Kabil escorted Xiao Zhi back to her chambers. She had expected him to simply bid her farewell, but instead, he paused and turned to the maid.
"Bring us some tea," he instructed.
Xiao Zhi blinked in surprise. "Oh… I thought you were leaving."
Kabil's lips curved into a warm, teasing smile. "Do you mind if I stay? We should get to know each other, shouldn't we?"
"I… I don't mind." Xiao Zhi didn't know how else she should respond. It's weird enough that he took her back to her chamber, and now he wanted to stay?
The maid hurried away and soon returned with a small wooden tray, holding a teapot and two glass cups etched with silver patterns. Steam rose from the pot, carrying a warm, spicy aroma.
Kabil poured the tea with elegant precision like a noble prince should be. "You know," he said as he handed her a cup, "Tughril tea is quite different from Hua tea. We blend it with herbs and dried roots for strength and warmth. Hua tea… if I remember correctly, is more delicate, more subtle."
Xiao Zhi took a cautious sip. The flavor was bold, earthy, and unexpectedly smooth. "It's… strong," she admitted, "And fragrant. Very different from what I'm used to."
Kabil smiled. "I thought you might like it. While our customs may differ, our love of tea is something we both share."
His warmth caught her off guard. In the story she knew, the Grand Prince was supposed to be distant, arrogant, and even cruel. Yet there he was, attentive, patient, and unexpectedly kind.
Could the script be changing? she wondered. Or perhaps this world simply worked differently than the story she remembered.
After a pause, Kabil broke the silence. "Don't trouble yourself about what happened earlier," he said lightly. "The concubines can be… a handful. They've been spoiled since birth. If they ever trouble you again, just tell me."
Xiao Zhi looked up. "How many concubines do you have, Your Highness?"
He chuckled, clearly amused. "Why do you ask? Are you jealous?"
She flushed immediately. "Of course not. I know my position."
Kabil laughed softly, warm rather than mocking. "I honestly don't know how many. I never bothered to count. But you can rest easy, none of the women in my harem mean anything to me." He paused, letting the words hang for a moment before a faint smile curved his lips. "But perhaps… that might change soon."
Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly hid her flushing cheek behind her cup.
After a moment, she asked cautiously, "May I ask about the Khan? I haven't seen… a queen."
"In Tughril," Kabil explained, "we call her Khatun. But my brother isn't married. He doesn't even keep concubines. Most women… fear him."
"Fear him?" Xiao Zhi echoed softly.
He nodded. "He's known to be ruthless. No noble dares to offer their daughter, no matter how tempting the position of Khatun might seem. So instead…" He gave a faint, wry smile. "…they send their daughters to me. The safer choice, or so they think."
Xiao Zhi tilted her head. "And is it?"
He stared into his cup for a moment. "Not really. I have no real power here." His voice was calm, almost indifferent, but she detected a sense of bitterness.
Kabil leaned back slightly, shifting the topic. "Do you have any preferences for the wedding? Timing, ceremony, anything at all?"
"No," Xiao Zhi said after a moment. "I'll leave that to your palace to decide."
"Very well, I will let my mother know," he replied. Then, curiosity lighting his eyes, he asked, "Tell me, Princess, what is Hua like?"
Xiao Zhi smiled faintly, her fingers curling tightly around the cup. She wasn't sure what to say. She had been stuck in the palace since the moment she arrived, with little chance to see the world outside. She took a small, nervous breath. "Hua… it's a land of rivers and gardens. The cities are crowded but graceful, full of bridges and lanterns. People are… quieter, I think. More reserved. But it's beautiful, in its own way. Peaceful, mostly." She added hastily, trying to sound confident, recalling the description from the novel and what little she had glimpsed of Hua.
Kabil listened intently. "It sounds like a world of poetry and calm. No wonder your bearing is so composed."
Xiao Zhi almost chuckled at the comment. Composed? Her?
If only he knew the kind of panic she had been holding in, the roller-coaster of emotions since the moment she arrived in this world.
"It has its storms too," she said quietly. Mostly caused by your envoy, she thought to herself.
He laughed, soft and genuine. "Then perhaps Tughril and Hua aren't so different after all. Both have their tempests."
She smiled. "Maybe."
They spoke for some time, the conversation meandering from trivial customs to childhood memories, to favorite pastimes, and even silly superstitions. Xiao Zhi mostly made things up, trying to keep the conversation flowing and avoid revealing that she was not Princess Lian Zhi or even someone from this world.
As they lost themselves in conversation, the tea grew cooler.
Kabil leaned closer slightly, lowering his voice. "I'm curious… have you ever… chosen your path before, or has it always been chosen for you?"
Xiao Zhi hesitated, then shook her head. "Paths are chosen for me. I follow them. But… I do try to walk them with my own steps." She meant every word, but it wasn't what Kabil might have assumed. She wasn't talking about courtly duties or the Princess's expected path. She was talking about herself, thrown into a world she hadn't chosen, trying to follow the plot without getting killed.
"Same here," he said softly, a glint of something unreadable in his eyes. "I suppose all royals share the same fate of having their paths chosen for them. But…" He smiled faintly, teasing, "I'm starting to like the path chosen for me."
She felt warmth rise to her cheeks, but she kept her expression calm, hiding the flutter of emotion.
Even as she returned his soft smile, she reminded herself silently: this was only the beginning.