The Palace grounds were filled with servants bustled about preparing for the coronation of their princes and princesses. Rose petals were strewn all over the stone steps and decorative pillars erected for the ceremony. Tamed dragons trained for mindless entertainment were set to fly above the premises of the coronation. Four makeshift thrones sat under a purple canopy, adorned with an impressive embroidered stag, the symbol of the imperial family. The coat of arms of distant clans marked the many offerings and tributes made to the royal siblings, al displayed out on a endless row of tables. The civilians who would attend could place their gifts there too. 

Trays of food were carried out of the imperial kitchen by the dozen, all garnished till mouth watering perfection and arranged in elaborate formations that were the results of the arduous effort put in by the chefs. Sticky rice cakes in pink, green and yellow,spicy tofu stew,beef kebabs, roast duck stuffed with diced vegetables, fermented cabbages, chrysanthemum jelly, gelatin cakes, frozen fruit and crisp, light, vegetable pancakes were arrayed for all guests.

“Must we really wear these restrictive robes? “ Taeyeon grumbled, holding up the ceremonial gown prepared for the occasion. She had a considerable distaste for long flowing gowns and jeweled hooks.

Mi Young on the other hand puts on the fancy garments wordlessly. Though her sullen expression is a tell-tale sign of her unwillingness to get through the coronation. "I don't think we have a choice." her stoic expression made her resemble Kris for a second.

Taeyeon noticed her quietness and put down her outfit. "Hey. " she placed a hand on her sister's back. Tiffany made no sign acknowledging Taeyeon's actions.

"You're silent, it frightens me."

Tiffany fixed her robe. "Let's get this over and done with." 

Must we wear this colourful garb?" Tao asked for the nth time. His whines were starting to annoy Kris. "Of all days, why choose today to start speaking?" Kris mumbled.

"Was I even talking to you?" Tao snapped back. It was probably the prospect of being coupled with one of his sisters that triggered his thunder-like moods. "Are you really that unwilling to carry put the prophecy? How much hurt would it cause you anyway? The one who will die isn't you ."

Tao stared at his twin in utter disgust. "That's the difference between you and I. " He storms away to the other end of the room in a huff, away from Kris. He says to no one in particular, "A man who won't die for something isn't fit to live." Kris holds back. It was pointless to rebuke a agitated Tao.

He struggled with clasping on a hook behind him, making many sounds that irritated Kris to no end. "Let me do it!" Kris growled. He snatched the hook and fabric from his brother and works on fixing his get up. Tao shivered and made no comment.

"Let's be cordial shall we?" Kris waved his white flag.

"I have always been cordial. You just annoy me so." 

"Brotherhood is the very price and condition of man's survival."

"In the country of pain, we are each alone." Tao sounded cynical.

"Will you stop that?!"

The ceremony began at the sound of the noon gong. Civilians had gathered to witness the inguration of their beloved princes and princesses. Shaded from the glaring sun, the four siblings pledge their allegiance to their people and the moon spirit.

Tao mumbled his script, earning a glare from his siblings. 

Kris, being the publicised superlative sibling kept a regal front for the audience. 

A few hundred palace dancers adorn with so many gold chains, it looked painful to even hold their necks up, performed a synchronised dance depicting the prophecy. A stag was taken to the tree of life and tied to it.

In accordance to the ancient ceremonial ritual, an oracle was to kill the stag and extract its bone marrow to use as an Oracle Bone. The blood stains on the bone would tell when the next pair of twins would be birthed. 

Like a lantern in a moonless night, the palace oracle stepped into the scene. Kris made a mental note to give her the sack before the royal treasury went bankrupt.

The palace oracle who only appeared on religious ceremonies had the honour of arranging their marriages. "I betroth Her royal highness, Lady Huang Mi Young to His royal highness, Lord Huang Zi Tao." she announced with jubilation in her voice. " Twins born of the Spring, but not of the spirit, they shall contest equally with their siblings."

Mi Young's displeased expression was prominent, but nevertheless, she maintained her poise. 

And the peasants cheered on ignorantly with their mouths stuffed.

Drawing a sword, an executioner deftly kills the stag in one blow. Its blood flows out from its wound like the yellow river during the monsoon. 

The oracle slapped the blood of the matured stag onto a stone. "Born of the the Autumn but of the spirit, I betroth Her royal highness, Lady Qin Tai Yuan to His royal highness, Kris Wu Yi Fan." The result of her violent hand movements with the brush was a symmetrical six-sided figure with angles of sixty degrees at every intersect.

"God grant me the serenity to accept things I cannot change, the courage to change things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. " Tao mutters under his breath. 

"The lockdown shall commence."

AN:

Hi readers, I'm not one to say hi but since tofu did it, I will. Thanks to all who have supported us by reading and subscribing. Feel free to leave questions at my blog. Yes. Ask questions there. I'm seonmin97 and I write angst and anything unhappy. But rest assured, tofu wouldn't allow me to do that here. Once again, thank you for reading.