There’s a moment where the wind blows across the ship and swirl’s Chen’s hair. A loose strand swirls up past her ear and gently caresses her cheek, but she’s too lost in thought to brush it aside. A moment of silence and worry.

At last she looks at Qiu. “No, she’s not. She’s a person, or at least some demon or faerie that’s very much like a person. You like to play a tough game, but if she were really dangerous, you’d have put together your own hunting party, maybe called me or Princess Yin. You wouldn’t have hung up posters and tempted everyone into going after her to try and get a dance with you. I know the two alliances make you out to be a demon yourself, but I can tell you’re not interested in putting the servants and the handmaidens in danger like that.”

Chen finally brushes aside the hair and lifts her chin with a defiant look that says [i]I understand you.[/i] A challenge, the first one issued here. But then she’s right isn’t she?

[Figure someone out 6+3+0=9. First question. How would Qiu feel if someone actually got hurt trying too hard to win her favor? Second question, what does she really hope to get from this contest? She gets a question of Chen as well.]