Chapter Text

The worn, wooden wheels came to a sharp stop before the tall, flowing fountain of the Ruby Kingdom’s entrance. Lian did not look to anyone else in the carriage with her as she pushed the carriage door open herself and began to make her way to the Kingdom’s entrance.

Lian was tired.

Exhausted of waiting, exhausted of preparing, exhausted of long nights spent studying, of letter after letter every few months from the Queen to her father of some other excuse as to put off the marriage just a bit longer. “My son is ill”, one would say, “Zhin is in no condition for such a thing as a wedding, he must rest.” Too many years of this rest, it had been.

The Aico family entered the Kingdom and were briskly escorted to the gold-capped throne room. The room was abuzz with the whispers and words of the members of the Ruby Court, voices which were quickly silenced as each member stepped back and bowed in deep respect to the Aico family. Among the members of the court were other nobles, lords and ladies from across the land; the Giant prince and princess of Sun Spire and their daughters, the Widower Lord Illarion Frozenguard, a representative of Lord Arturos Greenwood, even a few warriors come all the way from the South to represent the Magistrate.

Lian pushed past them all, giving not even a glance or a nod to any of the people present. She knew why they were here: Those with daughters were here in hopes of wooing Prince Jia, as the Duke and Duchess of Siya had lost hope by now of finding Skye after she had been reported missing from the Monks of the Silver Moon years prior. The nobles without available daughters gathered for the Summit of the noble houses in the Realm that would be taking place on the morrow. Usually, this biennial summit would be held at different noble houses, and it was the Ruby Kingdom’s honour to host it this year.

Of this, Lian knew greatly, but as well did she care little. She left the Throne Room with not a word to the greetings of the fellow nobles. She made her way briskly down the halls of the Ruby Kingdom, her goal hard in mind. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted her Primus, following her from a distance, but she paid the man no mind.

Only nearly did she miss Jia, who rested beside the bannisters, gazing down at the gardens down below. His eyes were dim and dark, glassed over in an emotionless gaze. Lian decided to pause in her mission, to give a bit of time to the solemn prince.

“Greetings, Prince.” Lian gave a gentle bow. Jia ignored her.

“What is on your mind?” The silver-haired princess of Aico continued as she moved to stand beside him, her gaze on the features of his face. His uncouth beard was more unkempt than usual, the scar across the bridge of his nose was dim, and his skin seemed dirty, not at all ready for the day.

“Are you excited to meet the ladies?” Lian asked, “So many girls from all across the Realm to try for your hand. You are lucky; I was an infant when I was betrothed to your brother, it must be so thrilling to get to be a bachelor.”

Jia sighed, but said nothing for a long moment. Finally, he spoke, “I don’t want to be a bachelor. I want Skye.”

Lian frowned, “Jia, there are many beautiful girls here, and Skye has moved on, you cannot be sated in another girl?”

“I don’t want another girl.”

“So you will be single your whole life then? You know, many of those ladies waiting to meet you are very pretty, I would say prettier than Skye ever could be.”

“I don’t care about that.” Was the prince’s curt reply.

Lian gave a soft chuckle, “I’ve known you to be a rather- er- physical man… according to Skye.”

Jia’s brows furrowed as his gaze met Lian’s, “I’ve got men for that, I don’t need those ladies. Skye… she is pretty, but she is something else… something past beautiful…”

His eyes closed as he continued, “She’s wild… free. She’s exciting and interesting, she was… she was something I’ll never find again, and I loved her in a way I didn’t think I could love a woman.” He gazed back down at the garden, his breath stifling slightly.

Lian swallowed deeply, before leaving the prince to his sorrow.







The princess of Aico had a quest to find the elder prince, her betrothed. As far as she knew, he had been moved out of his tower room, but even then, he had enclosed himself in his royal bedroom for days on end. She came to the tall, heavy door, guarded by a pair of scarlet armoured warriors. The warriors seemed reluctant to stand aside for Lian, and each eyed her warily. Lian stood sharp, her chest, out her chin raised. She made eye contact with each in turn, a warning to be sure. The guards shared a glance, before stepping aside and allowing the princess entry.

Lian pushed the door open slowly. The room was dark- of course it was- and it took her eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness.

There was a candle on the table in the corner, its light the only thing illuminating the room. A form rested in the bed, blankets pulled up to reveal nothing but long, black hair. Lian approached the bed, watching the form’s slow movements of breath. She drew the blanket back, and gasped in shock.

