"Ow!"

Nathaya scowled in the mirror.

"You don't need to pull that hard, Veyanis! I'm going to Kang's for breakfast, this is not a ball!"

Her nurse tutted, and waved her protest away.

"He is the prince, my dear. The Crown Prince no less."

Nathaya heaved a sigh. Her nurse Veyanis had chosen the deep purple silk robe that Kang gave her on her eighteenth birthday. The older woman thought that it was a sign of respect as it was his gift, even though deep purple was the color prohibited to people outside the imperial family. The dress had white lilies embroidered on it, and a silver cape that fluttered in the lightest breeze. Veyanis twisted her red curls into a complex bun, some of her long hair falling in loose waves over her shoulders. Then she stuck a dozen golden crane pins in her hair, the ensemble completed by a pair of gold wings headdress. Pearls hung in her hair like droplets of morning dew.

When she finished her work, Veyanis stepped back to contemplate Nathaya.

"You look stunning, darling. Mie wolvig, you are ready for breakfast," she nodded approvingly.

Mie wolvig. My wolf.

Nathaya tugged at a curl.

"A gala, more like," she said teasingly, giving a lopsided grin at her nurse. "Alright. The palanquin is waiting."

The travel was fast, due to her mother being one of the Empress's close friends, so they lived in nearby mansions.

As she stepped out in the Dragon Palace's inner courtyard, an eunuch escorted her to the imperial family's dining room. She used to come here when she was younger, when she and Kang were free from any duties. But that was another time, another life. She gathered her skirts and entered. The room was immense. Red walls had golden silk banners emblazoned with the Dragon Crest hanging from the ceiling. High marble columns kept the painted ceiling from collapsing. The Emperor sat at the head of the long table, the Empress sat on the other head, the sons and daughters and the husband and wives on their sides. As the Crown Prince, Kang sat at the right side of his father.

She stepped lightly on the polished marble floor and bowed, her skirts rustling. The Emperor cleared his deep baritone voice.

"Rise, child. Welcome to the Dragon Palace's Imperial Dining Room, the Hall of the Seven Skies. Even though you've already been here, no?" He gave her a small smile. "Sit. Kang decided to break rules and let you sit at my left side. His brother Heluo is quite annoyed." He then went back to eating.

Nathaya rose, her painted lips curved into a sly smile.

"Prince Heluo must be," she remarked.

"Of course you would say that, Nat," a young man beside Kang grumbled. "You and Kang are always annoying me."

Nathaya sat at her seat and gave a cool smile.

"I do remember," she murmured.

Kang smiled, looking at his elder brother.

"Do you remember when Brother Heluo was scared of worms?" He prompted Nathaya.

"Of course, Prince Kang." She dipped her head politely, although she was biting her lips to avoid laughing.

"We smuggled some in his pillow," he continued, grinning from ear to ear now. "And when he laid down for his afternoon naps, remember, he was seven at the time, and he screamed so loud-"

Heluo shoved his brother playfully.

"And that was mean. I will not sleep in my bed for a week."

"Incorrect, your Highness," Nathaya smirked. "You would not even enter your chambers for a month."

Everyone around the table laughed. Even Heluo chuckled despite himself. Then the Empress cleared her throat. Gradually, the noise died down.

"I have something very important to discuss," Empress Julin began. "As you all know, it is time for Lady Nathaya to find herself a suitable match and marry well." All held their breaths. "I have someone in mind, and I proposed it to Nathaya's mother, my good friend Lady Annisha. And she agreed. Which means that the girl here is destined to be married in two weeks."

Nathaya flinched. Two weeks. Why has the wedding date already been planned? She hesitated, then bowed her head.

"You Imperial Majesty, may I ask you to whom I will get betrothed to?"

"You may." The Empress rose. "You'll be betrothed to my son, Crown Prince Kang."

The response arrived like a great thunderclap, knocking the wind out of her, as if it had punched her hard. All around the table princes and princesses broke into a commotion. All except the Empress, who was looking rather smug, and the Emperor, who merely gave Nathaya a sorry glance before turning away. Nathaya struggled for breath. Her insides seemed to burn, and the beat of her heart was in a frenzy. She recalled Kang's reaction yesterday, on that hill. Her heart seemed to freeze and that's when the world shattered.

"Kang," she whispered, her voice hoarse. "You knew, didn't you?"

He did not answer, just merely turned his head away. But that was all the answer she needed.

