A Groom? - Part II

- I am not marrying anyone! - Mei Yang hit her fist on the table.

- Your Majesty, the Princess is only thirteen years old, I do not think it is the ideal time... - Mi Gu dared to make a comment.

- I decide which the ideal moment for her to get married is. It is time for Mei Yang to raise a family, to feel the weight of responsibility. Naran's throne will be hers, in the future, and as queen her should generate many heirs.

- No! - Mei Yang protested firmly by standing up.

- Your Majesty, the princes of Sunri are all married and already have a family, but there is one person who is as influential as the princes inside the city, the son of Sunri's general, Yan Feng. He is also young like Mei Yang and I believe they will both get along well. And it will be a perfect alliance, since a marriage will unite the two states so that both will see each other within the same fighting territory. - General Qiang Mao spoke with a big smile. - If there is an alliance, through a wedding it will be very advantageous.

The king scratched his thoughtful chin and walked from one side to the other as if he considered the general's indication, but on the other side, he seemed to consider other things in his mind.

- Mei Yang is the future queen of Naran, I have to know very well anyone who will marry her. - Mei Yang seemed extremely upset. After all, she was the future queen of Naran and her opinion had been totally discarded. She is the one who would marry, she is the one who would generate these damned heirs, and how could she not give a simple opinion about her possible marriage? And the general giving indications of suitors, what was all that? He was her suitor, not the general's son of how many! Mei Yang snorted with extreme rudeness, sat on her chair lined with a yellow cloth and supported her hands on her chin facing Qiang Mao, with great hatred, but even after making a scene not very befitting the decor of a princess, almost nobody cared. Except Mi Gu who gave her a light slap in his arms to behave in the royal throne room. - Summon the general and his son to the princess's birthday party. Mifu, send two letters to Sunri, one to the king and the other to the general. As for the wedding, I myself will write to the general about it. The council of war is dismissed.

All present bowed solemnly to the king while he walked to his throne. All the counselors left, but Mei Yang did not seem to be in the mood to leave. She stood up with great fury from her place and pounding her feet hard on the ground, she approached the throne, and without even bowing, she pointed her finger to the king's face.

- Father, how dare you give me in marriage to a stranger? Aren't you afraid to marry a tyrant? Or to marry someone who wants to usurp my throne? - The king fixed his big black eyes already tired of life covered with wrinkles and dark circles and limited himself to smiling. In fact, Mei Yang was a princess who had her blood. She was the only one who had the courage to point those small, rolling fingers at his face to question him about something she did not owe her. She was a woman, and any woman of Naran had to be married to the man chosen by her father.

- Put down that finger, whom do you think you are talking? The marriage of a queen is made according to advantages for her kingdom. How do you think you will get married?

- I intend to marry out of love; a queen has to marry the one she loves.

- Mei Yang, nobody marries for love. Before thinking about it you must think about your duty. While running around the palace like a silly, carefree child, you should focus on your future. Now that is enough of this matter, it is already decided.

- But, Father...

- Mi Gu, hold that princess and teach her manners. - The young tutor, who was facing the door scene, quickly approached the throne and held the princess. - When you are in the throne room, I am not your father. I am your king. Now go out and write a hundred times the ten codes of the virtuous woman, decorate and recite ten times each line. - This will be your punishment!

The king left the throne room and Mei Yang stood there staring at the throne with her mouth open without believing she was engaged to a stranger. All that was supposed to be a nightmare, it had to be! Why should she marry a stranger?? Why was a woman born? Why should only men have the right to marry the one they love? Tears wanted to descend on her face, but she swallowed every knot stuck in her throat and ran out of there. She only heard Mi Gu's voice calling her, but she didn't care. She wasn't going to marry a stranger, she wasn't!

Mi Gu tried to reach the princess, but his legs weren't as fast as that tantrum child. Then he stopped halfway, near the first prince's palace, when he saw that majestic figure covered with jewels accompanied by two handmaids, one holding her right arm and the other who was one-step behind and a group of eight guards lined up making her escort. The Tutor did not even need a cold look from the noble consort to bow down; his protective instinct had already warned him before he could think of doing it. Mi Gu then knelt down while she passed by with her haughty air for him without caring about his presence.

So was the Noble Consort, Ayame, mother of the first Prince Amon. She was known within Naran's state as a person, who saw other people's problems with great indifference, was arrogant, and everyone said she did not obey orders from the widowed queen or the mother queen.

Ayame walked slowly to the Qu'r palace and the guards at the entrance bowed with great fear, she entered following to the door where she was received by her son who was already waiting for her.

- We were waiting for her, come in.

Amon closed the palace door and ordered the guards not to go near the entrance gate.

There in the waiting room were some men from the council of war present, including the Prime Minister Mifu and the king's advisor, Soo Won. It was a small group that the first prince had gathered, he didn't fully trust everyone. Mifu had his own plans, he was a viper dressed as a lamb, already Soo Won was a person who didn't show himself totally, was withdrawn and rarely showed his opinions at council meetings, but he came to him to help in his fight. Amon didn't care much who his helpers were, that was all he needed to achieve the glory of his dream, to sit on Naran's throne.