Not So Different (XinJin)

I

The young woman was running.

From what ? From who ? She didn't know. The only thing she knew for sure was that she needed to keep running.

The dark shape following her wasn't slowing down, but she was. She then realized it was because she was wearing chains on her ankles and wrists.

She tried to scream, but nothing came out.

Eventually, as she raised her head, she noticed a glowing, reassuring and probably warm light.

It looked so close, yet so far at the same time... Could she get to it before getting caught ?

As hope was overwhelming her, she felt a cold grip on her arm.

"- No !"

The girl blinked, confused. The only thing in her field of vision was the ceiling of her bedroom.

"Did I make that weird dream again ?"

She sighed and put down the arm that she was holding out in front of her, probably in reaction to the dream she had just made.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes, trying to wake up. But as she was going to get up, she heard a knock on her door.

"- Princess ? It's me, are you awake ?"

The young woman chuckled. Her dear childhood friend wouldn't change.

"- Yes, I am ! You can come in !

- Okay..."

A light-haired young man entered the room, holding a letter in his pale hands.

"- Princess, here is a letter for you !

- Thank you Chongyun ! But please, I already told you that you can just call me Yun Jin, like when we were children !

- B-but I can't, I am but your servant, you rank is so much higher than mine...

- Maybe my parents care, but I don't !

- I-if you say so, Prin- Yun Jin...

- Good ! Now, who is that letter from ?

- It is from the Qingce Prince, Lord Xingqiu.

- Hmm... I never met him though... Well anyways, let's read this !"

Yun Jin sat at her desk, catching Chongyun's hand who was trying to get out, saying that he wasn't involved, and sitting him next to her.

She then took a paperknife and opened the letter. She read it aloud with attention, Chongyun listening to her.

In the letter, the Prince was very politely expressing his wish to meet her, and was offering to pay her a visit in some days at Liyue Castle. The whole letter was really distinguished, probably reflecting the Prince's personality, but even if she had never met him, the princess felt like there was something forced in the letter. But this wasn't surprising : in this high society world, the children rarely had the freedom to do whatever they wanted.

"- Hmm... What do you think, Chongyun ?

- M-me ? Well, I would say he looks like a very refined young man... I suppose he has a good reason for coming here !

- I thought the same ! And I'm also pretty sure Mother and Father know something about it ! Let's ask them !

- O-oh, but wait, you need to get prepared before !

- ...Oh, right."

If there was something Yun Jin didn't really like about being one of the most important people of the kingdom, it was that she needed to constantly look good. It would seem okay at first, but how tiring it was to spend many hours a day with dressing up, getting her hair and makeup done...