It is, to say in simple words, a letter.
It is, to say in complicated words, her future.
Ka is at her bedside, his hands ready to console in a moment of grief that never quite makes it.
She examines cousin Kouen's seal at the bottom of the scroll in stamped red wax with a matter of fact sort of gaze, it's a contrast from the grief on Kobun's. Kobun can't stop it when it's already been done, so She don't really hold anything against him, She couldn't possibly when his arm is awkwardly wrapped around her, like it was when he first told her he'd make her into a beautiful princess just like she pretended her dolls were.
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault." Cousin En's seal is at the bottom of the scroll in bold black brushstrokes. What she says, though, is not always what she means. What Kougyoku means, what Ka Kobun hears is that it's hers.
Her eyebrows furrow.
She's forlorn and tired all of a sudden. Dawn has just barely broken and Kougyoku glances out of the window that she frequently dreams of climbing out of with a knapsack. Just her and Ka Kobun and maybe Judar, with nobody to answer to.
"You can't try to run, Kougyoku." Kobun's voice is cutting in the silence of dawn. You continue looking out of the window because she knows she can't, she's just thinking about the times she could have, but didn't.
"I know." The second and fourth princesses tried to run. It ended badly, even when Kougyoku's considering that Kouha was sent to fetch them.
Had she not been so hesitant back then to leave En, She might have run away and left it all, all those times when she had to convince herself that her cousins had a use for her instead of trusting that clenching feeling in her chest, the one that says still, that this was his intention from the beginning, he didn't want her to fight, that he doesn't want or need her help, not when he has Kouha and Koumei. The one that says he wants to keep her safe, just like each and every one of the seven other princesses that he married off before her.
Maybe it's Kougyoku's fault, a bit, all of this? It was foolish to think that she'd be different, just because of her fluke dungeon anyways.
Some part of Kougyoku is curdling like spoilt milk. It's souring and distasteful, laughing because she finally did get what she wanted, didn't she?
Queen of Sindria.
That pretentious title will be bestowed upon her empty little head before the week is up, it's real. Just like the scroll says: not tomorrow, not when she's old and wrinkly- in seven days or less. It seems a little rude, maybe, that she aren't appreciating it- that all she can do is sit in her bed and bite back tear after tear after useless tear.
"We should get you dressed, Princess." Ka Kobun's arm falls away in a whisper of silk and Kougyoku finds that she's a little colder.
There is a package by the door and on it is a small card with verdant inked script and gold filigree on the edges.
A Gift for the Princess.
S.
Princess is translated to my wife as gift is translated to proposal gift.
Kougyoku don't like it, that's all. It doesn't bleed into hate and in this situation, She could never enjoy whatever petty trinket is in there. But that could be the shock that doesn't really let her enjoy anything at all. She's grateful to it because there is much to do as a future bride and there is no time to be upset or to open presents.
Instead, there is a knock at the door to answer.
Of course, She don't answer doors so much as her Ka does, to save from impropriety. He always checks the peephole of the door before he opens it, is too paranoid of people hurting her to do it straight out. Kougyoku takes the time to straighten herself up in her night chemise and look noble and detached instead of filled with trepidation and nauseating butterflies. At the door, there are soldiers. Soldiers in beige and green and gold hauling several trunks into neat stacks in front of her door.
They do not come in, Ka Kobun blocks her from sight the second he creaks open the door, but the servants scurry out from the corners of the palace and haul the large trunks into her bedroom and the soldiers stay until her door is closed with an Kouish manner of clutching their hands together, like Kougyoku might her teacher, but without the bow behind it; an acknowledgement without submission.
If Sindrian soldiers are here, they will have a representative and permission for entry into the Empire, given only to people of that country if there is a meeting.
Kougyoku accepts the inevitability of a day of life risking political endeavors and puts on her best Princess face to watch, with a discerning and quietly condescending eye, the servants as they bring in nine trunks, one by one by one, in perfectly equal spacing in front of her bed and scatter like they're unwanted vermin instead of what keeps the palace together.
It was foolish, definitely, to think a country so prosperous as Sindria would send only one box.
Now, though, she must prepare for her day. The sun is too far past the horizon for Kougyoku to be in her nightclothes. Even in the women's apartments of the palace, concubines and servants are buzzing about. She raises from her bed and the servants bustle in from the back door, when Ka Kobun rings the morning bell. He smacks his fan against his palm, rushing them even as they run.
Perhaps if this were a different day, she may have given in again and let him prepare her to his standard so he'd stop glaring at the poor creatures, but it takes time and she has none, today. Though they do not prepare Kougyoku as comfortably as Ka Kobun, they do it well enough. They bring tea for her that's too hot and the rice cake is too small, but she finishes it just the same as another servant scurries to the corner for a pipe before Kougyoku raises a hand, which is enough to stop her. Ka Kobun cannot tolerate her mistake, though it is as small as an ignorance to that she doesn't smoke. He takes her place instead with relief. He really is happiest when he does the work he wants to see done. A basin of hot water for her face with peach soaps comes out and Ka Kobun sees to scrubbing her face, his hands rolling up his sleeves and he grips her face brusquely.
