When Shian awoke the next day she felt relaxed and refreshed.
Which was weird, a look to the window confirmed – it was early in the morning. The sun was just rising and Shian wondered whether Koumei was already up.
There was only one way to find out and after putting on her clothes and gathering Koumei's robe she was on her way.
The barren corridors of the palace had grown familiar to her by now, too often had she wandered them before the residents had woken up. As she passed the windows of the corridor she caught a glimpse of the sky that glowed in an iridescent orange.
It quite matched her mood.

Passing by Koumei's sleeping quarters to reach the office nearly gave her a heart attack.
The door flew open, revealing the figure of the prince who's mood could only be described as "grey and stormy rainclouds".
After calming down Shian curtsied and put on a shy smile.
"Good morning, My Lord. May I ask what's wrong?"
"You know how there is that certain amount of sleep under which you are just not tired anymore but absolutely wired? Yeah, I just missed it."

Shian's smile grew more genuine as she could imagine quite well what he was talking about. "I thought you took the evening off?"
"I did. But a certain someone had the idea to get me out of bed for total nonsense so I only slept half as well as I would have liked!"

And with that he made his way over to his office door, not noticing the eyes of his assistant burning in his back.
She didn't have to think too long to figure out that the certain someone could have only been Kouha. Koumei wouldn't have addressed his older brother or – rukh beware – his father that way. As she was watching him she couldn't help but notice the slight limp in his gait.
What could it have been that had kept him awake?

Shaking off the questions she quickly returned his robe into his chambers, while withstanding the urge in her fingertips to open the windows and fluff the pillows.
That was not her task anymore.

After tearing herself from the messy room she joined her superior in the office, where he was already busy sorting through the daily work. He didn't look up as she entered but addressed her while shuffling along:
"I looked through your documents yesterday evening and I must say, I am content. Some minor details but over all you did a great job."
Her cheeks reddened with joy and she closed the door maybe a little bit too enthusiastically. "I am relieved to hear you saying that. Thank you, My Lord!" She hopped over to her desk and sat down, still happy because of his words.

A fine smile played around the corners of his mouth.
"That's why I decided to let you attend a meeting today. Yes, it is only your second day but you will attend only as a recorder and nothing more. And quite frankly-", he stretched, making his joints pop, "I just don't feel like doing it myself. There is a reason why I employed you after all."

With an unpleasant sound Shian's fingernails scraped over the wooden table top. She was not sure if he meant it as an insult or as a compliment but the most important thing was – she was to attend a meeting? Today!? And if she understood correctly – alone!?
"But My Lord! That is impossible. I don't know how to properly minute something like a meeting!"
"Then go figure it out! You have the whole library at your disposal and with it every protocol ever recorded in this palace! We talked about that."
His voice sounded much harsher than he intended and he already regretted lashing out. Shian bit her suspiciously trembling lower lip and simply nodded instead of answering. She got up and left the room without another word – she was too afraid that her voice would betray her and reveal to the prince how shaken she was by those simple sentences.

Koumei stared at the locked door and rubbed his hands over his face. He really didn't mean to attack her like that. He was grumpy this morning because of Kouha dragging him out of bed for something – in his opinion – stupid but the young woman was really the last person to deserve his ill temper.
And while he was in a position to raise his voice at about anyone in the palace (with two exceptions) he hated using this kind of power. And there was of course another reason why he wouldn't want to get on her bad side: which man would want to see the woman he loved hurt? Certainly not the second prince.
Who casually ignored himself admitting his feelings to himself, by the way.

Gathering her skirt Shian had hurried away from the office, cursing herself for already feeling like curling up somewhere to cry. It was his full right to talk to her any way he pleased and it hadn't been that bad as well.
Of course he would be agitated at her for defying his orders like that.
But it still hurt. Him loving her was of course a totally ridiculous thought but she wanted them to be at least on good terms. Maybe she could make it up by acing that protocol.

The heavy double doors creaked as Shian shoved them open and the stale but pleasant smell of old parchment filled her nose. Despite being kept clean by what felt like an army of servants the library was always filled with dust that danced in the sunlight. Shian hadn't been often in here but the few times she actually lingered between the old shelves she enjoyed herself a lot. The presence of all the knowledge even managed to push her sadness over Koumei's behaviour away.
At least for now.

