OF IRON AND CROWNS | FIVE

THE THINGS YOU dreaded always came fast. One week passed. The Arecians arrived this afternoon, according to schedule. And then the other guests would gradually trickle in, bit by bit, bit by bit, since some of the guests weren't coming as large groups but individually.

Irina waited in Gui Yan Gong, a book in hand. Justine and Myrina were with her. Asteria had gone out to arrange something. What, Irina hadn't managed to hear. Probably something to do with the guests and all that, since it was all anyone and anything could think about today.

Justine said, "How are you feeling?" which, in her opinion, was a wholly idiotic thing to say. But it was clear her friend was desperately trying to start a conversation, perhaps to calm her nonexistent nerves (she was lying).

So Irina tilted her head and said, "Rather wonderful, thank you. I look fine?"

Myrina shrugged. "Prince Stephen will be pleased."

Irina said, wryly, "I'm not dressed up to please him. I'm dressed up to give the entirety of Sai some face."

"How kind and sacrificing of you," Justine nodded, the sarcasm clear in her voice. "All you have to do to contribute to Sai's great future is to look nice in a pretty dress. Meanwhile, the rest of us bleed away on fields of corpses and bones."

Myrina frowned. "That's a bit of an exaggeration. Irina has—"

Justine deadpanned, "It was a joke."

Myrina fell silent. Irina's eyes darted between the two and she sighed. "Let's not start skirmishes among ourselves when guests are arriving so soon. We must get along today, yes?"

"Of course, of course," Justine nodded. "My apologies, Myrina."

The countess replied, as expected, "It's fine. I didn't realise... well I did. I don't know why I..." her voice trailed off, and she turned her head towards the door. Irina didn't hear anything, but Myrina was wiccai, so her hearing was superior.

A moment later, Ryan walked into the room.

Myrina's wiccai status was something kept a secret from the rest of the world. Only a select few people knew about it—not even Ryan knew. It was why Irina kept her around, refused to let her leave court and live as some recluse. First, because that was not truly the life Myrina wanted—she was just scared, and second because Myrina could contribute so much more. Irina was someone who depended on the talent around her. She did not want to waste a single person.

Myrina stood, as did Justine. Irina tilted her head. "Biao ge." Cousin.

"Are you ready?" Ryan asked, sending a quick, distracted nod to both Justine and Myrina in greeting.

"We still have a couple hours." Irina raised her chin. "But yes, I'm more or less ready."

"Yeah, about that," Ryan winced. "They're already in the city. The journey was a bit too smooth, you see, they're going to arrive in around half an hour, I assume."

Irina shot up. "You have to be fucking kidding me."

Myrina murmured, "Language, Irina. The Prince would not be pleased to hear you speaking like that."

Irina snapped, "I truly couldn't care less right now, you see. Half an hour? Everything is prepared for them? Oh, bloody hell. Is the food and dimsum for Fujin Gong prepared?"

"Everything is fine." Justine rubbed her arm. "It'll be fine, it'll be fine. Just calm down. Everything will be okay."

👑

"FUCKING HELL!" The carriage jolted to a sudden stop, and Stephen was almost thrown out of his seat. Frederick let out a snigger, and Gabriel scowled.

"That how you plan on speaking to your future bride?" he mocked.

"No," Stephen scowled. "What was that?"

Gabriel pushed the curtain open and glanced out before pulling his head back in. "A kid ran into the road. It's fine now, we can continue."

Stephen let out a breath. "Thank god we didn't trample the poor kid."

Freddy and Gabriel both nodded in agreement as the carriage continued onwards. Closer and closer to the Scarlet Palace once more. The place was astonishing, and intimidating. It terrified him, the first time he came. A city within a city. He'd always thought it was an exaggeration until he'd seen it with his own eyes.

Freddy teased, "You look awfully grim."

"I feel like a man on his way to the chopping block," Stephen said with false cheer. "No. I'm nervous. Genuinely nervous."

"It's not the first time you've been here," Gabriel frowned. "This is nothing to be scared about, Stephen. It'll be over soon. It's just two weeks here before we go back to Arecia."

