My Father's Shadow (Closed. Attn Hostillia)

[Shalum]

Imperatorial Palace
Aragon, Shalum

Imperator Tyler Holland sighed contently as a gentle breeze wafted through the air, carrying with it the pleasant aromas of vividly colored flowers which were in bloom nearby in another part of the Imperial garden. A small smile creased the leader’s lips as he listened to the sounds of nature that filled the expansive garden, the songs of birds and the buzzing of hard working insects that were focused on pollinating at this time of year. At the center of the courtyard, a large and intricate stone fountain bubbled up, the soft sounds of water adding to the commotion of the place. The shaded gazebo that the Shalumite sat at was surrounded to an extent by a well trimmed evergreen hedged and some bushes, which gave whoever was there a good amount of privacy to do as they pleased without the worry of wandering curiosity.

After a few more moments of basking in his surroundings, the Imperator turned his attention to the table before him, which had been cleaned off a few minutes earlier. He had taken his lunch outside this day, wanting nothing more than a few moments of relaxation, giving how strenuous his job could be both mentally and physically. Thankfully, his faithful concubine Xumin knew just what he liked, in more ways than one, and had fixed him a filling meal that would certainly last him until dinner time. He made short work of the meal, however, and she had been attentive enough to clear it off the table for him, but keen enough to leave the tea, which he had not finished yet. Admittedly, he wished that he had asked for her to fetch some more, as it had grown tepid after a while, but he didn’t wish to bother her too much at the moment. As it was, he was waiting for someone important, and did not really want any sort of interruption if at all possible.

A minute or so later, he could hear footsteps clapping against the stone walkway, and he immediately knew who it was, given the flat footed gait. After a few moments, the Crown Prince Matthew rounded the corner, dressed rather casually in workout attire that kept him well ventilated on a day such as the current one. His skin was lightly tanned, and a bit of sweat shone on his forehead for a moment before he stepped into the shade. He was a rather athletic man, all things considered, given his prior military service in an infantry unit for a short time. His muscles were toned well, and his brown hair was kept short, cut much like police officers, longer on the top and short on the sides. He traipsed over the hardwood of the gazebo until he found a seat across from his father. The prince slid into his seat, the chair giving a squeak of protests as he did so. “Afternoon dad.” He said once he got himself situated.

Tyler smiled at his eldest son and inclined his head in acknowledgement of the younger man’s presence. “Matthew, it is nice to see you. How are you?” He asked as a means of starting the conversation. After a short pause, he glanced at the attire of the prince and added. “Sorry, I do hope I didn’t disturb you from anything.”

The younger man shook his head. “Nah, its quite alright, I didn’t have anything planned today anyways. Was just going to hit the gym, maybe catch a later lunch.” He replied with a small shrug, before leaning back in his seat. He didn’t know why his father had called him here, though he did have a couple suspicions as to why. “So,” he went on. “Is there a particular reason that you called me out of the blue to come talk to you?” He asked curiously, an eyebrow raised slightly as he regarded his parent.

Tyler was a bit relieved that his son got right to the point of things, truth be told. He was a man that prefered straight-shooting candor, not dancing around things for hours to get to a point. Of course, he had to adapt for his allies like the Han, which was a lot easier said than done. It was a reason that he let Allison look over his speeches, or even write them at times. “I wanted to talk to you about Xiang.” He replied, giving his son a level look. “And the nature of the relationship you two share.”

The Imperator wasn’t sure, but he thought that for a moment, he saw the Crown Prince become more tense at those words. It was clear that he had his attention, at least, which was what mattered. “As you know, Xiang is supposed to a ‘representative’ from the Middle Kingdom that the palace will be hosting for the time being, here to make sure that our two nations have good relations and all of that.” He went on, pausing to sip on his tea. “Of course, you and I know that is not really the case. She is little more than a concubine, here to serve your needs and all of that lovely stuff.” He grinned slightly, before growing more serious. “And that is all she is supposed to be to you, nothing more. Sometime to hold you over until we find a woman of suitable standing for you to wed.” He explained in a matter-of-fact tone, shifting from one side of his seat to the other.

Matthew was silent for a few moments as he mulled over that. Off the top of his head, he could not think of a good rebuttal to something like that. Going against his father’s wishes was not an easy task, nor something that he would have done in most circumstances. However, this whole thing was not as regular as he would have liked it to be. Xiang had certainly made an impression on him from the first moment that they had met, and it seemed that his longing for her was growing the longer that she was around him, so much so that it was painful for him, in more than one way. They had not sealed their relationship in a sense, with coitus, which was expected of them, and really, Matthew didn’t know how much longer he could go on like that. She was an attractive girl, something that was rather hard to ignore at times. “Are you certain that is supposed to be? Or concubines in general for that matter?” He queried.

Tyler nodded, looking rather confident. “Normally, I would go on and on about how women are to be cherished, and loved, and all of that, but you must remember, these girls are from Hostillia. They have a different set of rules over there. This is what they are trained to be, from the moment they can talk, practically. Meant to serve us in whatever way we require.” He grinned, thoughts drifting to Xumin and Hatara for a moment. He had decided to give them a visit as soon as he was done here, since his wife was going to be out and about, and he wanted to enjoy himself with other things than simply lounging. “If you want an example, look no further than my own concubines. They were trained in the arts. How to cook, be attentive, learn what I like. And don’t even get me started on what else they learned.” He chuckled, brown eyes seeming to gleam.

