7

Midnight

The next few days passed by in a flurry, with the Kou princes' visit swiftly drawing to a close. Sayu saw less and less of the two Ren, though she reflected that even with the loss of Koumei's company she had at least gained Kuja's.

A suitable trade, in any case.

Currently the official announcement of the betrothal would be on the next day: as Jishouan custom dictated, a go-between regarded well by both parties would relay the groom-to-be's honorable offer. Ren Kouen would formally ask for Mameha's hand in marriage, on behalf of his brother Ren Koumei.

Sayu had never really thought of Kouen as a go-between—a matchmaker, as the courtiers liked to say—yet in hindsight he made the perfect negotiator for the marriage contract. The marriage would cement the alliance of Kou and Jishou, and being the Crown Prince, he understood the interests of the Empire the best.

All this silently flit through her mind. She lifted her cup to take another sip of her tea—the honey in it tasted particularly sweet today. Perhaps because her stay in Tohouku would be ending as well, and she would be free to actively resume her duties to the Triangle.

Presently she sat with Shiro, gossiping over the state of affairs the Kou-Jishou alliance was leaving the Triangle in. They ate a bit as Yuki and Kuja continued their practice match in the training field before them.

"Shiro, has Korechika been spotted in Tohouku yet?"

She was referring to Jishou's ambassador to Kou—he'd been conspicuously absent from the negotiations occurring at the summer palace, called away to the capital on clan business. Thankfully his ambassadorial staff came prepared anyway, and the negotiations went unhindered.

"That's Kyouya to you, Sayuri," Nobushiro chided, half-riveted by the magical duel going on. He glanced at her briefly, smirking: "the least you can do for our good friend is call him by his first name. And as far as I know, his clan is still preoccupied with him. Clan business is complex as always."

Their shop talk continued for a little while longer, as they watched the duel unfold before them.

"Come now, Yuki!" Sayu watched as Kuja brought out his scepter in front of him, summoning a sharp gust of wind to part the furious torrent of water Yuki had cast in his direction. As soon as the magister skillfully dissipated the wave, the ground beneath his feet shook: Kuja sprang into the air with a jump boosted by magic, as several earthen pillars then shot up where he'd been standing only seconds ago—sharp pillars that had no doubt been intended to trap him there, and end the duel.

But Yuki met Kuja in the air with his sword drawn, and the Ariavatan prince grinned as he easily brought up his scepter to block the steel trying to make its way to his throat. That was the fascinating thing about magical duels, Sayu was reminded, because magicians held their magoi at their beckoning, and they were capable of doing things non-magicians could only dream of doing. She looked on as Kuja adjusted his grip, and used his two hands to shove Yuki away from him with another gust of wind.

The end was result was two magicians, standing some ways from another in mid-air, and staring each other down. Yuki looked frustrated, but Kuja chuckled good-naturedly at this as he expertly twirled his scepter.

The dark-haired prince repeated with a smile: "Come now, Yuki. Show me what the Magisterium has taught you so far."

"Taunting is unbecoming for a magister, Kuja!" Yuki curtly replied.

Beside her, Shiro rolled his eyes at this exchange. "He ought to stop being so hard on himself."

"Asking our brother for that is like asking for the sun to stop shining," She commented. It was true; such were the effects of her second oldest brother starting his magical studies at around the same time Kuja did. Kuja, of course, had started a year earlier than Yuki—but that was understandable, considering a magician of Kuja's caliber only arrived once every couple hundred years or so. Even by the Magisterium's standards, her best friend was a genius: being in close proximity to such immense talent tended to bring out Yuki's sometimes obsessive drive to win.

Kuja barked another laugh at Yuki's retort, but shrugged. He twirled his scepter one last time, before calling out: "My turn!"

What happened next was perfectly choreographed chaos—Kuja lifted his scepter in the air and with a deadly crackle brought forth a blue bolt of lightning from the sky; when Yuki dodged the first bolt easily, he summoned another and another until Yuki was barely evading the attacks with a magically augmented twirl in the air.

As Yuki sprung away to dodge another bolt, Kuja drew close to him within a second and made a wave of his scepter whose path trailed a wide swath of red-hot flames. Yuki narrowly avoided the blast wave by swinging his sword, summoning a thick rope of water to counter the fire.

