"i Renlong," Sofya was whispering to First, "what are you doing about whoever this enemy in the shadows is? Can my elder brother help you root them out?"
Prince Nur, who sat at the small table alongside his younger sister, raised a single eyebrow at i Renlong, nodding his agreent to his ii’s offer.
"I thank you for the kind offer, Prince," replied First Brother under his breath, "but we know who we’re dealing with, and we’re working on a solution. Not a topic for discussion in a forum like this, however, there are far too many eyes and ears," he looked around at the servants aningfully.
Tan Bowen had finally managed to finagle his way into the palace, under the guise of supporting a fireworks display for the consorts and young royals and nobles.
He was starting to feel helpless in his quest for i ili’s hand, now that he could no longer drop into her courtyard on a whim to see her.
As the politics of court were getting hotter in the lead up to the northern campaign, Tan Bowen was watching his friends grow up, seemingly overnight, leaving him behind.
Bai Li was now a fully-fledged Commander of a battalion, and about to lead a campaign to war. i ili’s first and second brothers would accompany him as strategists, finally putting their training to the test. The Second Prince, he knew, was fighting to protect Bai and i family interests in the cauldron of court politics, putting himself at risk, and month-by-month getting closer to his forced exit of the capital for his fiefdom in Gu.
i ili now served by the Emperor’s side as a court lady. Her life had literally been threatened on more than one occasion, and she remained right in the firing line of both the harem, and the Pri Minister’s clique.
It felt like he could do nothing at all to help her, or his friends. His artistic pursuits were worthless, in the face of what was happening to them.
A poem or a painting couldn’t stay the hand of the silent assassin sneaking up behind i ili while she fed the fish. His fine calligraphy was wasted on a war missive, where a rough soldier’s scrawl would do just as well...
i ili’s face was wreathed with a smile, pleased that the Emperor had given her a night of freedom, and that her friends were all there; except for Bai Li, of course, who could not take an evening off for sothing so frivolous with the war looming.
Small dining tables dotted the square, and a al was being served before the pyrotechnics display. Tan Bowen had avoided the usual issue of the n’s side and the won’s side, by placing all of the tables in the centre of the square so that the young n and won were mixed in together.
"I have so bad news," Sofya said sadly to ili and i Renlong. "My father has called ho. He says it’s getting too dangerous with war approaching."
"Despite our Darkhad tribe’s longstanding alliance with the Emperor," said Prince Nur, "that distinction is lost on most ordinary citizens in the capital, so the likelihood of another attack on my ii is almost certain."
ili reached over and hugged Sofya. "I can’t believe you have to go ho!" she cried sadly. "I’m going to miss you so much!"
"I know!" wailed the princess, "and now that you’re trapped in the palace you can’t even co and visit !"
"It wouldn’t be the right ti for a visit in any event," said First Brother protectively.
Sofya caught his eye briefly, and he looked away, not trusting himself to hold his face completely impartial at the sudden news of her departure.
Though he knew this was coming, still, it was a harder blow than he was prepared for.
"You’ll be travelling to the north yourself soon enough, i Renlong," she said lightly.
"Not to any locations where you’ll be allowed to visit, if that’s what you’re thinking," growled Prince Nur, and she pouted at her big brother, that plan being exactly what she had in mind...
"When will you be able to co back to the capital?" ili asked her.
"That remains to be seen," said Prince Nur answering for her, "there are just too many variables at this stage".
ili reached out and took Sofya’s hand, not wanting to waste any of her last hours with her most favourite girlfriend.
"What about you Prince?" asked Princess Lingling, trying unsuccessfully to sound casual.
"I’m to stay in the capital," he said bitterly, his longing for his holand clearly written on his face. "Despite our alliance, I still play the role of hostage; my father’s ’pledge of good faith’."
The Second Prince wondered if a marriage to his ii might secure Prince Nur a ticket ho.
She seed much less averse to the idea than she had been when he first entered the capital. He looked at her thoughtfully.
Princess Lingling watched Prince Nur with both sympathy, and perhaps sothing more akin to tenderness.
He made a ntal note to find out her thoughts on the marriage, and if they had changed. It was undeniable that the match would be helpful to the Kingdom if she had fallen for the man.
Tan Bowen quietly sat and watched i ili. It had been too long since he saw her last, and he couldn’t quite get his fill of looking at her.
He felt like a man in the desert with just enough water to wet his throat, but never enough to slake his thirst.
The Second Prince found his friend ogling i ili like a common street peddler, and he cuffed him about the ear.
"Ow! What was that for?" Tan Bowen glared at the Second Prince.
"Bad manners," was all the prince said, raising a single elegant brow at Tan Bowen, who at least had the good grace to look sheepish.
ili basked in the warm company of her friends and their care for one another and her, which she knew to be unbreakable and true.
"Well," Tan Bowen rose to his feet with a flourish of his showy robe, "ti for to work so magic on you all. Prepare to be amazed."
"Good luck Tan Bowen," called ili, as he disappeared behind a screen for the start of his show.
He turned back and winked at her.
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