MYRINA DIDN'T KNOW how she got roped into the dinner. She'd expected to deliver the message to the Empress that Ryan would be attending through a servant, and that would be the end of that. She hadn't thought the Empress would decide to extend an invitation to her of all people as well.

Not that she could refuse.

And it would be entertaining, she supposed, although very tiring.

It did not matter. When the Empress of Sai invited you to dinner with her and her guests, you did not tell her no. That was something Myrina didn't even need to be taught to know.

Either way, Ryan would not be pleased.

Not that she particularly cared, honestly. One way or another, her presence would trigger unhappiness in him. She wasn't sure when exactly she'd realised she caused that reaction, but ever since then she'd taken some small degree of pleasure from it. It wasn't as dramatic as Ryan had accused her, she did not go out of her way to cause him pain. It was in the mild irritations in their day to day life, every time he scrunched up his brows and glared at her but was unable to find anything that she'd done wrong.

Somehow, that brought some joy to her. Even in her darkest days, the realisation that seeing her like this made Ryan annoyed cheered her up, just by the tiniest bit.

Almost as if that if she suffered, he had to with her.

That was one part of her psyche that she'd never quite understood. It didn't exist with anyone else.

At five o'clock that evening Myrina changed into one of her fancier garments, a gown of expensive silk in the shade of a light pink. She put on a few pieces of accessories and met with Ryan to take a carriage to the Scarlet Palace. He did not say a single word to her throughout the journey. Myrina almost thought he was angry, but he simply seemed tired. Had it been a busy day for him? She remembered that he hadn't had any appointments for today... though she might have just not been made aware of it. After all, he hadn't been told to come and welcome the Viscount and Lady Ru, and it couldn't all be because the Emperor and Empress did not want to make it seem too obvious just yet.

When they were nearly at their destination, Ryan looked up from his light nap. He fixed his eyes on her, giving her a full sweep before murmuring, "You didn't need to dress so formally."

Without hesitation, Myrina replied, "This is dinner with the Empress and her two cherished guests. I ought to be well-dressed for it, Your Highness."

He wasn't dressed badly himself. He'd changed out of the outfit he was wearing earlier for something more regal, though it looked rather simple for the Crown Prince. He was trying to do something with his fashion, Myrina was sure of that, but she couldn't quite tell what. He was attempting to make some kind of point, but that precise point escaped her completely.

And so, like that, they exited the carriage near the Empress' Fengzhu Hall, where the dinner would be held. They heard chatter as they neared, and the Empress' most senior maid swept into a low curtsy as they neared. "Your Highness. Lady Mai. Please, the Empress is awaiting your arrival with the Viscount of Guangping and his most honourable sister."

They followed inside. Upon seeing the Empress, Myrina swept into a low curtsy. "Your Imperial Majesty." After standing, she greeted the two siblings. "Viscount Guangping. Lady Ru."

Both of them bowed as well. "Your Highness. Lady Mai."

"Welcome, welcome," the Empress laughed. "Oh, it has been far too quiet recently, I'm so glad to have all you young people gathered here tonight."

"It is our honour," Lady Ru replied with a smile, "to be invited to dine with Your Imperial Majesty and Your Highness. And of course, Lady Mai as well."

Myrina offered a polite smile in return. Ryan simply nodded. She casted him a quick glance when no one seemed to be noticing, and he ignored her in return. As expected.

She let out a soft sigh.

She really didn't know why she was surprised.

But the Empress quickly ushered them to the table, where the servants were already starting to bring up some food. Rice was already served, one bowl for each of them, on top of a bone plate. The first meal taken out was chicken in red oil sauce, or kou shui ji. Myrina politely took a few pieces into her bowl, though it wasn't her favourite meal.

"Ruge, darling," the Empress murmured, "what have you gotten up to today?"

"Not much, huang e'niang," Ryan said in reply, though he didn't look up to meet anyone's eye. "Just the usual work around the Eastern Palace, that's all. Planning the Northern tour."

"Ah, yes, we gave Lady Mai some suggestions on how to make it better a few days back. It is all confirmed, then?"