Matthew’s face scrunched slightly, as he did his best not to think about such things, since it was his father and other women after all. He knew that his parent rather enjoyed intimate sessions with both girls, especially the lighter of the two, Xumin, from what he gathered. She was not a strange sight around the palace, though she often kept close to the kitchens or the office of the Imperator. She was a pretty girl, and Matthew could tell why his father liked her so much. “You make it sound like they are merely...here for our pleasure.” The crown prince pointed out.

Tyler shrugged. “That is one way of looking at it. I have heard from other Shalumite nobleman that have bought them for just that. Others I have heard buy them to carry children, as well. The Foreign Minister bought himself one for that reason not long ago, in fact. His family is small, and he wants a larger one.” He explained for. “Personally, I see my girls as a means of relaxation and companionship. Of course, if they ever become with child, which I expect them to sooner or later, I will handle that accordingly. But for now, that is not the problem.” He went on. “Just remember what we have talked about, this Xiang girl is not the girl you marry, none of these Han girls are. She’s the kind that you spend an extended weekend with having a bit of fun.” He finished. “Are we understood?”

Matthew nodded quickly, wanting to get out of there. “Of course, father, I have never forgotten. Is there anything else we need to talk about?” He asked, leaning forward, ready to rise up and get out before he said anything that could get him in trouble. His father simply shook his head, silently dismissing him. “Thank you. I will see you later, father.” He replied, rising from his seat. he turned and left the gazebo, and then the garden, never looking back. He had a goal in mind from the moment that he had gotten up. He wanted to see Xiang again, something he had been planning on before he had ever been summoned by his father. This conversation had reinforced the fact that they needed to keep whatever they had under wraps, lest he find out and force the apart somehow.

So quickly, Matthew made his way into the palace, with the hopes of finding Xiang.

[Hostillia]

Imperatorial Palace,
Aragon, Shalum

Ancestors, she missed her home. Home. Nanbi, where one could feel the lush grass under your feet, run through the foothills, roll in the forests, and explore the caves that dotted the landscape. What she wouldn't give to return to that place. This Palace was so unlike her comparatively humble home, it was so large that even despite having been here for weeks she still frequently got lost, and the food that they served was so odd smelling that she could only barely stomach it generally- she had never seen a society so fond of meat before, maybe it explained why everyone here seemed to have the blood of the giants in their veins. Fortunately, Xumin’s presence here meant that there were materials in the kitchen that she could use to prepare a more traditional and pleasing meal from time to time, and apparently the Imperator himself had taken a liking to Han teas which meant they were far more available than they were anywhere else in the country, save for the Center for Barbarian Enlightenment of course. Unfortunately, the Han girl despised her it seemed, refusing to speak to her even in their native tongue, other than to explain that it was improper for a concubine to speak to the concubine of her master’s son? Something like that, it had been very short and very angry.

But what she missed most about home, was not the food, or the scenery, in fact, for the first time in weeks it wasn't even her dear friends and family, instead, it was the way people looked at that she missed the most. She couldn't stand it here, how people would stare at her when she passed by, the hushed whispers behind her back, sometimes they’d even speak openly about her when they mistakenly thought she didn't understand their language, ‘that’s Matthew’s’ they would say. It was an open secret within the Palace that Xumin and Hatara were the Imperator’s personal pleasure servants, very open in fact, but the staff of the Palace were trusted enough to keep the matter quiet and it seemed that trust was not misplaced as it had yet to reach even a single media outlet. As soon as she and Matthew returned from their tree house retreat, the whispering began, ‘Like father like son’ they would say when they saw them together. They looked at her like she was a whore, a glorified harlot that flaunted her pampered status, she couldn't stand it- but what could she say against them?

She could tell them that they hadn’t had sex. She could tell them he hadn’t touched her. She could tell them that their lips were even now strangers. But they wouldn’t have believed her. What business of there’s was it anyways? And so she avoided the Palace when she could, preferring instead to stay outside, away from most of the curious eyes who were often shocked to find her outside of the bedroom or the kitchen. Today, she was enjoying some time by the pool, they didn’t have pools in the Middle Kingdom that she knew of, lakes and streams and rivers but not bodies of water artificially created for the sake of swimming, it was a nice way to relieve the unusual heat of this new country she had found herself in. She walked over to the filtered clear waters of the pool, slipping off her leather sandals and dipping a toe into the cool water, smiling at it’s chill.

“Would you like a towel,” the voice was that of a pretty young girl who acted as the pool attendant, fetching towels and making it a point keep the water clean of leaves and worse, mosquitoes. Xiang smiled at the girl, she was kinder than most of the servants and attendants, she had never heard the girl whisper behind her back and she didn’t stare at her like she had wandered too far from her brothel. Looking around, she saw a bronze towel holder that was sitting off to the side in the shade and walked slowly over and grabbed one for herself, wrapping herself in it to feel the soft fabric against her. “I would have grabbed you one,” the girl said with a laugh at the apparent defiance.

