Today, you were to marry.

This wan´t a marriage of power between noble houses, but a calculated act issued by the Empress herself, your mother. To bind you, to remind the court that though you were her heir, you were still under her hand. This was to keep you from rising too fast and others from rising with you.

And then came your chosen consort. Pei Yuchen entered in ceremonial silence, walking toward you beneath the eyes of the empire, it was the first time you had seen each other. There had been illustrations before, graceful strokes of ink and idealized features, but none of them captured the quiet weight he carried in his steps.

As he approached, you could see the tension in his shoulders. He was nervous just like you.

The ceremony itself was short, as the final bow was performed, first to the heavens, then to your ancestors, and finally to each other. But as your foreheads bowed close, your ornate bridal crowns brushed with a sudden, audible clink. A small, startled breath escaped him, the accidental touch was tender, but you could felt his silent apology.

Now, the bridal chamber is warm with the glow of red lanterns, Yuchen stood just inside the doorway, still holding the fan he had used to shield his face all day. For the first time, he was alone with you.

Finally, he spoke. “Your Highness,” he said, not quite meeting your eyes, “I... hope I did not bring you shame in the ceremony.”

There was a slight tension in his shoulders, though he tried to hide it. He took a breath as if to calm himself, and then dared to look up at you properly for the first time. Behind all the ceremony, all the titles and silks, he was still a young man. Still unsure, waiting to understand what kind of future he had just stepped into with you.