"The king of Feng arrived in the capital yesterday," the steward reported. "We've arranged for him to be staying at the east wing, where the crown prince is at. The prime minister of Dahai and their second prince have also arrived, and are being hosted by Prime Minister Jing. Prince Baixun of Gi and the crown princess should be arriving only tomorrow. They've sent word that they will be late due to bad weather, but that they'll definitely be here in time for the banquet."

"Good, thank you," Yuehwa replied.

She was sitting alone in her room in front of the mirror, staring at her own reflection and wondering who exactly was staring back. There was an icy coldness in her gaze that she did not recognise—like a sharp blade, eager to cut down anyone who dared come near. Reaching up, she took out the hairpin that had been holding her hair up, and all at once her long, black hair came tumbling down her shoulders like a raging waterfall.

It would not be long now till the rest of the world met Lee Yue, princess of Hwa. Soon, they would realise what a mistake it was to stretch their greedy, treacherous hands into her home, and steal away one of the most precious people in her life.

She picked up an invitation card from her dressing table and handed it to the steward.

"Deliver this to the Tianzi room at the Jiangxi Inn," she said.

The steward looked bewildered.

"But Your Highness, the guest list for the banquet has already been confirmed by the Ministry of Protocols."

"Tell the minister that he is to add an extra table on my left."

"On your left?" the steward spluttered. The position to the left of the regent was second only to the queen, who would be on Yuehwa's right. In the absence of any other senior members of the Hwa royal family, the place should have gone to the most esteemed of their foreign guests, which would have been the king of Feng.

Yuehwa nodded. "Tell the Minister of Protocols not to worry himself about it. Everything will become clear in due course," she said.

"Yes, Your Highness." Clutching the extra invitation in his hands, the chief steward bowed and quickly left the room to carry out his latest instruction.

Sighing, Yuehwa closed her eyes, willing the turbulence in her heart to still itself.

A part of her wanted to rush out and stop the steward, to retract the decision that she had spent countless sleepless nights contemplating. She drummed her fingers on the table top in a steady, methodical manner, hoping that its rhythm would help to steady her mind.

#

As expected, Shoya appeared in her chambers that very night. This time, she intentionally made it easy for him—and even left two windows open.

"You don't have to do this," Shoya said.

"Of course not."

He was right. She didn't. She was now the regent of Hwa, and like it or not that position came with considerable power. None of the other kingdoms, Baixun included, would dare to openly make a move on Hwa even if she didn't strike an alliance with anyone. She could just as easily have pretended that Shoya didn't exist and proceeded to broker a different deal with the king of Feng and find a different way to fish out her brother's murderer, one that didn't involve bartering away her own happiness.

She didn't have to do it, but she was going to do it anyway.

"Then why?"

"Because if I'm going to be a pawn in your game, then I might as well get something out of it too. Fair's fair, isn't it?"

"Yuehwa—"

Yuehwa stood up and turned around, placing a finger over Shoya's lips to stop him from saying anything more. Smiling, she said, "It's a clear night tonight. Shall we go lie on the rooftop and look at the stars?"

The night sky was possibly the only silver lining that existed in their lives right now—and from the rooftop the stars could be seen for miles. Sitting side by side, Yuehwa and Shoya looked up at the stars above, just like they had done not so long ago.

"There's the Ox again." Yuehwa pointed at one of the constellations in the sky. "I got it right this time, didn't I?"

"That's the Dog," Shoya replied. "The Ox is over there." Taking hold of her hand, he pointed towards the right side of the sky, tracing out the shape of the correct constellation.

Yuehwa threw her hands up in the air. "I give up. Stargazing is clearly not my cup of tea."

"It takes practice. You're too impatient."

"Get off your high horse! You're only a teensy bit better than me at identifying constellations. It's a useless skill that's only good for passing time," she sniffled, hugging her knees close to keep out the night chill.

"This feels like back when we were on that boat to Dahai."

The mood immediately sank all the way back down.

There was a moment of silence, then Shoya said, "Tomorrow is the solar eclipse."

"I know. Funny coincidence, isn't it? The heavens like to make jokes out of us. Happy birthday in advance, I'm not sure I'll have the chance to say this to you tomorrow."

Turning towards him, she reached out a tentative hand.

"May I?"

Shoya didn't say no, so she took it to mean yes. Reaching around the back of his head, she undid the knots that were holding the mask in its place. She didn't realise it, but she was almost holding her breath when the final knot came undone, and her fingers trembled slightly as she lowered it away from his face.

Under the moonlight, every feature and contour of his face was clearly illuminated, revealing the countenance that he had kept carefully hidden away for most of his life. Although this was the first time she was seeing Shoya for what he actually looked like, she found that she wasn't the least bit surprised. Perhaps in her mind's eye, she had known all along.

Yuehwa raised her hand and ran her fingers along the small scar that ran near the corner of his right eye, cutting through his brow. It wasn't much, but it was a single imperfection on an otherwise perfect face.

"When did you get this?" she asked.

"I've had it since before I can remember. I've been told that the servant girl who brought me to Dahai accidentally dropped me while she was running from the soldiers, and this was collateral damage."

