by Fynn Chen
Wanwan wore an equally wry smile as she replied, “I don’t need praises, I know that for a fact myself, equally-smart courtly princess.”
Smiles broke on both their faces and they gazed upon each other for a much longer time than necessary. Wanwan stayed to witness Princess Yexuan take her medicine as promised. When she saw the princess grimace and choke on the medicine’s bitterness, Wanwan thought she might have felt true pity for the princess. It made Wanwan wonder whether the princess had thrown her medicine away simply because she could not tolerate its bitterness or was she really serious about taking her own life. Whatever it was, she had imposed Princess Yexuan enough for the day and decided to take her leave but not before spotting the feathered hat that she had gifted to Princess Yexuan months ago on one of the princess’s shelves in her bedroom. A sense of pride washed over Wanwan and she repressed a smile as she left the premise.
Hours after Princess Wanwan had left her room, Yexuan still felt an odd lingering sense of something, something which she could not put a finger to. Whether or not it was a positive or negative thing, Yexuan could not tell either. All she knew was that, for the first time in her life since her mother left, something had occupied her senses. Something, or rather, someone, had caught her attention. Princess Wanwan was that someone.
Yexuan could not believe that this princess, who was two years younger than she was, had goaded her into taking her medicine for the first time in the past one year. It has been one year since Yexuan had decided that living was much more difficult than dying.
Yexuan was tired of having to live life in this way, where she had to pay careful attention to her words and actions before other princes and princesses at all times, making their jealousies of her Emperor’s father biasness towards her apparent. Those cold-hearted sneers and snide remarks they made of her late mother and her were impossible to ignore. Besides them, Yexuan was also tired of having the Empress feign concern for her just because she was once fostered under the Empress. Last of all, Yexuan was tired of living this lonely and meaningless life where everything laid beneath layers upon layers of schemes.
The sweet release that was death would grant her so much more, including her reunion with her mother. Yexuan had been advancing towards her goal slowly but surely. Yet, the presence of this princess had disrupted her plans and interrupted her thoughts with a mere threat. Sighing, Yexuan recalled their conversation from earlier.
The untamed Princess Wanwan had apologised and even remembered the details of their interactions from months ago. Yexuan would be lying if she said she was not touched. It had been a really long time since anyone else showed such semblance of care towards her, genuine care.
Wanwan had said that she was angry and that made Yexuan curious. What could make a ten-year old wildling princess so angry that she would hurt herself so recklessly? Yexuan felt her heart ache slightly as she pondered upon Princess Wanwan’s words. Then again, was she herself not the same? Yexuan was angry too and had continued to hurt herself. Yet, Yexuan held no such trace of sadness for herself.
Deeming that it was all too much for her mind to handle for the day, Yexuan decided to shut off her thoughts and sleep.
**
After finding out the timing which the medicine would be delivered to Princess Yexuan’s quarters, Wanwan visited the princess daily, at that specific timing. It was all to ensure that the princess had taken her medicine. It worked. Princess Yexuan’s health improved day by day.
One day, Princess Yexuan finally said, “you don’t have to come here every day just to watch me drink my medicine.”
Wanwan gave a nonchalant shrug. “It’s not difficult for me to do so since I live just next door. Besides, there is not much I can do here in this palace. All I do is train with the princes and my martial teachers, try and seek an audience with my tightly-guarded elder sister, catch some crickets…”
Princess Yexuan held up a hand. “Yes, I know this palace is too boring for your wild heart, but I feel so uneasy when you watch me drink my medicine with those hawkish eyes.”
“Then what do you suggest I do? Take the vase away?” Wanwan joked and for the first time, she heard the princess laugh.
It sounded quite beautiful but slightly weak and scattered, like a dandelion’s seed that was blown by the harsh winds. The laugh ended shortly when a cough plagued the princess. Wanwan moved an inch forward, wanting to pat the princess’s back like how her elder sister had usually done for her but paused. It must be inappropriate to touch the sickly princess and besides, Wanwan did not want to be responsible if Princess Yexuan’s cough had worsened instead.
