DANDELION || Nikolai Lantsov

  🧩  X I M E N  🧩

The card had wrinkles all over, but the ink hadn't been damaged from when Makhi had crumbled it between her hands forcefully. The word 'Invitation' was just as visible as the names, dates and information for the 'Royal Wedding of Prince Nikolai Lantsov and Miss Aneela Damita Ceron' the Shu Han delegation had been invited to.

Ximen had to read it twice, not wanting to believe it. This has to be a joke; how can she marry the ravkan Prince? How did that match even happen? Is she at the courting season Kheru is attending as well? If this means it ended, where is she?

"Do you realize what you did?" Makhi yelled at him furiously. Just moments before, she had thrown the letter after him as he had entered the meeting room and asked why she wanted to see him. He had dodged it in the last second before picking it up to find out why his sister was crossed with him. "You failed at such a simple task!"

"It was in safe hands," he muttered, rereading the card for a third time. This can't be happening. The invitation, written in the most beautiful ravkan calligraphy, was mocking Ximen, telling him that his sister was right – he had indeed failed. "Her mother had confirmed it before I left."

"Well, clearly, it's not a done deed! Are you really too stupid to charm a simple, common girl to become your wife?!"

He never played any significant role, only the women were important in his family. But now he was all of a sudden important and him not doing what was expected from him was hard. His sister had made herself clear that he needed to secure the match with Aneela Ceron in order to stabilize Shu Han's economy. And he had thought he had made a good impression on the young woman; he had been certain that she wanted to marry him during his stay in Weddle – they had such great conversations at the dinner he had attended at her house – but how could she have chosen Nikolai Lantsov over him?

It couldn't be his social standing, Ximen himself was a prince, just like the one Aneela was engaged to now and although Lantsov was also a Grand Duke and so on, only the royal title mattered. Shu Han was more stable in all perspectives while Ravka had fought three wars in the last five years; why choose Ravka, then? Ximen's country was the saver option. They had also more money, shu sources told them that the ravkans needed to barrow money from the kerchs on a regular basis in order to survive.

What was it that won Aneela over? I could give her all that she would gain from a marriage with Lantsov and even more than that. So much more! And on top of that, nobody doubted me to be a legitimate member of the royal family, unlike the fjerdan bastard with the double eagle on his chest.

"It must have been her parents doing for sure. Or maybe her older sister, she and her husband weren't much fond of me for some reason." Ximen looked up to his sister with displeasure. "Or he promised her something grand to agree to marry her."

"Then find out what it is. We need Novyi Zem as our ally. As soon as possible."

The shu prince frowned. For what? Sure, they are a strong and blooming nation with their ships and trade system, but a simple contract would do its trick. Or ... does Makhi need to bound them to us with a marriage?

"And find your sister." Makhi barked. "Why isn't she here, yet? The courting season is obviously over!"

"I-I will investigate." Ximen assured her quickly. "The date of the letter is two days ago, they must be already on their way back."

"While you get Kheru, you should make up a plan to get the Ceron girl back into our arms! You have to marry her, no matter what! We need Novyi Zem for the upcoming plans."

Ah, so there is indeed something big brewing up. "What plans?"

"Those are none of your concerns as of yet, I will reveal it to you once everything is in position, you have other work to do first," she hissed. "You focus on Aneela Ceron!"

"But Makhi, if she is engaged to him-"

"Then think of something to convince her mother! Do I really need to tell you everything, are you really that dumb?!"

Ximen's shoulders sunk. He couldn't stand it when she called him that. Out of all of the siblings, their tutors always had praised him to be the smartest one. He spent most of his time educating himself with books, taking part in strategy meetings with the ministers and helping Makhi push her new rules and decisions past Ehri and those loyal to her.

Since Kheru was in Ravka for the courting season, the only other sibling supporting her was their sister Yenye; their sixth sibling, Jhem, was still in mourning after her daughter Akeni was killed by the blight. Jhem had never had a thing for family politics or ruling their country and wouldn't have understood the majority of it. She is quite unintelligent and had the depth of a dinner plate. So, to hear Makhi call him stupid, made him grind his teeth.

"You need to do something about this!" She snatched the paper out of his hands and held it up to his face as if she were to force him to read it a fourth time. As if Aneela's name next to Lantsov's hadn't already burned itself into my mind. "I don't care what but do it! Promise her jewels, a whole floor in Ahmrat Jen or a million of these ridiculous dogs she hangs around with for all I care! And charm her mother, she is deciding on her daughter's hand in marriage!"

Ximen only nodded obediently. As always. There hadn't been one order he hadn't followed so far. Makhi can rely on me, I'm the only sibling that she trusts. And I will stay loyal to her, no matter what will happen. „I will do that."

"Go!" She said with a clenched jaw and pointed towards the door. "Fix. It. Right. Now."

And Ximen would.

No matter what it would take, he would fix his mistake.