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"Lady Lihua," a familiar young maid pokes her head through the ajar door, "Your mother is requesting your attendance immediately at the entrance."
"Thank you, Nuan," I acknowledge while attempting to secure the final knot of today's attire. From the mirror's reflection, I notice her stifling her giggles with her hand clasped against her mouth. Puckering my lips in exasperation, I turn to meet the prominently amused maid, childishly whining as I spoke, "Please, instead of laughing, just help me."
Nuan grins as she closes the door behind her, then striding towards me, "You should have simply said so, Lady Lihua," quickly, the red fabric is attached around my waistline as I wanted.
"Drop the formalities when we are alone, I constantly tell you that," I tell her, lightly smacking her with my sensu.
She laughs in response, showing me a teasing smile as she tucks her short brown locks behind her ear, "I know, I know, Sometimes it is hard to believe you are the same straightforward, intelligent lady whenever you whine like that."
"Behaving proper and ladylike all-day is honestly exhausting," I responded, recalling the numerous times my mother scolded for not sitting straight.
"By the way, where are all the other maids? Are they not supposed to help you dress up?" She questions, fixing the golden hairpiece atop my flawlessly styled head.
"I kicked them out. I needed some time for myself before facing the Fire Lord."
"You should have let them do their job first before doing so, good thing I came," placing a hand apathetically over my shoulder, she utters, "Do not worry. Perform the way your parents expect you to, and everything will go smoothly," ending with that, together we exit my room, her escorting me to my destination. Immediately fluttering my sensu out, I place it to conceal my face, only to reveal my eyes.
"And please do inform me before you sneak out at night, I almost had a heart attack when I saw your empty bed," Nuan whispers as another servant walks pass us, "I hope it was worth it."
My thoughts rope back to the mysterious stranger I encountered last night. Lee and I's time may have been short, but I genuinely relished it. He is the first person to have viewed my face, since becoming 12, no one outside this household is to do so. It was refreshing, "Totally worth it."
After the swift transportation on the carriage, I find myself standing in front of the Royal Palace, where I would be greeting the Fire Lord alongside the other potential consorts. I examine my surrounding to see the countless beaming ladies murmuring to each other behind their sensu. Gradually breathing in and out, I follow behind the mass and step towards the glorious palace.
By the entrance, there stood a gaunt man with hands clasped behind his arched back, bearing clothes with a golden dragon breastpin, primarily a duke would regularly wear. Following him is a finely aged and elegant woman, without a doubt Lady Ursa, the Fire Lord's mother.
The arched man loudly clears his throat, "I assume everyone arrived, Fire Lord Zuko—" earsplitting squeals immediately erupts from various young ladies, causing the remaining of us to grimace in discomfort, "ladies please, heed my instructions. He is, at the moment, very much consumed with paperwork—" instantly women awed behind their sensu, "yes, yes, very unfortunate. He wishes to spend time with each one of you individually before conclusively making a decision. Thus no relationships are permitted with anyone else until he chooses his consort."
I was becoming fidgety for no reason then.
Suddenly multiple messenger hawks from the palace's rooftop soar above and dive towards us, a note attached to their leg. When obtaining one, I discover a date written cursively. My eyebrows spontaneously knit when realizing that is tomorrow's date.
"The given dates are when you are holding your gathering with Fire Lord Zuko. You are to arrive at the palace, sharply at 10 o'clock. Explanations for absences are to be informed days before the date you received," sighing as his eyes began darting to each potential consort, "Now, who has gotten tomorrow?"
My hand rose, the note clung between my middle and forefinger, sensu still firmly held to my lips, "I did. My name is Lihua Xiong, daughter of general Boqin," the duke quietly nods in recognition while Lady Ursa smiled brilliantly at me.
