Fantasy Chasing Beloveds

[Aster]

• Cassius Tesa •​

The sky was blue, the birds were chirping, everything was perfect as it ought to be. Cassius believed he deserved nothing less than perfection. It was his first time in years stepping foot in Edenburgh. The quaint province was located near the seaside and various shops were lined along the main road, selling wares of unique shells and jewellery. It was also one of the first provinces known to have made truce with the alluring but dangerous merfolk. That was one thing Cassius was excited for.

He had never seen a mermaid up close before. Maybe now, he'd finally get the chance to. Although, knowing him, seeing wasn't the only thing he had in mind...

The male was snapped back to reality before his imagination could drift. His sister sat by his side in the carriage and being naturally intuitive, she could tell when he was up to no good. The sharp slap on the back of his hand was a mere warning. They were here strictly on a "business" meeting and Olissa was there to make sure Cassius stayed in line.

"Ouch, what was that for?" he yelped, nursing his stinging hand to his chest.

"You had that stupid look on your face."

"My face can't look stupid. I'm too dashingly handsome."

Olissa pursed her lips, eyes narrowing at her half-brother.

"Only when you keep your mouth shut," she reluctantly admitted.

Cassius wisely chose to hold his tongue. He was sure she'd hit him again if he didn't. He threw her a sulky look before turning his attention towards the window. They were seated in a western-looking carriage which shared some similarities to the traveling caravans found in their country, Altheana.

Unlike their homeland, Edenburgh was mostly green plains and valleys. In the distance, Cassius could spy the sea. They had ridden for four days to reach here and he could tell Olissa was getting restless. The raven head himself was fairing just fine. He was used to hard travels and being out on the go for hours. He was never the type of person to stay put in one place for long. There were too much to see in the world, too much to do, too many women to flirt. Cassius was a free man who exploited his riches and his bountiful spare time. The trip down to Edenburgh was no different.

Although, he really couldn't understand why Olissa was so agitated this time round. She was usually calm and collected and while he had a reputation for upsetting her, she seemed particularly on edge today. Maybe it was her time of month.

Cassius didn't know nor did he care. He was just grateful to be out of country for once, even if that meant his cranky older sister had to follow along. Little did he know, the freedom he so promptly enjoyed was soon to be taken from him under the seal of matrimony.

 

[clockwork girl]

• Kiriya Lin •​

On the opposite side of Edenburgh, a similar horse drawn carriage was trotting down the street with another unsuspecting victim in tow. Seated close to the window, a dark haired young woman stared out at the unfamiliar sights passing her by with great interest.

While Kiriya had never visited Edenburgh, she’d read plenty of passages on the province and seen artistic renderings--but seeing it like this was an altogether different experience. The architecture was completely different to that of Yuélin, as well as the landscape, even the smell of the wind. There was salt in the air from the sea, something she’d also never seen in anything but paintings, but that was one thing she didn’t have much interest in experiencing up close.

Nevertheless, she was quite elated to be in Edenburgh; all she’d known in her life was the Imperial Palace and her small estate and the village it lorded over. While she’d always been fascinated with the surrounding countries and their cultures, she’d never entertained the idea that she’d be able to travel to them someday. Travel was a rare thing for the nobility, especially the women, but truthfully she’d resigned herself to remaining at the Northern estate for the rest of her life. She’d resigned herself to a lot of things. In the eight years she’d been away from court, it seemed that she’d faded more and more from their collective memory--out of sight, out of mind. Even her father, who had once been utterly devoted to her, wrote back less and less. It couldn’t be helped, she’d told herself. After all, things were different now, and he had Nanaya and Yué to adore. She couldn’t blame him--she had to understand--and she did, of course, but sometimes it stung more than she’d ever admit even to herself.

How much they’d grown, Nanaya and Yué ...they looked like strangers now. They all had--from the palace she’d once called home, to the girls who had once been her closest friends; her half-siblings, her old friends, the courtiers--all of them had looked at her like she was a stranger too. She truly was little more than a stranger, she supposed. In the first few years of her exile, she’d been terribly homesick. She’d long for the Imperial Palace and the beautiful gardens and the glimmering ponds, the feeling of her father’s hand on her head, the fragrance of her mother’s embrace. Over the years in the frigid north, however, she’d found herself cooling to the idea of the court, and now--now she knew for certain it was not her place of belonging. She was an outsider now; they didn't want her, and perhaps that was for the best.

“Princess?”

The voice shook her out of her thoughts, and she glanced up from where her gaze had fallen to see the familiar, grizzled face of General Sai looking her way through the window. She inclined her head slightly, a bit of warmth entering her eyes. “Yes, General?”

“Are you unwell? We can stop for some respite and refreshments, if you are growing weary,” the older man suggested as he rode alongside the carriage.

Realizing that her companion must have caught onto some hint of her thoughts, Kiriya immediately straightened, trying to hide her embarrassment. This wouldn’t do, she had to focus! She was here for a reason, wasn’t she? Moping and brooding about the past or the uncomfortable visit to court was hardly productive, and she couldn’t allow it to distract her from the importance of the trip. “No, that won’t be necessary--we are almost at our destination, are we not? It would be best not to delay.”

“It is as you say, princess, but we have arrived early for just such a reason. I have been given responsibility to care for your wellbeing--the Emperor would be most displeased should you fall ill under my watch,” he reminded her gently. “A short break will not do you harm.”

She let out a small sigh, but a faint, wry smile hovered over her lips. “Very well then, General,” she conceded, “Perhaps it would be beneficial.” At the general's orders the carriage came to a stop and soon she was stepping carefully out of it.

"If you will follow me, Princess," the General gestured promptly, leading her through the unfamiliar streets towards something that seemed similar to the tea houses in her homeland. Though she walked with the poise that had been hammered into her from youth, she couldn't quite keep her gaze from wandering curiously over the surroundings and the people who were also stealing glances her way. Maybe he was right. She’d been trying to stave off those unpleasant thoughts for the entire trip, but no matter what they’d come circling back to torment her. Maybe some fresh air would take her mind off of irrelevant things--after all, there was so much to see for the first time.

 

[Aster]

• Cassius Tesa •​

It was the empty feeling in their stomachs, rather than the sun being high in the sky which signaled their time for lunch and light refreshments. Knowing his sister's appetite (especially when her mood was sour), Cassius suggested they stopped earlier for food; a notion which garnered Olissa's quiet appreciation. Still skeptical of her brother's motives, she gave him a sharp side eyed which warned him from any tomfoolery; to which, Cassius merely responded with a grin and a light smack to her back.

"Lighten up, sis. We're on vacation. Might as well enjoy ourselves, right?" he laughed as he stretched, long and cat-like, without a care in the world. It was almost a reflexive act for him to wink at a group of passing girls, who giggled and blushed as they walked away.

Olissa merely rolled her eyes, "Vacation or not, we're royals representing our country. It'll do you good not to disgrace our homeland," she replied with less bite. There was a sympathetic softness in her eyes, which Cassius' didn't caught but couldn't comprehend. How could he? While his relationship with his sister could be questionable to outsiders, they both knew that they held each other dearly. Never would he had expected Olissa to lie to him, aiding his father's plan to trap him in one of his greatest fears: commitment.

"Yeah, yeah," Cassius sighed, swatting the air in a lackadaisical manner. "I'll meet you back here in half an hour?" he said, hands tucked in his pockets, already moving away from Olissa and her guards. After being in a cooped up space for hours, putting some distance would do them both some good.

Most of the guards remained with Olissa, but he was almost certain his sister had sent at least one person to follow him in secret. It was probably more to keep him out of trouble than to protect him, seeing how Cassius (and most members of the royal family) were trained in self-defense. Like his father, he was more than a capable fighter and kept a small dagger hidden in his inner cloak should an emergency arise.

The stoned paths were rather different from the dirt and marbled grounds Cassius was used to. The houses were all cottage-like with pointy, triangular roofs. Smoke came out from funnels attached to the tiles on top and glass lanterns hung in front of every wooden door, undoubtedly used for lighting up the streets at nightfall.

One thing he found comfort in was the market place where food and goods were sold in stalls, identical to the ones found in Altheana. He hummed quietly to himself in delight as he pocketed two largely ripe, red apples. It was interesting to see the fruit which looked similar to yellow apples in his country. He bought one for himself and Olissa, already biting in right after purchase. The crisp sweetness brought a light to his eyes and the lady at the stall found so much amusement in his delight, that she gave him another one for free.

After thanking her, Cassius moved on until his eyes followed the gazes of others, eventually landing on a very dressed up Asian doll. Upon seeing her, he stopped in mid-bite, founding an appetite in something other than the red fruit. He tossed it away, despite it being only half-eaten and moved to get a closer look. When she entered one of the cafes down the street, he followed after in suit in a slow saunter. His many dealings with women had him more jaded, and while the maiden had caught his attention, he knew better than to expect her to be anything more than something to kill time with.

The man beside her was dressed in a similar fashion to her; an northern type of style which reminded Cassius' of the Yuelin women he's courted for good fun in the past. It only took a glance for him to deduce that the man was her bodyguard or chaperone. The fabrics he wore looked far courser and less fine than the woman's. They were exchanging soft conversation when Cassius entered and amber followed as the man moved away to order food at the counter.

There was a playful, almost devious glint in his eyes as he moved over, seating himself directly in front of the girl. There were many other tables opened and available so his action made his intentions clear.

"Hello there, beautiful. Are you new to Edenburgh too? Maybe we can explore this place together," he grinned, giving her his award-winning smile. "The name's Cassius. It'll do me great honor to call you by name, princess."

The words rolled off his tongue in a smooth baritone, mixed with a hint of his Althean accent. He exploited his honey-rich voice and handsome features, knowing that there were few to reject his offer.

 

[clockwork girl]

• Kiriya Lin •​

The inside of the tea house was as charming as the outside--fresh flowers were in vases, while customers sat at their tables on chairs instead of cushions. The general led her to a slightly more secluded area, waiting for her to take a seat before taking his own. “I apologize, this might be the quietest place for refreshments at this hour...” the older man began. Having been at her side for the entirety of her stay in the North, he was well aware of his charge’s tendencies.

