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Description
Application for

Name: Cài Shuāng [蔡霜]
(pronounced Tsai Shoo-ahng; meaning: Frost)

Style name: Zǐhán [子寒]
(pronounced Zi-haan; meaning: Frigid)

BASIC INFO

Nickname: Ice Prince; Prince of Yàxíng
Hometown: Yàxíng Village [冴侀村]
Age/Birthday: unknown; believed to be 27/unknown
Orientation: Demisexual
Relationship status: Single
Job/Position: Officer
Kingdom: Wei
Weapon: Double-edged Trident (called Heaven’s Grace)

PHYSICAL INFO

Gender: Genderless, though Shuang’s form is anatomically male
Height/Weight: 6’0”/180 lbs
Hair colour: Platinum white
Eye colour: Celeste/Ice Blue
Complexion: Porcelain
Body build: Chiseled

Notable features: Shuang’s hauntingly tender smile in contrast with his piercing, celeste eyes. There’s something really entrancing about it, as if Shuang knows a lot more than he leads on. He, also, always keeps his right arm hidden, whether it’s gloved or bandaged up, and the reason why is unknown, as it’s one of Shuang’s deepest secrets. Though the easiest way to spot the Ice Prince would be to look at his feet – he leaves behind a temporary trail of frost and snow, with every footstep, which vanishes away over time.

Clothes: Shuang wears ornate platinum armour (called Heaven’s Guard), which is infused with protective magic, black skin-tight pants and gloves underneath, with blue fabrics layered on top of the armour, and a fur scarf around the neck. He only wears the armour for battle, and otherwise, his body is adorned in either ceremonial robes from Yaxing or casual town robes for personal comfort and preference.

Accessories: When donning his robes, Shuang wears a triple-layered chain-and-crystal bracelet with a cyan tassel on his right arm out in the open. It’s a family heirloom that’s been passed down to the Head of the Village (or the rightful heir) for generations since the dawn of Cryogonal and their ancient culture. When dressed in armour, the bracelet is neatly hidden underneath the metallic plates.
Shuang is always accompanied by a set of glowing chains, which usually hang around his hips. They are incredibly cold to the touch (-148°F/-100°C), and unless one wishes to be deeply frostbitten, the chains should not come into contact with skin under any circumstances. Skin covered by fabric has a better chance of resistance, but not immunity, and it’s not recommended to be kept in contact for a prolonged time. Primary Fire types are the only type who can withstand the immense chill of the chains, but they may, eventually, feel a bothersome sting.
The snowflake emblem on Shuang’s belt is the family crest, as well as the symbol of Yaxing village, and Shuang wears it proudly. It’s also present on Shuang’s robes.

PERSONAL INFO

Personality: Shuang puts on a rather imperious attitude in front of others, and tends to respond with snarky remarks on occasion, making him not the easiest person to be around. He has high respect for discipline and order, expecting others to know their place. Though as cold as he appears to be, Shuang cares greatly about his own people and those close in companionship to him; at times going so far as sustaining injuries in order to protect them.
One never knows what Shuang is thinking, as he doesn’t openly discuss feelings and shows disinterest in practically everything, though a person like that, more often than not, harbors the most fascinating thoughts. Shuang prefers to keep to himself and not get involved in anyone’s personal affairs, nor does he gossip, as he finds the task to be utterly ridiculous.

He possesses a quite soothing (almost therapeutic), husky voice, and speaks in a rather formal manner.

Likes:
- Meditating
- Working out
- Music (both playing and listening)
- Peach blossom viewing
- Creating small sculptures from ice
- Sheer cold and blizzards
- Hiking high up in the mountains
- Sweet food

Dislikes:
- Political affairs
- Unconventionally rude people
- Being forced to get involved in someone else’s affairs
- Arrogant fools
- Disorganization
- Noisy places
- Scorching heat
- Spicy food

Favourite food:
- Red Bean porridge
- Steamed fish, served on rice mixed with egg yolk
- Jasmine tea

Hobbies:
- Playing the flute (Shuang is really good at it)
- Painting in ink
- Reading

Dreams: To find/raise a suitable successor for Yaxing and its people, so Shuang could retire his duties as the Head of the Village and live out the rest of his days with a lover.

