by Fynn Chen
“I know you have been at the stables every day, you smell like horse poop whenever you come to visit,” Princess Yexuan said.
Wanwan grinned. “I do? Then I guess I am really bonding well with Scarlet.”
A crease appeared between the young princess’s brows. “I would say you are spending too much time with the equine.”
The grin on Wanwan’s face morphed into her favourite slanted smile as she detected the slight berate in Princess Yexuan’s tone. “I know, I am your companion so I should be spending more time with you instead. Is that right?”
Princess Yexuan’s face coloured a shade of red that was almost of the same colour as Scarlet’s coat. It was beautiful to look at and Wanwan wished she could prolong that appearance. “I will spend even more time with you if you would play zither more often. Its pleasing on my ears.”
“Liar. You fell asleep when I played it yesterday,” Princess Yexuan called out.
“That is because I was so tired from practising all of the arts you have been teaching me. Besides, you always play in your room. They were so beautiful but all I could do was imagine how much more pleasant it would have sounded if you played it in a natural environment or somewhere else. And so… my mind wandered off and I fell asleep.” The outpour of words from Wanwan had surprised herself but they were all honest thoughts.
“That is a really long explanation,” Princess Yexuan said with a tinge of shyness.
“But the truth,” Wanwan replied sincerely.
“Then what do you propose I do?” Princess Yexuan asked pointedly.
Shrugging, Wanwan said, “I don’t know, at least play in your backcourt or something, then at least I could practice my sword moves while you are playing the zither. I can imagine how I could match the rhythm of my routine to your music.”
Princess Yexuan blinked and when Wanwan saw that look on the princess’s face, she felt necessary to add. “Staying outdoors more often might improve your health too. You have been sick for too long because you are always too cooped up in your room.”
“I don’t like to remain outdoors,” Princess Yexuan said plainly.
Shrugging her good shoulder, Wanwan said, “up to you then. It was merely a suggestion.”
Wanwan then climbed up a tall wooden box as she reached for her horse’s mane and brushed it dutifully.
A look of conflict was etched upon Princess Yexuan’s face. Wanwan tried to not pay too much attention to the courtly princess’s discomforts as she continued stroking her horse’s mane.
Finally, Princess Yexuan gave in. “Okay, I will do that, but you must give me something in return.”
Wanwan smiled inwardly then asked, “what do you want?”
“I haven’t thought about it yet. I will tell you when I have,” Princess Yexuan said with an imperious edge to her tone.
Wanwan usually detested people making demands and exchanging terms, but it was Princess Yexuan, so she found it adorable instead.
It would be a promise. Her promise to Princess Yexuan.
“Very well then, as long as it is something reasonable then you may have it,” Wanwan replied coolly and got down from the box. “Let’s go back to your quarters, you shouldn’t be out for too long, especially not in a stable.”
Princess Yexuan looked around the stable again and at Scarlet before giving a nod of her head.
For the rest of the week, Princess Yexuan had played the zither outdoors. First, at her own backcourt, then by the pavilion which overlooked the pond filled with water lilies near their quarters, paying no mind to the curious glances of the other princes and princesses.
Each and every time she played, Wanwan was there with her wielding her sword, scaring away the prying princes and princesses with her warning stares much to Princess Yexuan’s amusement. Sometimes, Wanwan would change the rhythm of her footwork and swordplay according to the tempo of Princess Yexuan’s playing.
They shared glances so frequently during their moments together that Wanwan was beginning to think that this would be a rather good way of life. With her intellect and limitless talents, Princess Yexuan was indeed a rather good companion to be with.
Sometimes, Princess Yexuan would tease the martial artist by abruptly changing the tempo of her strums, and Wanwan would return the tease by scaring her with an approaching weapon. One moment, the melody would be as spritely as a young child prancing about in nature, chasing living creatures like butterflies that fluttered about or a frog that hopped from pebble to pebble. Another moment, the tune would slow to a lilting melody that could tempt even the most fortressed heart, inducing one to lose their focus and stop to admire the music instead.
