A Marriage Alliance ?

After wandering a bit more, thankfully she found her way to the room. Her cheeks were still burning remembering the closeness of that handsome face just a while ago. She sat on the wooden couch while placing both her palms on her cheeks to cool down.

Slightly turning the knob on the side up, she leaned back. 

Staring at the moon from the window, suddenly she started missing her parents. The moon unlike her world's one was radiating a soft blue hue. Was it moon? Who knows what they call it there?

At this time of year her parents would be celebrating new year together with red lanterns and candles and mooncakes she wondered silently if they missed her or not. 

"Wow, is that a baby dragon?" Xi xiao exclaimed looking down at the creature that made her feel prickly under her feet. It was a very small dragon with tiny red and yellow scales and a short tail that constantly twitched brushing against her legs.

"Whoaa cutie you are so cuteeeeeeee..." Xi Xiao exclaimed as her heart was already won over by its appearance and sweet gaze. Looking into its large red eyes, forgetting about her earlier sadness she quickly lifted it up on her lap and started rubbing her head.

Meanwhile a black shadow swiftly jumped down from the side of window to another rooftop and disappeared within a moment silently.....

__________________

"How is she doing?" Ziran's expression was eager as he enquired Steven.

Steven gave him a proud side eyes brfore saying, "She seemed weird and guess what?" "She doesn't have any Birth-sign too. Strange no?" Steven continued without noticing the dark gloomy face of his brother.

"Wait brother don't you feel it's a bit chilly though..... before Steven could finish his trail of words he stopped looking at the gloomy face of Ziran.

"YOU CHECKED HER BIRTHSIGN?" Ziran's whole face had turned dark as he closed his eyes in a futile attempt to control his anger.

"No, no, no of course not, I dare not, trust me." Steven jumped two metres away from him trying to remember the best thing he could swear on to make his brother believe his words.

"Then how do you know whether or not she has a birthmark or not?" Ziran's expression was still somber even though better than before.

"Brother I think you forgot the very fundamental royal knowledge that those who have birthmark can't touch elite dragons due to overthinking about a certain someone." Steven smirked at Ziran still not daring to go near him.

"Oh right..." His face finally regained its earlier glow.

"But why would any elite approach her...wait a minute are you talking about Reliott?" Ziran was astonished since Reliott hated strangers the most and was more short tempered than her father Eliott. Even their royal father would never dare to touch it.

"I know right, I was also surprised. But do you remember how Eliott stopped crashing when she appeared in the morning? He has never cared for others before." Steven analysed thoughtfully.

"Could she be the one Senlin Huogao was talking about?" Ziran wondered before asking again,

"You didn't say what was she doing though?"

"Oh, she was just rubbing Reliott on her head and was examinig her scales while she sat on her lap." Steven answered expressionlessly. Ziran was speechless....

Zibao who was about to enter was also speechless..

Zibao took a minute to compose himself and then entered slowly. "Ahem, ahem." He couldn't bring himself to say anything to let them be aware of their big brother's presence and therefore chose to cough dramatically to catch their attention.

"Welcome Royal Brother" Both of them immediately bowed properly following the royal etiquette.

Unlike the two of them who were used to bantering and didn't show much respect to each other Zibao's relationship with them was a bit different.

After the three brothers' mother passed away despite ministers and the higher ranking officials pestering their royal father to remarry he refused sternly and gave up his throne to the eldest prince Zibao.

Both the youngers brothers were relieved to be excused of the royal duty as of then and poor Zibao had to deal with everything in the court all the time.

After supervising him for a year and half, their royal father decided to live in seclusion near their mother's tomb. Which resulted in Zibao taking charge of his two brothers' education and finally he got a chance to take his revenge on them.

After a few years though the two of them naturally grew up to respect him due to the six year gap between them and him taking place of their father.

"Rise up, no need for formalities." Zibao said feeling amused.

"Brother, how's the situation over there?" Ziran asked in a serious tone. 

East Zone was not easy to handle, moreover, some internal feuds in recent years just made the matter worse.

"Barely manageable. The San Species is taking over the crown, in the upcoming days a war might take place. We have to prepare soldiers." Zibao was also quite worried about this matter.

"Eldest brother, Can't we go for an alliance?" Steven finally opened his mouth.

"They are only vying for a marriage alliance and therefore anyone of us has to get married, they are not too daring to pressure for accepting the princess as consort..but as you know I can't betray your sister in law..so ..." Zibao didn't finish the sentence as the hint was too obvious he was here to ask either Ziran or Steven to get married.

"I am not gonna be the sacrificial lamb." Both of them spoke up simultaneously earning a speechless dumbfounded look from Zibao.

...After a moment of awkwardness Steven glanced at Ziran suspiciously, "Brother, didn't you always say that you don't care about marriage and are always ready to go for any kind of political marriage for the sake of the kingdom?"

"And what about you huh? when did you start getting loyal weren't you jumping for getting some pretty concubines just a few days ago? So go go get married, who are you staying loyal for anyway?"

"That obviously I want someone pretty, slim, soft spoken and all unlike that San princess.....

"What The...

Steven felt like slapping himself looking at Riwansa who was standing at the entrance.

She left immediately with a cold expression on her face.

"Brother if my love life gets disturbed 'cause of you I will... I will..I will set that girl up with Chi Zhulin. After saying this he immediately ran after Riwansa not worrying about his brother getting pestered about the marriage at all.