POKEMON INFORMATION

Pokemon: National #615 - Cryogonal
Type:
Ability: Levitate (Grants immunity to all Ground-type moves)
Nature: Timid ( + Speed, - Attack )

Moves:

Ice Beam - The target is struck with an icy-cold beam of energy. It may also freeze the target solid.
Acid Armor - The user alters its cellular structure to liquefy itself, sharply raising its Defense stat.
Recover - Restoring its own cells, the user restores its own HP by half of its max HP.
Hidden Power (Ground) - A unique attack that varies in type and intensity depending on the Pokémon using it. This particular skill balances out a Cryogonal’s weakness to both Fire and Steel, and retaliates with formidable power.

HISTORY

Yàxíng Village [冴侀村]
The Frozen, Closed-off Village of Fixed Form; Cryogonal village:

TBA [under construction]

Cài Shuāng, prior to becoming an officer of Wei:

Shuang's father, Cài Líng [蔡零; meaning ‘spirit’ or ‘sub-zero’], was a warlord in the Later Han period, and a leader of Yàxíng – An independent spiritual settlement in the northern mountains, which was free from political affairs, guarded safely, and untouched by war. He was known as the Ice King of Yaxing. Since the fall of the Han, Cai Ling and his army retired, and lived out their lives peacefully, basking in their ancient culture. Created into such a priviledged, noble family, the Prince of Yaxing, Shuang, was already held in high regards and expectations by the entire village. Blessed with prodigious talent by the Heavens as a gift to Cai Ling for taking great care of Yaxing, Shuang led a relatively easy life growing up. Though he was constantly studying, tackling various subjects and interests, Shuang grew up and matured at an early age, not knowing what a childhood really was. He was mainly raised by his father and the village priests, as Shuang’s mother died shortly after he was ‘born’. He'd witness the ceremonies and rituals held in Yaxing, getting a sense of what being Head of the Village was about, and for years, without hesitation, Shuang was strictly set on following in his father's footsteps. It was the only goal, the purpose of his very existence.