The servants stare at the impropriety; Kobun is not a softly spoken eunuch, but a man who may take girls to his bed if he will. Kougyoku glares at them with all her might; Ka Kobun would never, he has only ever been concerned for her safety more than all of them.
Ka Kobun's eyes are piercing in their focus on her face and it scares the servants into obedience and lends a measure of calm to her. He says nothing but to instruct the servants.
"Honey." Kougyoku make a face, Ka Kobun's lips quirk up. She's always hated being sticky and the honey comes straight from the honeycombs and is drizzled onto her hands in porcelain bowls delivering her straight into an almost torture because being so sticky drives her nearly mad with the need to get clean again. Ka's hand on her shoulder discourages her from just twitching, no matter how she want to. He rubs some, much less, on her cheeks and Ka Kobun waves them to the closet to pick something for her.
"I will take something green today." Kougyoku calls out from her place in the chair. Ka Kobun ignores her, but she knows he's just pretending to be in control here; her choice is good and he will abide. He busies himself with a table by her bedside and hauls it up over his shoulder in all his finery without letting it so much as brush before he lets it down right beside her and sets a makeup tray on it and sets to mixing her paints. When she was young, someone put poisons in her powder and since the weeks in bedrest she took, he's become adept at doing it himself.
He kneels before her, a motion that he takes every time as he prepares Kougyoku for her day and a motion Kougyoku's always liked to think means more. His nearly imperceptible, but nevertheless semi permanent scowl clears away and his mouth falls open the slightest bit in his focus. The tattoo on his face emphasizes his slightly crooked nose and she is absently proud for having such a handsome, faithful attendant as Ka Kobun.
Kougyoku's eyebrows are darkened and he lines her eyes with kohl from his own homeland, something which always makes her eyes look as wide as apricots and as lovely as the women of legend. Her mouth is painted with a slim brush tipped with pink that tastes like honey, mint and concentrated pigment.
Ka Kobun snaps and the servants make all of the canisters of paint disappear with them, reappearing with her combs and hair flowers and brushes and pomades. Kougyoku very carefully do not lick her lips and settles back in her chair. Ka Kobun cannot do her hair alone, there's just too much of it. He is, grumpily, forced to share his duties with servants who are just as grumpy to be asked to do this, which has been the job of an old serving maid fallen ill in only the last few days. Ka Kobun snaps at them loudly, flapping his grand yellow sleeves about and threatening meaninglessly, because when it does not come to his progress, his princess or his pride, he is softhearted. All of the maids gather around her, Ka Kobun at the center of her back directs them to comb gently and with all of them, Kougyoku is done quickly. There is no time for her complex looped hairstyle and it would be improper to wear what is usual on a day that is not.
This day, She will wear it will little complication; She will have a side bun. Kougyoku says so.
"I will have a side bun."
After a brief moment of frenzied panic where nobody seems to know one of the most common noble hairstyles. someone in the crowd shoves a little slave girl forward and the poor thing clumsily lands on her face before scrambling into a pathetic semblance of grovelling before her.
"Rise and do as you are bid." Kougyoku does not know for sure that she does know how to when she sees her, but Ka Kobun does not move and Kougyoku remains cool as water.
Her own hair is mousy and brown, falling in knots and snarls like a beggar man's and so it is a surprise when her creation has not a hair out of place. Ka Kobun is pleased and hands her a slip of paper before he shoves her towards the vanity.
"Go fetch the tray of hair accessories in the corner." And that is as much approval as she will get, but Kougyoku and him both are impressed at her skills. Kougyoku's bun, in the mirror standing ahead of her, is very fine indeed. Not a hair out of place, plaited perfectly and the rest over her shoulders.
"In a few days, you will wear it off of them." Ka Kobun says. Kougyoku grits her teeth.
She comes back quickly, her eyes downcast and the tray, she sets atop Kobun's little night table cum vanity.
On this tray there is jewelry only for her hair and of it, with a few glances to the clothing which the servants have left on her bed, She holds a golden magpie pin out for Ka Kobun's inspection. He tsks and swipes it out of her hand. There is a jade pin of gold peonies and a peacock, whose feather's eyes are gold as well and this one, he slides on the top of her bun and on the bottom, there is another one, with rows of golden beads wrought into chrysanthemums and pearls that are of the finest quality and these are the only ones he will approve of. There is a tray beside that one that escaped her notice in the barrage of them and from it, Ka Kobun gives Kougyoku no opinion; they must be running out of time. There are jade disks which dangle from her ears and white jade for each of her wrists before she dresses.
