Seyran

Chapter 17: To 'bear' traditions

Their prognostic was actually good. His skin's color was better, it looked less sickly, he still didn't wake up but at least when opening his eyes, they could still see his irises. They were quite long-winded actually and vocal about his recuperating state.

As they were so active in this room, their departments' members were whispering in the others, some discussing the cure used, others wanting to understand the cure's choice and a great majority, talking about the crown princess; after all, she really did spend the night here.

"And when is he to wake up?"

"... This, can't be said with certainty." responded the flesh's department chief. "But it should be in a couple of hours."

"Leave then."

They didn't really want to be there so they retired in polite words but after them, it was elder Shen that came. Seyran's who had already closed her eyes to continue cultivating opened them to this name, looking towards where the doors had once been, giving her consent.

The woman who came was old; her hair was completely gray, and her face creased in many wrinkles to attest that, but she looked far younger than those three times less her age in Unzu, if the books in the manor by the forest could be trusted. Seyran noted that she held some resemblances with that captain of the same name too. Elder Shen, the matriarch of the Shen family, member of the bearers of tradition.

"Welcome back crown princess. Your loyal subject pays her respects to the crown princess. May the crown princess lives a thousand years." The voice hadn't trembled and was almost ringing in the vast room.

The person approached closer, but the little rock on the bed had no reaction. Not an enemy for the moment Seyran thought, extending her hand and taking hold of the small rock.

As Seyran was assessing the person, so was the other too. That princess's eyes never left her, as though wishing to see through her soul. The feet that were crossed in the lotus position on the big chair were uncrossed and touched the floor to immediately be crossed one leg under the other. With a gesture of her hand, the person ordered for a chair to be brought for the newcomer. In thanking words, the elder sat.

Coming here first thing in this morning, was for elder Shen to see the one she thought with great conviction -or maybe she wanted to be with great yearning- the 'hope' they needed. So far, she liked what she saw and could almost write it herself on the other person's front.

"Asking your majesty to forgive your subjects' incompetence for not recognizing. We deserve a thousand death..."

Seyran had little to no consideration for what she was saying and when the other marked a pause she said with genuine curiosity,

"The four principals clans. Bearers of tradition. I've read a little about you."

"..." Elder Shen was silent, not knowing if she was supposed to comment.

Huang tilted its head, taking in the elder's appearance as Seyran put her chin on her hand with the other having no reaction at all. So submissive manner, just because she happened to be the second princess, daughter of the late queen Xian Xie? That, Seyran still had yet to believe. She rather held onto those whispers and think of that capricious giant wolf as the main reason.

"Why bearers of tradition though? Why not guardians, not keepers, why the need to bear them?"

With no change in her flat expression, elder Shen replied, "It is but a simple denomination, since our ancestors like this one, why the need change it?"

"Indeed, why the need."

A puppet for a princess. Unreasonable rules. Angry people all over the little she got to see of this country. Wasn't it because there was no need to change the direction of the ongoing things. Yet here are those same previously indifferent people ready to defend the crown princess's legitimate rights.