Days passed and he was anxious to talk to Qian again. He hadn't had the opportunity to and he hoped she was still doing okay. He had heard Bao Ma throwing a fit about Qian and had even started trying to slander her. His father, though, would of course calm her down. She had him wrapped around her finger. He doted on her and he wondered if he had gotten Qian just to stir things up with Bao Ma.
He was in the archives trying to organize them, but he kept getting things mixed up. He sighed. He'd have to start over.
"And I thought I was bad," Siam told Vy. "What's your deal? You've been a head case for the last few days. If you keep it up, the scribes will complain that you're mixing up the libraries." He snickered.
Vy looked at him and sighed again. "I- guess I'm just tired." He pulled out several misplaced scrolls and moved down to put them where they belonged.
"Tired over what? Working in the archive room?" He asked. Finally? "I thought this place didn't bother you."
"No, it doesn't. I-" he sighed and continued putting the scrolls away. "What does it matter?"
"Oh, now you're getting defensive. You're definitely hiding something." Siam poked, looking at him from around the corner. "Did you find someone you like?" He teased. "One of the new maids?"
"No!" Vy lowered his voice then. "You could be helping me," he told him, holding a scroll out.
"I'll tell Keelan," he smirked, taking the scroll. "He'll figure it out if you won't say." He grinned, walking away from him to put the scroll up. He knew he had him. Vy never acted like this if something was bothering him and he was damn sure to figure it out.
Vy sighed. "Go ahead," he told him. He put a few more in their right place and moved to re organize a few others.
Siam watched him, getting the mind to follow him.
"Can I get one of you two to take a few scrolls up to the Treasurer's office?" One of the older scribes asked as he walked into the room. "It's rather urgent."
"I will," Vy volunteered. He walked over to the scribe to gather the scrolls. He looked at Siam. "If you plan on following, grab some of these."
"One is all that's needed," the scribe told him. "Now hurry along." He rushed Vy, "You. I need you to dig up a few things for me."
"Yeah," Siam told him, unenthusiastically. "Give me a list," he grumbled.
Vy was a bit relieved that Siam wasn't going to follow him. He would need to not be so flustered. They were only talking. Nothing else. He hurried out then.
He walked into the treasury, then stopped. "Hello," he said looking around.
A man, about thirty, stepped out of the back room further into the office. "Hello? Are you here to bring me my ledgers?" He asked Vy, seeing them in his hands. "Ah, yes! That's what I wanted!" The bronze tipped edging said it all. "You can place them here on the desk next to the bookshelf." He pointed.
Vy nodded and set them down. "Will that be all?" he asked him.
"Yes," he told him, "thought if you catch a maid. Ask her to see me. I may need lunch brought up to my room." He told him. "Thank you," he bowed to Vy before, grabbing another book from the shelf to walk to the desk and stack it on top of three other books before it.
He nodded and turned to leave. He'd have that taken care of then. What was he an errand boy now?
Qian was outside again. She had gotten used to the garden she was shown by Vy. The one furthest from her room happened to be so large and accommodating she found herself hiding in it. Her large white robes swept the floor as she walked across the stone path to the small bridge. The wooden rails creaked as she leaned against them, looking at the red paint long faded an off-pink that almost looked red as she stared at the fish in the small brook. Today was especially warm and she had only wished a moment to-
Qian looked up and around, seeing the garden was empty, before she slipped her robe up enough to reveal her legs up to her knees and she stepped down into the water, letting it wash over her. It was nice… Her eyes rolled as she tilted her head back. Finally…
Vy looked around and sighed. He didn't want to go back and have Siam interrogate him, and he was tired of organizing scrolls. He wanted to see her again, but he felt he shouldn't. She was out of reach. He looked over to see the edge of one of the gardens. He wondered if she was there? He doubted it. It would be a nice place to go for a walk though.
Slowly he walked through the garden. It was incredibly warm, but this one had the brook and had a more refreshing cool air. He stopped on his approach to the water seeing Qian with her robes pulled up and her feet in the water. He blushed and looked away. He shouldn't have come.
