rubynoble

[rubynoble]

kai-ming knew people would talk, and she truthfully hadn't thought about if the guards judged her or made comments about her — she just didn't want them to think her weak and unworthy of kaito's trust. the princess sniffled as he spoke; the main thing going through her mind was why he cared at all if her guards were nearby or fit for the role.

when she felt his touch on her shoulder, the princess's shocked expression did not fade, but her shoulder relaxed under his touch, and she eased up how she held her arm. " i'm terrible at that, " she said with a soft laugh and a sad smile — he already knew that, yet he had kept up with her all the same. kai-ming slowly tilted her head to let her cheek rest on his hand, this felt like the xinyuan she knew and she couldn't run from that.

" even if you hate me, " the princess started to speak softly, suddenly on another subject — but they were words she felt he needed to hear, and now was the chance to say them. " — i don't hate you. i miss you. "

"It is not a guard's job to make questions or personal judgements. If they make unsolicited comments or go around speaking of what they saw, they are not fit for the role." Xinyuan did not doubt for a second that the Japanese guards were competent in that way — although they should be more careful letting the princess escape their sight. Which, knowing Kai-ming, she probably did often.

It wasn't supposed to be any safer with him than it was on her own. He could not be seen showing kindness to her, even in her current state. His eyes darted around, scanning his surroundings, and only settled back on the woman after he'd made sure they were all alone. Only then he hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder. "On their lives, they will keep you safe. But you need to stay by their side for that."

[rubynoble]

Love Between Fairy and Devil 苍兰诀 Dongfang Qingcang following Xiao Lanhua around like a stray puppy.

[rubynoble]

the voice that interrupted her sobs was the one voice kai-ming didn't expect to hear — and the only one that could've snapped her from her panic so quickly. the little princess looked at him; eyes wide with shock, cheeks flushed and wet with tears. she didn't understand why he stopped to say anything, why it mattered at all really.

" i don't want them right now. " she sniffled, still coddling the arm that was once broken. " i don't want them to see me like this. " kai-ming tried her best to appear stronger then she was in front of the japanese court — she knew she was china's weakest, and she didn't want to appear as pathetic as she felt sometimes. even now, with how they had parted the last time she saw xinyuan — her fragile emotional state was not a new sight to him.

Violence did not daunt him, only sent a much-needed rush of adrenaline through his veins. Making sure the Tolentino emperor and his wife were unharmed, keeping an eye on the members of the Japanese court, he did not kill, but surely enjoyed the exercise.

Many of the royals were however terrified, rightfully so. Blood had been spilled, after all. Xinyuan's mind and eyes had wandered momentarily towards Kai-ming, and the moment he hears her sobs, he recognizes them immediately. Similarly to how violence got his blood pumping, so did the sound, an instinct not yet forgotten.

The spy freezes and stops in his tracks behind her with an ache in his heart.

"You should not sit around unguarded. It might be dangerous."

[rubynoble]

" thank you, " she said with a smile, taking the cup of tea and blowing softly before she took a sip of it. " i will admit, they've been . . . scary. " the princess said softly, her gaze aimed towards the cup of tea in her hands. " i'm not accustom to such . . violence. last time, i got hurt. i was afraid that could happen again. " perhaps, she just needed to avoid all political gatherings unless katio requested her by his side for them. they seemed to be getting worse and worse, and kai-ming didn't consider herself built for such . . . heated debates.

closed starter: kai-ming qing / @rubynoble

the doors were closed to both of them. meetings and discussions among the emperor's council left them in the dark, and simply waiting for next steps.

genjirou slowly and carefully poured tea into the cup set before the banished princess. he did the same to his own cup, watching the steam bend and twist toward the ceiling. when he was done, he pushed kai-ming's cup closer, eyes finally lifting to meet hers. "for nerves." he straightened in his seat, licking his lips. "i hope the last few days haven't been too difficult, after what happened."

[rubynoble]

he didn't mean for his words to sting — but kai-ming still winced when he said them. while she was happy in japan, in some ways; it didn't mean she didn't miss her home. she smiled at him though, nodding her head. she knew that. all of her siblings had always been able to take harsh words and attacks far better then she. " you're right, besides, i don't believe he sees any of you as weak as me. " the little princess said with a soft laugh, meaning the words as they were said.

when asked about her drawing, kai-ming's smile grew into a bright one; delighted he asked. " oh! of course! " she held out the book to him, proud of the pages. " it's called mandevilla sanderi, it's a vining flower! they have it growing up the side of the courtyard! "

It had been an unforgivable amount of time since Lorenzo had last seen his sister, something he actually felt bad about. When Angelo had found him, he’d mentioned the fact Lorenzo hadn’t made time for his “Emperor,” a statement that had only soured in his mind with time. It was a sharp contrast to Kai-ming’s greeting, and affection for his sister filled him as she floated towards him. 