“They weren’t far away,” the girl responded sweetly, her grey eyes settled on the towel feature and softened a little, “no one should be forced to live the life of a slave after all.” She didn’t really understand why the Imperator needed all of these servants, she had never actually seen him in the pool, in fact, she rarely saw anyone in the pool other than herself, a big part of why she came here. What kind of man demanded people serve whims he did not even seem to have? Fortunately, Matthew didn’t seem like that kind of man, he seemed sensible, down to earth, reasonable. When Matthew was Imperator, perhaps there wouldn’t be so many people serving for the sake of serving. She believed that the Prince was capable of great things, he had shown that much to be true.

“Oh, no,” the woman responded, with a small laugh at the Han girl’s ignorance, her homeland was obvious in her speaking, she didn’t understand that they did not have slaves here in Shalum. “You see Xiang, I am not a slave, I am a servant. I am paid for my work here,” she said by way of explaining, “this is how I earn my living.” The Han girl’s eyes came up from the towel and met the woman’s eyes, locked there as she slowly removed the towel from her shoulders and folded, walking over and placing it down near the edge of the pool, before she stood to her full height and regarded the girl, there was a deep sadness in those stormy eyes, though not self-pity, it was something else entirely.

“Just because someone is paid,” she replied calmly as she went to untie the simple silk robe she had worn out here, slipping it off she revealed what appeared to be a simple black summer dress, but upon closer inspection it was in fact a very modest swimsuit. It was made up of a bikini top that covered a fair deal, leaving much to the imagination while only hinting at the bosom it contained, it was continued down in a partially translucent black cloth that offered only a hint of the pale flesh of her midsection if one was willing to stare long enough, but it was like trying to hear a message over a static clogged radio, you were certain something was there and you were confident you were interested, but you couldn’t quite make out what was being said. Instead of leaving her bottom exposed as if in undergarments, the swimsuit also included a skirt that fell all the way to the girl’s knees, all in all revealing little more than any other outfit might. She stretched in the sum before finishing, “does not mean they are not a slave.”

The girl seemed to ponder that as she walked away, leaving Xiang to dive into the cool water. Submerging herself and sinking down to the bottom before giving her legs a flutter and propelling herself across the floor of the pool to the other side, surfacing and throwing her hair out of her face. She was not a bad swimmer, this in spite of her living a good portion of her life in Nanbi, which featured temperatures that rarely rose above 60 F, and in the winter would plunge to the bitter cold, deep in the negatives. Swimming had been a skill she had acquired long before moving to the chilly northern province, she had learned to swim back in her birth place in Tian Tang and then perfected the art while at the College, it was a place built on a lake and so there was plenty of places to swim throughout the College, though the Headmistress disapproved of such antics and she had been punished for it, it had never stopped her. It was while she was swimming that she spotted him, Matthew Holland, High Prince of Shalum, she gazed at his muscular form for a moment with her smokey eyes, a coy smile playing on her lips, she reached up to the side of the pool and flashed a brief smile at him before pulling herself up, while her swimsuit was modest, it still clung to her fairly tightly right after swimming, though it didn’t reveal too much, it was closer to being risque.

“Hello there Matthew of the House Holland, Crown Prince of the Empire,” her voice was soft which highlighted the joking formality with which she greeted him, she brought the towel up to her hair, it shimmered from the water clinging to it, and used the soft towel to pat at her ears to avoid swimmer’s ear, “you look gloomy.”

[Shalum]

Imperatorial Palace,
Aragon, Shalum

For some time, the Crown Prince was simply content to let his legs carry him down the halls and elaborately decorated rooms of the expansive palace, keen brown orbs constantly bouncing around as he checked rooms where he suspected Xiang could be found. Of course, he knew it would have been easy to simply consult a staff member or guard regarding the whereabouts of her location, but he prefered the challenge and opportunity for exercise that came with not knowing it. And besides, it was not like he was in a rush anyways, though what his father had talked to him about earlier was certainly something that weighed on his mind, and needed to be discussed sooner rather than later if at all possible. He could only hope that the subject could be brought up without things immediately becoming awkward, though he knew the odds of that happening were certainly not in his favor.

While he had never really noticed in the same way that many others did, the interior of the Imperatorial Palace was opulent, to put it lightly. For starters, it was huge, the grounds themselves sprawling over more acres of land than he cared to count. Really, he thought it was a lot more than anyone, regardless of family size, needed to get, but the land which the palace was situated upon had been in his family's possession for several hundred years, so he couldn’t complain about it too much. There was also the fact to fit the lifestyle that modern royalty had set for themselves, with vibrants and inviting colors, exquisitely crafted furniture made of exotic and expensive woods, grand ballrooms that seemed like they could hold hundreds, and much more. The section of the palace that Matthew actually lived in, was more comparable to a small house in terms of number of rooms and furnishings.

It was by coincidence that Matthew finally spotted the woman that he was looking for. As he passed by a large window, which had been opened to let a gentle breeze blow through the palace, he heard a splash come from the pool area that it overlooked. Casting his gaze downwards, he saw Xiang in the pool, swimming strongly. He admired her for a minute, leaning against the windowsill with a small smile on his lips. Alas, he had yet to see her in anything that could be considered revealing, and apparently, that wasn’t going to change anytime soon, as much as he wished it would have. On that matter, they had not even done anything that could be considered scandalous, other than hug a couple of times. None of that seemed to be good for his conscience, which seemed to find itself more and more occupied with thoughts of her as the days passed.

