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This is longer than all 4 of my chapters combined I hope it is easy to digest and enjoyale to read, if you have the time please comment. hopefully if you are enjoying the story so far you have subscribed and possibly if you can upvote. But don't worry too much about this. Also if you are offended by the possibilty of gay romance skip the crown princes quater section of the text. Many thanks laura.

Chapter 5 

The other Princesses watched from the far courtyard, the younger girls gushing over the antics of the male princes of Qing. Seohyun sat in slight jealously over Amber's interactions with the princes. "you shouldn't be jealous dear sister, for she can only marry one of them." Yoona spoke gently her hair, she smiled at the floundering the younger princesses made over the princes. "I think that the prince with the boats is soo handsome, his smile is beautiful and he seems so sweet." Seulgi spoke in a overly sweet manner. "Ya! don't you think the 1st prince is the best." joy bounced up and down. Each princes had a great opinion on each prince but many of the younger girls had decided that the 4th Prince was more scary than gallant, however the calculation of the queens decided the 4th prince would be the best to marry if their daughter was to be the next empress of Qing. 

"Yoona? Whom would you choose to wed?" The first queen posed looked down on the older Princess. "I am no longer a young madien, also I am wed. However in my opinion. I would choose the second or the seventh Prince." A curious look took over the queens face. "Why the second or seventh? Why not the 1st Prince? Why not any of the others?" Relaxing into her question Yoona relaxed into her seat. "The battle for holding position is much harder when you are the first wife, since the seventh already has two wives, it would mean I would have much more breathing space. Also neither of his wives have produced a son, if he were to marry me now he would focus more on me than hsi other wives. Which could be helpful in producing an heir for him, increasing my standing and making me look better in front of the emperior. Also his first wife is sickly and his second wife although is his greatest love, she is also a warrior who puts protecting her nation over her marriage." The Queen looked highly impressed with her deduction and the Queen mother firmly gripped her shoulder impressed with her deduction. "What about the second Prince? You choose him too." A smirk arose on the Princesses face. "I believe Princess Boa can explain my deduction in that as I stole it from her." The room turned to the oldest Princes. "He hold the most power of all the princes currently, he holds the largest trading units between Qing, joseon and kamakura. He also has the most hold over his own brothers, he knows how to control them. And if anything were to happen to that of the 1st Prince, I am assured the Emperior would name his heir, However the 4th prince maybe the best husband to choose if you want respect, power and freedom." 

The Queens sat impressed with all their daughters deductions, whilst they continued to discuss the princes Amber entered through the doors. "Ahh, Princess Amber, we were discussing the Princes of Qing. What are you opinions?" Amber breathed out a great shy and began to pull the hem of her dress seelves. "The crown Prince Kris is a massive..." She went to call him names but paused remember that more than just her family was in the room, some Qing handmaddiens were teaching a qing style of stitch to the younger princess. "Is a massive person, he is very tall and stable he would fight well with a staff, but he has had wrist and ankle injuries. He also has a week stomach and poison would effect him greatly. I also believe he suffered sulphur poisoning recently and his liver is recovering currently and he is overly attaced to one of the Qing guards a smaller guard with white hair. Also he is quiet astute and firm." Her last words came out bitterly to explain her distaine in the first Prince. "It is unladylike to deduct the weakness of a Prince like he is an enemy." The Queen mother spoke firmly. "Wouldn't you want to know this if you were choosing a future partner?" Amber asked pointedly and the Queen mother smiled at her question. Before anything could be said princesses Luna spoke up. "Choosing a partner? I thought you were marrying the emperior?" She questioned the other queens in turned look at the Princess. "The Emperior said I would be wasted on him as one of his many wives instead there shall be a competition in my name for my hand. Any great lord or great lord's son from any of the three great nations may enter. With my hand also comes an emperiors dowary." Sighing at the realisation she was basically up for sale. "Any Great lord or great lord's son?" The was a tinge of desperation in Luna's voice. Amber nodded and she watched as Luna's eyes pricked with tears. "Like even Hyun Joon Oppa?" The room was deadly quiet as they waited for Ambers answer. "Luna?" It was gentle but it still cracked with pain. 