Her older brother tried distancing himself from the magister by springing away again, but in a moment Kuja drew his arm back and swiped the air, creating a sharp-edged gale that caught and descended on Yuki with the cutting strength of compressed air.

Sayu drew a breath as the wind magic slammed Yuki back to the earth and stirred a great deal of dust. Something metal clattered noisily.

The dust cleared: she could see Nobuyuki's sword several feet away from where he'd actually landed, and her brother was panting with his hands on his knees. But he soon straightened, resolutely staring up at his adversary.

Evidently the attacks had done nothing to penetrate Yuki's borg at the very least, which now shone visibly around him like a dome of dim gold.

Shiro shook his head with a smile. "Stubborn as always, Yuki."

Kuja looked down at Yuki with a nod of approval. With one hand, he gestured at his scepter. "Let's test the strength of your borg now, shall we?"

Then, as if he'd never broken his concentration, Kuja relentlessly cast his spells again—he drew a circle in the air, and first conjured several large bullets of air. The magister sent them after Yuki one by one, and tired as he was from dodging this way and that, he had no time to make a run for and pick up his sword.

But the bullets glanced off, or otherwise fell apart in a harmless puff of air when they met Yuki's borg. Seamlessly, Kuja switched tactics; he summoned molten hot balls of fire, which zeroed in on Yuki—he followed this by hewing large crystal-clear shards of ice, which he drew around him fast in a circle. The magister gracefully lowered himself onto the ground, eyes following his dueling partner's movements.

Yuki was still evading the fireballs chasing him, however; his borg absorbed the flames that he couldn't avoid, but even Sayu could tell it was slowly being worn away. He ran towards his sword and picked it up, just in time to parry a shard of ice Kuja had launched at him. With some magic, Yuki shattered the icicle into pieces, yet he could not dodge or shatter all the other icicles that the Ariavatan prince barraged him with.

The match was decided not a few moments later when Kuja managed to disarm a magoi-depleted Yuki using his scepter.

"Bravo," Shiro said, clapping.

Sayu clapped as well. She'd forgotten how entertaining it was to watch a mages' match—let alone a match with two skilled magicians in it, one of them being Kuja. He wasn't the youngest magister in the history of the Triangle for nothing.

The magister lowered his scepter and reached out to grasp Yuki's arm with a grin. Yuki glowered, but otherwise accepted his defeat. The two returned to the pavilion with deep breaths.

Kuja was eagerly shedding one of his sleeves, rotating his naked arm as if he'd strained a muscle. Sayu raised an amused brow at him. "You look like you haven't had such a duel in a while."

His brow twitched at her remark, but Kuja said nothing, reaching for the bucket with water instead and ladling himself some of the cool drink. When he was finished gulping it down, he grinned wryly. "Oh, you don't even know how right you are. I've been stuck with teaching the younger trainees in the Magisterium for quite the while now."

"That's such a humble brag, Kuja, pipe it down," Shiro stage mocked.

Yuki snickered into his cup. Sayuri had to bite her lip from laughing. Kuja shot a pointed look at her eldest brother, then ladled himself another drink from the bucket.

The two magicians soon settled down from their workout and they gathered in a loose circle—attendants brought them their lunches, and they ate and talked as if they were all children again, spending their summer together in Tohouku.

Kuja sat beside her, and his scepter lay on the rug beside him; it was a beautiful thing, made in the Ariavatan style with dark wood and tipped with a sizeable but thin metal masterwork wrought in circles and vines twisting around each other. What had always caught her eye each time she saw it was how well-cared for it was; that, and the metal charm Kuja had attached to the other end of the scepter.

It was a pale pink cherry blossom, also wrought in metal. It hung onto the scepter by a thin red rope, which was then looped through a ring at the end of the scepter. The cherry blossom meant a lot—particularly to Jishouan culture, though she knew cherry blossoms also symbolically meant something to the Magisterium.

Kuja noticed her examination of the staff with a grin. He looked at Yuki, "You have to get rid of your wand, Yuki, it doesn't serve you very well. It only undermines your balance. Besides: you fight better with a sword."

He was referring to their first practice match, earlier in the morning—Yuki had lost that match even worse than the one she'd just witnessed. It was true: as far as Sayu knew anyway, all spellblades like Yuki and Kuja carried two vessels to channel their magoi with them, a normal vessel (like a wand, or a scepter) and a bladed vessel (like a sword—hence Yuki's title as spellsword.) The wand was a universally used vessel, though she privately thought a staff-like vessel like Kuja's was more suitable, especially since he just demonstrated it could also be properly used in hand-to-hand combat.

