Hey, guys!
I'm so excited to introduce this new story written by me and Anastasia The Goddess Of Drama. We started the idea on Sunday and finished it at 2 am today.
We hope you enjoy it!
Prologue
Princess Ya Shu Kai sat at the dining table, her posture regal and her voice silent as she ate breakfast, listening to Emperor Chang, her half-brother, converse with his advisor, who briefed him on news and plans for the day.
She looked away from her half-eaten breakfast, and up at Chang when the two of them began to speak about the handful of laws he had been working on for the past few weeks. In her haste, she dropped her fork on the plate, it clattered interrupting the conversation that the two were having.
Chang looked over at her, and they made eye contact. He stared at her for a moment, and then raised an eyebrow.
"What is it, Ya Shu?" He asked, his voice soft. "You seem troubled."
She pursed her lips, and then looked back down at her food. Suddenly, it looked very unappetizing.
"Have you spoken to Aiguo about the laws yet?" She asked.
His face was lit with confusion, his brow drawn together as if he couldn't comprehend what she was saying. He put down his fork, and then wiped his mouth. "Am I supposed to? I am the emperor, I am not required to speak to my little brother about laws that I will be passing," he told her.
"He'll be emperor soon," she countered as she once again made eye contact with him. "You won't keep the throne for much longer, Chang."
Chang sighed, shaking his head. He glanced over at his advisor who was staring at her distastefully. "Watch yourself, Ya Shu. Our brother won't get the throne until after he is married, and so far he seems very uninterested in such things. And besides, Aiguo isn't even here. The advisor is a very busy man and can't even wait for the future Emperor. Aiguo knows this and yet isn't here to learn for when he is ready to be the Emperor."
Ya Shu frowned, and then looked away from Chang. It was true that her twin hadn't seemed interested in finding a wife, and that he wasn't fully prepared to take over the empire, but it wasn't up to Chang to keep the throne away from her brother. And as for being late to breakfast, that had never happened before.
The silence grew as she stayed quiet, trying to come in the defense of her twin but found nothing.
"Now if you'll excuse me, more important matters call my attention, I'm sorry to cut our time short," he said as he placed his napkin on his plate. "Could you see what held our brother up this morning? You and I both know that this is so unlike him."
Ya Shu glared at him, and then sighed. One day, Aiguo would be on the throne and she wouldn't have to worry about Chang. But that day was still as far away as the risen sun.
She stood, and then walked out of the dining hall and towards her twin's room. The last of the pink hue from the sunrise cast colored shadows and highlights onto the mahogany wall as she walked by.
She stopped, and then looked out the window, taking in the view of the empire. From the high window she could see the large city beneath the treetops. Every once in awhile, she found herself imagining the lives that her people lived, from the baker to the beggar she found each different lifestyle just as interesting as her own.
On a clear day like today, she wished that from her castle perch that she could see the people who made up the empire, but even as she strained her eyes, she could just barely make out the rooftops of the houses and stores.
Ya Shu sighed, but before she continued her walk, she stole one last glance at the empire that would never be her's. The empire that would one day be in her twin's hands instead of the hands of her half-brother. The empire that she would watch thrive or fall by the hands of her brother and her brother's children. The empire that she ruled in her dreams, but would wake up and remember the harsh reality that it could never, and would never be her's.
As she walked up to the door of her brother's room, the guard stationed outside of the door held his arm in front of her.
"His Highness gave explicit orders that he was not to be disturbed," he told her.
She looked up at him, and studied his neutral expression.
"Why?" She asked as she crossed her arms across her chest.
Rarely did her brother shy away from visitors, and he had locked her out.
"He said that he was feeling ill," he explained as he moved his arms away from in front of the door.
"Ill?" She asked, and dropped her arms to her sides. Aiguo was sick? "With what?"
"He didn't say," he told her, and then looked up as something rustled within the room.
Slowly, the door opened, and then Aiguo slipped outside of the room. He squinted from the light coming from the windows. And Ya Shu couldn't help but think that he looked paler than normal.
"Is something wrong?" He asked as he straightened and pulled back his shoulders, and then he looked over and smiled at Ya Shu. But even his smile looked weaker.
"You didn't come for breakfast, and so I came to check on you," she told him as she looked into his eyes. They looked tired, as if he hadn't slept in weeks. "He said you're feeling ill. Is that true?"
Aiguo sighed, and then nodded. He winced at the movement. "I woke up this morning with a migraine," he said.
"Have you been to the doctor yet?" She asked. He looked like he was going to fall over at any moment.
He shook his head, and then winced again.
"I couldn't," he said. "I couldn't get out of bed. I felt too weak."
Ya Shu frowned, and then turned to the guard. "Get the doctor, and send someone with some food," she ordered, and then gently grabbed Aiguo's arm.
He was so pale, paler than the full moon. "Let's get you back to bed."
Aiguo nodded at her, and then leaned his head on her shoulder as the two of them walked back into his room. His steps were slow and he leaned his entire body against her.
