{"id":92,"date":"2023-07-15T18:39:40","date_gmt":"2023-07-15T18:39:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azuredragonpress.net\/?p=92"},"modified":"2023-07-15T18:57:09","modified_gmt":"2023-07-15T18:57:09","slug":"chapter-2-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azuredragonpress.net\/index.php\/2023\/07\/15\/chapter-2-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chapter 2<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Kinrou returned to his room, he found Kishandren and Aldiara holding up clothes and then tossing them onto one of the three growing piles on the bed. One of the piles seemed to be made up of fancy, high quality clothes. The smallest pile was rough clothing. It was the sort of thing a proper princess would never be caught wearing. It was the kind of clothing she had worn the day they\u2019d met the first time. He knew it was what she preferred to wear out of all the things in her wardrobe. The pile in between was a mixture of the two. It had nothing overly fancy or elaborate as near as he could tell, but it was of decent quality. The clothes were well made and durable. To Kinrou, this meant travelling clothes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI see you\u2019re already hard at work packing,\u201d he observed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI thought it would be best,\u201d Kishandren said without looking away from her task. \u201cAldiara stopped by for a visit not long after I started.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Kinrou glanced from the piles of clothing to the two sisters. \u201cI\u2019m impressed you got this much done.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMost of what Father brought for her are unsuitable for a journey such as this,\u201d Aldiara said, holding up something made of black silk and silver ornaments. For the life of him, he couldn\u2019t imagine how it would be worn.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kishandren made a sour face at it. \u201cIt\u2019s quite cathartic to sort these out. I haven\u2019t had the chance since coming to Karath. This is as good an opportunity as any.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you certain you want to go?\u201d Aldiara asked, tossing the black silk onto the first pile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI am.\u201d Kishandren nodded. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, I\u2019ll make sure I\u2019m back before your coronation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not what I\u2019m worried about. When you leave, I\u2019ll be alone. Sahiren has been so busy these days that I\u2019ve had no one but you to talk to. My personal guards don\u2019t seem comfortable with the idea of having a personal conversation with me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou haven\u2019t made many friends, have you?\u201d Kinrou asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Aldiara shook her head sadly, her long blond hair swaying from side to side. \u201cI understand why most of the nobles and Imperial advisors don\u2019t much care for me. I didn\u2019t do what I did to earn their favour. I worry about the ones willing to speak with me. It\u2019s difficult to say whether they\u2019re interested in me or simply currying favour with their prince.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTalk to Chounen,\u201d Kinrou suggested. \u201cShe\u2019s a noble and a woman, but is otherwise decent. She might be able to help you adjust to Telvanite society. If nothing else, you could play with Toef.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d not thought about Chounen,\u201d Aldiara mused.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo be honest, any of the Dragon Warriors would do,\u201d Kishandren advised. \u201cI found Nahiro to be easy to get along with. My conversations with him made my journey with them much easier. He makes an excellent confidant.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe does,\u201d Kinrou confirmed. \u201cHe\u2019s not much for talking, but he\u2019s a good listener. When he has something to say, it\u2019s something good.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate your advice. Perhaps I will seek them out when I have a spare moment.\u201d Aldiara sighed. \u201cSahiren isn\u2019t the only one with a busy schedule.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s been keeping you busy?\u201d Kinrou asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShinjaloye\u2019s advisors have taken it into their heads to educate me on Telvan\u2019s laws, history, and customs. The laws are fairly similar to Shanshiire\u2019s, so that isn\u2019t difficult. It\u2019s important to know as I will one day be Empress, ruling at Sahiren\u2019s side, but a part of their education involves teaching me to dress and behave like one of their own nobly born ladies.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Kishandren snorted in disgust. \u201cThe only thing I hate more than Kasheran high fashion is the Telvanite concept of dresses. I\u2019d never been more uncomfortable in my life!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Aldiara sighed again. \u201cI\u2019m glad it\u2019s not just me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not,\u201d said Kinrou. \u201cEven Chounen refuses to wear what society says is proper for someone of her birth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy advice is to ignore them,\u201d Kishandren told her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a member of the Imperial house of Shanshiire. Be proud of your heritage. Shake up these overly stuffy Telvanite nobles. Shock them. Be yourself, Aldiara. True, it may alienate some, but I think the people will respect you all the more for it. You\u2019ll likely have to put on some of those horrid dresses from time to time, but don\u2019t let them tell you what to wear outside of that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s sound advice. I\u2019ll need to give it some thought, though.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhile you\u2019re at it, convince Sahiren that you need a shrine to Kal Berash. It doesn\u2019t need to be anything large or elaborate, but you still need one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d Kinrou asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen your brother married Ishalaad, he had a small shrine to Kal Valorn built for her out of respect for their people\u2019s beliefs. She also often dresses in the Jiinalese style. Our nobility was scandalized for many years. The birth of our nephew mollified them somewhat.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, dress how I please and provide Sahiren with an heir. This is your advice?