’d discovered his wife had a treasure all of her own locked away.

  Chapter Thirty Six

  It appeared Verity’s mind could be as inventive as his own.

  ‘And that holds the candle,’ she said proudly.

  Alain admired her handiwork: A block of wood, with a crescent at one end so it could fit near the desired target. Verity slid a candle into the attached metal bracket, and carefully adjusted it to the correct angle.

  ‘I’m going to tighten the nuts,’ she said smiling.

  Alain was mummified, in a roll of shrink wrap from the discount store, as Verity placed the device on his stomach. He was already breathing heavily, as Verity steadied the ship with three heavy theology books.

  The candle was lit with the tip hovering above his thighs. Wax would soon fall onto the shrink wrap, but higher up he was exposed.

  ‘Perfect,’ said Verity, checking her watch.

  The webcam was pointing at the sweetest of tortures.

  ‘Oh I almost forgot,’ she said unlocking the chastity cage.

  She ran a fingernail down his newly engorged girth, and then dug her nails in down below.

  ‘Ouch,’ screamed Alain.

  ‘So sensitive my love,’ she scoffed, and the wax was already beating a path to his most precious cargo.

  ‘I’m going,’ said Verity ‘but don’t forget I’ll be watching. And should you try and roll off the bed, you won’t have to worry about Heshen.’

  ‘It’s me you should fear Alain,’ said Wa.

  ‘But it is just a game,’ he replied.

  ‘Then I have just changed the rules’ she said smirking.

  Wa was feeling low, and trapped. Before, she could cope with her incarceration, but the priest had taunted her with true love, and worse, freedom; today he would pay for that mistake.

  Alain was naked, and chained in Wa’s rooms. The higher echelons in Court had gone hunting, but there were smaller creatures just as vicious nearby. Wa coated his loins with thick sugary syrup, and opened her window to the sun and warmth.
<
br />   ‘I hear a bee’s sting is very painful,’ she said ‘but I wonder if it worse than a wasps?’

  Alain gulped.

  Verity was sat on the sofa with the laptop over her pretty knees. Ivy sat next to her in anticipation.

  ‘So at last I get to see my mysterious competitor,’ said Ivy.

  ‘Well part of him,’ said Verity, logging into the webcam.

  ‘My goodness,’ said Ivy ‘is that him?’

  ‘I told you he was a masochist,’ said Verity.

  ‘But does he really enjoy that?’

  ‘Who cares, I know I do,’ said Verity.

  The wax was dripping heavily onto him, but the twitching hadn’t stopped. They were both in hysterics.

  Bik was laughing.

  ‘So this is your other secret Wa,’ she said.

  Alain too was pleased to hear her voice, and instantly showed his appreciation.

  ‘How very rude to point,’ said Bik, hitting him with the top of the syrup ladle.

  ‘See how he jumps for joy,’ said Wa.

  Some of the syrup had hit the window frame, and finally the wasps were on alert. Soon there were five insects crawling over him.

  ‘Exquisite,’ said Bik.

  Wa looked mischievously at Bik.

  ‘Put the cushion over his mouth and hold it tight,’ she said.

  Wa picked up her fan, ready to swat the greedy intruders.

  He wailed like a muffled banshee, much to their amusement, and before he passed out.

  ‘So that is why they become priest’s,’ said Bik ‘to punish themselves.’

  Wa smiled.

  ‘At least this one,’ she said.

  ‘How have you kept him secret for so long? said Bik.

  ‘Discretion, my sister.’

  ‘And you have mine too, but Wa.’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘This demonstration has made me incredibly ...,’

  ‘I understand Bik, remove your clothes and wait for me next door, I shan’t be long.’

  She looked at Alain lying there; both adorable and deplorable. But as sweet as Bik Don Fang was, he surely had her heart.

  ‘That must have hurt him,’ said Ivy.

  ‘Naturally, love does,’ said Verity smiling.

  ‘And are you ready for more tainted goods?’ asked Ivy.

  ‘Of course,’ said Verity ‘here lay across my lap.’

  Verity checked the webcam one final time. Alain had passed his sternest test; how could she ever leave him now?

  He was looking at Kay across the dinner table as though he wanted to strangle her.

  ‘Lawrence are you alright, you don’t look at all well,’ she said.

  ‘I’ve got a headache.’

  ‘I bought a beautiful dress today,’ she said.

  ‘Really, can I take a look?’

  Perhaps it had a belt with which he could strangle her.

  ‘Of course, let me go and put it on. And I’ll bring some tablets for your headache.’

  And she was looking at him in a rather odd way too.

  Early morning Lawrence Calder was running by the river. His waistline needed taming, if not his anger.

  ‘Alain,’ said the puffing Lawrence ‘what a surprise.’

  ‘Lawrence.’ He’d nearly said Dr Calder, but they were supposed to be friends.

  Alain had a paper tucked under his arm, and was heading to Karin’s houseboat. Lawrence looked at him for some kind of explanation.

  ‘Stopping the night with friends,’ said Alain.

  They’d been racking their brains on how to stop the Emperor and Heshen, and it was as if Lawrence’s soul knew.

  ‘Good for you,’ said Lawrence ready to jog off.

  He waved over his shoulder; sure they were still watching as he jogged away.

  ‘Do you think he saw us?’ Verity asked Orvid.

  ‘I don’t think so,’ he replied.