And it is an ordeal that does go quickly, considering how many things there are to bedeck herself with.
Ka Kobun steps in front of Kougyoku's chair when the time comes to pick out her clothing and shouts no to four of them before she gets to see them, even and she supposes it's less work for her with little sadness.
The daxiushans are gone, the ruquns gone, chang'aos the same. Ka Kobun has left her only with diyis, which are the highest dress for her stature. It is meet, if this is her engagement day. He chooses only the second most grand of these and She giggles because of it; her Ka Kobun is too cautious.
Surely this thing cannot compare to the dress of the Empress. Still, better to be safe than sorry. Kougyoku waves her hand at the darkest green and she figures that she will flatter her home to be. If she must go, she will make a favorable impression.
Ka Kobun does not, to her shame, order everyone away when Kougyoku is ready to dress he sets them to cleaning up the room and in a quieter voice he thinks she will not hear, packing up necessities.
Then, he, with little ceremony, stands her up and proceeds to strip Kougyoku of her nightdress, so that she is bare before him. Your powder cannot hide the redness of her face.
"If you cry, the kohl will run." And that is as much comfort as she gets in words, though Ka Kobun shields her again from gazes that are focused on their tasks only.
Ka Kobun raises dress off and she sits again immediately, eager to curl up to preserve her modesty and ignoring that Ka Kobun's holding stockings.
"No, stand. Hold your leg out for me and put on your shirt." Kougyooku doesn't have much balance, but she has the back of the chair to depend on and Ka Kobun is already pulling her ankle up with one hand and handing her the zhongyi. Kougyoku can only put it on one sleeve at a time, but she manages, no matter how hard it is to focus with someone's hand stretching soft silk over her milky legs.
Kougyoku finishes putting on her top excepting the tie, which she cannot do with one hand and Ka Kobun's rough fingertips stretch her other stocking over her leg carefully, slowly. She focuses on keeping her teeth from digging into her painted lips.
Kougyoku snatches it back as soon as he's done and if he knows what he's done, he knows enough not to speak of it.
He ties her shirt for her as she wrap around her first skirt and then her slim petticoat on top of it.
He whorls the shan about her shoulders and the qun she takes care of, tying it appropriately now that she's got use of two hands. The darker ru twirls around as Ka Kobun holds it up for a last inspection and it turns the light that shines through it green on the tile floors for a second. Kougyoku holds out her arms and Ka Kobun settles it on her with unnitpickable perfection. She ties the belt perfectly and smooth out the wrinkles as Kobun fetches her satin slippers.
Kougyoku glances around her apartments at the busy maids bustling about and the useless eunuchs who rightfully let Ka Kobun handle everything and is a little startled when Ka Kobun goes to his knees before her and Kougyoku looks away because even after all these years, no matter that it was her choice, her feet were taken too soon from their bindings as a child and so they have grown too large, too manly no matter that they are soft and pedicured. Ka Kobun does not bother with telling Kougyoku that there is no shame in sacrificing beauty for the use of battle; there is no time. And besides, Kougyoku can hear the echoes of him doing it every other day and he knows it. She is steadfast in ignoring the thoughts, then. These fine green slippers with pearls and peacocks on the heel are good enough for her. Kougyoku is a princess, and better than most because she is not helpless.
Kougyoku remembers this as Ka Kobun holds Vinea out for her through the folds of his robes, politely never touching her pin.
Ka Kobun slides her behind the peacock pin and the confidence Kougyoku was faking is real.
She holds her hand out to Ka Kobun daintily and he bows to his princess as he takes it. Kougyoku stands and the servants bow and the slaves bow lower.
"Rise." her voice rings clearly and they obey hesitantly.
"I thank you for you kindness this day."
And then Ka Kobun and she opens her chamber doors and leave the bewildered palace servants behind her.
Ka Kobun is the only one to walk ahead of her, her entourage of officials are behind Kougyoku in two perfectly aligned rows of three do not encourage Kougyoku forward like he does; Ka Kobun's back has always been a great comfort to her, broad and strong, hiding her when she needs protection and still and warm when she wants to lean against it with sorrow or exhaustion. Kougyoku's made it through the palace halls only by following it, step by step.
And she will follow it again, into the conference room, where the courts of Kou will watch her sign her life and allegiance away. To keep herself safe. They will watch her cower away when her empire needs her most.
Ka Kobun stops and she takes a step further ahead, wrecking the symmetry of her group. Kougyoku does not step back; her Ka Kobun is all that keeps her here and she fears what will happen if she leaves him.
The Entourage makes up her mistake in haste only to save their own heads as the doors open, soundless and foreboding.
Kougyoku follows Ka Kobun's back and does not dare make a mistake, lest her head leave her shoulders.
Kou does not take kindly to people who disgrace them in front of foreign dignitaries.