Down a few steps further South of where Gouyen and Michu slept is the main compound of Prince Ciwegai's estate.
They step onto the main compound.
Gouyen feels awkward walking beside the Rician Princesses while she sees the busy servants lower their bodies and hide their faces from meeting with members of the Royal family.
In the distance is Prince Ciwegai sending off some guests at the Western entrance. The guests lower their heads for a respectable farewell before noticing the line of Princesses.
The guest stares and smiles flirtatiously with the Princesses back and forth.
Prince Ciwegai says something to them and walks toward his sisters, “I've been wondering where you all are this morning. It seems you've gotten to know my fiancé.”
“Yes, Imperial Brother,” they smile softly and greet him.
They excuse themselves to set breakfast, giving their brother a way to speak with their future sister-in-law.
He offers a hand for Gouyen who doesn't take it. He hides in his hand behind his back in disappointment and takes a stride forward toward a garden of persimmon blossoms, “Please walk with me.”
Gouyen turns her head toward the Princesses who left her, “Why did Your Majesty call this lowly servant an Imperial fiancé of yours?”
“Walk with me,” Ciwegai offers his hand again.
“Didn't Your Majesty promised to wait for this lowly servant’s consent?”
“I've already set a date for our wedding with your brother. I apologize that I couldn't wait for your consent,” Ciwegai swallows a breath and awaits an explosion from Gouyen that doesn't come.
Gouyen takes a step toward the permission garden with Michu behind her, “So you've already figured out who I really am. Were you happy that I was a daughter of the Prime Minister albeit illegitimate?”
“It seems you've lost your formality…” Ciwegai catches up to Gouyen as they walk about the garden side by side. “I was a little happy at first and then a little disappointed.”
“Why is that?”
“I was planning to kill him after the Emperor dies in three days time,” Ciwegai sees the horror in Gouyen’s face but isn't bothered by it. “Are you going to tell your father?”
“Why are you telling me this?” Gouyen narrows her eyes and clenches a fist before her. “What are you trying to get out of me?”
Ciwegai reaches for a persimmon blossom and places it behind Gouyen’s ear, “I just want you to know and prepare yourself to be Empress.”
“You probably didn't notice that the little ghost hasn't been following you, but she and I made a deal,” Ciwegai takes the blossom off Gouyen's ear and drops it onto the ground.
Gouyen looks at the persimmon blossom on the ground and lowers her head, “I see… Please inform the Princesses that I cannot make it to breakfast. Thank them for inviting me.”
“You're already here. Have breakfast with us? Or will it kill you to eat with me?” Ciwegai lifts Gouyen’s face and gazes into her frightened soul with his ominous dark eyes.
“It will not kill me, but know that I will not be happy eating with you,” Gouyen manages to reply.
“As fearless and unpredictable as ever,” Ciwegai forms a curious grin and walks with his future Empress up to the house where his sisters had been preparing.
He sits at the head of the table and has Gouyen beside him. Michu is against the wall with other other servants.
The Prince glances at Gouyen with satisfaction. He observes the crown on her head and follows the flow of her figure to her long lashes, straight nose, tinted lips, a strong chin and jawline, the small earrings, her nape, her golden collarbones and shoulders, her bosom—
“The Princesses are waiting for Your Highness, please observe my figure at a later time,” Gouyen dares not to meet Ciwegai's eyes and only says it in a timid voice.
“Yes.” Ciwegai straightens his back and takes his first bite so that his sisters may eat their food. But his sisters lower their heads with flushed cheeks, happy that their brother has found someone he would spend the last of his days with. It is all that they could wish for their dearest brother.
Of course, Ciwegai knows this about his sisters. In order to put them at more ease, he wipes his fingers and pulls his hand back to himself. With a gentle cough, he declares, “Feed me, Lady Gouyen. My hands are tired from writing since this morning.”
The girls before him blush all the way to their ears and some even forgot to swallow the food that is already inside their mouths.
Gouyen glances back to Michu who is just as surprised as her, then toward her future sisters-in-law. The ones who are more mature nods their heads in encouragement.
At her current state, she is in no position to refuse the Prince. She wraps a little bit of fish and rice in a green leaf, and stretches her arm toward the needy Prince.
A soft chuckle escapes his lips when he raises Gouyen’s wrist to take a bite. He licks the tips of Gouyen’s fingers for his sisters to squeal with second hand embarrassment.
“Look at my face when you're feeding me. Else I'll have to raise your hand with my tired one.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
After a few bites, Ciwegai makes his own wrap and offers it to Gouyen. She refuses in which he reasons, “You've been feeding me, you must be hungry. I will feed you.”
“Your Highness, please do not shame this servant before the Princesses. This act also brings this servant great discomfort…” Gouyen gazes at the disappointed faces and feels unsettled. She looks down, “Please dismiss this servant.”
“You are dismissed.”
Gouyen gathers herself to leave but quickly notices the Princesses in a hurry to leave. She turns to Michu who mouths the phrase, ‘Not you. You're not dismissed.’ So she sits back down until all the Princesses have left and the only person at the table with her is the Second Prince.
“Why must you act this way before my Imperial sisters?” Ciwegai wears a frown, trying to make Gouyen feel guilty about not wanting to be intimate with him.
“This servant’s sincerest apology,” Gouyen continues to stare down at her plate, almost cursing the man beside her in her mind.
Ciwegai heaves a heavy sigh and stretches his legs. He says in a defeated tone, “What can I do to make you look my way? Am I so dislikable? If… If you do not want me to fight for the throne, then I'll give that up. I will retract my promise to that ghost and not kill your father. As long as you are willing to—”
“Please stop, Your Highness. This servant is not worthy of your allegiance. This servant’s body and soul are already yours because of yesterday—”
“I want your heart. I want you to care about me. I want you to… Love me. You are still the owner of these things and I know that I can't take them by force. So tell me, what can I do so that you may look my way?”
Gouyen looks up from her shaking hands. Her face reveals her fear of the Second Prince because even when he is saying those intoxicated sweet words his dark eyes are still a void without a soul.
“I see. My face must be so ugly that you tremble in fear from seeing it. I apologize that I do not have a handsome face like my younger brother who you adore with all your heart.” Ciwegai turns his face away, “Lady Gouyen, you're dismissed. I promise that from now one you'll only have to see me for ceremonial purposes.”
It isn't what Gouyen wanted or expected from the Second Prince at all. She only wished for the two of them to be less provocative or inappropriate while in front of the Princesses. Yet, this made her happy and she left after a small bow of respect.
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