Eirian stared at him, eyes wide in disbelief. Even in his most effusive moments, Philip had never spoken to her that way. Or said anything so kind that didn't serve another purpose.
She felt the flush rise over her face and glared at him, hating the fact that her fair skin showed her reaction so easily. "What is wrong with you?" She demanded, flustered.
Chenzhou didn't look bothered by her anger. He had learned her enough by now to see when it was bluster and when it was rage. "My apologies."
He didn't mean it, was completely unrepentant, and Eirian had learned him enough to know it. But he'd also grown a much stronger spine than he'd had when she'd first come here, and she was happy about that.
Even if it was infuriating at times.
She took his elbow, still glowering. "Can't believe you'd say something like that now of all times." She fussed with her robes, making sure they fell straight and the ornaments decorating the wrap around her hair were in the correct place.
Chenzhou looked on with an indulgent smile. His fears about the Court were forced into the background in the face of her.
Eirian finished fiddling and tugged him forward. "Let's get this over with." She'd finish telling him off after they were done dealing with the court.
***
The court of the Camelia, as it had been explained to Eirian, was organised in the same manner as High Society in the capital, with the noble houses separated between major and minor houses and a few especially influential government and business positions occupied by the rare few outside the noble families. Outside of ceremonies and official meetings, it was rare to see the entire court together, as being a member of it didn't mean the members liked each other at all. In fact, some of the bloodiest fights in the history of civilisations came from rivalries among their ruling class. Eirian didn't think that was necessarily something to brag about, but she'd heard plenty in the capital who did.
The court's meeting place in the capital was a huge round room with descending seats. Designed by an old king who'd admired the great White City to the west and its mountain-like shape. It was said to have a grand arena with thousands of seats on ascending tiers that were always filled with spectators.
The Court of the Camelia met in a much simpler room. A large square dominated by a large square table with a dozen chairs down three sides. The fourth side, the north edge of the table, was Chenzhou's and the seats there were dictated by him. Typically, Lord Ye's closest advisors who didn't hold court positions sat with him, but Chenzhou had seats for both Mingzhe and Henri at his table. Add in Eirian, Marian as Lady of the Manor, and a very surprised and clearly nervous Finn and Chenzhou's table was fuller than usual.
Captain Li had his own seat at the table beside the High Court Justice, the Camelia's highest ranked judge, the wealthiest businessman in the estate who's name Eirian hadn't bothered to learn and who held no official vote on anything, and two generals of the Crimson Army who'd managed to reach their rank without being members of any of the noble families.
There was a seat among them now for Kai Low, for the Ambassador from the Tribes, forever long the position lasted. Kai Low didn't look particularly pleased to be there, bored out of his skull by the drudgery of societal etiquette, but unwilling to miss the drama that inevitably followed.
If Eirian wasn't faced with being a part of that drama, she'd probably feel the same.
The other two tables were filled by the highest-ranked member of each of the noble families. It was acceptable to have fewer members or even multiple members attend less significant meetings, but they would never be allowed to attend a meeting like this unless they were in the final stages of replacing the previous head or there was a significant injury or illness. Those substitutions required Chenzhou's approval ahead of time and were rare, since voting took place around the table and there was no leaving to check in with someone else before the vote was cast. Many of the votes came up during discussions and weren't planned ahead of time. The opposite of the capital, where everything was planned weeks, if not months and argued over for just as long. The Camelia's military efficiency bled into its court, it seemed.
The rest of the court stood as Chenzhou and Eirian entered, and he led her to their seats. Lady Yang was resplendent in scarlet, lined with her family colours of gold and black. Lord Yin was slightly more subdued, mostly in black, after suffering significant losses when Eirian's camp had been attacked. Tanning served his house and had no doubt reported everything to him once he'd returned from overseeing the set-up of the camps along the border with Song and Snow. The head of the Wen family sat next to Lady Yang, and there were several minor houses between each major house. Henri's sister sat in the Colfax seat, as Henri sat with Chenzhou and Mingzhe's younger brother, Zhuli had taken their family seat since their father had retired from the court several years before.
~ tbc
~ tbc