Her legs were long, slender and pale against the clear blue water. If he looked long enough, he would have even caught sight of her knees. She was wading through the water till she was standing in front of the bridge, leaning her head down till it was back against the bottom of the bridge as she watched the fish swim around her legs.
Her lips curved in a smile, revealing how comfortable and alone she felt. As if no one else was here but her. Her hair flopped down past her cheek over her shoulder as she leaned down enough to stare into the water that the tips got wet and she smiled at her reflection. This was a good day indeed. She appreciated Vy for showering her this place, especially knowing no one came here often.
He looked again. She was having fun. Her smile was so beautiful. He swallowed. "You shouldn't do that."
Qian looked up, her smile gone instantly as if she'd been caught and she looked in Vy's direction, letting her robes fall into the water as she shoved them down. "I-I didn't see you there!" She stammered, shocked as she wadded out of the waters quickly to climb out.
"I didn't mean to frighten you." He told her. He walked over to hold his hand out to her to help her out of the water.
She looked up at him, blushing feverishly as she took his hand. Her hand was cold and wet as she stepped out of the brook. "R-Really?" She asked him, looking up at him nervously. "You sure scared the hell out of me."
"I apologize," he told her. He looked at her and saw she was nervous and he let go over her hand and stepped back.
Qian let go of his hand and she let her robes drag against the floor heavily, drenched in water. "I need to change," she breathed, pushing her hair back behind her ear. "There's no way I can walk the grounds like this," surely a servant would tattle on her. "Can you help me back to my room?"
He shouldn't have frightened her. Then she wouldn't be in this mess. "Yeah," he told her. Did she need him to carry her?
"I thought you worked in the archives," she started, bringing her knees up a little higher so the white robe didn't drag and collect dirt from the path. "I thought no one was going to be out there while I was by myself." She blinked, thinking about it and blushed a little at the idea that she knew better than to go into the water.
"I had to run some scrolls to the treasury. I thought I might take a walk through the garden before going back," he told her.
"Oh," she breathed, well now she knew better. "Sorry about the garden. I just… It was warm and I was thinking about home. I didn't think it would hurt if no one came. I'm sorry." She told him sheepishly as she walked quickly back to her room with him.
"It's not a problem. Just…" He blushed and looked away. He worried about her modesty.
"Just what?" She asked, looking at him. He was blushing. She looked down, "Oh." She got it. "I-I know, I just… I'm used to being able to swim in the oasis near my village. It's been a while and I have missed it."
He nodded. "Yeah, but if anyone else had walked up," he frowned. What an ordeal that would have been.
"I thought you said no one else went there," she breathed, walking up the steps to the second level of the palace. "Or were you telling me that in reference to at night?" Maybe she should have gone at night instead… That was a thought.
"There's always a chance that someone would come to the gardens. I did mean at night though," he sighed.
Of course he did! "Thanks for the warning," she breathed, "at least it was only you. You won't… tell, right?" she blushed a little, looking at him. "I don't want to get you in trouble either."
"Why would I tell?" He understood her fear though. "No. I won't say anything."
"Because I'd be labeled a harlot," she told him quite suddenly, her expression sobering. "And I'm not fond of becoming food for the nobles rumors." She knew she was getting too comfortable with him but it was hard to resist when he was the only one she spoke with. She got up to her room and opened the door. "I'll be more careful to go at night instead I suppose," she started, "though… Maybe you could be mindful not to sneak in on me at night." She breathed, "If you'd be kind enough to let me do so."
Vy blushed hearing her and he looked down and away. "I- won't intrude on you again," he said quietly and bowed his head to her.
She looked at him, her cheeks pink, "I-I only say so you don't get in trouble." She looked away, "B-Besides… Y-your father is… I mean…" She shifted nervously, clutching the inner of her robe. What was she doing right now? Flirting with him? She dug the ball of her foot into the floor before she chewed at her lip. "I-I need to change. W-Would you wait for me a bit?"
His stomach turned at the mention of his father. He looked at her. Wait for her? Why? "Y-yeah," he turned away from her to wait on the porch.