“It’s quite alright, General,” Kiriya told him with a reassuring nod. “This is perfect.” Her brief return to court indeed had been overwhelming--her household at the estate was a miniscule in comparison to the number of people at the Imperial Court. Not only that, it seemed that her long absence at court was still something to gossiped about. As a child she’d once found the collective gaze of the court to be a friendly one, a constant but benign presence, but this time she knew better--this time, being surrounded by hundreds of prying, malicious little eyes just digging for something to use had been nothing short of a nightmare. Sure, there were some people staring at her here too, but they knew nothing of her. As far as the people of Edenburgh were concerned, she was just another passerby in interesting clothes. There was relief in such anonymity.

“Understood,” he replied, before motioning towards the counter. “Shall we eat then, princess? Is there anything you wish to try in particular?”

“I’ll leave it in your hands,” she answered with a small smile. After all, General Sai had travelled quite often to Edenburgh before he had become her protector. “Something light to eat, perhaps. And a cold drink, if it can be arranged,” she added, tracing the collar of her multi-layered robes. Though most wouldn’t have considered the weather in Edenburgh to be particularly hot, especially in the springtime, Kiriya could clearly feel a sharp difference to the cool climate of her northern residence. Why, if it were any warmer, it’d be akin to midsummer back in the north!

With a deep nod the general headed off to the counter, and her gaze trailed after him. While his stern face and gruff voice had first frightened her when he’d escorted her to Naozuru, he was a kind and responsible soul that had looked after her with great care. She’d always felt apologetic that a general of his calibre had been reduced to the role of caretaker, but he’d never once uttered a complaint--never once made her feel like she was a burden. She was grateful to him. In fact, sometimes she wished--

Suddenly, a strange young man appeared in before her, boldly seating himself in front of her without as much as a may I?. Kiriya blinked, her eyes wide with surprise--what was going on? It was suspicion that filled her next, and she tensed, ready to bolt up from her seat. The knife-like fear in her chest, however, was once again replaced with confusion as he finally spoke up.

"Hello there, beautiful. Are you new to Edenburgh too? Maybe we can explore this place together,” he offered, flashing her a brilliant smile. "The name's Cassius. It'll do me great honor to call you by name, princess."

Princess?

“How did you…” she uttered, the beginnings of a frown on her face, but then it dawned on her that if he’d truly known her identity, he wouldn’t be asking for her name. Her composure returned quickly at the realization, though she still had no idea why he’d call her a princess if he did not know it to be true. Was it a misguided attempt to gain her favor? “Pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir,” she nevertheless returned graciously, as she had been taught. “My name is Kiriya.” From his appearance, dress, and slight lilting accent, she could see that he likely hailed from Altheana. Was he part of the entourage of an ambassador? Or just a traveler?

“Unfortunately, it seems our acquaintance was meant to be a brief one,” she continued quickly but clearly, modestly averting her eyes. “It is kind of you to offer, but I must politely decline your invitation.” Still, Kiriya was not blind--she could see that he was quite a handsome young man, the kind that many girls would love to have the attention of. She, however, was trying to send him off as soon as possible without being rude or making a fool of herself.

It wasn’t that he’d done anything particularly offensive, simply that it had been a long time since she’d spoken to a boy anywhere near her age and she didn’t know what to say or do. There was a great interest in courtly love and romance among the nobles belonging to the Imperial court--poems and songs depicting the throes of passion and heartbreak were staples. Had she remained there, there was no doubt she would have become exceedingly skilled at the game, likely been wed years earlier...but that wasn’t her reality, was it? She could only hope that he’d leave her be.

 

[Aster]

• Cassius Tesa •​

Her polite declination brought a soft chuckle to his lips, but her initial shock had been caught by an observant eye. While he was curious to why she had responded with such, he chose not to ask, dismissing it as mere surprise.

"Ah, well I see. How unfortunate," Cassius sighed, but in no terms ready to give up. She had given him her name, which was a good sign. The lack of disgust or disinterest, tempted him to continue in his endeavors. "Maybe you can grace me with light conversation then? I am in no short of time and the hours do past slowly when you're alone."

He made a look of faux-pain to emphasize, but leaned back in his seat to give the girl room to think. The distance he put between them was just enough to make one feel safe; if he wanted to harm her, he'd have to lunge forward (in a very ungraceful manner) across the table; an uncharacteristic move which would most definitely grant him a sizeable fist in his face.

"Do you hail from elsewhere? Shall I guess where you're from?" Cassius asked, with a very boyish grin, "Yuelin? Naozuru?" he made a wild guess, knowing only the major cities in that country.

 

[clockwork girl]

• Kiriya Lin •​

The young man didn’t get up and bid her farewell like she’d been dearly hoping for--instead, he remained quite comfortably in his chair, cajoling her for at least a conversation. She found herself a bit surprised, though she wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, exactly. In fact, she had no idea what to expect from him. Unlike the other people she’d associated with, she had the very least amount of experience with flirtatious young men.

Her gaze briefly flicked to the General on the other side of the room, who seemed to be paying coin for the food. Almost as if her eyes had called him, her guardian turned to look back at her. Alarm crossed his face as he sighted the stranger, and he immediately began to take a step toward her with his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Quickly, she raised a subtle hand from her lap, signaling to him that she was fine. The older man nodded back with extreme reluctance and returned to the counter, though she could still feel his hawk-like gaze on them as she turned back to the dark haired young man in front of her. General Sai was justified in taking precautions--but she didn’t need him rushing over with a weapon. As far as she could tell, the amber-eyed young man didn’t appear dangerous or to have malicious intent...and as long as he didn’t go back to flirting, she could pretend that he was a diplomat or one of the older men of her household.

“Of course, though I fear it might not make much time pass,” she agreed carefully, keeping her face neutral and polite. Kiriya certainly didn’t plan on spending more time chatting than she absolutely had to--this was a brief respite on the way to an important meeting of diplomacy. Sure, she wasn’t ecstatic about having to conversate further with this stranger, but she didn’t want to be rude or make a fuss. Having to make bland conversation was certainly not the worst thing she’d had to make herself do.

However, it seemed that this brief exchange wasn’t going to be as unremarkable as she’d first thought. Her eyes darted up to his face, her lips parting in surprise. How did he know…? She sucked in a breath, scanning his expression. It wasn’t startling that he could guess the country she came from, but down to the city? Naozuru wasn’t even a city of particular note, not in comparison to the capitol. “Yes, Naozuru,” she confirmed haltingly. Normally she wouldn’t have given out such information so freely, but now she couldn’t help but wonder if he knew more than he was letting on. “I apologize--have we met before, sir?” Kiriya found herself asking, a hint of apprehension in her voice. “I don’t believe I’ve been acquainted with anyone from Altheana in the past…”

 

[Aster]

• Cassius Tesa •​

Cassius had taken from her reactions that she wasn't acquainted with flirtatious behavior; a common trait found in the people of Yuelin due to their reserved natures. However, there were the occasional out-going sorts, usually coming from the country's middle class folks. This made him all the more intrigued as his personality was prone to being painfully teasing.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, princess. Just being able to sit here with you is making time fly all too quickly," he chuckled, raising a brow at the line she threw at him. He half-wondered if she realized her reply could be taken in a coquettish manner, but the apprehension in her voice told him otherwise.

"I'm afraid not. I would've remembered a face like yours if we had," Cassius replied honestly, scooting further as Kiriya's bodyguard came back with menace alluding from his aura. A tray of food was set before the girl and if looks could kill, the glare the man gave would've been enough to slice Cassius in half.

Unfortunately for the general, Cassius remained unfazed and merely smiled in friendly reproach.

"Ah, the chaperone. Don't mind me, good sir. I'm just here for a nice friendly chat," he said, patting the chair beside him. His eyes danced in amusement as the man stiffened in discomfort, unsure of how to handle the situation. A glance was shared between the woman and the bodyguard before he eventually, took his seat next to the Altheanian prince.

Returning back to the conversation, Cassius rose a brow at her correct guess, "What makes you assume I hail from Altheana?" He wondered aloud, giving a moment's pause before adding, "Was it my accent? I should really try harder on fixing my pronunciation then."

There was a light sigh in his words as he fiddled with the apple he purchased, "Tell me, do they grow fruit as red as these in Yuelin? It's such a fascinating color, don't you think?" His words strung along to make small talk and natural charisma made it easy for those to lend a listening ear. Something about the man made it easy for one to share their opinions. Perhaps it was his easy-going nature.

He waited for Kiriya's response before eventually tossing the apple in her direction. Anyone with decent reflexes would've caught the fruit and even if she didn't, the force wouldn't have been enough to actually hit her, but rather fall into her lap.

 

[clockwork girl]

• Kiriya Lin •​

It seemed, however, that the young man had no intention of keeping the conversation free from flirtatious overtones. Kiriya struggled to keep her poise, feeling the urge to fidget away the nervousness she felt. The best she could do to survive this encounter, she decided, was to try and filter out the flirting and focus only on the important words. So what he was really saying here...was that no, they were truly strangers. Indeed, even Kiriya would have remembered meeting him if she had, having only seen a single Altheanian in her life up until now, an ambassador in her youth.

Just then, General Sai reappeared at her side, still looking none-too-pleased at the interloper. He laid down a tray before her, laden with a small round pastry and a glass of something with a sweet fragrance. “Thank you,” she murmured, taking a sip of the cool drink, sweet and tangy and refreshing. Feeling much safer with the warrior there Kiriya almost thought to relax, but the withering glare General Sai was levelling at the young man sitting across from her made her think better of it. The general made an extremely intimidating figure, especially when he was making such a murderous face, but the recipient of said glower didn’t seem to be affected in any way, nonchalantly brushing off the non-verbal threat and going as far as to offer him the seat next to him.

Looking like he had absolutely no idea how to react, her protector glanced her way. At her subtle nod, he gingerly lowered himself into the seat, stiff and reluctant--which only appeared to amuse the young man. It was no simple feat to remain so calm in the face of the general, though it was hard to say whether it was brash foolishness or bravery that enabled him to do so. But before she could linger on the matter, he spoke up again, startling her from her thoughts.

“I apologize sir, I did not mean to be presumptuous…” she started hastily at his question as dismay fluttered over her features. As he continued, however, it turned out her conclusion hadn’t been erroneous after all, though it was not of much comfort to her. “Not at all, it was mostly your manner of dress--I have come across paintings depicting Altheana,” she readily explained, still worried that she had been offensive. Words had power--growing up in a country so devoted to arts, including literature and poetry, she understood that very well. They had to be used wisely, carefully, much like the way one wielded a brush; it wouldn’t do to throw them about carelessly.