Luna raised from her position and bowed to the queens. She smiled painfully at the room "Please excuse me, I am feeling rather exhausted today. I went riding with Prince Key this morning." She hurriedly exited the room and Amber raised to follow her before Boa spoke. "Leave her, she will need time. She knows better than anyone the heartache you have face. But be reminded you have had to feel the pain of reciprocated love been torn away from you, she has felt the pain of been handed the one you love a desire to only watch him pine for someone you cannot hate but only love and feel that you only cause pain." Amber took her seat and began to burn a hole into the ground with her stare. "Why don't you continue with you evaluation of the other Princes?" One of the lesser queens asked. "The Second Prince, he is a strong fighter, he is probably a good swimmer. He has a good build and muscle bulk. He has had issues with his right arm, torn muscles and extensive damage. He also suffers from headaches and is taking a few medicinal wines, I don't think he is as well as he appears. The third Prince likes beautiful things, also it appears to me he is more of a scholar than a fighter. He also has an attraction to another princess." With the statement he turned to look at Princess Krystal. "The 4th Prince is an utter dunderhead, I can't believe he tried to refuse treatments for wounds as great as thoughs." Before Amber could realise what she had said one of the handmaddiens let out a spulltering laugh. 

"I am so sorry, i didn't mean that." She turned to look at the other Qing maiddens. "It's okay, he believes he has to be stronger than anyone else." An elderly maid spoke softly. "His mother was put to death, since he has trained harder and fought harder than any Prince. He never asks for help. ever." Silence over took the room. "Why?" Amber knew pressing details like that were inappropriate but she had to know, "She used to hurt the Prince, Their were 13 Princes however the oldest was the 4th princes full brother and their mother couldn't handle the death of her crown prince. She blamed the 4th prince after a shaman told her if she as to have more than one child she would definitely lose her first. The original Crown Prince suffered pneumonia after jumping in the river to rescue the basket of the 4th Prince, he passed away 2 weeks after. when the fourth prince got to the age of 5 he began to look exstremely like the old crown prince and she began to harm him." Amber was in pure shock at the knowledge she has been told. Her face turned to a ghostly white and a dizziness overtook her head. "I..I..I don't know what to say." A silent tear rolled down the Princess cheek. And the old maidden patted her hand gently. 

The Queen mother heard many stories but this was more sickening than most, the chat had taken a change and to reslove the bad atmosphere. "What about the others?" Amber took a deep breath. "Well the 5th and sixth prince definitely excercise a lot, but I am not sure about their ability with weaponary. They obviously look after their bodies very well. They are both clearly musically talented. They had callouses on their palms and finger tips. The 7th was intriguing and was the most generous with his gift. He obviously takes pride in his wife. He also confirmed he did not wish fro a third wife. or wanted someone like me as a third wife as I would be in his own words wasted." She secretly admired his answer, knowing it was more to do with the love he held for is second wife than allowing her freedom. She saw the joy and love over the masterpieces his wife created and could tell by his scnet pouch that he held his second wife closest to his heart. 

"The other Princes seem like they would make good dongsaengs and need more training and maturing before they aim for something like the competion. The 12th Prince was very sweet and his gist hand made, you shouldn't have put his gift down unnie." Amber stared at Sunny who begna o look embrassed especially when the queen mother gave her a squirming gaze. "I didn't mean to, but it is a toy, I thought he was too old for toys." She tired to save herself but Amber was upset with the kind princes treatment. It was clear to her Prince V was a kind hearted and gentle Prince who took joy in developing. "It is a talent, the model highlights his intelligence and if you looked at the quality they are made with the highest grade material. It is nothing to look down upon unnie." The awkward tension between the two half sisters was felt by all in the room. "Amber-shi, play for you old grandmother. It has been so long since your beautiful music graced my ears." Her instruments were shortly brought into the room by some palace servants one slipping her  a note from hyun joon with her hand rests. 

Amber, I have tired to talk to Luna but she is upset. Maybe it is best if I don't compete.

