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    Once more she was here. In one of the rooms of her family’s palace, with Prince Li sitting across from her. Now that spring has come, they both were sporting blue scales, and Yin hated how much they “matched” in terms of outfit colors.

               “I understand you will not let me join you anymore to Mahou Wando.” Prince Li kept that smile he had on his face. “Especially with your current suitor living there.”

               Yin took a sip of her tea, not taking her eyes off him. Of course she wasn’t going to take him with her anymore. She’d only promised one time and the way Kardia reacted, while understandable, was not something she really wanted to see a second time.

               “I just have one question.” For once Li’s smile shifted into something other than a confident smile.

               “What is it?”

    “Why him?”

    Yin blinked, remaining silent as she processed the question he asked. Why him? He had to mean Kardia but why would he ask this..? She was too lost in thought to notice that Prince Li stood up and went over to her side, kneeling beside her. Only when he took hold of her hand did she realize he’d moved. Yin’s brows furrowed as she stared at him, for some reason unable to move. He wasn’t holding her hand tightly, it wasn’t like she was hurt. But he seemed to have a mix of concern and… pity in his eyes as he looked at her.

    “When you had spoken of having a current suitor; this Prince Kardia. I had imagined you had fallen for another dragon prince from another dimension.” Li continued, keeping a gentle hold on Yin’s hand. “But when I visited, when I met him..”

    Yin already knew what he was going to say.. She didn’t want to hear it but knew it would be brought up one day, it’s probably already been spoken about by their families..

    “Why are you fighting to remain to be with him? Why has your family kept me from being a suitor while he is claiming that he will make you his fiancé?” Li frowned, “Princess Yin, you understand it is a fruitless endeavor, correct?”

    Yin finally pulled her hand away from him, not even bothering to hide her frustration at him for a moment before return to her neutral guarded expression.

    “I know you are an intelligent woman, Princess Yin. So why are you ignoring something you know is true about us?” Prince Li stared at Yin, his eyes focused on her with a hint of sadness behind them. “Dragons have never been able to have children with any of the other races..”

    “I know that-”

    “Then why do you insist on courting someone who is not a dragon?” Li interrupted. Yin leaned back, looking away from Li, feeling uncomfortable under his stare.

    “There are so few accounts of Dragons being married to other races. And none of them ever bore children.” Li once more took hold of Yin’s hand, this time tightening his grip on her when she tried to pull away, “Why do you deny a chance to have children with another dragon for someone who isn’t a dragon, and is not even from our home? What is to gain from it?”

    Yin snatched her hand away from him and moved herself away from Prince Li. Having had enough of this conversation. She wanted to leave. This topic had grown uncomfortable and made her wish she was not here.

    “Prince Li. Your family has tried to pressure mine to betroth you to me; while I am happy to be with my current suitor. If you were to simply become a suitor then I would choose Kardia every time.”

    “But why?” Li stared at her “You would be securing another Season Dragon line with me. How can you so easily deny what destiny we have. For.. For someone who it is guaranteed that your line will end where it is.”

    “You speak as if the gods have prophesized of our union.”

    “Haven’t they? What other reason would you and I be born Season Dragons?” He motioned around at the air, looking to Yin. He seemed so confused with her decision. “How do you not feel guilty for stopping your family’s line like that?”

    “I am not the Heir.” Yin finally stood up, staring down at him. “I am not the one who is meant to continue the family line as MeiYing is the one who will be Empress in charge of Seasons Pass.”

    “You do not know that she will have a Season Dragon child.” Prince Li rose to his feet

    “And you are certain we would?” Yin retorted. Already she was turning to leave the room.

    “We have a far more likely chance than Princess MeiYing and the Fire Dragon Prince.” Li grabbed onto her sleeve once more; almost desperate to keep her there. “With both of us being Season Dragons, with your family having been the first ever generation to produce two Season Dragon offspring, how would you not want to continue that family legacy. Even if the Future Empress and her fiancé have Season Dragon offspring that would mean there would be many new Season Dragons in the next generation. That the prophecy would never come to pass.”

