Kabil walked Xiao Zhi back to her chambers. She expected him to stop at the door and bid her goodnight, but instead, he paused and turned to one of the maids.
"Bring us some tea," he instructed.
Xiao Zhi blinked in surprise. "Oh… I thought you were leaving."
He looked back at her, a small, easy smile on his face. "Would you mind if I stayed a while? We should get to know each other, don't you think?"
"I… I don't mind," she said, though she wasn't sure what else she could say. It was already strange enough that he had escorted her here. Him staying felt even stranger.
The maid hurried off and soon returned with a wooden tray holding a teapot and two glass cups etched with simple silver designs. Steam curled up from the pot, carrying a warm, spicy scent.
Kabil poured carefully and handed her a cup. "Tughril tea isn't like Hua tea," he said. "We add herbs and roots to warm the body. Hua tea… if I remember right, it's lighter, more delicate."
Xiao Zhi sipped carefully. The taste was strong and earthy but smooth. "It's… bold," she said. "Different, but not bad."
He smiled, clearly pleased. "I thought you might like it. Our customs may differ, but at least we agree on tea."
She studied him for a moment. In the story she remembered, the Grand Prince was supposed to be cold, proud, even cruel. But here he was, calm, patient, and unexpectedly kind.
Could the script be changing? she wondered. Or perhaps this world simply worked differently than the story she remembered.
After a pause, Kabil broke the silence. "Don't trouble yourself about what happened earlier," he said lightly. "The concubines can be… a handful. They've been spoiled since birth. If they ever trouble you again, just tell me."
Xiao Zhi looked up. "How many concubines do you have, Your Highness?"
He chuckled, clearly amused. "Why do you ask? Are you jealous?"
She flushed immediately. "Of course not. I know my position."
Kabil laughed softly, warm rather than mocking. "I honestly don't know how many. I never bothered to count. But you can rest easy, none of the women in my harem mean anything to me." He paused, letting the words hang for a moment before a faint smile curved his lips. "But perhaps… that might change soon."
Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly hid her flushing cheek behind her cup.
After a moment, she asked cautiously, "May I ask about the Khan? I haven't seen… a queen."
"In Tughril," Kabil explained, "we call her Khatun. But my brother isn't married. He doesn't even keep concubines. Most women… fear him."
"Fear him?" Xiao Zhi echoed softly.
He nodded. "He's known to be ruthless. No noble dares to offer their daughter, no matter how tempting the position of Khatun might seem. So instead…" He gave a faint, wry smile. "…they send their daughters to me. The safer choice, or so they think."
Xiao Zhi tilted her head. "And is it?"
He stared into his cup for a moment. "Not really. I have no real power here." His voice was calm, almost indifferent, but she detected a sense of bitterness.
Kabil leaned back slightly, shifting the topic. "Do you have any preferences for the wedding? Timing, ceremony, anything at all?"
"No," Xiao Zhi said after a moment. "I'll leave that to your palace to decide."
"Very well. I'll tell my mother." Then curiosity sparked in his eyes. "Tell me, Princess, what is Hua like?"
Xiao Zhi gave a small, uncertain smile, fingers tightening around her cup. She wasn't sure how to answer. She had been inside the palace since she arrived, hardly seeing the outside world. Taking a quiet breath, she said, "Hua… It's a land of rivers and gardens. People are… quieter, I think. More reserved. But it's beautiful, in its own way. Mostly peaceful." She added the last part quickly, trying to sound confident, recalling what the novel had said and the few things she'd actually seen of Hua.
Kabil listened intently. "It sounds like a world of poetry and calm. No wonder your bearing is so composed."
Xiao Zhi almost chuckled at the comment. Composed? Her?
If only he knew the kind of panic she had been holding in, the roller-coaster of emotions since the moment she arrived in this world.
"It has its storms too," she said quietly.
Mostly caused by your envoy, she thought to herself.
He laughed, soft and genuine. "Then perhaps Tughril and Hua aren't so different after all. Both have their tempests."
She smiled. "Maybe."
They spoke for some time, the conversation meandering from trivial customs to childhood memories, to favorite pastimes, and even silly superstitions. Xiao Zhi mostly made things up, trying to keep the conversation flowing and avoid revealing that she was not Princess Lian Zhi or even someone from this world.
As they lost themselves in conversation, the tea grew cooler.
Kabil leaned closer slightly, lowering his voice. "I'm curious… have you ever… chosen your path before, or has it always been chosen for you?"
Xiao Zhi hesitated, then shook her head. "Paths are chosen for me. I follow them. But… I do try to walk them with my own steps." She meant every word, but it wasn't what Kabil might have assumed. She wasn't talking about courtly duties or the Princess's expected path. She was talking about herself, thrown into a world she hadn't chosen, trying to follow the plot without getting killed.
"Same here," he said quietly, a hint of something unreadable in his eyes. "I guess all royals end up with their paths chosen for them. But…" He gave a faint, teasing smile. "I'm starting to like the path I've been given."
Warmth rose to her cheeks, but she kept her expression steady, hiding the flutter in her chest.
Even as she returned his soft smile, she reminded herself silently: this was just the beginning.