Shiro nodded at this. "True. Get yourself a scepter!" He winked at Sayuri—"That way you'll be able to do all the twirling that Kuja does and Sayu likes."

Yuki's comeback was: "What, and look like some old geezer hobbling on a cane? I'll think about my options, thank you."

"But you're already halfway there, brother," Sayuri added. "Silver hair and a cane would only complete the impression. I sincerely think you should do it."

They all chuckled over the sound of Nobuyuki's grumble.

Her afternoon later was interrupted by one most curious request—Fuu whispered that she'd spotted a Kou attendant she recognized as part of Kouen's retinue making their way to Sayu's rooms, and she was so surprised she instantly put down the book she'd been reading and waited patiently to admit the attendant into her study.

The man got down on his knees, then bowed low and respectful with his hands held in front of him, in the deeply courteous way of Kou.

"Your Highness, Prince Kouen graciously requests your presence in the west gardens a half hour from now to join him for tea."

That was an even bigger surprise, so much so that she and Fuu exchanged looks of silent astonishment.

"Tell him I'll be more than happy to go," Sayuri instantly replied, feeling cautious. She arranged her things before standing from her low table, mind pondering why the Crown Prince of Kou decided to call on her. And at such an hour and manner, as well—there should be nothing for them to talk about, not when the negotiations were virtually finished, and Kou had already joined the Magisterium's fold. She usually only saw Kouen by virtue of him sometimes keeping Koumei's company; to have him invite her with his own attendant suggested that he wanted to speak to her privately.

"Would you like some tea before you make your way back?" She asked the attendant after he finished his piece. "A small treat? Fuu, please give this man whatever he may need from us."

"Yes, Princess."

"Thank you, Fuu."

Sayu disappeared into her suite, intent on preparing for the meeting.

She had heard stories about how outdoor meetings were prepared in Kou, but these stories were mostly from Koumei, and he often included how he never forgot to bring rice crackers for the pigeons in Rakushou.

She was still mostly surprised by the invitation extended to her by Kouen—and faintly amused, because he'd set the meeting at the west gardens, her favored gardens in the summer palace. If it was a way for him to influence her decision to meet with him, she didn't know; not that she needed the persuasion, when she was already so curious.

He was on the wooden bridge over the pond, gazing down into the water with an unreadable expression. Sayuri bid her two guards to take their posts, and Fuu automatically distanced herself with a nervous smile.

She approached Kouen with a light step. "Prince Kouen, good afternoon."

As if on cue, a slight breeze passed through the picturesque garden, and the long branches of the willow trees lost a few of their leaves to the wind.

The Kou Prince looked up, meeting her gaze head-on. It had been disorienting at first, since most of the courtiers she knew preferred to sidle their way into meeting her eyes. Even then, they could not keep their eyes on hers for long, but Kouen was unwavering on this front.

It made her feel more self conscious around him. Being around Ren Kouen always set her on her toes, because he spoke so deliberately, and reacted so little; she never really knew if her conversations with him felt pleasant on his part. So she emulated him in trying to be more deliberate with her words than usual.

"Princess Sayuri," He greeted. He gestured for her to follow him to the pavilion on the other side. She walked beside him, silently wondering where this meeting would take them.

"It is unfortunate," Sayu started, gazing at all the trees in and surrounding the garden. "that your stay in Jishou will be ending soon. Besides spring, autumn is the most beautiful season to be here, and we annually attract a great amount of visitors in the capital when all the leaves turn red."

She was again briefly reminded of her childhood—the parties her father would throw at the start of spring and autumn, and how Kuja and his sister never failed to come.

"Perhaps if time is kind, you could return to Jishou in autumn, this year or next."

The invitation was sincere: though she could not make it to autumn that year, with all the work that had piled up over the summer, she would try her best to make it the next year. And although she was not thinking of Kouen specifically, she did value Koumei's company and fostering the new friendship between their countries.

"A coincidence that you should mention plans for autumn." Kouen looked at her with his piercing crimson eyes. They were narrow eyes, shrewd beyond his years. A rug and tea setting was laid out at the pavilion, and he let her sit first before sitting himself.