“What could he do, exile me too?” It occurred to him too late that his words, however casual, might sting. “Angelo might throw a few harsh words my way, but there's no need to worry. I can take it.” Part of him hoped that Angelo might try to reprimand him, so that they might finally have it out on the subject of Kai-ming’s exile, but he had a sneaking suspicion they’d never see eye-to-eye on the matter, and any conversation would only serve to drive the brothers even further apart. Lorenzo glanced over at the vining flower she’d been drawing, then down at the sketchpad. “May I see what you’ve been drawing?” His voice was gentle, doting. 

[rubynoble]

she felt ridiculous, in a way that she had no physical injures — but psychological ones. kai-ming had forgotten how scared she was of conflict, how much being injured in india had made her afraid of it; until she was in the middle of it once again. once again, the princess had retreated to being quiet in her room. it seemed that was her default, when her heart hurt.

she looked up at the tray he held, with tea and pastries, then looked at him with a soft smile. " i would, thank you. you were busy, oniisan, i understand, " the princess said softly, " there's . . . a lot happening right now, isn't there? " she asked with a heavy sigh, reaching forward for one of the pastries — sweets were her weak point. she failed to understand a lot about politics, especially now that she was a ward of a country she didn't belong to — she was often confused about many things. not to mention, she hated hearing what her step-brother was doing to her home.

closed starter ›› kai-ming qing , @rubynoble

kaito  knocked  on  the  door  before  entering the room. gaze quickly found kai-ming, the sight fodder for the quiet guilt he felt over not checking on her sooner. he'd retreated to his own room after ensuring that no member of the japanese court had been severely hurt, assuming that if kai-ming wasn't injured then she was fine. incorrectly, he know realized.   ❝ i thought you'd like some tea. ❞   he set the tray down, which also held a plate of pastries.   ❝ i should have come to see you sooner. i'm sorry, imōto. ❞

[rubynoble]

Her love of flowers is really her great charm. For no man loves flowers as women can. She looks coolly at the exquisite petunias and says, in a small far away voice, "They have a very perfect scent." But I feel I can hear oceans of love breaking in her heart.

Katherine Mansfield, from a letter to Dorothy Brett written c. July 1927

[rubynoble]

° • — CLOSED starter for xinyuan ( @dcccivcr ) ° • — day of the pre-tribunal, afterwards, outside

the last time kai-ming had felt this scared, was the day she was exiled from her home. before that, it was when france and thailand had crashed the first gathering; when she broke her arm in the fight that broke out. while she was timid and easily frightened, this sort of absolutely paralyzing, suffocating fear was not commonly felt by the little princess.

the princess paced, frantic — back and forth, back and forth — nearly creating a rut in the grass beneath her silk slippers. her arm cradled by her other hand, the arm that was once broken and had since healed, but there was almost a phantom ache; like the chaos had reminded her. she was scared of being hurt again, even with all the commotion gone. everyone had scattered. everything was quiet again. even with the silence, the peace she had felt the past several months; it was gone.

kai-ming slumped against one of the walls, oblivious to if she was in someone's way, and collapsed into a crying heap.

[rubynoble]

" oh, that sounds wonderful! " kai-ming exclaimed with joy. " i've never been to europe before, i would love to read about scotland's flora! indeed, let's exchange books! " she didn't know much about scotland as a country, but she did know it was lush and vast with greenery. the idea of learning about new florals made kai-ming excited, not only because she would learning about her favorite subject — but because it would be a welcome distraction on her otherwise troubled mind.

the words surprised the princess a little, and for a moment — she thought about them. it was important to her, she supposed. it was important to her because kaito was important to her. kai-ming nodded her head, giving a soft smile as she looked at the florals around again. " the emperor has been very kind to me. he granted my request for sanctuary, offering me a kindess even when my own family did not. " even if at first, the emperor had no reason to trust her or give her the time of day — but he still gave her a chance, and that alone was something kai-ming considered to be kind. " without him, i wouldn't have a home! i don't know where i'd be, truthfully. i owe everything to him. "

there was  something  nice  about  talking  about a simple topic. a fleeting moment. not entirely untouched by the politics surrounding them but standing at a slight distance.   ❝ i'd love to read it, if you can part with it for a few days. ❞   a thought dawned upon her.   ❝ actually, i think i have a book on flora native to scotland. we could exchange? ❞ ❝ the success of this betrothal seems very important to you. ❞   a neutral observation, concealing the curiosity that'd been growing within. the banishment of the chinese princesses hadn't occurred quietly after the crime had been loudly revealed. the question lingering in the scot's mind was how she'd ended up in the land of her kin's enemy, becoming the only qing invited to this celebration.