When he finally managed to break himself away from the window, he took a flight of stairs usually used by servants down to the main level, and navigated the halls of the palace until he found himself outside at the large pool area. He blinked in rapid succession, as his eyes adjusted to the much brighter light of his surroundings. It was a warm and bright day, though the pool area was cooler, and had some shade to be found if you were seeking it. There was a covered bar tucked away in a corner of the place, with an entrance that would lead you directly to kitchens of the palace, in the event that a party was held outdoors.

As he began to make his way to the side of the pool, Matthew realized that it had been quite a while since he had ventured out here. With all of the bouncing around that he had done lately, he simply hadn’t time to pay a visit to the pool, and when he had experienced a desire to go swimming, it seemed like the ocean or a lake had always been a more convenient option. As he thought deeper about it, he realized that it had probably been a solid year since he had ventured out to this part of the palace grounds, something he figured should have been corrected. He rather enjoyed swimming, and some of his best memories had been made at this expansive pool, in fact. He could still remember the many hours it had taken his parents to correctly teach him how to swim. Apparently, he had not initially taken to the water sport as well as his siblings had.

Even with the dour mood that the talk with his father had instilled in him, the crown prince could not help but give Xiang a small smile as he approached her. He was actually thankful that she was wearing as much as she was, because even though he would have loved to see her in a lot less, he figured it could have also made this talk harder for him, given the subjects were rather likely to come up during it. “And you look like you’ve had a good time.” He replied light, doing his best to keep any gloominess down. He didn’t want her to get the impression that he was unhappy about being around her, or anything like that. Really, he wished that he had a better way of greeting her as well, but he couldn't seem to think of a fitting title for her, and ‘concubine’ or ‘princess consort’ was certainly not fitting for a lady like her.

“You want to go sit down?” He asked, inclining his head towards some nearby chairs that were shaded. If she wanted to, he led her over to them, and being the gentleman that he was, pulled the chair out a chair for her, before he took a seat himself. “I had a talk with my father earlier,” he began slowly, shifting to get comfortable. His brown orbs focused on her own smokey ones, which he had gazed into a number of times. “It did make me a bit gloomy, to be honest. He took the liberty of summoning me to talk about the ‘nature’ of our relationship, something I am not quite comfortable talking about with him really. He made it clear,” the prince paused. “That he would like us to share a relationship similar to what he has with Xumin or Hatara.” He finished, before coughing in a slightly awkward way. Given that they had not so much as kissed, he felt a bit awkward talking about this to her.

[Hostillia]

Imperatorial Palace
Aragon, Shalum

Matthew was many things, handsome, strong, a former infantry officer, and a prince, however, one area that he was not especially skilled in it seemed was hiding his thoughts- she saw through his small smile with no effort whatsoever, causing her to narrow her eyes slightly, obviously not in anger, but in confusion and partially in concern. Despite still being wet from the pool, Matthew was obviously not overly concerned about his appearance and it was warm out here after all, she came a little closer and hugged him, softly but with the warmth she bore him, her soft skin against his muscular form, she had not been in the pool long enough to wash off entirely the gentle spring scent of her perfume which, though faded, still drifted lazily up to the man’s nose, forcing his memory back to their previous embraces- the scent was as distinctive as it was pleasant, a variety made only in Hostillia, she was almost certainly the only girl in all Shalum to carry the lotusy smell upon her.

“I enjoy swimming, when you enter the water you can literally feel the weight of the world being lifted off your shoulders,” she responded to him, her fingertips slid teasingly from his back, down his arms, and until she was holding his hand with both of hers, “you don’t seem to be in a pleasant mood,” she added cautiously, attempting to broach the subject softly, sometimes men refused to talk about things that they were feeling delicate over, and that was fine, but she was still concerned, “if you’d like to, certainly,” she responded when he asked if she’d like to sit, apparently this was destined to be a longer conversation than she had expected. She listened very intently as he spoke, those stormy eyes peering deeply into his brown, that innate and cunning intelligent that seemed to be as alive in them as the angry tempest on the sea. She would occasionally bite her lip, especially when he mentioned his father, she didn’t exactly trust the man- she had seen, through Xumin and Hatara, how the Imperator was want to treat women of her nation and it did not sit entirely well with her, “what did he want to discuss?” When she got her answer, she was shocked- what was the matter with their ‘relationship’ or it’s ‘nature’.

“Who does he think he is, Matthew,” she sighed exasperatedly, “I swear to you Matt, everyone in this entire Palace thinks it is their right to have knowledge regarding my most intimate of affairs- the servants whisper about me, I still hear them as I walk around the Palace. Xumin calls me a bad woman because I haven’t produced an heir, and now your father has opinions as well?” She put her face in her hands, on the verge of tears, and took a few moments to compose herself. “When we first met Matthew, you told me you would not make a whore out of me, and in that moment you earned my respect and in the time following, my friendship.” She shook her head, eyes glistening, “I couldn’t tolerate living life like Xumin and Hatara do, it makes me sad even to see them, and besides we’re friends, not lovers… unless,” she paused, casting her fawn’s gaze upon him it was so innocent, as though she had assumed they were either to be a master-concubine or mere friends, she asked, as though she had never considered the possibility, “do you want to be more than friends, Matthew?”