The rug was woven differently—and it bore the motifs of Kou. Magnificent maroon dragons crawled and guarded the corners of the rug, and in the center sat a great green cloud made in such exquisite detail she wanted to run her hands over the carpet.

The tea set was just as impressive, though Sayu was sure she preferred her own personal set. Kouen poured a cup for her, which made a corner of her mouth twitch upwards, but she hid it by taking a sip of the tea.

"Please answer my question, Princess," He continued, not bothering to pour himself a cup and setting the teapot down.

She stared at him seriously. "…As you wish."

"What do you plan to do after the negotiations here are finished?"

He said it with such a straight face Sayu thought she'd misheard the question—Ren Kouen and his strange questions, she thought.

But she was resolved to help Kou, if only for the sake of Jishou's alliance. And Kouen might as well have been synonymous with the Kou Empire, for all she knew him. "Kuja and I will be making the trip to Ariavat—to formally deliver the message regarding the Magisterium and the Empire's agreement."

"Afterward?"

"On to Caera, to do much the same," as well as some other diplomatic functions, she silently added. "I expect to take months in time."

He said nothing for a moment, as if he was digesting this information.

Then Kouen began: "We have need of an ambassador in Kou, after we conclude in Tohouku."

She didn't understand where this conversation was going. An ambassador?

"Ambassador Korechika is on the diplomatic commission in Kou."

"King Mameyoshi is of the opinion he won't be able to carry out these added duties. With the alliance finalized tomorrow, there is much more work to be done in an ambassadorial capacity by someone capable."

Funny, she thought sourly, I thought I sensed a compliment there.

"And you're requesting me."

Kouen raised a single brow. A little arrogantly, he questioned, "You doubt your own competence?"

"No," Sayu circled the rim of her steaming cup of tea, trying to surmise exactly why it would be Kouen who was entreating her to be a Jishouan ambassador. It wasn't the height of propriety…to say the least. "It's a peculiar request."

Not to mention, if her father were actively looking for a replacement to Korechika, she would've gotten wind of it.

"It was Koumei who brought up the possibility during this morning's meeting," The prince stated matter-of-factly. "Kou needs advisement on doing trade with Jishou, and Jishou would appreciate the information gathered during this period. We needed someone with trade experience, and someone we were familiar with, at the very best."

She went on to find out that they were not looking for Korechika's replacement—on the contrary, they needed someone with essentially the same skill set to supplement his efforts, and it had been her father who suggested her for position in the first place. Koumei had (apparently) immediately taken up the suggestion to have her as the newly-created post of the Jishouan trade ambassador.

And this would be a strange post, no doubt about it. Kou would pay for all the expenses, and the ambassador would be afforded a place to stay in a smaller wing of the imperial palace at Rakushou, since this was a post specifically created at Kou's request.

Evidently Sayu had been too quiet—Kouen had stopped staring at her and begun to pour himself his own cup of tea, wordlessly awaiting her answer.

Her first instinct had been to utter no, my place is here.

But instead she gracelessly blurted out: "Forgive me, but this is a decision I would need ample time to consider."

She waited for him to excuse her so she could leave, but when he still said nothing, she forced herself to look at him.

Kouen was sipping away at his tea peacefully, his eyes on her the entire time, as if curiously watching to see what she'd do.

She held back the urge to purse her lips in distaste, having been caught in an inexplicably uncomfortable situation. Sayuri bowed her head, saying, "I need some time alone. Excuse me."

Without another word she stood and dusted herself off, mechanically smoothing her robes and clasping her hands in her sleeves, and making the trek up the mountain without looking back.

She summoned her brothers and Kuja.

"This is…unusual." Yuki commented.

They were gathered around her low table, eating some dried dates Kuja had brought with him from Ariavat. Kuja himself was half-busy pulling the pits from the dates and handing her the fruit, even as he listened to her story.

Shiro popped another date in his mouth, chewing with a bewildered expression. When he swallowed, he said, "I had heard that Kou was looking for such a person. I had never really imagined Koumei to approach father about it, however."

Nobushiro's voice dropped an octave, gravely. "I had never imagined father to name you, either."

Her eldest brother looked slightly disturbed by the admission.

All the while Kuja looked at her with a worried frown, tearing the date he'd had into pieces. Sayu put a hand over his, silently telling him to stop mangling the fruit. He looked down at their joined hands with a surprised expression.

