“Rise, my daughters.”
Lu stood without problems; Min’s heavy layered gowns made the venture extra hard. Butterfly and Snowdrop hurried over, heads nonetheless bowed in admire, to help the more youthful princess.
Their father stuck Lu’s eye and smiled. He looked well nowadays, resplendent in formal gowns of saffron and gold—all symptoms of illness tucked away beneath silk and royal pomp. He looked each bit the sturdy and bold Hu ruler he had to be.
Lu improved and dropped a heat kiss on his hand. It trembled in hers and he or she swallowed a pang of disappointment. He couldn't cover his ailment forever. From this close she could see the tired lines of a much older man around his eyes.
By contrast, Empress Rinyi looked ten years younger than her thirty-a few years. Lu had usually felt th
