Blake watched Yang leave and she sighed. That had been so incredibly nerve wracking. SHe wasn't usually one to speak to others right away. She tended to observe people for a little while before approaching them. But she really didn't have the luxury of time here. They were set to be wed in six months, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. She had little choice but to step outside of her comfort zone and be direct with Yang. She had been the one to stay they needed to make this work. It would reflect on her particularly poorly if she did or said something that contradicted that.

She looked up when she felt her mother's gaze on her. She spoke in Chilese rather than Valian. "See, Blake? She isn't so bad. Perhaps a bit awkward and such, but I think things will turn out fine." Kali smiled at her and her ears twitched slightly. Blake hadn't sensed anything terrible on Yang's soul when she'd been talking to them. She had refused to adapt to Chilese ways of life, but she had only arrived yesterday. Blake couldn't entirely hold that against her.

"She was patient with Gabriel and Kota." That was a surprise. There was a reason the family held their kids back from interacting with foreign dignitaries. Well, multiple reasons, but energy was one of them. Zuri and Kota didn't have the same sense of personal space that Blake, Lilou, and Gabriel did. The younger kids simply didn't understand most cultures had wider gaps of personal space than Chiole did. They were only about a foot and a half while Vale was like six feet… Zuri and Kota would crawl all over somebody if given the chance.

"She feels out of place, but can you really blame her?" Kali asked. Blake shook her head. How must it feel to be among almost entirely Faunus? There were maybe a few hundred humans living Kuo Kuana compared to the fifteen thousand or so Faunus. Blake had yet to leave Chiole so she couldn't really understand Yang's perspective. Her first time leaving the kingdom would come sometime next year… And Yang would have come with her.

"I would too. I'm just glad she didn't get mad at Kota." She and all of her siblings were fairly sensitive. Being raised in the ways of advanced aura tended to do that. Plus, it would've been her youngest siblings' first exposure to racism had Yang said anything terrible. Blake had experienced racism through foreign dignitaries… It wasn't fun.

"I think she'll be a fine partner for you, Blake. She's from Mistral originally, but she seems to have picked Vale's morals over what she originally grew up with. Of course, the choice will still be yours if you grow close to her, but I think she'll be loyal, true, and as understanding as possible." Kali smiled again. Blake sighed internally. Kali's assessments of people were rarely wrong. Blake knew her mother had screwed up a few times, but it was very rare. She ought to trust her mother's words, but it was hard to shake the feeling something was very off and wrong…

"I'll give her a fair chance." That was all she could promise. She would try to remain open minded, but her past experiences with humans left her very cautious. Even all of the dignitaries from Vale tended to look down on them. The king especially held disdain for Chiole. The way he treated the Belladonna family, while subtle, spoke volumes about his thoughts on Faunus. Plus, he'd thrown some random girl at her that really held no importance for Vale…

If they couldn't even trust the king to treat them well, how could she trust him to pick her life partner?

It was all so terrible. Humans were awful. It felt like they couldn't be trusted no matter what. She would do her best to give Yang a shot, but she really had a feeling it would end up going down in flames.

"Anyway, I should get to my lessons." With that, Blake excused herself. She headed to the library and met up with Elana. The lessons would be a great remedy to her racing mind and help distract her from the impending disaster that would be afternoon tea.

%

Unfortunately, Blake's lesson's came to an end all too soon. She looked at the clock and saw it was about quarter to one. She bid farewell to her teacher and headed back to her room. Nadiya stood on her perch, tearing at some branches the servants had brought in for her. "Oh, hey, Blake." The cockatoo looked up from her destruction. "You don't seem like you're in a good mood. I thought you loved afternoon tea…"

"I'm sharing it with Yang." She sighed and settled at the small table reserved for the daily ritual. Nadiya fluttered over and landed on Blake's shoulder. This was such a nightmare. She had to be alone in a room with a human. Her parents had never let her be alone with a human before, let alone a male. Mistrali and Mantaline nobles were never to be alone with Blake or Lilou. Too many things could possibly go wrong. It felt like she was betraying all of the ground rules her parents had set in regards to how she was supposed to act with humans.

A knock came on the door and she recognised Rosy's aura spark. "Miss Belladonna—"

"Please, come in." Blake's ears twitched and she looked at the woman. She seemed unnerved. "Is something wrong?" She didn't normally get too involved with the servants, but anxiety rolled off Rosy in waves. Her emotions were too crazy for Blake to be able to pinpoint anything.

