Author Notes: Hello again, everyone! Having paired up quite a few characters, I decided I couldn't let two bachelor brothers remain lonely and single. And since I prefer canon characters to OCs, how lucky for them - and me - that there were also two ladies just as single and available! Enjoy :)
Warnings: This is a sister story to Proof of Love and takes place just after Chapter 9 so warnings for spoilers if you've not read that yet. As always, no character bashing.
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Akatsuki No Yona belongs to Mizuho Kusanagi.
- Story Start -
Lady Iguni was not pleased.
Both her sons were nobles, of marriageable age (way past that, to be honest) and good men. Yet they were still single and - unless she was greatly mistaken, and she almost never was - as pure as any cloistered maiden.
Kyo-Ga, her eldest, was twenty nine. He was a well read scholar, an excellent General and, after meeting King Soo-Won and visiting their poorer villages, determined to improve himself further.
Tae-Jun, her younger, was twenty four. He was also well read and, after being ordered to one of their poorer villages, determined to help those less fortunate than him.
Yet both were still single and as far as she knew, marriage remained a far blip on their horizons, if not missing entirely.
Why?
What had she done wrong, or not done at all?
And what was to be done about them now?
None of the court ladies here at Saika Castle had caught their eyes!
Kyo-Ga only wanted to prove himself as the new Fire Tribe General, and to make the King and his people proud.
Tae-Jun only had eyes for Princess Yona, who alas, was King Soo-Won's bride-to-be and Queen of Kouka Kingdom.
It was enough to drive a mother up the wall!
Iguni preferred not to meddle in the affairs of others, but she had had enough. Heaven knew that if she continued to leave it up to Fate, her sons would die single men while she would die grandchildren-less.
She wouldn't force matrimony on them, of course. Hers had been an arranged marriage to a stern and arrogant man and she had suffered in silence for thirty years before Kan Soo-Jin died a traitor to Kouka Kingdom.
She would make sure her sons married for love, something she had never experienced in her own marriage. They just needed a push in the right direction. And if that meant widening her search beyond the Fire Tribe for prospective daughters-in-law then so be it.
- o -
Iguni was never what one would call a social butterfly. After her marriage, she preferred to stay at Saika Castle. She was even less keen to show her face after her late husband's failed coup d'etat which had brought shame to the Fire Tribe.
Attending King Soo-Won and Princess Yona's wedding would be akin to rubbing salt in an open wound, seeing as the King was only eighteen while her own sons were much older. Still, she knew that both of them would attend; Kyo-Ga as it was expected of him, and Tae-Jun to make Princess Yona happy.
No one would think any less of their mother if she didn't accompany them, but she couldn't pass up this rare opportunity to look for suitable brides.
- o -
The Fire Tribe group, like the other tribes, arrived at Kuuto City the day before the wedding. The weather was a welcome change from Saika's hotter and drier climate.
As soon as they were settled in their suite of rooms at Hiryuu Castle, Kyo-Ga excused himself to do some reading in the library. He promised to join them at tonight's dinner. Iguni thought she would have to spend the afternoon with her maids, but luckily Tae-Jun took them for a tour of Kuuto City.
It was crowded, to say the least, with people from all five tribes visiting. The streets were awash with decorations for tomorrow's wedding, and that seemed to be the sole topic on everyone's lips.
The atmosphere was lively and festive with stalls set up at every corner, but Tae-Jun soon saw that his mother looked a bit overwhelmed by the crowd and noise. He recalled her preference for peace and solitude and quickly led her to a row of tea shops, entering the one furthest from the main street.
The interior of the tea shop was cool and quiet, with only one or two tables occupied. Iguni breathed a sigh of relief as the proprietor bowed them to a table in the corner and took their order for tea, a plate of dango and another of mochi.
"My apologies, mother," Tae-Jun apologised. "I should have realised the city would be crowded today on account of the King's wedding tomorrow."
