c r o w n e d / s w o r d

“Occupied? When is he not,” Xinju scoffed. His elder brother, the crown prince - oh how gloriously he stood upon the empire. As if the constant comparison wasn’t enough, the man was a walking reminder of duty and responsibility. And he could not see how anything by the likes of Feike had to do with him.

“Sis,” He said, a familiar playfulness twinkled in his eyes - dropping her royal title, they were family after all. What could she be on about this time? “You look like you’re about to tell me something ominous, it really can’t be that bad can it?” His life had always been rather easy going and well, he was privileged to remain ignorant to the complexities and politics of court. If this would be yet another lecture of courtly etiquette or someone he had pursued, then he would turn a blind eye to it as per usual. “Yes, yes, just tell me what’s wrong this time.”

Though Xinju hadn’t expected to hear what followed from her lips.

“Father, gone missing?” syllables echoed like a hushed hiss.

His brows narrowed, his heart felt like it was running a thousand miles more. While Xinju was never one to care about his immediate family, when it came to his Imperial father - that was a whole other matter in itself. After all, it was through the graces of his father that his faults were forgiven and his antics tolerated. A part of him wondered what sort of chains he would be tied under should the crown pass to his brother.

He found himself pacing back and forth, thinking before he turned to Meirong once more. “Have they done anything? Alerted the palace paladins? How could this happen - father’s always been careful. What is brother doing right now?” Each question quicker than the last.

Well, Xinju may have been humping his way through China, but he does, every now and then, have a point. In the last few months that Feike’s been home, he was... distant, his head always buried in his work, or whatever it was that occupied that restless brain of his. “Point taken.” She replied, an involuntary smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, and despite the situation at hand, she found herself slightly amused by the prince’s lighthearted jabs.

But, while there was mirth in his voice when he called her sis ( and as much as she disliked to admit it, her heart did flutter with the same sort of affection she held for her blood siblings whenever they would call her that ), she knew the mood will quickly turn very sour. It did not take him long to realise that his teasing words have been a sort of a prophecy, perhaps self fulfilling one, since there was hardly any other reason but an ominous one for her to be barging in his room at such unsavory hours.

Head inclined in a light nod to confirm her previous words, Meirong’s dark gaze fixed upon the prince, calculating and assessing his mood - and the change in his posture.

His emotions were written in his posture, and if she was any good at deciphering the Ninth prince, she was certain it was a wild ride in his head. Her guess seemed to have been correct, and she was pleasantly surprised that he was taking this a lot more seriously than she’d initially thought he would. His questions have all been rational and calculating, yet there was an underlying sense of fraternal concern for his eldest brother, which made the princess quite happy to see it displayed in such a dire time.

✣

charlotte could sense something was wrong. it was more her intuition speaking than touchable clues, but she observed an uneasy movement inside the royal boxes. she feared the worst — someone was killed or kidnapped — and excused herself quickly from the big crowd. charlotte thought to ask her husband if he knew what was happening. he probably did, but the fear she felt for the safety of her unborn was bigger than her curiosity. almost no one knew already, but words could spread quickly than she wanted. if something happened, she was aware that wasn’t specifically targeted to her, or else she wouldn’t be at the gardens at the moment. charlotte tried to stay at her rooms, but she needed fresh air to clear her thoughts.

the gardens were beautiful. it was a sight that she was longing to see — the flowers growing up strong, their delicate perfume reaching her nostrils. russia was always cold to have such things, and it was one of the things she didn’t get used the most. the gardens of paris were marvelous — as a young child, charlotte spent most of her time there, alone and playing with her toys. it was a memory that brought warmness to her heart. while her childhood days were spent in solitude, it was an easier time that sometimes she wanted to go back. charlotte wished her child could have a happier childhood than hers — and she would do everything to assure that.

an unfamiliar voice caught her by surprised. turning around to follow the sound, she smiled politely at the other woman before doing a small courtesy too. she seemed to the from the far east by her features, and charlotte couldn’t be more curious. she wasn’t familiar with such countries, and while a side of her urged to ask where she was from, the other kept her in her place. her answers would come eventually. “ yes, of course. you could not sleep too ? ” it was the only explanation to have another woman as a company in her eyes. “ i do not think we were introduced before. i am charlotte valois, princess of rostov. it is a pleasure to meet you. ”