  Alain and Orvid Benedict together thought Lawrence. What were they up too? And it looked like Verity Forster had never been ill at all.

  ‘I’ve phoned in sick,’ said Lawrence.

  ‘You’re really not feeling yourself are you,’ said Kay.

  ‘Where are you off too?’ he asked.

  ‘St Luke’s, it’s the jumble sale in a couple of days. I’m taking some of your old clothes if that’s alright.’

  ‘Sure, and sorry Kay, but can you take that tweed jacket you bought me last year?’

  ‘I knew you didn’t like it. Wish you had said at the time Lawrence, I could have got a refund.’

  He really needed to get fit; his heart had almost jumped out of his chest. But at least he’d got the calculations right. Why else was Orvid Benedict standing in front of him in robes, and with a ridiculously long moustache.

  ‘Ah Fu Chung Soo,’ said Lawrence without thinking.

  ‘You surprised me Heshen,’ said Fu.

  ‘Apologies Fu. I have just come to check that all is well,’ said Lawrence.

  ‘Indeed the new quarters are much to our liking,’ said Fu.

  The Emperor had rewarded his latest trick with a much grander apartment.

  ‘Tell me Heshen were you hoping for the priest to be killed in my last act?’ asked Fu.

  ‘Really Fu, do you take me for a murderer?’

  ‘No, only those that kill a few are murderers. The death of thousands is wrought by tyrants.’

  ‘Careful Fu, or you may lose your tongue - first. You were fortunate with the priest, but maybe next time you won’t be so lucky.’

  ‘I don’t rely on fortune, I am a magician,’ said Fu proudly.

  ‘I hope I’m not interrupting anything,’ said Alain.

  ‘Alain Fontaney, the magician’s assistant,’ said Heshen ‘we were just discussing you.’

  ‘Nothing bad I hope,’ said Alain.

  ‘Not at all,’ said Heshen.

  ‘And is the lovely Wa Yu touching the sky?’ asked Heshen.

  Alain almost died on the spot.

  ‘What do you mean?’ he asked.

  ‘She was baptised was she not,’ said Heshen.

  Alain tried to recover himself, but knew he had gone cherry red.

  ‘Of course, but I cannot look into her spirit. One can only hope that God has accepted her soul,’ he said.

  ‘And why wouldn’t he?’ asked Heshen ‘with it being such a pretty one.’

  Alain didn’t respond.

  ‘Oh come on Alain, don’t tell me you haven’t noticed her beauty. There’s no harm in looking - it’s when you touch that the trouble begins,’ said Heshen.

  ‘Wa is indeed a very fine woman, but I raise my mind above earthly desires,’ said Alain.

  ‘Of course you do,’ said Heshen.

  ‘Let me be on my way,’ said Heshen ‘but don’t get too close to Fu, I would hate Zhen to be jealous, though perhaps I could put her to good use myself’.

  Heshen and his guards left.

  ‘Do you think he knows anything?’ asked a nervous Alain.

  ‘I’m not sure, but maybe we should be ready to leave sooner than we had hoped,’ replied Fu.

  Alain nodded.

  ‘It’s nice to see you Alain, but what brings you here?’

  ‘I have a rather delicate problem.’

  ‘Well go on Alain, we are brothers are we not?’

  ‘Indeed. And you love Zhen and I love Wa.’

  ‘Of course but why do you say?’ asked Fu.

  ‘Only I have been stung a few times, and I didn’t want you to get the wrong idea.’

  ‘Over a sting?’ asked a bemused Fu. ‘But you have come to the right place, I have a magical cure’ he said
.

  Alain was mightily relieved.

  ‘Let me show you where they are first,’ said Alain, and Fu’s laughter echoed around the palace for the rest of the day.

  Lawrence Calder was in shock. First Kay was Bastille, and now Alain and Orvid were in cahoots. But not just in this life, in their other life too, a life he was part of. And by changing the past did they intend to alter the present? He smelled danger, and the unravelling of his crime, unless he intervened.

  He typed Heshen into the search engine and saw himself. He’d need more of the drug, but first he really did need to go to bed.

  Chapter Thirty Seven

  ‘Fu you look troubled,’ said Zhen.

  It was his latest performance in three days’ time, and he was losing focus.

  ‘What is that disturbs you my love.’

  ‘You remember the gardener we saw after the banquet?’ asked Fu.

  ‘How could I forget such a great sadness,’ said Zhen.

  Her heart too had been touched.

  ‘I was eighteen when his love was killed,’ said Fu.

  ‘A young man,’ said Zhen.

  ‘And I was there, at the Imperial Palace.’

  ‘And you could have done nothing, I am sure’ said Zhen.

  ‘Naturally.’

  Fu continued.

  ‘I was a juggler with my head in the clouds.’

  ‘And nothing has changed since,’ said Zhen smiling.

  ‘I dreamt of becoming a great magician.’

  ‘Which has come true,’ acknowledged Zhen.

  ‘I awoke one morning with the rest of my troupe to hear of the murder of a woman in the grounds, a beautiful young girl,’ said Fu.

  ‘And they say her spirit still roams the gardens looking for her lover,’ said Zhen.

  ‘You have heard the tale?’ asked Fu.

  ‘I have heard. Is that not why her lover tends the Emperor’s flowers, hoping to be reunited?’ she said.

  ‘Perhaps, but you know that her killer was never caught,’ said Fu.