Author's Note: This chapter focuses more on the ceremonial rituals of Kakin Royalty as well as some Nen dynamics in accordance to Hunter X Hunter lore. 3 Also, the Gyeongju Kim Clan (Hangul: 경주김씨 , Hanja: 慶州金氏) is an actual clan descending from Korean nobility.
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Chapter 3: Fire (火)
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Five days later
Armed guards were stationed on every corner of the Royal Palace. Cameras flickered as VIPs flooded into the main hall. Every important personage of the Kakin political elite, some ambassadors from the V6 and many other important figures including some members of the Hunter Association's Zodiacs were present for Tserriednich's engagement ceremony and first official meeting with his future bride.
Mark sipped his tequila, eyes casually watching his prince with a respectful mien. He placed the half-empty goblet on a servant's waiting tray. The embarrassment of that frustrating dream and the rising body count from the "training sessions" needed to be forgotten for a while. Their concentration would be to complete this ceremony without incident.
Looking at Tserriednich in full royal garb under the soft golden lights, the ivory columns and jeweled chandeliers, one could not help but recognize him as part of the hall's majestic ambience. As expected, on his face was his official gentle smile and placid demeanor, the perfect prince loved by both the nobility and the masses.
Current reigning sovereign King Nasubi Hui Guo Rou looked all pleased and impressed. He nodded in approval as Tserriednich shook hands with the Prime Minister. However, Mark noticed that the King's eyes neither looked at the prince nor the Prime Minister but at the space between them. That was weird. Mark chose to ignore it and stood in attention.
The doors opened once more and the new arrivals were announced. "Duke Daeshik, Duchess Inhee and Lady Hana of the Gyeongju Kim Clan!"
The gong sounded. The Royal Engagement Ceremony was about to begin.
All eyes now turned to behold the future crown princess. Tserriednich was right. With her heart-shaped face, large almond-shaped black eyes, soft black hair and petite height that barely reached five feet, Lady Hana was indeed beautiful and very delicate to look upon. Mark marvelled at the smooth whiteness of her neck, already picturing out how easily Tserriednich could break it without a sweat.
The lady was leaning onto one of her maids for support as she descended the staircase, the perfect embodiment of the demure fiancée that she was traditionally expected to be. Upon reaching the foot of the stairs, she bowed respectfully, first to her future father-in-law, then to her future mother-in-law, and finally to her future husband. Following ancient decorum, Tserriednich also bowed to his future in-laws then to the Lady Hana. The pair then moved back to their places beside their parents.
King Nasubi then handed Duke Daeshik a red bagua engraved with the crest of the Hui Guo Rou Clan, an official bestowing of the new status of the Gyeongju Kim Clan as Royal In-Laws. The Duke accepted the bagua with a bow. At that, the bannermen behind the Duchess raised the Clan's banner and placed it beside the Royal banner and the Kakin national flag.
The Royal Orchestra started to play.
That was Mark's cue to lead Lady Hana and her parents to their place at the left side of the presidential table. As Chief Lord of the Bedchamber to the Crown Prince, Mark would not be allowed to directly address the lady. Instead, he requested her Chief Lady-in-Waiting to lead the lady to her seat. Tradition dictated that the Crown Prince and the future Crown Princess will not sit beside each other and avoid any sort of physical contact before the official Bedding Ceremony. Therefore, the lady would be ceremonially seated eight seats away from the prince. This will ensure that the upcoming wedding will be successful and bring prosperity to the nation.
After the lady and her family were seated, Mark went back to his official station to stand behind the Crown Prince's seat and await his commands.
Mark sighed to himself, trying his best to avoid looking at the lady. He did not need any feelings of jealousy and anger towards her. After all, she would be Tserriednich's wife whether he liked it or not. However, whenever he thought of his prince making every effort for this lady without her even knowing, he couldn't help but wish that the prince accidentally strangle her during their upcoming wedding night.