"With a bride in tow," Stephen nodded.

Freddy remarked, "I thought you liked her."

"I do," Stephen nodded. "I'm still terrified, Freddy, it's how the world works."

"Well, I like her," Freddy tilted his head. "She's pleasant enough. To both the eye, and to the soul. And she's intelligent. Do you know how lucky you are to be marrying a political bride who has half a brain? Throughout history—"

"She is perhaps," Stephen murmured, "a bit too opinionated and smart."

Gabriel said, "Focus on the positives. If you focus on the negative it won't do you any good. Be optimistic, Stephen, the way you usually are, you know."

"Don't know why I'm suddenly feeling so sad and worried," Stephen rubbed his forehead, "probably being trapped in a ship for a week."

"Probably something to do with that, yes," Gabriel nodded. "It takes a toll on most people's mental wellbeing. A bit of land and fresh air would do you a good job instead of locking yourself up in a tiny cabin for days upon end writing god knows what."

"I'm perfecting the bill."

"The bill can wait," Freddy scoffed. "It's not that urgent anyways."

"You don't get it—"

"Oh, we do," Freddy shook his head. "But we also know how to strike a work-life balance, my dearest cousin. You don't. Perhaps a bride would do you some good."

"This bride is technically part of my work."

"If you think about it that way..."

"Oh, bother," Stephen leaned backwards, "ignore everything that comes out of my mouth for the next half an hour or so. Once this mood passes, all will be good."

Not the first time something like this has occurred, so neither Freddy nor Gabriel questioned it, instead turning to start on their own little conversation. Stephen instead focused on every bump and giggle the carriage made as they passed through the bustling streets of Hong Cheng. It was such a busy city. Arecia was too, but it felt like there was no single quiet corner of Hong Cheng, unlike Arecia.

It was a nice change of scenery, he supposed, if it wasn't all so terrifying.

Princess Irina, Princess Irina, Princess Irina.

Mingxian Huancheng Gulun Gongzhu. Soon to be Princess of Arecia, the Duchess of Darshire along with that. Impressive array of titles. He was to be a fuma in Saian terms, technically, the husband of a princess.

From what he'd heard, it was often a hassle to marry princesses in Sai in the past, especially if you weren't extremely rich. He could handle it, though. From what he'd heard and seen, Irina wasn't exuberant. She enjoyed the finer things in life like everyone else, but she wasn't ridiculous or over demanding. She seemed to be well aware of what was too much and what was just enough, and carefully made sure she did not cross the line of the latter. Which was nice enough.

She was beautiful. Hair as dark as the night sky, shrewd eyes that showed her wisdom. Her skin was pale, and she stood only half a head shorter than him. Her lips were always curled in that tiny mysterious smile as if she knew more than any of them from the few times they'd encountered each other. She probably did know more, to be fair.

Gabriel glanced out of the window again. He was the only one who did so. Neither Freddy nor him dared stick their heads out of windows, not in foreign land when they could be easily assassinated. Who knew what the Meliqueans might be driven to? Gabriel said, "We're close. Twenty minutes, I think. I recognise this area."

Freddy said, "Your memory is remarkable."

"You have to be good at memorising places on the battlefield. And reading maps." And he supposed Sai was just another kind of battle for Gabriel. One fought with wits and words rather than swords and pistols.

"And of course," Freddy sighed, "it all links back to you being an excellent soldier."

"One of the best," Stephen said proudly.

"Somedays," Gabriel murmured, "I feel like you're more proud of that than I am, Stephen."

"I'm your best friend," Stephen teased. "It's my duty to hype you up."

"Not too much, please," Gabriel snorted. "I feel a lot of pressure, trying to live up to expectations."

Freddy faked a gasp. "Oh, the great general feels pressure too! Humanity is saved, my friends."