In the bed rested a sleeping woman.

“Can I help you?” Zhin’s voice from behind Lian caused her to jump and turn, her back towards the bed and the strange woman.

Zhin’s face was calm and his choppy, growing hair was unbrushed and undone. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his dark brown irises were blank. Under one arm he held a roll of parchment. He was topless, and the scars covering his upper body had healed well.

Lian opened her mouth to speak, but no words came to her. She turned her head slightly, looking at the girl, before looking back to Zhin. He closed his eyes and gave a humoured huff.

“My mother thought it would cheer me up. I suppose it-” he motioned toward the girl, “-grew bored of waiting and fell asleep. I minded it not, I have things to do.” He moved past Lian and sat on the cushion beside his table, before gently unrolling the parchment on the table.

“It’s good to see you up and about.” Lian spoke, “You seem more-”

“Sane?” Zhin did not turn to her.

“Calm, I was going to say.” Lian replied, tucking her hands behind her back, “What are you doing?”

“My mother is a wise woman.” Zhin spoke quietly, “She was wrong about the girl, but she was not wrong about me.”

“Oh?” Lian sat beside Zhin, resting a hand on his upper back. His skin was warm and rough to the touch, and each scar and mark left an imprint.

“I… I am a leader. I am meant to be a leader. You know, my mother once told me that she spoke to an Oracle years ago. The oracle told her there would be five kings, and she knew I would be one of them. Five kings to rule the Realm, I would be one, she would be one… but she told me the man she loved would be one. My father is dead, she was wrong about that…”

“How can your mother, you, and your father all rule together anyway?” Lian asked, raising a brow.

“I don’t know, I don’t know, but I knew. I ruled.” Zhin replied. He dipped a quill into a jar of ink and began to write on the parchment. His handwriting was much more unruly than Lian remembered.

“I had people… they followed me, they listened to me… The burning blade… they followed the burning blade, I was- I am the burning blade.”

“The Thousand Hands Guild, that little group of thieves and bandits, you were with them.” Lian spoke slowly.

“I was their king, and now I am not, but I tasted it, I tasted what it meant to be a king.” Zhin breathed.

Lian looked away, moving her hand from his back, “You will be king, and I will be your queen. Not the rulers of some group of thieves…” She recalled the news articles about the Thousand Hands Guild. It was a small group, but it had destroyed, it had burned, it had killed.

“Do you want to be a ruler of… tyranny?” Lian looked back at him. He had stopped writing and was staring at the half-written letter.

“Tyranny? Is that what you think ruling is?” His breath was harsh as he spoke.

“Did you kill people?”

Zhin glanced at her, “Yes.”

“And if your mother finds out?

“My mother knows.” Zhin looked back to his parchment, “She is… disappointed.”

“I would be disappointed in cruelty.” Lian replied curtly.

“She is disappointed that I failed.”

Lian watched him sharply. Zhin rose, stepping away from her and from his table. He moved to the bed, pausing by the bedside. Suddenly, he yanked the blanket and shoved the dark-haired girl out. She shrieked as she hit the ground and jumped to her feet, rubbing her shoulder. Zhin gave her a sharp glare, and she returned it with a look of malice as she dashed out of the room. He crawled under the covers and rested on his back, staring up at the canopy overhead.

Lian sat on the bedside, watching him.

“Do you hate me?” She spoke quietly.

“You are a waste of my time.” He replied.

“As are you of mine.”

Zhin’s eyes closed as he chuckled.







A long moment passed as Lian rested on Zhin’s bedside, watching his breath slow. If he was sleeping, she could not tell. There was a knock at the door, but neither she nor Zhin had answered it.

Lian moved to lay beside Zhin, her head on the pillow beside his. He turned away from her, giving a grunt in annoyance at her proximity.

“Zhin… you said your mother was disappointed in your failure… What failure?”

Zhin did not turn to her as he responded, “I lost my kingdom. I failed my people. I… I failed to prove myself worthy to rule the Ruby Kingdom.”

“Your mother, does she approve of the killing that happened under your… rule?”

Zhin pulled the covers up higher on his body, just under his chin, before responding, “My mother has done far worse. I am not the first of my family to reach the bandit armies, I will not be the last. That’s the difference between Aico and the Ruby Kingdom. Our people believe we are peaceful, they know nothing of the slaughters we commit. Can you say the same of your people? Can any other noble house? We all kill, we all destroy, but the Ruby People trust my mother, and that’s all that matters.”