"Thank you," she told him, gently closing the door behind her as she stepped inside. When she got to her wardrobe, she let the robe fall to the floor as she stepped out of it, looking down at her legs as she ran her fingers over them before grabbing a second robe. It was a soft pink with patterns of flowers over it in oranges and reds.
She tied it around herself slowly, picking up the ends to smooth her fingers over it as she walked back, picking up her white robe and slinging it over the small tub she had for her wash room. She put the water soaked half inside, letting it drip before she walked back out, opening her door to see him.
"Vy," Qian called, to get his attention.
Vy stared at the ground waiting for her. What am I doing? He asked himself. He lifted his head when she called him and turned to look at her. His breath caught a little.
"Walk with me?" She asked him softly as she stepped out, siding the door closed behind her. She stepped out onto the porch, looking at her feet a moment before she slid on a new pair of slippers. Her other ones were wet anyhow. "Since I have your attention… " she breathed, seeing his expression. "I wanted somewhere private to talk with you. If that's okay?"
He looked at her and wondered why. Why privately? "Yeah, alright." Was he nervous?
As they crossed through the garden she led him back to a little place she had found in the corner of the garden near a hedge. It was a little unruly looking but the roses were starting to bud from it nicely. She touched one of the small pink buds that had yet to blossom as she started. "It seems over the course of my first week here," she started, "I seem to be asking for more and more favors." She glanced at Vy, a smile curving over her lips despite her nerves. "Now, I don't particularly find myself in debt to a noble without something he wants back."
Qian looked back at the flowers, tilting her head to the side as her hair slid back over her shoulder, flowing down the length of her back. "Thrice now you've promised to keep secret of my actions and yet you ask of nothing more." She smirked a bit wider but her confidence was shaky, "And I can't help but be a little curious if you're spying on me." She turned to him, trying to catch his expression then.
"Sp-Spying!" He stumbled on his words. "Not at all!" He sighed and his shoulders dropped. "I can see how it seems that way, but I assure you it's just a coincidence." He looked at her, his cheeks a bit pink.
"No?" She scrunched her nose at him before turning to him to step up to Vy, her lips curved in that sly smile of hers when her interest was piqued but she wanted to test him. "How long were you watching for?" She asked him, her eyes concentrating on his. He was actually somewhat cute, far better looking than Koto the more she looked at him.
He watched her as she stepped up to him. What was she doing? "Not long. And I wasn't watching!"
She couldn't help laughing a little at how flustered he was but he seemed genuine. She opened her eyes to look at him again, a brow raised as she stared into his eyes, her own gleaming as she thought about him a little more. "You would be the first I caught if you did," she breathed, "and besides-" She looked back to the garden. "I believe you. You didn't have to get so flustered. You don't seem the type to lie enough to do so but I had to ask. It seemed a little too convenient that you'd cover for me." Too trusting maybe… She relaxed again, but something about seeing his expressions that crossed his face made her excited.
"I'm sorry if I made you nervous." She stepped back away from him and over to the bush to smell a barely blooming bud. Her fingers held the stalk carefully as she breathed in the scent before standing up to lightly tap the smaller buds, her fingers dancing across them. He seemed so quiet, but yet she couldn't help but enjoy it. "I don't know anyone else at the palace and I have to be careful… as much as I can be, well, at least without going insane. I don't see many individuals often so I never know what to expect."
He relaxed then. He watched her smell the roses and it tugged at his heart. She was lonely and distrusting of her new environment. That was understandable. She was likely just wanting a friend. That excited and worried him. He wanted to be that person for her, especially if they were going to continue to run into each other. "Well," he started and looked away from her to pick at some of the other roses. "You can trust me."
"How do I know this?" She asked, tipping her cheek into her shoulder. "For all I know, you're supposed to be the son of the man I'm promised to. What says you won't invite trouble to me even still? You're still a man, even if you're barely of age." She looked at him, her eyes all-knowing of how implicative his words were. It was a trust without faith, built only on a promise and she knew how well that could go. She had to protect herself.
"Because if I wanted trouble I would have caused it by now." Though just being here with her alone was trouble. "What else besides my word can I give you?"