Sleep had evaded her the entire night, but truth be told, she did not really try to sleep either. It would have been a losing battle, and it would’ve only vexed her further. Inclining her head in quiet agreement, Meirong sat on the bench beside the brunette, fingers lacing together and resting in her lap. “It is a brisk evening, but I admit there is a sort of restlessness within me. If I must guess the cause of it, I would argue that it is the change of setting - I find myself having trouble sleeping in unfamiliar places.” That was not a lie - she did dislike sleeping somewhere where she wasn’t fully relaxed, where she wasn’t aware of all the potential dangers and threats ; it was the remnants of her more militaristic training, still prowling beneath her skin - something she’s had to tone down ever since she stepped foot into the palace and married Feike ( though, she would dare to argue as well, that her military training had proven to be helpful and beneficial more than just once ).

Agreeing with another dip of her chin, the crown princess smiled and extended her own introduction. “It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Li Meirong, crown princess of China.” The obligation of always reciting her title during new acquaintances had been tiresome, but it was an etiquette that one could not, should not, forsake - no matter how tiring and narcissistic it seemed to go around Rome hollering her title as the future empress of China. But, she could understand why some rulers found it enticing. “Are you having trouble with adjusting to these new beds as well, your highness?” Meirong asked.

The trip to Italy had been one of the highlights of Xinju’s more than lackluster past time activities. He had long abandoned propriety in favor of indulging in the more hedonistic opportunities that were offered to him at hand and feet. And well - it was honestly an oversight if anyone were to believe that the 9th prince would have behaved himself any better outside of the palaces.

He had been in the midst of sinfully enjoying the pleasures of the skin - he didn’t know the womans name but she spoke a different language, her voice like velvet as he caught wind of one word between others as she yearned to properly communicate. The last thing Xinju was expecting was a disturbance; after all, it was late into the evening and it was rare for anyone to seek for his company especially given that he was hardly of any use nor importance. A wayward prince without much honor or care to his very name. But at least it was his father’s favor that had given him benefits that befitted the most imperial of blood. While he had heard the footsteps, Xinju was a man of little patience, wanting to finish the act before shooing the lady of the night away from his chambers. He had liked to believe that he had saved her from the embarrassment.

In the midst of pulling his clothes together, he found himself unexpectedly face to face with the crown princess. Well, he certainly found it odd. It wasn’t as if the two were very fond of each other, but there was no specific instance that wagered ill intent. Rather there was an understanding indifference that had been maintained between the two for quite awhile. After all the woman was his elder brother’s wife who’s views of life strictly diverted from his own - she was not anyone he would ever dream of as a pursuit or conquest, the thought itself made him gag.

“Well, good evening to you as well Crown Princess,” his bow is quick, his manners as nonchalant as ever. “Whatever could be so urgent that you seek for me instead of my brother? Has he done something to offend you?” A smirk ghostly lingers upon his features.

When it came to offenses, it was not her husband who was the cause of them. But, by now she was more than used to the Ninth prince’s... activities and it’s long since stop bothering her to see him in various stages of undress. This one was on her - it was rather late, and she did barge in, but the situation was grave and all propriety had flown out the window ( though never enough to be seen as indecent ). In normal occasions, she would have either scoffed or chuckled at his remarks, but the bitter taste of the emperor’s disappearance had completely soured her mood. “Your brother is currently occupied with the affairs of the empire and he is already well aware of what I am about to inform you, as he was present at the time.” Whether or not the comment was an intentional jab, the princess herself did not know.

