[ye lanyi waits to be summoned. a year of pleasant stasis has prepared her for this. she rises. she bathes. she sets herself to shimmering perfection. she attends her fragrances. she tests her ankle with frequent slow walks through the jungle. it is the most beautiful sort of languishing. and in addition to all these things, the khaan's princess-tithe makes an eloquent study of ignoring batu on those rare occasions when their paths touch. ye lanyi is so desperate for something to happen. anything. she has sprinkled herself with jacaranda petals of pale lavender, which seem more blue against the blush of her coat. a tall man dressed in silver bows before the empress. a girl with an inherently noble bearing lowers her face next. the way she greets the important figure tells the concubine that the young woman must be of high rank. this notation is put aside to consider when she is alone. for this reason, ye lanyi does not approach so close, but her bow is just as deep as this first pair, and she will not move from the elegant curve until she is allowed. a princess, batu had said when he gave her into the care of lady kexin. she does not feel like that now. she wants to be alone. she wants to be seen. in the end, it is better that she integrates herself, that she bend her head before the empress as many times as she is able, that she is witnessed in piety and submission by the emperor's subjects. it is how a gift should be, after all.]

ye lanyi waits to be summoned.
a year of pleasant stasis has prepared her for this. she rises. she bathes. she sets herself to shimmering perfection. she attends her fragrances. she tests her ankle with frequent slow walks through the jungle.
it is the most beautiful sort of languishing.
and in addition to all these things, the khaan's princess-tithe makes an eloquent study of ignoring batu on those rare occasions when their paths touch.
ye lanyi is so desperate for something to happen. anything. she has sprinkled herself with jacaranda petals of pale lavender, which seem more blue against the blush of her coat.
a tall man dressed in silver bows before the empress. a girl with an inherently noble bearing lowers her face next. the way she greets the important figure tells the concubine that the young woman must be of high rank. this notation is put aside to consider when she is alone.
for this reason, ye lanyi does not approach so close, but her bow is just as deep as this first pair, and she will not move from the elegant curve until she is allowed. a princess, batu had said when he gave her into the care of lady kexin. she does not feel like that now.
she wants to be alone.
she wants to be seen.
in the end, it is better that she integrates herself, that she bend her head before the empress as many times as she is able, that she is witnessed in piety and submission by the emperor's subjects. it is how a gift should be, after all.