\u201d Aldiara asked, giving Kishandren a puzzled look.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes. Trust me, you\u2019ll be much happier.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlus, I don\u2019t think the bit about an heir is going to be a problem,\u201d Kinrou teased. \u201cI\u2019ve seen how Sahiren looks at you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Had Aldiara\u2019s skin been a paler shade, her embarrassment would have been far more visible. Kishandren noticed, but Kinrou wasn\u2019t familiar enough with Kasheran people to pick up on the subtle change to her colouration.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStop it, Kinrou, you\u2019re embarrassing her,\u201d Kishandren scolded. \u201cIf you aren\u2019t careful, she\u2019ll start asking <\/span>us <\/i><\/span>if children will happen anytime soon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Kinrou paled and shook his head. \u201cI\u2019m still adjusting to having a <\/span>wife<\/i><\/span>!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, don\u2019t tease her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s ok, Kisha,\u201d Aldiara assured her, regaining her composure. \u201cHe isn\u2019t wrong. I\u2019ve seen it, too. I know he still wishes I was you, but he seems to be quite fond of me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think I can take care of the rest of this if you\u2019d like to go,\u201d Kishandren told her. \u201cI shouldn\u2019t pack too much, anyway.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Aldiara looked at her elder sister, exasperated. \u201cI suppose it\u2019s a waste of time to remind you of your rights as an Imperial princess and your duty to our family.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no sense in bringing things I either can\u2019t or won\u2019t wear and bog us down with unnecessary weight; however, I won\u2019t take anything that would cause people to think poorly of our family. I\u2019ve told you this already.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you intend to do this, then I need to know you\u2019ll be alright.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf she were anyone else, I\u2019d tell you I\u2019d take good care of her, but I\u2019m quite sure she can take care of herself,\u201d Kinrou said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf she was anyone else, you wouldn\u2019t have married her,\u201d Aldiara commented. There was a slight smile on her lips as she left the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re almost done packing?\u201d Kinrou asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think so. I just need to put it in my pack.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen to our supplies,\u201d he continued. \u201cThere\u2019s only so much food we can carry ourselves, so most of that is money instead. Our horses are being prepared and they have found a pack horse for us to use. Mienna said she\u2019ll talk to Shinjaloye for us. Rikkala said she would talk to someone she knows in Zalityu to help make this easier.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Kishandren frowned, pausing in her search for a pack. \u201cWho\u2019s Rikkala, exactly?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know how much I can tell you about her without breaking some rules, but I <\/span>can<\/i><\/span> tell you she\u2019s important in the Chant.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe sounds like Balindren, one of my father\u2019s advisors. I got the impression that she was part of the Chant of Metal, but I\u2019ve never once seen her wear the robes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHmm. That name sounds familiar from somewhere?\u201d He shook his head. \u201cThen again, a lot of Kasheran names sound similar, so it could just be my mind playing tricks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt could be,\u201d Kishandren agreed. \u201cIt helps, I have a similar problem with Telvanite names.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy name is apparently Zalite, so no worries there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone told me that not long after I became a Dragon Warrior. I certainly look Zalite so that fits,\u201d he said, tugging on his red hair.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t imagine not knowing who you are or where you come from.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He shrugged. \u201cIt\u2019s not something I worried about growing up. I had Jiken and his mother after all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPart of you still craves family, though,\u201d Kishandren insisted. \u201cThe Sky Lords wouldn\u2019t have been able to use that knowledge as an incentive otherwise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose, though to be honest, I think I\u2019m more curious why Leshmiir trying to force Aldiara into that marriage was such a huge crisis. It seems like such a small thing in the long run.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMost world changing events look that way at first. If the Sky Lords feared it, then we should take that seriously.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t suggesting we do otherwise, but I want to know what would have happened if we hadn\u2019t gotten her out of there in time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI admit I\u2019d like to know that as well, but I\u2019m also curious why the Fire Lord is sending you to Zalityu rather than simply telling you what you want to know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure he has his reasons. Personally, I\u2019m hoping it\u2019s because he\u2019s sending me to meet my parents, or even someone who knows them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hope that at least one of them is still alive,\u201d Kishandren said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMe, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou should pack some clothes,\u201d she advised, changing the subject.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat won\u2019t take long. I\u2019ve got simpler needs than you do.\u201d Eyeing the piles of clothes, he added, \u201cAnd less clothing to worry about.\u201d<\/span>
\nChapter 3<\/a><\/a>
\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chapter 2<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Kinrou returned to his room, he found Kishandren and Aldiara holding up clothes and then tossing them onto one of the three growing piles on the bed. One of the piles seemed to be made up…… <\/p>\n

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