"Oh," He said blankly. He sighed and shook his head, putting away the date and wiping his hands on a rag Sayu handed him. "Yet wouldn't you say it's a most logical decision? You've been doing trade work for the last years. You are the First Princess, and good friends with Prince Koumei. Kou would be hard pressed to find someone else in Jishou who would like to see the alliance flourish with trade more than you."

Sayuri cringed. "But…"

The doors to her rooms slid open. Someone announced, "His Majesty the King!"

All four of them stood, and when her father strode into her room with a smile, they bowed.

"At ease, all of you," King Mameyoshi said, genially. He looked at her brothers and Kuja, "now, I hope you wouldn't mind terribly if I borrowed Sayuri here for a minute, would you?"

Shiro shook his head. "No, father. We'll leave, and you can have the room."

"Nonsense, Nobushiro," The King said, and he beckoned her over with a wave of his hand. "We'll use the balcony. It's a fine day today, after all. If you'll excuse us."

The three of them nodded, but they moved her table to the edge of the room, and sent her furtive looks. Shiro raised a brow at her, but turned to the rest of his company with a sigh.

Outside, her father brought her over to the railings. Surprised with a meeting for the second time today, she stayed silent.

She came to realize she felt somewhat betrayed by him—especially when he had named her for Kou's trade ambassador. Betrayed and shocked, but for reasons she had yet to understand.

Though she knew her silence was a product of not really knowing what to say to him, when she had so much to think about. For the first time in quite a while, she was literally speechless.

"News travels fast," The King began without preamble. He seemed to survey the skyline hedged with trees and the sea, a thoughtful expression on his face. "And I expect Ren Kouen to have already informed you of him and his brother's generous offer."

Her eyebrow twitched at generous.

"And I suspect that the court you gathered with your brothers and Alihaddra was to mull over this offer of theirs. How wise my daughter has become."

He was looking at her with a grin. "Yet she seems unable to speak to me, even with such glowing prospects."

"Father," She choked out, "stop."

The King turned to her. "It would be best if you accept this post, Sayuri. There is none more capable, and none more driven to make this alliance successful than my own children, who will one day manage the affairs of the country in my stead."

"I—" Sayuri clenched her fists, hidden by the sleeves of her robes. "—I have other duties, father. I am expected by the Caeran senate next month!"

King Mameyoshi didn't even blink. "You have served them well enough in this last decade." He looked at her quizzically, "I would have expected you to like the change in scenery. Nobushiro told me of how you wished to leave the Triangle."

"This is not a decision to be made so lightly," She tried, "you're well aware of this, father."

"And what has given you the impression I've not deliberated upon this with my own counsel? Even the ministers agree you are the best candidate for this position."

He sighed.

"Ultimately, this decision is up to you." He cracked a smile at her. "I have learned to let you make your own choices now."

She let out a breath at that, her nerves worn threadbare—she wanted to rattle a laugh at his choice words.

It's not much of a decision you leave me with.

"Try to enjoy the party tonight, daughter," The King patted her shoulder benignly. "There will be some guests you remember fondly, if I recall correctly."

She nodded, feeling numb. "Yes, father."

The Ariavatan embassy held a banquet that night, in celebration of two things: the arrival of their Crown Prince, and the newly formed alliance of Kou and Jishou. The Ariavatan ambassador had rushed over from the capital when news of Kuja's visit reached there—and along with him, he managed to bring none other than the Caeran ambassador and Kyouya Korechika himself.

The people of Jishou knew how to throw a raucous party, but when Ariavat held a banquet with the Jishouan people in attendance…things would truly get uproarious. But it was not as if the royal families of both countries minded; no, not when they condoned the dancing and drinking and spiritedly joined in the festivities themselves.

But Nobushiro had to hold back, since tomorrow would be a momentous occasion. Kou was going to formally ask for Mameha's hand in marriage, and he wanted to be present with a clear head.

Koumei was similarly quiet beside him. Shiro topped his empty cup with some date wine, and held his own cup high.

He silently decided to avoid all talk of his soon-to-be-wed baby sister.

"Cheer up, Koumei."

It'll all be over soon.

Truthfully, he couldn't wait to get back to his real court duties, but he would undoubtedly miss the time he spent in Tohouku with his family.

