’’Moon Dae. My dear younger brother.’’ Kian said as he entered carefully, walking the side of the wall along with all the maids and eunuchs whom also entered the room just as cautious with their steps, ’’You have a visitor. Her name is Suyi, from The Eastern Empire. She shall become your concubine from this day on, and will be accompanying you each day.’’

  And thus she had been announced.

  Suyi bowed by the entrance and began to take steps inside. There weren’t many empty spots on the floor to step on but she carefully did her best to avoid tarnishing the paintings. The brushwork on each were meticulously artistic, but one thing Suyi noticed was the fact that each and every scenery had something to do with the existing surroundings. Realistic with no added imagination. As if he hadn’t stepped outside in days, perhaps months, judging by the amount of paintings scattered around. There laid a painting about the corner of the chamber, the pomegranate trees’ outside the open windows, the mountains far behind the protective walls of the palace.

  Reaching her leg towards the next small gap on the floor while holding up the hem of the robe, Suyi happened to stumble a bit, the corner of her feet landing on top of one of the paintings she so earnestly tried to avoid. A chill went through the tips of the toes and all the way up to her lower back before finally reaching the back of her neck when Moon Dae let out a frustrated, rather offended groan. She had made a mistake, already. On her very first day above all.

  Finally, after many slow and steady steps, Suyi managed to find her way beside the table on Moon Dae’s right side. She had been instructed to never sit on the left side of a Royal, since the left should always stay reserved for the bride of a Prince.

  Suyi could not kneel around the table as she should’ve done, to show respect and lower herself down on his level. There were simply no room for her to do so. Thus, she gladly opted to stand instead. Moon Dae kept busy absorbed in his work, half way done with the new painting of the scenery outside. He had painted it a million times already, each time with a slight change, apparently depending on the days weather as well. Suyi felt them being watched, and finally understood the reason why. An experiment. To see how The Third Prince would react to her attendance. The answer was simple.

  Not much.

  Moon Dae continued as if she had never entered the room, if not taken into the count the slight mishap of a clumsy feet. Suyi wondered if she had greatly offended him by accidentally stepping on one of his impressive art and thus was treated with the silent treatment, but that couldn’t be the case. Moon Dae did not react to his own older brother, either. He did not acknowledge anyone equally.

  And so, Suyi had no idea of what her new life as a concubine inside the Imperial palace would bring, what it meant or what her days would look like from then on— but if it meant she could stay in the peaceful company, watching this young talented Prince paint till the sun had shifted towards the west, she could perhaps even come to enjoy her stay. But of course, it seemed almost too good to be true. There were many obligations for concubines inside The Imperial palace. Standing there doing nothing only one of those.

  For the whole entire day, Suyi stood beside the table with no interaction with the man whatsoever. Barely moving an inch. No eye contact, no words spoken. Only steady and carefully crafted strokes of an ink brush, and her eyes which kept softly following each result. Oddly enough, Suyi did not feel bored at all. Standing there only watching him work, his routine mannerisms and the silence of the chamber made her feel calm. It was more interesting than staring at the wet cold wall of the dungeon, that’s for sure.

  Occasionally, the faint sound of someone on the side trying to hide their yawn could be heard. The maids and eunuchs stood side by side inspecting the two and did their best to defeat the boredom in the presence of The Second Prince who did not seem as desperate— a somewhat content expression on his mellow gaze for the task he had. His dark brown orbs a mirror for her. Content, until the gaze had lowered down on Suyi’s bruised and wounded feet although hidden with the hem of her taunted white dress and robe. The muscle jerked on the inner corner of the eyebrows containing the disapproval, watching her endlessly stand there without the smallest movement.

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  All that power supposedly held in his position inside The Imperial family, yet nothing he could do to ease her discomfort.

  Just like that, each passing day went on with the same exact routine. Suyi would wake up early, become a rag doll for others to do as they pleased, then through the endless wooden walkways to stay beside Moon Dae.