Myrina nodded. "Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. I've already given the confirmed itinerary over."

"I've heard much about this Northern tour," the Viscount of Guangping sounded. "Where would you be travelling to?"

"As the name suggests," Ryan said pleasantly, "the north."

Lady Ru let out a decidedly unladylike snort. The Viscount all but rolled his eyes. "The north is a large space. Where specifically?"

Because clearly Ryan wasn't going to be giving any good answers, Myrina answered instead. "Our destinations would include Enyang, the Yong Jia Mountains, Li Han, Fuping and Wenzhou."

"Ah, the most northernmost, then? And Li Han too, will you be staying in your estate?"

"Aye," Myrina replied to the Viscount's question. "It has been some time since I've been at my country estate, so it seems appropriate to bring the Crown Prince on a tour there as well."

"I've heard many things about the Mai country seat," Lady Ru murmured. "It's very historically rich, isn't it? Three or four hundred years of history?"

"The Mais have been a large, noble family for many generations. We're one of the oldest families in the country."

"I've always wanted to visit," Lady Ru gushed.

From Ryan's facial expression, he knew very well where this was going. Myrina saw it too, now. She casted a glance at the Empress, whose eyes glimmered before saying, "If you wish to visit, why not join them on the Northern tour? Have you been to the north before?"

"Once, when we were very young," the Viscount replied. "I do not remember much of it."

"You ought to join them, then. You don't mind, do you, Ruge?" the Empress asked with the most kindly expression, turning to her clearly disgruntled son.

"No, huang e'niang," Ryan gritted out. "I do not mind at all."

"Wonderful. That is settled, then. Do you think you can handle that, Lady Mai?"

With every inch of respect required, Myrina answered, "Most definitely, Your Imperial Majesty. It would be of no trouble at all." It really wouldn't be. It affected her very little, how many people went on this tour. She was not the one paying for it, after all. Yes, she'd have to find accommodations, but what were two extra rooms? And if they really ran out of space, it wasn't as if Lady Ru couldn't room with her or Asteria or anyone else who might be going on that tour. She was sure the young lady would have no qualms against that.

Myrina was a rather good roommate. She was neat and tidy and quiet, rarely talking unless she was spoken to first. It worked for a majority of people, and would allow her a close-quarters situation to properly observe Lady Ru and decide whether or not she was the best choice.

"Lady Mai is simply fantastic at organising these kinds of events," the Empress smiled. "Better than me, I sometimes like to think."

"Your Highness, there is no world where my skills at management could overtake yours. You manage not only the Scarlet Palace, but the entire empire. You are the mother of this empire."

"And she also has the sweetest mouth," the Empress praised. "I do not know how such a perfect lady exists. And you too, Lady Ru, I heard that you speak many languages. How many was it?"

"Four, Your Highness. My brother speaks two."

"I wanted to learn," the Viscount said ruefully, "but after I inherited the title from my mother I didn't have much time."

"It is such a tragedy, your mother," the Empress said, instantly quieter. "I was never very close with her, but I'd heard much about her skill and intelligence. She was a most admirable woman indeed."

"Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty," the Viscount said, a sad grin on his face. "It has been many years since she'd left us, but we all still miss her so."

"The loss of a parent is always an unbearable pain." The Empress' sympathetic glance turned to me. "I do not know how you made it through the death of two parents, Lady Mai, and one so young. A tragedy."

"It is the cycle of life," Myrina murmured, "at least they are in a better place now, in heaven, with the goddess Hongyun and all her treasures and gifts."

"Ah yes," Lady Ru said as she straightened. "I heard that you're very pious, Lady Mai."

"Aye," Myrian replied with the bob of the head. "I was almost a priestess of Hongyun."

"So I heard," but then the lady paused, and said, "Do you wish you had gone through with it?"

At that, Myrina felt the eyes of everyone at the table on her. From the siblings because of their curiosity. From the Empress, out of concern and perhaps some kind of test. From Ryan, a darkened expression that slightly frightened her.

She replied, without much doubt and utmost certainty in her voice, "No. I do not wish so. I much prefer this life, I think, even if I did not feel this way initially. I grew into it. I did not need to become a priestess to serve the great goddess."

