The party was in full swing when Tarh the crown prince noticed Aolig.
She was leaning against the pillar and smiling at her elder brother. For her, this whole curtesy bows are boring.
Mavlak did not take it lightly, she escaped from his grasp. "That must be Aolig Eyme, I have to speak with her at least," Tarh muttered to himself.
"General!" he said as he approached the younger general and his best friend Mavlak Eyme.
In official occasions the royalty must abide by the highest decorum.
"Congratulations! your majesty," he said in response with a bow. After the exchange of pleasantries, "and this damsel is?" Tarh asked.
"My younger sister, Aolig" Mavlak replied.
Aolig bowed and greeted him, "your majesty" she said with her head bowed.
She had often wondered about what the crown prince looks like. People have always commended his bravery, talent in cultivation and wisdom and of course his lecherous nature.
Being the only daughter of the general, the only thing she does at home is to learn archery, cultivation, horse riding and etiquettes.
She wants to catch-up on the latest gossip in the capital but Mevlak won't allow that.
Etiquettes classes are the worst, she would always complain to her mother.
"You will definitely marry into the house of Vaharyl" her mother Mevlak Vaharyl Eyme the princess royal will remind her each time she throws a tantrum during her training.
"Mother! She would marry whomsoever she likes, our Eyme family are warriors; not beggars!" Mavlak will say with all seriousness, in his sister's defense.
Their mother won't budge, "ladies of Eyme clan are destined for the palace! Not for carefree life" she would say nonchalantly.
Even though they are cultivators, all of the ancient emperor clans and Sects still hold onto their long established customs about etiquettes, bloodline purity and family providence.
One of them is marrying early.
It is a well known truth that the higher the level of cultivation the more difficult it is to conceive, so they usually marry on or before mortal-dust realm to increase the chances of fertility.
The bloodline of the offspring is then upgraded using various pills and herbs.
Mevlak Vaharyl Eyme has been married to the general Jlav for twenty years.
She only had Mavlak before a cold poison invaded her system, crippling her cultivation and making her infertile.
She has been stuck in the peak of mortal-dust realm for a long time.
The investigation into that have come to an end. She suffered every night, reminiscing the words of the imperial physician personally contacted by her mother.
"My lady, you're now barren you can't bear children again" it was the imperial physician specially contracted by her majesty empress Vaya her mother.
Aolig brought the joy of motherhood back to her, after all the men would always go for summer war expedition, focus on getting stronger, because in Lhney the strong preys on the weak, the law of the jungle is practiced to the fullest.
Once Mavlak reaches ten years he was expected to join his father for his first military expedition, as a form of war cultivation, since they usually force on war dao.
She would then be alone in the manor, with nothing to do but to cultivate all day long without making any progress which is very frustrating.
However, fifteen years ago when her husband returned with a sickly baby from quelling the rebels of Mahg, she knew then that fate has dealt her another chance at motherhood.
For Mevlak Vaharyl Eyme there is nothing more rewarding than her beloved daughter becoming the next noble consort of the Vaharyl clan.
She as well as the emperor Tarh Gwamho Vaharyl the seventh are firm believers in divination.
"Her son will be the next King of the realms, he will unite the whole clans against our enemies in the day of Aobolw, you must keep her safe" it was the instructions of the elder of Gwamho clan to the general in audience of the emperor, empress dowager Vaya and the princess royal.
General Jlav is not a man to be driven by prophecy, being a 12th grade great sage or peak dao ancestor realm expert, he believes everyone has the right to determine their fate as well as defy it, that has been his own dao.
However, over the years the emperor will always hint about the marriage alliance in any possible way.
He would often emphasize how marriages between the two clans have helped stabilize the realm.
"You are as beautiful as I have heard Aolig, I heard you will…" the crown prince flattered. He was interrupted by Mavlak.
"Your majesty it's time for the next wedding ceremony," he said wearing the most polite smile he can muster.