[ He squeezes Chang Geng's hand back, warmly. Then he sets the flower vine down, across their laced fingers, and reaches to pat Chang Geng's head. ]
That's good.
[ He sits like that for a while, basking in the warmth of the moment, and the moonlacing. This business with Chang Geng's name, it has weighed on his mind since finding out about what his adopted mother had done to him. When he'd heard about the "evening star flower," he'd seen this as a chance to say what he really felt about all that.
He's never been one for superstition, especially prophecy. Hadn't he himself suffered, due to a bald donkey's worthless pronouncement about his luck? His fiancée died back then. If that was his fault, then it was because certain elements in the court didn't want Emperor Wu's grandson to have the backing of a wife's powerful family. He doesn't have to think too hard who those "elements" might have been.
As for luck, there is an element of chance in all things, but generally things happen for a reason. In battle, he never trusted to luck or fate; he trusted his own planning, preparation, foresight, and cunning. ]
There are still a few hours until sunrise. Come to bed, and we'll sleep for a while.
no subject
That's good.
[ He sits like that for a while, basking in the warmth of the moment, and the moonlacing. This business with Chang Geng's name, it has weighed on his mind since finding out about what his adopted mother had done to him. When he'd heard about the "evening star flower," he'd seen this as a chance to say what he really felt about all that.
He's never been one for superstition, especially prophecy. Hadn't he himself suffered, due to a bald donkey's worthless pronouncement about his luck? His fiancée died back then. If that was his fault, then it was because certain elements in the court didn't want Emperor Wu's grandson to have the backing of a wife's powerful family. He doesn't have to think too hard who those "elements" might have been.
As for luck, there is an element of chance in all things, but generally things happen for a reason. In battle, he never trusted to luck or fate; he trusted his own planning, preparation, foresight, and cunning. ]
There are still a few hours until sunrise. Come to bed, and we'll sleep for a while.