Each
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Stories
Many years ago, the Old Man of the Moon decided to visit the Earth. He disguised himself as a beggar and asked Fox , Monkey, and Rabbit for some food.
Monkey climbed a tree and brought him some fruit. Fox went to a stream, caught a fish, and brought it back to him. But Rabbit had nothing to offer him for all he knew how to do was eat grass. Distressed and ashamed he could not help, he asked the beggar to build a fire. After the beggar started the fire, Rabbit jumped into it and offered himself as a meal for the beggar to eat.
Quickly the beggar changed back into the Old Man of the Moon and pulled Rabbit from the fire. He said, "You are most kind, Rabbit, but don't do anything to harm yourself. Since you were the kindest of all to me, I'll take you back to the moon to live with me." And so the Rabbit lives with the Old Man of the Moon, and reminds those who look upon him to be selfless and kind.
The name Yue Tu is one very important to the very core of the Servitor. Named after the Moon Rabbit of legends (Yue Tu in Chinese), she tries to honor the name gifted to her in selfless service of her Creator, the Owl. She truly believes if she devotes herself enough to him perhaps one day she will be rewarded.
Perfection, eloquence, selfless devotion
That is the Servitor way. Only the best are chosen to represent The Owl in the markets, in selling those of their own kind to the Free People of the world. They must be quick, intelligent, adaptable to any situation, and to an extent manipulative.
Yue Tu was not prepared.
She was everything a Servitor was meant to be, trained extensively to sell and tend to her clutch and yet, within the markets of Chang’an, one aspect of her very being served to override all her hard work and devotion to her task: womanhood. What a cruel joke to be played upon her by her Father Owl that Yue Tu could have all the training in the world, be the most devoted to his cause and yet the very essential aspect of her being warranted immediate dismissal by the free public! This was the way of Chang’an, a barrier Yue Tu by default could not pass. Not only did her clutch remain unsold within the markets, but even avoided due to the disapproval of the ‘woman’ who lead them. Unconscionable! Immoral!
The eyes of the Owl fell upon the rabbit with disapproval, for what use is a Servitor if they cannot sell his creations? The shame of it all! Her clutch sympathized with her failure though she had failed them as well, but they did not blame her. As time passed Yue Tu and her clutch worked together to find other means of earning coin, hawking their crafts to be sold by other merchants until an idea formed among them. The only male escort in her clutch tutored her in the ways of being male. Donning the vestments of masculinity, she set upon the market once again.
“Why no, Master you mistake me for my sibling, who has been turned in shame back to our Home. Imagine her, selling in these markets! Regretable is it not? She knew not her place. Women belong only as wives to bear sons and weave cloth, yes. But truly, looking upon these Elysians are they not the most affluent and exotic of toys a noble could have?”
Yue Tu found her place, her clutch sold one by one to rich merchants and nobles until she had no more left to sell and she was alone. It was only then she discovered for the first time the pain that came with a lack of purpose, and so begged the Owl for another clutch to sell. After a time of agonizing waiting the Owl came to call, with a new clutch and ….a new Servitor in tow. Yue was distressed, had she not done well? Was she to be replaced? Had she somehow failed the Owl?
“You have done your duty well, child. You have seen and adapted to the requirements of the people you sell to and for that I am impressed. But I am curious… can you do it again?”
To Guilderiem was she sent then, oh the Father Owl is a demanding creator indeed, to challenge Yue Tu’s adaptability. One must wonder if she can once again rise to the task set before her and win the Owl’s game.