It was a beautiful wedding.
The crown prince of Sheng wore royal scarlet with golden phoenix feathers embroidered on his wide sleeves, paired with elegant black in his inner robes. He had chosen the colours himself, just like the fragile white robes spotted with crimson camellias given to his future spouse...
...the third prince of Jing. Tantai Jin.
Tantai Jin knew Xiao Lin was marrying below his status. He was reminded of it every day. Even with the wedding itself, everything had been provided by the crown prince. Every last detail, all the luxury… Tantai Jin barely owned anything, so he couldn’t add to the wonders of the day.
"That hostage should know his place... Does he think the prince loves him? What a joke."
"It is obviously a political move, to mock the Jing empire. Their spawn, a little bitch for our crown prince to use at his leisure... How devastating for their morale!"
"Hah! If it was me, I would have had the decency of hanging myself to avoid such a humiliation..."
The voices of the gossiping servants carried from the courtyard where Tantai Jin had his dismally little lodgings, where he had been appointed by the emperor of Sheng since he had arrived as a child.
Xiao Lin didn’t hear any of that. He was too mesmerized by the sight of Tantai Jin arriving, and greeted him under his umbrella without a care. However, when Tantai Jin joined him, he was dejected.
"I fear this wedding might be a mistake,” said the hostage prince.
Xiao Lin looked at him with wide eyes, his heart sinking. Had his beloved changed his mind? Did he... not love him anymore?
"What makes you say so?" he asked in a low, hopeless voice.
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