Ambers eyes began to burn and her heart yearn to go to hyun joon and convince him that it would all be worth it, but the pang of self hate rose when she thought to her innocent sister. She began to place the song of the loast seasons and the love winter and spring felt for each other as they streamed together and the pain of one sided love summer felt over their syncronisty. "Why is it that girl can pain every heart when she sings a love song?" It was the voice of Great empresses of Qing the first wife. The sudden question caused Amber to faulter in her song and come to an abrupt stop. "Please do not stop on my account. I heard the beautiful voice that graced my emperior and Princes earlier and wanted to know which mere child had such an angelic voice." The Empress was defined and beautiful, she walked with the grace a swan would glide in the water and had teady and simple gestures that allured power over a room. Her dress was a deep wine colour to highlight she was a Empress but it was richer than any wine material Amber had ever seen and had a slik like look to appear as if it was flowing blood. "As you wish Empress." Amber bowed deeply as she sat on the floor with her instrutment she gently and delicately pluked each string and sung the song of the Empresses beauty. She sung completely in Mandarin only impressing the Empress further with her dictation and understanding of the words. 

"You child, will cause the downfall of many great houses." Many in the room knew of the Empresses Shaman like predictions but the words repeating now were words many of the Queens had heard prophecised before. A soft tear with a tint of rose sliped from the Empresses eye. None but the Queen mother knew the Empresses had just seen Ambers future. "I am only one person and none more special than my own good sistes." Her brow furrowed with curiousity as she looked into the Empresses eyes and for a small split second she saw herself with many children. "Child, don't take my words with heed, I am but an old women impressed by such a young women filled with grace and beauty." She petted her hair softly, "It is becoming a late hour my friends, maybe the Princesses should take rest whilst us women talk. I know many of my other Qing Queens would enjoy a game of mahjong." 

With the Empresses words Amber slowly hussled the younger Princessees out the the room and directed them to their quaters and guards. "Amber? Your quaters are in the west wing, why are you going to the east wing?" Taeyeon asked. "I need to speak with Prince Onew, he sent me a message." Taeyeon nodded. "Take a guard on your way back it maybe late." Amber nodded and went on her way. Amber quickly ran to the east wing to the large rest area the prince usually took to, to drink and socialise. "Oppa? Oppa?" She ran into the area before realising the situation she had walked into. It wasn't only her brothers in the courtyard but also the Princes of Qing. Onew was holding the Crown Prince by the volour and second Prince had Minho pinned to one of the sitting platforms. May of her other brothers and the princes were in simular poisitons. "What is going on here?" Her voice was calm steady but lcearly loud enough to stop any further actions. "Onew! Drop the Crown Princes collar. And everyone else you will stop fighting immediately and sit down before I call the guards or worse the king and Emperior. Let alone I call the Queens and Empress." At this each Prince dropped their opponent and went to sit facing Amber. 

"I don't particularly want to know what has been said and done this eve but I assure you if it happens again, you better hope the king and Eperior protect you from my wrath. Brothers you know better than how to trest your guests. And you Princes should have respect when being a guest in someone elses home. Clean yourselves up." It was only after she was finished talking she noticed the small guard from before in the pavillon. "You!" She pointed at the small figure. "Come here." He went to move. "Stop! It is not your right to speak to him, I will deal with him." The Crown Prince stood. "He is at fault as a royal guard of Qing he should have informed the Guards outside for assistance to calm all of you down not stand by and watch. You may treat him as you see fit, but you should hide you attachment to the child better." A hissing silence came from the other Princes. "What are you trying to get at Princess?" She stared him down. "You should look after what is dear better Prince Kris, Now everyone else go to your own quaters I am not allowing you to drink or cause anymore fusses tonight. Onew Oppa I need to speak with you urgently." 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Back in the far courtyard <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

"I was informed by royal court member your prophecies have never been wrong, is that true?" The Queen Mother took a long gulp of her tea waiting for the Empresses response. "I have only ever predicted one false prophecy in my time as a shaman, that was that Madame shou's son would be the next emperior. But after he passed away I do not believe the prophecy to be a truth." She looked down at her cup. "But Madame Shou still has a living soon. The fourth Prince. What have you seen of his future?" The First Queen began to question now. "No matter how many times I look into that child I only see the darkness he has faced and the bloodshed he is forced to indure. That child if he can forgive himself will be greater than the far northern star if he would allow himself to see the beauty that lies ahead of him. Until he see a light in his future I can make no sense in what will become of the child." Her words riddle with mayhaps meant that it was clear no impression of an Emperior was left on her. "And what of our child? What of the princess Amber?" The Queen mother knew the truth her words held and could see from the shock in Amber's eye the furture she saw.

