Finding Love

CHAPTER TWO

Aria stood at the deck of the ship looking out into the sea. They've been at sea for a month now and she has been dreading the day they would get to shore. She had just finished another session with her tutor when she decided to come out to receive some air.

While starring into the ocean she kept thinking about the past few months. After her father had given the decree,a tutor had been sent for all the way from Great Wei to come and train her. Her mother had cried and begged her to change her mind but she had refused.

It had taken a month before her mother had finally settled down to the idea of her daughter getting married to a far away land. She had spent all the time she could with her daughter teaching, loving and caring for her before Aria had set sail for her marriage

"What are you thinking about sister?" Prince Ayden asked as he came up from behind her cutting her thoughts short

"Nothing brother" Aria replied as she took a good look at her little brother who came to stand beside her

"Then what are you doing here all alone. Where are your personal maids?" Prince Ayden asked looking around for her maids

"I asked them to stay back as I only wanted to come out for some air and I won't be needing their help," Aria said to her brother " What are you doing here?" She asked

"I came up to check on the captain and his crew. He said we have two weeks before we  get to shore," Prince Ayden answered his sister, " Let's sit down. He also said the sea's turbulence is about to change and the journey will be rocky from here onward," He said leading her to a place to sit

    Taking her hands in his, Prince Ayden looked at his sister worriedly, "Sister why don't you let me do this instead. You know mother is frail and you have been her pillar. With you gone she'll be more frail ," He said worriedly while squeezing her hands

"Ayden. You are barely thirteen years of age. You know nothing about marriage," Aria said squeezing his hands back

"And what do you know about marriage. You don't even know what this Prince looks like. You don't even know if you might end up as the emperor's concubine instead. What if this Prince doesn't treat you well like you deserve?" Ayden asked knotting his eyebrows

"Then let it be as it will Ayden. All I ask is for you to take good care of mother, father, yourself and our sisters. Also make sure to marry a good woman that loves you when the time comes and also make sure our sisters get good marriages when the time come. Please don't let me down on the only request I have of you Ayden" Aria said pleadingly

"I give you my word sister but I also want you to promise me that you would take care of yourself and if by any chance after we leave you're been mistreated,do send father and I a letter and we would come and get you out immediately no matter the cost" Ayden said firmly

"You'll make a fine King and husband one day Ayden. I love you so much brother, very much" Aria said tearfully

Gathering his sister into his hands, he kissed her head before replying,"As I also do love you sister."

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GREAT.                    WEI                 DYNASTY

I

n a very large room which one could see was lavishly decorated as every thing was made of the finest and expensive materials .
The walls were lined with shelves filled with scrolls and many expensive artworks making it known that it was a study room.
The ceiling and part of the walls wee covered with artworks made of handmade WAX PAPER and TIE LUO.
Inside the hall was a dragon embellished TIE LUO called LONGEVITY made with LAJAN.
At the top of the door post a black plank was nailed with a write up in gold which said HALL OF MENTAL CULTIVATION.
At the center of the hall was a KANG CHAIR where Emperor Sheng Zhou Xuan sat looking at his son.
The KANG CHAIR was carved from SANDAL WOOD with the arms of the chair carved in shape  of  dragon with their mouths open.