“But now, I must be the one to wonder--how were you able to know I was from Naozuru?” she asked, her own brows creasing faintly. General Sai stiffened even further at the words, the suspicion in his eyes doubling. If they weren’t acquainted and he knew nothing about her, how in the world had he deduced so? Was he so perceptive as to catch some small hints?

The conversation changed course as he showcased a red fruit--an apple, though much larger in size than the smaller, pinker kind that grew in the orchards of her homeland. His words seemed to flow along in whatever caught his interest, and yet the changes were fluid, almost effortless as a fish slipping through the water. “Yes, there are some,” the dark haired girl answered thoughtfully, thinking back to the fruits she had partaken in her girlhood. “Strawberries, and cherries too...though it’s hard to find them up in Naozuru.” It was too cold most of the year for most crops to grow in the far north, after all.

Suddenly, the red apple was not in his hand anymore. No, it was sailing through the air. Towards her.

“Ah!” she let out a squeak, fumbling to catch the rogue apple. It slipped right through her fingers the first time, but fortunately she managed to grab a hold of it the second time. Embarrassed at having lost her stately composure she froze, her cheeks rapidly coloring, while General Sai seemed utterly floored by the sheer absurdity of what had just occurred--though he was quick to recover.

“Ruffian!” he snarled, no doubt insulted by having some strange, cocky young man pelt his mistress with fruit--but before he could do or say anything further, it was his princess’ whispered plea that stopped him.

“Please, General.” Almost as red as the apple, Kiriya glanced about the tea house before fixing her guardian with an imploring look. She didn’t want to create a scene and have everyone staring in disdain or amusement--that’d be a little too much like the gazes of the court. The older man paused, then with a deep breath he rose, coming to stand at attention at her side as if to imply that the next thing flung at his charge would be sliced into tiny pieces. Cheeks still burning, she reached across the table to return the apple to him, unable to quite meet his amber eyes. “It was...kind of you to let me hold it,” she somehow managed, though she felt more like shrivelling up from embarrassment. “I haven't seen an apple like this one before. Thank you.” So much for not making a fool of herself.

 

[Aster]

• Cassius Tesa •​

Cassius answered most of her questions with relative ease. There was no rush in his words and seemingly no depth, fulfilling his exact intention to mere 'kill time'. A brow quirked as he was brought to admit he was naming cities off the top of his head, "An honest guess. Unfortunately, I've never had the pleasure to visit the country, but I suspect it must be grand. Especially if it's home to cute girls like yourself," he teased, with a wink.

From the corner of his eye, he could see a vein pop from the general's head. That probably wasn't a good sign, but Cassius was never one to back down.

"Strawberries and cherries huh?" the Althean thought aloud, wondering what they might look like. Fruits that grew in cold temperatures wouldn't be able to withstand Altheana's heat. They were usually shipped and exported instead, but with the large plethora of fruit available in Altheana, such exports were considered rare delicacies which Cassius forgone as an expense for something... cough, viable. (He's talking about women.)

"I can only imagine," he smiled, finding the reddening of her cheeks endearing. Her surprised squeak made him suppress a chuckle, wanting instead to applaud her for catching the fruit. But before any words could leave his lips, the general was up on his feet, undoubtedly ready to release the frustrated tension which he had been building up throughout their conversation.

"Ruffian!" the insult hurled only tugged the corners of Cassius' lips into his signature, smug smirk. He had experience situations like these before, although the fault usually (if not always) lied with him. It was a repetitive scene which played out more or less the same; starting with Cassius flirting up some pretty lady who was fortunate enough to catch his eye; some protective male of said lady coming to challenge him in aggression; followed shortly by a prompt apology and a reluctant retreat, either ushered by the female or Cassius' title.

This was little no difference. One could thank the Goddess that he was born under a lucky star.

His unwavering confidence was something to applaud for, but if not backed up by skill, it could easily be turned to foolishness.

When the general had moved at an offensive, so had the guard who had secretly followed Cassius in. Albeit, the prince suspected it was more to stop Cassius than the general.

"Sir, it's probably time you go," the guard said stiffly, coming to his side after being found out. His head bowed at Cassius' disapproving stare and all but mentally wreathed at the discomfort of giving the Yuvraj an order. While he was merely following Olissa's orders of keeping Cassius out of trouble safe, it felt awfully wrong to be commanding someone who is tiers above his station.

Cassius seemed to understand that and after a glance between Kiriya and the guard, he resigned himself to fate. Getting up to his feet, he told her with a fond smile, "Keep it."

His hand closed over hers when she tried to hand him back the apple. Molten amber grew soft as he bade her his parting words, "A momento to remember me by," he said, before leaning down to kiss her chastely on the knuckle. To an Althean, a kiss was merely a mark of acknowledgement or endearment. In Kiriya's case, it was both.

Before the general could possibly remove his head from his neck, Cassius left, following after the guard back to where Olissa was.

 

[clockwork girl]

• Kiriya Lin •​

It was the interruption of another guard, not General Sai’s anger, that finally had the young man bidding her farewell. While she couldn’t deny that she was relieved, she couldn’t help but feel apologetic. He’d entered this place to eat, hadn’t he? Now he had to leave without partaking in any refreshments. As he rose from his seat he told her to keep the apple, much to the princess’ surprise.

“Oh, I couldn’t,” she protested, stretching her arm out a little further towards him. He hadn’t eaten here, surely he’d need this then. His hand reached out and for a moment it seemed that she had succeeded in persuading him, but it was not the feeling of the smooth apple slipping from her fingers that came next; rather, it was the sensation of something soft and warm--his lips--pressing against her knuckles. General Sai choked on his own breath. Then realization finally hit her, and she nearly lost her grip on the apple. He...he had just kissed her! Rendered completely speechless, she stared at the young man as he disappeared, unable to even utter a proper farewell.

“How dare that--” General Sai’s voice dropped into an angry mutter, sparing her from hearing the no doubt creatively descriptive words direction towards the young man. “--put his hands on you! I should have chased him away from the start!”

“It’s alright, general,” the dark haired girl reassured him with a shaky voice, letting out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “I’m fine.” If having an apple tossed at her had been thought unexpected, him casually daring to kiss her hand was ten times more shocking to the pair from Yuélin--physical contact, especially in shows of affection, was limited to a very close and private circle of family and friends, and almost never in public. It would have been unthinkable for anyone outside her family to even grab her hand, but for a stranger to kiss it? In public? That was...that was something else.

The warrior at her side let out a sigh of his own, slowly returning to his seat. His indignation had calmed, but he was far from pleased about everything that had occured. “You are kind, princess, but surely you needn’t be so lenient to those who would take advantage of it,” the older man counseled, a mix of concern and sincerity in his voice. After spending eight years looking after the girl, the general felt more than simply the devotion one felt towards their lord--something that perhaps bordered on fatherly protectiveness. “What would we do if your reputation was to be sullied by some ruffian?”

“The supple reeds survive the storm, but the stubborn tree will not,” she reminded him gently, having found her composure once more. She took a measured sip of her drink, then glanced back up at her guardian. “Besides,” she continued quite calmly, “Even if my reputation was ruined, what would they do? Send me into exile?” Her lips curved into a wry smile, but General Sai did not seem to see the humor in it. Though he said nothing, she could see in his eyes a hint of sadness, of heartache--the same look she’d seen on his face when he’d catch her crying softly in her room those early years.

“Don’t be sad for me, General,” she hastily comforted, “I’m not at all unhappy, I’ve grown fond of our wintry home--I have everything I could need there.” Though many at the Imperial Palace would think otherwise, there wasn’t much one needed to get by; there was no need for overwhelming luxury or festival after festival. As for the absence of any family--though they could not cross the appropriate boundaries set for servants, the members of her small household were good to her, and this faithful general made sure she was safe from harm. She had her books, her studies, and she was allowed the freedom to roam Naozuru. She could be content with what she had, and she was.

“I don’t want to return to court anyhow. And as much as it is exciting to travel, I imagine that when this trip is over I will be relieved to return home--so do not let it concern you.” Admittedly, the last part was slightly exaggerated for the general’s sake; Kiriya didn’t want him to think that she was miserable, nor did she want to be pitied. The General had sacrificed a lot in becoming her guardian, and it would be cruel to make it seem like those sacrifices were unappreciated. Strangely, her words appeared to have a different impact on him than she’d intended, because while the sorrow left his eyes, it was replaced with a strange emotion she’d hadn’t much seen before--something akin to guilt, or anxiety. Why, she couldn’t quite piece together.

******​

Seated at one end of a long, richly decorated table, Kiriya clasped her hands together in her lap and drew in a slow breath. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t nervous--how could she not be? Soon, she would be meeting with diplomats and a representative of the Devarāja of Altheana, not as a simple bystander, but as the representative of the Emperor. That was nothing to scoff at, for sure.

The hours after the....interesting events at the tea house had flown by once they reached their lodgings and Kiriya had been beset upon by servants to bathe, dress, and tweak her appearance to perfect. Fortunately, the meeting was to take place in the very same building, so she’d had time to sneak one last peek at her notes. General Sai, however, who was standing respectfully behind her chair, had spoken very little in that span of time, still seeming to be caught up in the strange mood that had overtaken him in the tea house. It bothered her, but the young woman knew that this was not the right time or place to ruminate on the matter, not when this meeting was of great importance.

It was not as if she had to persuade the other party to agree to the treaty that was to occur; both countries and their rulers had already given their consent. This was to officialize the treaty, to trade legalized documents and tokens of good will. She had brought with her gifts from the the Emperor, the finest silks and other fineries that showcased the bounty of Yuélin, and in many ways, she herself was to serve that purpose as well, being decked out in an extravagant outfit that would have cost as much as one of the Emperor’s ceremonial robes. Her father had even sent along a servant of Empress Shrinya with her, simply to make sure that she would look her best. It felt strange to be dressed so richly again--while her everyday clothes were certainly of a fine quality, there were no ceremonies or parties to attend in Naozuru. Meanwhile, her hair was piled up in a complicated arrangement, decorated with pins and ornament of jade, silver, and rose quartz to complement her robes of green, silver, and pink, colors that were reminiscent of spring and the pale pink flowers that her country was so famous for.

Despite her nervousness, Kiriya knew she was thoroughly prepared; she’d read the treaty multiple times through while travelling to Edenburgh. The wording had been a bit different compared to the treaties she’d studied before--the terms were looser, not written to be completely airtight as far as business treaties went, but she understood that they were just beginning to test the waters regarding Altheana; there would likely be amendments and revisions further down the road as their dealings grew. Just then, she picked up on the sound of footsteps ringing outside. They were here. Squaring her shoulders she sat up even straighter, wiping away any last strains of worry from her face and replacing it with a mask of serenity. Everything would go perfectly, she told herself. It had to.