Regardless, this marked the princesses’ first ever light-hearted interaction with one another. Somewhere in Wanwan’s heart, she knew that she might learn to enjoy being a companion to Princess Yexuan even though it was all just a means for her. Wanwan must never forget that her true goal would still be to help her sister get out of the marriage proposal she had never wanted and at the same time aid in the rise of the Bo’er for her father Khan. To do so, she must never, ever let Princess Yexuan become too much of a distraction in her life.
Despite not being able to run through the fields freely like she had done back in her homeland, Wanwan was beginning to find other muses in the palace.
On Wanwan’s eleventh birthday, the Emperor had gifted Wanwan a rare Ferghana mare with a midnight black mane and a brilliant red coat that almost shone like red gold. The sturdy equine was so gorgeous to behold that Wanwan had fallen in love immediately and aroused the jealousies of all the princes in the court. The Emperor had bestowed the majestic horse to Wanwan on grounds that she had been a blessing and that Princess Yexuan’s condition had improved markedly ever since her stay in the palace.
The same day Princess Wanwan had received the precious gift, Yexuan had appeared in her courtyard as well while she was training on the beams and dummies. That was the first time Yexuan had seen Princess Wanwan in her martial arts robe. The wildling princess had looked so suave in that predominantly silver-blue robe that were simply embellished with blue trimmings about the hems of the robes and a blue belt that wound about her slim waist. The wildling princess had been practising a difficult technique of balancing while wielding her weapon. Yexuan felt heat spreading as she observed more closely.
The weapon that Princess Wanwan used was a double-edged sword most commonly equipped by the sword masters of Pei and fashioned for her by the best smiths in the imperial palace. The hilt of the sword had fitted in her hands so naturally and she held it at an angle that it appeared weightless, it was as though the sword was an extension of her limbs.
As Princess Wanwan leapt from her immoveable bow stance earlier and waved the sword in the air, Yexuan found herself mesmerised by this young martial artist. Every stroke she had executed was swift and clean, and every footwork was light and graceful. A couple of times, Wanwan had even done full somersaults and thrusted the sword repeatedly before landing on the ground noiselessly. The sight of it had utterly enraptured Yexuan and she felt her heart flutter lightly in her chest.
“You did not personally come over to my courtyard to watch me brandish my sword, did you?” Princess Wanwan’s voice came through to her suddenly and Yexuan gave an involuntarily jump in response.
Her reaction elicited a laughter from the wildling princess who approached her. Up close, Yexuan could spot the sweat stains on the wildling princess’s robes and frowned. She wondered just how long and hard the wildling princess had been training to be so utterly drenched in her own sweat.
Recovering herself, Yexuan said, “I-I thought you would be busy with your new mare. I heard from the others that my father Emperor has gifted you an invaluable equine.”
Princess Wanwan gave a lopsided smile which looked so charming that Yexuan hoped the wildling princess would stop doing it.
“Well… it would take some time before I could fully bond with and utilise her. The Ferghana horse your father Emperor has given me was superb but feist
y. Her temperament is almost an equal to my father’s own fierce steed.”
Concern shot up Yexuan’s chest and she had involuntarily voiced it out. “Will it be dangerous for you?”
The wildling princess looked slightly taken aback with the raise of her brows, but the slanted smirk later returned. “For other people, maybe, but not me. I grew up in the plains where fierce steeds are aplenty. This mare… I would tame her, and she would be entirely loyal to me,” Princess Wanwan said with a zest that made Yexuan’s heart lurch once more.
“Anyway, back to my question, what are you doing in my courtyard? Are you going to drink your medicine before me in my quarters instead?” The wildling princess added and Yexuan pursed her lips.
Yexuan had entirely forgotten her original intention of coming to visit. It was the wildling princess’s birthday and she had come to visit with a gift of her own.
As Yexuan held out her gift for the wildling princess, she suddenly felt abashed that her gift seemed so inadequate. It was another handkerchief with a collage of embroidery, of various predatory birds; condors, falcons, and hawks. This time round, Yexuan had remembered to use cotton instead of silk. Cotton was a much more practical material for the wildling princess.
