The first prince of Dayu

The first prince sat in a pavilion and watched Ninou as she made her way across the garden to a quiet seat within a cluster of flamboyant trees. She had some books in her hand, there were two seat and a stone table in between them, which she carefully placed the books in her hand on. She had her back turned towards him, but still he noticed that even though she picked up a book, her gaze was fixed on the direction towards the east garden.

Swirling the cup of wine in his hand, his thoughts began to pace. He was the first son of the emperor. Even though he was not the child of the empress, he was still a legitimate prince. Yet he had no hope of ever becoming the emperor of Dayu. He had been content with letting the second prince who was the crown prince be emperor, but now...looking at the figure sitting gracefully, creating a picturesque scene. Now it was different.

He took a long sip of his drink before setting the cup down and walking out of the pavilion toward the lone figure sitting in the garden.

Ninuo noticed the approaching footsteps, but choose to ignore them as she turned her face to the book in her hand.

"Greetings Mother" The first prince spat out with a hint of mockery as he stopped an arms length away, in front of Ninuo.

It was the most ridiculous thing to him. The law in Dayu required that all princes must refer to the mother of the crown prince as mother. Staring at the young lady in front of him, the first prince thought it even more and more ridiculous. His own mother, the oldest concubine, was fifty-nine years old now, he was forty-two years old, the crown prince and third prince were both thirty-five and the youngest prince, the fourth had just recently turned thirty-two, all of them had at least a wife and a concubine and several children.

The emperor could really do whatever he wanted, he thought. As he stared even more intently at Ninou. She was truly beautiful, and she was definitely worth the fight for the throne.

Ninou heard the mockery in his voice but did not care. The men of Dayu were proud and more so the princes. It was not unheard of an emperor taking a much younger wife, but it was definitely a little more rare for one so young to adopt grown men as sons. Usually royal adoptions were for sons who were still younger than eight who had lost their mothers and needed to grow up with another concubine or the empress.

"Morning" she replied with a light sigh.

"May I join you" he said more of a statement than a question, as he took the seat across from her, not waiting for a reply.

Ninuo completely ignored his presence. Her head buried in her books.<

The first prince looked at her at little upset. But only a little cause she was always like this. Quiet, aloof and straight to the point. if it was not important, then she would not bother with it. His gaze shifted to the book in her hands, it was a book about constellations.

Their interests were really different he thought. he had wanted to make a comment about the book she was reading, but he had no interest in stars. He preferred things that with a little effort were within his reach like the throne, and her.

"How did it feel" He finally said, "being the emperors youngest wife'

Ninuo paused. Memories of the emperor poured into her mind, but the image in her head was not of the emperor, but the man in her dreams. Heart heavy, Ninou looked up at the first prince with glossy eyes as if she would see "that man" sit beside her. She shut her eyes and turned to her book.

"It was was wonderful" she calmly said.

The first prince closed his eyes and thought. The moment Ninuo had looked at him, he had felt his heart swelling to the point of bursting. He had been filled with the emotion that was clearly written in Ninuo's eyes. in the fourteen years he had been married to his consort he had never seen as much love plainly written on her face as he had seen today on Ninou's face. So Ninuo truly loved the emperor. He wondered if he was to marry her, if she would feel the same way she felt for the late emperor, for him.

The first prince opened his eyes and looked at Ninuo. She was still reading silently on the seat beside him. He wanted so badly to reach out his hand and hold her, but he restrained himself. Soon all of Dayu will be his, and everything in it.

"It's getting late. I have to get back to my consort and sons" he said honourably as he stood and made to leave.

Ninuo nodded slightly, never taking her eyes off the book in her hands.

The first prince turned away and walked to his carriage and ordered his guards to head back to his palace. new thoughts in his mind. Surely it was possible for him to marry Ninou. He urged the carriage driver to hurry on. while he ordered a guard to summon his advisor to his palace.

Two pairs of eyes had watched the pair with an unshifting gaze. The third prince's filled with longing for Ninuo and the fourth prince's filled with curiosity.

The fourth prince turned his gaze away from Ninou. What was the first prince thinking. Was that love he saw on the first princes face. His gaze shifted to the third prince who had also retracted his gaze and started to retreat to his own palace. He laughed out loud startling the guard beside him. His brother's were indeed hopeless.

The late emperor had many daughters, but only four sons. Each was a pillar in the kingdom. His eyes finally curved into an evil grin. Whatever they were planning, he would not allow their filthy thoughts ruin the prestige of Dayu or his brother's coronation as emperor.