 

[Aster]

• Olissa Tesa •​

The pleased look on Cassius' face had been enough to tell her that he had been up to no good, most likely having succeeded in flirting with whatever poor soul had caught his eye. The stark look of disapproval was apparent enough for her brother to shrug, answering her unspoken accusations.

"Don't look so dour. I haven't done anything you have to worry for," he said, hurt defiance underlying his words as he passed by his sister.

The guard behind him exchanged looks with her, giving her credit for her doubt; but she let it slide, knowing that this may be Cassius' last few chances to spread his wings before he's officially caged in by their father's wishes. The thought of tricking him into this felt wrong, but orders were orders. Not even Olissa could help him now.

• Cassius Tesa •​

The hotel they checked in at was nothing less than the grandest suites in Altheana. While it was furnished differently, it still held the same air of finesse and luxury, accessible only to the high-class and wealthy. Crystal chandeliers hung from decorated ceilings of painted clouds and cherubs. Ornate lights of curling gold leaves gave a warm, well-lit glow, reflecting off the clear marbled floors which contrasted against velvet carpets.

After the small band had checked in, the Tesa siblings likened themselves to a fresh, hot bath, making good use of their elaborately large bathtubs. While it wasn't as big as the baths in Althean palaces, it fulfilled its purpose well enough that it had Cassius coming out feeling better than ever. He didn't think much of the clothes which were laid out for him; a dark set of robes which were worn for formal occasions by the Althean royalties, or the bands of gold for his arms, hands, and neck, instead of his usual casual wear, granted that this is suppose to be a vacation.

He held his suspicions to himself, up until he saw Olissa dressed from head to two in formal wear as well; the jewelry dangling before her forehead, indicating that she was the first Amirah.

"What's going on?" he asked, his arms crossing before his chest as an unsettling feeling threatened over him.

"Last minute orders," Olissa lied seamlessly, "There seems to be some ambassadors from Yuelin. Father wants us to meet them and sign an agreement treaty."

There was a cold kind of hardness in her eyes which kept Cassius from questioning her. He merely nodded with a sigh.

"Fine, let's get this over with then," he said, suddenly pausing in mid-step down the stairs. "Did you say Yuelin?" he asked, remembering his interactions earlier that day.

"Yes, why?" Her eyes narrowed, picking up things a lot quicker than Cassius could give credit for.

He shook his head, swallowing his doubts. What were the odds it'd be her? He didn't want to get his hopes up, but he was looking already looking forward to a second audience with the Asian babe.

His silence made her frown in worry and Cassius' suspicions were confirmed when they entered the meeting room. It must've been a very private signing because there were only a handful of guards and servants including Olissa's and his own. Seated at the end of the table was a familiar face, even more dressed up than before.

Cassius felt his breath hitch, but his composure remain. A smile etched onto his handsome face as they neared and at this point of time, he wondered if the gods of fate were truly on his side. Maybe if he was lucky, he'd court her enough to steal her away. (Little did he know, he was going to get so much more than he'd hoped for.)

"M'lady," he said after coming before her, greeting her in a signature Althean bow which neither placed her above himself nor below him; a denotation that they were equals, only caught by those who studied Althean social cues. It was a sign of great respect, especially considering the fact that Kiriya was merely a diplomat (or so he thought).

"Seems the fates wish for us to meet again. I fear I had failed to introduce myself properly the first time," he smirked, ignoring Olissa's subtle surprise--a twitch of the eye which was so minuscule that only Cassius had caught on.

"My full name's Cassius Shazadeh ov Tesa, Yuvraj of Altheana. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance," his gold eyes seemed to dance with a silent laughter. The unspoken words again hung in the air as he took his seat across from her.

Likewise, Olissa had stepped forward, nodding her head to acknowledge the Yuelin princess. She however, did not introduce herself nor curtsy, finding no need to. Her seat was taken at Cassius' right hand and her head was held high, daring anyone foolish enough to question her.

The treaty papers were laid out before the two and seeing how Kiriya had arrived first, it was no doubt she had read its contents before him. The last minute arrangement was strange, especially since they were handling foreign affairs, but the Devaraja's orders were never to be questioned, even if they didn't seem to make the most sense. Perhaps the treaty was of little importance, seeing how little (to no) preparation was needed for it.

Not wanting to keep Kiriya (or himself) waiting, Cassius skimmed through the contents, reading just enough to tell that this was an alliance of sorts. Olissa seemed unfazed and he trusted her judgement more than his own. If she seemed to have no problem with it, he didn't see why he should.

After a second skim through, Cassius picked up the fountain pen given and signed his named at the end of the treaty. A small jar of black wax was given, much to Cassius' confusion until Olissa clarified.

"Your singlet ring."

"Ah," Cassius remembered, dipping his own personal seal into the hot wax. In retrospect, this would've been his final warning. A contract requiring the royal seal of the Tesa family was no small matter---even if it was simply the Crowned Prince's and not the Emperor's---but Cassius, entertaining his ignorance, only continued to fasten the seal onto paper; unknowingly securing his doom.

With that done, the treaties were taken back by the minister present and Olissa cleared her throat, breaking the solemn silence in the room.

"Well, now that you two are engaged, I suppose I shall leave you to your own devices," she said, abruptly standing to her feet, wanting to get away as soon as possible. The guilt was almost overbearing but she hardened her heart to her brother's surprised spluttering.

"I beg your pardon? I must've heard wrong," Cassius laughed, "For a moment there, I thought you said we were engaged."

It wasn't like his sister to make jokes like this. The uncharacteristic act made unease bubble in his chest. When Olissa didn't reply, didn't even turn to look at him, Cassius stood up, grabbing her by the arm.

"Olissa," his voice dipped dangerously low, "What do you mean?"

• Olissa Tesa •​

With grit teeth, Olissa could only take the treaty he had signed to her hands, pointing at the small paragraph in fine print which vaguely implied asset exchange through marriage.

"You know exactly what I mean, brother," she answered, words at a volume for his ears only, but harsh enough to cut through steel. With a jerk of her arm, she freed herself from Cassius' hold. "Now if you'd excuse me, your Highnesses," Skirts flared as she turned on her heel, leaving the room without another word. Only when she was securely hidden in the sanctum of her room, did she allow herself to shudder.

"I'm sorry, Cassius."

 

[clockwork girl]

• Kiriya Lin •​

As the double doors began to open, Kiriya mentally steeled herself, readying herself for whoever would enter--but she couldn’t have possibly been prepared for who did stride in. It took her moment, but once that smile flicked across his face she recognized him immediately. It was the young man from the teahouse. She would have doubted her own eyes if she hadn’t felt the general stiffen up behind her--she was not mistaken at all. Mechanically, she rose from her seat to receive his greeting properly, too stunned by this unexpected turn of events to gasp or flinch. She sank into her own ceremonial greeting, one far less demure than what she typically practiced; her eyes not lowered, but kept on his face. Her own humility was not a factor here--she was representing the Emperor, and he was not to be styled as any lesser than the Devarāja.

Once he spoke it was obvious that he was not fooled by her new finery, and a fresh wave of embarrassment rose up in her at the thought that she had been seen with her composure so shattered by the Devarāja's representative. It didn’t help that he was looking at her with eyes filled with amusement, but Kiriya thrust the thought away before it could cause her cheeks to color. “I fear that I have done the same,” she managed to speak, forcing herself to sound gracious and collected. “The honor is mine, milord. I am Kiriya of the Imperial House of Lin, first princess of Yuélin.” Like many things, it felt odd to say that title aloud again, First Princess of Yuélin. She had little need to announce her titles in Naozuru. But still, she was not so lost that she would miss the fact that the beautiful woman who silently nodded her way had to be a first princess as well. She nodded back in kind before taking her seat once more, a new streak of apprehension twisting in her gut as the meeting started in earnest.

The official documents were unsealed from their protective casings and laid on the table, going first to the Yuvraj. Though she had studied the treaty countless times over, this was actually the first time she’d seen the actual document instead of the notes she’d been given. By how quickly his eyes skimmed over the pages, she could only assume he had also been given similar notes to read in the days leading up to this meeting. Once he had finished signing and sealing the document, it was brought to her. She too began to read over the familiar words, most of which she’d already committed to memory. It was when she began to turn to the third page that one of Yuélin's senior diplomats, Lord Xiang, interrupted with a polite cough. “My apologies, Your Highness, but there is still much to be discussed…” he trailed off meaningfully.

“Oh, of course,” she inclined her head, deciding to defer to the elderly diplomat--he was much more experienced in meetings like this than her, after all. Besides, having read the treaty so many times, there was no harm in skipping the last two pages, was there? Surely not. Quickly reaching for the very last page, she carefully signed her name in flowing characters before producing the small lacquered block with her Imperial seal engraved upon it. Once the wax had set it was whisked away, and Kiriya could not help but let out a small breath of relief. Her role was practically over now--she just had to sit here and look the part while the diplomats and ambassadors finished up. But when the silence was broken, it was not by a diplomat or an ambassador--it was by the Amirah of Altheana.

"Well, now that you two are engaged, I suppose I shall leave you to your own devices,” she announced, getting up from her seat.

Kiriya blinked, her eyebrows arching at the words. Engaged? Who was engaged? Surely she could not be talking about them; there had to be a mistake. The news seemed to be of equal absurdity to the Yuvraj, but his sister pointed out a paragraph in unfamiliarly small print on the bottom of the third page without hesitation. What? Bewildered, she turned to the diplomats from her own country, but none of them would meet her eyes, not even the general at her side. “What is the meaning of this?” she demanded numbly.

There was a lengthy silence before Lord Xiang spoke up again, his eyes still averted. “Paragraph eight of section two outlines that the treaty will entail an exchange of assets to secure the alliance--mainly, through the marriage of the Yuvraj of Altheana and the First Princess of Yuelin,” he answered, threading his fingers through his long, white beard.

“There was no such paragraph in the copy of the treaty I was given,” the young woman retorted, her tone turning cold as the winter wind. “I demand to know under whose authority such an amendment has been made.”

“By the authority of your father, the honored Emperor himself, princess.”