"You knew," her voice turned accusatory. "You knew, Kang! Why didn't you tell me!"

"I-I'm sorry Nat," he mumbled. "I'm sorry."

"You should have told me!" Her hands shook. "Our promise, ten years ago. No lying, remember? No lying, Kang. No lying!"

"I'm sorry, Nathaya!" He raised his head, desperation glittering in his eyes. "I'm truly sorry, alright? I am! But I didn't say anything because I knew-"

"Knew what?" She snapped. She felt dizzy; the world was tilting and spinning, the speed increasing.

The table's gone quiet, nobody talked. Everybody stopped eating and watched the two of them.

Nathaya stood and opened her mouth again, but no sound came out. Darkness crowded at the edge of her vision. She staggered and tried to talk again, but dizziness seized her; she let out a gasp before the darkness swallowed her whole. She collapsed silently like a lifeless doll.

"Nat! No!"

•••

She opened her eyes at an unfamiliar place. She let her eyes adjust to the light before slowly sitting up. She was on the gilded bed in a vast chamber, decorated in shades of yellow. Candles and chandeliers lit the room in golden light. Suddenly the door opened and a teenage girl came in.

Kang's third younger sister, Princess Fei.

"Oh, by the gods you're alright. You scared us, Nathaya. Especially Kang, he was all pale and refused to eat until you were well."

"What happened?" She asked, her words slightly slurred.

"You fainted, and Second Brother, you know, Prince Bohai had to catch you so you would not injure yourself by falling on the marble floor. Then, the Empress started giving orders that we bring you to Kang's room, but the Emperor said that that was inappropriate as you two are not still wedded-" she paused, breathless, at Nathaya expression. "Oh, I didn't mean to offend, I-"

"Save your breath, Fei Fei," Nathaya murmured and lied back down again as the world tilted. "I am not offended. I am just...surprised. I never thought of this...possibility. And I never loved Kang this way. I view him only as a friend."

Princess Fei gave a sad smile.

"And I know you well enough to know that you hate bearing the crown and imperial duties. Also you never wanted your marriage to happen. But now...you'll be marrying a friend that you do not love, bearing the burden of being the next Empress, all those duties you need to perform, all those rules you need to learn, and your marriage, it'll be known to the world, and there will be no escape."

"Otherwise it is Imperial Offense," Nathaya added, more quietly. "I'll be hanged. Or worse. My family would suffer. Whatever the Empress deems fit for humiliating her."

Princess Fei plucked a lily petal from a china vase nearby.

"There is no way out of this." She let the petal flutter to the floor. "I want you to become my sister, but I fear that I'll be wishing for your unhappiness." She rose. "I must leave. Do visit Brother Kang, will you? He's worried." Her small lips twisted into a sly smile. "You've never fainted before."

Princess Fei departed, leaving Nathaya alone in the vast chamber. She slowly got up and slid off the bed. Her heart was twisted, and she felt her mind fracture. But she took a deep breath before opening the doors. Immediately she was surrounded by guards. She stood still, but she flinched when they bowed.

"Excuse me? No need to bow," she helped a nearby guard rise.

"You are soon to be Crown Princess Consort. Betrothed of the Crown Prince," the guard said, her voice melodious.

"Then what is your name?" Nathaya prompted, ignoring the shudder passing through her.

"Captain Liu, or Maia Liu."

Nathaya gestured at her.

"Then escort me to the Empress, Captain," she requested. "Bring your guards if you must."

The group moved through wide decorated halls until they stopped at the Empress's private chambers. A eunuch stepped forward and said in a silky voice.

"This is the Empress's private chambers. You have no right to be here. Who are you?"

"I am Lady Nathaya, daughter of Lady Anni-"

"She is the to-be Crown Princess Consort," Captain Liu snapped. "She needs no eunuch's unwanted help to see her mother-in-law."

"Pardon me, Milady," he responded smoothly. "Please wait here. I will announce your presence to Her Majesty."

"She do not need-"

"It's fine," Nathaya cut in. "Do your job, eunuch."

The eunuch gave a glare at the Captain before disappearing behind the doors. They waited for a while before the eunuch slipped back outside.

"Her Imperial Majesty Empress Julin shall receive Lady Nathaya of Fu. But the Captain and the guards have to stay outside. Milady, please follow me."

