"We can't spend the rest of our lives like this, Mingxia." Qiang was tugging on his daughter's sleeve, begging for her to drop the agenda she had in mind. 

"We were invited to the palace. What do you think would happen if we don't go?"

"We can go but we should not stay."

"You don't have to but I will."

"Mingxia-"

"Are you really my father?!" Mingxia was red in the face by now and Qiang cowered under her glares.

"Your brother and moth-"

"Do not. Do not bring up your wife and your son's name because of your own cowardice. Are you going to just let the bastard get away with killing innocent people? Our people?"

Qiang did not respond to his daughter's questions and he didn't try to stop her when she stormed out of the house with her belongings for the trip to the palace. The emperor's birthday was coming up and their dance crew had managed to make a big enough name for themselves that the emperor invited them to perform. All of this working in favor and fueling Mingxia's desire to make sure someone worthy makes their way to the throne. Qiang weeped lightly behind closed doors at the worry for his daughter's life. She was all he had left. Why can't she understand that revenge would drive her to her end?

Mingxia breathed heavily with sweat glistening on her forehead as she brought her legs back in from her fighting position. She then moved her hands in a wide circle motion, bringing them together in front of her chest to soothe her breathing. As her breathing settled down, Mingxia looked over at her long silk fan. It was mainly red in color with some white on the hand held portion of the fan, no intridcate designs or anything. It was the only thing left behind by her mother. Her mother who grieved so much for her son and died before the grieving period could even leave. Tears involuntarily made their way down her cheeks as anger once again overtook her emotions. Why can't her father understand that the only way for her brother and mother to not have died in vain was to take down the corruption that littered this kingdom?

"Make sure Eudaimonia's emperor knows how much an alliance with us would benefit them." Zhihui nodded at her mother's words, happy that she was finally looking at her now. Zhihui was hoping for Queen Shaoai to say more but her attention was already on Zhihao, Zhihui's twin brother. Shanghai's princess watched as her mother patted down Zhihao with pride in her eyes, a motherly smile on her face as she cupped the crowned prince's face.

"I know you'll do well. Make me proud."

"I will." Zhihao let out a confident smile. He also squeezed Zhihui's hand that was in his reassuringly. With Zhihui there, he was confident everything would go well. Zhihui smiled at her brother's contact and the two were ushered into their carriage before the sun set. 

The brother and sister sat quietly in their individual carriages until Zhihao called out to Zhihui. 

"Hey sis, look at the beautiful scenery we're passing!" Zhihui pulled over the cloth covering the carriage window at her brother's words, smiling fondly at the water with a setting sun in the backdrop.

"It is beautiful." Zhihao heard the longing in Zhihui's voice and couldn't help but feel apologetic.

"Thanks for coming with me to Eudaimonia, sis." 

"I did promise to help you, didn't I?" Zhihui offered her brother a reassuring smile, one which he readily returned with one of his jubilant eye smiles. 

Their carriages came to a stop once they reached the pier and Zhihao shot out of his carriage over to Zhihui's. Zhihui had just exitted her own carriage with the aid of her personal bodyguard, Hu Jitian. Zhihao stopped the two from advancing another step and Jitian backed up as per his request.

Zhihao let out another of his cheerful smiles before swooping his sister into his arms. Zhihui was about to protest his actions but he spoke before she could. "This is the least I can do for my precious sister so just let me." Again, Zhihui couldn't help but smile, making herself comfortable in his hold.

As their ship set sail, Zhihui turned to look back at her homeland. This was the first time she left the palace much less travel to another kingdom and she couldn't help but worry about the new environment. Zhihui then turned to watch her brother - the only one who can give her reassurance - who stood at the end of ship. He was embracing the freedom he'll get for a while. No politics, no pushy mothers, no expectations, no worries.

"Yuria.." Japan's 106th emperor, Tomohito Akitsuto, peered over at his sister to see her lifeless and blank.

"Yes, your highness?" She continued to sip on her tea, eyes void of life and face expressionless. 

"The ministers-" Emperor Akitsuto tried to explain but that was when Yuria shot him a dark look.

"You pitiful coward. How low of you to try to use the ministers in your defense." Yuria smirked at the emperor's shocked expression before he quickly sighed. Instead of responding to his dearest sister, he strode out of her room to let her clear her head. Yuria had the smirk plastered on her face until she was sure he has gone far enough to be out of ear shot. The princess squeezed the small tea cup in her hand until her fingers turned white before striking it at the floor. And she proceeded to destroy whatever her arms and legs could come in contact with, yelling with tears in her eyes behind her closed room doors. 

Two hours later, the carriage to the pier was ready and the servant fetched the princess from her chambers. Yuria stepped out of her room in light and small steps, her head held high with her eyes void of vitality. She stared blankly ahead as her servant guided her down through the open corridors until they spotted the emperor at the corner of one. The servants had stopped to pay their respects but Yuria's face continued to hold no expression. She didn't even look at her brother as she just stared ahead lifelessly, waiting idly for her servant to walk again. Emperor Akitsuto let out one last deep sigh when his sister paid him no attention, ushering the servants to continue on their way.