“Stop screwing up the rhythm of my moves,” Wanwan finally said in annoyance when Yexuan had deliberately dropped the volume so much that it was just barely audible.
Tilting her head in false confusion, Princess Yexuan asked innocently, “who? Me?”
Scrunching her face up, Wanwan nodded. “There is nobody else here but you and I. Who else, Princess Yexuan?”
Donning a childlike smile, Princess Yexuan scanned her surroundings guiltlessly. “There are a dozen guards and palace maids over here. Who knows, our esteemed Princess Wanwan might be referring to them instead of me.”
Rolling her eyes, Wanwan wanted to retort but decided that she would be trapped in a pointless banter with the princess once again. So, she threw up her hands in defeat and saw the smile on Princess Yexuan’s face become intoxicatingly sweet. Her heart lurched in response and confounded by her physiological response, Wanwan pursed her lips. They found themselves staring at each other. If not for the sudden growl from her stomach, they might not have broken their eye contact from each other for a long time.
Yexuan giggled. “Hungry again? You had a heavy breakfast.”
Wanwan nodded sheepishly. “But I expended so much energy trying to keep up with your taunts.”
Princess Yexuan gave a snort in denial to Wanwan’s accusations. Unexpectedly, her stomach had joined Wanwan’s in exclamation of hunger and emitted a loud growl.
Peals of laughter broke from Wanwan’s lips as Princess Yexuan’s face turned bright pink.
Timely it was, their evening desserts had arrived. It was Wanwan’s favourite Osmanthus tea, pork buns, and sweet cakes which Princess Yexuan had ordered the kitchen to prepare. Wanwan stopped laughing, bounded over quickly, and set her sword down. Princess Yexuan gave her a reproachful look before passing her a dish of water. A reminder for Wanwan to clean her hands and the martial artist did it grudgingly before digging in.
As they were eating, a strong gust of cold wind blew by and Wanwan instinctively tried to shield Princess Yexuan from it. However, Princess Yexuan still let out a cough and Wanwan stared at her companion warily.
“Let’s go back to your quarters,” Wanwan said.
“But we have not finished the cakes,” Princess Yexuan argued.
“Let’s have them in your room, we can get the maids to send them in. Come on, the winds are getting chillier, we should go.” Wanwan gave Princess Yexuan no chance to protest as she waved the maids over and signalled for them to pack up and return to the quarters.
Once they were back, Princess Yexuan continued to play the zither whilst Wanwan tried to read her books in the Pei language. The princess would occasionally laugh at Wanwan when she had accidentally dozed off and Wanwan would snap her mouth playfully at the elder princess.
Their moments were filled with joy and laughter and Wanwan had the illusion that this would continue forever but of course, it did not.
The next day, Princess Wanwan had come over to Yexuan’s quarters again and insisted they stay in lest they were assaulted by cold winds like the previous day.
Yexuan was in no mood to play the zither, and so, the two princesses opted for a chat instead.
“Your brothers have returned to the great plains for a while. Do you miss them?” Yexuan asked as she leant towards Princess Wanwan.
The wildling princess
smelled faintly of jasmine flowers for she had just taken a bath, most definitely in response to Yexuan’s comments about her smelling of horse poop a few days ago.
“A little I guess… but I am used to it. I still have my elder sister here with me,” Princess Wanwan said.
Even though Princess Wanwan had not sounded too bothered, Princess Yexuan was beginning to feel sorry for the wildling princess because she had witnessed how the princess had behaved when she was with her brothers. The wildling princess looked carefree and genuinely happy. Though Princess Wanwan wore frequent smiles when she was Prince Zhongtai, Prince Zhongxiu, and herself, they were different in quality, and it made Yexuan even more upset.