She strutted deeper into the wide open room and took a good look around. Apart from the aforementioned dust it was filled with shelves made from dark heavy wood. They stretched themselves along the walls and across the floor, neatly labelled with their respective topics. To her left she could see books about the geography of the empire, next to the history of trade and scrolls about plants. On the other side to her right shelves about magic stringed together, sorted by type.

Although Shian felt the urge to just gather everything and indulge in reading for a few hours, none of the shelves seemed to carry what she needed.
For that she would have to delve into the archive. Said archive was located in the back of the library, a long narrow room one could reach by traversing between "Recipes against heartburn" and "Everything about horses".
The thin stretch between the walls was made even thinner by the racks that lined them, each of them overflowing with stacks of loose paper and hastily rolled-up scrolls. There were only a few people in the palace who actually cared if the archive was tidy and they all lacked the time to take care of it – so it stayed pretty messy.
The maid in Shian huffed in disapproval and she rolled up her imaginary sleeves. How she would find the protocols in here was a mystery to her.

Half an hour later she had finally managed to find her desired documents.
Inside a wooden crate rested two piles of paper, yellowed at the rims and streaked with kinks. Because the archive was a dark and dim room Shian hoisted the crate out into the library and sought out a nicer place.

Said place was at one of the thin but floor-length windows, where a bench was installed above the deep windowsill. Shian stroked the deep red of the cushions. It was the same as the bed covers in her room and she couldn't help but smile. Whoever decorates the palace sure likes red, she thought.
Sitting cross-legged she fished a stack of parchment out of the crate, gathered her supplies and a writing board and started reading.
The content of the protocols weren't her focus but she still found most of them highly interesting. She got to read everything that was said in many years of meetings first hand! On the side she made notes on her paper, jotting down how they were structured –that was the reason for her studies after all.

When the sun stood high above the palace the letters had started to swim in front of her eyes. She hadn't had breakfast yet and eating in the library was a no-go anyway. After she read the same sentence three times without picking anything up from it she decided it was time for a break. She had earned it too – although her notepads were still few she was sure now how she would structure her future protocol.

Shian put everything down on the writing board and put it down beside her. With an ugly "pop" her joints stretched as she sat up and she acknowledged the pleasant feeling with a small moan. That was better.
She opened the window and sat back down, her eyes closed as she inhaled the fresh air and listened to the sound of nature coming from the outside. The library was close to the gardens and she could hear the muffled voices of the gardeners and the distant noises of the horses. Minutes passed by where she was simply sitting there and enjoyed her surroundings, when a new sound mixed in with the others. It was the flutter of feathery wings.
And it was pretty close.

Her eyes flew open only to find herself face to face with a pigeon that landed on her tucked up knee. The bird was plump and round and it's grey plumage shimmered beautifully in the light that shone through the open window. It cocked its head and cooed affectionately, no fear to be sensed.
Shian smiled and although still confused she didn't mind the unexpected visitor. When she raised her hand slowly the pigeon eyeballed her suspiciously but as she stroked the feathers carefully it blinked and clattered happily with its beak. It was then that Shian saw the small piece of paper that was attached to the bird's foot. It had been folded into a rectangle and attached with something that looked like red…string? She wasn't sure.
With a gentle gesture she tried to shoo the bird away.
"Go, you appear to be having a mission! Wouldn't want to keep someone waiting, right?"
She kept her voice low and the pigeon didn't even budge. Instead it flapped its wings and pecked at her knee, pulling a few threads out of the fabric of her skirt, making her sigh.
"I don't want to have to repair my clothes just because-" She paused. There was writing on the paper, obviously naming the recipient of the message. Nothing unusual per se, but the tiny letters clearly spelled out her own name.
No wonder the pigeon didn't want to go.