Even when they were on the ship, Yuria had remain stone-faced, holding no regards for anyone around her.  

"Would you like some food, your highness?" 

Yuria's servant awaited a response as the princess laid in her bed, staring idly at the ceiling. There was no change in Yuria's behaviour throughout the jounrey to Eudaimonia. She didn't speak to anyone, didn't reply to anyone, didn't even look at anyone. Every so often her servant would see a bite or two out of the food that was prepared for the princess or nobody would have known the princess even moved from her spot.

"I will go but the choice for my husband is mine alone." Nahla stared at her parents, the rulers of Edenia, with resolution. Emperor Ba Naewon turned to his Empress, Ba Hyewon, to see what reaction she would give and when the Empress gave a curt nod, Emperor Naewon agreed to Nahla's terms.

"On the condition that he has to be a Kim brother." Nahla didn't want to test her luck with her parents again, agreeing in the end that this was them all making a compromise. 

"The carriage is ready," Nahla's servant announced.

"I will be out soon. Await for me at the main gates." Nahla's servant bowed at the crowned princess's words before making her exit. 

"It's time for me to leave, father, mother. When I return, I will make sure to have someone worthy to rule our kingdom by my side." With her last words spoken, Nahla bowed her head at her parents and left the grand hall where her parents were residing.

As Nahla made her way to her prepared carriage, she made sure to deeply root into her mind how her kingdom looked, who was around her, who would be the ones she'll be protecting the next time she returns to the kingdom. 

Her people. With that thought in mind, Nahla took one last deep breath and approached her carriage with a steadfast goal. Only the best will deserve her kingdom.

"Look at the design of this dessert! The buns smell so good. Do you hear the sizzling of the wok going in that restaurant?!" Xinyi beamed with excitement at the unfamiliar place around her as her companion struggled to keep up.

"Xinyi, wait! The food!" Said girl turned around to see Jacob with so many different packages of food that when he tripped over the road, Xinyi saw a package fly out of his arms-

"Gotcha~" Xinyi laughed as she caught the package in midair, immediately ripping it open to grab a piece of the dumpling. Her eyes widened at the delicacy, grabbing another one to feed Jacob after he fixed his balance. His hands were full. Although the boy wanted to refuse with all the strange looks the others gave them because of his friend's boisterous laugh, he couldn't help but open his mouth when she waved the food in his face and smacked the dumpling on his mouth a few times, leaving oil stains all over his jaw.

"It's delicious right?! What else do you have?!" Xinyi crumpled up the now empty paper, feeding Jacob the last dumpling before grabbing another package from his arms. The girl laughed as she continued to devour the delicacies of Eudaimonia, not forgetting to feed her friend every now and then. That was until the boy tried to tell her to stop eating all their food for the trip. 

The duo had been quiet for a few minutes after the girl started to ignore him for attempting to keep the food out of her reach even though she still managed to grab one although that silence was broken by the ever so prideful Xinyi.

"Here." She was feeling apologetic considering that Jacob was carrying all their things and she was just busy eating. Jacob smiled before accepting the food. "You disgusting thing, you nearly swallowed my finger!!"

Haneul was heading towards the palace behind a line of others when she felt the weight of someone push into her, nearly making her lose her footing. Haneul turned to look at the girl that bumped into her but the girl just kept her head low and bowed lightly for her actions.

The girl didn't seem to be around here, Haneul would have recognized the people she was with. Especially since they were looked like performers as well.

"It's okay," Haneul responded to the girl's bow before continuing, "You're performing at his majesty's birthday too right?" Haneul saw the beautiful girl look up and nod.

"I'm Syeira," the girl smiled. Admist the discomfort of being in a new environment, it was nice to have someone to talk to. One who was headed in the same direction with her. 

"Kang Haneul!?" The guard rushed out of his chair to shake hands with the famous musician, nearly drooling out of his open mouth when Haneul approached the registrar. Haneul giggled and returned his handshake to which the soldier passionately shook. He didn't seem to want to let go-

"Alright buddy, wouldn't want to damage the hands of my niece who will be playing for his majesty would you?" The soldier let go sheepishly, earning a few laughs from the others around. Haneul turned to look at her "manager", Park Yoon. The 35 year old laughed as Haneul glared at him for showing up so late. The soldier then returned to his seat to check in the ones behind them, Syeira and her group.

"We are merchants sent by the Hungarian King himself to offer exqusite items for trade as well as to perform for the majesty's birthday." The soldier scanned the list of guests on his document but in fear that not letting the group in would damage relations between Eudaimonia and Hunrary, allowed them in after a thorough inspection of their heavy luggage.

