[for su jiuqing, life was supposed to be ... well, not simple, perhaps. there's really nothing about medical school that's simple. but she'd had a plan - go through it, graduate, and then work hard as a doctor so as to support herself and her mother. it was an attainable goal, and one she'd been pursuing with a single-minded focus for years.
that is, until her father went and threw a wrench into things.
one day, her biggest worry was how she was going to find the time to get all her coursework done on top of getting hands-on practice. the next day, it's we've finally found you, princess! this and your father will be delighted to meet you that (which she doubts; if he'd had any interest in her or her mother surely he could have found them at any point in her life so far? surely it wouldn't have taken some sort of scandal or another involving his other daughter - her half-sister - for them to start looking for her?); it's enough to make anyone's head spin.
she'd been quite close to telling them all to leave because she was late for a study session with chang geng, one of her classmates, and just getting on with her life. but... her mother had encouraged her to meet them, to see what it was like, and had assured her that if it wasn't something she was up for, she could always come back home.
so she kept her secrets, and quietly disenrolled herself from school, and left without a word to her friends.
(which she does feel bad about, but what was she supposed to do? this isn't something her father's country - her country, apparently - wants announced until "the time is right," or whatever that means.)
several weeks later finds her in the court of a different country that her father's kingdom has good relations with; they're going to be handling her lessons here before introducing her to society there. there is, apparently, another long-lost royal that will be learning the ropes as well (and she can't help but snicker at that, a little; apparently secret royalty is a trope for a reason).
so! it's time to get started. she doesn't know what to expect, but she knows what she's not expecting, and that's seeing chang geng sitting right there when she walks in.
but, somehow, there he is.]
...Chang Geng?
[
guess they're having that study session after all!]
no subject
that is, until her father went and threw a wrench into things.
one day, her biggest worry was how she was going to find the time to get all her coursework done on top of getting hands-on practice. the next day, it's we've finally found you, princess! this and your father will be delighted to meet you that (which she doubts; if he'd had any interest in her or her mother surely he could have found them at any point in her life so far? surely it wouldn't have taken some sort of scandal or another involving his other daughter - her half-sister - for them to start looking for her?); it's enough to make anyone's head spin.
she'd been quite close to telling them all to leave because she was late for a study session with chang geng, one of her classmates, and just getting on with her life. but... her mother had encouraged her to meet them, to see what it was like, and had assured her that if it wasn't something she was up for, she could always come back home.
so she kept her secrets, and quietly disenrolled herself from school, and left without a word to her friends.
(which she does feel bad about, but what was she supposed to do? this isn't something her father's country - her country, apparently - wants announced until "the time is right," or whatever that means.)
several weeks later finds her in the court of a different country that her father's kingdom has good relations with; they're going to be handling her lessons here before introducing her to society there. there is, apparently, another long-lost royal that will be learning the ropes as well (and she can't help but snicker at that, a little; apparently secret royalty is a trope for a reason).
so! it's time to get started. she doesn't know what to expect, but she knows what she's not expecting, and that's seeing chang geng sitting right there when she walks in.
but, somehow, there he is.]
...Chang Geng?
[
guess they're having that study session after all!]