At that, she fell into a stunned silence. Her father had decided to marry her off without even consulting her? She hadn’t heard a single word about marriage, not from her father, not from anyone else. In truth, even she had assumed that she would never marry--despite the rest of the country not knowing the truth of her residency in the North, the court and the entirety of the nobility did. When she’d turned twenty-one without hearing a peep about a potential betrothal or suitor, she’d given up on the possibility altogether. It’d been a bitter pill to swallow at the time, but to be suddenly tricked into a betrothal out of nowhere, without even asking her thoughts on it… How could her father do this to her? The moment she thought the question, she felt foolish for even thinking it, and a faint, bitter smile tugged at her lips. Of course, of course that’s what it was...

“Princess--” General Sai began, stepping forward with concern in his voice.

She looked up at him, her dark eyes searching the peculiar expression he was wearing, the same one from earlier. Heartache. Pity. Guilt. Now she understood. “You knew all along,” she whispered. It was not a question, and the older man could not muster any words. She turned back away wordlessly, betrayal streaking briefly through her--but Kiriya knew she could not fault the general. He had to obey the orders he had been given, he hadn’t had a choice. Just like she didn’t.

 

[Aster]

• Cassius Tesa •​

If Cassius' life, leading up to this point was a perfect dream, then Olissa's harsh words was a splash of cold water, bringing his fantasy to its end. He stood, stiff-backed and at a lost of words. The betrayal, piercing like a toothed dagger, wrenching and bleeding. Being punched by an metal gauntlet would've hurt far less, even in his few moments of shock, he could barely believe that his very own sister---no, his father---would do this to him.

As hurt and angry and betrayed he was, Cassius was still every inch a prince as he was human. Through discipline and strength of will, he steeled himself back. His composure returning as though it was never lost. As the Yuvraj of Altheana, he couldn't falter now.

"My apologies for that... display. I hope our actions does not reflect as offense to Yuelin's good will," he declared, turning around with a smile that did not quite reach his eyes. It was wry, almost pained, but still contained a considerable amount of regal charm to relax the remaining diplomats. With a short bow, his next words were a steely order than a statement, spoken in a commanding tone which sent shivers down the weak-minded, "I assume this meeting if over. Now if you'd excuse me."

And like that he was gone.

The Althean guards struggled to follow after him, almost jogging in his fearsome stride. His aura was menacing, with an anger almost palpable to those around him. It was an understatement to say that it was rare to see the easy-going, prince angry. Usually one more prone to annoyance and irritation, once pushed to rage, not even the beloved women in his harm could quench his ire.

Going straight for Olissa's room, his fist pounded on the door once.

"I'll give you five counts to open this door before I break it down," Cassius voiced, threats far from empty. He waited exactly as he said and when there was no reply on the other side, he nodded at the guard beside him and stepped back as the man completed his silent order with a heavy ram. The door gave way to the impact, slamming open only to reveal an empty room.

White curtains fluttered from the wind and opened windows hinted Olissa's escape. On the desk in front of the window was a note, pinned down by a single letter weight. Written in Olissa's cursive handwriting were the words: I had to. And while she hadn't written down the word's 'I'm sorry.' Cassius could hear it loud and clear.

His teeth gritted as his hands crinkled the note at its edges, fingers curling into it.

"Get out," he growled, low and heavy with raw emotion. When the guards hesitated, his voice raised in a shout, "I said, GET OUT!" His fist connected with the table in a violent bang, jolting the guards to action. In no time, they scurried away, leaving Cassius in his hurt and his frustration.

It was only after he saw ink run from the crumpled note, did he realize he was crying.

-----​

It took an ashamedly long amount of time for Cassius to regain his composure. Three hours of completely annihilating his guards in a combat spar for "training" (all matches which none of the guards could afford to go easy on their prince should they want to be able to stand and move for the next few days; each match earned them undeserving bruises which would mark them for weeks), an hour in the sauna and bath, and a long solitary walk down Edenburgh's beaches, had him only clenching his fists when Olissa finally made her presence known around him.

She sat beside him with a solemn docility, almost akin to meekness. It would've been completely unlike her if she had not kept her head held high. Her commanding, regal air still in play, despite toned down in volumes. Her pride kept her from apologizing but she relaxed visibly when Cassius did not move away from her touch. Her opened palm fell over the closed fist in his lap and she willed his eyes to look at her.

They shared a tense moment of understanding, an apology so intimate that neither sides could explain. Finally, when Olissa opened her mouth, she broke the silence with a tired smile, "You should eat. You look uglier when you don't."

Cassius scoffed and Olissa laughed, but when she did, it was the sound of two voices instead of one.

-----​

Cassius chose not to question why his sister was absent from dinner. While he had begrudgingly forgave her for her betrayal, he was not ready to fully let go of his losses. Getting married wasn't the worst thing that could happen, but the cost of the wedding would deal enough damage to his funds for him to forgo splurging on his harem. Worst case scenario, he'd have to give up on his harem for a few months to settle with the marriage processes; and even then, there was the deeper, inexplicable fear of commitment, Cassius was not ready to face.

Still, he hadn't expected her to trick him twice in a row. Having entered an elaborate dining hall alone, lured Cassius into falsely believing his luck had changed for the better. Long tables filled with various assortments of food was laid out like a feast, and had not been for his ferocious hunger (this is what you get for eating an apple for the whole day), he would've noticed there was far too much for one person to finished alone.

It was only halfway through a steak of salmon did the Princess of Yuelin made herself present. His appetite halted in a mixture of feelings and he swallowed a dry lump, stopping himself from his meal.

"Princess," he addressed her, hands placing the utensils down beside his plate. His eyes flitted from her to the guards behind her, then down at the food still laid out in excess. The connection was made, souring his mood but not his stern visage. When amber trained back to coal, he waited in cool silence.

 

[clockwork girl]

• Kiriya Lin •​

A terrible silence fell over the room once the Altheanian prince left, the guards and diplomats having dispersed soon after. She said nothing. The Yuelian diplomats said nothing. For what seemed like an eternity, she could do nothing but to sit there in a daze. She wanted nothing more than to turn the questions swirling dizzily in her head towards them, most of them being accusatory in nature, but she kept her mouth shut.

There was no point. They would not tell her anything that would change things, and she knew that their answers would be slippery, full of misdirection and implications. She didn’t need to ask to know the truth of the matter anyhow. She knew who had arranged this, and in that case no amount of pleading or reasoning would serve in her favor; she’d only draw the noose tighter around her neck.

Wordlessly, she rose from her seat, her dark eyes sweeping over the forms of the diplomats as if they were invisible. She strode out of the room donning an expressionless mask, and within a few moments she could hear General Sai’s familiar footfalls following her. He did not try to close the distance between them, merely trailing after her dutifully as she returned to her quarters--thankfully, he had the tact to halt once they reached her room, choosing to stand guard outside and allow her time alone.

Though she was finally away from prying eyes, the princess did not cry, nor did she throw any objects. Instead she sat by the window, gazing out at the unfamiliar landscape of Edenburgh--though her eyes hardly seemed to take any of it in. They were so far from Naozuru, and yet she could feel the familiar chill creep into her bones and through her chest, the cold that numbed her to the twisting in her heart and allowed her to accept whatever was doled out to her with fatalistic passivity.

She had to understand the circumstances, it was for the good of the country. She wasn’t a child anymore, and marriage was hardly the worst thing that could happen to her--far from it. Was this not better than spending her entire life as a spinster? What was there to be upset about? Nothing at all. Surely, she should be grateful that such an honor was granted to someone like her.

She should be grateful…

The nails that had been biting into her palms loosened as she slid forward limply to lean against the side of the window, her eyes listless as she let the silence swallow her whole.

******​

It was hours later that the silence receded, broken by the sound of a soft knock on her door. “Princess?” she heard her protector’s voice call out cautiously.

“Please enter,” she replied. The doors creaked open, revealing the form of the general standing there with his head bowed.

“It is time for your evening meal, princess,” he informed her, his gaze still riveted to the floor.

“That won’t be necessary,” she answered calmly. “I remain quite satiated.”

Nervously, the general looked up to see his mistress seated at the table with a book in hand, looking for all the world as if the meeting had never happened. While he was used to her nonchalance at things he knew had hurt her deep down, he couldn’t help but be troubled by it. “The food has already been prepared, milady--and it wouldn’t do to ignore your health,” he insisted, trying to keep the unease from his deep voice.

“...Very well,” she breathed, failing to completely hide her reluctance as she closed the book of poems. She truly didn’t feel much like eating, but she knew that she would only feel worse should she let herself go hungry. Dressed more comfortably than the heavy, elaborate robes that the meeting had required, Kiriya allowed the general and two other guards to escort her to the dining hall below. It was only when she was led to a long table with a familiar face already seated at one end that she realized with a sinking feeling what this was. What a pleasant surprise. The Yuvraj, who’d been dining, also seemed to find her presence unexpected--she watched as he swallowed his food, his amber eyes darting from her face to her small entourage before greeting her in a manner that was a far cry from the way he’d done so two times prior.

“Milord,” she cordially acknowledged him in turn, inclining her head in greeting even as the knots in her stomach tightened.

There was a brief silence before the young man continued, gesturing at the table laden with food. “I suppose this was set up by the ambassadors as well. Care to join me for dinner, m’lady?”

She certainly didn’t. But that didn’t matter, did it? He was asking--likely for appearance and politeness’ sake--and those were exactly the same reasons why she had to accept. It was what was expected from her, to be a dutiful and gracious princess, and so she pressed on an empty smile before speaking. “You are most kind, milord. It would be my pleasure.”

When it actually came to dining, however, it was a different matter from mustering a few pretty smiles. She’d lacked an appetite from the beginning, but now she’d be lucky if she didn’t choke on the food she was forcing down. Still, she tried to disguise the fact that she could hardly stomach the small amount of food that she was pushing around her plate. Worse yet, she knew she couldn’t go through the entire meal without saying anything. The only thing that was in her favor was that he hardly seemed to be in a flirtatious mood, but it was difficult to pretend that he was some faceless diplomat when she was all too aware that this prince was to be her future husband.

“You must tell me what Altheana is like,” she finally settled on a neutral question that might allow him to the bulk of the talking and she only be required to listen. “I have read about it and seen some paintings, but surely you would be far better at bringing it to life, milord.” It was very likely, however, that she’d be seeing Altheana herself soon enough--such were the proceedings for a royal betrothal. Betrothed to be wed. Although she’d already accepted it as something inevitable, it all felt surreal, like it was a dream. It would feel real in due time, she supposed, the same way she’d eventually stopped waking and believing herself to be back in her old room, or when she had stopped thinking she’d heard her mother calling her name. It would all soon become her reality.