"She is as strong as the ocean and can move many with her power. She will be the downfall of many. And to the man who breaks her heart. He will never know what sunlight is again. She will making it through every tough moment and learn, develop, progress and become the greatest she can be. She will hold a place among a royal line no women has held before and she will be honoured and bowed too. But be carefully to comfort her because her wrath from pain is greater than her mercy on the injust." The Empress spoke solidly and foretold the room exactly what they all already new. "What about the downfall of many great houses?" The youngest of the queens asked. Many of the higher royalty knew of the prophecy spoken by the kings grandmother the moment she held the child but it was a rule to never speak of it infront of the children. "The houses that will fall, will fall from the breakdown in there stature and foundation. She will weed out the bad houses and punish those who have cused injustice." 

This was the first time any of the queens had heard a further explanations and made them realise no matter the pain or destruction Amber would face in her life she would also keep the strong morals she had been taught and followed. Amber to the was the perfect mixture between and gracefully lady, a strifying warrior and an elequent politian. Many of the queens took Amber under their guidance after her mothers death. Ambers mother was the most loved by the people in the queens perspective she was kind as she was gracious. Her intelligence was second to none, she would help any queen whom seeked her assistance and unlike the others never seeked the political side of the royal courts. "That girl is a daughter to us all, if her heart is broken what will become of her?" The question stung in but the 4th Queen knew better than any that for them all to gain a prosper they had to know what would cause Amber to rise. "When her heart is broken, she will learn how to make wise political decisions for her peoples future and her own future. If her heart is broken. I assure you she will be the next Empress of Qing or She will rule a land greater than Qing, Joseon and kamakura combined." The words rung in her ears. Every women in the room who cared for Amber knew exactly who would break her heart. 

"And if her heart is never broken?" The Queen mother spoke solemnly. "I didn't see a future for her where her heart did not break from at least one of her greatest loves." The Empress could feel the burning in her chest which meant the future she saw was already goign into action. "One of?" The question was quiet but the empress smiled . "Amber has the heart of two shades, she has two soulmates in her heart whether she meets both is up to the furture. But the first heartbreak will lead her to her second soulmate." The Queens sat in silence pounding the information they have gained. 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> CROWN PRINCE OF QING'S LIVING QUATERS IN JOSEON<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

"Please?" A gentle hand was placed to the crown princes face as his personal kneeled infront of him begging for him to seek treatment. "I know it is painful but you need medical treatment, or at least let me was the wounds with salt water." He begged the Prince only to have his hand pushed away and watch the Prince struggle to lift himself into a sitting position. "No! The Emperior said if I wanted to succeed him I would make it through this without treatment." He spoke through shakey breaths. "Lu Han, please." It was a whispers audiable to only the listener. "If I succeed him, If I am emperior. No one can touch you. You will be..." He struggled through a breath again and reached out to the other man's hand. "Safe." A tear slide down is face as he looked upon the face of the man he loved the most. 

"And I love you too much to watch you do this to yourself for me." He reached forward and began to derobe his Prince. "No.." The pained voiced sent shivers through Luhan as he pushed the Princes weak hands away and continued to adress him. "No you listen to me, You have burns over your skin that have gone untrested for days now, you'll be scarred. you were soaked in unpue sulphur water and poisoned all in an attempt to prove your worth. But you worth it. You are worth more than the constant harm and testing. You mean the world to me and this is killing you. If you die, I won't have anyone else. You are my everything." The last tunic cloth fell off the Princes should and Luhan reached up to his face once again. "I love you." He looked deep into Kris's eye and kissed him. It was long and passionate. The Prince regained his strength to pull the small guard into his arms and hold him to his flesh. 