"We must pray together someday," the young lady said.

"Are you religious, Lady Ru?" Ryan asked, some concern in his voice. He'd be searching for someone who wasn't, most likely, or at least someone who wasn't as devoted as her. Myrina found it slightly funny. Perhaps she ought to go around using herself as an example of what sort of qualities Ryan's bride ought not to possess under any circumstances. She was the antithesis of his criterias.

"No more than the usual person," Lady Ru replied mildly. "I pray daily."

Ryan gave a weak nod in return.

"Our mother was quite religious," the Viscount supplied. "We grew up around her, so praying became a part of our daily schedule. Not something we can get rid of so easily."

"I think it is a wonderful habit," the Empress murmured. "I pray daily myself."

Myrina was rather sure that she didn't. The Empress had never been religious, unless tradition and public opinion demanded her to be so. It used to annoy her, their falseness, their lack of faith, but now she did not care. Perhaps that was why Ryan despised her. She could be quite annoying about her goddess in the past. It was some kind of act of rebellion, an attempt to get revenge and some control over her own life as all her choices were stripped of her. Clearly it hadn't worked.

How unfortunate. Either way it did not matter.

There was a sudden silence that descended upon the dinner table. With that topic done and dusted with, no one seemed to quite know what to say next. Myrina, certainly, did not seek to fill in the silence. She quite enjoyed it, the sensation of finally being able to eat her food in peace without having to worry that she might be impolite or disrespectful to her fellow diners. It was why she hadn't wanted to come here. It was alright eating with friends—they would not be offended. But even though she knew the Empress would not blame her for anything and that Ryan couldn't care less, and that the Viscount and Lady Ru would not dare say a word, it would be decidedly improper and harmful to her reputation to misperform by the slightest bit throughout this dinner.

Thus, the rigidness and carefulness. The calculated words, all thought out clearly before they escaped her mouth.

They all kept on eating. The food was delicious, though Myrina thought it was a bit too extravagant for what was simply a dinner with two guests. How were they expected to finish all this food, to begin with? And the cost of each of these dishes, the time taken to cook them...

It was still good food, however, so Myrina had no qualms with eating it. It was wasteful, but it was not in her position to complain about it anyways. She was neither in charge of the Treasury nor the kitchen.

Though she had been in charge of preparing a menu for the kitchen many times. But those were usually for massive events, where the budget was ginormous.

Thus, it was quite a different occasion and could not be used for a direct comparison.

They continued on some rather painstakingly awkward topics, though the Empress seemed to enjoy it profusely. Of course, Myrina knew that it was just years of experience allowing the woman to still don an easygoing expression, as if she was truly fascinated by how many chickens the Viscount had on his country estate and how they maximised profits off those twenty or so hens. It was all for eggs, simply put. It was all for eggs. They bought the chicken for eating purposes from outside.

Myrina was not interested in the topics of poultry at all, and neither was Ryan.

He attempted to change the topic, certainly, but somehow it always got back to topics that utterly bored the two of them, or had little to do with them at all in the first place (which usually had the same effect as the former). Myrina and Ryan politely provided a sentence or two when it felt necessary, and otherwise remained attentively eating their own food. No one pointed out their silence. Myrina's demure nature was no secret, so there was no surprise that the Viscount and Lady Ru may not choose to comment upon her muteness at all, but Ryan was usually known to be rather charismatic.

Though, he hadn't really said or done much since he'd come down, so the two might simply note it down to him being in a poor mood or being tired. Of course, the Empress was privy to the fact that Ryan truthfully wanted to be anywhere but here, but it was not as if she'd start scolding him for his poor attitude right in front of their guests.

It would simply be humiliating. Not to mention that Lady Ru was the best option for his bride right now. It would not cause any kind of sour impression between the two of them.

They had to think the best of each other. They had to. Because Myrina wasn't interested in continuing this long search for a woman that fitted Ryan's extraordinarily high standards. She doubted such a woman actually existed, for starters, and because Ryan was already twenty-three. Most emperors in past dynasties were married by the age of twenty. Some had concubines from the age of fourteen or fifteen.