It was not too easy a task to take the paper off without damaging neither material nor messenger but finally she held the parcel in her hand.
She untied it – was that hair!? – and unfolded it, only to be greeted by the small but neat hand writing of her superior. The pigeon hopped of her knee and started to search for none-existing crumbs under the cushions but Shian didn't pay it any attention, too immerged into the writing to care. The letter, if you could call it one, was only a couple of sentences long.

Please forgive my words this morning. I was not feeling well and took it out on you, which of course is not fair, neither to me nor to you. It's getting late, if you want to, please return so we can eat and discuss things further.

Well, it's not exactly a love letter, Shian thought, but it's certainly not something you would write to just any employee. Not only had he asked for her forgiveness, he also had asked for her to return rather than just commanded her to.
Unconsciously she had started to smile and put down the letter. With a harsh rip the scrap paper split as she tore it apart to write her answer. It was just a strip, barely big enough to write on comfortably but it was enough for what she wanted to write.

Thank you.

Being at a loss for appropriate tying material she resorted to the same technique Koumei had and fastened the slip to the pigeons leg with a strand of her own hair. It held perfectly still and as Shian patted its head it nuzzled against her palm.
"Go back for me, will you?", she whispered, "and fly quickly, I will be back soon."
The pigeon cooed again and then it took of through the window on its rather short journey back to the prince. It was kind of ridiculous to send two words with a pigeon across fifty meters by air but it made her feel giddy, like a child sending her first crush a message.
Do you like me, yes, no, maybe?

She gathered her supplies and cleaned up – meaning that she clenched her notes between her teeth and hauled the crate back into the archive. Then she made her way back to the office.

When she left the library the scent from the nearby kitchen wafted over and her stomach rumbled loudly. It smelled of roasted fish and rice and the spices lingering in the air made her mouth water. She was half tempted to snatch something from her former colleagues but Koumei did write about eating together so she figured it would be impolite.
She withstood the urge (and her scolding belly) and got on her way back to the office. Judging by the barely existing shadows outside the windows it had to be noon and she wondered to herself when the meeting would take place.
Despite her in-depth studies of the protocols she was still nervous and the three rolled up pages in her hand seemed suddenly pathetic. A small sigh escaped her lips as she knocked on the door.
"Come in."
The prince seemed somewhat distracted and when she entered she could see why – a familiar pigeon perched on the desk and picked seeds out of Koumei's hand. Smiling at the sight Shian closed the door behind her and return to her own desk.

"So", he started, feeling quite a bit awkward, "what did you do in the time you were absent?" The question took her by surprise.
"I was in the library looking for old protocols, My Lord. That's…what you commanded me to do, isn't it?"
A sudden wave of anxiety hit her, did she misunderstood his orders? For a moment the two of them looked at each other, both surprised at the others' words and behaviours. Koumei cleared his throat.
"Yes indeed. You just seemed pretty pissed off so I wasn't sure you complied."
Even more shocked silence.
"My Lord…apart from the fact that I really want to do a good job, I can't just defy you for any reason, now can I!?"
"Right…" His mumbled response was barely audible and all of the sudden Koumei seemed even more exhausted than usual. He drove his fingers through his messy hair and sighed. Please, just get her out of your head, Koumei! He scolded himself silently. She follows your orders, because you're a prince. That's all.
Without noticing he had buried his face in his hands, his elbows resting on the wood of the table top.

On the other side of the room, Shian was drowning in confusion. What was going on..? Something she said upset him but she had no idea what it was. Did he for some reason wished that she disobeyed him? There was no way of knowing, but what was clear was the fact that he was in distress. And she couldn't stand seeing him like this.

Gathering her skirt carefully she rose again, making her way over to him. Her steps were almost completely silent on the thick carpet on the floor and as she stepped next to him he flinched at her sudden appearance.
Shian laid a hand on his shoulder, following her heart more than her brain which was screaming bloody murder at her crossing of boundaries.
"My Lord? Please forgive me, I didn't mean to upset you."
A short nod was her answer, followed by a deep breath. Koumei emerged from behind his palms and straightened, making Shian break contact.