Mark sighed more deeply than the last. He shouldn't be harboring those thoughts.
To distract himself, he opted to observe his surroundings and was quite surprised. Theta, now Captain of the Crown Prince's Royal Guard, looked very tense. All of the prince's bodyguards were now very close to the prince's seat and all looked as tense as Theta was. Under the pretext of serving food, Mark moved closer to the crown prince and tried to monitor the situation. There was nothing abnormal at all.
Then he felt it. Something was directed the prince's way. Mark felt a chill run down his spine. Goosebumps formed on his skin as he felt a hot sensation that pricked his skin like a million needles. What is this?!
He felt like his skin was being scalded by something he couldn't see. Regardless of the pain, however, he still managed to deduce that the thing was coming from the left side. As a servant, it was his duty to shield his prince from whatever this was. He took a deep breath and moved towards the left.
Now the prince was fully shielded by his back. As he turned to Theta to signal her of his situation, the pain on Mark's back was getting worse. But that only strengthened his resolve. I will protect my prince even if it costs me my life!
At that instant, something seemed to burst out of his skin. The pain from whatever that was disappeared, replaced by the feeling of something airy seeping out of his pores. He was startled by a hand tapping his elbow.
"You idiot. Why did you do that?" Tserriednich whispered.
So the prince noticed after all. Thankfully, he didn't look hurt or anything of that sort. "Are you alright, my prince?" he whispered back.
"I'm totally fine. You didn't need to do that. I can protect myself well enough." Tserriednich looked up at him for a while. "Your shouko have all been opened so do exactly as I say."
What does that even mean? "As you command, Your Royal Highness."
Tserriednich daintily took a bite of his fish. "Imagine yourself being coated by water. It's going around your body in a circle."
He tried hard to imagine it but there was no way he could ever concentrate with that unknown thing trying to attack the prince.
"You're too tense. Try to relax a bit," Tserriednich instructed.
"Forgive me, Your Royal Highness, but you're being attacked. Why aren't the bodyguards doing anything?"
"I told you, I'm fine." The prince sighed. "It couldn't be helped. Come closer, pour me some wine."
As confused as he was, he followed the prince's command. At that moment, something warm slowly crept around his body, slipped right through his clothes and into his skin. It started moving from his left hand to his shoulders, to his head then to the right side of his body, then to his feet, then back to the left side of his body. It felt like hot lotion being applied all over him.
"Now try to stand up straight."
Mark obeyed, still slightly disoriented.
"You can feel it, can you?"
Mark nodded.
"Now envision that warm thing submerging you completely like you're inside a circular pool. It flows slowly from the crown of your head then to the left side then to the tips of your toes and to the right side then back to your head. Do you feel better now?"
Mark blinked. "Y-Yes, Your Royal Highness. I do feel better now."
"Great. Do not let go of that image." As Tserriednich took a sip of the wine, an additional layer of the warm feeling seeped into Mark's eyes. "Now look slowly to your left."
Mark obeyed. He was greeted with the sight of the most grotesque creature he had ever seen. It was a horse-like thing with a woman's head. It was floating on mid-air, its huge eyes looking back at him.
"Do you see her?"
Mark gulped. "Yes, sir."
"That is my guardian beast, my protector. She's doing her job excellently so you don't need to shield me at all."
The beast snorted and turned away from Mark to eat the vine-like things that were trying to move closer to the prince. At being chewed on, the vines retreated, disappearing completely into thin air.
"Don't worry about it. Just concentrate on keeping that energy around your body." The prince drank some more of the wine. As unnerved as Mark was, he managed to refill the goblet without any physical trace of his anxiety. However, nothing seemed to escape Tserriednich's sharp eyes. "You're still disturbed by it."
"Forgive me, Your Royal Highness."
"Very well. Stay close to me until this is over."
