This is a fan made story. I don't own the rights to SHIELD, any of its characters or any characters within the MCU… Much to my disappointment. This is a Regency Era based AU and I will be pulling characters from all over the MCU. Fair warning. Constructive criticism is welcome but if you don't like it simply because you don't like the line of thinking, please don't attack me for it.
Chapter 2: Unusual Skills
Xui woke Daisy as the sun rose and got her dressed in a cotton wrap top and cotton trousers. Daisy's maid already wore a similar style of clothing. She then braided Daisy's hair back and put soft shoes on the young woman's feet. Once dressed in this garb that would be considered shocking to all of the Ton, both went down to the back courtyard. The Chinese bodyguards were already there, sparring. Daisy and her maid moved into position and began to do the same. After a half hour, the guards broke off and began instructing the two women. During this time, Miss Morse had silently slipped into the courtyard, dressed much as the others, with Min Li, the cook, and began her own sparring routine with the older, extremely skilled man.
An hour later, at the guards' instruction, they all broke from the sparring. Leo and Zhang Wei had slipped into the courtyard quietly while the others sparred and had been observing and talking softly. Daisy and Miss Morse started to ease their breathing as Min Li and Xui went back into the house to clean up and return to or begin their other duties. Daisy and Miss Morse went to the gentlemen who were standing, now that their workout was over.
"Miss Morse, see to it that my niece continues in her endeavors of the martial arts. Until she is wed, she is a part of the Coulson clan and thus there is a great risk to her wellbeing if she cannot defend herself in great need. The pirate ships we encountered on our journey here should be evidence enough for that," Zhang Wei addressed Daisy's companion who bowed in a Chinese manner in acknowledgement. He then turned to Daisy. "You have brought great honor to our family by willingly leaving China before the Empress could become angry. You will bring even greater honor with your marriage when you marry to your family's advantage. Choose your husband well, Daisy, for he cannot bring shame upon your name. The Emperor would be displeased if you married such a man."
"I will endeavor to do my best to bring honor to the family," Daisy stated respectfully and bowed as well.
Her uncle nodded approvingly, "I have no doubt of that. You have always behaved in such a manner that is honorable. I must leave now to join Lord Hubert in journeying to London. It may be some time, until we meet again." With this the older man left the courtyard, leaving Daisy with her companion and brother.
"I must admit I find it a bit odd that Mother and Uncle insist on you participating is such unladylike pursuits as fighting but I have explained it to Jemma and, while it she isn't happy about it, she accepts it as an unusual accomplishment. In the end, I think that she understands that it is necessary due to the circumstances. You should get cleaned up and changed though, Jemma is very English in what she views as proper attire for the day," Leo smiled as he nodded at her clothing.
Daisy sighed before doing as she was told. When she entered the breakfast room she wore a forest green morning gown. Jemma smiled indulgently as Daisy went to the side board to collect food for herself, her breakfast an odd combination of Chinese and English foods.
Once the younger woman sat and began eating, Jemma started what Daisy realized was likely her usual monologue, "So after breakfast, I have arranged for us to visit a local modiste. The clothing may not be up to London standards but it should be more than adequate for when we are at Tillsbury Park in Kent and it will tide you over until Madame Moreau, in London, can finish your more extensive wardrobe. I must admit though, you brought back far more than we expected. It really is no matter though, we can remake anything that is out of fashion and no doubt your mother included plenty of Chinese silks and such…" She would have continued but Leo interrupted.
"Jemma, dearest, please pause for breath and response. Daisy isn't used to you yet. I doubt she knows that if she wishes to speak she needs to interrupt you, well, not publically but in private. Daisy, if you have something to say, please speak up. I know you were a rather quite girl but don't be afraid to speak up," Leo's tone was one of humor so Daisy realized it didn't bother him in the slightest that his wife talked so much. It made sense after all, who would marry someone that didn't make them happy?