Nathaya gave an apological smile at the Captain before following the eunuch into the Empress's chambers. The rooms were decorated with redwood furniture edged with gold, hand-embroidered tapestries, crimson and gold curtains, lavish couches and comfortable pillows. In the middle of a vast circular chamber, the Empress herself was lounging on a silk couch, eating grapes. On the side stood the one person Nathaya wanted to avoid. Prince Kang. He looked angry, and stopped his argument with the Empress short when the eunuch bowed and spoke.

"Lady Nathaya of Fu, Your Majesty."

"Go," the Empress dismissed him with a swift wave of her hand.

He turned and left, leaving two of the party standing awkwardly and one lying comfortably. The Empress clapped her hands to break the silence.

"Wonderful. Both of you are here. Now we can move with the wedding plan."

"About that, Your Majesty," Nathaya bowed low, keeping her eyes to the ground. "I wish to discuss it."

"Rise, child. Go ahead. Kang was just protesting about it," the Empress sniffed.

"We are supposed to marry in two weeks' time, but could we not do it so early?" She asked, rising.

"It would not be possible, child. Kang asked the same thing." The Empress shook her head. "But as the Crown Prince, he must be married quickly, especially when news travels quickly here in the Palace. By now most of the Palace and some of the nobles will know about it. I let you have two weeks when normally it is supposed to be in one week."

Nathaya nodded silently and lowered her head in frustration. Prince Kang watched her carefully, then spoke up.

"Lady Nathaya? Are you alright?" He asked hesitantly.

Nathaya flinched. Kang never used her title before. It was always Nathaya or Nat. Or Natty when they were younger, when he wanted to annoy her. He never used the word Lady. At that moment, she realized something broke between them. Perhaps unrepairable. She turned her head away.

"Yes I'm fine, Your Highness," she replied with cold civility.

"I do not understand, Kang." The Empress frowned. "You two were always together. Never left the other. So why do you oppose this marriage? Be happy, my children. You should be happy you did not marry some foreign strangers."

The Empress changed the subject swiftly when silence weighed heavily in the room after her previous comment and drilled them on about the wedding plan. When she was finished, she gestured to Kang.

"You will teach Nathaya our history. I will call on a few professors to help you, teaching her the art of being a ruler. I myself will supervise all."

Nathaya kept silent the whole time. Kang bowed stiffly before striding to the door.

"Wait, Kang." The Empress stopped him.

"What is it now, Mother?" He turned, glaring at his mother.

"Nathaya's lessons begin now. Take her with you," then she dismissed both of them.

Nathaya froze. Kang gave his arm to her. She grasped it stiffly, sensing the awkward air around them. She turned her head away. Then strode out of the door, the Captain standing stoic, waiting for them. She bowed low.

"Take us to my chambers." Kang ordered.

As they passed, whispers would follow them. Eunuchs would bow deeply, lords would give simpering smiles at Kang, and ladies would stare at Nathaya frostily. The latter just kept her head high; her uncle told her to never yield, to never give what her enemies want. Once they left the Captain and entered Kang's chambers, the prince turned to her and said.

"I'm sorry, Lady Nathaya."

"Really? Lady Nathaya? Lady?" She laughed bitterly. "You've never called me that before."

"Natha-" he began, but she cut him off.

"Ten years have passed since our promise, since your last lie. You know that the prospect of marriage is incredibly important to me. When did you know? When?"

He swallowed audibly.

"Five days," he whispered. "I'm sorry."

"All you keep saying is 'I'm sorry', but are you really? If you lie, how can I believe you?" She snapped.

"I thought you trusted me."

"I did. I thought I could."

He flinched before adding in a quieter tone.

"I'm sorry, Natty. I really am. I hate how it ruins our friendship. Can we at least continue to be friends, like before?" He added, hopeful.

Nathaya released her grip on his arm.

"Kang," she told him softly, calming down. "We are still...friends. It's just I am still...in shock. In pain. At your lies. At everything."

"I'm really, truly, sorry. I tried to refuse the betrothal at my mother, but she would not listen. Mother is stubborn. That's what makes her such a good Empress." He gave a small awkward laugh.

Nathaya smiled frigidedly.

"It cannot be helped," she sighed with defeat. "If I am to be the crown heir, then what should I do?"

Kang grinned faintly.

"Let's begin then. I'll make everything silly. That I can do."

Nathaya snorted.

"Oh no!" She waved her hand dramatically, hiding her small laugh.

She knew that something would change between them. That is inevitable with the situation. But maybe nothing is broken. Maybe everything could still be saved. Maybe.