Gabriel reached over and swatted Freddy on the head. The three of them grew up together. Gabriel's father was a duke, although he was only a second son. Technically, he was Lord General Gabriel Stoneworth, but he usually omitted the lord except in formal occasions. Freddy was a few years older than the two of them, but with only female relatives in the other branches of their families, they'd stuck together. Chaos, every day, the three of them, laughing and jumping around the halls of Vanhen Palace. They must have caused so many headaches, not that they'd cared back in the day. Ignorance was a childhood bliss, a privilege they could no longer quite afford without being wholly irresponsible.

Once Gabriel had been of age, he'd enlisted in the army. He himself had chosen to stay put, preferring politics over the battlefield. While he debated and argued away in Parliament, Gabriel fought with bullets and swords on the battlefield. Freddy enlisted once he was older, but hadn't lasted very long. After around a year he'd been honourably discharged. He later said that he never enjoyed the experience much. The battlefield was not for him. What was for him, though, was a question they still debated regularly about to this day.

Stephen hoped he'd find it soon.

As they neared the city centre, the already busy streets got even louder and more energetic. It took all of Stephen's willpower not to glance out, to become one with the cityscape. It was so decidedly different compared to Arecia and he loved it, the change of scenery, even if it did make him rather nervous.

He swallowed his anxiety down. Everything would be fine.

He wondered, instead, about what a sight they'd make. All the Arecians were travelling in a sequence of carriages, all unmarked and the same. Katharine was in the carriage behind theirs, with some of the other Arecian noblewomen who'd been invited to attend the wedding. She was probably bored to tears, the way she usually was when in that company, but there was nothing they could do to save her. It did not matter that they were childhood friends. It simply wouldn't be normal for her to be travelling along with two princes and one general, no matter how good friends they were.

Katharine might be the one person dreading this more than him.

That was a funny thought. But the fact that he was the groom and he felt dread was not precisely the best of signs either. He almost felt a bit guilty.

No one liked being forced into doing things, though. And no one could read his thoughts either. No one needed to know. He just had to play his part to perfection and everything would be alright.

Perfectly alright.

He wondered what Princess Irina was feeling, since thinking about her and how her mind worked seemed to help him calm down a bit. It must be because she was the only person in the world who might be feeling the exact same as he was at that moment. She must be worried. Anxious. She was moving away from her home to a foreign land, and she had no idea when she might get back. She was to become the wife of someone she was barely acquaintances with. Barely even knew.

They didn't know each other's favourite colour. Favourite food, or season, or any of that. Perhaps he'd ask her if they found the time. They had a week before the wedding. Plenty could happen then. Oh, he so dearly hoped so. He did not want to wed a stranger, in the deepest parts of his heart. It just wasn't a very nice or attractive prospect.

Time. They needed time.

But it was running out as Gabriel murmured, "Nearly there." He heard the hollering outside, the faint creaking as gates opened. The trotting of horses as they entered the Scarlet Palace, its own secluded corner in the sparkling Red City. Stephen raised his chin, giving Freddy and Gabriel the smallest of nods.

They were here. Now they were no longer Stephen and Freddy and Gabriel, but Crown Prince Stephen, Prince Frederick, and General Stoneworth.

They were not the same people. It was a never-ending game of pretend that they were all used to, that was completely carved in their bones. It was part of who they were.

The door of the carriage opened. Gabriel stepped out first. Next came Frederick. Stephen went out last. He was immediately greeted by the bright Saian sun—not quite harsh, but still enough to make him squint a little. He turned just in time to see Katharine disembark with the help of a footman. He didn't acknowledge her, instead turning towards the group of Saians gathered. He walked forward and bowed. He felt decidedly out of place, in his Arecian black coat, white blouse and breeches, compared to the rich-coloured robes the Saians wore. "Tai zi dian xia," he greeted in Saian, meeting Prince Ryan's eyes.

Prince Ryan bowed in return. In Arecian, he said, "Your Royal Highness."

Stephen turned his attention to Princess Irina, who looked as beautiful as he remembered. Her cheeks were a rosy pink today, as if she'd been in a rush. Her chin was raised, her posture perfect, her hands clasped in front of the top of her stomach. Slowly, she curtsied, never dropping his gaze. It would have been scandalous had she been anyone else, but she was Princess Irina Gu Longyu. "Your Royal Highness."

