The clear afternoon sun blinded Suyi for a moment as she opened her eyes, cheek resting over her arms on top of Moon Dae’s table. A place which never changed. Each time she entered the room it seemed as if time stopped. A comfortable resting spot until it was time to be escorted back once more.

  A sharp gasp snapped her right sitting with a straight posture on the now relaxed calfs. Beside her, she sensed an additional presence, the thought of it sending cold shivers through the spine. Unusual. No one supposed to be there besides them two. The few polished emerald jades jingled as her head turned up towards their spontaneous guest—and met with a warm smile staring down back at her.

  The Second Prince. What is he doing here?— Suyi’s mouth opened stunned, oddly marveling how the sunlight made the embroidery in his robes glimmer with each slight movement, his long dark hair silky as if it had been dipped straight in fresh squeezed aloe vera, recognized by the scent which lingered in the soft breeze.

  Moon Kian did not speak. He took one of the papers and ink brushes unused and kneeled down on the opposite side from his unbothered brother. He held up his sleeve and dipped the brush in the ink, skillfully brushing off the excess, and began to write something on the paper with delicate strokes. Suyi watched the smile on the corners of his lips still not fading, and after he was finished, he slid the paper in front of Suyi.

  Clearly it was a message meant for her to be read. In that moment, Suyi knew it was because Moon Kian amongst everyone else except for The Third Prince had an impression that she could not hear nor wouldn’t speak either. Leaving notes as a proper way to communicate, if at all. A lot of talk travelled around the palace speculating that she had never heard someone speak before, born deaf, thus she had never learned to form words. Or perhaps she was entirely mute as well. People talking proved to be beneficial to Suyi, but it also made her amused at how quick people were to make assumptions and run with it.

  When it came to Moon Kian’s attempt to communicate, she would’ve like to roll with it. But there was only one problem—Suyi had never learned to read let alone write. She couldn’t understand what The Second Prince tried to convey. Her lips tightened in one line for a moment as she pressed tight fists against the thighs, staring down at the white paper and the perfectly sharp and gentle characters each trying to say something.

  ’’Perhaps— could it be? You do not know how to read?’’ Suyi could hear Moon Kian ask, but of course couldn’t give an answer. What amazed her was the manner in which Kian chose to phrase it. He didn’t sound mocking. He sounded slightly distressed, like he was already searching for a solution to their communication issue. As if trying to find another way. And she proved to be right. As Suyi peeked up towards him, she noticed The Second Prince rubbing his chin between the slender fingers lost in deep thought.

  Still, she wasn’t supposed to hear his curious question. Of course she wasn’t. Up until now, there had been a few times when someone spoke directly to her, but would always either push her to the direction or change her posture thinking she couldn’t hear their commands. A rag doll for them to do as they pleased. She only knew to sit on Moon Dae’s right side because the maids had tried their best to sign her needed position to her. Of course, she understood their commands well and could cooperate in fear of being punished if she’d make the slightest mistake—but after time passed, she now began to worry whether she should deliberately make a mistake or two just in case people became suspicious. It had been going almost entirely too smooth if she left out the incident of the poisoned pears which still had an affective aftermath and toll on her body. Healing surely took its sweet time.

  Maybe I should pretend not to notice his initiatives for the time being. I’m sure he won’t stay too long— Suyi felt the wariness inside beginning to hug her close again. Lately it seemed to take a form of another emotion, one which she could not quite put into words. But it didn’t feel any better.

  However, Suyi now sat there performing her act, entirely unaware of her secret being in the hands of two instead of just The Third Prince. Playing the same game of tiptoeing around each other.

  One who couldn’t ask,

  and the other who couldn’t, nor heavens sake shouldn’t, confess.

  Only moments ago, Moon Kian had entered his younger brother’s chamber in hopes of asking the two for a nice stroll outside beneath the perfect sunny afternoon sky. He could’t help but feel worried about Suyi having to do the same routine each and every day, never ending. Moon Dae lived like that, a change in his routine could terribly upset him if brought up at a bad timing, but Suyi had for a long time only gone from one room to another. Sat there silently for hours. Rinse and repeat.

  It made Moon Kian feel uneasy. Sure, sitting beside Moon Dae was a safe life for her, if the whole ordeal of the poison wasn’t taken into count. And he hadn’t made any progress with that investigation either. As soon as he heard about Suyi being poisoned, he asked Eunuch Leean to do a little digging. To keep his ears extra open for any information or gossip out of the ordinary. Since no investigation had began by the orders of The Emperor, he had to do at least that much albeit having to do so in hiding.

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  It sickened him. How The Emperor could turn a blind eye on such a large crime inside the palace. Simply because it did not revolve around anyone he was particularly fond of. His unwillingness to find the culprit made him a suspect in Kian’s mind. No one would be excused. He looked at each and every worker with strict suspicion while it seemed no one else cared. Regardless of that, he vowed to find the one responsible. Maids would not deliberately ruin their livelihood for a Prince who did them no harm. It was painfully obvious there must’ve been someone handing out orders.