  All the sunny days standing towards the windows kissed Suyi’s pale cheeks.

  Cloudy days made her resemble a porcelain doll.

  Rainy days soothed with the sound of pleasant pitter and delightful patter.

  For many days already unable to count, Suyi had stood beside him from the peeking sun to its divine farewell. The maids and eunuchs no longer came to stay with them at all times, and neither did Moon Kian.

  Although Moon Dae never spoke, as time went on, Suyi learned many small things about The Third Prince through diligent observation.

  He never created the same exact work of art twice.

  One painting took many days to finish.

  He never made mistakes.

  And lastly, he had two meals a day. Always at the same exact time consisting the same ingredients and side dishes. Never going astray from his usual preferences.

  Suyi couldn’t help but feel the growing respect toward Moon Dae. Everyone knew The Empire valued descendants who could be fit into a mold of strong leaders. Relentless and ready to face a battlefield as The First Prince had been doing for many years now, preparing to claim his throne one day. The Empire valued intelligent minds who could learn the book of ancient history by heart and cite a chapter from the exact page to prove a point in conversation—as The Second Prince had been known to do.

  Yet still, Suyi saw the overall worthy Prince right there. Under everyone’s eyes if they only cared enough to look. A Prince also deserving of all the praise and all the acknowledgment. What a pity it was, for those magnificent pieces of work sprawled all around as if they weren’t meant to be appreciated by many marveling admirations. Adored by his people, for as much as The Emperor was respected—so deserved he.

  In her humble opinion, that is.

  ’’I do not see what they meant—’’ Suyi whispered quietly, spoken words forming for the first time in many silent months. For the smallest minuscule moment the ink brush in Moon Dae's hand ceased its effortless slide, his calm swaying motion halted with a slight twitch, ’’I do not see what they meant, by us two being a perfect match for I have no talent as magnificent. But one could only wish they were as brilliant as Your Highness, so I shall take it as an unworthy compliment instead.’’

  As expected, Moon Dae did not gift an answer for the sudden compliment nor did he acknowledge her being there. Yet non of it mattered. Because Suyi knew he listened. She knew he heard her whispers loud and clear. Those which even she had forgotten the sound of. Her voice soft and tender, not chipper and what some enjoyed as cute, but low and lulling like a lullaby.

  And what she said truly came from a place of heart. Suyi did however understand what The Emperor tried to convey with his contaminated sarcastic remarks of her being only good enough for The Third Prince—how the two were a perfect match. The Emperor responded to a stab with a knife of his own. Emperor Ming had disrespected him by sending a beggar to become his son’s concubine, thus he indeed made her one, but for a man who had no respect in their society just as he said— their woman only good enough for the man who’d never be truly acknowledged as part of The Imperial family.

  Two rejected outcasts. One thrown away and sold by her home land—and one hidden away to be forgotten by his own. Two unwanted peas in a pot.

  But immediately upon meeting him, Suyi knew there was nothing wrong with The Third Prince. Nothing at all. His only flaw was one bestowed upon by the expectations of others. A cruel world he lived in. Although despite all, Moon Dae seemed content with how things were.

  And what came to her own situation, Suyi never claimed to have any issues hearing—they all simply assumed due to her body being far too exhausted to respond with as much as a startled flinch once having her eardrums pierced with a rude scream of a moron. Never did she make an effort to deceive others and make them believe she could not understand them nor couldn’t speak. They simply never spoke directly to her. Well, not taking in count The Second Prince naming her—but what could someone respond to such a strange situation. Besides, it would’ve ruined her intentions far too early.

  To Suyi, silence was a powerful weapon beyond compare. Whilst the others were too busy running their mouths, they failed to stop and worry about her presence. They’d talk, spill all the dirty rumors and filthy secrets concealed inside the palace walls. All for her to benefit from if ever needed.

  ─?~???~?─