[rubynoble]

" yeah . . " the princess agreed meekly, nodding her head. she knew he was completely right. seeing the court physician was an obvious choice of action, even though she didn't really want to. kai-ming wasn't fond of seeing a physician, and she never had been. ever since she was a child.

kai-ming shook her head when he claimed he was being overprotective — " i don't think that at all! " the princess assured. even if he was, he had good cause for it. " there's a reason even in china, xinyuan was always only one step behind me. " she laughed softly, " he used to know exactly when i was about to trip up, i don't think my foot would've gotten stuck if he had been here to stop me. " the princess jested, trying to be lighthearted about the words even though it made her heart hurt to think about moments that once made her happy. the princess smiled at the emperor, limping a little closer. " i'm sorry for making you worry. "

his brow  knitted  together  in  concern.  he knew her nature well enough by now but also didn't see any signs of pain on her face.   ❝ you should still see our court physician when you return to the palace. ❞   as he would talk with the guards he'd assigned to watch out for he, reiterating that they couldn't let her wander off unprotected. not when the tribunal was so close. ❝ i know, and i know i'm being overprotective but . . . ❞   he shifted on his feet,   ❝ i don't want anything to happen to you. ❞   the information that had been revealed since their arrival had only shown that enemies were closer than they thought. allies, friends, family.

[rubynoble]

° • — CLOSED starter for lorenzo ( @balteren ) ° • — outside in the gardens, midday

kai-ming had learned her lesson about venturing up on the mountain by herself, and on this rainy day — perhaps it was better she didn't worry the emperor by exploring outside palace gates. she was humming to herself as she sketched a flower that cascaded up the side of the palace.

when she heard footsteps, she turned to look at the culprit — kai-ming almost hated how her heart hoped it was xinyuan, but he had done well at avoiding her ever since their last conversation. instead, it was another familiar face. and the princess lit up with a smile. " gege! " she called out, closing up the book and skipping over with a smile. " oh, i didn't think — you won't get in trouble for talking to me will you? " the little princess asked carefully.

[rubynoble]

ESTHER YU as XIAO LAN HUA Love Between Fairy and Devil 苍兰诀 (2022) – Ep. 16

[rubynoble]

kai-ming nodded curtly, as if that was a very important idea to have and strongly agreed with it. there wasn't much kai-ming was serious about; except flowers. " i think i have a spare book on it, if you'd like to have it! " she offered with a smile, " i have many books about it, and some just seem to repeat the information. i would love to share the knowledge instead of keeping it all. " the princess made a note to fetch the book and get it back to cordelia sometime soon.

" it's the right message for a betrothal, i think. " she said softly, " two countries, two people, coming together in unity with each other. i would want people to consider it a positive thing like that. " not that kai-ming had ever though about it. she used to worry about being betrothed, because she did not ever want to leave china — now that needn't be a concern, she no longer worried. she knew kaito would not betroth her to someone, not with how he knew where her heart truly lied; even though that left her destined to be alone.

cordelia listened  with  interest  that  wasn't  false. her years in espionage had taught her that no information was insignificant. a comment spoken in passing could hold a key one didn't yet know they needed. or an exchange could grant new talking points that might intrigue a potential target.   ❝ fascinating. i will have to look into the language of flowers more to prepare for my next party. i wouldn't wish to send the wrong message with my floral arrangements. ❞   she giggled. ❝ of course. if i was the emperor or the sultana, it's precisely the message i'd wish to be conveyed. ❞   though perhaps with a little more flare. the mackenzie was onyl subtle when it came to keeping secrets.

[rubynoble]

it truly was not often kai-ming heard that she should embrace her curiosity, after all, it got her into trouble — a lot. the words were motivating, and the princess lit up as she listened to the other. " that is so kind of you to say! " she exclaimed, feeling at ease around lorena. it was nice to know she would not judge her for her strange choices or silly questions. " it makes me feel less ridiculous for getting my foot stuck, which felt rather . . . well, embarrassing. " kai-ming murmured, looking back at the rock like it had done something to personally offend her — when the entire situation was her fault only.