"I'm not as quiet as I used to be. I just feel that I am going to learn a lot more about my surroundings if I let others do the talking. It is something I learned from Mama, she does it all the time with the French Ambassador's wife. The woman is an absolute chatterbox," Daisy smirked and looked at Jemma. "Feel free to continue. I don't mind the chatter. Your voice is rather soothing actually."
"You and Leo really are siblings despite your looks. You would be surprised how many people took offense because I talked too much or because my conversation was too intelligent for them. Tell me, are you also intensely interested in the latest sciences as well? Leo obsesses over every new discovery he hears of," Jemma stops quickly this time, giving Daisy an opportunity to respond.
"No, I am far more interested in Plato and De Vinci. Though, I suppose some of the current ideas being presented do hold a level of importance. I am happy that I will be able to be able to hear more current events. Also, in reference to what you said about what I returned with. A good two thirds of it was gifted to me just before we sailed by the Empress. I trust you read the letters from Mama and Papa by now Leo," Daisy turned to her brother expectantly.
"Yes, of course, you would have to leave China because the Imperial Prince took too keen and interest in you. Jemma, Prince Shang has had a tendency over the last decade of taking interest in young ladies of European birth. The Empress of course doesn't like this because traditionally it is the previous Empress who chooses the next when the old Emperor dies. It is all quite a complex process but it is expected that the Empress and all the Emperor's concubines be Chinese. This results in the Empress being extremely angry every time the Imperial Prince expresses a desire for an English or a French Empress. So much so that the family of said young ladies normally gets asked to leave China, if they don't they get ordered to do so and if that fails well… I am sure you heard what happened to the previous French Ambassador," Leo expression proved that being unwilling to leave made things unpleasant for the families in question.
"And in the rare case that a family anticipates the issue and sends the girl back to her country, they get rewarded with jewelry, silks, pottery, and basically anything the Empress thinks will make them happy. The better a job they do of making it out to be completely unconnected to the Imperial family for needing to be sent back, the greater the reward is. In my case, my poor health was simply too weak to handle the harsh winter weather in China any longer. Papa went with that because I did get sick these past two winters but really, everyone did, they were extremely difficult. The Empress, of course caught on immediately and sent a physician to look me over. Two minutes of questions and he reported that another winter in China could be detrimental to my overall wellbeing. He recommended my immediate removal to England, for the sake of my health of course," Daisy's smile made it clear how utterly ridiculous the whole thing was.
"Of course. I presume Uncle escorting you back was the most expedient and safe method for your return too. Did he get appointed as the new Ambassador simply for that or was that already planned and it was just a convenient coincidence?" Leo chuckled, knowing that Daisy had always been a strong, healthy girl with only the rare cold.
"He had already been selected as the next Ambassador. They felt that given his connection to England through his sister, he would be the best fit for the position. His journey was moved up a month though, hence how little notice you got. For our cooperation however, Papa is currently in much better favor than the new French Ambassador and I got enough silk and exquisite jewels to make Jemma and myself the most enviable ladies this London season. Yes, Jemma, I will share them, it isn't actually as if I could possibly use them all anyway. The amounts are rather extravagant. They had to be split between all three ships and I dare say that I may have peaked in some of those trunks on our ship," Daisy smirked.
"That is extremely kind of you but it wouldn't be right. They were gifted to you. I would hardly be appropriate for me to use any of them," Jemma insisted as she stood, her meal long finished.
Daisy and Leo followed suit. Daisy didn't drop the issue though, "You absolutely will. They weren't gifted to me. They were gifted to the Coulson family as a whole. Mother received an excessive amount as well. Much of the jewelry will need to be reworked into English fashion but the silk is uncut so it can be made into anything we wish. In truth, it may be prudent to sell most of the jewels since they are really quite over the top and we could probably get a few pieces of jewelry out of one of the Chinese style. We will likely be better off."
