Even though it had been years since they first met, Haoran would never forget that fateful day. He had been in charge of a group of sailors going to the island of Serendib to establish an embassy-like fort near Anuradhapura, outside the capital. The Emperor had personally requested for him to lead the mission because he was a lower-level adviser but also his most virtuous illegitimate son. No one at the time knew of his history and just knew him as a young adviser that was close to the emperor with such insignificant status.

He had made a name for himself after stabilizing the community of a village region within the dynasty. Also by using his cultivated powers to defeat beasts and monsters, the people grew fond of him. It was quite a long journey there but when Haoran saw the first glimpse of the shore, he never wanted to leave.

The hike from the shore to the city wasn’t too long so they weren’t too exhausted. The group was greeted by a welcoming committee, led by a Chola prince no one had heard of. He looked at the interpreter before looking back to speak.

“I am Prince Rajasekaran, of Anuradhapura. It is nice to meet you.” Haoran looked at the prince, in awe. Was he speaking their language? He shook his head before responding. “I am Song Haoran, of the Song dynasty. I am here with my men to establish an embassy and the trading loop.” The prince nodded before whispering something to an aide. He then left the group and walked towards the palace. A tall, built man led the way while Haoran and his men followed.

It was a beautiful palace, so colorful and lively. There were servants everywhere, running to their next task. Haoran looked up and noticed a balcony with a group of people. A beautiful woman was standing at the edge looking down on the courtyard in front of her. She wore an elegant, gold skirt, a Prussian blue blouse, with a colorful, pleated and draped, silk that hung over her left shoulder, creating the allusion of a pretty peacock. The outfit she was wearing made her look like a goddess. She noticed him and smiled as he bowed his head and smiled back. This must be the princess.

The group was led through the courtyard to an inner wing. The men were told to exit out a side gate to stay with the other soldiers, while Haoran was to stay in the left wing. It was a little dark but the lanterns in the hall were bright enough. He walked down the hall and found the room he was to stay in. The door creaked slightly but the door was not old.

The scent of jasmine filled the air, a small but noticeable touch in the room. He walked in and looked around at the beautiful design. A bed was in the center of the room and it faced north. The room had a vibe that was calming and clean, it wasn’t cozy but it wasn’t uncomfortable. He walked to the bed and laid down, noting the soft squish of the material below him. It was a nice room he could get used to but unfortunately, he would have to get up soon and talk with whoever was in charge.

...

By the time business was settled, the sun had set hours before and it was very dark out. The court had discussed the events and plans for the embassy and came to an agreement on what was to happen with it. Haoran walked to his room and was about to walk in when a voice from behind caught him off guard. “I’ve never seen a man like you be so gentle with his words,” it was the Princess. She walked into view and leaned against the wall, looking effortlessly beautiful.

“I’ve never seen a woman so beautiful.” She blushed but shook her head. “I’m Haoran.” “I know,” she said with a smirk. He cocked his left eyebrow slightly and sighed. “So, you can speak my language too?” He had had to use an interpreter when speaking to the crown prince and generals at the court. She giggled before turning around and walking down the hall in the opposite direction. “I learned with my little brother when we were young.”

“Where are you going?” He called after her. She looked back at him, the flicker of the lanterns danced in her eyes. “The Princess wing, because I’m Princess Yazhini” she replied. It was less than ten seconds when she had walked out of his sight. Haoran sighed again and watched the fire in a lantern dance across the wall near where she had disappeared. He turned to open his own door when he stepped back, almost out of instinct.

But he hadn’t stepped into empty space, he had stepped back into someone, that someone being the prince. His head hit the prince’s shoulder and he let out a yelp. They both jumped and Haoran quickly apologized, hoping he hadn’t just seriously offended the prince. Of course, this was how they met for the first time, in a non-professional setting. The prince just smiled and rubbed the back of his neck, straightening his posture to a more relaxed stance. “Sorry, I didn’t see you there. And it’s okay, we both hit each other.” The prince had a calm and accepting aura that Haoran didn’t remember feeling when the prince had welcomed them and spoke in the court. He smiled awkwardly here and seemed to be much easier going than he let on. Haoran apologized again and the Prince walked down the hall, stopping at the next door over from Haoran’s. “Goodnight,” Haoran barely managed to breathe out before he quickly walked into his room, shutting the door softly, and leaning against it. Wow, could I have messed up worse? He thought.

But he hadn’t messed up in the least. This encounter would be one of many bizarre occurrences that the two of them would experience. It only took a minute of dreadful thoughts for him to decide to go to bed. He walked over to the mirror in the left corner, near the bed. There wasn’t much light but he could see himself and he appreciated his own looks. Because he had to be presentable, he had worn a beautiful blue, green, and gray outer robe with simple white inner robes. It was floral but in a masculine way and he loved how the colors went with each other. The front part of his hair was tied up in a neat bun with a decorative hairpiece over it, while the rest hung down like silk against his back. And his face was nothing less than a masterpiece. From his dark and beautiful almond-shaped eyes to the sharp point of his nose, and even his pretty, pink lips, he definitely wasn’t an average-looking person. If he was honest, even he enjoyed his looks when he caught a glimpse of himself in passing. But it wasn’t that he was self-absorbed, he just appreciated the way he looked and was content in what he saw.

Haoran slid the outer coat off and undid his hair, the black strands falling gracefully as he did so. He walked over to the bed and watched the candlelight dance for him on the table. It was only a few minutes that he stayed watching the fire but he soon had enough and waved the candle out. The wispy fumes of smoke moved through the air like evil spirits, spindling out and rising. He laid back, looking at the ceiling, and thought about what tomorrow would be like. It would most likely be more meetings and even scouting for an area for the embassy. But he wasn’t too sure, anything could happen because of a mistranslation or miscommunication.

This was a worry fit for tomorrow so he sat up and started to meditate. He would need strength and power for the next few days and didn’t know when he would get another chance. With his back straight and his mind clear, he focused on a chant that he would recite under his breath for the rest of the night. By the time the sun rose and the birds started to sing, he felt refreshed and confident, nothing would deter him from getting what he needed and establishing the embassy. Or so he thought…