"This isn't the reason why you've always worn a mask, is it?"

Shoya shook his head. "It's a reminder to myself about where I came from, and how I ended up here." He reached up and caught hold of Yuehwa's hand, bringing it down to his side. "The mask has always been a symbol of who I became, and—"

"And now you no longer need it, because it's time for you to go back to who you used to be." She smiled, but a sadness thrummed inside her. "Like me."

She wished that they were back on that boat again, back in a time when she only knew him as Shoya, and he knew her as Yuehwa and nothing more.

"Shoya."

"Hmm?"

"Don't feel bad for me," Yuehwa turned to him and said. She glanced down at the mask she was still holding in her free hand. "Don't feel guilty, or feel like you owe me something. I can't change the fact that I'm the princess of Hwa, just like you can't change the fact that your father is the king of Feng. There are some paths we cannot avoid." She paused. "And some sacrifices we have to make. I understand."

"It doesn't have to be this way," Shoya said. "We are still who we are, no matter what titles or names we carry." He ran his fingers through her dark hair, then he placed one hand around the back of her head and pulled her towards him until their lips were touching.

"I love you," he said softly, so softly that it could have easily been mistaken for the wind.

She didn't know whether or not it was real, or if he was just saying it to make her feel better, but it would have to do for now. Tonight was the last night for them to just be Shoya and Yuehwa, the White Scorpion and the Phoenix; tomorrow, they would still be walking side by side, but there would just be Hwang Minjun and Lee Yue, and everything would be different.

Yuehwa clung onto the tiniest bit of warmth she could find in his lips, from his hand, trying to store it away in her memory for a rainy day.

Because tonight—tonight was where this chapter of their story would end.

#

"You look beautiful, Yue-er."

Queen Yi'en picked up the phoenix crown and gently set it upon Yuehwa's head, smiling as she looked upon the reflection in the mirror.

Today, Yuehwa had set aside her usual garb in exchange for fiery robes lined with exquisite gold embroidery in the pattern of blooming dahlias that had been specially tailored for the royal banquet. With the phoenix crown upon her head, her ensemble was almost complete. Looking into the mirror, she could hardly recognise herself in it.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness," a steward entered the room, bowing respectfully. "It's almost time."

The queen slowly lowered the veil of pearls from the phoenix crown, hiding Yuehwa's beautiful countenance behind it. Yuehwa turned around and took hold of Yi'en's hand.

"Thank you, for not asking me any questions."

"You've always known what you were doing, and there was never any need for your brother or I to have to worry about you. If you've made this decision, then I trust that you are doing what you think is best," the queen said. Helping Yuehwa to her feet, the queen walked her towards the door, the long train of her dress trailing along behind her. "Your brother would have wanted to be here on this day. It's a pity he can't be here to witness this."

"I'm sure he's still watching over us from up above."

#

Tonight, the grand hall of the Hwa palace was transformed. Decorations had been kept to a minimum as the kingdom was still officially in mourning, but there had been some effort made to ensure that things would not look shabby in front of their foreign guests. Large lotus silk flowers lined both sides, and the palace's best bronzeware had been brought out to lay the tables. Already the seats were mostly filled, by the key officials of the Hwa royal court and their families, as well as their invited guests.

The king of Feng had arrived, and was ushered to the second seat left of the regent's golden chair. His darkened expression and deeply furrowed brows spoke volumes of his displeasure at where he had been positioned, deep-set eyes constantly flicking towards his side, to the mysterious empty seat that should be his.

The ministers and officials immediately began whispering to one another, equally curious as to why the king was being given such a position. Prime Minster Jing regarded the on-goings with a keen interest, though his own thoughts were still kept well-hidden behind a smiling façade.

Once Queen Yi'en entered the grand hall together with the crown prince and took her seat on the other side of the regent's chair, a steward sounded a gong, signalling that the banquet was about to begin. The guests rose to their feet.

Across the sky, the shadow of the moon was slowly shifting across the sky, until the overlap between the moon and sun began to occur with three celestial bodies moving into a straight line. Not everyone present in the grand hall were aware of the phenomenon that was about to take place, and cries of alarm began to ring out the moment the shadows began to fall. At the front of the hall, the king of Feng tightened his grip on the armrests of his chair.

"It's time," Yuehwa said to the man standing beside her.

He held out his hand and took her hand in his. Glancing behind, he could see that the shadow of the moon was almost completely obscuring the sun now, and the world was bathed in darkness.

They both took a step forward, and as they crossed the threshold into the grand hall, all eyes in the room were on them.

"Her Royal Highness and Regent, Princess Lee Yue of Hwa, and His Royal Highness, Prince Hwang Minjun of Feng," the king's steward announced.

A commotion immediately spread across the hall, voices whispering and necks craning as the two figures stepped forward.

Everyone's interest lay more with the mysterious prince than with the princess, and people were straining and squinting to get a good look at who this person actually was. As far as everyone was aware, the king of Feng only had one son, yet the handsome man who was walking beside the princess was definitely not the crown prince. Curious eyes glanced towards the king of Feng, whose ashen expression betrayed his own surprise at the turn of events.

