Kingdom of Hwei

Just the evening that following the gathering of the lands, Taeha, after supper with her family– what was left of her family rather– on the way back to her room sitting quite close to the often noise filled room of the crowned prince and his family, there was something much rumbustious than the room beside hers.

"What kind of commotion are you making inside my room?" As soon as she turned into her room she faced her lady-in-waiting.

A number of maids and other castle staff were packing her stuff into bags and some into huge crates. Confused with what was going on all she could turn her frustration with was her lady-in-waiting, or her soon to be retired lady-in-waiting.

"Your highness," she simply bows her head to acknowledge the princess's presence. Her lady-in-waiting grew up with the crowned princess, thus her friendly demeanor while ignoring the presence of one of the most important people of her kingdom.

"You aren't even going to turn around and converse with me?" The princess whines, but all she got was a simple smile from the lady, a little too stoic to be considered the best lady-in-waiting her kingdom has to offer her. "What is all this fuss, especially keeping my items in a box? Where will they be shipped out to?" Though, she wasn't exactly dumb enough to understand what was happening, at the back of her mind she had her suspicions.

"I am simply following orders, your highness." The lady checks a box from her list, as a few ladies carry out her luggage.

Was she about to sleep in an empty room tonight?

Knowing full well she won't be hearing anything from her lady-in-waiting she walks out of her room, her footsteps heavy in the process. As soon as she turned the corner, she was greeted by the entourage of her brother's family, complete with the crowned prince himself, his wife, his two children, their maids and body guards. Indeed, there was nothing more important than the next royal family.

"You look upset, Taeha." Taeil, his brother, couldn't be more obvious with what was clearly written all over her face.

"Do I appear so?" She nearly rushes past the family and their entourage, but is stopped when her brother grabs her by the wrist. "It is improper to stop someone by the wrist, brother."

"Are you looking for father?"

"Who else shall I look for when I am fuming?" Another box that was filled with her stuff passes through the halls. Her eyes could simply follow her items as they disappeared from her sight. Again, not as mindless as she often makes herself out to be, she knew where those items were headed.

"It has not been long since he left the table," Taeil sighs knowing full well her anger was rooted in something reasonable, "he is probably sharing his late night tea with mama, just as they always do." That was all the princess needed to hear before rushing towards her father's tea room, one that was closed off to kids below twelve and was applied whether you were royalty or not.

Taeha raises her hands up and knocks, just as it usually does, the reply comes a bit late. "Come in," was the muffled reply that came from the other side of the door.

She swings the door open to see her mother sitting with a hot cup of tea in her hands and observing the door open. On the opposite side of the table sat her father, dressed down in a much more comfortable attire, but one that screamed that he was king nonetheless. His pressed down shirt, cleanly slicked back hair and posture that was deeply ingrained into his body.

"Taeha," he calls out the name of his youngest child, "what brings you in need of my attention as soon as we finish dinner?"

"You have mastered feigning innocence father," she crosses her arms over her chest as if she was a child.

Taemu takes a few seconds to understand what she was talking about. Before realization even shows on his face, he simply takes a sip out of his tea. "It should not come as a surprise, the customs of dealing with a marriage between two kingdoms run deep."

"I have never heard of such a circumstance where two betrotheds have to live under one roof?"

"The case is different when two kingdoms engage." Taemu sighs. "The distance would seem to hinder the process of getting to know one another. It has been a long practiced tradition between the marriage between two kingdoms." He states as if he had witnessed a marriage between two kingdoms in his own life as well.

The princess could not believe what she was hearing. As if her ears were deceiving her, or that is how she wants to believe it as. "Do you not think of briefing me through this before you even announce marriage or continue with your decision?"

The king gives her daughter a long look before sighing. "Does marriage still bother you?"

"Shall I make it more obvious, your majesty?"

"Well, it has been arranged, Taeha." There was no room to argue as her father's voice lowered. "The crowned prince shall arrive tomorrow morning and you'll be riding with him back to his kingdom." That was the last thing she heard before she left that godforsaken room. It was a near mockery of all the years of her voicing out her opinions on marriage, and making effort to not wed anytime soon.

A pure mockery.

The next day followed soon after, as if her life played out three times faster. As she was unable to sleep a wink last night, she grumbled to herself as soon as the sun began peeking through her now empty room. The room was huge even with her stuff inside, but now it felt oddly bigger than it was before, even with all this space, it was making her suffocate.

The last time she would be able to see her, well her family's, lady-in-waiting would be today as they force her out of her bed and into clothing she has never seen in her life. The process was both grudgingly slow, but she hoped that they would go slower. That's why the moment they all move away from her to give her space to examine how she looks at the mirror, she hoped that they had just stayed where they were.

Then she was guided to the stairs, the one where their guests were entering last night, she walked with two escorts on her side and a few more by the walls making sure that the rebellious princess did not try to make her great escape. Princess Taeha was a runaway bride in the making.

By the entrance of their castle, her parents were already waiting upon her arrival. It wasn't until she turned the corner to see the full view of the entrance that she took notice of the prince gladly engaging in conversations with the king of Sui. It was as if his persona last night was a mere lie.

"Here she is, my princess, Taeha." King Taemu opens his arms wide to welcome her all dolled up daughter.

Taeha takes her time. She doesn't rush to stand beside her parents, let alone, his fiance. Once she stood beside her mother, she wrapped her arms around her waist.

"I heard that the kingdom of Hwei has already prepared their lady-in-waiting for you." Aside from the absurdity of being engaged just a few days ago, she finds out that she'll be going to a foreign land all on her own, without anyone she truly knows?

It took everything in Taeha for her head not to swing towards the queen in absolute anger. "I see," she sighs, "however," the moment she began her sentence with this she was met with glares coming from her parents, "I believe that it would be hard to accumulate in a foreign land without my own lady-in-waiting." She reasons out.

"Wouldn't that be better?" King Taemu turns his head towards the prince. "You'll be relying on this young man even more."

Guanheng remained silent, but continued to force a smile on his face. The sudden silence from her father's words made everyone's heads turn towards the horses that were neighing, as if they were the most impatient beings present right now.

"That appears to be the sign for us to send our farewell." Guanheng bows towards the royal couple of Sui, before walking up a few steps and offering out his hands to the princess.

Taeha before she could even accept his hand was taken into a hug by the queen, one that felt like it was the last time they'll ever be able to touch one another. A much larger hand on the back was placed right above the queen's, and as soon as she looked up, she saw her father with a soft smile on his face.

She was the one who decided to break the hug. Taking a deep breath, she grabs hold unto Guanheng's hand. "I'll be taking my leave." That was the last thing she told her parents before walking down the stairs.