"You're not to blame here. I am just…confused."
"Confused about what?", she asked, curious and worried all the same.
"About-"

Who knows where their conversation would have led if it hadn't been interrupted by a knock. Unlike the last time it happened, Koumei was glad this time about the distracting and he hurried to call whoever it was inside. Much to Shian's dismay who took a step back and tried to look as innocently as she could.
The door swung open, revealing Hadi. The head maid carried a tray with two steaming bowls on it – which in on itself wasn't weird but Shian still couldn't help but be surprised at Hadi herself showing up. She was usually the one supervising and only participated in the common workload when they were in a really tight pinch.

Hadi curtsied in front of them before bringing the tray over to Koumei's desk.
"I apologize for my late arrival, I hope everything will be to your satisfaction."
The prince noted her words with a gracious nod and helped himself to one of the bowls but Shian still hadn't moved.
"Hadi, is everything alright?" The head maid nodded and put on an appeasing – albeit not convincing – smile. "We are still busy, that is all. A lot to prepare."
I'm gone two days and I already have no idea what is going on anymore, she thought to herself and finally grabbed her bowl.
"Thanks" she mumbled and went over to her own place. Hadi bowed once more and then left the room.

For a few minutes they ate in silence, the only sounds being the dripping of the broth and the wet slapping of the noodles inside.
When Koumei put down his bowl he seemed composed again.
"The meeting will begin in around an hour. Do you feel up to the task?"
That seemed like a much more rational approach than just dropping her in. Shian nodded and replied:
"I am quite nervous but I got a good idea of how it works. May I ask who else will attend the meeting?"
If he mentions his father I will jump out the window, she thought.
"My brothers and a few generals, although", and here he sighed, "I could imagine Kouha skipping out again. He never takes these kinds of things seriously. The meeting will be about the deployment of troops in the west. You know about businesses and not about war, so I expect you to not only take the minutes but also try to understand what is being said. Alright?"
An eager nod was his answer. While Shian didn't exactly like violence and was still anxious about the whole thing, both the prospect of getting to know new things and Koumei's trust in her learning ability made her happy.
"One more thing – how…formal is the meeting?" A smile darted over his face. "Are you asking me whether or not you should change? I'll let you decide, both options seem reasonable enough to me."

They continued working for around half an hour before Shian got up and excused herself. She was too nervous to concentrate and given that it would be her first event she did decide to put on her fancy clothes. Couldn't hurt, right?
Right now she stood in her chamber, already dressed and waiting for her time to come. Apparently the meeting was to take place in the very same room she once delivered documents to, so at least she knew where to go.
The flowy red fabric felt smooth and a bit cold against her bare legs and Shian stroked it absentmindedly, the feeling still unusual – her normal work clothes were much rougher. But they came back, the memories of the times when she wore such expensive materials herself.

Finally she got up and left her room, armed with a clipboard, her notes and a bunch of blank papers, together with a quill.
It was not her quill – she had asked for one that Koumei used regularly. It was a meagre attempt at calming herself but for some reason Shian felt reassured to carry it with her. She had also played with the idea to take Bert with her but there was just no way to carry him without anyone noticing.
And she remembered all too well what attitude Kouen had when it came to her plush bird.

As she reached the meeting room she was surprised to find the door open. She peeked inside but no one was there yet so she entered, the clipboard clutched against her chest.
It looked the same as it had weeks before, the narrow table in the middle fitting the form of the room perfectly. At the end a bigger chair sat enthroned and next to it, a little bit farther away from the table – a smaller one, almost just a stool.
That had to be her place and Shian was relieved to see it, it would be easier to write so close to the window. Due to its slim nature most of the room was shrouded in darkness, despite the already burning candles.
She strut over to it and sat down on the stool, scanning her surroundings. An inkpot was placed on the table near her and she took the liberty in taking it and placing it under the stool, so she could reach it easily.
Then she started to prepare her protocol, noting down the date, where it took place and the names of the attendees she already knew. She was so concentrated on writing as flawlessly as possible that she didn't notice the person that had joined her till their figure loomed over her, casting a shadow on her writings.

"What are you doing here, you useless wench?"
Shian froze mid-movement, the tip of the quill hovering millimetres over the paper. It was the voice of the general from the eastern wing.