Matthew had to admit, whenever he felt the small arms of Xiang wrap around him, he did feel a bit better inside, warmer and lighter. They were enjoyable, to say the least, and it was nice knowing that he at least had a friend in her. While many people may not have believed it, the life of a royal like him was a somewhat lonely one, given that the spotlight was on you whenever you were out of the palace it seemed, and you had to carry yourself with the utmost formality--something that people you could consider friends often did not want to be a part of. The more he thought about it, really, he could see why his father may have some sort of comfort in the companionship that Xumin and Hatara brought to the table. While they may not have been close friends, his father did at least treat them right, not to mention the fact that they were a means of taking his mind off the matters of state, if only for a couple of hours when his mother was not around.

As he spoke to her, he could not help but look into those enchanting eyes of hers. It seemed like those smoky orbs had more than one color to them, at times. At this moment, for instance, they seemed much darker and intense, comparable to the gunmetal gray that a number of cars were often painted. At other times, when she was happy or there were good things going on, they were lighter in value, more akin to sterling silver. He prefered to see the later of the two whenever possible. Finally, when she sighed, he sighed with her in agreement. When he saw tears well up in her eyes, he instinctively leaned forward and wrapped his strong arms around her in a hug. “I am sorry Xiang, truly, I wish that it was not that way. The servants have grown accustomed to dealing with pleasure girls, and I don’t think they’ve gotten the picture yet that you are a proper lady that deserves more respect.” He admitted. “As for my father, there is not much of an excuse, I am afraid.” He added, gently rubbing circles of reassurance into her back for a moment, trying to comfort her.

“I am sad for them as well, in a way, but there is nothing that can really be done. I know it does not make you feel any better, but my father can be a gentle man, and my mother would not allow him to mistreat them, so there is that small beacon of hope.” He pointed out, shifting in his seat. “And you have my word, I would never turn you into a whore, you deserve much more than that.” He replied, before freezing in his seat as she inquired about becoming...more than what they already were. It was not something that could be considered an easy choice to make, even if he knew what he wanted. He looked down at the ground for a moment, slightly nervous, before he gazed back up at her. “I must admit, Xiang, that the thought has crossed my mind on an occasion or two. You are a beautiful woman, sweet as the sugar that comes from cane, innocent as the doves, and as graceful as the doe in the forest. It is hard to not think about you given that.” He chuckled nervously, resisting the urge to run a hand through his hair. “It would not mind giving it a chance, but that would be up to you…” He trailed off, finally meeting her eyes as he awaited her answer nervously.

“Oh,” was her first response, a soft syllable of genuine surprise, but it was not mocking or hurtful, just as if she was surprised to learn that he had been contemplating evolving their relationship while she had been perfectly accepting of where it was, “advancing our relationship to such a level…” her voice seemed to trail off and she searched her mind for the right word, someway to express to him the way she felt. In the back of her mind, memories of her time in Nanbi came to her, how she was told that as a concubine and a woman she had certain obligations that she would be forced to render- she had resisted those teachings very effectively, all the way until the man who had purchased her surrendered to death at an early age and she was liberated from her contract, maintaining her purity throughout. During her time there under the former Nan, she had learned several skills which still influenced how she behaved but perhaps chief among these skills was a means of speaking her mind with a delicate firmness that simultaneously conveyed submission and defiance, using it and a few other tricks she had learned how to very effectively navigate the patriarchy of her homeland.

“Matthew,” she said finally after a sigh, “you are a strong man, and handsome too- millions of girls across your father’s empire would surely give anything to hear the words you have just spoken to me, and yet, how much more fond of you am I? For unlike those who stare at images wishing for a Prince Charming, I have had the priviledge to know you Matthew Holland, and I have learned that you are a clever man, a kind man, and you have a good heart.” She smiled a sad smile at him, “when I first arrived in Shalum, torn away from everything I had known and stripped of all my possessions and friends, you were kind enough to not force yourself on me even though it was your right according to our laws and yours. You showed me that you were a person and you showed me that you saw me as a human being, not some piece of meat to be traded and sold and bought. In light of all this, how could I not wish to be…” she paused for a moment, the deep grey of her eyes peircing like daggers into his soul, “uniquely involved with you,” she said diplomatically, she slowly reached across the table and took his hand, letting silence and an almost longing stare feel the space between them but just before he spoke she squeezed his hand softly to indicate that she wasn’t finished just yet, “but,” she added, the word seemed to hang heavily in the air like an ominous black cloud about to invite a storm, “you are a Prince and I, I am just a girl from the Middle Kingdom- how could you and I ever be joined in any lasting union? Matthew, I was bought by your father as he would a new lamp from the Orient and with no more compassion was I shipped to be your whore- this doesn’t seem like fertile grounds in which to plant the seeds of romance,” she spoke as if the words physically hurt her to verbalize.

“Your father wishes for you to use me, not grow fond of me. To treat me like one of his own concubines, forced to serve him in all variety of ways, but…” again that word, “he keeps those girls secret for a reason, he knows his subjects would not approve, even his wife only seems to marginally accept the matter. You don’t think he intends for you to stay unwed forever do you? Surely, likely some day soon, there will be a woman, a pretty woman, maybe a blonde, who will come in,” the stormy eyes had produced rain drops which threatened to fall down her cheeks, “you will be inspired by her beauty, she will be of good breeding and title, and in a few months time your father will announce your engagement to this pretty stranger and the people will rejoice. I don’t know who that girl will be, Matthew, but I know her all the same. From a wealthy and noble family, not the daughter of peasants. A politically important individual, not a slave. A beautiful and intelligent woman who went to a University, not a whore’s trade school. I don’t know who she is yet, but I do know that I’m not that girl. And I can never be that girl.” Now she was actually crying a little, though she was trying with some success to recompose herself, “and when you’re standing at an alter with that girl, you will not have any thoughts of me. I’ll be forgotten, like a pleasant dream that visited your slumber years ago.”