 

[Aster]

• Cassius Tesa •​

After fuckity forever, no thanks to Aster and their busy shit lifestyle, Cassius responded to Kiriya's approval with a polite smile, despite his quickly souring mood. He had half hoped she'd decline with some excuse; perhaps she had already eaten or entered the wrong room. Even a lie about having to attend some made-up diplomatic meeting would've been fine with him, and yet she had accepted with the same reason he had for posing a question he had no heart in. A courtesy call. Nothing more, nothing less and certainly not pleasurable.

It was ironic to think that had circumstances been different, Cassius would've very well tried his luck in finding the Asian princess for dinner on his "vacation" trip. He would've gone through lengths to woo her for his own personal amusement, but now he wanted nothing to do with the babe. The idea of being wed to her, lovely as she was and has shown to be, left a pit of impending dread for the Althean prince to drown in. He wasn't happy with it, and even that was an understatement.

The luxury to show his discontent was not one he could afford. He wasn't sure of how slighted the Yuelin princess would be should he offend her with his actions. Another war was not something Altheana could afford. Stupid as he was, even Cassius knew this much. He could only grit his teeth and mindlessly chatter his way through the meal.

The small talk was initiated by the princess' question and while he could've spoken great lengths about Altheana in proud detail, his poor mood kept his responses just barely satisfactory. Questions and replies were tossed back and forth and Cassius would've found the princess a delight to talk to if he had only given her the chance. So caught up in hiding his own feelings of self-pity, the male made poor progress in their relationship, stopping the dinner short on just friendly acquaintances. While his replies weren't far from entertaining, the tension in the room made it apparent that he did not wish to talk.

Eventually, an awkward silence fell upon them, (one which Cassius, wrapped in his own selfish head, was unaware of) and it wasn't long til the princess finally excused herself. An offer to walk her back was made and politely declined. Not once breaking character, he bowed and chastely kissed her hand in farewell: a painful contrast between his initial kiss, a playful courting gesture, pit against a politely forced one.

Only when she left and Cassius had the dining hall to himself, did he notice the food on her plate, barely touched and merely tossed around. His attentive gaze had unfortunately caught the hurt in her eyes, setting in a slab of guilt far too late.

"I shouldn't have been so cold to her," he reasoned, knowing deep down that she was as forced into the marriage as he was. He had unwillingly lashed out to the fair ravenhead, without so much an ounce of regret---until now.

It was nightfall and a little too late for Cassius to undo his damage. "Tomorrow." He told himself, "Tomorrow I'll make it up to her."


The Goddess was on his side that morning.

After hearing Olissa's report that the engagement had gone smoothly, as a reward Cassius' father had given him a hefty sum of gold to spend wooing his bride-to-be. The thought of it made him cringe, but Cassius had never been one to turn down gold when presented. Besides, it would take at least a month or so before the engagement ceremony could take place, giving him the time to plan a way to wriggle out of this forced marriage. He would be doing them both of them a favor, he told himself; seeing how he was far from ready to settle down and the Yuelin princess was a lovely lady who deserved someone... monogamous.

Yes, that's right. It's not too late to nullify the engagement. Sure, the papers have his royal seal and signature on it, but there must be something that could override a simple marriage contract. Yes, most definitely hopeful thinking.

Added with the self-reproach of last night's cold demeanor and his heart's desires to, cough, potentially pre-divorce her, Cassius was extra charming in the morning when he spotted Kiriya.

He greeted her with pearly smiles in the hotel lobby and once again, a polite bow. "It's a lovely day today. Would you care for a short stroll to see what Edenburgh has to offer?" He asked her, extending an arm out when signs pointed to yes. Seated in one of the lobby's couches. Olissa was side-eyeing her brother in suspicion and concern, but she made no move to stop him.

 

[clockwork girl]

• Kiriya Lin •​

The prince answered all her questions with the utmost graciousness, and she too paid careful attention, always ready with a polite smile and a nod, or a musing comment. Then the ball was thrown her way and it was her turn to answer questions with the same benign smile--then back and forth. If someone had merely sketched the two of them sitting across from each other, playing their proper parts, perhaps they would have made a pretty picture; a simple onlooker could have been none the wiser to the tension between them. Nevertheless it was there in the air and each time a question was tossed it grew like thunderclouds assembling on the horizon, more and more, until it grew to such oppressing levels that the princess did not know what to say anymore. It’d be rude of her to go silent, but at the same time it seemed almost ruder to force conversation when he clearly did not feel like speaking.

Though this was a painfully awkward affair as a result of it, Kiriya couldn’t--and didn’t--blame the Altheanian prince for his changed demeanor. She didn’t blame her father for keeping the marriage from her, and she didn’t blame the diplomats for tricking her as well. She didn’t even blame the Empress Dowager, the very woman who she knew had decided her fate without a second thought. It was just the way things were, it couldn’t be helped--she knew that. She understood. Really, she did. There was no reason to be upset or hurt, to make a fuss. It was simply that the selfish child in her was getting the better of her right then, and it was making it more and more difficult to keep the weariness from her eyes.

So the princess did the only thing she could think of: flee the scene. She offered him a quick, believable excuse--she was tired out by the day’s travels and wished to retire early--hardly a far-fetched reason, and soon she found herself back in her quarters alone. Crawling onto the unusually raised bed, she curled up tightly under the covers and closed her eyes. Like a patient mother chiding her child, she repeated the mantra of reasons and justifications over and over in her head, letting the words fall on her undesirable feelings like snow. Bit by bit, they were smothered and buried, blotted out into a white nothingness--and when she was finally empty, sleep came for her.

******​

When Kiriya came down to the main lobby of their fine lodgings, she was not surprised to find the prince there--though she hadn’t quite expected him to approach her so readily with a charming smile. Then again, she supposed that she shouldn’t be all too surprised by the sudden change; either he had been told off by someone, or time had allowed him to put the recent turn of events into perspective. In her case, this was practically her first human interaction with someone outside her household since she’d woken, and she still had the energy to mask her own unease. The young woman returned his greeting with a courteous one as well, smiling graciously at his invitation--one not so different from his proposition the first time they’d met, she noted to herself wryly. “It would be a shame to waste such fine weather,” she agreed affably, not allowing herself to think too hard on the matter lest she balk. “It would be my honor, milord.”

Yet when he presented her with an arm she couldn't help but hesitate for the briefest moment; she knew it was a custom in many other countries, but the idea of physical contact, no matter how chaste, was still foreign to her. Unwilling to offend his goodwill, however, Kiriya cautiously placed her hand into the crook of his arm--her touch feather-light, as if she was afraid he would crumble under the weight of her hand. As she allowed him to lead her out, her dark eyes flicked back to the form of General Sai for a moment, to which the older man nodded subtly. Though she did not think that the prince would seek to put her in any harm, it would be certainly be unwise to go without any guards to protect them.

So it was with her protector trailing them at a fair distance that the two royals began to explore Edenburgh--and despite her initial nervousness, the new sights and smells of the foreign country soon distracted her from the circumstances. Though her composure remained, her eyes roved over the scenery with childlike enthusiasm, giving hint to the excitement she dared not show openly.

As they rounded the bustling marketplace, her never-still gaze landed on a fruit stall filled with some familiar red fruit shining in the sunlight. “Oh,” she began quietly as she stopped short, glancing up at the young man at her side with a smile that was faint, but more genuine in nature. “I’d forgotten to thank you for the apple again. I partook in it this morning for breakfast--it was delicious, much sweeter than the ones in Yuélin.” She’d woken at dawn, absolutely famished, and had decided to eat the apple to stave off her hunger until she could have a simple breakfast brought to her. Her hunger had been unsurprising, seeing how she'd barely eaten anything at the dinner before, but...that wasn't the point.

 

[Aster]

• Cassius Tesa •​

Enjoy now and sweat the small stuff later, was probably one of Cassius' life-long mottos and the words he continuously told himself as he went about his day with the princess of Yuelin. A part of him was delighted that he has such a comely woman by his side to spend his time with, but when his thoughts stray to remind him that she'd be there until death do them part, it was all he can do to stop himself from bolting there and then.

"If she wasn't my fiancee, I would've definitely brought her to my harem," he couldn't help but think, when he saw her light up at the normalities Edenburgh had to offer. She maintained poise but the curious light in her eyes was not missed, bringing a genuine, small smile to his face.

"I'm glad you liked it. They are quite tasty, though. I'm half tempted to buy a bushel back to Altheana," he said, very much having the power to do so. The guy at the vendor heard his words, smiling in hopeful expectation which quickly wilted when the prince's attention was caught by a chiming bell sound.

"Ice-cream! Get your fresh ice-cream here today," called out a young boy on a bicycle. At the back of his bike was a strange looking, box-like device with a lever on its side. On its other side was a compartment which held a bunch of cone-shaped biscuits.

Interest piqued, Cassius gestured at the boy, "Shall we go see what he has?"

While he was familiar with the term 'ice-cream', frozen Althean desserts tend to be more on the side of shaved ice or frozen fruit popsicles. Creamy milk-based ice-cream wasn't really popular or known in his country, which was why Cassius looked fairly confused when the white, smooth texture of cream came out of the device and into one of the biscuit shaped cones. Buyers were happily licking away making a surprised Cassius gulp in confusion and curiosity.

"What is..." the words slipped from his mouth, quickly silenced by a calm faux grin. Smiling down at Kiriya, he asked casually, "Wanna get some?"

 

[clockwork girl]

• Kiriya Lin •​

Kiriya regarded the strange contraption that was producing something quite unlike anything she’d seen before, her eyes round--but in contrast to before, this time she was not the only one who seemed so fascinated by something new. The Altheanian prince looked rather enraptured by the sight of the treat, his cavalier attitude briefly pulling back to reveal the same elated curiosity she had been doing her best to contain. For that moment he appeared more child than prince, but then it passed and it was swiftly hidden away--playing the proper, dignified part, as any noble was wont to do. Some things didn’t change no matter what country one hailed from, she mused to herself. But as her thoughts turned to the idea of living in an Imperial Court, no matter how foreign, she felt a chill run down her spine.

She had lived away from court for too long now--eight years from the time she’d turned fifteen. While many a noble girl would’ve dreamed of having the privilege of residing in the charmed circle of the Imperial Court, the princess wanted little to do with it anymore. The Imperial Court of Yuélin was a poisoned goblet, but it was a poison she knew well, having tasted its bite many times before. The Altheanian court would no doubt be different, yes, but even she was not so naive as to think that it would be any less treacherous. No, to a stranger like her--

The young woman was forced to put her mounting dread away as the prince looked down at her with a smile. Yes, this wasn’t the right time nor the place for this. No doubt there’d be plenty a sleepless night to worry about the matter, anyhow.

