Celestial Dreams.

It is one of the top 10 brothels within the Capital City. Even when they do not hold the rank of number one in their community, so many people flock to their halls of pleasure like bees to a pot of fresh honey.

The brothel was incredibly popular amongst the common folk, even within the history of the Jade Empire. There have been a few chapters in life, where Emperors personally invited them to perform at his birthday. They weren’t just women who bed anyone, they were high class entertainers who were talented in all sorts of performance from dance, to music, and even literature. Every now and then there have always been one or two Courtesan who can be a surprise of the ages with what they can do outside of the bedroom.

The best girls in Celestial Dreams were given the title of ‘Flower Princess’ by the masses, for their divine beauty and heavenly elegance. The elite. They possess many lovely tricks up and down their sleeves, so enthralling and fascinating that they need not always remove their pants to charm their clients.

There was even rumour of a Crowned Prince gifting an entire county just to convince one of those Flower Princess to stay at one of his private estates for an entire summer. Same rumour has it, that Flower Princess had enough class to simply say ‘no’ and get away without losing her head. Of course, no one knows the true details as the Imperial Historian Department made sure that piece of royal history was deleted – thoroughly.

These Flower Princess of Celestial Dreams were well loved. Some called them idols of the world, some called them earthly goddesses. Many revere them as geniuses in the arts and passion.

Fae Fae, was one of them. Bright and pleasant.

She was someone who knew how to make men forget about the horrors and strife of the world without touching a bed. She could make her cheeks glow and sparkle like a crystal under the light from just a single sip of wine, a feature many of her clients love to watch and tease with another cup to make her sparkle harder.

Clean and silky hair as vibrant as red coral, a soft cotton cloth hugged around her head with every thread well worn by the bittersweet tale in her life, and eyes that make others feel they were greeted by a gentle ocean of tranquility.

Fae Fae never received a proper education, but she had a sharp mind and a flexible tongue – literal or not.

If there ever was an upcoming war between great nations, she would be the best candidate to act as the negotiator. She had this strange talent to share a few sweet words between the ears of sworn enemies, to suddenly make them host a grand festival together and even dance with arms around each other like they were long lost brothers finally reunited!

Caring. Understanding. Patient.

Even if lonely scholars drone on about their high ideals, how the world should behave, or talk about the weirdest of academic topics, Fae Fae knew how to smile and nod without judgment. Never a single yawn from her. And if a client becomes enraged over the pettiest of things, or depressed over the biggest of woes, Fae Fae had the innate ability to be whatever woman they please to bring them peace and consolation.

Everyone called Fae Fae a genius.

In reality, she spends many days and nights behind closed doors practicing the hell out of everything she was known to be good at. She was not born in a grand music academy, so every instrument she knew now were cultivation of countless of practice, cutting her finger tips, and private tutors with expensive rates.

She was not born from a family of dancers, neither did she had the privilege to go to a proper dancing school. Her performances is a testament of simply bowing her head to her previous brothel seniors and retired legends to learn only bits and pieces – then filling in the gaps with some creative footwork and twisting of her slender body.

Of course no one ever followed progress, only the results, so she rarely bothers to explain the science of her ‘genius’ in front of others. And whenever she was showered in praises and admiration, she secretly thank the many people who helped her to reach this point in life.

Fae Fae went by many names, both appropriate and inappropriate.

There was one title her clients, patrons, and fans would present to her and hold it with the highest of respects in their art.

‘The Sword Fairy.’

Fae Fae’s specialty was dancing with a sword. Even if she did not possess any martial arts skills, magic cultivation, nor did she have any formal training from a martial art sect or performing hall, she combined trial and error, experience, and wisdom of others to invent a series of dramatic swordplay that would inspire others.

Be it stage, a balcony, or even the rails, she would show her perfect form, balance, and precision. Her personal favourite place to perform was:

On top of the brothel’s rooftop.

Fae Fae would always tie this exotic red silk scarf to the end of her sword. Every spin and dance she creates would make the curtains flutter around like an angel seeking the face of her lover. A red so vibrant, people can see every detail of it’s flight even from hundreds of miles away.

Fae Fae was skillful enough to boldly toss her blade into the night air, make it flip and tumble with elegance by pulling at the cloth like a string puppet, then whipping the blade back to land into her palm without slicing herself.

She always performed six stories above the ground, with 1000 pair of eyes witnessing her live performance. No wire work, no safety net, not even a stunt double, only pure skill and complex acrobatics across the loose and uneven roof tiles.

It was not to show off her prowess neither was it a gimmick to help her stand out.

Not everyone can visit the Celestial Dreams, obviously for various reasons. A house of pleasure where a single visit would cost at least 100 silver, enough to buy 10 horses if they had the coffers for it. Although the purpose of the business was to sell the body, with a place as high class and exquisite as Celestial Dreams, it also sold performances to wow the crowd – an experience of a lifetime other than raw skinship.

Fae Fae wanted to perform for everyone, regardless if they were clients of the night or people outside of the brothel walls. Deep down, there is that passion of an artists who wished to share her craft to those around her, to the world. To bring a sense of hope, creativity, and put a smile on others face.

What better way to let near everyone in the Capital watch her performance, than dancing with a sword on top of the highest building in the Capital district.

People who knew of her legends would always race to the nearest rooftop or balcony so they could catch a glimpse of her heavenly sword dance. From start to end, cheers and applause could not stop. Every step, flip, twirl, were all perfect in their eyes. Seeing the looks of awe on their faces paid off, from all the countless nights of choreographing in a corner of her room until her hands turned red and her feet chapped and bleeding.

The amount of dedication she puts into her performance, to make others happy, be it friend or foe was well respected. The patrons of all classes hail her as a goddess incarnate. It always made her blush and become conscious, another endearing trait.

At the same time, such fame and recognition always drew ire from her fellow Courtesans.

What does she have that they do not? They always wondered. They were prettier than Fae Fae, smarter than Fae Fae, knew more exotic and foreign performances than Fae Fae, not to mention they had better money makers than the so called Sword Fairy!

However, just seeing Fae Fae dance with a sword and silk on the roof, make any instrument sing and dance with a touch of her fingers, even reciting over 1000 poems in her drunken inspiration...they give up hating her and can only admire this woman’s hard work.

Not to mention, Fae Fae was smart when it comes to human relationships. She knew how to bribe her co-workers with fancy jewellery, exotic hairpins, or limited edition cloth!

The Sword Fairy was the type to make more friends than she could enemy. Or make bad guys just jelly in their leg after she shares a passionate night with them. She always knew exactly how to make a lonely heart feel loved and respected without putting on airs.

Pure honesty through and through...

...So, it can be very difficult to imagine her not being punctual to her next performance.

To Be Continued Part 2 ==>