  At first, Kian thought that her staying beside his younger brother would be for the best since it was supposed to be the safest, the most uneventful corner of their world of constant second-guessing. Who is the friend and who’ll kill you if you’re not aware enough of your surroundings. Always someone in the crowd with gleaming, scheming eyes.

  ’’Dear younger brother—’’ Kian took the paper and slid it in front of Moon Dae, ’’Should we take a walk outside? It has been a while.’’ His low tone of voice had a gentle ring to it.

  Moon Dae lowered the ink brush on its holder and fidgeted with his fingertips, eyes searching the corners of the room. Unannounced, he began to rise up much for Suyi’s surprise as her head followed The Third Prince, already reaching the pomegranate trees’ on the side of the wooden walkway outside his room.

  ’’You as well, Lady Suyi.’’ Moon Kian kept his hands crossed beneath the wide sleeves, still holding his position beside her, ’’He will not wait for us.’’ He nodded towards outside, a sign which one could not misinterpret.

  They walked behind Moon Dae who took small steps at a time, still walking faster than them. Followed the trace of the bright pomegranates until they reached a dead end. A huge weeping tree that fell over the wooden elevated boards of the walkway. On the left side, Suyi noticed the paper walls painted with light grey art of a similar tree with The Third Prince’s courtyard and three small figures reminding her of children running towards the branches draping the dead end of the path. It might as well had been a perfect prophecy of the moment right then, recorded on the walls.

  Moon Dae was nowhere to be seen as Kian leaned forward beside her to gain her attention. When Suyi turned her gaze from the peculiar painting reminding of the sweet reminiscence of a childhood play, Kian nodded once again to go forward, then stepped towards the branches and used his arm to move the tangling light leaf covered branches on the side for her before giving another reassuring nod.

  Suyi did not see much at first beyond the branches, but some light definitely poured from the other side. She stepped beneath the arm, momentarily hunching down although unnecessary, and from beneath a small couple of steps long tunnel, she came to a small yet absolutely fantastical hidden courtyard. Green grass, stone paths, small raspberry shrubs and a pond with a flowing stream and a deep blue round bridge in the middle of it all. She had no idea that The Third Prince’s courtyard would extend into such a treasure kept from unsuspecting eyes. Like a hidden sanctuary.

  Suyi watched as The Third Prince crouched down to look at some flowers on the side, a sight all too unfamiliar to her, yet fascinating. She had been used to seeing him only either paint or eat the same meal each day. Moon Kian had followed and now stepped down from the raised walkway and onto the stone path before turning around and offering his hand up towards Suyi. She hesitated, wavering with the sudden gesture, but ultimately placed her shaky fingertips gently over the palm of his hand to have some support as she held onto the robes and came down. With that soft touch now gone yet dwelling on his skin, Moon Kian took a step away from her, a clear sign that his intentions were pure and with no ulterior motive. They walked side by side, Suyi’s head following Moon Dae, who followed a majestic birdwing butterfly, while Moon Kian’s head was turned down towards the Lady beside him. A chain of gazes all hidden from each other.

  ’’This place was a gift from our mother. The Great Empress Moon Hwa. For us three brothers to share as a secret base as she liked to put it. Back then, she would spend her time sitting on the side of the walkway and work on her embroidery, humming songs and watch us play. She build this for us three to share, and decided this location inside the palace would be perfect. For the sake of The Third Prince. From our parents, she was the only one to truly understand my younger brother’s complicated mind.’’ Moon Kian spoke, knowing Suyi acted as if she couldn’t hear.

  He didn’t mind. For he knew she did. And that was enough. He had come to the conclusion that keeping her secret, even from herself about him already knowing, would ultimately be for the best. He could understand why she did that. After all, she had come inside the palace heavily unprepared for the life thrusted upon her. Forcefully. Without a will of her own. This way, pretending—not hearing—not speaking—she had control. And he could see how that would come handy in some situations. After all, people liked to talk. Whether heard or not, and sometimes thinking they weren’t being heard.

  People loved to talk.

  By the bridge going over the shallow pond beneath, Moon Dae got higher on it still following the butterfly when it decided to land on his head, opening and closing its majestic colorful wings. Moon Kian’s eyes gleamed with the sun from above, widened, as the air got stuck somewhere in between. There right beside him, Suyi had covered her mouth behind the white sleeve of her plain robes, icy blue eyes closing nearly shut with her painted lips curving up, hidden but not from Kian. Staring up towards The Third Prince who was frozen still waiting for the butterfly to have its rest over his head. For the first time in her entire life, Suyi felt full of joy from the simplest thing possible.

  If she can smile as bright as such, I should make sure she does for a hundred times before the next full moon—

  Such moment was a first for Moon Kian as well. The first time truly spellbound. Mesmerized. Grounding him down in the moment which seemed to last imprinting in his memory.

  ─?~???~?─