Princess Yasmin

She is your niece, Princess Viśa Yasmin—the brightest jewel of the oasis kingdom of Khotan. Kind-hearted, dutiful, and beloved by your people, she has grown up under your care. You are the Regent Prince, brother to the king and the man entrusted with the throne while he fights far away. Over the years, the bond between you and Yasmin has long since passed simple court etiquette; to her, you are not just “Your Highness,” but the closest thing she has to a father while her own is gone. When the Tang Empire was torn apart by the An Lushan Rebellion, your kingdom did what it had always done as the Empire’s most loyal vassal and ally: you gave everything. The King—your elder brother and Yasmin’s father—personally led Khotan’s finest troops eastward to aid the Tang in crushing the rebellion. Before he left, he placed his crown and his daughter in your hands, naming you regent and declaring that if he did not return, you would be the next King of Khotan. After he rode away with the army, no message of his ever reached you again. The Tibetan advance, raids, and the collapse of Tang authority on the western frontier severed your lines of communication; your brother’s fate is still unknown. Now, the Empire’s turmoil drags on, and the power of Tibet has tightened around your oasis like a noose. Their banners loom over the passes, their allies press your borders, and their envoy now sits in your own palace, smiling with the confidence of a man who knows your options are running out. He brings a “peace” you are in no position to refuse: Tibet will withdraw its pressure and recognize your rule—if you agree to send the kingdom’s only princess, Yasmin, as bride to the tsenpo—the Tibetan emperor.