She raised her hand as she stood back up. He took it, pressing a light kiss on the back of her hand. "Gongzhu dian xia."

Next came all the greetings, which took far too long and felt rather unnecessary, except it wasn't because courtesies were important. It was the most basic sign of respect.

Much like last time, they were led to the Fujin Gong again. The Fortune Enter Palace. The Saians and their auspicious names. The Palace was the same as his recollection, albeit a bit more luxuriously decorated, probably because of the wedding. Most of the Palace seemed to be in a much more celebratory mood. It was full of cheer and everyone seemed filled with energy. Lanterns—unlit, since it was the middle of the day—hung from every roof and pillar, and he had no doubt it would be a spectacular sight at night. Flowers were in full bloom, littered around every nook and cranny. It was an explosion of the senses. He loved it.

Princess Irina dressed in an outrageously bold red and gold dress of the traditional style. Many of the Saian ladies liked to dress in the qipaos of the newer trends, but he rarely saw her in them. She liked to stick to the old-fashioned styles. Lady Myrina, her lady-in-waiting, wore one of a muter pink. General Lan wore a robe of dark green and silver, her hair tied up in a tight bun. Prince Ryan wore yellow, and Colonel Man wore dark blue and silver. Green for army, blue for navy, perhaps.

"Welcome once more to Sai." That was Princess Irina as she regarded them. Only a few of them had come to Fujin Gong. Him, Freddy, Gabriel, Katharine and another young lady by the name of Lady Margaret Parrant. The daughter of the Arecian Prime Minister.

"It is our honour," Stephen murmured as Ryan motioned for them to take seats. "I hope you have been well, my princess?"

"Very well," Irina tilted her head and turned to her cousin, "Ryan, is there anything you'd like to say to our guests?"

"Nothing more than to enjoy your stay. And the wedding." A smile appeared on the Prince's face. "We prepared long and hard for it."

"I'm certain," Freddy smiled, "that it will be the best wedding ever recorded in history."

"That is the effect we're hoping for," Prince Ryan smiled.

"There is still much to be done," Lady Myrina announced, her head bowed. The countess always seemed... meek. As if she was too terrified to speak, too terrified to meet anyone's eye. When she spoke it was because it was necessary. A mysterious woman to the core. "Fittings for all of you, for one. Your Royal Highness, I hope you don't mind that the tailors have already designed the garments. We tried our best to keep them to suit your tastes, but, well..."

"You aren't quite sure what my taste is in the first place." Stephen let out a chuckle. "Don't worry, Lady Myrina. I'm not very picky regarding my clothes." She was careful, Stephen realised. Always so bloody careful, as if her position was precarious. Why? Princess Irina seemed to trust her unconditionally, so why was she always so worried about every step she took?

Some kind of past history there he couldn't quite understand. He'd figure it out eventually.

Katharine asked, "Are we all meant to wear Saian garments to the wedding? I'm afraid I don't possess any."

Princess Irina responded, one brow arched. "Only those participating in the ceremony itself, Lady Katharine. Guests do not need to. It would seem quite odd, for the bride to show up in Saian robes and the groom to be in an Arecian tuxedo, would it not?"

"I see." Katharine lowered her head. "I would not need to acquire one, then. Much more convenient."

Gabriel tilted his head. "Are we living in the same place as we did before?"

Prince Ryan nodded. "We thought it would be the most convenient that way. Is it? I hope you don't think it's boring. If you didn't like where you lived last time, it's perfectly alright for us to change where you live now. We have a few other Palaces spared for now." He paused for a moment. "Fewer Meliqueans this time, you know."

They all exchanged silent, knowing glances. They didn't like to talk about what happened with the Meliqueans last time. It had been... messy, to say the least, and a bit embarrassing for some of them, along with worrying. It had been wholly unexpecting and the problem came from within. The Saian's Rhysa Jiang, the Briar, and Ronan Tang, the Crow, both Iron Wolf, one of their elite wiccai forces, were both defected Meliquean Falcons. That had come as a shock for all of them, especially when the Meliqueans came to reclaim them. He'd been kept mostly out of the loop for the entire situation, and he couldn't precisely blame the Saians—having two of your best and most trusted agents hiding such a massive secret from you was something everyone would try to keep unknown. Them sharing the situation after it had been solved had been an act of good faith.

