Imperial Days (HerWhisper X FocusedHeart)

[HerWhisperIsTheLucifer]

Name: Yang Songli 
Age: 17 
Gender: Female 
Role: Lady in waiting  
Appearance: 

Name: Wu Taiping 
Age: 35 
Gender: Female 
Role: Princess 
Appearance: 

[focusedheart]

Name:Mia Ah
Age:23
Gender:female
Role:Lady in waiting
Appearance: 

[HerWhisperIsTheLucifer]

(We'll start a few days before the princess's death I'll set the scene)

It was a bright and sunny day in Chang'an, the capital of the mighty Tang Dynasty. The sky was a beautiful blue and there were no clouds in sight as the sun shone down brightly onto the city. At the Daming palace, the world had only just awakened. Maids begun their morning clean up of the grounds, working diligently to finish laundry and finish dishes before breakfast time arrived. The ladies in waiting had all just awoke within their rooms, and were now getting ready, helping each other tie their champagne colored robes with a simply elegant sash around the waist. It was the end of July, so the robes were much lighter and not as dense as those that had been worn just a few months prior.

Yang Songli, the youngest lady in waiting, had just finished tying her hair up in a modest style, being careful not to over do it so as to not overshadow the princess. Though she and the other ladies in waiting were typically not permitted to wear jewelry or talismans, the princess usually didn't mind, so she picked up a strong of pearls and placed them around her neck. SHe'd just have to hide them somehow when in the presence of other people. She grabbed her sash and sighed. She hadn't quite figured out how to tie it perfectly from behind her, so she was often criticized for dressing more sloppy than the others. She smiled and went over to Mia, who she considered to be a friend, and held her sash out to her. "WOuld you mind helping me? You know how terrible I am at tying it."

[focusedheart]

Mia had just finished with tying her own when Yang came to her. A soft smile touched her lips as she looks to the younger woman. "Of course." Gently she took the sash and began the process of getting it into place and tying it.

Once done, she looks her work over and nods softly. "There you go. All set." She smiles again. The day smelled beautiful and it would certainly be a good one she felt.

[HerWhisperIsTheLucifer]

"Thank you, Mia." Songli smiled brightly and proceeded to do her face using modest make up. It was a difficult and tedious process to get ready in the morning. One had to make sure that they didn't dress too grand or paint their face in a way that would divert attention from the princess to them. While Songli found it difficult, she didn't mind too much.

After a few more minutes, Songli finished getting ready, and the princess walked in. She was said to have been one of the most beautiful women in China during her teenage years, but now at thirty five years old, she had started to wither slightly in the face. She was aware of this, but she made up with it using her brain. She wore bright blue robes that made the sky envious, and her face was painted beautifully to hide the forming wrinkles around her mouth. No one knew how those wrinkles came to be, for no one had ever seen her smile since the death of her mother, Empress Wu. She looked over her ladies in waiting, in which there were five, and nodded. "Good morning, ladies. It's about breakfast time, and the servant girls should be delivering my meal to my study any minute now." The princess turned to look at Mia, and nodded. "I'd like to eat breakfast with you this morning. The rest of you may work on tidying up my chambers." Without another word, Princess Taiping went towards the door again, signaling for Mia to follow her.

[focusedheart]

Mia had finished the last touches to her hair and makeup as the princess walked in. She smiles softly and gave the proper greeting to her. In all her years here she had found it hard to see the princess without a smile. She always wanted to do what she could for her.

That was her though, always trying to help others, no matter if it was the princess or the other ladies.

When the princess requested that Mia ate breakfast with her, she nods her head softly. Waiting patiently though as the princess addressed the rest of the ladies before following the princess from the room.

She was curious though, usually if the princess ever wanted to talk to her it was usually about something that was troubling her. That concerned her.

[HerWhisperIsTheLucifer]

The princess walked quietly to her balcony, where a large breakfast was waiting on the small table. She took a seat, waited for Mia to do so as well, and picked up her chopsticks. She looked everything on the table over but went for the spicy tofu soup, her favorite to have in the morning. She took a few small bites before sighing and setting the dishes down. "Thank you for joining me this morning, Mia. I can always count on you to be here for me." She took a sip of her chrysanthemum tea and set the cup down, her hands still wrapped around it. She tapped the side of it gently, watching the ripples surge through the tea with great interest. "I only returned from a very long trip a week ago, but it appears that I must make another one in a couple of days."

[focusedheart]

Over the years of her being a lady in waiting for the princess, Mia had learned to read the female's body language. She did think of the princess as a friend and had learned that the other female liked it when she was honest with her about things.

She was careful though to never cross a line or speak out of turn, especially in public.

As the princess spoke to her now, concern filled her eyes. "Another trip? May I ask what for?" She asks gently. Something was clearly troubling the princess and that worried Mia more.

[HerWhisperIsTheLucifer]

"Oh... Well, the last trip I took was to visit my mother's grave and stay with my aunt for a while. This trip is to prepare a grave for my cousin. It appears that he has come down with an incurable sickness that is quickly taking the life from him, so I must go and handle his affairs as well as prepare his children for losing yet another parent. Their mother died years ago, so they'll be orphaned from this." She took another sip of tea, not looking at Mia.

