Leilani was the largest city on the North lands and it occupied almost half of the whole country. The surrounding area, informally known as the Free States, were directly controlled from the city under the authority of the King sitting on the throne. But with the exception of Karta where King Yushen was overthrown by the rich merchants who didn't want to be ruled, and that is why many people flocked from Leilani to Karta seeking freedom but in return they saw how they didn't fit since they were poor - and many of them made a return back to Leilani.
The city was roughly square-shaped, sprawling across several miles and was defended by tall walls, I heard tales that the city was never breached not even once. There were five gates through the walls: the Sand Gate leading down to the desert, the King's Gate at the south-eastern corner of the city, the Warrior Gate located to the due west where the King's army reside and practiced on the east, the Whole Gate which faced South and lastly the Keeper's Gate which was located on the North part of the city. And it was the Keeper's Gate which was busy throughout the day as many people used it to get inside the city. The other gates mostly remained idle unless there was an emergency case.
The city was identifiable from a long distance and mostly by it's symbol which was a statue of His Majesty, King Yushen standing tall and high for everyone to see and it was located at the heart of the city. Leilani had a population of not over five hundred thousand people and were mostly scattered. Places close to the palace of His Majesty were luxurious and magnificent, they were all inhabited by the Lords and Nobles who had a close relationship with the King. Whilst the places far from the city's heartthrob center were mostly home to many beggars and the poorest part of the city's population.
Most buildings in the city were made of wood and plaster, with a few stone structures. Some of the noble houses maintained handsome manses with their own wells and stores within the city for when their members visit.
With His Majesty's illness, the crowned prince took over the palace activities including assembling armies, attending council meetings in the name of his father, opening ceremonies and listening to civil cases brought in by their citizens. Yishen was rather busy the whole time he barely even made a moment for himself. He wanted to be the King people would count on, he wanted to be like his father and rule by his own ways but following his old man's footsteps.
On one particular night after hosting the nobles on a private soiree, Yishen retired to his chambers exhausted and longing for one thing and one thing alone - a deep slumber which would take him away from his real life and duties which he considered them heavy. His two male servants helped him in taking off his robe and his sword, thereafter he bounced back to bed.
He was so exhausted that he didn't see a pile of letters which were shuffled around the corner of his room. That's where exactly he ordered his servant to place the letters for he wasn't in the mood to read any of them - nor did he have the time. "Aargh!" he sighed after looking at them.
He had made up his mind that he wasn't going to open any of them, hence he turned back on the other side and closed his eyes. But then he couldn't sleep, there were a lot of things going on his head.
"Xiao Yi" He called for his servant and he sounded so sleepy and exhausted.
Xiao Yi was his personal Prince's guard who always stood by His Highness's door outside. He quickly rushed inside. He was a decorated warrior who's won countless of battles even though he was just twenty five of age.
"Your Highness" he said kneeling down with his hands forward.
"Xiao Yi?"
"Yes Your Highness"
"Are those the letter addressed to me?"
Xiao Yi looked at the pile of letters shuffled at the corner and replied "Yes Your Highness"
"Is there a new letter?"
"Yes Your Highness. It arrived this morning from a merchant in Karta"
"Karta?"
"Yes Your Highness"
The name Karta caught Yishen's attention and he somehow sat on the bed and seemed suspicious by it. He was only wearing a piece of cloth which hid his lower body but his smooth pale back and chest were on display, he was very skinny.
He stood up and walked to the pile of letters, the top letter which was engulfed in a pink envelope caught his attention and he picked it up.
"Is this the letter from Karta?" he asked Xiao Yi.
"Yes it is Your Highness"
"Mmh-hmm, a pink envelope? Interesting... but it doesn't have seal. Thank you Xiao Yi"
Xiao Yi raised his hands forward as a sign of respect "Your Highness" he said and barged out of the room.
Yishen was very interested in reading the letter and as soon as he opened it he sat on the bed and indulge into every word that Mingzhu wrote to him. He had never read a letter that thrilled him like that letter, his eyes couldn't believe what he was actually reading. It was actually a letter from a princess, a princess in exile who offered her a hand in marriage.
After the first time he felt maybe he was too sleepy and he was hallucinating all those sweet words that Mingzhu wrote for him, so he asked Xiao Yi for a glass of water. He used to water to wash his face thoroughly and went back to read it with his eyes wide open.
Mingzhu's words lingered inside his head and he felt like he was already in love with whoever that princess was without even seeing her. "You could rule both the Westlands and the North - together we can accomplish something bigger and who knows maybe we might even find redemption and peace in one another. And an heir who could rule both lands. Your Highness, here I offer my hand in marriage hence this letter is my love letter to you, Prince Yishen of Leilani Kingdom" he read it aloud in disbelief.
A smile escaped his lips and he hadn't smiled like that in such along time, as a teenage young man he always needed that sort of assurance and connection with a lady but he actually never found someone that he could click with. His Majesty tried to pair him with some Noble daughters and princesses some from far away but he never really came to like anyone of them - in his defence he would claim that, they just didn't fit the criteria but he never mentioned the criteria that he was looking for. He however came close to a princess from Wuzhen Kingdom who was noble, beautiful and smart.
They spent some time together talking and laughing when the princess visited Leilani with her parents. Their alone time in the garden where they would just talk whilst surrounded by butterflies and sounds of chirping birds meant so much to the prince, however their fairytale was cut short when the princess's father ended their tour because Yushen refused to supply his army with weapons and armors. In just one moment they became enemies and he never saw her again when her parents stormed out of the capital with all their men and even declared war with Leilani.
Yishen remembered how he tried to talk her out of leaving, how he promised her they would flee together and abandoned their duties. He was ready to give up the throne and run away with her, that's how much she meant to him but the last he heard she was married to a charming prince out of the countryside which laid above his horizon, and he's been heartbroken ever since.
But somehow that broken heart may heal soon and he may fall in love again. That night Prince Yishen re read the letter for over hundred times as if hoping the words would change. He kept thinking "She must be very beautiful. Does she like horses, can she swim in the ocean? Would she like me? Oh wait, I'm too skinny... Does she smell like lavender? I hope she must be glowing in the dark for how beautiful she is. Yae Lin my love, I'm coming for you"
The Prince didn't sleep at all that night, when he saw the sun rising from the East he quickly got up from the bed and barged out of the room. Xiao Yi was almost shocked because he wasn't used to the new man that was displayed in front of him, Yishen was happy and smiling unlike him especially at that early hours of the morning where he's usually pissed off.
"Your Highness!" he said.
"Xiao Yi, follow me to the council room. I have a letter to write"
"A letter Your Highness?"
"Yes a letter and I would like to see that merchant from Karta"
"Yes Your Highness"
Prince Yishen led the way while Xiao Yi assigned some of his soldiers to track down the merchant from Karta while he accompanied the prince to the council room.