The beauty of Ren Xue Cheng never failed to captivate the mermaid princess. Of all the three realms, it was the only one covered in pure white. Although she loved her home more than any other place, Lan Shang considered the Ice Tribe's home her own. She traveled in and out, up and about on land, happy wherever she went. Her favorite location was Sakura Hill, and yet it was also a place of sadness for her. It reminded her of the source. The source that would wither the tender heart of any young mermaid.
Wind stirred the tree above. Plum blossoms rained onto Lan Shang's curls. She smiled as a figure materialized at the bottom of the hill. Snowflakes swirled around his white hair, and the blossoms on her lifted, and floated towards him. He caught them in his hand. At the same time, Lan Shang's breath caught in her chest. "Ka Suo," she whispered.
For a split second, their eyes met, hers dark and gentle, his blue and icy, with a savage kind of fire in them. Not her king's eyes—his brother's. "Sorry, I'm late. Did you wait long?"
Lan Shang wilted. The immortal approaching her wasn't Ka Suo, but Ying Kong Shi. This wasn't the first time she'd mixed them up. The brothers both had white hair down to their waists, and stood at the same height. Their demeanor, however, couldn't be mistaken. Ka Suo was gentle and kind. Shi was nice to her as well, only she felt a vibe from him that she couldn't quite understand, something different.
The younger prince plopped down next to her. "Are you ready for another dance?"
Lan Shang swallowed her disappointment. She couldn't be inconsiderate of him just because he wasn't the man she wanted. He went out of his way to dance with her daily when he could be doing plenty of other things, such as spending time with his mother, or helping with the reconstruction of the city. If only Ka Suo would do that… She smiled, and placed her hand on Shi's. Under snow and Sakura, the pair danced out their troubles, the source of which, they both knew too well.