Or so Shuang thought, anyway, until he met an elderly traveling merchant outside the village on his way back from the shrine up in Mount Heng [恆山] – Shuang was getting close to coming of age at the time, and he was getting prepared for the ceremony of adulthood. As the man spoke of his travels, wonders of the lands, and state of the kingdoms, it piqued Shuang’s interest enough to make the decision to discuss those matters with his father, wanting to broaden his horizons, and perhaps not follow the path of a Village Head as he had potential to do so much more. Perhaps it was time to adapt to new changes, and evolve this ancient culture. Cai Ling wasn’t fond of the idea, as Shuang was his only heir, and he was the eldest amongst the children of his generation in the family bloodline. He warned his son that should Shuang renounce his faith and responsibility, it would disrupt the balance of nature within the village and upset the Heavens, as he was made to exist for that sole purpose. Deeming the warning to be just one of those horror stories adults tells children so they would behave, Shuang brushed it off as just a myth and went on to distance himself from his duties as the rightful heir. He pierced his ears out of pure adolescent rebellion, and no longer participated in ceremonies, which raised great concern in Yaxing. It caused a rift between father and son, and at the coming-of-age ceremony for Shuang, Cai Ling attempted to reasonably mend the conflict between them. His words seemed to somewhat come through to the young prince, and he reluctantly gave in to accept his purpose of existence. Inside his mind, though, Shuang remained adamant on evolving the village, but he had yet to figure out a way how without disrupting the balance. During the actual ritual for bringing Shuang into adulthood, Cai Ling gave Shuang the bracelet of the Village Head, officially branding him as the new leader. The villagers rejoiced, and a banquet was held in the Azure Palace, where Shuang’s family lived. It was expected of Shuang to select a potential partner during the banquet, and he spent the evening in his throne, granting audience to those who wished to meet him and appeal to the prince. And it was there that he met an adolescent girl, named Líng Yàn [淩焰; meaning ‘soaring flame’], that instantly grabbed Shuang’s interest. She was clearly an outsider – tan skin and reddish hair was a dead giveaway. But there was something else about this person that Shuang couldn’t quite put his finger on, though he was more intrigued in the very fact that she could bear the frigid surroundings of the Azure Palace and the village itself. Fascinated by Ling Yan, he spent time talking to her, wandering away from the banquet. Amidst the conversing, Shuang’s thoughts circled around the thought of wanting Yan to be by his side more often. He wasn’t sure why, but her presence was pleasant to the prince, and she seemed to harbour similar thoughts. However, right then, Yan’s mood drastically changed, and she came clean about her true purpose of visiting the Azure Palace – She was hired as an assassin, along with a group of thugs, to take out Cai Ling, and she was chosen to be the bait to distract Shuang from his father while the others did their job. Shuang didn’t linger to find out why, and bolted to his father’s side, summoning his trident to fight them off. Successfully warding off the assassins, Shuang knelt down before his father to ask forgiveness. Yan came to check up on the situation, and seeing Shuang fully all right and helping Cai Ling mend his wounds, she pleaded for the prince to hear her out and not harm her. Shuang had half a mind to dispose of her on the spot, but she did help Shuang protect Cai Ling, so he made his trident vanish, and allowed her to speak. Yan, then, rubbed makeup away and let the reddish hair loose, revealing to Shuang that ‘she’ was a boy. Yan went on to explain why Cai Ling was ordered to be assassinated – There were rumours spreading around the Wei territories that Cai Ling was a loyal dog of the Han, and planned to overthrow the Wei ruler in order to bring back what once was. Shuang knew none of it was true – His father wouldn’t dare disrupt the Three Kingdoms formation, he was on good terms with Wei officials and had no quarrel with any of them, and nor was he a retainer of the Han. Yes, Yaxing was a Taoist region, yes, it was independent from Wei, yes, during the Han dynasty, they were amongst the most influential forces, having direct relations with the Heavens, but in no way would Cai Ling would even think about overthrowing the Wei ruler, let alone try to bring back what’s long since lost any kind of power between the lands. Shuang felt deeply offended to hear such accusations, and from the mouths of those in Wei, no less. He told Yan that there had to be somebody behind this, someone to target Cai Ling as bait for their own plot of rebellion against Wei, and Yan understood, believing Shuang’s sincerity in the prince’s voice. He wanted to be honest with the prince because he really did take a liking to Shuang, and as much as he wanted to stay to make amends, he couldn’t, wishing to see the prince again. Shuang pondered upon it for a moment, before deciding to quietly slip his Village Head bracelet into Yan’s hands. He told the boy that this bracelet was of utmost importance to him, that he absolutely had to give it back the next time they would meet, and because Yan now held the bracelet, Fate would find a way for their paths to cross again. Cheered up, Yan bid the prince goodbye and fled the Azure Palace. Since then, Shuang hasn’t seen the boy again for a whole seven years…

