A Royal Engagement

Paris and Beijing

(SHUNU)

Paris, close to midnight...

My phone rang on the table and I stopped looking at the pictures in front of me to check who is calling.

A familiar number...

"Hello," I greeted the caller.

"Have you seen their latest photo? The Crown Prince on top of his soon to be Consort. How sweet, right?" the man on the other end held a note of mockery.

"I told you, it was all a sham..." I give emphasized on the words.

But inside, I feel anxious. I don't know this Dayu who is posing as Qing's soon to be Consort. The Crown Prince had never told me that he has another playmate aside from his guard dog, Lao.

What I know is thar I hold Qing's heart. He loves me. That is why he protected me from his family that is pressuring him to get engage and married.

He had proposed to me a lot of times. A lot. But everytime I am rejecting him, Qing always understand. He knew my real feelings for him. I love him but being a Queen is not what I want.

I want to be myself. To have my own identity. To be recognized for my arts and my hard work. But I love Qing. I just love my art a bit more.

Selfish I know, but Qing promised that he will wait for me when I told him that I will fly here to Paris to study more and make connections. Connections that is important to an artist like me.

My art. And Qing. My two dreams. I will both get it. As long as...

"Are you sure Qing will lose his Crown Prince position?" I asked the caller again after he told me that everything he is planning will be put to motion soon.

"Yes. It is one of the provision for a Crown Prince to lose his position and his rights to inherit the Crown." The man said. "People will blame him for the death of his soon to be Consort. They will force him to give up his rights to ascend the King's throne."

And once Qing is no longer the King in Waiting, I can be with him. I will not be Queen anymore. We will be the Royals who will not ascend the throne. We have the title but not the responsibilities.

I will have Qing and the Princess title and the time to devote to my arts.

A triple win for me.

As long as the plan of the man on the other line will come true. "Then call me again when it started,"

The man laughed, "You are really clever, Shunu. Leaving China as the Crown Prince life will start to unravel around him,"

I swallowed nervously. I knew this man. I knew his greed. "Just do what you have to do. But never hurt Qing. I don't care who gets hurt but not Qing and Princess Baozang. We need the Princess to ascend that throne,"

"I know. I am quite fond of the brat too. Don't worry, your precious Prince will not be hurt. Just his precious Consort to be,"

"He will not be a Consort!" My anger seeped out on my voice. "That poser will never be Qing's Consort. I will be Qing's Princess! No one else will be enough to stay at his side but me!"