The feeling that settled in Matthew’s stomach as Xiang spoke back to him was not a comfortable or desirable one, to say the least. Even the most ignorant of people could see the pain and sadness that was present within her smokey orbs. The way that she spoke about him so kindly did little to make him feel better really, as his own sadness was more than enough to outweigh the niceties of what was going on. After a moment, he sighed long and deeply, gently stroking her much smaller hand with his calloused thumb. “My father is also a hypocrite.” He stated bluntly, somewhat surprised that he had actually said those words aloud. “He married my mother, a woman that I know he loves more than he can vocalise, who was an orphan for all intents and purposes before he met her. She had no family, nothing to go back to, no royal or noble blood, and yet he still took her in and loved her all the same. If he did that...I don’t really think he has grounds to tell me what I should and shouldn’t do.” He replied, a tinge of defiance in his tone.

Without thinking about it, the Crown Prince reached up and gently ran the pad of his thumb along her cheek for a moment, wiping away a few tears that had managed to escape her beautiful eyes. There was sadness in his own brown, which shown clear as day. “I don’t want to use you, Xiang, I never have and I never will. I want to be more than that with you, make love and live a happy life. Yes, he keeps those girls a secret, but you my dear are a different matter as far as I am concerned, and I would be proud to show you off to the world.” He went on, giving her a sad smile of his own. “I don’t care what kind of girl he manages to scrounge up for me. I am sure she will be of good stock, and could be of value to me down the road if I married her. But Xiang, I don’t care about her or what she may be, what I do care about is you. As long as I live, I could never forget a girl like you Xiang, that just isn’t possible. You’re much more than some dream to me, you’re very, very real.” He replied, never looking away from her, wanting to do nothing more then lean forward and give her a reassuring hug, or even a kiss to show her how he felt.

“And besides...there are enough blondes in my life already.” He added after a moment , thinking about his mother and sister. “I would much rather have a dark haired girl by my side.”

“Matthew,” Xiang responded suddenly, at the accusation that his father was a hypocrite, the words had practically sent a chill through her, “you must be careful Matthew, you cannot say such things about your father,” she lowered her voice and leaned in, close enough that the fading scent of her perfume could just barely find it’s way to him, “if you are not more careful people will claim that you are not a filial son and I could not bare to live with myself if you were to suffer such disgrace for my sake,” still, despite the obvious shock that her face displayed that he would dare to verbalize such a sentiment, she still reached out for his hand, taking it softly in her own, “Matthew, your father is the Imperator of Shalum, he is the patriarch of the nation and the father of millions, I…” she drop his gaze and stared down for a moment, “I am certain that he wants only what he believes is best for you and for the country, you have certain obligations as a result of your birth… obedience among them,” she didn’t like that she was saying the words, and she even agreed that if Tyler could wed the woman who now was his wife, then surely she and Matthew could become more involved- after all, Xiang was no more a foreigner than was the Imperatrix, and unlike the female head of state, she did not hail from an enemy nation, but rather from an ally and comrade of Shalum. Still, she had been purchased and was bound to the life of a sexual slave, even if Matthew did not take advantage of this, she had little doubt that Tyler had in himself the authority to banish her from his kingdom, sending her all the way back to the Middle Kingdom, to Beian. Though, that wouldn’t be terrible, she adored her homeland and would be quite happy to be reunited if not for… she glanced up at Matthew’s strong jawline and at the chiseled features of his handsome face.

“Thank you,” she spoke softly, fearing that her voice may crack if she spoke too loudly, looking down but enjoying his touch as he wiped the tears from her cheek, it was odd to have a man so close to her, touching her face to cleanse her of her tears, in fact, this had only been done by one man before in all her life, and she bore love for that man. She brought her eyes up to meet his as he affirmed that he did not desire to use her, it was true that he had never done anything to her, despite the fact that it was his right in his culture and her own, and even in spite of the fact that it seemed his father expected it of him.

She could see the sadness in his eyes as he spoke of showing displaying her to the world with pride rather than hiding her away like a filthy servant, it even made her smile a little bit and the tears, which had not gone far since they were last shed, attempted to climb their way back out of her eyes only this time because his words made her feel the fluttering of a different variety, but in her soul she knew that there was no future for them. They came from different worlds, he was a prince, and she was a whore but… his words made her feel like a princess. She could feel her heart, fluttering like a giddy butterfly, a warmth from her core over taking her and forcing her to smile, if she hadn’t been more capable of controlling herself, she would have looked like a blissful fool. His humorous dismissal of the blond woman she had created made her laugh, not because it was especially funny but more because it went a long ways to break the tension that had been built up, suddenly she could feel the dam that held back her emotions crack before a deluge of happiness seemed to overtake her, she surged forward with the force of a hurricane and into his arms, tears still falling, some because of the emotions he had stirred in her, and some because she knew they were foolish to have, but for a brief moment, she didn’t care one way or the other.