Sometime after the events of attempted assassination on Cai Ling, Shuang had fully developed into an adult, and took it upon himself to get involved with Wei’s political affairs, learning about its officials, who they were and where they came from. He spent countless hours in the library, studying, getting little to no sleep. Cai Ling would constantly tell Shuang to take a rest, put the books and scrolls away, that it was a fuss over nothing, probably a misunderstanding. Shuang refused to listen each time, telling his father that he’s merely grown soft after all these years, and someone had to step up to defend Yaxing’s honour and put the rumours to rest. One night, Cai Ling didn’t visit his son in the library, and instead, a panicked servant ran to Shuang, informing the prince of a raging fire in the Azure Palace’s Throne Room, and that was the one place, aside from the shrine up in Mount Heng, where Cai Ling could be found. Shuang darted down the halls, against the flow of the panicked crowds and vapor, towards his father, and upon reaching the Throne Room, he saw the whole place enveloped in bright-red flames, while some of the structure and pillars had already fallen to the ground. Scanning the room, desperately looking for Cai Ling, Shuang was about to give up hope, when he saw some movement of fallen debris underneath a crystal pillar. Raising his body temperature to envelop himself in vapor and raise resistance against the inferno, Shuang made a beeline towards the debris, and digging through it, grabbed onto his father’s hand, pulling him out from the crystal pillar. He was about to hold Cai Ling in his arms and carry him off, when his father stopped Shuang and told him that his time was done. With his dying breath, he begged Shuang to promise to take his faith and responsibilities seriously, terms to which the Prince agreed to without hesitation. He held onto Cai Ling until the man no longer drew breath, enduring the scorching heat until another pillar came crashing down, engulfed in fire, and landed on Shuang’s right arm. Trapping it under its weight, the flames instantaneously burned Shuang’s skin, penetrating deeply. Never has the prince experienced a worse pain, and he struggled to set his arm free, before using the full strength of his body to move the pillar, even a little bit to wiggle his arm out from underneath. Obtaining more burns around his body to free his arm, Shuang finally succeeded and escaped the Throne Room in time, before the entire place collapsed, contributing greatly to putting out the fire. It was then, that the priests from Mount Heng arrived and summoned a blizzard to dispose of the flames, and the villagers arrived soon after. During the clean-up of the Throne Room, messengers appeared before Shuang to report that they saw outsider scouts on the outskirts of Yaxing and asked permission to go after them, but the Prince declined, saying that acting out of blind rage would do the village no good. The priests, then, tended to Shuang while the villagers went ahead to search for Cai Ling’s body to prepare for a funeral ceremony. Unfortunately for Shuang, while the rest of his body healed nicely, his right arm suffered irreparable damage and was permanently scarred and weakened. Since then, Shuang always kept the arm covered by bandages or long gloves, and his dominant hand became his left.

After Cai Ling’s funeral, Shuang officially took over as the Head of Yaxing, but retained the title of Prince, giving his father the full respect he deserved. To make amends with the Heavens for renouncing his faith in his youth, Shuang took off his earrings, and went up Mount Heng to the Shrine of the Northern Peak in ceremonial robes. Up there, he asked to be given a chance to make a difference for Yaxing, assuring that he will not fail, and to lend him strength to embark on a journey to Wei in order to bring an end to this internal conflict and blasphemous rumours. The Heavens answered Shuang’s plea and the prince was presented with a set of platinum armour that harboured mystical magic. Thankful for this given chance and trust in the prince, Shuang left Yaxing and traveled to Wei to meet the ruler, Jiàn Wǔ [劍舞]. Paying respects to the man, and introducing himself, Shuang presented his case, declaring that to prove his loyalty, he, himself, would bring the true retainers of the Han before Jian Wu, and none of them would come from Yaxing. The sovereign serpent was intrigued by Shuang’s bold proposal, and allowed him to show his might. Shuang ended up single-handedly pointing out the traitors, some of which worked with Jian Wu closely, and all those that Shuang rounded up had a sudden change of disposition, hissing at the prince. Impressed by Shuang’s work, and extremely disappointed with the renegade subordinates, Jian Wu was momentarily at a loss for how to deal with the problem, to which Shuang, with a tender smile, suggested execution. With a purr in his husky voice, Shuang explained his reasoning – An innocent man was condemned to die and used as a distraction, while they committed treason from within the palace walls. Convinced by the prince’s argument, Jian Wu agreed and sent the renegades away to meet their demise. The two men, then, came to an agreement that Yaxing would become part of Wei territory – Their land would expand, and they would be given an army to protect the ancient culture and its spiritual landmarks. In return, Yaxing would share its history and teachings to those interested, as well as open up trade routes and become a more open and welcoming place for visitors; for example, tailor warm coats for those who can’t handle the perpetual cold.

Jian Wu, in respect for Shuang’s culture, let the man keep his title of Prince, but requested that Shuang serve him by his side as an Officer. Shuang, without hesitation, accepted his offer and since then, served the sovereign serpent with utmost loyalty while still prioritizing his responsibility as the Head of Yaxing Village.

EXTRA INFO

TBA [under construction]

-----
RP methods: You can find and interact with Shuang at his own dA page ->
- The character has a mind of his own.