Princess Irina said, slowly, "The situation is solved, in case you're wondering."

"I would be concerned if it wasn't," he replied wryly, lowering his head. "The Briar and the Crow are well?"

"Very well."

"I heard they were awarded for their loyalty towards Sai."

Irina raised her head, meeting his gaze across the room. "Why yes they were. We thought it was fitting, after all they'd done for us. Was it not?"

Katharine made a faint noise. It might have been snorting. Why she'd find this funny, Stephen had no idea.

Justine Lan said, "Both the Briar and the Crow have been excellent partners throughout the years. Their past does not matter, especially since their association with the Meliqueans was not of their free will anyways." Her voice was extremely firm, clearly showing that she'd accept no questioning regarding how they'd handled the situation. Stephen had no intention of doing so.

Gabriel said, "Were no internal investigations launched, just in case?"

Right. Gabriel clearly did not feel the same. Stephen watched as Lan's eyes flickered to Gabriel, cool as ice. Why Gabriel insisted on challenging and taunting the female general, Stephen had no idea. Some kind of strange rivalry between the two military leaders. You'd think they had more in common than difference, but apparently not.

He did not understand at all. Freddy didn't seem to either.

General Lan drawled, slowly, clearly, "We didn't see a point in that. We were already assured of their loyalty, and all their actions clearly showed that they harboured no love or devotion towards Melique. They were Saians through and through—born here as well. Why should we question them?"

"It never hurts to be careful," Gabriel murmured, tilting his head. "I would have requested an internal investigation, if only just to cut any potential links still left that even they were unaware of. The Meliqueans are crafty people."

"We do not require your input," Justine snarled, "into how we handle our internal affairs. That is between us and us alone."

Gabriel retorted, "Then you shouldn't have told us in the first place."

"It was an act of good—"

Princess Irina cut in, her voice hard. "I think that's enough. General Stoneworth, we're confident in how we handle our affairs. Justine, calm down. This is no way to treat guests." There was a chastising note in her tone.

Justine Lan immediately lowered her head. "My apologies. I got carried away."

Prince Ryan waved his hand in the air, as if clearing away the tenseness that had descended upon all of them. He said, "Would you all like to be shown to your quarters first? Or would you like to enjoy some refreshments here and relax before unpacking?"

Stephen glanced around. Gabriel's face was unreadable, and Katharine's showed clear discomfort. Gabriel and Justine Lan's little spat had made this meeting impossible to continue for now. So he replied, "I think we're all tired from the journey. I don't know about the rest of my friends, but I'd really enjoy a bit of rest."

Ryan understood immediately, getting onto his feet. "Of course. Run Hu, bring the guests to their quarters. They ought to get some good rest after all the miles they've travelled in the past while. I hear the weather has been smooth for the journey?"

"It was the most excellent weather we could have asked for," Stephen said with a smile. Both men knew very well what the other was trying to do right now, and their goals aligned. For now.

They walked out, the two Crown Princes of the most powerful countries on the planet, side by side. The others were a significant distance behind by the time they reached the gates of the Fu Jin Palace. Ryan murmured, "I apologise for General Lan. She's not usually easily angered, but once she is, well, there's no easy way to stop her."

"General Stoneworth was taunting her," he replied apologetically. "Anyone would have risen to the taunt. It's no one's fault. I'm sure it'll pass very quickly, no one will remember it by tonight."

"Hopefully." Prince Ryan turned, glancing at the rest of the Arecians and a few Saians trickling out. "I look forward to the wedding. I'm sure you do too."

"It will be a monumental alliance."

"Yes," Prince Ryan nodded absent-mindedly. "Monumental indeed. I shall see you later, my friend."

"Of course." Stephen dipped his head in greeting and turned to leave. Prince Ryan did the same.