The two were sitting a bit to the side, away from the main platform where Kuja and Sayu sat with a group of courtiers, both local and foreign, busy conversing amongst themselves. Shiro looked at his friend with a grin. "I suppose you already miss being in Kou."

The Kou prince sighed quietly. "I do, in all honesty."

They clinked their cups, then gulped down the mildly sweet wine.

Koumei brought his fan up, hiding his face. Shiro already knew he would be asking him a question, so he leaned in so his friend could whisper in his ear.

"Who may that be, Nobushiro?"

The Crown Prince of Jishou followed Koumei's line of sight. Naturally, it led to where Sayu was sitting beside Kuja, though there was a striking figure standing next to her.

He had to laugh. He leaned away from Koumei, stifling chuckles. In his normal tone of speaking, he said, "That man," he pointed discreetly at the noble speaking to Sayu, "is Kyouya Korechika. Jishou's ambassador to Kou. He's one of the most powerful noblemen around here, is he unrecognizable to you?"

Of course Kyouya would be taking the effort to speak to Sayu, especially with Kuja right beside her. Shiro licked his lips, determined not to laugh even more.

"I see." Koumei said. "Strangely, I haven't had the honor of meeting him."

Shiro grinned. "Let me indulge you in a fair bit of gossip everyone in court knows."

He pointed at Kyouya, who was now seated at Sayu's left. "Him,"

He pointed at Sayuri. "Her."

He looked at Koumei, wriggling his eyebrow. "Years ago…"

Then he looked at the cup of wine he held, so Koumei would follow his gaze there.

Shiro stuck out his pinky finger.

"Get it?"

The redhead looked baffled. "I'm afraid I don't follow."

"The pinky finger," Shiro put down his cup and raised the finger in question, "it means they're joined romantically. Boyfriend and girlfriend, mistress, love interest, that sort of thing. Though what I tried to tell was she and Kyouya used to…"

Shiro held up a dried date with a laugh. "Date. Understand now?"

Koumei nodded.

"It was rather awkward, really, because we were all kids," Nobushiro reminisced, "and Kuja used to be furious at him as a child. Father rejected the Korechika clan's proposal of Kyouya marrying Sayu. Then when Sayu came back from Caera, she rejected Kyouya's second proposal herself."

As if thinking on his words, the redhead widened his eyes. Shiro chuckled at his reaction—"Surely you don't think just because my sister is without a husband, she must go without prospects. She is a great asset to have on your side, especially with all her connections."

Truthfully, Sayu had accumulated a great deal of marriage proposals over the years after her first marriage; she had instantly turned all of them down without a second thought. Such was the liberty the death of the Crown Prince of Caera afforded her, and she'd told Shiro that she would never relinquish that same freedom.

Not when it came with such a steep price, she'd uttered wryly. He understood; in his opinion, she'd already done her duty to Jishou by marrying that prince, and she was perfectly free to do as she pleased, as long as she kept her country's interests in mind. It had taken some time for the King to understand that, but eventually he relented, and she was allowed to accompany the Minister of Trade on his diplomatic missions.

Shiro looked behind him. "Prince Kouen," he said with a small start.

He privately wondered how much of their conversation he'd overheard. "Have you tried the date wine? It's mulled with spices from Ariavat."

The Kou Prince shook his head, so Shiro poured him a cup, and drew him into a different conversation.

Kuja asked her to dance with him.

What did I expect, she laughed softly, when we're in an Ariavatan party meant to honor him.

She'd been somber all evening, though the appearance of the ambassadors had made her smile. They were her fond friends—as her father had said earlier—and she spent a lot of her time with them, especially when she went overseas. Even Korechika had come all the way from the capital, and was now sitting by her side.

She sighed, and stripped herself of some of her silk robes. She loosened the damask sash tied about her waist. She loosely tied another piece of silk around her hair, securing it in a low ponytail.

"Shall we?" Kuja asked, with a smile. He stood, bowed with his hand extended toward her.

She took his hand, but didn't stand. "Fool," She said. "You're still wearing your rings."

He suddenly gripped her hand tight and pulled her up without a care. "I can dance just as well!"

And they were off.

Ariavatan dances were vigorous and fast paced, following the thunderous beat of their drums and reedy flutes. It involved a lot of twirling, sweeping hand gestures, and cooperation with your partner—though in Kuja's arms she was allowed to be a little more loose with following the dance forms, and he laughed along with her when she made mistakes.