"Your mother assigned my sister to be that human's attendant." The woman frowned, her ears flattening. Oh, right. Rosy was from Vale and had come with her sister, Petunia. They had long learned Chilese but had never left the Belladonna residence. They were good, reliable attendants. Blake hadn't thought her mother would assign Petunia to Yang. "I know I ought to trust your mother's judgments but…"

"You came here to escape humans, not be a servant to one." Vale was one of the best kingdoms for Faunus that wasn't Chiole, but that didn't mean there there wasn't prejudice. People still could and did tend to look down on Faunus there. How awful must it have been for Petunia to be under a human after living for Chiole for ten years now?

Rosy nodded. She sat the tray down on the table then excuse herself. It was only a few minutes later that another knock came. This time, the words were in Valian. "Hey, uh, it's me. Can I come in?" It was Yang's voice. Blake took in a deep breath and let it out before standing.

She went over and answered the door. "Come in." She couldn't say 'please' come in. She didn't want Yang in her room by any means. This was her sanctuary and the one place she could escape the world. To have a human in here… It felt wrong. But if things did go well, they would probably be sharing a room. There was nothing that said a married couple had to share a room, but the gossipy hens might talk if they didn't move in together. High Mother, this was all so frustrating… There were so many expectation of royalty.

Blake led Yang over to her tea table and they settled down on opposite sides. "Do you like tea?" It was an awkward start, but at least it was an attempt to start something. She was making a legitimate attempt to talk with Yang.

"I honestly haven't had too much of it. Vale is bigger on coffee than tea. I mean I guess I had a fair bit in my younger years in Mistral, but it's kinda faint since it was so long ago." Awkwardness and anxiety. Those were the main things rolling off Yang right now. A lot of uncertainty too. She really was as bad as Blake herself was right now, maybe even worse. Neither of them wanted this in the slightest. She could feel Yang honestly didn't even want to be there. Not that Blake was any better on that front… If she could tell Yang to go back to Vale, she really would. It was so hard when neither of them wanted this…

"We grow a lot of different types of tea here, so most people take afternoon tea around one or two. Most business will be closed for about thirty to forty-five minutes so the staff can take tea." Blake really enjoyed the fact that their culture knew how to take time to relax. She'd learned some places in souther Mistral did similar. She would really like to visit those places someday.

Blake poured them each a cup and Yang looked at her. "What type is this?"

"It's not actual tea because it doesn't have leaves from the tea plant. We have words for it in Chilese, but there are no delineations like that in Valian. It's a tea made from died rosebuds, a species specific to Chiole. There are some light spice,s but it's mostly the rosebud." Blake lifted the cup to her nose and took a sniff. It was light and gentle, the fragrance of a rose. The only way to describe the flavor was exactly how it smelled. It was a lovely, light, refreshing flavor that wasn't overbearing.

"Gotcha." Yang took a simp and Blake smiled. The anxiety present on Yang's aura settled a bit. "Though it isn't a little weird to drink hot tea when this is a tropical nation? Er." She looked down at her cup, her anxiety spiking again. "Sorry if that was offensive."

Blake shrugged. A lot of dignitaries didn't understand, so it wasn't like she hadn't heard it before. "It's not like Mantle where we can rely on ice to keep things chilled. We drink things hot and there's all there is to it. If you don't like it, you don't have to drink it." It seemed like Yang had been relaxing into drinking a bit. It wasn't as hot as outside. It stayed a bout 75 in the castle compared to the eighty or ninety it could get outside.

"I mean, it's nice. The flavor is light and floral with out being overbearing or tasing like soap." A light dusting of pink came to Yang's cheeks. Embarrassment danced in her aura. Well, at least she liked it… She was going to have to get used to drinking tea. Almost everyone in Chiole did. Same with watered-down wine… They were pretty standard beverages.

Blake's ears twitched a little as she thought about something. "Maybe sometime soon we could do a tea tasting buffet for you… It'd let you see what types of teas you like." That might not be a bad idea. Yang said she didn't remember much about drinking tea in Mistral. It would let her expand her horizons and get a taste of the world too.

"Huh… Might not be a terrible idea." Yang took another sip from her cup. "How long would that take?"

Blake shrugged. "A couple of hours. Tea isn't just about tasting or drinking; it's an experience. You have an unrefined pallet so you wouldn't be able to pick up as much as I can. But it can still show you where your tastes lie. If you're going to live here in Chole, you'll need to know at least your basic likes." Not everyone was an experienced taster, but most people knew the basics of what they liked. Yang at least liked the rose tea, so that was a start. But there were so many different types… The royal family employed a tea scholar to help with events like tasting buffets.

"Are there really that many types of tea?" Yang looked out of her depth. "I…had no idea."

"Well, how many different types of coffee are there?" She simply asked the question and it seemed to click in Yang's head. Blake didn't know much about coffee but she knew a lot about tea. If Yang was similar with coffee, hopefully it would make sense.