She wrapped her arm around him, and then walked at his pace into the dark room. It was cold in his room, as if the window had been left open the night before. The old wooden floor creaked beneath their feet as they made it to his bed.
"Thanks," he told her as he laid against the plush feather pillows and the soft blankets.
Ya Shu sat beside him on the side of the bed, and then nodded. But her heart was thumping as her brother took in deep breaths of air like he had been running, not walking across a room.
"Don't be afraid, little sister," he said, and then closed his eyes, but she couldn't help but think that he sounded weaker with every word that he spoke.
She looked away, and focused on the desk on the other side of the room. She knew that on the desk laid multiple important documents and lists on how he could help the empire grow and prosper.
"Chang was talking about new laws at breakfast," she told him, and she hoped it wouldn't upset him.
Aiguo sat up slowly as he propped on his elbows.
"Really?" He asked, and she could only guess that he was frowning. "That's strange."
She raised her eyebrow, even though she knew he wouldn't see it in the dark.
"Oh? And why is that?" She asked. She knew that Aiguo and Chang were more different than the moon and sun, but Chang had been talking about the planned laws like they were common knowledge.
He hummed softly as he closed his eyes again, but this time his long hair covered his eyes too. "Because he hasn't spoken a word about it to me, which makes me wonder what he could possibly be planning."
She looked away as her thoughts wandered to the laws that her half-brother could be making. She just knew that she would feel less in the dark when Aiguo was crowned emperor. He shared everything with her, something Chang would never do.
"But hey, don't worry about it, Ya Shu," he told her. "I'm sure it's nothing."
She nodded, and then looked up as the door opened and the doctor walked in with a handful of new guards.
She stood up to greet them, but the doctor held up his hand.
"I mean no offense, your highness, but I wish to do this examination privately," he told her. "So please excuse us."
Ya Shu looked over at Aiguo, and then back at the doctor. She pursed her lips before nodding.
"Of course," she said.
"Thank you for understanding," the doctor told her as she made her way out.
As soon as she exited the room, a strong hand wrapped around her arm. She looked up, and then glared at the offender.
"Let go of me, Chang," she said as she tried to pull her arm away from him, but his grip was too strong.
"What is going on in there?" He asked, but didn't loosen his grip. He looked down at her, his face turning into a scowl as she tried to pry his hand off.
She looked up at him, and shot him another glare, but her heart pounded. "You're hurting me!" She exclaimed as she pulled again.
"Answer my question, Ya Shu," he told her, his voice calm but almost mocking. It was a tone that she had become more accustomed to than she would like to admit.
She growled, her eyes glaring daggers into his and she stopped pulling.
"Aiguo is ill," she answered. "The doctor is examining him right now."
Chang let go of her arm, and looked up at the door. The scowl was gone, turning into something thoughtful. It sent chills down Ya Shu's spine.
"Interesting," he said before turning to her. "Go and do whatever duties you have, I'll send you an update when the doctor is finished."
She glared at him. Her blood boiled at his words. She needed to stay by her brother, her duties as princess could wait until after she had an answer.
"I'm not leaving," She told him. "And there's nothing you can do to change that."
Chang chuckled, and a fire burned in his eyes.
"You can either go willingly or by force, Ya Shu," he warned. "One of those options will be much less painful."
She sighed, and then began to walk away.
"You're an asshole, Chang," she said over her shoulder.
He laughed, a sound that stopped her in her footsteps.
"An asshole with a crown and not a woman lost in the shadows," he shot back.
Ya Shu inhaled deeply, ignoring the hurt and anger that came with those words, as she continued to walk away. One day she would show him that she wasn't an insignificant piece of a puzzle, something that he could look down upon. One day she would prove him wrong. One day she would be the last one laughing. But that wasn't today, and they both knew it.
Despite never taking Chang by his word, Ya Shu did, just this once. She had never seen Aiguo like this, so fragile and weak, struggling with even the simplest task. She trusted Chang with something as valuable as the health of their future Emperor.
How foolish of her.
The morning sky had turned to night and still there was no word for her brother. Why did she expect the Emperor to finally grow a heart to inform her, what was happening to her twin? Her other half? He never cared before to share important things with Aiguo when he needed to, why would he share his well being?
Ya Shu stormed into her half-brother's office. She ignored the protest of the guards, slamming the doors open. Inside, there was a table full of nobles and advisors, all men and startled by the sight of the princess.
"Chang!" She shouted, her voice filled with rage. "I need to speak with you."
Chang sighed, and then looked over at the nobles and advisors.
"I apologize for my sister's behavior, this morning she was met with some upsetting news. Our future Emperor, my brother, has fallen ill but with what we do not know," he said then looked at her. "I have received no news, the verdict is still out."
She crossed her arms and looked at him unbelievingly. He might be able to fool the nobles and advisors, but he couldn't fool her.
"The verdict is still out? Do you take me as stupid?" she asked as she walked up to him. "You told me that you would tell me when the doctor was finished with his examination, and now it's nighttime and I still don't know what's wrong with Aiguo!"
He pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. He glanced over at the nobles, attracting Ya Shu's attention to them. While some stared at her disapprovingly, others had forgotten their ruler and his sister in exchange for talking about what they just heard. Ya Shu cussed her stupidity of coming to her brother so publicly.
With the news of her brother sick on the lips of the nobles, it would be bound to reach the ears to even the slaves. And with that would lead to gossip, a burning question on everyone's mind. If the true heir of the Kai throne was ill, did it mean that the bastard child would keep the throne in his clutches?
"I would never degrade you in such a way but you must believe me when I say, I'm much in the dark as you are." he whispered. "If you had given me the chance, I was going to update you when I was finished here."
Despite the situation that Ya Shu created, she rolled her eyes. Chang liked having the power of knowing things before she did. He probably would've kept quiet about this til she went to him and demanded answers, private or in public.
"Of course you were going to," she replied, her words dripping with sarcasm.
"Do we really have to do this here?" He sighed, and then gestured to the nobles and advisors. "You're just making yourself look ridiculous."
"Yes, Chang!" She exclaimed, already tired of talking to him and he hadn't even answered her question. She didn't care about the damage she made or the disrespect that she just did. What she cared about was her brother, who's condition was still a mystery to her. Let the nobles go back to their homes to inform their wives and children what she had done. The lovely Princess Ya Shu came rushing into the meeting with the most interesting news: Our crowned prince is ill. Add a little excitement than them deciding the lives of people that didn't know.
"You told me that you would tell me what was wrong with my brother, and you never did. So now I'm asking you what is going on!"
Chang stood from his seat and slammed his hands against the table, startling her and the nobles. A heavy silence filled the room, and Ya Shu had to still her fast beating heart. It was the closest that Ya Shu saw Chang's mask crack, and he had done it in front of nobles nonetheless. She swallowed hard as Chang turned to the others in the room, a tight smile on his lips.
"Please excuse me for a minute," he said, and then grabbed Ya Shu's arm and pulled her out of the room.
Once they left the room, he turned to the guards. With a single look, they slipped into the shadows. A slight panic crawled up Ya Shu's throat, as Chang grabbed her again and yanked her close.
Their noses touched and his grip was sure enough going to leave a bruise.
"You have some nerve." He growled.
Ya Shu swallowed down her fear, refusing to give him the satisfaction. And instead, scoffed as she pulled her arm away from him.
"And you're a dick," she said. "You promised that you would tell me what is wrong with Aiguo, now tell me."
Chang's expression darkened.
"Do not order me around," he said, his words like a threat that she knew he would make good on. "And if you must know, the rounds of testing on your brother took most of the day. I didn't plan on keeping the results from you, they just hadn't come in until the middle of my meeting. Maybe I'm not the asshole, the dick, you think I am."
Ya Shu looked down as her chest began to ache with panic. She barely registered that Chang had lied right in front of the nobles. He did get the results just not as early as she thought he did. But the thought of the results not being ready muddled the truth in front of her.
"What were the results?" She asked.
"He was diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis," he told her, and then continued when she stayed silent. "It is a neuroimmune condition that is characterized by extreme post-exertional malaise, even after a very small amount of exertion. It's a life-long medical condition."
"Will he be okay?" She asked. Her heart thundered, and her mind felt clouded. What if she lost Aiguo? In all of the worlds she had imagined, she had never imagined that she would lose her brother. Just the thought of losing him made her stomach twist.
Chang pursed his lips.
"We'll just have to wait and see how bad it is," he said, and then cleared his throat. "Now, I need to get back to my meeting."
She nodded, but she barely heard what he was saying through the shock. Her brother was sick, and he wasn't getting better.
Lol, I know this pretty much appeared out of the blue, but I just couldn't get it out of my head. And then I brought the idea up to Anastasia The Goddess Of Drama, and she and I started this whole adventure together.
So, here's the form for the selection. (It can also be found on my page along with the description of provinces, social classes, and of the Imperial Family.)
The deadline for the form is May 7th, unless you have otherwise been given an extended deadline.
Dishonor and Deception Syoc Form
Name:
Nicknames:
Age (18-24):
Birthday:
Sexuality (and pronouns):
Social class:
Province:
Occupation:
Description (Height in feet, body shape, face details, scars, eye shape and color, ect…):
Face claim:
Any physical changes from the face claim:
Any distinct features:
Personality:
Introvert or extrovert:
Optimist or pessimist:
Hobbies:
Habits (good and bad):
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Biggest secret:
Fears:
Backstory:
Family members (Age, personality, occupation, face claim, relationship with oc):
Friends (Age, personality, occupation, face claim, relationship with oc):
Enemies (Age, personality, occupation, face claim, relationship with oc):
Previous significant others (Age, personality, occupation, face claim, current relationship with doc, how far did the relationship go when they were together):
Opinion on Imperial family as a whole:
Opinion on Emperor Chang:
Opinion on Empress Consort Rasia:
Opinion on Crown Prince Aiguo:
Opinion on Princess Ya Shu:
Opinion on Hiriko: