#° • — xinyuan ( dcccivcr )

[rubynoble]

° • — closed starter for xinyuan ( @dcccivcr ) ° • — a few days after the breakfast, outside

the little princess was determined she was going to find the rose bush she had read about. the one native to african countries and known to grow here in ethiopia. though, on her exploration of the grounds, she had found many other flowers who colors and blooms were just as enticing to sketch and press. she did her best to make notes about the colors, in case her pressings faded before she could get back to her paints.

as she got up from being crouched down, it was to her own shock and amazement, that she locked eyes with him — xinyuan, finally without . . the emperor. it must be his day off, kai-ming thought. he got one when he was her guard, so surely he still was permitted one now that he served angelo. kai-ming had only seen glances of xinyuan so far, almost always by her stepbrother's side. she had tried to get his attention, to even just be noticed by him but she had begun to get the sense that xinyuan was avoiding her in every way he could. at least, it felt that way.

" xinyuan! " kai-ming cried out, running up to him before he possibly had the chance to turn away. her chest heaved slightly from the sudden run, and she held close the leather journal that held her precious flowers. " i, um . . . " the princess did not have a plan on what she was going to say once she had him cornered. " it's good to see you, "

[thenxghtwemxt]

@dcccivcr | Xinyuan and Midori, At the Loading Docks

She can feel her skin burning with watchful eyes. Sailors, maids, and the handful of nobles who bore witness to the gargantuan fight outside of the main vessels. The streaks down her cheeks gone dry, eyes red but void of the tears that once fell. Midori inhales sharply, finding the will to turn back onto Japan's maiden voyage, when Xinyuan's familiar gaze catches hers. "What?" Midori bawks, not unkindly, at his perpetual gaze. "I haven't any secrets that half of the world doesn't already know." She defends out of instinct, the rigors of their cat-and-mouse not lost on her.

[rubynoble]

° • — CLOSED starter for xinyuan ( @dcccivcr ) ° • — day of the pre-tribunal, afterwards, outside

the last time kai-ming had felt this scared, was the day she was exiled from her home. before that, it was when france and thailand had crashed the first gathering; when she broke her arm in the fight that broke out. while she was timid and easily frightened, this sort of absolutely paralyzing, suffocating fear was not commonly felt by the little princess.

the princess paced, frantic — back and forth, back and forth — nearly creating a rut in the grass beneath her silk slippers. her arm cradled by her other hand, the arm that was once broken and had since healed, but there was almost a phantom ache; like the chaos had reminded her. she was scared of being hurt again, even with all the commotion gone. everyone had scattered. everything was quiet again. even with the silence, the peace she had felt the past several months; it was gone.

kai-ming slumped against one of the walls, oblivious to if she was in someone's way, and collapsed into a crying heap.

[rubynoble]

° • — CLOSED starter for xinyuan ( @dcccivcr) ° • — two days into the rainstorm, trapped in china's apartments.

she couldn't sit still. she couldn't help it, couldn't help the panic that was seeping in between her bones the longer and longer she was kept in china's apartments. kai-ming was uncertain what bothered her more, how her step-brother was using what she thought was her good deed against her — or how her father didn't immediately defend her either. the princess knew she didn't regret trying to help her people — that had to have been the right thing to do . . . right ? china needed the help, and the people had seemed so thankful for it. kai-ming knew, deep down — even if she didn't want to know — she knew her stepbrother had spun her secret in such a way, used it as a weapon against her. he made her act of kindness into something terrible. she couldn't imagine throwing any of her siblings to the wolves like that, and for what ? china's throne ? she had never even wanted it. she considered herself not in contest for the throne like her siblings were, for her father would surely never chose her. he certainly wouldn't now.

the princess was pacing back and forth, back and forth — if this had been a garden, she would've already worn a rut into the ground. she heard a knock on the door and instantly, she ran cold. a surge of panic went though her, not knowing who was on the other side. she can't imagine anyone was willing to be seen conversing with her while she was under lock and key — lest they be deemed an accomplice.

after a palpable delay, working up her courage that gulilana swore she had, kai-ming scurried opened the door. " xinyuan ! " the princess exclaimed, " you should go, i don't want my stepbrother — " the first real time kai-ming hadn't referred to angelo in an affection way. such felt bitter on her lips now. " — to think you're an accomplice. "

[rubynoble]

° • — closed starter / @dcccivcr ° • — just outside kai-ming's personal chambers, in the china apartments

she was trying, so hard — not to appear so frightened, but was failing. with her left arm having been broken in the calamity that happened in the dining hall, and the french and thai having invaded and searched their private chambers, kai-ming found herself terrified of what was to come next. she was not a military strategist, nor was she any sort of a fighter — the youngest princess of china found herself utterly useless in this time of turmoil and unrest.

she sat outside of her chambers, afraid to go in, as xinyuan looked inside first — just in case. the princess was sat on a wooden bench, her legs brought up to her chest and her head rested on her knees. she was in pain. no matter how she sat, her arm ached.

when her bodyguard emerged from the room, kai-ming looked up at him. her brown eyes still so frightened, it didn't matter if the room was clear and deemed safe or even if she was under lock and key in there — kai-ming didn't feel safe anymore.

" i can't do it, " she told him, " i . . how am i expected to sleep ? to be alone in that room, afraid of someone barging in at any moment ? " it wasn't that she didn't trust him to keep her safe, it was because of him she only had a broken arm and not a worse fate — but he had to rest too, and kai-ming would not have him suffer on her behalf. no matter if she was his duty or not.

[thenxghtwemxt]

@dcccivcr | Xinyuan and Angelo, At The Grand Breakfast

"By my side the whole evening, Xinyuan." Angelo utters the command with a ginger smile on his face. The picture of calm and charisma, even after China's failed coup of Japan's shores. No, even in a loss, Angelo refuses to falter or show weakness. Instead, he remains the picture of strength. His body purposefully pressed against a pillar, sipping on too-early whiskey. No one would need know the pain he felt in his leg. Certainly not Giuliana, whose pleas for walking about with a staff fell on deaf ears. "This may not be Lal Qila. But there is a fox in every house, especially the Solomon's."