“Ah, yes. It would be an interesting experience,” Kiriya remarked, nodding slightly in response. Slipping her hand from his arm, she reached within her long sleeves to fish out the small coin purse tucked inside. By the time she had opened it and fumbled for the right foreign coins, however, the young man was already speaking to the boy and handing over his money. Startled, she caught the corner of his cloak to stop him. “Wait, allow me to pay,” she began hastily, before realizing what she had done and immediately releasing the garment. Taking a breath, she squared her shoulders and pleaded her case again, albeit more calmly. “Please, I’ve yet to properly return the favor, milord,” she reminded him, referring to the apple he’d given her. “It wouldn’t do for me to show much poor manners.” After all, an unpaid favor was a debt--and a debt was a most unseemly thing to incur.

 

[Aster]

• Cassius Tesa •​

Kiriya's request to pay was odd, especially by Althean terms where males courting any female are expected to fully cover expenses. With Kiriya as his fiancee, this was no different; and if it weren't for cultural barriers, Cassius would've seen it as an insult. He was the Yuvraj, blessed with bountiful riches which were his to spend and used as he pleased. For someone of lower rank or age to pay on his behalf was like a humiliating slap to the cheek.

Before he could react in growing ire, the mention of a debt brought his irritation to a quick smother. Ah, so that's how it was.

He visibly relaxed, taking two ice-cream cones from the seller.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. I've already bought your share," he explained, handing her a cone. "And regarding the 'debt', you've already repaid in full by accompanying me." Again was that boyish smile, playful and refusing to take no for an answer. "You'll save me face* and allow me to pamper you, won't you? Cute girls like you should only be treated like princesses..." he paused, reminding himself that Kiriya is in fact a princess and quickly corrected himself, "Ah, well, since you are one. You know what I mean."

Playing it off with a wink, Cassius turned his attention to the ice-cream instead. It was beginning to melt and dripped over his index finger. He swiped at it with his tongue in tentativeness, not knowing what to expect. When the cold, light sweetness of vanilla hit him, he exclaimed with surprise, "This," he licked at the ice-cream, "This is amazing! You boy," he pointed at the seller and then at the box, "What is the secret behind this strange but marvelous delight? I will buy this off you at the gracious offer of 100 gold."

The boy was stunned, sputtering in surprise, "Wait, what? A hundred gold? F-for an ice-cream maker? It-it's just cream mixed with sugar and ice though!" He had bought the ice-cream maker for 50 silvers. To offer 100 gold was absurd. "This guy is a psycho. He's definitely pulling my leg," he thought.

Cassius rubbed his chin, making a face like he's in deep thought. "Hm, you're right. A hundred gold is too few for a machine that can turn something so delicious with such few ingredients. How about 500 gold? You can take it or leave it. I won't be extending my offer further," Cassius bargained, pointing a finger at the boy who was simply quaking at his knees.

Five hundred gold! Ten silver pieces was barely one gold coin. If he had five hundred gold coins, the boy and his family would be set for life! This was the most bizarre thing that's happened to him in his 14 years of living. Was this some kind of mad, elaborate trick?! He was starting to get paranoid. Nothing this good ever happened to him. It must be... it must be a trap! There's no other way.

"Yo-you're crazy!" he shouted, waving his arm violently to get Cassius to leave. He didn't dare hit the man, in the small chance that he may be telling the truth.

Cassius only looked more stumped, feeling more cornered by any businessman he's encountered before. Bargaining was a huge thing in Altheana and it was only natural that Cassius had learned his fair share of commerce but this boy... he was a hard nut to crack! But he wasn't going to back down now. He had his pride as the Yuvraj of Altheana to defend! (This is yet another reason why Olissa hates him.)

"I see... Young as you are, you truly have the gift as a salesman don't you? Very well, young man. I'll give you an offer you can't refuse. I'll pay you one thousand gold in bars." With a snap of his fingers, as if on cue, a group of men in black suits came out holding steel suitcases. They laid it out before the boy and opened it. Inside were glittering, solid gold bars worth 1000 gold coins.

At this point, the boy was foaming in the mouth, slumping down in defeat.

"I'll have my men send them over to your house. It's not safe to leave it here," Cassius grinned, smug as he shook the boy's hand. "It was nice doing business with you."

Nodding at one of the men, he gestured to the ice-cream maker and it wasn't long until both the group of men and machine was gone and out of sight. The villagers nearby were staring at them with jaw-slacked mouths and bulging eyes. No one except the Yuvraj and his men believed what had happened.

A thousand gold was more than anyone here could make in a lifetime! And Cassius had spent that all on an old ice-cream maker you could buy for hundreds-- no, thousands, worth that price, without so much batting an eye.

"Man, that felt great," Cassius sighed, finishing up his ice-cream. Turning to Kiriya, he asked with charming nonchalance, "So what do you want to do next? Shall we go check out the ocean?"

extra notes: *save me face is a saying to save one's pride, more commonly used in Yuelin

 

[clockwork girl]

• Kiriya Lin •​

“But--” she attempted again, a frown marring her brow, but the young man was having none of it, pushing the delicacy into her hand. Though she had no intent of giving up so soon, the words left her once he mentioned saving face. She paused, caught between two different societal rules for properness--but it was clear that the Yuvraj would have his way on the matter. “You are most generous,” the princess gave in reluctantly, dipping her head in a grateful motion. “Thank you.” Still, she regarded the dessert rather apologetically, not quite knowing what to do with herself. The prince seemed untroubled, however, and she eventually followed suit in giving the strange treat a careful tasting.

It was sweet and cold, melting quickly against her tongue like snow--but in a completely different way. A milk of some kind? Not just that, but also a hint of a mellow spice she could not put a name to. How peculiar, but nonetheless very delicious. The young man by her side seemed even more enthusiastic about this foreign dessert, however, as he immediately offered to buy the contraption off the boy’s hand, much to both Kiriya and the boy’s surprise.

One hundred....one hundred gold?!

Stunned, she stared at the prince wordlessly as the young boy also reacted in severe shock. Surely she’d heard wrong. Surely he’d meant to say one hundred silver--for as curious as the machine was, it could not cost anywhere near one hundred gold.

But she was forced to reconsider her hearing once again when the offer became five hundred gold. He thought the boy was driving a bargain! “M-milord, I really don’t think…” she stammered, barely having the presence of mind to speak.

“Yo-you’re crazy!” the boy yelled, clearly panicking.

Kiriya couldn’t help but agree. But once the words one thousand gold came out of the Yuvraj’s mouth and men in black suits popped up seemingly out of nowhere to present cases of solid gold bars, her mind had gone completely blank from the sheer absurdity of it all. Perhaps she was the one who had just gone through a break in sanity--perhaps she was just hallucinating. Because surely, there was no possible way that the prince had just...no, it couldn’t be… Her mind could not begin to comprehend it. A thousand gold--many more times the funds that were allotted to her per year, spent in one fell swoop for a machine that made a dessert. Such excess, such ridiculous excess--for what? She’d thought the nobility of Yuélin were frivolous, but this was on an altogether different plane of expenditure.

It was madness.

Though the large crowd around them appeared to be of the very same opinion as the princess, the Yuvraj seemed to be completely oblivious to what he had just done. He turned to her as if this was an utterly ordinary thing for him to do, as if he’d just bought a few apples or a new pair of shoes. He asked her where they’d ought to go next, making a suggestion of his own, and had Kiriya been in full possession of her wits right then, she would have actually understood it. Alas, she was not. “Y-yes, of course…” she uttered instinctively, dazedly finishing her own melting cone of ice cream.

It was in this same stupor that she took his arm and allowed him to lead her off to wherever he had deigned to be their destination. It was a minute or two before she could string the word together in a coherent fashion in her head, and another minute for her to get it past her frozen lips. “That was...quite a generous offer for such a machine,” she managed at last, struggling to construct her comment in a way that would not sound incredulous or utterly horrified. Generous didn’t even begin to encompass what had just occurred. “The boy must have found favor in your eyes, being a hardworking lad at such a young age.” Surely, there’d been some reason for this shocking use of money--some roundabout method of...charity?

 

[Aster]

• Cassius Tesa •​

There were usually two reactions to Cassius' excessive spending: horror or awe. More oftentimes than not, it was a mixture of both that had him grown jaded. Most women who hung around him were usually impressed by his wealth, wanting to cling onto him more in hopes that they too would be lavished with the gold he so willingly spared. The horror usually came from people who actually meant well. People like his sister and the people in charge of the royal finances; and while Cassius' knew their alarm was well justified, he did little to stop his terrible splurging habit.

What gave him relief though was not the fact that Kiriya had paled at his "poor" bargaining, but the way she had so carefully (or accidentally) pinpointed his motives with accuracy which not even Cassius' closest advisors seemed to fully understand. Albeit, she may have made the statement on a whim, the Althean prince was impressed.

He stared at her dumbfounded, making one wonder if they had said something wrong, before breaking out in a hearty laugh.

"You're a lot sharper than one should give you credit for," Cassius stifled his laugh, wiping a small tear from the corner of his eye and patting her head with his free hand.

Low chuckles gave way to surprisingly solemn but thoughtful look as Cassius paused to phrase his explanation. "Did you notice how there were a few children like him on the streets? There weren't many when we were passing by. Perhaps 2-3, but I'm sure there's more hiding somewhere," he said as he walked her down the cobbled path, towards the direction of the beach, "Usually at a time like this, kids their age would be in school. And yet, here we have a young teen spending his time by selling ice-cream instead of studying? From what I know of Edenburgh's accounts, their economy shouldn't be doing poorly with their shipping business in full bloom, so why are there still under privileged kids roaming around?"

He waited to see what Kiriya would answer, before sighing and shrugging his shoulders, "That's a question even I don't know the answer to. It must be an internal affair. The kid didn't look like a delinquent and the fact that he biked that machine to the town square meant he lived a diligent life. He wasn't greedy either when I offered him the money," Cassius laughed, remembering the horror on the boy's face, "Call it a risky investment, but I believe he can go places. Maybe even change the circumstance involving those under-privileged kids. Not any 14 year old can think about making business off ice-cream. It's very clever, isn't it?"

