Samurai ↔ Nishimura Riki

three

Hyewon grunted as she hitched up her skirt. How the hell did nobles deal with this?

She wobbled in her shoes and her kimono, wishing she was back in her training attire and comfortable moccasins.

Cursing the general for making her wear this uncomfortable outfit, she managed to reach the banquet hall, usually reserved for balls and guests of the royal family. Which in this case, was her.

The guards guarding the golden double doors squinted at her and barricaded the entrance with their spears. "Identification?" the first guard demanded, glowering. He raised his spear threateningly.

Hyewon rolled her eyes, unfazed by his actions. She hated how they pretended to not acknowledge her as a fellow samurai warrior of the imperial army. She was quite infamous for being one of the only female warriors in history to make it into the army and reach high ranks. Many of her comrades at arms avoided her as if she was invisible and seethed, thinking that she was unworthy. Some even talked smack about her, sometimes not even subtly. All because she was a girl.

Talk about being sexist.

Scoffing at the guard's lack of manners, she replied with a scathing tone, "Cho Hyewon of the Cho family. I am here on the behalf of the general and news regarding the enemy advancing on the kingdom."

The guard sneered, "Ah yes, the almighty Hyewon. One of the only female soldiers of His Majesty's army. Quite a grand name for a little girl."

Spittle flew from his mouth and Hyewon had to fight back every instinct to dodge the flying saliva. She aggressively wiped her face. "Are you going to let me in or not?" she retorted back.

His lip curled up, but his companion, clearly the wiser of the two, hastily unblocked doors. The other reluctantly followed suit.

The etiquette engrained in her mind made her force out a "thank you". Not.

She strode inside, glancing at the decorations. A golden chandelier, lit up with flames, hung from the ceiling, just above a magnificent long table. A tablecloth with a golden fringe was laid over the table. Fancy china was displayed, topped with various delicious dishes made by the royal chef. Fruits were piled high on the center of the table, their peels seemingly glimmering like jewels in the light.

She'd only come here once before. And it didn't end well.

"Cho Hyewon. Just the person we were looking for."

Moments earlier, she was admiring the chandelier. Now, she snapped to attention.

"You may take a seat next to General Kang's right." the empress said, offering her a smile.

A royal headdress bedazzled with rare gemstones balanced on her head, sparkling. Her long, purple gown was laced with long, puffy sleeves. The empress had sharp, thin eyebrows and feline-like eyes, yet seemed to have a kind demeanor. Her face seemed ageless and filled with youth, unbothered by wrinkles.

Remembering her manners, Hyewon quickly bowed, mumbled a 'thank you', and took her seat.

She waited for the emperor to say, "You may eat," before digging into the feast. Daintily, she grasped her chopsticks, shoving rice into her mouth.

As Hyewon began eating the meal, a young boy with black hair caught her eye. He was wearing regal attire and sat by the right hand side of the emperor. The empress sat on the left. His face was as pale as the rare snowfall the kingdom would get each year.

He must be the prince.

She had to admit, Prince Riki was strikingly handsome. He clearly inherited his mother's facial features, eyes, lips, eyebrows, and all. But unlike his mother, he didn't seem to hold her personality. A cold, imposing aura surrounded him, sending a haughty vibe. He did not even spare Hyewon a glance as he ate his food.