They circled around each other and danced on the balls of their feet; she gradually felt her mood grow lighter and lighter, until she forgot her worries from earlier.

If there was one thing for certain—Jishouan robes were not meant for such rigorous dancing, not when she tripped over her own robe and Kuja barely managed to catch her on time. They landed on the floor and on top of each other, but she crawled off of him with giggles uncontrollably bubbling up her throat and Kuja wriggling beneath her with his chuckles.

She waited for Kuja some ways away from the beachside manse where the party was being held. She'd wandered about the Ariavatan ambassador's private beach for some time, uncaringly letting her splendid midnight blue robes trail on the white sand.

She'd taken off her socks and her shoes sometime earlier, and dug her toes into the loose ground.

Sayuri was also feeling the slightest bit tipsy tonight, but nobody knew that except Kuja. In fact, she held a cup of date wine in her hand, though it was hidden by the sleeve of the outer robe she'd donned before leaving the party.

Tonight the seas were calm, and the moon looked a little bigger than usual. It was a bright full moon that night—and the white moonlight reflected off the waters in such a way that it made them sparkle.

"A good omen," She said aloud to nobody in particular, remembering the bare bones of the astrology she'd once begged her father to have a master teach her as a child, "on a night praised to be auspicious by even the wise magisters in Ariavat. A good day for great changes to occur, and for traveling toward the west."

Strange, that she would read into the situation as fortuitous. It was as if the world were telling her to accept Kouen's offer. She held up her cup of wine, watching it glitter in the night.

The amber liquid in her hands distantly reminded her of Kuja's eyes.

"Princess,"

She looked to the side. "Prince Kouen," She greeted softly.

Another chance encounter with the Crown Prince of Kou.

Think of the devil and he shall appear, but she winced at that. She was being unkind. The night out had done her considerable good, and she decided on trying not to be unpleasant.

"I don't think I've ever apologized for my rude behavior before," Sayu turned to him. She bowed lowly, "Forgive me." When she straightened, she smiled with a tinge of wryness. "I was curt with you, when we first met and had tea. I think I've still been curt today."

"There is no need for your apology." Kouen replied. He was wearing his usual maroon and white robes, the same robes she'd seen him wear that day he stepped off the Kou ship and entered Tohouku.

They suited him very well. They always had, and Prince Kouen was a muscular man with a noble bearing. Once again she was reminded of how attractive everyone seemed to find him.

"What brings you to the beach?" She paused. Then she added absently, "There are many merchants willing to make your acquaintance in the party. It will be beneficial to Kou."

"I wanted to speak to you."

The comment made her grin. She teased, "All alone and on a beautiful moonlit night such as this? How fortunate for me."

Kouen spoke as if he hadn't heard her jesting. He stepped closer to her, "Prince Alihaddra told me you were outside."

She raised a brow at that. Sayu looked at him intently with a smirk, "I was supposed to meet him, not you, sorry."

The Crown Prince of Kou refused to budge. He still made no acknowledgement of her teasing.

"Have you made a decision yet?"

Sayuri wanted to snort into her date wine. "No."

He said nothing for a moment. He turned to look at the waters.

He's broodier than I thought he'd be, she reflected. Perhaps it was to be expected however, him being an imperial prince. And he was an intelligent prince that probably thought constantly of matters of state.

"Does your reluctance have anything to do with working alongside Kyouya Korechika in the diplomatic corps?"

She looked at him confusedly.

Kouen merely stared back at her, a brow raised.

Sayu took a sip of her wine to help her think.

…

She swallowed.

"Oh, you can't possibly be speaking about—"

The thought made her go red.

She pursed her lips, mortified by the burn in her cheeks. She looked away from him. "…Who told you?"

For Ren Kouen to have that tidbit of court gossip—old court gossip, what's more—was ridiculous.

Sayuri sighed. There was only one person with a set of lips that loose, whose sole aim was to embarrass her. "My brother, correct?"

"Correct."

There was that slightest bit of amusement in his tone that made her pause and glower at Kouen. His mouth was set in a smirk, and his red eyes were glimmering with something dangerous. He drawled, in that slow and taunting tone of his, "Well, does it?"

"No."

Heavens no.

She tried explaining the situation as diplomatically as possible. "I have many duties," She began, "that require constant attention in the Triangle, duties I cannot leave to just anyone. I do know of several people more than capable of working as your trade ambassador however, should I ultimately refuse."