Yexuan knew it was not exactly her own fault, but she felt like an accomplice who had robbed this wildling princess from the freedom afforded in her homeland. Yexuan could never forget that night when this wildling princess had feigned adoring this palace and Yexuan herself so that she could stay. Initially, Yexuan could never fathom why the wildling princess had lied so desperately but as time passed, Yexuan was beginning to guess what the motivation was. Family. The wildling princess treated her family as her world and could not leave Princess Yanyan behind.
Perhaps trying to understand the wildling princess a little more would help Princess Wanwan’s stay be more tolerable. So, Yexuan asked again. “I heard that you travelled around the capital several times with your brothers. How was it? Did they like the city?”
Something flitted in the wildling princess’s eyes for a few moments. “Yea… they liked it.”
Yexuan knew the princess was concealing something immediately and felt her own frustration building. “Honestly?”
Princess Wanwan gave a sharp nod of her head. “They liked it.”
Yexuan did not know what to say in return but she saw the wildling princess fiddle with her fingers before she threw a look back at her.
“They liked the façade of it,” the wildling princess corrected.
Yexuan’s heart stopped. “T-The façade?”
A very bitter smile crept into the wildling princess’s face. “Hidden street corners where people live in poverty. Hundreds or more households.”
Realisation dawned upon Yexuan and she choked back a whimper. So, this wildling princess had seen it too, the famed alley which stretched on for miles that no one wanted to talk about. It was a place that Yexuan had never seen before with her own eyes but two of her palace maids were from that place and so they had told her stories about it. It was not surprising that Wanwan had seen that place, what truly made her surprised was how honest Princess Wanwan was with her.
“If my head rolls tomorrow, I would know that you had backstabbed me,” the wildling princess said so carelessly that it had sounded like a joke.
Yexuan shook her head. “If your head shall roll then mine would too. You are right. The things you have seen, especially in this palace, are all glamourous. There is a huge price to pay to keep up with such glamour, and often it is at the expense of others who hold little to no power.”
The wildling princess jerked her head up in response and her eyes seared deeply into Yexuan’s own.
Yexuan almost lost the courage to continue her words but alas she did. “Out there in our country, there are the poor and suffering, people whom my mother had wanted me to pay attention to. It is too bad that I am just a princess, I had no birth right to change anything in this country, if not… I would… I would…”
Then, she felt a callous hand upon hers. “Princess Yexuan. You are not just a princess. Remember that.” Then breathing out a loud sigh, the wildling princess continued, “back in my homeland, my father would never allow Yanyan and I to think that way. We are not just princesses, he would say. We are his fierce daughters borne by our equally feisty mother, just like all our brothers are. We could effect changes if we set our hearts and minds to it. Nothing is unachievable.”
Yexuan wanted to smile but she could not. Instead, she spoke in a voice that sounded more condescending that she had intended. “That is nice, but this is not Bo’er, Princess Wanwan. You should know it better than us.”
There was a frozen look on the wildling princess’s face before she let out a mirthless laugh. “You are right. I was a fool to forget. This is indeed not Bo’er. So… Princess Yexuan, enjoy moping in sadness. Meanwhile, I have better things to do about… this world.”
Feeling as if she had been slapped, anger boiled within Yexuan. How could this wildling princess insult her when she knew nothing about the cruelties of this world? Nothing. “Fine, get out.”
The wildling princess had retracted her hand swiftly and turned to exit her quarters, leaving Yexuan to cry for the remainder of the day.
You foolish, wildling princess.
9 Farewells Like Falling Petals
Princess Wanwan had stopped coming to her quarters, and Princess Yexuan had stopped playing the zither for a long time. Time seemed to have slowed to a stop as Yexuan went about her day listlessly in her quarters whilst Princess Wanwan practiced the various forms of martial arts tirelessly in her courtyard as they both did before.
The Great Khan’s war with the Jing forces was semi-victorious. News of it had shaken the Pei court and with it, came the Great Khan’s strong demands for his daughters to return briefly to Bo’er for a celebration.
Despite the Pei court’s mild reluctance, the Emperor of Pei could not deny the Bo’er princesses of such a reunion with their family and immediately arranged for them to return to their homeland, but not before making them vow to return.