Meirong wondered, then, how the prince might react to the news. The emperor was his father, after all, and not just a leader of their empire. Eyes narrowed in thought, she realised that she will have to approach the topic in a delicate and sensible manner, and hope beyond hope that the prince will take it seriously. “Before I inform you of it, you must understand that this knowledge cannot leave the premises. Only family can be told and no one else. Not the officials, not the lords, no one.” Perhaps it was unnecessary to point it out, but the implications of the emperor’s disappearance becoming a public knowledge was something neither she, nor Feike, would dare to entertain - the last thing any of them needed right now was civil unrest and other empires jumping at the opportunity to weaken them.

location: the garden time: 17 minutes before midnight with: @chvrlottes​

She could not rest ; mind spilling miles in a second, taking her to the missing Emperor. It was a foreseeable situation, yet one of them had truly foreseen it. She, a daughter and a sister of generals, should have seen it coming. Once the initial shock faded away and the adrenaline was swapped with a sense of tiredness, Meirong hoped she’d be able to sleep - only to find it evade her completely. For a moment, she pondered what to do - should she seek out her siblings? Check up on her husband, or the rest of the Li family? Watch her daughter sleeping peacefully? But, the hour was creeping close to midnight and she did not wish to disturb any of them -

A walk. That seemed like a good idea, and motioning to one of the guards stationed in front of her door, Meirong set out to tread the gardens ; the brisk, night air usually did wonders for her fits of insomnia and perhaps tonight’s walk will tire her enough to warrant a dreamless night. Meandering through the various columns and navigating the unfamiliar path with a guard following on a polite distance, the princess’ thoughts kept returning to the Emperor Jingyan and how Feike must be feeling at the moment. She’s spent so much time apart from her husband, the two of them sufficiently alienated, that she could no longer predict his emotions - or his thoughts. She was certain he wasn’t taking this well, but how much it served to further send his paranoia ablaze... she couldn’t tell. Making a mental note to find Zhenzhen and poke out the truth of their meeting from a few hours ago, Meirong rounded the corner, spying a bench that seemed vacant.

But, it was dark outside and it wasn’t until she’s approached it that she realised the seat had been occupied by a brunette - another sleepless lady. “Good evening.” Meirong politely called out, announcing her arrival and offering the noblewoman a court bow. “May I join you?”

location : li quarters with : @princexinju​

She was not entirely sure what was going on - it was sudden and it was terrible, but there was a large part of her that kept beating herself up over the fact that she should have anticipated it. She exchanged a glance with Feike, softly instructing that everyone should remain calm and not act out on an impulse. Her husband had seen this as a window to talk to his younger siblings, but instead of tagging along this time, Meirong slyly offered for him to discuss it with the general and check up on their daughter who had been put to bed minutes before the commotion - and she could handle the ninth prince ( she might end up wanting to smack him over the head with something heavy, but that was besides the point at the moment ). “Talk to Zhenzhen, he might have seen something or he might suspect someone. I will take care that your brothers are informed. Though, I suggest we keep this only among the family - there is still no need to cause panic among our ranks, not until we know more about it.” Courtly bowing to Feike, Meirong motioned for two of her guards to accompany her while she sets out to track down the elusive prince.

Please, at least let him be dressed this time - she silently thought to herself, meandering through the crowd and navigating the corridors of the palace where the Li family was taking residence. Sighing, the princess rose a hand to dismiss her guards, instructing them to wait by the door, while she and the prince have a little discussion. Tapping once, then twice on the door, Meirong waited for a full minute before nodding to her guards, who flung the door open, allowing her in.

“Ninth prince.” Courtly bowing to the man in question and completely ignoring her surroundings, Meirong fixed him with a disapproving glare. “We must speak. It is urgent, or else I would not bother you at this hour.”

there was little that imperia knew about those whose existence did not revolve around the papacy. as a matter of fact, countries like china and russia were too far away in the italian’s mind to lend the matter any more thought but the more anxious the leaders of the holy roman empire had shown themselves to be in the wake of economic collapse spreading across the continent, the more intrigued all of italy was starting to become as their eyes turned towards its ruling families.

of course, the medici were a different matter altogether. the one atop the holy seat was one of theirs, a shrew man whose intelligence seemed boundless from the whispers she’d gathered thus far. for their part, he was talked about fondly whenever the matter arose within the family walls, an almost childlike adoration crossing all the faces of the medici offspring as they reminisced easier days. it was only all too easy to imagine them as kids under the guidance of their uncle, having solidified a foundation that was now being handedly weaved into the tapestry of a much bigger painting.