Princess Wanwan stared at the gift for a very long moment before a wide grin emerged on her face and she took the handkerchief from her gratefully.
“Just what I needed right now,” the wildling princess said as she dabbed the handkerchief against her temples. “Thank you, this is perfect for me,” the wildling princess added and Yexuan felt an indescribable sort of happiness bloom within her.
“You are welcome. Happy birthday, Princess Wanwan,” Yexuan said softly, bashfulness creeping in.
“It’s just another day to me,” the wildling princess replied and seemed about to say something else when her royal brothers, Prince Zhongtai and Prince Zhongxiu had arrived.
“Happy birthday!” They both shouted jovially.
With confident gaits that told Yexuan that they had prepared something grand for the wildling princess, the princes strode forth.
“Excited to know what gifts we have prepared for you?” Prince Zhongtai asked tauntingly but the wildling princess merely gave an uninterested shrug.
Snapping his fingers, Prince Zhongtai motioned for his guard to bring forth the gift. It was a magnificent Bo’er hunting bow wrapped in snakeskin with silver details. Like before, the wildling princess looked long and hard at this gift before taking it from the guard.
“Thank you,” the wildling princess said simply and passed the gift to a palace maid.
Yexuan reckoned that her muted response was because the princess already owned a number of impressive looking bows. Yexuan had remembered seeing multiple gift packages arriving from Mongolia and Princess Wanwan did mention briefly that there were weapons amongst them.
“That is not all! We are going on a hunting trip,” Prince Zhongtai exclaimed.
That news excited the wildling princess a little more. “When?” The wildling princess asked expectantly.
“Today! Father Emperor has given us his best hunting guards to come along with us. We can set off in two hours’ time. Everything has been packed and we are ready to go,” Prince Zhongxiu replied with as much excitement as his elder brother.
Yexuan found it a little uncharacteristic of Prince Zhongxiu since he was usually a calmer child, and in Yexuan’s memory, Prince Zhongxiu practiced hunting and martial arts only because his elder brothers did them as well. Yexuan would not expect Prince Zhongxiu to be so elated about a hunting trip. Maybe Prince Zhongxiu had changed and had begun to grow fond of them as well.
It was apparent that the ‘we’ had meant only the two princes and the wildling princess. Princess Yexuan could never be on such trips. For the first time in her life, Yexuan lamented the fact that she had not practiced martial arts nor hunting and could not be on this trip with them.
“Oh…” the wildling princess said and then looked towards Yexuan.
They held their gazes with one another for a brief moment. During that brief moment, Yexuan thought she felt the wildling princess trying to convey something to her, but she could not make out what it was. Regardless, it made Yexuan’s heart flutter all the same, like the beating of a butterfly’s wings.
Then returning her attention back to the princes, the wildling princess nodded. “Let’s go.” Looking at Yexuan once more, the wildling princess said, “Princess Yexuan, I will see you when we return from our trip.”
Yexuan found herself smiling at the wildling princess’s words in a mixture of emotions. Yexuan was truly happy that Princess Wanwan would finally get to do one of her most favourite activities, but she also felt an indescribable feeling of heaviness.
“Yes, sister, we will be back in a few days’ time. Do take care of your body in the meantime! We want to listen to your zither-playing when we return!” Prince Zhongtai said cheerily.
“A few days?” Princess Yexuan asked in surprise.
“Yes! We are going to the mountains to hunt larger animals. We might even come back with a leopard or a tiger. A birthday gift from the princess from Bo’er has to be grand after all right?” Prince Zhongtai said proudly.
Prince Zhongxiu added a finer detail that made the wildling princess so happy that it made Yexuan feel happy as well. “Princess Wanwan, your elder sister, Princess Yanyan is coming along with us.”
“Really?! My sister is coming along?!”
Prince Zhongxiu nodded with a brilliant smile. “Yes! We asked father Emperor if she could come along with us and he gave his consent. We heard that Princess Yanyan is quite adept at hunting too.”