" i would love the help! i'll give you a painting of the flower in return! if you do not mind amateur art, that is. " she said with a laugh. " i do not pretend to hold any talent, i just like . . . making memories. i never want to forget the places i've seen. now, i won't forget you — because i'll remember you with this flower! " the princess smiled, though she knew she had just rambled on a bit so she turned her attention back to the flower. " do you think it's climbable? " she mused.

Lorena listened attentively, touched by the genuine gratitude. "You are very welcome, I want you to know that people often mistake innocence and curiosity for childishness," Lorena replied, her tone gentle yet firm. "Never let anyone underestimate the value of your curiosity and creativity."

"I am not most people," Lorena stated calmly, her voice carrying a quiet strength. She offered a small, reassuring smile, hoping to convey her genuine support. "And I believe that your curiosity is a valuable quality that should be celebrated." With a sense of purpose, Lorena suggested "If you'd like, I can help you with that flower," she offered kindly. "Together, we might even find a way to free it without causing any harm."

[rubynoble]

he was right — danger was always around to strike; but it was simply not in kai-ming's nature to consider such things. she was always looking on the bright side of things, on the positive side of people. even now, even still. " i suppose so, " she answered softly, waiting as he stepped closer and helped her from the rocks.

she bent down to examine her foot, other then some scrapes and some redness — it seemed okay. kai-ming smiled to reassure him. " i can! i think it will be okay. " even if it wasn't, she wouldn't say so. " i'm sorry, oniisan. i thought it was safe . . . it's away from everyone, so . . " so she assumed no one would be around to put her in harms way.

he should  be  cross,  fueled  mostly  by worry for many dangers surrounded them, some of them her own kin, but his expression softened, remaining upset with her remained impossible.   ❝ i understand, ❞   he often wished he needn't constantly be followed by a guard,   ❝ but we can't afford to be too comfortable. danger can strike unexpectedly. ❞ with a sigh, kaito stepped closer and knelt down to inspect kai-ming's trapped foot. the question of how she'd managed to get stuck was almost spoken until he decided it hardly mattered. there were far worse accidents that could've befallen her out here on the matters.   ❝ hold still. ❞   gently, he maneuvered her foot free of the rocks.   ❝ there. can you put weight on it? ❞

[rubynoble]

" no, not at all! by all means! " kai-ming exclaimed, hoping he could get her free from the rock. she was engrossed in his words, eyes looking up at he mentioned the plan to get the flower down. at first, it seemed scary — but kai-ming felt as though she could trust him. and she really wanted the flower.

" okay, sounds like a plan! " she said with confidence, not even noticing he had grabbed her ankle and freed it; until she wobbled from the tension being gone. " thank you so much! i greatly appreciate it, " the princess said, stepping away from the rock and offering them a bow. " i'm kai-ming, i . . . live in japan. " she said softly. she didn't hold a title in japan's court, and she hardly wanted to be associated as a princess of china with the reputation her step-brother was attracting.

His eyes tracked up, finding the flower in question above them. He refrained from questioning if it was really worth it. He had been in far stupider situations for far stupider reasons.

Bending down he inspected the ankle, "I think we just need to get it at the right angle. Do you mind?" His hand hovered near her skin, not wanting to touch without her permission.

"Once you're out" he told her, gaze upon the task at hand, " we can try getting you on my shoulders." He was rambling, attempting to distract her. "Between the two of us I think you may be able to reach it."

[rubynoble]

kai-ming nodded her head excitedly, " they do, yes! it's like a language onto itself, " one that kai-ming held very true to. she would never want someone to mistake intentions with the wrong flowers. the little princess pointing to an arrangement, " the red roses are obvious, of course — they mean love and royalty! the white ones, they can represent loyalty! but they can also mean goodbye, so i paired them with the red ones to convey the right thing, together they mean unity. " she said softly, as if anyone else knew what the flowers symbolized.

" it seemed right for a betrothal that seems to bring happiness, right? " kai-ming hoped that was true. she wanted kaito to be happy, to find someone to love — she would never want him to be unfortunate in love like herself.

flowers. it  wasn't  the  topic  she'd  thought the conversation would land on but there were certainly worse conversations to have, and if it was the topic that let the woman beside her open up then cora would play along. talkative people were more prone to letting information slip. her head nodded. ❝ you've certainly succeeded. the flower arrangements are beautiful and so unique. ❞   flattery was effortlessly spoken, accompanied by a bright smile.   ❝ each flower has its own meaning, yes? i think i read that somewhere. ❞