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After one long hour, the banquet was finally over. The King, the Queen, the Duke, the Duchess, and all other VIPs now vacated the presidential table and sat on the waiting tables on the sides, leaving the prince and the lady alone. Small bells rang as the high priest said his prayers, basically saying that the engagement was sacred and should never be broken unless for severe reasons. Incense candles were burned and the ritual began. The high priest, eight monks and eight nuns rounded the table and sprinkled holy water on the couple.
Despite the smoke from the incense, Mark's vision stayed very sharp. Since he was not allowed near the table, the least he could do was monitor the situation. The guardian beast was still there, standing between the prince and the lady unnoticed by everyone except Mark, the prince, and presumably the prince's Royal Guards.
The ritual lasted for another hour and Mark and the guards nervously stood on standby. Thankfully the vines did not appear again much to their relief.
The prince and the lady were led out of the table in opposing directions, the prince to the right and the lady to the left. When they were finally in front of the table, still eight paces away from each other, the Lords of the Bedchamber and the Ladies-in-Waiting came forth to assist them.
To conclude the ceremony, the newly-engaged couple would now be exchanging the special tokens they prepared for each other. Tserriednich gave his bride-to-be a pomegranate fruit, a symbol of a desire for many children. In turn, Lady Hana gave the prince a white chrysanthemum flower, wishing for a long reign for the future king as well as a show of the lady's loyalty. The couple did not give the tokens directly to each other but through the prince's Chief Lord of the Bedchamber and the lady's Chief Lady-In-Waiting. When the engaged couple received their respective tokens, they bowed towards each other. Then they bowed in unison towards the people.
The gong sounded once more. A resounding applause rang throughout the hall. The ceremony was officially over. Following it would be the socials which would presumably last for a few more hours.
Immediately, Theta and three of the Royal Guards walked to stand beside the prince. Mark could see that they still looked very nervous.
"Your Royal Highness," Theta started, "you are exhausted. We shall escort you back to your chambers." Sarkov and Danjin backed her up quietly while Muhan's eyes nervously darted back and forth.
Tserriednich regarded them quietly. "Very well. But I need to stay for a while for propriety's sake."
After a few minutes, pictures were taken, some VIPs shook hands with the prince and the lady. Mark noticed that the bodyguards were as tense as ever and he wondered why. For some reason, probably because his own tension got the better of him or due to the golden hue of the chandelier, this was the first time he actually noticed the huge glow of golden light surrounding the prince. That same glow seemed to be of the same color as the beast walking beside the prince. If that was the reason why the bodyguards looked so tense, he couldn't tell.
The prince now excused himself to his father who nodded his assent. At that, the bodyguards sighed with relief. That relief however was short-lived as a lord announced the Lady Hana was approaching the prince. Muhan's fists clenched in anger. Tserriednich simply ignored him and bowed to the lady. The lady bowed back. When she looked up to her fiancé, her cheeks were tinted with a light blush. It was Mark's turn to grit his teeth.
"Forgive my impudence, my prince, but will I ever be allowed to say this?" Her voice was so small that Mark wished she could strangle it out of existence. "Y-You are more handsome than your picture."
Tserriednich gave her one of his captivating smiles. "My heart feels thankful that my lady finds me pleasing." The lady's cheeks grew pinker than before. "It is regretful that we will not see each other for a few more months. But I shall contain my feelings and wait for the moment when we may finally be together as one."
Her eyes grew moist with unshed tears. "I shall be waiting for that moment as well, Your Royal Highness."
That was the most annoying scene Mark had ever seen in his life that he was glad when she was finally gone. When the prince finally walked out of the hall, some of the other bodyguards that had previously been dispersed joined them as well.
They were now very near the door to the prince's chambers. The four bodyguards still looked so tense.
All of a sudden, Tserriednich took a step backwards. Mark walked closer assuming the prince will be giving instructions. However, there were no instructions. Tserriednich's back simply leaned on him as the prince collapsed.
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tbc