She did not encourage marrying that young, most definitely not, and it was a new dynasty now, but it did not mean she thought it was right for Ryan to keep dragging this on like so. The empire needed a princess consort now that Irina was gone. They needed a younger, female face for the Imperial family.

When the dinner was complete Myrina wanted nothing more than to quickly return to her little hall in the Eastern Palace for a good night's rest. So much talking with people she wasn't familiar with tired her greatly, and her brain felt like mush. She'd been up since the early hours of the morning. Not to mention that she needed to arrange the Viscount and the Lady's new attendance on the northern tour. She might have told the Empress it would be no trouble, but it would still be a lot of letter writing and working together with officials all around to make sure they didn't run out of space. The siblings were aristocratic, there was no way they could be treated poorly. Not even by the slightest bit. And as important guests that the Empress herself pushed on, their treatment and accommodations could only be below that of Ryan's. Rank did not matter when the Empress of Sai was the one who invited you on this tour.

She stayed for another half an hour, for some pointless chitchatting where she mostly remained quiet and observed from the side, knowing that the Empress may very well summon her to analyse and discuss the relationship between Lady Ru and Ryan in the next day or so, and she might as well be ready for that when it came. So that was what she watched out for, and she observed that the two of them shared very few words directly to each other. Myrina assumed that Lady Ru had figured out the purpose of her being here, yet she paid no more attention to Ryan than she ought. Was that a sign that she herself was not interested in this match? Or was this her way of trying to get his attention? Myrina wasn't certain.

But whatever were the feelings on Lady Ru's side, Ryan remained decidedly uninterested. He rarely glanced in her direction, and if he spoke he was more interested in doing so with the Viscount of Guangping. He seemed to be desperately trying to avoid any kind of unnecessary interaction with Lady Ru, as if he didn't want to even be linked with her in the slightest. The Empress noted all of this down, of course, Myrina noticed, with a crease in her brows.

She was not pleased.

And Myrina had the feeling that Ryan was going to be in some trouble with his parents in the next while. The Imperial family of Sai could no longer tolerate their son acting in such ridiculous behaviour. This was not his personal choice, it was his duty. Whether he liked it or not, he'd have to go through with it.

This was what she murmured to Chunyi as they headed back by carriage, this time alone, as she left earlier than Ryan did. He'd find his own way back. She also told the maid, thus, to keep an eye and ear out for any time someone may summon Ryan to the Scarlet Palace. If it did happen, Myrina wanted to find a reason to go along. Half because of her curiosity, and because in the case Ryan was scolded, she'd be the one dealing with the consequences.

Myrina was not surprised to find the maid Chunyi had put in charge of that run in breathless the very next afternoon. "Your ladyship," the young girl, no older than fifteen, said as she curtsied. "The Emperor has just summoned the Crown Prince to the Scarlet Palace. He demands an audience with him."

Myrina immediately stood. "Chunyi, prepare my carriage. And bring the report I drafted last night—" she'd left it just for this. She'd finished it immediately after returning just in case. It was nothing much, just the plans for how the Viscount of Guangping and Lady Ru would join in on their trip. If she showed up saying that it was for the Empress to check upon, and heard that Ryan had been brought here too, no one would bat an eye.

—

RYAN GU HAD been expecting this. Irina had received a similar response those years ago, when she'd put up a fight not at all unlike his own right now. They'd been in similar plights, and being the most excellent cousins they were, replied in the same way.

"This is not your choice," his father, the most honourable Emperor of Sai, was snarling as he paced around the room. The Empress sat behind her husband, taking a sip from the cup of tea in her hand, expression no less tinged with fury. "This is your duty. And you know this, yet you attempt this pitiful fight. Do you think you can not marry?"

"I wish to marry someone with the ability for this role."

"We have found you plenty of candidates who are perfectly capable of being an excellent Princess Consort and future Empress, yet you have rejected them all. It perplexes me so—you have done so well, taken every step perfectly, until now. Why?"

"None of them seem appropriate, fuhuang."