Iguni lowered her fan to smile at her son.
"Well, I haven't seen Kuuto City for many years. It has changed quite a lot."
When their refreshments arrived, one of her maids poured the tea while Tae-Jun pushed the plate of mochi closer to his mother.
"Please try one," he said. "This row of tea shops is famous for their sweets."
- o -
After a few minutes, a tall well built man entered the tea shop and looked around as if expecting to meet someone.
"That's General Han Joo-Doh," Tae-Jun said in surprise.
Joo-Doh saw him and came over.
"Lord Kan Tae-Jun, isn't it?"
They bowed to each other and Joo-Doh bowed again when Tae-Jun introduced his mother.
"You must be here for tomorrow's wedding," Joo-Doh commented.
"Yes, we are."
"Joo-Doh, so sorry we're late! We had to fight our way through the crowds!"
Everyone turned to see three pretty ladies hurrying inside the tea shop. The one who spoke was a beautiful girl with long black hair and large eyes.
"Ah. Excuse me, Lady Iguni, Lord Tae-Jun. Enjoy your tea." Joo-Doh gave a quick bow before going to the newcomers, his face lighting up with a broad smile.
- o -
Hidden behind her fan, Iguni's lips turned down as General Joo-Doh clasped the pretty girl's hands and kissed her cheek before sitting down at another table. She would have thought the other two girls were maids, but the swords strapped to their sides proclaimed them as bodyguards.
Which meant the first girl was a nobleman's daughter.
And a dour looking man with a scar on his cheek had managed to win her heart, judging from her happy smiles and how close they were sitting, while her own two good looking sons were still single!
"Milady, you have been staring at that table for five minutes now," one of her maids chided her.
"Glaring, more like," said the other maid with a fond smile.
Iguni blinked and quickly looked away.
"Do you know them, Tae-Jun?" She asked.
"Not very well. General Joo-Doh commands the Sky Tribe army," Tae-Jun replied, glancing at them. "I believe that is Lady An Lili, daughter of the Water Tribe General An Joon-Gi, and her bodyguards."
"I see. Are they married?"
Tae-Jun shook his head.
"Not yet. Princess Yona told me they were engaged just last week."
As always, his voice softened when he mentioned her name and Iguni sighed to herself. Taking another sip of tea, she glanced at the other table again. Those two bodyguards were quite pretty, one with straight black hair and a serious face, and the other with wavy light brown hair and a ready smile. They couldn't possibly be noble born, but...
"Are they all staying at Hiryuu Castle for the wedding?" She asked in a casual tone.
Tae-Jun nodded, munching on a dango.
"Yes, of course. General Joo-Doh already lives there and Lady Lili is a good friend of King Soo-Won and Princess Yona."
Iguni nibbled at a mochi and wondered if she could get Tae-Jun to introduce her to Lady Lili. Unfortunately, the lady in question stood up abruptly and the whole group exited the tea shop as soon as their bill had been paid.
Iguni caught the words 'crowd' and 'headache' as they left. With another sigh, she left the rest of her mochi uneaten. An Lili wasn't the only one feeling unwell.
- o -
When they returned to Hiryuu Castle, Iguni didn't see Lili or her bodyguards among the guests and concluded they had gone back to their rooms to rest before dinner. She decided to do the same with her maids as none of them were used to traveling so far. Tae-Jun had excused himself to go back to the city on an errand while Kyo-Ga hadn't returned from the library.
Lili had indeed gone back to her room to sleep off the headache she had gotten courtesy of the crowds thronging Kuuto City. As a result, Ayura and Tetora found themselves with a few hours to spare until dinner time.
Having had enough of crowded places and wedding chatter, Ayura decided to visit Hiryuu Castle's famous library. Tetora was about to join her when she realised she had forgotten to pack her cosmetics and decided to brave the crowds yet again to get new ones.
- Chapter End -
A/N: Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed it and please leave a review before you go :)