Xingyun Oneshots

66 - Beloved Maidens Near and Far (But Only One Will Steal My Heart)

The beloved Prince Xingqiu, known all around the kingdom as a respectable, humble young man who was looking for a girl to marry.

Many knew he loved to read, was a magnificent dancer, and had recently taken up sword fighting.

To many girls in the kingdom, Prince Xingqiu was most certainly someone they'd love to spend their lives with.

To the prince himself, however, he wanted nothing to do with having to find a wife. Actually, if he was being honest, he wasn't even attracted to girls.

Unfortunately, his father and elder brother continued to pester him about finding someone to marry soon, and Prince Xingqiu dreaded every minute of it-just like right now, when he's standing just in front of the closed castle doors and waiting for them to open just as another girl interested in marrying him walks through.

Xingqiu must admit, she's not unattractive at all. In fact, she looks strikingly beautiful. Her short blue hair falls in curls all around her head, and her long, white dress flows gently around her body, swaying as she walks.

Xingqiu notices how she almost looks more masculine than feminine, but doesn't get his hopes up that a boy would come to try and marry him.

He puts on his best fake smile (the one all the girls in the kingdom say was to die for) and extends his hand for her, tilting his head. "As I'm sure you know, I'm Prince Xingqiu. I'm delighted to meet you, miss-?"

The girl brings out a hand before she hesitates, as if scared of shaking his hand. Quickly though, she re-situates herself and shakes his hand, giving a short nod.

"Chongyun." She says quietly.

A peculiar name for a girl, but again, Xingqiu doesn't comment on it.

"Chongyun, right. May I interest you in a tour around the gardens? It's a beautiful day outside, and you can tell me all about yourself as well." He offers.

Without so much as a sound, she nods her head, and Xingqiu reopens the door and holds it open for her.

She passes through, and he quickly falls in step with her. As the two approach the gate to the gardens, he prepares himself for another agonizingly long time speaking to another possible relationship.

-

Chongyun, as Xingqiu later found out, was not much of a talker.

At all.

Actually the two of them just walked through the gardens with Xingqiu asking her easy questions and her nodding or shaking her head. As they made their way back to the castle, Xingqiu couldn't find a reason to keep their walk-and-talk up, and so he starts to ease his way into a goodbye.

"I had a lovely time with you, but I believe I have other matters to attend to. Perhaps I can see you another day." He says, an easy smile on his lips before her next words make him malfunction.

"You didn't enjoy this at all, I can tell. All the girls in the kingdom have said the same thing about what you say to them, and it's pretty obvious to me that you don't want to be here with me." She states. "So tell me, what can I do so you're not lying the whole time?"

Xingqiu just stares at her in shock, not expecting her words or her voice.

Archons, her voice.

It was deeper than he expected it to be, and after she spoke, it seemed like she realized it too and covered her mouth.

"Sorry, I just don't want to leave knowing this was just a waste of your time." 

"No, you're justified in your reasoning. The truth is...I'm not particularly interested in marrying a girl." He explains to her in a hushed voice.

"So you don't want to marry?" She asks.

"N-no, you misunderstand me. I'm not attracted to girls." He restates.

The girl's face burns pink and his own gets hot realizing what he just spilled.

"Please don't tell anyone I told you. It's very important this stays a secret." He tells her.

"I can do that. But, you have to keep a secret for me, too."

"Okay, deal." He nods. What could she have to tell him that was equal in weight?

"I'm actually a boy, not a girl." He says, his voice fully dropping to its normal, low pitch.

"Y-you're...a boy?" Xingqiu asks in disbelief.

"Yeah. Actually, I came here dressed as a girl so I could come to meet you too, since I knew I couldn't come dressed as myself. I figured since you've kept refusing all of the girls in the kingdom, I could at least find out why that is." Chongyun explains.

"So...you still came here to marry me though? Is that correct?"

He blushes heavily and looks at his shoes. "Yes. But I understand if you don't want to marry me."

Chongyun gasps as Xingqiu takes his hand and looks him in the eyes.

"I say you meet me at the south side of the East lake. I'd like to know the real you."

Chongyun smiles, and nods. "Only if you promise to show me the real you, too."

"Deal."

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Written: April 9th, 2023

Finished/Published: April 23rd, 2023

(Word Count: 877)