Cai Shuang (c) rheepyr
Ling Yan (c) luboyan
Jian Wu (c) LunarAzrael

Description
Application for

Name: Cài Shuāng [蔡霜]
(pronounced Tsai Shoo-ahng; meaning: Frost)

Style name: Zǐhán [子寒]
(pronounced Zi-haan; meaning: Frigid)

BASIC INFO

Nickname: Ice Prince; Prince of Yàxíng
Hometown: Yàxíng Village [冴侀村]
Age/Birthday: unknown; believed to be 27/unknown
Orientation: Demisexual
Relationship status: Single
Job/Position: Officer
Kingdom: Wei
Weapon: Double-edged Trident (called Heaven’s Grace)

PHYSICAL INFO

Gender: Genderless, though Shuang’s form is anatomically male
Height/Weight: 6’0”/180 lbs
Hair colour: Platinum white
Eye colour: Celeste/Ice Blue
Complexion: Porcelain
Body build: Chiseled

Notable features: Shuang’s hauntingly tender smile in contrast with his piercing, celeste eyes. There’s something really entrancing about it, as if Shuang knows a lot more than he leads on. He, also, always keeps his right arm hidden, whether it’s gloved or bandaged up, and the reason why is unknown, as it’s one of Shuang’s deepest secrets. Though the easiest way to spot the Ice Prince would be to look at his feet – he leaves behind a temporary trail of frost and snow, with every footstep, which vanishes away over time.

Clothes: Shuang wears ornate platinum armour (called Heaven’s Guard), which is infused with protective magic, black skin-tight pants and gloves underneath, with blue fabrics layered on top of the armour, and a fur scarf around the neck. He only wears the armour for battle, and otherwise, his body is adorned in either ceremonial robes from Yaxing or casual town robes for personal comfort and preference.

Accessories: When donning his robes, Shuang wears a triple-layered chain-and-crystal bracelet with a cyan tassel on his right arm out in the open. It’s a family heirloom that’s been passed down to the Head of the Village (or the rightful heir) for generations since the dawn of Cryogonal and their ancient culture. When dressed in armour, the bracelet is neatly hidden underneath the metallic plates.
Shuang is always accompanied by a set of glowing chains, which usually hang around his hips. They are incredibly cold to the touch (-148°F/-100°C), and unless one wishes to be deeply frostbitten, the chains should not come into contact with skin under any circumstances. Skin covered by fabric has a better chance of resistance, but not immunity, and it’s not recommended to be kept in contact for a prolonged time. Primary Fire types are the only type who can withstand the immense chill of the chains, but they may, eventually, feel a bothersome sting.
The snowflake emblem on Shuang’s belt is the family crest, as well as the symbol of Yaxing village, and Shuang wears it proudly. It’s also present on Shuang’s robes.

PERSONAL INFO

Personality: Shuang puts on a rather imperious attitude in front of others, and tends to respond with snarky remarks on occasion, making him not the easiest person to be around. He has high respect for discipline and order, expecting others to know their place. Though as cold as he appears to be, Shuang cares greatly about his own people and those close in companionship to him; at times going so far as sustaining injuries in order to protect them.
One never knows what Shuang is thinking, as he doesn’t openly discuss feelings and shows disinterest in practically everything, though a person like that, more often than not, harbors the most fascinating thoughts. Shuang prefers to keep to himself and not get involved in anyone’s personal affairs, nor does he gossip, as he finds the task to be utterly ridiculous.

He possesses a quite soothing (almost therapeutic), husky voice, and speaks in a rather formal manner.

Likes:
- Meditating
- Working out
- Music (both playing and listening)
- Peach blossom viewing
- Creating small sculptures from ice
- Sheer cold and blizzards
- Hiking high up in the mountains
- Sweet food

Dislikes:
- Political affairs
- Unconventionally rude people
- Being forced to get involved in someone else’s affairs
- Arrogant fools
- Disorganization
- Noisy places
- Scorching heat
- Spicy food

Favourite food:
- Red Bean porridge
- Steamed fish, served on rice mixed with egg yolk
- Jasmine tea

Hobbies:
- Playing the flute (Shuang is really good at it)
- Painting in ink
- Reading

Dreams: To find/raise a suitable successor for Yaxing and its people, so Shuang could retire his duties as the Head of the Village and live out the rest of his days with a lover.