Leo nodded his agreement and finally Jemma agreed as well, under the condition that most would be used on Daisy since Jemma already had plenty of fashionable clothing and Daisy still needed to have her presentation and season in London. After they finished this dispute, Jemma ordered Daisy to retrieve her bonnet and parasol. A look of resign was directed from Daisy to her brother before she obeyed. Miss Morse followed quickly, apparently properly prepared for this event.
"I still don't quite understand the necessity of body guards or why your mother would be so insistent upon them, or even for that matter the level of extravagance that the Empress would bestow upon you, or even the attention made about you being 'ill' for that matter," Jemma stated off handedly as they moved to leave, Daisy froze before looking at her brother who wore a stunned expression as if he had forgotten something immensely important.
Finally, Daisy looked at Leo in disbelief, "Leopold Fitzwilliam Coulson, you didn't tell your wife about our family?"
"I-It never came up…?" Leo's pained expression caused Jemma to be extremely confused.
"What never came up? Leo? What is she talking about?" Jemma was concerned as Leo looked away, fidgeting uncomfortably.
"It never came up? You are telling me that never once in your courtship, betrothal or marriage did the matter that your step-mother was the Emperor's niece come up? That my mother was a second-grade Imperial Princess of China and in Chinese terms I am a third-grade Princess wasn't a connection you thought important enough to mention?" Daisy looked angered as she berated her brother and he was too focused at looking away to notice Jemma going pale. As such, it was Miss Morse who caught the fainting lady, who was understandably shocked. This prompted Leo to react however, he carefully lifted his wife and carried her to the drawing room and laid her on a couch.
It took a few moments for the lady to recover she looked about quite confused. Finally, sitting up she asked, "Are you really a princess?" Daisy smiled indulgently at the question.
"Only by Chinese standards. My grandmother was the Emperor's younger sister and she was married to a trusted lord. In English terms, my mother is granted the title of Lady because her father is a Chinese lord and her husband is a Baronet. In England, I am merely the daughter of a Baronet with extremely good connections. It is only in China that I am accorded the respect of a lesser member of the Imperial family," Daisy's smile didn't waiver as she explained.
"So, absolute constant vigilance will be required in guarding your virtue and we can expect for you to draw absolute attention from those of even the highest rank. This season should prove to be full of entertainment," Jemma commented as she straightened herself and stood, having recovered quickly. Leo looked like he was going to protest her doing so but the woman waved him off. "Well, we should get to work on having those gowns that we can get fitted today. It wouldn't do for your family to be seen unseemly. Also, while I understand the necessity of the guards, we will need to outfit them in much more appropriate attire. I shall have a maid take the guards', Xui's and Cook Min Li's measurements so that I can arrange for the appropriate livery to be made for them. I trust that the reasoning for the maid and the cook are the same, to provide a further level of security for you?"
"Yes. Honestly, it wasn't just Prince Shang's interest in me that forced the need for my leaving China. Father, Mother, Uncle and the Emperor were already concerned due to a different sort of attention from the French Ambassador directed at my person. There was a level of fear of what he might attempt to arrange if his endeavors to build an alliance with China weren't successful. You see, I am a particular favorite of the Imperial family as a whole. I am of the bloodline and female so certain exceptions have been made for me and, I, along with my mother, have been permitted entrance to the Imperial City and have even been admitted into the presence of the Empress herself. So, you see, it isn't a stretch to think that I could be a target for ransom at the least. Again, this should have been included in the letters from my parents," Daisy sighed as she fixed her bonnet on her head.
"Yes, Leo did mention that concern, he just left out the whole, being the great-niece to the Emperor of China part. Well, we will have to try our hardest to keep that tidbit quiet. I don't want any forced compromises," Jemma nodded as she fixed her bonnet firmly on her head. "That will be hard enough to avoid with you having a dowry of 40 thousand pounds and an estate, and that was before the Emperor and Empress's gift."
Leo watched in surprise at his wife recovering so quickly from her shock and moving on to begin her shopping trip with his sister. As the woman left, he sighed and retreated to his study to work on his correspondence.