[focusedheart]

Mia had learned to watch the body language of the princess and could tell there was more that troubled the female. Taking a deep breath before she spoke. Caring for the affairs of a loved one was never easy and it was tough to see the princess go through this yet again. "My lady you know I only speak in honest words. I am not trying to say that the task you are about to undertake is not hard but what else is troubling you? I see it in your eyes."

[HerWhisperIsTheLucifer]

The princess paused before shaking her head and sighing. "Sometimes I curse your ability to read my body language so well. Perhaps you and I have been spending too much time together." She stood and went over to the mirror, fixing the various silver hairpins that we clipped in her long brown hair. "If I am honest, I'm not going to my cousin's. I'm going home. Back to my mansion in Chang'an. I did something I shouldnt have, so I must hide out for a couple of days. I should return shortly."

[focusedheart]

Worry filled her at this point and she regards the princess carefully. "What did you do my lady?" She asks softly. Not wanting to push the female into an answer but she was concerned for her.

[HerWhisperIsTheLucifer]

She shook her head, "Nothing, Mia. Don't worry too much about it, or about me. Right now, I need some assistance packing some things that I can take with me..."

[focusedheart]

She eyes the princess a moment then nods softly and moves to her feet. "Alright my lady. "She smiles supportively to the female. "Let's get you packed then."

[HerWhisperIsTheLucifer]

She nods and begins packing, sighing softly. "I'll need at least four of my daytime robes and five of my night time ones. I'll need all of my hairpins and talismans..." She stops, looking back at Mia. "...Mia, I must ask you something. Have you heard the rumors that I and the emperor's adviser are lovers?"

[focusedheart]

Mia pauses in her movements of helping the princess pack as the question was asked. She looks to the female calming and nods a little. "I had heard rumors only recently about such a thing." She tilts her head a little and asks gently. "Are they true my lady?"

[HerWhisperIsTheLucifer]

She nodded, "I'm afraid they are. Li Xi and I have been lovers for over a year now. While I'm gone, I need you to keep an eye on him. See if he is acting strange."

[focusedheart]

Mia nods softly at the instructions given. "Consider it done my lady." She says. Then helps the princess with the rest of her packing, making sure that her lady and friend would have all she needed for her trip. She was worried for her friend but she would do as told and keep an eye on the male as well as maintain the home while the princess was away.

[HerWhisperIsTheLucifer]

After a while, Princess Taiping looked her room over one last time before nodding her head. "I think that's all I'll need." She looked back to Mia and hugged her quickly. "I'm sorry to leave you again so suddenly."

[focusedheart]

Mia nods in understanding and returns the hug. " Please be safe and I will send word should anything change here. We will all miss you while you are gone. I will keep an eye on things and the girls busy." She smiles warmly.

[HerWhisperIsTheLucifer]

"I know you will." She looks at her tenderly and with the love of family. "I know I can always count on you for anything. Sometimes I feel like you're the only place in this palace that I can trust." She picked up her bags and paused for a moment before looking back to her lady in waiting. "Mia, no matter what, you must remember this: The palace is a snake that eats its own tail over and over again."

[focusedheart]

Mia nods softly at the advice given. "I will keep alert my lady." She smiles gently and helps the princess with getting the last of her bags out to the carriage so that she could get on her way. Mia was already missing the princess and hated to see her go but she understood why and would never question her lady's actions.

[HerWhisperIsTheLucifer]

Princess Taiping opened the carriage door and soghed, looking back to Mia. "Thank you, Mia. Your generosity and kindness towards me will never be forgotten and shall be greatly rewarded when I return." She hugged her lady softly and, for the first time in a long time, a soft smile formed on her lips. "Wait for me, alright?"

[focusedheart]

Mia returned the hug and smiles warmly to her. "I will be here always for you my lady. Safe journey and please don't worry about anything." She was glad to see the smile the princess gave her. It had been so long since she saw one from the female.

[HerWhisperIsTheLucifer]

"I'll see you in a couple of days." She climbed into the carriage and shut the door, giving Mia one last wave before being driven away.

[focusedheart]

Mia watched as the carriage disappeared from sight, hoping that everything would be alright.

Then she turns and heads back inside to see to the other ladies and to make sure that the house continued to run smoothly while the princess was away.

[HerWhisperIsTheLucifer]

Songli smiled as she came back in, "Hello again Mia. Has the princess left already? I was hoping to say goodbye before she did."

[focusedheart]

Mia smiles warmly to the female. "Sh e just left. We'll see her again soon." She nods softly "now come along. We need to make sure everything is in order with the house."

[HerWhisperIsTheLucifer]

She nodded and smiled as she walked with her. "Did she tell you why she had to leave so suddenly? She just recently came back from a fairly lengthy trip."

[focusedheart]

Mia thought carefully about how to answer. She didn't want to alarm anyone else in the house. She smiles softly to the female. "She will return as soon as she can. She went to tend to some matters. Come now let's find everyone else and get our own things taken care of. Must not let her down when she returns." She says softly.