"Good point. You could do a coffee buffet similarly. I'm not the most educated about it, but I can at least pick out different tasting notes. Do you guys import a lot of it? If so, I could return the favor." Yang offered a strained smile. She was trying and so was Blake. This was mostly small talk, but at least it was a conversation. Nothing had gone horribly wrong (yet) so that was a good sign…

"Not really… The demand for coffee in Chiole isn't high enough to import at the rate Vale does. Why bother when we have so many domestic blends of tea?" The leaves from the tea plant offered the same sort of energy high coffee did. Maybe not as high, but it was there. Blake had had coffee once and it didn't appeal to her. It was so bitter and acrid that she never wanted it again.

"Oh. That sucks." Yang's shoulders dropped a little. "I tend to have a cup or two every morning."

"Sorry… You'll have to figure out some tea alternative. Though we also do have chocolate drinks as well. You have options." Blake couldn't imagine what it would be like to not have tea options. If Yang was so used to coffee, that would be hard… "What tasting notes do you look for?"

"Well, my favorite blend comes from Vacuo in the northern region. It's sweet, fruity, and has some notes of orange in it. It's mild, has a soft mouth feel, and isn't overly acidic."

"We have plenty of fruit-based teas with oranges in them. Maybe we can start there for our tasting buffet," Blake offered. She was trying. Of course, there would be no replacing what Yang had lost… "Although, if you know the specific roaster and blend, we might be able to get some imported." They would have to send Bedona, but it'd be the quickest way to handle it. They didn't usually send the woman on little more than fetch errands. In this case, though, it'd be quicker and easier than sending ships out.

Yang perked up a bit. "You could really do that? I haven't had any months. I would appreciate it." She smiled, genuine gratitude rolling off her. She told Blake the blend and roaster. Maybe she'd have to try it once Bedona got back with some. Her only experience with it had been terrible, but tea could be terrible when prepared incorrectly. Maybe that was what had happened with the one time Blake had had it. Or maybe it'd been low quality… There could be any number of reasons a hot beverage could taste bad.

"We'll send our family matriarch. She's a pseudo-immortal. With her abilities, it'll be quicker and easier than sending a ship." They usually reserved Bedona for important delegation duties rather than stuff like this. But they weren't monsters that would deprive somebody of something they loved when it was harmless. Yang wouldn't get Valian foods, but they could at least give her that coffee she so enjoyed…

Yang's expression did darken a little at that. Blake had apparently struck something. Queen, queen… Oh, right. The queen of Vale was from the core Rose family. Had she done something to hurt Yang personally? There was no telling and Blake did not have Yang's trust to ask. "I could get the tea tasting set up for a couple days from now." She would pretend the never said anything like that.

Yang nodded, though her shoulders remained tense. "All right. That sounds fine." She poured herself another cup. "So who's your friend?" She pointed at Nadiya, making Blake blink. She hadn't expected Yang to change the topic, but it was fine.

"This is Nadiya. She's a galah cockatoo and my personal friend. She was wild, but since I befriended her, she chose to stay with me. She's been with me about ten years now." Nadiya's crest went up a bit as she heard her name, but she clearly didn't understand what was being said. She only knew Chilese and not Valian. It wasn't hard to understand her name, though.

"Are birds a common staple of life here or something? You have Nadiya then Emmalyn is my guide through the manor. Honestly never would've thought to use birds like this before." Yang took a sip from her cup and looked at Emmalyn on Nadiya's perch. "What kind of bird is she, anyway?"

"Yes, birds are a staple of life here, at least parrot wise. We don't really do falconry here like other kingdoms do. Parrots are our messenger birds and our guides through manors and castles. We use budgies as guides because they're small and maneuverable. Their speech ability isn't the greatest, but they're passable." Blake petted Nadiya's head as she finished her second cup. She poured a third one and held it up for Nadiya to drink from. It was simply easier and more cost effective to train birds to be guides. All they needed to do was keep the birds fed and watered and they were happy. No need to deal with people.

"Interesting. I unfortunately wasn't able to do any reading on Chiole before I left. I got the letter about the marriage being finalised, then had to leave a couple days later. I'm really sorry if I do something offensive. I'm trying my best." Yang looked down and Blake really felt the anxiety and some level of defeat roll off her. There was nothing but genuineness in her. Blake was really being too hard on her internally. She really didn't seem to have Faunus and was trying her best to do what she could. She didn't seem to be playing any of the games most nobles did.

