Arabellaâs heart fluttered nervously within her ribcage as she stepped into The Dragonâs Den. This wasnât the first time she had been there, to act as a mouthpiece for her mother, but the very thought of who her audience would be would make her face flush and stomach drop, especially knowing what she did of Lilingâs ambitions. Her adoration of the Triadâs Dragon Head ran deep and as far back as she could remember, since she had first taken the reins of the organization and led them to take New York City by storm. Perhaps her feelings were foolish, child-like even, but when Taika Longwei was involved, Arabella just simply couldnât come to grips with herself at all.Â
She made her way to the VIP section, sparing only the briefest glance at the staff as she walked by. Perhaps if she had been of a lower position, they would have thought to stop her. But with a face that had been plastered across the billboards of New York City, and a last name that tied her to one of the highest ranking officers among them, Arabella rarely had issues accessing the senior members of the Triad. Regardless, the sheer amount of slack they provided her wasâŚunnerving, and something that the Dragonâs Head would need to know about. If it didnât run so contrary to Lilingâs plans, she might have made a decision to speak up about it. But for now, the oversight would be for her eyes and hers alone. Until there was an opportunity.
The model found her leader waiting, and for a moment she hesitated. But Liling had trained her well, had broken her in like a well-bred steed, and she found herself continuing onwards before she could let the doubt sink in again. Arabella plastered a polite smile onto her face, making sure that Taika could see her approach before bowing deeply. âWÇ mÇqÄŤn xiĂ ng tÄ wènhÇo. Liling Li Liu fell ill last night, so she has sent me in her place, to be her eyes and ears, and to speak with her voice.â A part of her was afraid to look up, but the fear of what her mother would think if she botched this meeting forced her to be brave whether she liked it or not. âI hope I can be a suitable replacement in her absence. She did not want you to wait, given how quickly news has been developing over the past few days.â
Some parts of Taikaâs job were an unnecessary evil, though she supposed it was something that had come with the title she held. Growing up at her fatherâs side, she could pinpoint those exact moments when her fatherâs mood went from honest too proud. When everything was suddenly different in the way that he held himself and the way he addressed others. At first, she assumed that it was simply business. That he had to present himself in a certain way to get his point across. But she was quickly able to discern the difference between a meeting with someone he cared for and a meeting he was forced to have. Typically his mood switched when he had to meet with Liling Li Liu, an infamous member within the Triadâs ranks who was nothing short of untrustworthy.
Perhaps that is why Taika always had the same outlook with her meetings with the associate. That unsettled feeling in her gut whenever the woman was around. Her pride rising out of her as she bit her tongue on the things that had rattled in her brain. And though she had a distaste for the woman, the Triad prided themselves on being a family and those morals translated over even to the people she could not stand. She would have to remain loyal to the woman until she had solid evidence that she had been playing for another team. She could not act on a gut feeling, but she wouldnât even know where to begin looking to find the fault in her ways.
She prepared herself for the meeting in the VIP lounge of The Dragonâs Den. Taika wanted to take in all of the last bits of peace she could find before her day would fully be ruined by the mere presence of Liling. She drew careful, deep breaths in trying to calm herself down before the woman arrived for their scheduled meeting. It was only when she heard the heavy door being pushed open that she looked over to prepare herself for the worst. And yet all she saw was Arabella Li Liu, the dazzling blue lantern who was nothing like her mother. As she spoke, Taika could feel the tension in her shoulders release knowing that she someone managed to escape dealing with the terror that was Liling.Â
There was a smile that made its way across her features as the girl explained away the reasoning for her motherâs absence. While the real reason may not have been told, she couldnât help but feel relieved to see the bright young face standing before her now. âArabella,â she finally broke the silence making her way over to the girl to place a warm hand on her shoulder. âEven though I am the dragon head, I can assure you I wonât bite,â she gave her shoulder a small squeeze prompting her to look up at her. âIt is always a joy seeing you,â she reminded the girl before bringing her hand back to herself. âCome, weâll get some tea before we talk business. Unless you have a time restraint, then I understand. But I would love to catch up, itâs not often we find each other in the presence of one another.â