Syeira watched as the soldiers opened the large boxes they had, poking their swords through the items carefully as to not damage anything expensive. Once the guards gave the man at the chair an ok, her group proceeded into the palace grounds. Syeira was walking side by side with the girl, who she now knows is named Hanuel. Although she wanted to converse with her a bit more, saw the girl was too busy with the man that had joined her at the gates. Haneul seemed slightly annoyed by the man but Syeira could see that she did not really dislike the company of the other.

"Hey, keep up with the group!" Syeira turned to see her "master" yelling at her, his whip in hand if any of his purchases tried anything. Especially her. At this moment, Syeira couldn't help but be jealous of the happiness Hanuel showcased. As if mocking her and showing her how different the two of them are even though they're both performers in their own right.

"There must be a lot of preparation for his majesty's birthday. For the next week or so, focus on the banquet for the emperor's birthday and make sure all guests will be fully accommodated. I'll have others attend to me." Fuhwa bowed in understanding of Consort Wu's instructions, disappearing ultimately from the chambers after she excused herself.

As she made her way around the grounds of Palace Cherishing Essence - Consort Wu's area of governing and lifestyle, Fuhwa smiled and greeted all those she came in contact with, her presence drawing in a good reaction wherever she went. Even some of the uptight palace guards let out a laugh or two at her wit before bidding her a good day then going on their way. As the girl made her way past The Palace of Earth Tranquility - the area where the empress resided - she couldn't help but look. Maybe he would be there practicing his sword techniques again? If there was a chance to run into him-

"Fuhwa!" Fuhwa couldn't help but beam at the voice she so anticipated to hear. She turned to see Eudaimonia's first prince, Minseok, running over to her with a gummy smile on his face.

"So did you get the riddle I asked you about? 

"I forgot what the riddle was... with his majesty's birthday coming up and everything..." Usually, Fuhwa would be able to answer the riddles Minseok asked her but Consort Wu had her running more errands than lately that she didn't even have time to sit down for a breather, much less think about the riddle.

"Of no use to one, Yet absolute bliss to two.

The small boy gets it for nothing. The young man has to lie or work for it. The old man has to buy it.

The baby’s right, The lover’s privilege, The hypocrite’s mask.

To the young girl, faith; To the married woman, hope; To the old maid, charity. 

What am I? "

"I'll have an answer for you by tomorrow." 

"I'm hoping it's an answer I want." Fuhwa peered up at Minseok, confused by his words. He then urged her to continue on her way, not giving her a chance to question him.

As Fuhwa continued to make her way through The Forbidden City, she had Minseok's riddle in mind the whole time. A blush ultimately made its way onto her cheeks when she realized the answer. A kiss.

Xinyuan peered out of her windows to see the servants bustling around, overhearing about his majesty's birthday banquet coming up. She revelled in the hope that she can now finally appeal to his majesty himself. Now's her chance to become at least a concubine after all these years of being here.

The girl had entered the palace as a lady of talent when she was 18. 6 years since then, she has caught the attention of basically every man except for the emperor himself, the only one who really mattered. Besides the fact that all women in the palace belonged to the Emperor and only him, Xinyuan knew that the only one who can truly give her the amenities that she so want was the ruler of Eudaimonia himself.

Xinyuan unconciously reached to caress her back, anger resurfacing as she remembered the way she was treated a few years prior for catching the unwanted eyes of Consort Wu's eldest son, the third prince, Wu Yifan. She had bowed to the prince out of courtesy but the prince mistook the beauty's actions. Consort Wu eventually finds out about her son's little infatuation with one of the beauties and had gone out of her way to make sure the girl remembered just exactly where she stood in terms of ranking. The girl had been bedridden for months after she was beat with a bamboo stick on her back.

With all her past savings being used to ensure that her beauty was kept well intact for a chance like this to arise again, Xinyuan refuses to believe anything else besides what she wanted would happen. Not only had Consort Wu punished her for something so stupid, she made sure that Xinyuan would never make her appearance for the Emperor himself.

Xinyuan was determined to overcome Consort Wu's oppression. She had waited for so many years and it's been the first time that Consort Wu even allowed her personal servant to help with the banquet rather than attend to her. After overhearing a few more rumors, Xinyuan found the reason for that being several princesses were going to be showing up for the celebration in hopes of creating or strengtening their alliance with Eudaimonia. Consort Wu would be too busy trying to win the support of the other kingdoms for her son worry about a trivial little lady of talent like herself.

Xinyuan let out a smirk as she dolled herself up. She'll make sure the next victim of the bamboo stick was going to be Consort Wu.

Chapter one is finally out! So I mostly included characters that were outside Eudaimonia besides the chosen characters. For those that are already in the kingdom, they'll show up when the time calls for it.  It would mean alot if you guys not only comment what you liked about the chapter but also give constructive criticsm. I'm half writing this story for myself and another for you guys so I want you guys to enjoy it along the way as well. Btw, I'll be slightly using the Forbidden City as a the basis of the palace so here's a cropped image so things are hopefully less confusing. Anyways, see y'all in the next update! 

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