When the moon went on its trajectory and passed over the sun, bringing light once again streaming through the windows of the hall, audible gasps could be heard from the guests.

"Should have ditched that mask a long time ago," Yuehwa whispered. "Look at all those ladies. They want to gobble you up and swallow you whole."

Dressed in clean white silk with silver cloud embroidery, his hair combed back in a neat topknot secured with a matching silver pin, Shoya looked every bit like a prince—even more so than his half-brother the crown prince of Feng, who was sitting beside his father with a horrified look on his face.

"Are you jealous?"

She blanched. "I know better than to stomach a poisoned scorpion," she retorted.

The duo marched steadily towards the front of the hall, with Yuehwa taking her seat at the centre of the raised dais and Shoya moving to her immediate left. She waved her hand and everyone took their seats, all eagerly awaiting an explanation for this.

"Welcome to Hwa, distinguished guests," Yuehwa said, her voice resonating authoritatively across the hall. "The queen and I are most delighted to host all of you here today, and I hope you understand why we have done away with much of the fanfare. This is a period of great grief for our kingdom and our family, for we have just lost one of the wisest and kindest kings that Hwa has ever known, well before his time." A flash of steel appeared in her eyes as her gaze swept across the room, then it vanished. "However, despite our loss, we must move on. The people of Hwa, and indeed, the people of all the kingdoms, depend upon it. I have invited everyone here to make a very important announcement, one that has significant impact for myself—and also for my kingdom."

She gestured towards the chief steward, who stepped forward with a gold scroll in his hands. He unfurled the scroll and cleared his throat.

"By decree of the queen of Hwa, together with the regent of Hwa, Her Royal Highness Princess Lee Yue, sister of the late King Lee Sang, is to be engaged to be married to His Royal Highness, Prince Hwang Minjun of Feng. The engagement will take place with immediate effect, and the date for the royal wedding will be decided upon later, after consultation of the almanacs."

Yuehwa's lips curled into a cold smile as she took in the expressions of shock that rippled throughout the hall. Even the prime minister's placid façade broke for the briefest of seconds, and the hand that he had been holding his cup with trembled slightly.

"What!"

The first person who dared burst out in protest was the crown prince of Feng, who leapt out of his seat.

"What nonsense is that? I'm the one that the princess is supposed to marry. Who is this imposter? There is no prince—"

The king of Feng grabbed hold of his son's arm and forced him to sit back down, silencing the boy with a stern glare.

"Father, aren't you going to say something? This is ridiculous! Hwa is obviously trying to make a fool..." the prince's voice trailed off, because Yuehwa had gently lifted the veil of pearls. His jaw dropped. "Y-y-you!" he stammered, pointing a shaky finger at her.

"What are you doing?" the king hissed, slapping his son's hand away. "Sit down and keep quiet!"

"Is there a problem?" Yuehwa asked.

With a stiff smile on his face, the king of Feng turned towards her. "Of course not. I just... We had not been expecting this announcement so soon."

As expected, the cogs in the king's head had turned quickly and he had already come to terms with what the most advantageous position would be for him. With the armies of Gi and Dahai pressing dangerously close, Feng needed Hwa on their side. As much as the king despised Shoya, he had no choice but to welcome his estranged son back with open arms, now that the royal engagement—and by extension the alliance—depended upon it.

Still, it hadn't gone unnoticed by Yuehwa that the king had not so much as spared Shoya a single glance since they entered.

"I am not the sort who likes to waste time," she replied. "I apologise for the abruptness though. It appears that you have not had the time to inform your crown prince of this yet."

Judging from the thick beads of sweat forming upon the crown prince's forehead and the way he was wringing his hands, it was unlikely he would say a single word for the rest of the banquet. Not if he valued his life.

Yuehwa gestured to her chief steward, who then gave the cue for the servers to stream in bearing Hwa's delicacies on golden dishes. The grand hall descended into casual chatter, much of which revolved around the regent's shocking engagement announcement.

Ember was watching sadly from high above the ceiling beams of the hall as all this took place beneath him. In his opinion, this banquet was as good as a funeral, because Yuehwa had gone and done the most foolish thing she could have possibly done in her entire life—and he had seen her do many foolish things before.

He had done his best to advise her otherwise, but when it came to being stubborn, no one could ever beat Yuehwa at the game. At the end of the day, she still loves him, he thought to himself. She could lie to herself a million times that she didn't, but Ember knew her well enough to know that deep down inside, she still did. Perhaps it was true that she didn't trust him, but it didn't stop her from loving him still, else she could have chosen a dozen alternate paths that didn't require Shoya to be a part of it.

That was what made it even more tragic.

The irony was that by making this move that seemingly brought the two of them closer together, what they were in fact doing was driving each other further away.

I can't bear to watch this anymore, he chirped to himself when he saw a certain prince of Gi enter the hall, accompanied by his beautiful young wife. Things were already bad enough without more broken hearts entering the picture. Sighing, the fiery canary spread his wings and flew out of the grand hall, heading somewhere where he wouldn't have to bear witness to this entire mess.