imperia could find no fault with what had been given to them. in most cases, she assumed this was simply the way god must have meant it for them: those lucky enough to be born into a family that could afford shaping the fate of europe would be bound to do so.

this carnival, on the other hand, showed quite plainly that luck was a simple term coined not by fate but by determination and a will of steel. it could be stretched for as long as one pleased for there would always be someone in a bigger, better, higher position.

the asian woman seemed to carry with her what the darkhaired italian suspected to be an aura of haughtiness; a definite sign of wealth and power. in this, too, she could find no fault as she studied the stranger, the smile still present on her features. she saw no need for hostility where it was not required, no need to irk a stranger who had done nothing to harm her. but as her gaze drifted from the feminine features to the weapon in the other’s delicate hands, she subconsciously lifted an eyebrow in wonder.

“thank you,” her smile widened, feeling gladdened at the other’s uplifting words. she’d come here with no desire but to bear witness to the festivities and perhaps to catch glances of those strangers she’d heard so much about; to find someone so quickly put imperia out of her league, despite attempting to do her best to uphold the charming personality she was known for across the country. “color me surprised at the dagger in your hands. onyx stones are said to alleviate worry and to reduce nightmares; italians rarely use them for weapons that might cause harm.” the words were said slowly as her dark gaze lifted back to the woman’s inspecting eyes, her own hand dropping back to her side. “rubies are preferred.”

She did not miss the quick glance the woman’s given her - nor the surprise and wonder which coloured her eyes once the gaze settled upon the twin daggers. Of course, Meirong expected something of the sort - she’s heard a great deal about Europe, and their women ; rarely had any one of them had any experience with sharp objects and battles. She’s heard of the Holy Roman Empress, and save for a few other individuals from the faraway past, she can’t say she’s known about many European women who wielded swords and daggers. That’s why she preferred her own empire - while they preferred men to be generals, women could still wield a weapon, they could still be taught military training ; she was a daughter of a general ( and now a sister of a general ) and as such she’s been trained in weaponry since her father had deemed fit - and then she and her brother took to training their youngest sibling, her little sister, in the arts of war.

Of course, the situation’s changed for her, marrying the crown prince meant she had to hang the sword and pick up something equally lethal, but less sharp - political books and letters of diplomacy. She would’ve preferred the battlefield - riding with her brother and husband, as apt as any other man, but alas ; her role was that of a mother, and not a warrior. Whenever she’d lay her eyes on Yuezhen, Meirong would know the change in her position was worth it. Zhenzhen was her greatest gift and her greatest love - something shared with her blood family, her closest companions and her husband, all whom she had loved and protected as ferociously as any dragon from the fables.

The crown princess smiled to the woman, polite but still somewhat reserved - after all, this was a new land and a new experience for her ; politeness was greatly advised, but outward friendliness might not be as wise - she did not know who the woman was, where her alliances lie and what is her background - though, given her attire and her eye for the displayed items, she was undoubtedly a noblewoman. Suo iure, or by marriage... it was all the same.

Inclining her head at the woman’s thanks, Meirong allowed her smile to soften into something more honest - but, when the lady spoke again, she found herself pleasantly surprised, humming in approval of her words. “Indeed, they are, but that is not their only use. Onyx stones, as any other black coloured stone, has a warm energy which serves as a protective shield. They are said to be able to ward off negativity and misfortunes, if one knows how to properly use them. But, they are not suited for everybody.” She explained, a soft smile tugging at the corner of her lip, before her head inclined in acceptance of the woman's words, but she found herself disagreeing with them. “Rubies are the stones of passion and vital force. While they are certainly filled with auspicious energy, they often incite recklessness veiled as bravery, which is a rather lethal thing to display on a battlefield. This - “ she tapped at the hilt of the second dagger, the one she’s intended on gifting her little sister ; “ - is carnelian. Its colour is vibrant and soothing, and its energy is warm, filled with healing properties. They are said to protect from physical harm and help in healing wounds and cuts.”