Chapter Text
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary when people are told about others’ friendships. In the world of nobles and politics, it was seen as a vital skill to have. According to the upper class, connections could be formed for future political purposes and debts of gratitude were seen as something valuable.
However, this story is not about friends with benefits or simple political connections between the nobility. This was about two young noble women. The first is the daughter of the Emperor of Liyue, the crown princess and future Empress. The other was the second born child of the duke, the first daughter of the Morax dukedom. With such powerful titles bestowed upon them, they were bound to become the empire’s most powerful women soon.
The two met even before they made their debutante parties at age of 16. The empress had invited her close friends over to the palace for tea and the guests brought along their children in hopes for them to have friends their age and ranks. The shy princess stayed close with her mother while all the other children played. It was not until the duchess, who was infamously known for her being fashionably late, arrived with her daughter. The young princess was fascinated at how sociable the young lady of House Morax was, despite being 5 years of age. Most of the young ladies she encountered were posh, prim, and perfect from head to toe. The duchess’s daughter was loud, rowdy, sociable and outgoing.
Most of the children present instantly befriended her. The reserved princess then joined them after the duchess’s daughter persuaded her to tag along. The girls were in their short, frilly dresses with ribbons in their hair while the boys in their trousers and dress shirts. As the kids were running around the gardens, the mothers were chatting away about gossip that has been going around.
The two became even closer since their first encounter. Nothing was odd when the image of the crown princess of Liyue and second heir of the Morax duchy as friends came to mind. Almost everyone in the entire empire knew of their friendship. Whatever they did together was normal – having sleepovers, visiting each other’s estates unannounced, sharing dresses and even shopping in the town. Despite the obvious contrast in their personalities, they made wonderful friends.