“Matthew,” she whispered quietly, holding him tightly against herself, her close breath warmed his neck as she spoke, “Matthew,” she repeated quietly before falling into silence. She simply stayed there, safe and secure in his arms for what seemed like a blissful eternity and yet at the same time a flash that was over all too soon before pushing away from him. She gazed into his eyes, the storms in her own seemed to have partially subsided, finally after simply staring at him for a moment she leaned forward, ever so slowly, her small hand slid down his cheek to his neck and she brought her forehead to his, closing her eyes and then, she came closer still, narrowly avoiding his lips, her own made contact with his cheek in the form of a small kiss, a token of affection delivered by her soft lips which seemed to linger. She pulled away, looking with longing for him the faintest of moments before whispering something so softly to herself that it could not be heard and shaking her head slowly as if debating with herself, “Matthew, I am so tired, please, I must go now,” she said pulling away from him, her hand fell from his neck, across his broad shoulders, her fingers came drifting so softly down his arm, before her hand reached his, she held it for a moment before pulling away as if carried off by some mystical wind and then quickly proceeded to move as quickly as a lady could back to her quarters.

The pragmatic part of Matthew knew that she was right, and that he had taken a rather large and unnecessary risk by allowing his emotions to control him long enough to let what he had said happen. By the way Shalumites were brought up, one was not to question the Imperator, or talk about him in the way that he just had. While it was not a crime, chances are that many of people would have become scared or angered, and then it would only be a matter of time before government agents came knocking with some questions they needed to ask. Of course, he was the Crown Prince, so that would not happen to him, but he was sure that his father could find some sort of punishment for him that would be just as bad. He did not want to think of what would happen to Xiang either, given what power his father willed. If she wasn’t sent back to Hostillia, she could very well end up in the harem of some duke that had earned Tyler’s favor, or even in the harem of his father if it was what he desired. “I know that he may have what is best in mind for my country, but that doesn’t make me feel any better. Not in the least. But you are right, I do need to watch what I say.” He conceded as he looked down at her. “It is no problem, anything for you.” He said with a sad smile as he gently caressed her cheek with the digit.

He welcomed her immediately as she surged into his arms, wrapping them tight around her as if she was all that he had left to hold onto in this world. Gently, he rubbed small circles of affection and comfort into her back, resting his chin on the top of her head. His eyes were closed as he breathed her in, wishing that he could do nothing but this for a long time. They had hugged before, but never had they been this intimate, this close emotionally. Before he knew it, tears began to well up with him as well, something that had not happened in years. He fought his body hard, trying not to cry, as he wanted to be strong for her, for them really.

“Xiang.” He murmured more than once in reply, body practically shaking as he held back his tears of sorrow for something that could never be, it seemed. Never had he felt a real want, a real longing, at least until he had met this grey eyed beauty. It made sense that she was the forbidden fruit, something that he couldn’t have. Life was just like that, it seemed. He was born into a position where he could have practically anything he wanted, and she was one thing that fell outside the boundaries. Sure, he could command her to undress and do whatever he wanted, but he was not that way. He was not like his father. As he felt her hand slide down his body, he let out a soft sigh. For a moment, he felt something of a thrill as he thought they would finally kiss, but it never happened. Nevertheless, he smiled at her, happy that she had granted him that much as a means of parting ways.

Nodding sadly, he replied. “Alright then, ah, take care.” He said to her, not quite able to bring himself to watch her trek away. For a long time after she had departed, he simply sat there, staring at the calm waters of the pool as they were pushed here and there by the wind. He thought about much, his life, and what was to come. Surely, his father would find a woman for him, that he would probably have to marry whether he really wanted to or not. They would be expected to have children, her at least pregnant within the first year of marriage, as High Prince tradition more or less dictated. But he didn’t want that, at least with some woman he did not know well. If anyone, he would have wanted it with Xiang. Finally, he sat up and walked off, no destination in mind. He needed air, and more time to think. As he did this, he happened to miss a servant who had heard everything slipping back into the darkness, bound for his father’s office.

[Shalum]

Imperatorial Palace,
Aragon, Shalum

It was a pleasant afternoon in the province of Haford, especially in the southern areas along the coast, the capital of Shalum included, as cool oceanic breezes intermingled with the warmth that came with the summer seasons. Everything seemed to be green and vibrant, as flowers bloomed and leaves rustled in the wind. All sorts of animals were out and about as well, from the eccentric squirrel bickering, to the hard working bee that pollinated plants as it went. All the while, these critters made many different noises, that combined could be considered the sounds of nature.

Unfortunately, Crown Prince Matthew could not find it possible to enjoy these things, which he normally did, as he made his way along the palace grounds without any real destination in mind. He had much on his mind to think about, after all, given the talk that he had just had with Xiang, and walking certainly gave him to time to ruminate on things.

He hated to be honest with himself, but what his Hostillian friend had told him certainly had a good amount merit to it. Different, did not even come close to properly describing the respective worlds that they came from. He was a prince, heir to the throne of a powerful nation, well on his way to weidling incredible amounts of power with words alone. On the other hand, she was little more than a slave, regardless of how well treated she was by the other servants of the palace. She was meant to fulfill whatever needs he may have had, nothing more than that, at least that was what his father had reiterated to him on more than one occasion. What he was supposed to feel for her was lust, nothing more, and most certainly not the deep longing for her that had currently rooted itself deep in his gut.

