[ red, red, red-- the procession begins and ends in red.
it starts with the attendants fussing over him: their meticulous application of rouge on his lips, the silks carefully adorned on his body, and the veil laid delicately over his head, obscuring his face. they speak to him in whispers, assuring him of their work, that this union will bring peace to their nation, that it is an honor, not sacrifice that he is about to face today. dan heng is quiet throughout all of this; he remains silent even as they usher him into the palanquin to begin his journey, leaving his home behind with nothing more than the decorations on his body and memories.
red follows dan heng as they slowly make their way to the palace-- lanterns line the streets and red ribbons and other ornaments hang on every storefront; there is fanfare at every corner of the city, shouts and cheers, laughter ringing. an auspicious marriage to begin an auspicious era, they say, and celebrations continue with little regard for the silent passenger of the palanquin.
this has been his journey thus far; and it ends with his current present-- dan heng is seated alone on a bed with a stark red room, his knuckles white and grip tense on his robes, his eyes never leaving the door as he waits. he has yet to see his new husband, the man who subjugated the scalegorge, the man he's been sold to. dan heng is nothing more than an elder of a fallen nation, nothing more than a lamb laid for slaughter now, and yet his pride would not allow him to show fear; while he could not choose his destiny, he could at least chooses how he goes. so he waits and waits in stiff silence. ]
an alliance, yes; the vidyadhara has much to offer in terms of their skills, their gifts to the xianzhou. conquering the scalegorge was simply the beginning. jing yuan had meant to eventually allow them their own suzerainty, an olive branch that would allow their people to unite and live in peace while remaining bound to one another. but he hadn't anticipated that such a union would need to come to this.
of course, this is easier with less conflict. marriage has always been an effective way to build bridges and create partnerships. but to the conquered being married off to the conqueror, isn't the rite essentially a chain holding them hostage?
jing yuan sighs yet again as he dismisses his councilors with a wave of his hand, exasperated by their reminders of consummating this marriage tonight while already suffocated by the excessive robes he's made to wear. no consummation will happen tonight or ever, not until he's spoken to his bride and heard their thoughts on the matter.
for now, he intends to clear the air and alleviate any worries they may have.
the figure inside the bedroom awaiting him is of slight build, but even jing yuan can tell that they're unwilling to cower or hide away in a corner, even if their face is already hidden from sight. pride, high-born, stubbornness—all familiar traits of the vidyadhara. ]
Welcome to the Xianzhou Luofu, Your Grace, [ he offers him a respectful bow, sliding the doors close behind him. ] I hope you've been shown the courtesy and hospitality as befitting your nobility during your time here.
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and if you can't fool the ghosts, you can just fool yourself; / consort au.
it starts with the attendants fussing over him: their meticulous application of rouge on his lips, the silks carefully adorned on his body, and the veil laid delicately over his head, obscuring his face. they speak to him in whispers, assuring him of their work, that this union will bring peace to their nation, that it is an honor, not sacrifice that he is about to face today. dan heng is quiet throughout all of this; he remains silent even as they usher him into the palanquin to begin his journey, leaving his home behind with nothing more than the decorations on his body and memories.
red follows dan heng as they slowly make their way to the palace-- lanterns line the streets and red ribbons and other ornaments hang on every storefront; there is fanfare at every corner of the city, shouts and cheers, laughter ringing. an auspicious marriage to begin an auspicious era, they say, and celebrations continue with little regard for the silent passenger of the palanquin.
this has been his journey thus far; and it ends with his current present-- dan heng is seated alone on a bed with a stark red room, his knuckles white and grip tense on his robes, his eyes never leaving the door as he waits. he has yet to see his new husband, the man who subjugated the scalegorge, the man he's been sold to. dan heng is nothing more than an elder of a fallen nation, nothing more than a lamb laid for slaughter now, and yet his pride would not allow him to show fear; while he could not choose his destiny, he could at least chooses how he goes. so he waits and waits in stiff silence. ]
no subject
an alliance, yes; the vidyadhara has much to offer in terms of their skills, their gifts to the xianzhou. conquering the scalegorge was simply the beginning. jing yuan had meant to eventually allow them their own suzerainty, an olive branch that would allow their people to unite and live in peace while remaining bound to one another. but he hadn't anticipated that such a union would need to come to this.
of course, this is easier with less conflict. marriage has always been an effective way to build bridges and create partnerships. but to the conquered being married off to the conqueror, isn't the rite essentially a chain holding them hostage?
jing yuan sighs yet again as he dismisses his councilors with a wave of his hand, exasperated by their reminders of consummating this marriage tonight while already suffocated by the excessive robes he's made to wear. no consummation will happen tonight or ever, not until he's spoken to his bride and heard their thoughts on the matter.
for now, he intends to clear the air and alleviate any worries they may have.
the figure inside the bedroom awaiting him is of slight build, but even jing yuan can tell that they're unwilling to cower or hide away in a corner, even if their face is already hidden from sight. pride, high-born, stubbornness—all familiar traits of the vidyadhara. ]
Welcome to the Xianzhou Luofu, Your Grace, [ he offers him a respectful bow, sliding the doors close behind him. ] I hope you've been shown the courtesy and hospitality as befitting your nobility during your time here.