POKEMON INFORMATION

Pokemon: National #615 - Cryogonal
Type:
Ability: Levitate (Grants immunity to all Ground-type moves)
Nature: Timid ( + Speed, - Attack )

Moves:

Ice Beam - The target is struck with an icy-cold beam of energy. It may also freeze the target solid.
Acid Armor - The user alters its cellular structure to liquefy itself, sharply raising its Defense stat.
Recover - Restoring its own cells, the user restores its own HP by half of its max HP.
Hidden Power (Ground) - A unique attack that varies in type and intensity depending on the Pokémon using it. This particular skill balances out a Cryogonal’s weakness to both Fire and Steel, and retaliates with formidable power.

HISTORY

Yàxíng Village [冴侀村]
The Frozen, Closed-off Village of Fixed Form; Cryogonal village:

TBA [under construction]

Cài Shuāng, prior to becoming an officer of Wei:

Shuang's father, Cài Líng [蔡零; meaning ‘spirit’ or ‘sub-zero’], was a warlord in the Later Han period, and a leader of Yàxíng – An independent spiritual settlement in the northern mountains, which was free from political affairs, guarded safely, and untouched by war. He was known as the Ice King of Yaxing. Since the fall of the Han, Cai Ling and his army retired, and lived out their lives peacefully, basking in their ancient culture. Created into such a priviledged, noble family, the Prince of Yaxing, Shuang, was already held in high regards and expectations by the entire village. Blessed with prodigious talent by the Heavens as a gift to Cai Ling for taking great care of Yaxing, Shuang led a relatively easy life growing up. Though he was constantly studying, tackling various subjects and interests, Shuang grew up and matured at an early age, not knowing what a childhood really was. He was mainly raised by his father and the village priests, as Shuang’s mother died shortly after he was ‘born’. He'd witness the ceremonies and rituals held in Yaxing, getting a sense of what being Head of the Village was about, and for years, without hesitation, Shuang was strictly set on following in his father's footsteps. It was the only goal, the purpose of his very existence.