The wind grew stronger as they neared the seashore. Their shawls fluttered behind them as their shoes hit the sand. Only meters away from the ocean, the smell of salt was strongest in the air and Cassius' eyes danced along with the sea waves.

"How breathtaking," he sighed, fully appreciating the sight before him. When they were far enough into the beach, he began to take his shoes and socks off, grinning childishly as his toes dug into the sand. The grains were far finer than the course sand dunes found in Altheana. Cassius was colored impressed and it wasn't long until he was rolling his pants up to his knees, urging Kiriya to do so too.

 

[clockwork girl]

• Kiriya Lin •​

For a moment he did nothing but stare at her as if she’d brought a iron shovel over his head and the young woman felt a twinge of panic rise up in her. Had she offended him somehow? Said something rude? She’d been so careful to choose her words wisely--

Then the prince burst out into a lively laugh, putting her mind at ease but only serving to stupefy her. She blinked up at him, confusion in her eyes. Had she said something funny…? But when he did finally speak, it was not to mock her for something silly she’d said, but to commend her for her perception--along with an indulgent pat on her head. Kiriya stiffened in surprise at the achingly familiar gesture, one she had not received since her childhood. It sent a wave of emotion through her, a lonely haze of bittersweet nostalgia that smelled of spring cherry blossoms and sounded like faraway giggles--but as swiftly as it had overtaken her it dissipated, returning her to the bewildering reality that was truly taking place.

His laughter had finally died down, leaving him in a somewhat serious, contemplative mood she hadn’t seen from him in the span of their brief acquaintance. He had picked up on an abnormality that she had utterly missed, and she couldn’t help but feel a streak of shame. After having watched the less-than-ideal living conditions of the villagers around her estate, she had become sensitive to such things--or at least, so she had thought. In her own excitement to see a new country, she’d failed to see the injustices embedded within this place. “Unfortunately,” she spoke softly, her gaze averted. “It often seems that a country’s wealth has little to do with underprivileged children, milord...but it’s difficult to say.”

However, as he continued to walk her through his reasoning, the young woman couldn’t help but look back up at him with a little stare of wonder. So he really had paid him as a way of charity, of giving the youth a chance to make life better for himself and others like him. It was quite...thoughtful. Generous, no doubt, but also deeply sympathetic, and it was admittedly a moving gesture. It was a rare thing to come across someone who gave a second thought for the plight of the poor, especially among the privileged nobility.

“The boy is clever indeed,” Kiriya ceded amiably to his prompting, turning her eyes back to the path they walked. There was a moment of silence as the young woman hesitated, but then added somewhat shyly, “But milord is very kind-hearted.” He was hardly more than a stranger, and there was certainly all too much she did not know about him, but at least she could see that he cared about the marginalized--and had the heart to put that into action, no matter how strange his methods were. Perhaps this meant that he would not treat someone cruelly, whether it was the people he would rule or his wife. Of course, those of the court were not above putting on shows of piety, honor, and mercy, but she would've been lying if she claimed that she wasn't even a little relieved.

It wasn't until it was far too late that the princess realized that they were headed straight for the ocean. Was that what he had suggested? How had she not heard? Mentally berating herself for the slip, she took a deep breath as they neared the vast body of water that stretched out as far as the horizon. The wind felt different against her cheek, carrying the smell of salt and sea creatures towards them, and ground turned to fine sand, much different than the occasional silt washed up on the riverbanks in her homeland. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore was a soothing rhythm, and even she could see that it was an enchanting, beautiful sight. She still had zero intent of getting anywhere near that much water, however. No, there was absolutely no way…

The prince walking at her side suddenly stopped, and she too came to a halt, looking back at him. Much to her surprise (this prince, he did nothing but confound her), he was taking off his shoes to stand barefoot in the sand. Granted, it had been a bit difficult to walk in the sand, but...wait, why was he rolling his pants up? Why was he motioning for her to do the same? Now thoroughly alarmed, but nothing if not ever-compliant, Kiriya awkwardly began to remove her own shoes and socks. “Ah...Why are we taking our shoes off?” she questioned timidly, glancing nervously at the roaring waves behind her. He wasn’t going to suggest going into the water, was he? “I-I don’t know how to swim, milord,” she blurted out, losing the battle to sound more collected than how she was actually feeling. Why’d it have to be water…?

 

[Aster]

• Cassius Tesa •​

It was hard to tell if Kiriya's compliment fell on deaf ears for Cassius made no response, save for his usual warm smile. If the Yuelin princess had known better, she would withhold such praise from the prince's already bloated ego. Any validation usually garnered more mischief from excessive pride; something which some find humorous in the beginning until things get too troublesome to handle.

"Isn't it obvious?" Cassius asked, having knelt down to remove his shoes and socks. While lowered in his position, he casually assisted Kiriya in removing her shoes as well, lifting her foot up in trained delicacy. Her shoes were placed beside her and her socks left neatly folded within.

"We can't play in the water with our shoes on now can we? Hm, though if swimming's what you have in mind, perhaps we'd need to strip completely," he wondered aloud, expression both thoughtful and unreadable. It made it difficult for one to be ascertain of his teasing. With his naturally playful disposition, it was always hard to tell with Cassius.

From a pensive mien came that signature smirk and Cassius got back on his feet, after taking Kiriya's hand in his. His lips brushed gently against her knuckles in a fleeting touch as he spoke, "Fear not, princess. I vow to you as the Yuvraj, nothing ill shall befall on you while I am at your side. Even should the waves take your breath away, I am well-trained in giving artificial respiration, so rest assured."

It was a tongue like this that the Althean was able to charm most he came acquainted to. Even with the bold flirtations, the brunet remained in a confidence worthy of envy. The amber in his eyes seemed to dance with a laughter, tantalizingly tempting those who met his gaze to succumb with his willful desires. Whether Kiriya realized it or not, Cassius had already led her towards the ocean by hand, their toes lapping against the waves.

 

[clockwork girl]

• Kiriya Lin •​

“No, no, that’d be far too much trouble,” she returned rather hastily. She didn’t having swimming in mind at all--not to mention stripping down to anything that wasn’t a proper robe in the company of a man in public was far past the line of scandal in Yuélin. “Playing in the water will be...just fine.” At least, she was telling herself that it was going to be fine. In Kiriya’s mind, the words ‘play’ and ‘water’ were never to be put anywhere near each other--of course, she was not about to refuse him or even tell him she was afraid of the water. She was not in the habit of refusing much of anything or digging her heels in and insisting on her way when it was not a matter of courtesy.

Though his words were meant to be reassuring, even flirtatious, the image of the waves taking her breath away was such a real one that his teasing went almost completely over her head. Almost. It was hard to tell whether she was made speechless by fear or embarrassment--likely a mixture of both, but she said nothing as she meekly allowed him to lead her towards the crashing waves. At the water’s edge, however, she glanced back to look for her faithful protector, and she found him standing far back near the start of the beach, watching the two royals with his full attention. Even with the distance, she could tell that he wasn’t too happy, his stance tense, worried. General Sai might’ve been almost as nervous as she was about her stepping foot into the ocean--not because he had any reservations about the water, but because he was well aware of the princess’ aversion to it.

She turned back to the ocean and the prince, trying her best to shrug off the dread that was crawling up in her. It was silly to be afraid, she kept telling herself. The water wasn’t deep at all, not at the shore; the only way she could drown was if she buried her face nose-first into the wet sand. It wasn’t logical or rational to be afraid.

Unfortunately, fear wasn’t known for being logical or rational. As the water finally swept over their feet, the hand she had reluctantly relinquished to the prince suddenly found its grip, her fingers curling tightly around his as if the ocean would drag her into its depths otherwise. The water harmlessly slid over her ankles and then retreated back into the ocean, soon replaced by the next wave--a cyclical rhythm completely different to the rivers she’d once dared to play in as a child. She would’ve found it interesting if it weren’t for her unease, but still she did nothing to verbalize her fear as they waded deeper into the water, choosing only to maintain a vice-like grip on the young man’s hand. As a matter of fact, if it weren’t for the remaining shreds of what dignity she had left and her other hand being occupied with her skirts, Kiriya would’ve clung to him with both hands.

Still, the princess was doing her best to at least appear composed and calm, and knowing that her dead silence could also be interpreted as discomfort, she forced herself to find something to converse about. “Is...is swimming a favored pastime of yours, milord?” she managed to finally speak, though her mouth was admittedly dry.

 

[Aster]

• Cassius Tesa •​

Cassius was as observant as he was selfish, and while he had noticed the princess' sudden stiffness, he did not link that to discomfort but rather mere shyness for holding hands with someone as great as himself. (cough what a joke)

She must be so innocent, was what he thought, freezing up at holding hands. It made him chuckle silently.

Wanting her to relax, he carried the conversation forward, all while leading her further into the sea until the waves lapped a quarter up their lower calf. Cassius could go lower but seeing how Kiriya was wearing a long gown, it would be troublesome for her to keep her skirts up just to wade in further.

"I wouldn't say it's my favorite but I do enjoy bathing in the open springs. They're one of the easiest ways to cool down in Altheana. The loveliest ones are in the capital," he explained, forgetting that they were also the most expensive. The further out the oasis and springs were, the smaller and cheaper they usually are--lest they're bought by some rich nobleman, "You're welcome to come visit the private springs at the palace of course. We'd have nothing less for the princess."

His smiled strained as the words, 'my lady' nearly slipped. He was used to treating beautiful women like they were part of his harem (mostly because they usually are) and Kiriya was no different---except, she was. She wasn't part of his harem nor would she ever be if things went according to the Devaraja's plans. If things continued like this she'd end up his... wife.

He tried not to grimace at the thought and pushed his concerns back into the wee corners of his mind, until something in his peripheral line of sight caught his attention.

Mistake number one happened when he failed to identify Kiriya's fear of water but mistake number two was when he somehow managed to escape the ravenhead's firm grip on his hand, simply so he could wade further into the sea just to fish out a conch shell, half-buried in the sand.

"Well, would you look at that," Cassius mused, holding the conch shell up for Kiriya to see. Fortunately for the ravenhead, he hadn't gone far and walked back to show her his find. "How odd to see such a big one washed up on shallow waters," he said, recalling what he had read on shells in his many lessons on Edenburgh's demography.

He gestured for Kiriya to open her palm out so that he could place the shell in her hands. It was in perfect condition: pearly white with pink hues forming a gradient on its tips and inner shell.

"We must be blessed by the Goddess."