Lady Wei Li Lian

Princess Le-anne

The Borderlands

Four summers had elapsed since Le-anne's incident with Brother Hu-go. Although she wanted to feel resentful about how he had deceived her, she could not bring herself to; after all, they had grown up together and being frustrated towards him was like her hating a part of herself. Besides, she was the one who had initiated the whole thing.

All she had wanted was for him to ask their father for her hand in marriage so that she would not have to go to Nevoria, but all of that was too pointless now. Her father and his whole entourage were waiting for her, her sedan standing ready.

The day in which she would leave for Nevoria had arrived.

She sauntered towards the crowd which had come to see her off, Ai trudging behind. She was the only maid-in-waiting she would take with her. She had chosen her considering the fact that she had waited on her longer than the rest and was well aware of her taste and preferences more than any other. Most of all, it was because Ai had made efforts to learn about Nevoria with her.

"Greetings to His Majesty, the king." She bowed before her father, using the formalities of Nevoria. She had intended to spite him with it but he guffawed with much excitement.

"A beautiful lotus flower floating on the deep sea indeed." He inhaled, eyeing her white magnificent robes. "Mistress Kei, you shall be rewarded heavily." He smiled widely with much approval.

"His Royal Majesty is too kind." Mistress Kei blushed. Until now, Princess Le-anne had thought her stony expression was the only facial expression she possessed.

"Her Royal Highness must not worry about anything from here onwards besides becoming empress. If the emperor gets curious about your heritage, do not fret about it because the Wei Clan will acknowledge you as their daughter. Is that right?" A man beside the king bowed in agreement. Probably the head of the Wei clan, she presumed.

"Princess must always cover her face until the emperor makes her his woman," he instructed. The reason behind that, she did not know. It was not like beauty could be stolen, but all the same, he had forced her to cover her face from the day she arrived in Huticah. Her people had then identified her as the 'faceless bastard child.'

"General Feng will set a secret meeting with you as soon as you enter the Imperial Capital," he continued, "If you perceive that Huticah is in potential danger, send me a letter asking about my health. If you sense exposure about your real identity, write to me asking about your mother's health. General Feng will provide the pigeons for courier, and any news from me will be relayed to you by him."

"If Mother really were unwell, would Father care?" she blurted out.

He ignored her question completely-like father like son. "Political matters will be handled by the South wing (a political group of clans mostly from the Borderlands subjected to the emperor), and General Feng will be in charge of military matters, so if possible, paint a good image about them before the emperor." What surprised her was the power he appeared to have in Nevoria from behind closed doors.

She kept her head bowed in a respectful manner, knowing that he was also battling from within on how to see her off.

"This shall be it," he fidgeted. "You may leave."

What she had expected, she did not know. It was the norm for her father to be unfeeling.

Ai came to her side, ready to help her into the sedan.

"Lady Wei!" Mistress Kei called softly from behind her. She looked back, startled by the emotion that the woman's voice carried.

"This unworthy servant wishes Empress Wei longevity." Mistress Kei bowed, and Le-anne's heart swelled. Did Mistress Kei believe in her? She nodded at her and began to climb the sedan. Only on two occasions had Mistress Kei ever called her a lady: on her arrival and on her departure.

Wretched woman, had she feigned that for his majesty? Or did she really care? Princess Le-anne could not decide.

The journey was more than uncomfortable. The heat was unbearable that breathing was impractical, and hot air clung to her like she was locked inside a fiery furnace.

It was on the second day that the princess insisted on using a horse, unless they wished for her to die inside the sedan. It was beginning to feel like a burning furnace stationed to cook her alive.

The vast deserts made the journey all the more uninteresting. There was nothing entertaining to observe. It was on the seventh day that little vegetation became to emerge but that did not sway her mood for the better.

Their water had also run out.

S.V