“Of course, my sister is a Bo’er princess after all. Just not as good as I am,” the wildling princess added haughtily.
“Good, then we are all set to go. Yexuan, we will see you in a few days,” Prince Zhongtai said again.
“See you when I am back,” the wildling princess told her, giving her hope and Yexuan felt her heart race.
Yexuan thought that she was already used to the feeling of loneliness. However, when the hunting party had set out that day, Yexuan felt as though she had been left behind.
A few days later, Yexuan received news that almost made her heart stop. Princess Wanwan was grievously injured during the hunting trip.
It was told that one of the princes had gotten too eager with his pursuit of a wolf during their night exploration, had accidentally broken away from the hunting party, and was confronted with a pack of wolves. Princess Wanwan, who had managed to keep up with the prince, came to his rescue. However, the wildling princess was mauled by a wolf when she fell from her panicked steed. They had managed to get the help of the hunting party just in time, scaring away some wolves and killing the remainder.
Princess Wanwan was treated on the spot, but her condition remained critical. As news were being relayed by messengers to the palace, the hunting party together with the wildling princess were on their way back to the palace to receive further treatment from the imperial physician.
7 A Dream of Wolves and Petals
Wanwan felt agonising pain tear through her body. The wildling princess tried to keep her mind awake as she recalled the details of the incident.
The sky was already darkening when they had spotted paw prints in the soft, loamy soil and knew they were after the trail of a wolf. The night was young, and the thrill of the hunt had just begun. In the past, Wanwan had hunted in woods but she had been familiar with the forests of her homeland, not this forest. Wanwan wondered just how many ferocious beasts could be found lurking in this place.
Prince Zhongtai was riding by her side and they were flanked by the royal hunting guards, annoying Wanwan slightly. The princess did not like to be overly protected. However, she had to admit that hunting in the woods in the dark was vastly different as compared to that of the great plains and perhaps it was only wise to exercise prudence. She would deign herself to be a good child and stay well within the
protection of the hunting guards.
Yanyan had decided to stay back in their camping ground because her sister was not too fond of hunting in the night. That did not bother Wanwan since the princes were as enthusiastic as herself. Wanwan could show her sister her kill later.
They had been tracking the wolf for slightly more than an hour and they were beginning to grow impatient. The looming shadows amongst the trees casted by the torches from their army of hunting guards had a hypnotic effect on Wanwan. Her eyes had fallen shut several times and if not for Prince Zhongtai’s constant prodding, she would have already fallen asleep.
“Exciting isn’t it?” Prince Zhongtai asked in that honey-dripping voice of his to lift her moods and Wanwan rolled her eyes.
“Very… if only the wolf would show itself right now,” Wanwan responded sarcastically as she stifled a yawn.
“Oooh… you never know… it might suddenly pounce on one of us,” the prince added scarily and Wanwan gave another roll of her eyes.
“Then we will really be in trouble. We are in the inner circle so the chances of it pouncing of one of us is near impossible,” Wanwan drawled but decided to halt her tongue upon seeing the odd glint in Prince Zhongtai’s eyes, fearing that her words might goad the prince to act recklessly instead.
“Shall we lead our group?” Prince Zhongtai challenged, waving his lamp tauntingly.
The idea did entice Wanwan a little, but she knew best to not be influenced by this mischievous prince. Especially not when she would risk incurring Yanyan’s wrath.
Prince Zhongtai suddenly jerked to attention and the glint in his eyes became more pronounced. Before long, a huge grin stretched across his face as he threw a roguish look towards Wanwan.
Oh no…
Wanwan realised what the prince’s ears had picked up that none of the rest except herself had. The wolf was near. Before Wanwan could properly warn the hunting guards, Prince Zhongtai had clipped his lamp onto the side of the horse, turned his steed, and disappeared amongst the dense trees to give chase after the wolf. Wanwan groaned and against her better senses, went after the truant prince immediately. The hunting party was alarmed and tossed into a disarray at the sudden break in their formation.