For a while as he went, he thought long and hard about what he could do to have a real relationship with the Hostillian ‘emissary’ that had taken up residence in the Imperatorial Palace. At most, what could they accomplish with his father’s people around? A secret relationship? Possibly, but that would be about it. No good guard would bat an eyelash at Xiang coming and going to his room at all hours, it was the one place where he knew they would be away from earshot and surveillance. But he also knew that something like that could only have so many outcomes, and none of them permanent, that was his guess anyways. A real couple could not sustain themselves off of clandestine meetings alone, especially when it was expected that he use her and be done with the matter.

Some part of him influenced by his father kept coming to the conclusion that, maybe, he should just exert what control he had of the situation, and have her come to his room one day, so that he could enjoy what was his. It would have certainly pleased his father, and would have most likely been an enjoyable experience as well.

However, thankfully, the real him that was in control, found the thought a bit sickening. Xiang was his friend, and as much as he wanted more from her, there was no way that he could force such a thing upon her. She did not deserve such a treatment, no one did. It was why he felt some sense of pity for Xumin and Hatara, but he knew that there was nothing he could do for them, no matter how much he may have wanted to. His father kept those girls within arms reach anymore, and they were guarded by agents who made it a point to not be seen. No help could be given to them, and he doubted they would even take the opportunity if offered it, given what he knew had most likely been drilled into their heads as the College.

His ruminations on the matter at hand ended abruptly however, as he found himself at the well know front of the palace, where visitors and foreign leaders were often greeted at, before being ushered inside. There were a couple guards on duty here, but they were not the focus of his attention, it was the leggy blonde in a form fitting dress that was present that caught his eye. She was an good looking woman, for certain, but there was something very familiar about her that Matthew could not quite place off the bat. He could have sworn that he had seen her before, at one of the many events held by the royal family.

It took him a few more moments of studying her before realization hit him. She was Elisabeth Weidmann, daughter of Nicolas Weidmann, a name he only knew because he came from one of the important noble families within Shalum. Their power came from the fact that they controlled a wealthy defense company, Shalumite National Defense Industries, that produced a good number of armored vehicles used by the Imperial Armed Forces. It was a billion dollar business, not to mention whatever additional assets the family had at their disposal. They were an old family after all, that had been a big name in Shalum for several hundred years. All of that aside, Matthew had never been that attracted to Elisabeth, though he was sure that his father would have prefered that be different. He considered her a good looking woman, but she looked too much like his mother for his tastes. Albeit, she was a younger version, basically.

“Matthew Holland, is that you?” The young countess asked in a surprised tone as her gaze flickered over to him, cerulean eyes looking him over a couple of times quickly. She smiled and changed her course, no longer heading towards the broad and ornate doors of the palace, but directly at him instead. Her lips quirked upward, and her hips swayed a little more, though Matthew’s gaze never left her face. “Mein Gott, it really is you! Man, it has been a while since I’ve seen you in person!” She exclaimed in a jubilant tone as she continued her advance, throwing her arms around him in a hug before he really knew what was going on.

In truth, the Crown Prince was surprised by the way that she suddenly threw her arms around him, but not wanting to be rude, he reached out and returned the hug. It did not go unnoticed to him that she lingered for an extra moment or two more than she probably should have, the smaller woman seeming to rest her head against his broad chest, before releasing him and taking a step back. The scent of her vanilla shampoo seemed to permeate the air around him even after she was at a more comfortable distance. “Its good to see you too,” he replied back with a smile, that may not have quite reached his eyes. “What are you doing all the way out here?” He asked curiously.

The young countess gave him a small smile, and glanced towards the doors of the palace that she should have entered already. She did have an appointment time after all. “I was summoned by your father, actually. He is,” she paused for a small moment. “Looking to expand the number of ladies in the court, or something like that, and who better than a Weidmann girl to spice up the place?” She asked with a small smile. It wasn’t quite the truth, as his father was really searching for candidates for marriage, but that was need to know information at the moment from what she understood. “Of course, other girls were invited as well. I think some of us may end up as ladies-in-waiting, or something like that.” She added.

Matthew’s brows furrowed slightly. It sounded -like- something his father would do, but he did not see the reasoning behind it. Sure, the court in Aragon was not all that large, but he did not think that more people were needed either. Not to mention the fact that his sister had declined designed ladies-in-waiting in the past, instead preferring the company of her own friends. Nevertheless, he did not choose to really argue it any. “That is interesting I suppose. I did not know such a request had been sent out.” He stated.

Elisabeth gave him a small shrug. “It caught me by surprise a bit, but the Imperator wills it, and there is nothing I can really do if I wanted to.” She replied. “Speaking of the Imperator and his will, I should probably get going. I have a meeting soon that I need to attend.” She stated.

Matthew blinked, and then nodded. “Of course, of course. Ah, good luck, Lady Weidmann.” He replied.

“And to you, Crown Prince. If you’re still around later, maybe we should have dinner and catch up.”

Matthew smiled, somewhat kindly. “Sounds lovely, I am sure something like that could be arranged.”

“Wonderful,” the countess replied, returning the smile with more fervor. “Alright, I really should get going, take care, Crown Prince.” She finished. With that, she was gone, headed towards the palace doors, leaving Matthew standing alone. The prince let out a sigh, and the gazed up at the palace, squinting as the sunlight reflected off of some windows and struck him in the eyes. He grunted and cast his gaze downward, before choosing to move on somewhere else to find a way to take his mind off of things.