Around the campfire, several soldiers lowered their heads at once, their shoulders shook slightly. They were trying not to laugh. While Lin Cheng'an eyes blinked once, his heart skipped a bit. He asked her,
"…This afternoon?"
'I had been seen?.... impossible…'
Yet his face remained perfectly stern.
"I have conducted myself with dignity throughout this entire journey, perhaps… you might have mistaken, Your Highness."
One elderly soldier quietly cleared his throat, speaking in whisper but enough to be heard,
"Indeed… without any exceptions," another soldier, younger and less disciplined made a small sound like a strangled bird, Lin Cheng'an shot him a glare that was enough to make his opening mouth shut, while his ears turned faintly red. Shayue's smile deepened, just enough to suggest that, she understood far more than she spoke. She said, her voice smooth as river flowing into the pond.
"Of Course, I must have imagined the… expressions."
"Expressions… Your Highness?"
"The thoughtful ones, the curious ones, the ones that moved across your face like clouds across the empty sky."
Lin Cheng'an's jaw slightly tightened. He immediately said…
"I was… assessing the terrain, Your Highness. Tactical observation requires varied facial positioning, Your Highness… to… confuse potential observers."
"Ah. Tactical observation, I see." Shayue nodded as though this were the most reasonable explanation she had ever heard.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"And the nodding, Young Master Lin?"
"Confirmation of the terrain assessment…"
"Three times?"
"Thoroughness, Your Highness. The Lin family… values thoroughness, Your Highness…"
Shayue looked at him for a long moment, the firelight dancing in her eyes, something almost gentle in her gaze, she said again.
"I see… then I am very fortunate to be escorted by one so… thorough. Young Master Lin, Thanks to you."
She turned her head slightly toward the elderly soldier, who had finally composed himself enough to face forward again.
"Tell me, Is Young Master Lin always so thoroughly in his observations?"
The soldier's face contorted as he fought a war between duty and mirth. He said quietly,
"Your highness…"
"Yes?"
"Young Master Lin is… always exceptionally dedicated to all his duties, he never does something that will cause problems or issues in the duties… including those he invents for himself too…"
Lin Cheng'an's eyes widened at his statement,
"Uncle Zhou!"
"I am not your uncle, Young Master."
"You are of my uncle's age."
"Then I am a stranger of your uncle's age who finds you exceptionally dedicated."
Shayue laughed at their conversation. It was a soft sound, barely more than a quite breath, but it transformed the air around the fire into something lighter. Something warmer than the mountain night should have allowed. Lin Cheng'an stared at her, early had not expected laughter from her, from anyone, really, since leaving Fengyu. She looked different when she laughed. Less like the distant Crown Princess who had descended from the wedding carriage with a phoenix in her hand, less like a political alliance his cousin brother would inherit, more like… he did not know what to call it…
He looked right away quickly, his face a little warm and slightly pink. The one thought he had in the entire journey was not true, 'She does laugh…'
After a long paused Shayue looked at the soldiers, the soldiers sensed that the Crown Princess wished to speak privately with the Young Master. Without needing to be instructed, they said after another,
"We shall take our leave, Your Highness and Young Master Lin."
Lin Cheng'an looked at them and gave a small nod. The men withdrew to their positions and some in the tents, leaving only the crackling campfire between them. For a moment no one spoke, while Cheng'an was in his own thoughts. Shayue just stood looking at him. Than finally Shayue broke the silence.
"May I sit here?"
Lin Cheng'an immediately straightened, "Of course, Your Highness."
She took a seat across from him, smoothing the folds of her crimson wedding robes, for a moment, only the sound of the burning wood filled the air, she spoke again,
"I realized… I know very little about the Lin family, I am about to enter in… and so perhaps I should begin with someone willing to answer my questions, so I don't make a mistake in Longlin Empire…" Shayue's voice was gentle, neither forceful nor guarded.
Lin Cheng'an blinked, hesitating for a bit than he answered, "…If it is within my knowledge, than… I shall answer your questions, Your Highness."
Smile touched Shayue's lips light, "How old are you, Young Master Lin?"