"Well, that's why we're here. We'll help you." Blake's tone was genuine. She couldn't expect somebody to understand an entire culture after only arriving. Yang did seem to be legitimately trying. How could she hold that against her? Since Yang was trying her best, she ought to do the same. She might be human, but not every human was awful. It seemed like she might have lucked out with Yang.

Yang looked up, eyebrows arched and lips pursed. "You'll help me?"

Blake's ears flicked but she gave a hesitant nod. "It isn't your fault you were sent here. It isn't fair to treat you poorly." She was still a little wary, but was it really fair to treat Yang poorly? She really needed to try to get over her own misgivings. Not all humans from Vale were like the king was. So many of the dignitaries also weren't great to Faunus. She'd met some nice ones but there could still be back-handed insults from the best of the people… At least they weren't like Mantaline and Mistrali dignitaries.

Yang smiled a bit, her expression soft. "Thanks, Blake. I appreciate it. I know I'm going to screw up but I really am trying my best."

Blake nodded and tucked some hair behind her human ear. "It really is the best we can ask. We'll all help you as much as we can. Elana will be the one to help you the most, though." Blake had lessons for most of the day, so it wasn't like she would be able to be by Yang's side all the time. And Yang would be entering her own lessons once she learned Chilese. There would be a lot of things to learn before Yang could help her take over the country.

"I really do appreciate it." Yang hesitated before speaking again. "Will I really be expected to take over the country in only a few years…?" She fidgeted with the hem of her blouse.

Blake nodded slowly. "Yes. Once you become my wife, you'll become princess-consort. Once I ascend the throne, you will become queen-consort. It's typical for both monarchs to have some sort of involvement with the throne. However, what form that takes will be up to you really. You can deal with the people, go on delegations, or something else. I'll mostly be the one dealing with politics. You don't have to do that if you don't want to." Only the monarch born into Belladonna line would be expected to inhabit all aspects of the throne. Yang's duties could keep her entirely away from the nation if she wanted to. They would never have to see each other again after Blake ascended the throne. She really wasn't sure what Ynag would want to do…

Yang was quiet for a little while before nodding. "I'll do my best to support you. I'm not sure what form that'll take, but hopefully we'll make a good team." She smiled brightly, making Blake blink. Yang really was going to try her best. There was nothing but genuine warmth and kindness in her aura. She was no feeling really bad about treating her so poorly even if it was only internally. It was just so hard when most of her interactions with humans had been so poor. Honestly, she'd had the best interactions with Vacuans, not Valians.

"You'll still have a few years to learn before we ascend." Blake had been trained for this from her youngest years. She had a pretty good grasp on what leading and being on the throne would entail. Yang really had no idea what she was getting into. Being in the ruling seat of power required so much. Yang had only experienced a small amount of stuff in her life… Blake's parents had let her go out into the city and meet people to learn what they needed… Chiole was relatively safe for the royal family, so it wasn't a big deal for her to do like what she had the previous night.

"Hopefully Id on't make a complete jackass of myself when we do…" Yang sighed and scratched the back of her neck. "Anyway, do you know when the tour is?"

"About two thirty. So about forty-five minutes…" They had finished the teapot so there wasn't much left to do. Blake didn't necessarily want to kick Yang out, but she wouldn't have minded some time alone before they headed out. She wasn't exactly sure how to bring up without being rude though…

Yang shifted a bit before looking over at Emmalyn. The little budgie fluttered over to her shoulder. "Anyway, I can leave you alone until then. This wasn't half bad. Want to do this again tomorrow?" She felt Yang's anxiety spike again. It was a bit hopeful but still a bit wary. Neither of them wanted this, but it at least seemed like they were learning the other wasn't so bad. For a first interaction, nothing had gone up in flames.

"Sure" A knock came on Blake's door and Rosy came in. She retrieved the tray then skittered out of the room. Yang left behind her, leaving Blake alone.

She let out a breath she hadn't realised shed' been holding. That had been so incredibly nerve wracking. She had gambled big time by offering to be alone with Yang and it seemed like it had paid off. There had been no sign of lying or deception. She really did seem legitimately like she wanted to do her best here… And they were about to spend a lot more time together shortly…

#

Yang got back to her room and flopped down on the futon. That had been one of the most anxiety-provoking meetings in her life. She hadn't gotten much of a feel for Blake at breakfast since she'd been passed out. Now that she'd gotten some one-on-one time with her. She did seem fairly genuine. She could sense wariness there, though. Not that she blamed her. Humans could be terrible especially to Faunus. But she truly harbored no ill will toward them.

She laid down for a few minutes until she got up and found some paper with a fountain pen and ink. It didn't take her long to start drafting a letter to Summer and Taiyang. She'd contact Raven after the little tour… She hadn't contacted them in three months, so she hoped Raven would understand…