Or so Shuang thought, anyway, until he met an elderly traveling merchant outside the village on his way back from the shrine up in Mount Heng [恆山] – Shuang was getting close to coming of age at the time, and he was getting prepared for the ceremony of adulthood. As the man spoke of his travels, wonders of the lands, and state of the kingdoms, it piqued Shuang’s interest enough to make the decision to discuss those matters with his father, wanting to broaden his horizons, and perhaps not follow the path of a Village Head as he had potential to do so much more. Perhaps it was time to adapt to new changes, and evolve this ancient culture. Cai Ling wasn’t fond of the idea, as Shuang was his only heir, and he was the eldest amongst the children of his generation in the family bloodline. He warned his son that should Shuang renounce his faith and responsibility, it would disrupt the balance of nature within the village and upset the Heavens, as he was made to exist for that sole purpose. Deeming the warning to be just one of those horror stories adults tells children so they would behave, Shuang brushed it off as just a myth and went on to distance himself from his duties as the rightful heir. He pierced his ears out of pure adolescent rebellion, and no longer participated in ceremonies, which raised great concern in Yaxing. It caused a rift between father and son, and at the coming-of-age ceremony for Shuang, Cai Ling attempted to reasonably mend the conflict between them. His words seemed to somewhat come through to the young prince, and he reluctantly gave in to accept his purpose of existence. Inside his mind, though, Shuang remained adamant on evolving the village, but he had yet to figure out a way how without disrupting the balance. During the actual ritual for bringing Shuang into adulthood, Cai Ling gave Shuang the bracelet of the Village Head, officially branding him as the new leader. The villagers rejoiced, and a banquet was held in the Azure Palace, where Shuang’s family lived. It was expected of Shuang to select a potential partner during the banquet, and he spent the evening in his throne, granting audience to those who wished to meet him and appeal to the prince. And it was there that he met an adolescent girl, named Líng Yàn [淩焰; meaning ‘soaring flame’], that instantly grabbed Shuang’s interest. She was clearly an outsider – tan skin and reddish hair was a dead giveaway. But there was something else about this person that Shuang couldn’t quite put his finger on, though he was more intrigued in the very fact that she could bear the frigid surroundings of the Azure Palace and the village itself. Fascinated by Ling Yan, he spent time talking to her, wandering away from the banquet. Amidst the conversing, Shuang’s thoughts circled around the thought of wanting Yan to be by his side more often. He wasn’t sure why, but her presence was pleasant to the prince, and she seemed to harbour similar thoughts. However, right then, Yan’s mood drastically changed, and she came clean about her true purpose of visiting the Azure Palace – She was hired as an assassin, along with a group of thugs, to take out Cai Ling, and she was chosen to be the bait to distract Shuang from his father while the others did their job. Shuang didn’t linger to find out why, and bolted to his father’s side, summoning his trident to fight them off. Successfully warding off the assassins, Shuang knelt down before his father to ask forgiveness. Yan came to check up on the situation, and seeing Shuang fully all right and helping Cai Ling mend his wounds, she pleaded for the prince to hear her out and not harm her. Shuang had half a mind to dispose of her on the spot, but she did help Shuang protect Cai Ling, so he made his trident vanish, and allowed her to speak. Yan, then, rubbed makeup away and let the reddish hair loose, revealing to Shuang that ‘she’ was a boy. Yan went on to explain why Cai Ling was ordered to be assassinated – There were rumours spreading around the Wei territories that Cai Ling was a loyal dog of the Han, and planned to overthrow the Wei ruler in order to bring back what once was. Shuang knew none of it was true – His father wouldn’t dare disrupt the Three Kingdoms formation, he was on good terms with Wei officials and had no quarrel with any of them, and nor was he a retainer of the Han. Yes, Yaxing was a Taoist region, yes, it was independent from Wei, yes, during the Han dynasty, they were amongst the most influential forces, having direct relations with the Heavens, but in no way would Cai Ling would even think about overthrowing the Wei ruler, let alone try to bring back what’s long since lost any kind of power between the lands. Shuang felt deeply offended to hear such accusations, and from the mouths of those in Wei, no less. He told Yan that there had to be somebody behind this, someone to target Cai Ling as bait for their own plot of rebellion against Wei, and Yan understood, believing Shuang’s sincerity in the prince’s voice. He wanted to be honest with the prince because he really did take a liking to Shuang, and as much as he wanted to stay to make amends, he couldn’t, wishing to see the prince again. Shuang pondered upon it for a moment, before deciding to quietly slip his Village Head bracelet into Yan’s hands. He told the boy that this bracelet was of utmost importance to him, that he absolutely had to give it back the next time they would meet, and because Yan now held the bracelet, Fate would find a way for their paths to cross again. Cheered up, Yan bid the prince goodbye and fled the Azure Palace. Since then, Shuang hasn’t seen the boy again for a whole seven years…

