Haoran was back on his feet in a day and the rest of his men were more or less ready to work in the heat. They set out to the plot they had selected and a minister from the court came to supervise and authorize the area. The ordeal was simple and they started planning out the base and embassy that day, though it would take quite a while to collect material to construct the buildings. The land was near a hill and a little shack stood near it. The shack was very unstable and small inside, only five men could stand in it comfortably. They planned to build into the hill and build the fort around it but that was going to take a long time.

The day was long but the trek back felt longer. And when the group got back to the palace, a court session was held, meaning Haoran had to speak in front of an even bigger crowd. There were more officials, a few servants, and more people overall. They walked in and stood near the right corner of the main room. Then a built man, with toned biceps, wide shoulders, who brought a sense of power and strength stood up from a throne that Haoran had not noticed when he walked in.

“My people, as we all know, my father has passed on and my brother has become king in the past years. Though his death brought great sadness, I am happy to say there is happier news. I have come today to welcome our new acquaintances, from a faraway land. This is,” He stopped for a second and listened to an adviser at his side before continuing, “Song Haoran from the Song Dynasty.” The room, which had been quiet before, resonated with many voices whispering things the group couldn’t catch. It was only when his translator found him, translated what the man had said, and gave him some context, that Haoran realized he was acknowledged by the crown prince, Rajendra Chola II. He noticed the ocean of light brown eyes watching his every movement and took a deep breath before speaking.

“Hello,” he said very poorly in Tamil before continuing in Chinese, “I have come from the east, sent by my emperor to establish an allyship with the Chola Dynasty, and bring you all closer to the trading route that travels throughout land and sea.” The tips of his ears got red and he looked at the translator. That poor man had to process what he said and echoed Haoran’s message in Tamil so the court could understand. Rajendra Chola II grinned a little before saying something to the people around him that Haoran could not understand. When he looked to the translator, the man looked nervous and said something to the people around before telling Haoran what was said. People filed out of the room and the chatter of the room left with them.

Apparently, they were invited to a feast that was “planned” by the crown prince. Although, the servants who heard the message in its original language had sprinted out, probably heading to start prepping, had shocked faces as they left. The crown prince walked forward, and though he was shorter than Haoran, carried an older brother type of energy as he put an arm around him. The latter jumped internally and walked with the crown prince as he was led through the palace. The poor translator struggled to keep up and it wasn’t until someone caught the crown prince’s arm and joined the conversation that the group stopped walking.

“Annan!” The crown prince smiled as he looked at the young man who had caught up to them and was standing by his side. “What is it Thambi? Did I miss something?” The man was taller than the crown prince and taller than Haoran. He hadn’t looked up at the man’s face but he could already tell who he was. “Oh, Haoran, hello~” Haoran looked up and his eyes were blessed by the soft features of the Prince’s face. His smile was warm, the pretty contour of his face enhanced his looks, while his eyes captivated Haoran’s. The crown prince just poked his little brother and said: “Ah, I’ll never forget how the days were before you towered over the general population.” The prince laughed a little before responding. “Have some shame, Annan. We have a guest and aren’t you a little too old to be poking your Thambi?” The crown prince just rolled his eyes and gave a little nod at Haoran. He whispered in his brother’s ear: “Thambi, I will never stop poking you. It’s too fun to stop.” “I’m not five anymore, Annan.” They laughed together as Haoran just watched them have a good time and walked with them.

The two princes wore contrasting outfits, the crown prince in red pants, a bare chest with a gold drape around a shoulder that hung on his wrist, and plenty of glittering, gold jewelry that decorated his figure. While the prince wore blue pants, a light top that covered his body with a few sparkling gems here and there, and minimal jewelry. Both were very handsome and looked amazing together. They walked down the hallway until they came to a beautiful porch-type room where they could lounge. “Haoran, you could stay here with us and chat until the feast is ready, although, I’d have to be your translator for the time being. Or, you could go to your room and wait for a servant to go get you.” The prince was very kind with his words. Haoran thought it over and decided he would go to his room. “I wouldn’t want to trouble you, your highness. I shall go back.” He bowed and turned to walk away before the prince could say anything.

“That’s the guy they sent? Didn’t he get heat exhaustion after being here for like two days?” The crown prince laughed while the prince looked around cautiously. “Hey, that’s not very kind, and it’s not like he is used to the kind of heat we have here. Why don’t you give him a chance to win you over before you shoot him down.” The crown prince rolled his eyes. “It’s not like the Song Dynasty really cares about being allies, they just want power. And I still can’t believe you went to his room to take care of- Hey!” The prince pinched the crown prince and they stopped talking.

…

Haoran shut the door of his bedroom and leaned against it for minute. He took a few deep breaths, in and out, before moving to the mirror. It was hot in the room, so he took off his outer robes and his inner robes, leaving him standing in the warm room, chest exposed to the air. Why is it always so hot in here? He thought, fanning himself. With a few quick steps, he reached the window and opened it to see something magical. The window faced a beautiful forest that glowed with the setting sun. It was serene and he stood there for a while, cooling off and enjoying the pretty nature.

But something caught his eye. It moved so fast he barely noticed it and he had to squint his eyes to find it again. A trail of gold and cool green formed a tail of the creature that disappeared as soon as it had appeared. Haoran tried to look for it again but saw nothing moving in the calm forest. So, he turned back, laid on the bed, and closed his eyes for a little. The journey was long and hard today. We did good work. He thought to himself, humming some tune that had come to him in a dream. The sound of little bells jingled softly at first until all he could hear was the bells. What is this?