Lin Cheng'an was confused by her question, only asking about him, he thought she would ask him something regarding his cousin brother or the court matter which he is not yet allowed to authorize yet, so he spoke honestly, "I am thirteen this year, Your Highness."
She gave him a small nod, "So young…"
"No wonder you still have the heart to wear every thought and expression upon your face."
He almost denied it but he was caught himself at the last second. "Than… I shall strive to improve more… Your Highness."
A trace of amusement flickered into Shayue's eyes, "I am certain you will… but don't do forcefully, you still have a long life, so just don't be too tensed about it, take it a little lightly."
Hearing this for the first in his life he felt a little warm but he shouldn't had feel it by her, she was from another empire's, but it was quite… warming for him…
She paused before asking, than softly she spoke,
"May I continue calling you 'Young Master Lin'?"
He considered her question, "As Your Highness wishes, but… within the Imperial Family…" he hesitated, "…you can simply call me Cheng'an."
"Cheng'an…" she repeated his name softly before smiling, "Then I shall call you Cheng'an."
He lowered his head respectfully, "As Your Highness pleases."
Another quiet silence settled between them, Shayue initiate to spoke again, "In that case…I can call you Cheng'an…you do not need to address me so formally all the time…hmm… you can call me Shayue."
Lin Cheng'an looked at her in surprise, his expression stiffened immediately, "…That would be improper, Your Highness. You are the future Crown Princess of Longlin Empire. It would be disrespectful to call Your Highness, by your name."
Shayue had not expected him to be so guarded about the titles, a small laugh escaped her lips, "In that case…then…" she titled her head slightly saying, "…Call me Sister-In-Law."
Lin Cheng'an froze, he did not expect her to say it quiet early, "S-Sister-In-Law?" the title seemed even more difficult to say now, he looked genuinely conflicted by her words. Shayue smiled knowingly, "It is only a title, and not before long… we will be family."
The words were spoken lightly, without pressure and without expectation, Lin Cheng'an lowered his gaze, he took a long pause before answering, he said honestly,
"…I…cannot, Your Highness… not yet."
Shayue was neither surprised nor disappointed, instead she simply nodded. "Very well then… when the day comes that you truly wish to call me that…I'll be waiting…Cheng'an."
The fire crackled softly between them, she did not want to force him to address her as his own family, there was still time. After a while Shayue asked,
"Your Cousin… Lin Yechen… what kind of man is he?"
Lin Cheng'an looked at her, his posture stiffened after hearing his cousin brother's name, straightening his shoulders,
"…Crown Prince Lin Yechen is a man of great capability, Your Highness. The army follows him without any questions because they know that he is the only and great leader Longlin that will keep our Empire safe… the court also respects his judgments. He is not a man who tolerates weakness or deception…" he choose his words carefully before speaking. The last word hung in the air, deliberate as a warning. Shayue heard it, but she didn't flinched. She asked instead,
"And you? Do you follow him without any questions?"
"Yes!"
The answer came to quickly and immediately from his mouth. Then catching himself, he added,
"He has earned that loyalty, Your Highness."
She repeated his word, "Earned, and not demanded?"
Lin Cheng'an's jaw tightened, "There is no difference in Longlin, Your Highness. A demand from Crown Prince is earned by its own efforts."
Shayue nodded, as though this explained something to her questions, "I see, in Fengyu, demands are often made by position alone, earned or otherwise."
She let that sit between them, neither complaint nor accused, merely just an observation.
"Tell me Cheng'an… does your cousin speak often? Or does he prefer to be in silence?"
"He speaks when it is necessary."
"And what about when he is silent?"
Lin Cheng'an looked at her directly for the first time, his young eyes sharp like, older than his years,
"When he is silent, Your Highness, one learns to listen for what is not to be said. That is the lesson Cousin Brother taught me."
Shayue smiled, reaching her eyes she understood clearly what he meant by that,
"A valuable lesson indeed… I have learned similar ones but from different teachers."
"Different teachers?"
"Silence, Absence, the spaces between words where the truth is often hidden."