Each man had tears in their eyes. "Stay with me tonight." Kris whispered into Luhan's hair. "We aren't in Qing now, anyone could come in and check on us." Luhan spoke worriedly. "I don't think I can do this without you." Kris wept into the arms of his lover as the antics of the palace continued around them without effect.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> ONEW'S PRIVATE RESIDENCE IN THE CAPTIAL OF JOSEON<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

The entryway of the smaller grounds was literally with stone slab, creating a gentle pathway to the main terrace of the outer house. Onew as one of the older Princes and wiser was granted larger lands and even bought his own with the developments he had made in trade and governing of the outer captial. He had systemised and created fair trading for the smaller citizens of Joseon and was one of the much loved Princes. The out house was by far the most beautifully decorated it was carved of pine wood and had intricate painted flowers among the paperdoors. A pair of Great ShoeBill Birds were painted on the main entry doors which lead to Onew's private library and study.

"Amber what would make you travel all the way out of the palace to speak to me?" Onew asked sitting two glasses infront of them and pouring a plum wine into each cup. "Have you heard the news?" She asked gently and polietly taking a small sip of the wine. Onew didn't reply but nodded to communicate his knowledge of the competiton. "What do you think of it?" She wouldn't ask any other brother knowing they would only try to please her. "It is good news, Hyun Joon can fight for your hand in marriage. You can have your happily ever after and you don't even have to be shunned for refusing the Emperiors hand in marriage." It was the basics and Onew knew this but looked at her pointely to get the okay for the harsher truths to be spoke.

"However you are going to break you little sisters heart, Luna has be en planning her marriage to hyun joon since she was 7 years old and to think a year before the dream completion her future is stolen away by her favourite sister. You'll still be shunned by Qing because although you haven't directly refused the Emperior you have at least directly refused the future emperior. Also I know Hyun Joon has all the power right now. Something he never even wanted." Everything spoken to Amber was truth but it was a hard reality to face. "What would you do?" She looked lost an indispair. "Honestly?" She looked at him with a small shimmer of hope. "Don't break your sisters heart. Don't choose a boy over your future." Rage burnt up inside of Amber and Onew knew what was next before she could shout Onew spoke again. 

"Don't, do not make the same mistakes I made because you won't just lose what you think is true love, you will end up losing people you didn't even realise loved you." He looked sorrowful. "Oppa, tell me what really happened? Tell me everything?" He stared into his cup and sighed. "When I got to the age of 16 I told the king I wanted more responsibility, he told me I could be a warrior at the time the stories I read made me think that being a warrior was cool. I had trained but I decided I needed to be the best and learn everything. The king sent me to Qing to learn, I trained in the arts of Qing and whilst there I feel in love with one of the palace maid. She was kind and gentle. She worked her way up to being a palace maid from starting off as a slave. At the time I didn't know that any maid of the palace belonged to the Emperior. When I found out I was enraged I tried to convince her to runaway with me. What she didn't tell me was she was to become a royal concubine to the Emperior, after the king adn the Emperior had found out they planned a marriage for myself to one of the Emperiors daughters who feel in love with me at first sight."

He finished the beginnign of the story and Amber was left with many questions. Before she could ask. "No Amber none of my wifes or madames are from the Qing royal line, after I found out about the royal command it couldn't be refused however my marriage could in my rage, She married Ukwon. I believe she is quiet happy. However you know Ukwon doesn't speak to me. Ukwon trying to help me out of the marriage meant punishment on his end. He stared at the floor. His punishment was the cancellation of his marriage to Uee." His eye seemed to lower in his own feelings of self pity. 

"But Uee is your first wife" Ambers statement only burnt onew's ears more. "The king decided instead of a cancelation and proclimation of one marriage in would inforce an exchange. He knew I wouldn't be able to say no to a family who treated me so well, since my first marriage Ukwon has never forgiven me and I have had to watch the one I love live with the Emperior and give birth to his child. I also have to live with the fact I am married to a woman that will never love me and also resent me. Especially as I tried to help her and Ukwon meet but instead a hand maidden from her childhood who used to pass the messages was tortured before her eyes and beaten to death." The room had a deadly silence and the tears rolled down Ambers face. "How could he be so cruel?" The whisper made Amber realise her love was not worht the pain and suffering the King and Emperior could bring down on her.