11/10/2025, 3:52 PM
with a moment's hesitation, yunxu rose. in her place, he frankly imagined he'd be leveraging such a title to get himself out of these sorts of conversations and focus on studying. but the surprise had worn off, and- just maybe- it could be nice to talk to someone without anything being expected of him. he'd kept out of the way of everyone but the emperor and his healer other than in the form of brief greetings.
"all right." a quick smile. "fen."
even if it would feel a bit like a minefield. ...that likely had nothing to do with her and more to do with him.
"likewise. i didn't know what to do with myself when i first landed here. it's been a relief to meet all of you." he laughed softly. "the first wolf i met after i woke here suggested it was the gods' doing...i'll admit, i didn't believe her at the time. my people worshipped different gods, and none of them have joined me. but perhaps it was the celestial dragon's will all along."
he didn't think himself particularly religious among his people. it was hard to believe in things whose impact you couldn't see, concretely. but he could accept there was magic here and it had to be a very particular magic to pull so may of shenlei's people to this world. maybe that was what a god did.
luckily, he was spared from having to think further on it. he even returned fen's interest with his own. this was something he could be confident in.
"truly. i know their behavior changes with the rain...i've found it easier to catch them then. but that's not particularly helpful...by then you're already wet." not that, it was much of an issue for wolves who lived on the sea; he was damp more often than he was dry. "still, my grandfather used to swear by it. he'd go for a walk in the evening and come back telling us a storm was on the way, and i'd wake up to thunder in the night."
"but, ah, if you wanted to know how to do it, you'd have to speak to him." he glanced away, back over the still ocean. "unfortunately, i'm.. not aware of any of my people making the trip."
he'd turned his eyes away for only a moment, and when he looked back fen was at his side, stepping around him to peer into the water. her side brushed against his. yunxu went very still.
commoners were not permitted to touch royalty. he couldn't imagine that rule differing here- but nor were they ever allowed to speak to a princess so casually. and he couldn't not think of her as the princess, because that was only going to lead to a misstep later, but now- maybe that was another formality she wanted to put aside?
he didn't jolt away, but he did turn to follow her as she set one paw on the log and let the movement carry them apart.
she looked at him. yunxu met sage green eyes and glanced hastily back into the water.
"now?" he asked, without thinking, but in the following silence he was... not as surprised by the question as he'd expected to be. he squinted into the shallows, at the darting shapes of minnows. "...yes, i could, if you'd like." he offered another smile. "have you ever tried it before?"
"all right." a quick smile. "fen."
even if it would feel a bit like a minefield. ...that likely had nothing to do with her and more to do with him.
"likewise. i didn't know what to do with myself when i first landed here. it's been a relief to meet all of you." he laughed softly. "the first wolf i met after i woke here suggested it was the gods' doing...i'll admit, i didn't believe her at the time. my people worshipped different gods, and none of them have joined me. but perhaps it was the celestial dragon's will all along."
he didn't think himself particularly religious among his people. it was hard to believe in things whose impact you couldn't see, concretely. but he could accept there was magic here and it had to be a very particular magic to pull so may of shenlei's people to this world. maybe that was what a god did.
luckily, he was spared from having to think further on it. he even returned fen's interest with his own. this was something he could be confident in.
"truly. i know their behavior changes with the rain...i've found it easier to catch them then. but that's not particularly helpful...by then you're already wet." not that, it was much of an issue for wolves who lived on the sea; he was damp more often than he was dry. "still, my grandfather used to swear by it. he'd go for a walk in the evening and come back telling us a storm was on the way, and i'd wake up to thunder in the night."
"but, ah, if you wanted to know how to do it, you'd have to speak to him." he glanced away, back over the still ocean. "unfortunately, i'm.. not aware of any of my people making the trip."
he'd turned his eyes away for only a moment, and when he looked back fen was at his side, stepping around him to peer into the water. her side brushed against his. yunxu went very still.
commoners were not permitted to touch royalty. he couldn't imagine that rule differing here- but nor were they ever allowed to speak to a princess so casually. and he couldn't not think of her as the princess, because that was only going to lead to a misstep later, but now- maybe that was another formality she wanted to put aside?
he didn't jolt away, but he did turn to follow her as she set one paw on the log and let the movement carry them apart.
she looked at him. yunxu met sage green eyes and glanced hastily back into the water.
"now?" he asked, without thinking, but in the following silence he was... not as surprised by the question as he'd expected to be. he squinted into the shallows, at the darting shapes of minnows. "...yes, i could, if you'd like." he offered another smile. "have you ever tried it before?"
english | mandarin