    “That ‘prophecy’ you speak of is nothing but a rumor.” She spun around, tearing her arm from him as she glared up at Prince Li. “Ask yourself this. Why do you, and your family concern yourself with this ‘prophecy’ that has no evidence of existing more than my family? Why do you speak to me as if ,should I not accept you as my betrothed, my family tree will die upon the vine. Why is it that all you speak of as to why we should be betrothed is children?”

    Prince Li was silent, staring at her with his hand still outstretched to hold hers, unable to move until finally he lowers his hand and frowns at Yin.

    “Princess Yin..” Prince Li started “Is that not what your family wants? Is that now what you’ve been raised for? To continue your family’s legacy? To continue your family’s lineage? I understand that not every marriage that comes from royal families is a happy one. But we do it. We agree with what we are told because it is our duty to listen to our parents. To not disrespect what they rule.”

    Yin bit her tongue and looked away from the prince. She’s never disrespected her parents. She gave up being with Jian because of what her parents had declared. She’d given up many things she liked because of their words, their rules.

    “I understand you do not like me. We have only known each other for a few months after all.. I understand that you love the man you are currently courting.” He frowned, leaning down to meet her eye. “But you must understand that your family is likely to accept my family’s offer. They have no reason not to.”

    Those words alone made it feel like a spike of ice had crashed into Yin’s heart. She looked to Prince Li to see that he was smiling, while his eyes shown pity.

    “Because what family would want to send their daughter to another dimension’s kingdom, where that union will likely not bare any fruit? A union with someone who you will likely outlive by centuries..” Li offered his hand to Yin “My family has offered you a place as Queen of the Silent Isles. A kingdom for us to rule together for many years. A kingdom just off the coast of your family’s kingdom. Does that not sound better for what your family would want for you?”

    Yin did not even look at his hand. She stared directly at him without knowing what expression she had on her face. She had so many thoughts in her head. But could feel tears stinging at the edge of her eyes. She turned from him and left the room without saying goodbye. Prince Li did not bother to try and catch her this time.
Yin went straight to her room. She had to think... She likely would be thinking on this for the rest of the night. She just needed time to think..

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

    Once more she was here. In one of the rooms of her family’s palace, with Prince Li sitting across from her. Now that spring has come, they both were sporting blue scales, and Yin hated how much they “matched” in terms of outfit colors.

               “I understand you will not let me join you anymore to Mahou Wando.” Prince Li kept that smile he had on his face. “Especially with your current suitor living there.”

               Yin took a sip of her tea, not taking her eyes off him. Of course she wasn’t going to take him with her anymore. She’d only promised one time and the way Kardia reacted, while understandable, was not something she really wanted to see a second time.

               “I just have one question.” For once Li’s smile shifted into something other than a confident smile.

               “What is it?”

    “Why him?”

    Yin blinked, remaining silent as she processed the question he asked. Why him? He had to mean Kardia but why would he ask this..? She was too lost in thought to notice that Prince Li stood up and went over to her side, kneeling beside her. Only when he took hold of her hand did she realize he’d moved. Yin’s brows furrowed as she stared at him, for some reason unable to move. He wasn’t holding her hand tightly, it wasn’t like she was hurt. But he seemed to have a mix of concern and… pity in his eyes as he looked at her.

    “When you had spoken of having a current suitor; this Prince Kardia. I had imagined you had fallen for another dragon prince from another dimension.” Li continued, keeping a gentle hold on Yin’s hand. “But when I visited, when I met him..”

    Yin already knew what he was going to say.. She didn’t want to hear it but knew it would be brought up one day, it’s probably already been spoken about by their families..

    “Why are you fighting to remain to be with him? Why has your family kept me from being a suitor while he is claiming that he will make you his fiancé?” Li frowned, “Princess Yin, you understand it is a fruitless endeavor, correct?”

    Yin finally pulled her hand away from him, not even bothering to hide her frustration at him for a moment before return to her neutral guarded expression.

    “I know you are an intelligent woman, Princess Yin. So why are you ignoring something you know is true about us?” Prince Li stared at Yin, his eyes focused on her with a hint of sadness behind them. “Dragons have never been able to have children with any of the other races..”