Ryan was kneeling on the floor before them. It was not a position he was accustomed to. He had not been in a situation like this for many, many years. Sometime since he'd become a man, he'd stopped making the foolish mistakes of his past. His newfound independence allowed him the ability to hide some of the things he might have been punished for, to make up for them quickly before they'd reach his parents' ears. They knew, of course, but as long as he fixed it all fast enough, they didn't precisely care.

He'd known he was walking on a thin line for the past while. Dancing around, trying to see when he'd push too far. Clearly, his coldness and aloofness at the dinner last night had been the last straw for his mother, who'd reported it to his father. Hence his current dilemma.

Dear mighty god. For Hongyun's sake. If he'd known it would require kneeling, he might have thought twice. He hadn't done so in so long on direct cold, stone ground that it was actually starting to hurt him. Just slightly, though.

"Appropriate!" the Emperor bellowed. "Appropriate! All these candidates hand-selected by me and your mother and your most trusted advisors, and not a single one of them appropriate! Who are you trying to find? A goddess?" He turned his eyes on his son. "I might have been tempted to think you had someone in secret, you know. But I've looked far and wide and there is not such a single person." He glowered. "It is not that, then. And do not give me this appropriate nonsense. I know that is false as well. Tell me. Why is it that you do not want to marry?"

"I do not think it necessary, fuhuang."

"Necessary!" the Emperor shook his head in disbelief, turning to his wife. "Can you believe this? He does not think it necessary for him to marry at the age of twenty-three, as the Crown Prince of Sai!"

The Empress simply continued drinking her tea, displaying nothing else on her face.

His mother could be like that sometimes. It usually meant that she was furious deep inside, but refused to show it on her face because it wouldn't be appropriate. He found it simply hilarious and slightly saddening. It was always impossible to read what his mother was thinking, far more difficult than reading his father, honestly.

"This is not the old days!" the Emperor continued. "I do not have dozens of concubines. I cannot make allies that way, and neither can you. We have few children. Irina is already married to the Arecians, and we need an alliance within our own empire!"

"We are steady in our position."

"For now, but what happens when the seeds of rebellion and unrest are planted? What do we do then? Who do we rely on? Yes we have allies, but none of them bonded to us by blood. Your marriage is the single most important in this entire empire. It could decide the history of our empire! Of our dynasty! You need a bride, one of a powerful family and a capable, active mind!"

"Surely it would do if I waited—"

"You are out of time!" his father bellowed. "You are twenty-three! The Prince of Arecia is twenty-three, and he is married! The Prince of Dumah is twenty and he is married as well! You must marry!"

It was then a servant nimbly and carefully came in. Upon seeing the scene, he dropped to a bow behind Ryan. "Your Imperial Majesties, Your Highness, Lady Mai is outside and humbly requests an audience with the Empress."

Ryan watched, from the corner of his eyes, as his parents exchanged a glance, wondering if they should summon her in now. What was Myrina doing here, though? At this time? It was so convenient that he found it difficult to think it was a coincidence. From his parents' reaction they had not been the ones to summon her, so she'd come herself. It was very unlikely for her to happily come to the Scarlet Palace two days in the row. And this timing...

He hadn't been here long. She'd have left immediately after he did.

Yes, it did not seem like a coincidence at all.

She wasn't here for his mother, she was here for him. Because that was simply how she worked.

The room was silent as they waited for Myrina to enter. When she finally did, she didn't even stop to survey the situation, immediately dropping into a kneel, pressing herself against the ground. "Your Imperial Majesties, Your Highness."

"Lady Mai," the Empress said with a smile. "Stand. What brings you to the Scarlet Palace?"

Myrina stood before bobbing another curtsy. "To answer Your Imperial Majesty. I've brought the plans regarding the accommodations and arrangements for the Viscount and his honourable sister during the Northern tour. I thought it most appropriate for Your Imperial Majesty to look through it before I presented it to the Viscount."

The Emperor cut in. "That sounds most excellent, Lady Mai. We have another situation at hand here, and we were wondering if you could be of help."

Myrina lowered her head. "Your wish is my command, Your Imperial Majesty. Please, how may I be of assistance?"

