There's this legend of an underwater palace, a magnificent jade-like building under the southern seas.
Claiming he's seen it with his own eyes, ruthless pirate Hua Cheng stubbornly follows any scroll or hearsay about this palace, intending to find...
The audience hall in all its beauty was but a functional room, while the great hall was made for entertainment of the XianLe court and its guests: its white walls were clear as ice and clean as jade, exquisitely carved, and its tall golden columns were shimmering in soft yellow phosphorescence. Walking into these halls made one feel like ascending to The Heavens!
The pirates – or the honoured guests of the Mortal Realm – were taken to individual tables and a wide range of delicacies were served in dainty tableware, as well as excellent wine: these aquatic demons were well-prepared for following human palace-like etiquette on grand dinners.
"My lord", a palace attendant, a needle-fish demon in a silvery scaly skirt, came at Hua Cheng's side, "His Highness is asking if the food is to your liking? And the wine?"
There had been quite a few of these back-and-forth messages between the crown prince, who was presiding the dinner from his much bigger and fancier table on an elevated platform, and Hua Cheng. Thinking of that conversation he had with He Xuan back at his cabin, he brazenly got up and turned to the prince, cupping his hands in salute.
"Your Highness", he called slightly louder, realising he didn't need it, as the great hall acoustics was excellent, "Please, I have a preposterous request if you'd be so kind as to hear me".
The whole hall went silent, everyone looking in surprise at Hua Cheng, and then at the prince.
"Speak", he said.
"My deep apologies for my rudeness, but well I'm aware Your Highness is interested on the Mortal Realm, and I am too, interested on the alluring Kingdom of XianLe. Wouldn't be possible for me to sit somewhat closer so we could talk freely? I know it'd be a breach of protocol and – "
He immediately regretted asking that: he was being too audacious and going too far! These demons wouldn't appreciate him trying to get too familiar with their crown prince and –
But the prince himself laughed, and, patting at the space on his side, replied happily, "That's an excellent idea! Your wish is granted, come, sit beside me".
The feast quickly resumed, while Hua Cheng, eyes still wide open in surprise, was taken to the royal table, with a new set of dishes and tableware brought to him in a blink of an eye. As he sat down, the prince gave him a welcoming smile, even clinking cups with him politely, and leisurely kept looking at the much eating and drinking, music and dancing at the great hall.
From this close, Hua Cheng kept stealing glances at the crown prince, noticing his skin had a light shimmer, the perfect colour and texture of a pearl. With his muscles well-defined even while sitting in a relaxed manner like that and his golden eyes framed by long, gentle brows, his looks could really topple cities, and made Hua Cheng strangely shy.
He thought to himself, what's wrong with you? Start a conversation, be your charming, witty self!
Cleared his throat, he then asked, "Your Highness. May I respectfully enquire why you're so interested on the human world? Your guoshi mentioned it, and you mentioned it yourself too..."
"Ah, yes", he replied, "Some centuries ago, my parents went roaming on the Mortal Realm, as part of their cultivation, and haven't returned. The access to XianLe was magically locked then, as a protective measure, you could say. That's why the kingdom is now ruled by a crown prince".
Hua Cheng nodded, thinking to himself it must have been lonely too, all these centuries without both his parents, everybody else just bowing to him in deference, saying Your Highness, Your Highness... That's why he's always asking to drop formalities, he must be dying to have someone around just to talk to normally, to keep him company. A friend, or –
Heh, that makes my job even easier, Hua Cheng thought: he could advance by leaps and bounds without a fierce sea dragon king baring his fangs, watching over his hatchling, minding he doesn't keep unsavoury company. That means now my in-laws would be the Guoshi, and those two marlin demons, Feng Xin and Mu Qing. He smiled to himself.
The prince continued, "We were taken by amazement at your arrival. If I could say so, you must be beyond resourceful to have gathered all the conditions in which one can enter XianLe. May I ask – "
Their talk was interrupted by a loud bump under the table, with Hua Cheng jolting in surprise, looking down: a white sea serpent was coiling itself around his left leg, tapping its head purposedly on the cutlass he carried at his waist. It looked at them in silent puzzlement, its golden eyes not at all unlike the crown prince's.
"My apologies", the prince said, laughing softly, "Ruoye is rather curious about your weapon, and can't just sit still like a polite girl", he concluded his good-natured scolding with another laughter.
Hua Cheng smiled warmly, and removed the cutlass from his waist, offering it to the prince; he unsheathed it and examined the blade, turning it over a few times. Ruoye kept watching closely as he asked, "Is it a spiritual device?"
It was this particular weapon that took Hua Cheng's right eye on a vicious battle, which he won, killing the cutlass' owner and taking over his fleet; he kept the blade as a reminder to anyone willing to challenge him. Naturally he didn't tell the crown prince any of that, but now thinking about it, as his eye as a blood sacrifice, this weapon might as well be a spiritual one.
"Its name is E'ming", Hua Cheng replied, "Maybe it is, who knows what this cutlass has seen throughout the ages on the southern seas!"
The prince nodded, "It must be the case, as it recognises you as its master, Hua Cheng".
"I prefer His Highness calls me San Lang", he blurted out, not knowing exactly why.
San Lang, he suddenly remembered, was how his long-gone family called him: children from poor fishing villages were simply named "big boy", "second boy", "third boy". Maybe to the prince Hua Cheng unconsciously wanted to show the real him – one he hasn't known for years now.
"San Lang", the crown prince replied looking at him thoughtfully, then smiled, "This name seems to have a deeper meaning for you. In this case, how would you like to call me?"
Hua Cheng smiled flirtatiously, and said, "Gege". But he immediately thought it too much, and, hurriedly getting up, he cupped his hands, nervously adding, "My apologies Your Highness! This humble servant doesn't know his place and deserves death! I – "
The prince laughed heartily, "I'm older by a few centuries, so it's fitting you call me Gege".
You still look damn good though, Hua Cheng thought, this time not daring to voice it: the flirting was going well, no need to overdo it.
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There, Ruoye and E'ming everyone! And how is the flirting going, you think? Let me know...
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