A Crown for a Tail

Third Prince Lian Song

The Celestial Palace.

Week Two

Princess Mei surveyed the chamber with a critical eye. The Sea Green and gold trimmed walls were still drying and with the added addition of the pink and pastel yellow drapes, the chamber was beginning to feel like home, but with so much more to do, and with the arrival of several large crates of new linen, wall hangings and ornaments that she would decorate the room with, she wasted no more time. Already the chamber was changing slowly under her strict command and with a full staff of Celestial maids to assist her, she would have their chamber looking beautiful by the end of the day.

Ordering the lid of one of the crates to be opened immediately, she pulled out several robes of all colors and design which she immediately began to hang in Ye Huas closet having already ordered the removal of his entire wardrobe. "Shoes too!" she barked at the young maid who was struggling under the weight of the heavy garments already. 

"Black is so unbecoming of a Crown Prince." she said as her fingers lightly caressed the pastel purple, blue and green robes she was holding onto.

"What would you like me to do with them." The young maid whispered, while keeping her head low and her eyes averted, too afraid to lift them lest she receive a slap for insolence like the others had already received for daring to suggest the Princess was overstepping her boundaries.

The maids all admired Ye Hua and were protective of him knowing how much he liked his solitude and with his own personal tastes being stripped from his chamber, a few of the maids began to question the Princesses right to do so. Ye Hua had always treated them well, he never looked down at them and always spoke with respect when he did talk to them, so to find themselves facing an outsider who in their eyes was not only enforcing her own desires on him, but she was being disrespectful and just plain nasty, they felt they needed to say something.

"Burn them." she screamed before swiping her open palm across the girls face for daring to speak to her.

Almost stumbling under the heavy blow, the young maid hurried out of the chamber quickly, though had the Princess known who the girl was, she may have held back her anger. Nai Nai was Ye Huas personal maid, and one he had grown up with, one he saw as a little sister and one he protected against the harsh realities of Palace life. So to be mistreated so roughly and unfairly, Nai Nai couldn't hold back the tears as she rushed away from Xiwu Palace to deal with Ye Huas robes and shoes as ordered.

Running through the open corridors as fast as she could, she did not notice the two men coming towards her until one of them grabbed her arms roughly to prevent her from crashing headlong into them causing her to drop her bundle in shock.

Apologizing, she fell immediately to her knees and as her head hit the ground, the man who had grabbed her suddenly lowered himself to the ground to force her back up. "Nai Nai, what happened. Why are you crying." his gentle voice asked as he lifted her chin to look at him.

Nai Nai was known to everyone at the Celestial Palace, and being Ye Huas personal maid and a childhood friend, to suddenly see her in a state of disarray and crying had Lian Song on his own knees in an instant while Lord Dong Hua Di Jun stood above them watching the girl with interest.

Though going by the red welt on her cheek, Lian Song didn't need her to explain what had happened and nor did he need her to tell him who had hit her. Talk was already spreading through the Palace about the South Valleys Princess, but to see the young maid in this state, a girl he also had watched grow with Ye Hua and one he too had a fond liking for, had his anger rising in an instant.

Calling his own guard to take Ye Huas robes and shoes back to his own Palace he took the girls hand and forced her up onto her feet. "You will stay in my Palace and assist me until Ye Hua returns." he said gently as he wiped her tears away with a soft cloth he pulled from his sleeve pocket. Then ordering the guard to also escort the girl back with him, he ignored her heartfelt gratitude, instead he turned to Di Jun.