    “I know that-”

    “Then why do you insist on courting someone who is not a dragon?” Li interrupted. Yin leaned back, looking away from Li, feeling uncomfortable under his stare.

    “There are so few accounts of Dragons being married to other races. And none of them ever bore children.” Li once more took hold of Yin’s hand, this time tightening his grip on her when she tried to pull away, “Why do you deny a chance to have children with another dragon for someone who isn’t a dragon, and is not even from our home? What is to gain from it?”

    Yin snatched her hand away from him and moved herself away from Prince Li. Having had enough of this conversation. She wanted to leave. This topic had grown uncomfortable and made her wish she was not here.

    “Prince Li. Your family has tried to pressure mine to betroth you to me; while I am happy to be with my current suitor. If you were to simply become a suitor then I would choose Kardia every time.”

    “But why?” Li stared at her “You would be securing another Season Dragon line with me. How can you so easily deny what destiny we have. For.. For someone who it is guaranteed that your line will end where it is.”

    “You speak as if the gods have prophesized of our union.”

    “Haven’t they? What other reason would you and I be born Season Dragons?” He motioned around at the air, looking to Yin. He seemed so confused with her decision. “How do you not feel guilty for stopping your family’s line like that?”

    “I am not the Heir.” Yin finally stood up, staring down at him. “I am not the one who is meant to continue the family line as MeiYing is the one who will be Empress in charge of Seasons Pass.”

    “You do not know that she will have a Season Dragon child.” Prince Li rose to his feet

    “And you are certain we would?” Yin retorted. Already she was turning to leave the room.

    “We have a far more likely chance than Princess MeiYing and the Fire Dragon Prince.” Li grabbed onto her sleeve once more; almost desperate to keep her there. “With both of us being Season Dragons, with your family having been the first ever generation to produce two Season Dragon offspring, how would you not want to continue that family legacy. Even if the Future Empress and her fiancé have Season Dragon offspring that would mean there would be many new Season Dragons in the next generation. That the prophecy would never come to pass.”

    “That ‘prophecy’ you speak of is nothing but a rumor.” She spun around, tearing her arm from him as she glared up at Prince Li. “Ask yourself this. Why do you, and your family concern yourself with this ‘prophecy’ that has no evidence of existing more than my family? Why do you speak to me as if ,should I not accept you as my betrothed, my family tree will die upon the vine. Why is it that all you speak of as to why we should be betrothed is children?”

    Prince Li was silent, staring at her with his hand still outstretched to hold hers, unable to move until finally he lowers his hand and frowns at Yin.

    “Princess Yin..” Prince Li started “Is that not what your family wants? Is that now what you’ve been raised for? To continue your family’s legacy? To continue your family’s lineage? I understand that not every marriage that comes from royal families is a happy one. But we do it. We agree with what we are told because it is our duty to listen to our parents. To not disrespect what they rule.”

    Yin bit her tongue and looked away from the prince. She’s never disrespected her parents. She gave up being with Jian because of what her parents had declared. She’d given up many things she liked because of their words, their rules.

    “I understand you do not like me. We have only known each other for a few months after all.. I understand that you love the man you are currently courting.” He frowned, leaning down to meet her eye. “But you must understand that your family is likely to accept my family’s offer. They have no reason not to.”

    Those words alone made it feel like a spike of ice had crashed into Yin’s heart. She looked to Prince Li to see that he was smiling, while his eyes shown pity.

    “Because what family would want to send their daughter to another dimension’s kingdom, where that union will likely not bare any fruit? A union with someone who you will likely outlive by centuries..” Li offered his hand to Yin “My family has offered you a place as Queen of the Silent Isles. A kingdom for us to rule together for many years. A kingdom just off the coast of your family’s kingdom. Does that not sound better for what your family would want for you?”

    Yin did not even look at his hand. She stared directly at him without knowing what expression she had on her face. She had so many thoughts in her head. But could feel tears stinging at the edge of her eyes. She turned from him and left the room without saying goodbye. Prince Li did not bother to try and catch her this time.
Yin went straight to her room. She had to think... She likely would be thinking on this for the rest of the night. She just needed time to think..