"Ruge here," the Emperor's cool eyes cut to Ryan on the ground, "seems to be unable to grasp the importance of marrying."

Myrina turned to him then, and Ryan looked up to meet her eye. Don't. But she didn't seem to get the message, and instead continued, in that monotone way of hers she used when she was memorising scriptures, "Your Highness, you must marry as you require a bride to share your duties and that of the Imperial family. With Princess Longyu gone, there is no longer someone representing young women in the family. A bride would solve that problem, along with forming a new strong alliance between your family and another strong one within the nation. Thus, a bride is of utmost importance."

Ryan gritted his teeth. "Thank you, Lady Mai. It is greatly appreciated."

As if she hadn't sensed the anger lingering in his words, she simply offered a nod in return. Perfectly calm and composed. So why was she here? Because she was only going to make his parents even more enraged. That did her no good either, she'd just be awkwardly here for the next while. What was her purpose?

"Do you hear her?" his father demanded. "Even she knows. She is an outsider and she knows, so why do you not?" The Emperor stamped his foot on the ground, expression incendiary. "What do you not understand about this, Gu Ruge?"

Ryan knew better than to respond. Instead he lowered his head even further, refusing to look up.

From the corner of her eyes, he watched Myrina bob another curtsy. "Your Imperial Majesty, I think the Crown Prince understands, but he needs to accept this in his head. One of his maids told me that he did not get much rest last night, perhaps it ought to be more appropriate for me to bring him back. We shall give you a satisfactory response. Besides, Lady Ru is to go on the northern tour."

The Emperor took in a deep breath, fixing his eyes on Myrina. Myrina shrunk a little, but Ryan saw her brace herself and return to a relaxed position. After a deafening moment, Ryan's father nodded. "Take him back. He is a smart boy, I'm sure he'll understand. Do help him within this time, Lady Mai, this cannot wait any further. We are still taking in your feelings now," the words were directed at him now, "but if this nonsense continues, you will no longer have a say in this matter."

Myrina curtsied, low and slow. "I am sure the Prince is grateful, even if he is unwilling to say it at this moment. If we may take our leave, Your Imperial Majesties."

"Go," the Empress said, showering Myrina with a look of sympathy. "Leave with me the plans, I shall look over it and give you some suggestions. You may await my message within your own hall, no need to come out once more."

"Thank you for your condescension, ma'am."

They were dismissed. Myrina walked over to help Ryan up, and Ryan managed to stand up with some trouble. He'd been kneeling for god knew how long. Slightly shaky on his feet, the two walked out of the hall.

"Thank you," he gritted out between his teeth as they walked out of the building.

"No need for that," Myrina said coolly. "I thought you were smarter than this. Your performance at last night's dinner was nothing short of abysmally rude."

"That was the point."

"The Guos may not be a massive and powerful family—" the Guos were the family of the Viscount's late mother, and thus the actual title bearers. The Viscount had been named Guo Ru, with his mother's surname and his father's as his given one. Lady Ru, meanwhile, had taken her father's surname, as with tradition— "but they are still respectable. Your behaviour to them was atrocious. If word got out, your reputation would have been severely damaged. You ought to have thought before you treated them with such rudeness. Did you not see your mother's face?"

"I hadn't particularly cared."

"Your mistake," Myrina seethed. "I'd say you're tied with Lady Ru now. There's no other way around this now. She's already been invited to the tour, she is clearly your mother's favoured choice, and that means she's your father's choice as well."

"I don't understand why it's her," Ryan mused as they got into the carriage Myrina had brought here. He had travelled in his parents' carriage. "The Guos are not powerful. They cannot offer that strong alliance my parents crave. The only families I can think of who are that powerful with daughters my age are you and Asteria."

"The Guos are not powerful, but they are wealthy and they are respectable. That is what matters." But truth be told, even Myrina was slightly hesitant on the Guos. Lady Ru was well-educated and suitable for the role of Empress in her character, but her family truly was not that powerful. Her brother was only a Viscount, and his land was not the largest or the richest or the most powerful. There were many better choices. Why was the Emperor and Empress so setfixed on Lady Ru?