Sometime after the events of attempted assassination on Cai Ling, Shuang had fully developed into an adult, and took it upon himself to get involved with Wei’s political affairs, learning about its officials, who they were and where they came from. He spent countless hours in the library, studying, getting little to no sleep. Cai Ling would constantly tell Shuang to take a rest, put the books and scrolls away, that it was a fuss over nothing, probably a misunderstanding. Shuang refused to listen each time, telling his father that he’s merely grown soft after all these years, and someone had to step up to defend Yaxing’s honour and put the rumours to rest. One night, Cai Ling didn’t visit his son in the library, and instead, a panicked servant ran to Shuang, informing the prince of a raging fire in the Azure Palace’s Throne Room, and that was the one place, aside from the shrine up in Mount Heng, where Cai Ling could be found. Shuang darted down the halls, against the flow of the panicked crowds and vapor, towards his father, and upon reaching the Throne Room, he saw the whole place enveloped in bright-red flames, while some of the structure and pillars had already fallen to the ground. Scanning the room, desperately looking for Cai Ling, Shuang was about to give up hope, when he saw some movement of fallen debris underneath a crystal pillar. Raising his body temperature to envelop himself in vapor and raise resistance against the inferno, Shuang made a beeline towards the debris, and digging through it, grabbed onto his father’s hand, pulling him out from the crystal pillar. He was about to hold Cai Ling in his arms and carry him off, when his father stopped Shuang and told him that his time was done. With his dying breath, he begged Shuang to promise to take his faith and responsibilities seriously, terms to which the Prince agreed to without hesitation. He held onto Cai Ling until the man no longer drew breath, enduring the scorching heat until another pillar came crashing down, engulfed in fire, and landed on Shuang’s right arm. Trapping it under its weight, the flames instantaneously burned Shuang’s skin, penetrating deeply. Never has the prince experienced a worse pain, and he struggled to set his arm free, before using the full strength of his body to move the pillar, even a little bit to wiggle his arm out from underneath. Obtaining more burns around his body to free his arm, Shuang finally succeeded and escaped the Throne Room in time, before the entire place collapsed, contributing greatly to putting out the fire. It was then, that the priests from Mount Heng arrived and summoned a blizzard to dispose of the flames, and the villagers arrived soon after. During the clean-up of the Throne Room, messengers appeared before Shuang to report that they saw outsider scouts on the outskirts of Yaxing and asked permission to go after them, but the Prince declined, saying that acting out of blind rage would do the village no good. The priests, then, tended to Shuang while the villagers went ahead to search for Cai Ling’s body to prepare for a funeral ceremony. Unfortunately for Shuang, while the rest of his body healed nicely, his right arm suffered irreparable damage and was permanently scarred and weakened. Since then, Shuang always kept the arm covered by bandages or long gloves, and his dominant hand became his left.

After Cai Ling’s funeral, Shuang officially took over as the Head of Yaxing, but retained the title of Prince, giving his father the full respect he deserved. To make amends with the Heavens for renouncing his faith in his youth, Shuang took off his earrings, and went up Mount Heng to the Shrine of the Northern Peak in ceremonial robes. Up there, he asked to be given a chance to make a difference for Yaxing, assuring that he will not fail, and to lend him strength to embark on a journey to Wei in order to bring an end to this internal conflict and blasphemous rumours. The Heavens answered Shuang’s plea and the prince was presented with a set of platinum armour that harboured mystical magic. Thankful for this given chance and trust in the prince, Shuang left Yaxing and traveled to Wei to meet the ruler, Jiàn Wǔ [劍舞]. Paying respects to the man, and introducing himself, Shuang presented his case, declaring that to prove his loyalty, he, himself, would bring the true retainers of the Han before Jian Wu, and none of them would come from Yaxing. The sovereign serpent was intrigued by Shuang’s bold proposal, and allowed him to show his might. Shuang ended up single-handedly pointing out the traitors, some of which worked with Jian Wu closely, and all those that Shuang rounded up had a sudden change of disposition, hissing at the prince. Impressed by Shuang’s work, and extremely disappointed with the renegade subordinates, Jian Wu was momentarily at a loss for how to deal with the problem, to which Shuang, with a tender smile, suggested execution. With a purr in his husky voice, Shuang explained his reasoning – An innocent man was condemned to die and used as a distraction, while they committed treason from within the palace walls. Convinced by the prince’s argument, Jian Wu agreed and sent the renegades away to meet their demise. The two men, then, came to an agreement that Yaxing would become part of Wei territory – Their land would expand, and they would be given an army to protect the ancient culture and its spiritual landmarks. In return, Yaxing would share its history and teachings to those interested, as well as open up trade routes and become a more open and welcoming place for visitors; for example, tailor warm coats for those who can’t handle the perpetual cold.

Jian Wu, in respect for Shuang’s culture, let the man keep his title of Prince, but requested that Shuang serve him by his side as an Officer. Shuang, without hesitation, accepted his offer and since then, served the sovereign serpent with utmost loyalty while still prioritizing his responsibility as the Head of Yaxing Village.

EXTRA INFO

TBA [under construction]

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RP methods: You can find and interact with Shuang at his own dA page ->
- The character has a mind of his own.

Cai Shuang (c) rheepyr
Ling Yan (c) luboyan
Jian Wu (c) LunarAzrael