It already sounded like a refusal. The princess tried gauging his reaction, but Kouen was stoical as usual. He seemed to accept her answer with a nod.

"Saaaaaayuuuuuuuriiiiii!"

They both looked at the lights of the house on the other end of the beach. Kuja was waving at her on a balcony of the mansion with a crooked grin. "It's getting cold! Come back inside!"

Sayuri looked at Kouen with a shrug.

The prince shook his head.

They both made their way back into the party.

The party went on after midnight, but the Kou delegation, with Prince Nobushiro Jie, retired earlier.

Koumei watched the festivities from afar. High up on his balcony, he could easily tell which mansion the Ariavatan ambassador resided in, since it was by the beach and its lights were still on.

He was already in his sleeping clothes, but he couldn't stop the motion his hand made, fanning himself even when he was beginning to get chills from the cold mountain air.

Kouen stepped out on the balcony, also changed out of his ceremonial robes. He looked relaxed as ever, even with the changes—the changes tomorrow would inevitably bring.

He recounted his night: Nobushiro had talked to him, and Nobuyuki had briefly slurred a conversation with him as well. Alihaddra and Sayuri had monopolized each other's attention all night, though they both bid him a good night's rest when he went to leave for the summer palace.

Mameha had been absent—on orders of her father, of course. Tomorrow would change her life as well, after all.

He swallowed down the overwhelming urge to sigh at the stars.

He'd never felt more awake.

There were two things tomorrow would need to serve: the Empire and the Emperor.

"Koumei," Kouen called.

He started. He blinked at his older brother. "Brother,"

Kouen was looking at him with a strange expression. His brows were slightly furrowed—it looked like he was perplexed by Koumei's behavior.

"Get some rest."

"I'm not sleepy, that's alright. Is there anything else that needs to be done?"

"Koumei," Kouen repeated. "Get some rest. Tomorrow will require our alertness."

He stopped fanning Dantalion, instead choosing to hold it close to his heart. "Both father and the Empire will be…happy, tomorrow, with our efforts."

Koumei excused himself quietly, intending to go into his room and read a scroll Sayu had lent him—but Kouen's chuckle stopped him in his tracks.

When he looked back, a corner of his brother's mouth was lifted upwards. "You forget your happiness too, Mei. Go to sleep."

Sayuri rose well into the mid-morning, with a disastrous hangover. But he was told Kuja visited her in her rooms soon after, alleviating her headache with a special Ariavatan blend of tea.

They were both laughing in bed, nursing their own cups of tea, when Nobushiro strode into her room.

She looked at him with a grin. "Welcome, brother. Kuja and I were just talking about taking a magic carpet to Ariavat tomorrow, after the Kou delegation leaves."

"Cancel the magic carpet ride," He said—later, he would come to congratulate himself with how his voice hadn't broken with the strength of his shock.

"What have you done," Shiro muttered, almost to himself. He sat down by Sayu's side.

"You look distraught," Sayuri uttered slowly, wide-eyed. She put away her teacup. "What happened at this morning's meeting?"

He gingerly reached for Sayu's hand, ignoring the keenly interested look in Kuja's eyes.

"Sister," he whispered, "Ren Kouen has formally asked for your hand in marriage."

Notes:

Oh, but I bet you guys saw that coming. A treat for you kind readers, who had to deal with last chapter.

(1) I play a lot of video games with magicians in them; I hate the way the fight scenes are choreographed in Magi so I'm trying to spice it up. Though writing magical fight scenes is about 1000x harder than writing normal fight scenes. For Kuja's scepter, it's about...baton length? It looks like what a mage's staff would look like, if you play any Final Fantasy.

(2) The King is pesky, but he's just trying to be a good king, and a good dad (sort of.)

(3) Pinkies: it's really a thing. Google it if you want, it's adorable. And Shiro is conflating the gossip, I'd say a more accurate version of Sayu/Kyouya is "they had a crush on each other as kids and hung out together but dad didn't really like the korechika clan so it didn't work out"

(4) I'd love to hear what you guys think of why these events are happening. Like, wth is Kouen thinking? That sorta thing. Also, we're starting the next chapter with Mameha's POV.

Anyway, leave me a review! Tell me if I'm out of my mind or something for letting this happen!