Behind the Mirror (Yandere Ja'far x Reader)

Imperial Nonsense

The weeks that went by were quite boring, you had been rejecting proposal after proposal, you hadn't isolated yourself from society, though the idea was quite tempting. Instead you decided to hold a birthday party for Aya, given that it had been nearly two months since you had held any kind of event in your house.

The preparations were given more attention than needed, you wanted everything to be perfect, yet you ensured that many of the items you had taken over time were not in out. Letting everything out would be the same as challenging the noble families and for now, that wasn't a good idea.

"What about the children, my lady?" One of the maids asked.

"I've bought new clothes for them, I also made sure to have their favorite dishes ready, some friends of theirs will attend as well, regardless of status. The main reason is to keep the nobles at bay but I also want the children to have fun. "

"And... my lady... what about...his majesty?"

"I didn't invite him, did I?"

"But, isn't that disrespectfull towards his majesty?"

"I've sent a letter to lord Ja'far explaining my concerns and stating that his majesty is free to attend, under proper supervision. Having a scandal in here will cause an uproar and everyone will be targeted, you people included."

With that you dismissed the maid and went to see Lahan, he had been training day and night, to ensure that his position wasn't questioned by anyone. You found him in the back garden, swinging his sword skillfully, it had been seven hours already, he had taken two breaks to eat and cool down before going back to work. Once he saw you, he stopped and came closer.

"What's the matter?"

"You should get some rest, short breaks cannot replace a good night's sleep. It'll help you a lot, so go and wash yourself and then rest. Your siblings will worry if you keep training like this."

Your words were acknowledged with a silent nod before he left to wash himself, you also returned to your bedroom, feeling a bit tired. You had lectured Lahan but you weren't any better, really. You couldn't even remember when you had slept soundly, with no worries or thoughts taking over your mind. So you decided to follow your own advice and rest for a short while as well, tomorrow was the birthday party and so you layed down and relax for now.

Meanwhile in the palace, Sinbad was pouting over the message you had sent Ja'far. As for the advisor, he was feeling so relieved to know that you were on his side and that you had made clear that the king would have to behave AND have a reliable escort in order to attend the party.

"She's really overeacting..." Sinbad whined but Ja'far raised an eyebrow at that.

"Well, excuse her for worrying about the reputation of the king and the country. Besides she needs to protect her family."

"I'm not going to do anything disrespectfull."

"Sin, at this point, not even you believe this."

"Mean."

"She never said that you can't attend, she simple placed a few conditions for everyone's sake."

Sinbad smirked and looked at Ja'far, it was so obvious that he had a huge crush on you, he was actually curious as to why you weren't responding at all, clearly you weren't a dense person.

"Is that your way of saying, that you want to go and see her?"

Ja'far cleared his throat and looked at Sinbad with a stoic expression.

"I believe you're simply searching for an excuse, so please do not put me in."

"Very well, you and Masrur can come with me. There won't be a problem then, right?"

"Hopefully not."

The two kept talking but Ja'far couldn't help but worry about you, he had learnt that you hadn't held an event for quite a while and he was wondering if something drove you to do so, especially given that many people were now targeting you and the children. Perhaps there was some truth to what Sinbad had said, you had given Ja'far a legit excuse to come and see you... not to mention that you had sent HIM the letter... he wasn't really good at romance but even he couldn't help but wonder if there was a secret meaning behind your actions.

It was then that both received news that princess Kougyoku had decided to pay you a visit. And a visit from one of Kou's royals was usually a double edged sword. Sinbad was also curious about this and seeing an opportunity to set you and Ja'far up, he asked him to go and ensure, there were no issues with this sudden visit.

What they didn't know was that you had predicted that the princess would visit you. And once she arrived you, greeted her in a cold, stoic manner. You had went through a lot with the Olympians, especially Hera who always suspected you and Zeus had something going on. And you had one thing to say to that.

HELL NO!!!

So, acting like a cold, uninterested person was like second nature, it did help you keep some of the... problematic figures in your life, at bay. And, given that the princess didn't seem too knowledgable on how to deal with people like you. A diplomat she may be, she may know etiquette and a warrior... but she didn't know how to deal with women who seemed to be sneaky and able to turn the tables at any moment.

"Good afternoon, your highness." You said, giving the smallest bow you could master but showing no sign of submission or fear. The princess seemed angry but you didn't mind, leading her to one of the sitting rooms, there you sat down and looked at her with clear lack of interest.

"Miss (Name), I am here to discuss an issue that occured in the Kou empire regarding your trading network."

"Is that so? Do tell."

"You have monopolized the market when it comes to herbs, cosmetics, fabrics and spices. As such, many merchants have been forced to go to extremes to sell their products."

At that you hummed, still not interested in her words. Clearly she wished you to back off a bit and let the merchants of Kou regain some of their rights to sell those products. 

"Your highness, if they were foolish enough to invest in something that was bound to fail or if they got tricked into doing something that could ruin their buisness, is something that is no concern of mine. As such, I have no reason to assist them, especially when I know that some of them are bound to fail again."

She became stiff at the comment, looking at you annoyed and thinking about her next words.

"Still, it seems very weird that you were able to succeed like that, considering that your husband wasn't too rich to begin with."

You chuckled at that, your gaze turning sharp as you gave her your full attention balancing your head in one hand and smilling at her, it was a cold, arrogant smile.

"If you believe there's something shady going on, feel free to investigate. I have nothing to hide, though I can ensure you about one thing. Your merchants will destroy themselves no matter what you do. After some encounters I had with them, I saw how greedy they were and how they kept arguing over the most triffle matters imaginable."

The princess glared at you, she was clearly enraged by your attitude and your confidence, it was then that a maid came and announced Ja'far's arrival. You turned at the maid and told her to let him in. If the princess was confident enough to threaten you at his presence, it would backfire at her, as it would make Ja'far and Sinbad suspicious.

Her nonsense wouldn't get the results she desired, not to mention that you could prove your innocense and also show her how true your words about the merchants of Kou were. She had no way of beating you, and you would make sure she learnt her lesson well.