She looked at him, her eyes wide a moment as the question danced at the edge of her mind just how much she could do with such a simple yet tiny statement. "What else?" Qian tilted her head to the side, looking down at the bushes, before she pricked her finger on a thorn, not paying attention and she yanked her hand back quickly to look at the small drop of blood that started to form at the tip of her finger.
Her eyes were on it a moment before she thought about it a moment longer. Then the idea dawned on her. She turned her head up to look at him, excited but the idea fresh. "Show me the city," she told him, quickly. "I want to go."
He was a bit surprised by her response. "A tour?" That's what she wanted? He nodded. "Alright." He only knew what Siam had shown him though.
She nodded, "You'll take me anywhere I want." She nodded to him, "That way if we get caught," she smirked devilishly, "you're just as guilty as I am." She breathed, laughing a little, "Besides. I've never been to the city. I want to see it for myself."
"Well within reason," he started, then he heard the last part. "Are you going to get me in trouble?" he asked her.
"No!" She laughed, "I just want to know what the city looks like." She burst, seeing how seriously he took her. He seemed so serious! "Are you always this stern?" He seemed to read her well though, but she had only meant if they were caught, though she hoped the night would be quiet and uneventful.
"Stern?" he asked. "I-" he didn't really know.
Why was he so flustered? "Relax Vy," she started, looking at him. "I'm not going to try to get you in trouble. I was only making it aware." She said quietly.
He sighed and tried to relax. He had just never done this before.
What was with him? She instinctively caught his arm, "I won't hurt you." She told him, serious. "Do you trust me?" At least on that.
He looked at her. He wasn't afraid of her hurting him. "I do."
"Pick a day, any day you have for it. You can take your time." She told him, letting go of his arm. Her stomach swirled with excitement, but maybe less for the city and more to get to pick apart at the mystery of the quiet man before her. How could he be Koto's son when they hardly looked the part? He was a lot more thoughtful.
"Alright. Tomorrow night," he told her. "Will that work?"
"That's fine," she told him, looking down. She looked back up at him after a moment, "Thank you Vy," she told him. Her eyes darted to the left, looking away then as she smiled a bit. "You know… You're- You're really nice to talk to." She told him before walking past him. Somehow it rattled her a little bit, being close. He was so quiet and strange and it made her feel- She couldn't place it.
He was happy to hear that, but somehow it meant more coming from her. He didn't watch her leave. He closed his eyes and sighed. What was he doing?
Siam waited outside the garden, peeking in a moment to see her return to her room. When he walked in slowly, he looked around the area for Vy. Nowhere to be seen. He wondered if he… He straightened against the wall, peering out at the corner Qian came from. The servants said he crossed the garden. He'd have him caught yet.
"What are you doing?" Keenan asked his son.
Shit! Siam turned his head up to look at his father, "Nothing!" He breathed, waving a hand at him but he knew that look. "I was just-"
"Spying on the concubine? Stay away from her Siam," Keenan warned his son carefully. "I won't have you stirring trouble here. Besides, I need you to do me a favor." He held a folded paper in his hand, "I need you to carry this down to the archives and pull this for me."
"S-Sure," he breathed, looking down at it and then back up to him.
"Well," he growled, "hurry along."
"R-RIGHT!" He turned, looking back towards the area before running off.
Mansa watched him go, but he was silent.
"I don't know what I'll do with that boy. He's nothing but trouble," he sighed, raking his hand through his head. Keelan wasn't… but the boy was certainly less strong-willed. He had only wished the two were one, combining their better traits.
"He's a boy," Mansa spoke gruffly, "he does not know trouble yet. Let him seek it."
"I'm afraid of what he'll find, Mansa. Not afraid of him learning a lesson." He just hoped it wasn't something large that ended up being the lesson Siam learned.
Vy stayed for a few moments longer. He touched the buds she'd been playing with. He knew then he was developing feelings for her. A little crush on a beautiful woman. Harmless. But his heart sped up. His stomach felt airy. He sighed heavily. What was he going to do?