There was little time for Wanwan to say her farewells and she did it quickly with the princes. They looked cheerful because Wanwan had sworn to return, and they thought nothing more of it. The next place Wanwan went to was the horse stable, where Scarlet was housed in. The equine had whinnied but it was still a beast after all and did not understand the meaning of departure the way humans did. Then, it was finally time for the hardest goodbye; Princess Yexuan.
The door to Yexuan’s room opened even before Wanwan had announced her presence. Standing before her was Princess Yexuan. Wanwan did not wish to think that Princess Yexuan had been waiting for her visit. The elder princess still looked beautiful, but she had acquired a touch of sadness to her appearance and fragility in her movements. It broke Wanwan’s heart a little.
“You’re leaving?” Princess Yexuan spoke before Wanwan did.
Nodding, Wanwan confirmed. “I’m leaving.”
Wanwan thought she saw Princess Yexuan’s lips quiver, but it lasted only for a second. “Then… travel safely.”
Wanwan nodded sharply at those simple words.
They stood like that for a long while, neither of them making a move, before Princess Yexuan asked in a soft voice. “Do you wish to come in?”
Wanwan peered into the room for a while and was reminded of their last quarrel. If she had gone into the room, it would give her lingering feelings. Which was why, Wanwan shook her head in harsh refusal.
Princess Yexuan looked almost crushed and Wanwan felt apologetic, but she had to keep her emotions in tight reign.
“I will return,” Wanwan then said, hoping it would alleviate some of Princess Yexuan’s sadness.
It did not help much and Wanwan knew why. Princess Yexuan had thought of all the worst possibilities. The courtly princess knew of the Great Khan’s capabilities very well.
“I will return.” Wanwan repeated. “I have to go now. The royal escorts are waiting for me.”
Princess Yexuan nodded with sorrow shadowing her, and when Wanwan turned to leave, she felt a hand wrapped around her wrist.
“Promise to return,” Princess Yexuan said in an almost pleading voice and Wanwan felt her heart clench.
A promise. She would owe this to Princess Yexuan. In fact, she had owed her another promise. Wanwan’s mind then returned to all the times Princess Yexuan had played the zither for her, be it in the courtly princess’s room or outdoors. This was how she owed her the other
promise.
Wanwan nodded without a backward glance towards Princess Yexuan, afraid that it would make it even harder for her to leave. Her heart must not waver now, Wanwan told herself. When Princess Yexuan had removed her hand from her wrist, Wanwan walked away with a small regret forming in her chest and one which continued to grow as she made her way back to her homeland. She promised herself and Princess Yexuan that she would return.
Never would Wanwan expect that this promise would be so hard to keep.
**
Wanwan whooped with joy. Wind whipped in her face as the wildling princess raced across the green fields, excitement filling her as she heard the cries of birds in the skies. A horse with its rider raced past her, triggering her competitiveness. What the rider said triggered her even more.
“Wanwan, why? Have you not gotten used to riding across such wilderness even after returning for so long? Have you become as weak as the Pei people in that wretched country?” Prince Zhenxun taunted his little sister.
A wolfish grin crossed Wanwan’s face, her legs fastened its grip on the steed as she half-stood from her mare, took out her bow, nocked an arrow, and let it fly. All within a matter of seconds. The sharp shriek from her target was proof that her skills were just as formidable or even greater than before. Prince Zhenxun’s head whipped about, and his nostrils flared, an impressed look upon his face.
“Brother, I was not racing, I was hunting,” Wanwan replied smugly.
Prince Zhenxun shook his head with a feral smile. “Glad you have not been weakened by the Pei people then.”
As the pair retrieved Wanwan’s kill, Prince Zhenxun ruffled her hair playfully during their trot back to the rest of their siblings. “To think that my baby sister will be turning twelve years old.”
Wanwan giggled but was assaulted with a sudden pang of ill-feeling. It was soon her twelfth birthday, which meant that she had already spent nine months back in her homeland.