She said softly, while Lin Cheng'an looked away, throwing a stick into the fire, it crackled, spat, and settled into ashes.
"Your Highness speaks as though you understand such things, like the thinks Cousin Brother went through…"
"I speak as someone who has lived them."
This time the silence was longer, and less comfortable… he said finally, his voice careful, and formal,
"Your Highness, I do not know what you seek from these questions you have asked me, but I am not my Cousin. I cannot speak for his heart, only for his reputation…"
Shayue replied looking forward, "I seek nothing but some knowledge, after all I am entering a family I do not know anything about, a court I have never seen, would you have me arrive in the Empire blindly?"
"I would have you arrive honestly, Your Highness."
The words were respectful, perfectly polite yet under those words ran a current, cold and clear as mountain spring. Shayue did not take any offense of his words. She inclined her head, acknowledging the boundary he had drawn between them.
"Honesty is a rare currency, Cheng'an. I shall try to spend it wisely in your presence."
She studied the young boy sitting before her, the firelight reflecting his calm eyes yet beneath that composure she still saw traces of the child whose expression had changed every few moments throughout the journey. She smiled gently, while Lin Cheng'an remained perfectly upright,
"You needn't be so tense around me."
"I am fulfilling my duty, Your Highness."
"I know, and you are fulfilling it well."
"But…"
For the first time at that evening, he seemed slightly taken aback, Shayue looks into the flames,
"You are only thirteen. The burden of representing Longlin is a very heavy one… even for an adult." She said her gaze returning towards him, "So do not force yourself to carry it every waking moment."
Lin Cheng'an remained silent, Shayue smiled softly, she glanced towards the countless stars scattered across the night sky.
"There will come a day when responsibilities leaves little room for carefree moments. When day arrives… you may find yourself wishing that, you had enjoyed your youth a little longer."
Her eyes met his slightly warming eyes,
"So while you still can… laugh, be curious about things around you, ask if you don't get it, make mistakes, because through those mistakes will only lead you to a better things, there is no shame in behaving like a boy of your age. If you don't be cheerful or carefree now, you won't be able to get the same chance again, there is only one life Cheng'an, so let the things be a little slower and calmer, understand this… that it is acceptable to remain a child."
A quiet breeze stirred the campfire, for a fleeting moment, Lin Cheng'an forget the careful expression he had been maintaining. He simply looked at her, no one had ever spoken to him like that. Everyone praised him for acting mature. Everyone expected him to shoulder responsibilities beyond his age. No one had ever told him… that it was acceptable to remain like a normal child, until the woman in front him had said knowing she is not his family, not yet… he lowered his gaze…
"…I…" he couldn't speak, after a long pause. He gave her a respectful nod.
"…I understand, Your Highness."
Though his voice remained formal… it no longer carried the same distance as before, the walls he had built around himself had not yet fallen, but perhaps… the first small crack had finally appeared… he spoke,
"Your Highness should not had come out of the tent… the night air is cold. You should return to your tent quickly, for your health, as your escort, I must insist."
Shayue looked at him and rose, brushing dust from her crimson robes,
"Okay, thank you for your time, and for your… caution Cheng'an… it tells me much about Longlin already. Thank you for your understanding Cheng'an."
Lin Cheng'an stood as well, fists pressing together in salute.
"Your Highness."
She turned to leave, then paused, looking back at the young boy.
"One more thing."
"Yes, Your Highness?"
She let out a faint smile, almost sad,
"The expressions you wear so openly, they are not any weakness. They are a sign that you have not yet learned which parts of yourself to hide, in time, you definitely will. I hope, for your sake, that you do not learn too quickly just take your take…"
She looked at him and smiled lastly saying,
"Good night, Cheng'an."
She walked away, the beads of her bridal Crown chiming softly into the darkness. Lin Cheng'an remained standing by the fire, his pressed palms slowly lowering, his young face unreadable in a way it had not been before. He did not trust her. He knew he shouldn't, but her words settled in his chest like stones dropping into the still water, sending ripples he could not name.
To Be Continued...