He left after that and headed back to the archive hall. He had completely forgotten that the man in the Treasury had asked for a meal delivered to him.
Siam's feet tapped across the steps as he ran down then back to the door of the room. He looked back behind him a long moment before sighing. His old man gave him a good scare. "What the hell are you?" He grumbled, pushing the door open sorry to walk in.
"Hey, old man," he hollered. "I'm back. My father wants you to dig up some special stuff for him!" He called.
No answer.
He grumbled, knowing he had to give deeper into the library and sighed. "Damn, where is Vy anyhow?" He's been gone for some time just to run some documents up to the treasurer.
It didn't take long for Vy to get back. He walked in and went back to organizing scrolls.
When he reappeared, Siam perked. He heard the door shut as Vy came back in and his eyes narrowed. "What took you so damn long?"
"I took a walk," he told him. He started where he left off not looking at Siam.
"Really? Some walk you took." He sighed, "I would have thought you were visiting with someone for as long as you took." Maybe he finally had him caught. Maybe Vy would call his bluff, but he wasn't sure and he had to try.
"I didn't realize I was gone that long," he told him calmly as he rearranged some scrolls.
Siam's enthusiasm started to fade a little. He sighed, "Whatever." He grumbled, grabbing the scrolls from the shelf before walking further into the depths of the archive room more towards the grand hall of the library. "I have to go. I need to find the old man before he disappears off. My father asked for some stuff-" He clicked his tongue against the side of his cheek. "If you see Keelan, let him know I won't be joining him today to visit with Baba."
He disappeared into the library after that, walking through the aisle down towards the center where it spread out into a large ring, the balcony looking down to oversee the center of the large room.
He watched him and sighed. He heard the last part and it worried him a little. "Wait why?" he asked, going after him.
Siam looked at him, making a face, but he thought better of it. "I have to dig these up and I can't find that old man anywhere around here. He could be deep in the library for all I know and I know nothing about the whereabouts of all these." He waved the slip in front of Vy's face. "Just- Just do me that favor okay?" He grumbled. He didn't want to talk about how his father caught him and the talk he got.
Vy grabbed the paper from him to look at what he needed. "I can help you get these." He had a good idea about where to find them. He looked at him. "What has you all-"
Siam looked down, "I don't want to talk about it," he sighed, snatching the paper back. "If you really want to help me. Go to the first floor restricted war plans sections." He phished the key from his pocket and tossed it to him. "The maps and materials needed will be there." He rattled off the scroll numbers. "I have to grab some historical monuments maps from the atlas section." He sighed. "If we hurry, we'll have enough time to get out of here."
Vy caught the key and nodded to him before turning away. He walked off to the war plans section quickly. He wouldn't pry it from him.
In the matter of a few hours Siam didn't find the scribe but he found nearly all the scrolls he needed. He had them stacked together on a cart. Nearly thirty referenced scrolls among the ones he needed. He looked pissed, but he was more tired than anything as he slumped down on the floor to look up at the glass ceiling. "Remind me to keep myself away from the women's quarters." He growled, sighing. The sun was starting to set and he was ready to go to bed more than anything. "Do you have everything else?" He hollered out to Vy, knowing he was on the floor below.
"I do," he called out to him. "Do you know why he needs all of this?" And all at once…
"Something about dragons," he told him, "And Creotians." He shook his head. "Can't say for certain! He's rather secretive about war plans!" He hollered.
Vy sighed. He really didn't care about war plans. "Let's get these to him then."
"Yeah," he breathed, grabbing a large sack to fill it and unload the cart. "Just bring those up and let's go before dinner starts." He rolled his eyes, knowing it was too late to visit Baba.
Vy met him upstairs and put the rest of the scrolls in the sack before heading out.
"I'm sure I can round about the study, drop these off for my father then meet you at the dining hall. Sound good?" He asked him, walking to the doorway.
"Yeah, I'll meet you there." He was actually pretty hungry. He hadn't eaten all day. Not that he remembered anyway. He'd been too distracted with the archives and then Qian.
"Alright." He pushed the door open, walking up the steps.