"What?!" Queen Yun blinked as she stared at her lady in waiting in shock.

"Princess Shiyao threw Master Chen out of her residence. Apparently he insulted her magic ability and then became offended when she asked him to leave." Lady Tang explained. "He refused."

"How did she get him out?" Jing Han asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity as he sat opposite his mother on the terrace.

"She threatened that should he tell the other ministers about what happened, it would be taken as him spreading a malicious rumour in order to undermine and belittle the Royal Family and as an attack on the kindness of King and Queen Yun for taking in, and I quote, 'Stolen Princess Shiyao', she threatened to personally inform Your Highness about the incident in order to have a more severe punishment exerted on him as she felt that he went a step too far in mocking her lack of magical ability and knowledge of Revenet. Yixing then physically removed him from Kingfisher Residence when he still refused to leave."

Jing Han smirked into his teacup as his mother threw a small tantrum and demanded that Minister Chen be brought to her immediately, affirming that she would have been absolutely right to report such a rude encounter to her and that she would prohibit any more Ministers of the Crown from visiting her from then on. He licked his lower lip, running a hand through his icy blonde hair as he threw it over his shoulder and sat back in his chair, closing his wide eyes and allowing the afternoon sun to beat down on his skin.

He hadn't taken any interest in his Shiyao since she arrived - he didn't know much about her except that she was a very influential person in Ranhara, more powerful than anyone else. He had expected her to be boring in that sense, proper and official and following everything by the book because he had no reason to believe that she would be anything otherwise. But hearing this? She clearly wasn't gonna take any bullshit from anyone.

"Jing Han, son!" his mother's voice brought him out of his daydream. "There's going to be a performance at the National Theatre tomorrow night, I want you take Shiyao out with you, goodness knows she needs a break - I can't believe Minister Chen imposed upon her like this - what an embarrassment!"

"It did occur to me too that the Chen clan was getting a bit too big for their boots." Jing Han agreed, scratching the side of his tall, straight nose.

"Well it's just good luck that Shiyao is no pushover. I'm glad that she didn't hold herself back, that'll teach any Ministers thinking they can walk all over her and take advantage of her being new here. We really do need to get her a teacher so she can navigate her way around these snakes."

"I think she did a fine job this time."

"Indeed she did, but I can't deal with disrespectful Ministers every time."

"Then it's time for us to make an example out of the Minister for Magical Affairs." Jing Han smiled in that conniving way that made Lady Tang very nervous indeed. He looked like a tiger that was about to pounce, what with the way his sharp eyes shined and the corners of his mouth curved up.

"Let me handle it this time." Queen Yun nodded, pressing her hand to her forehead as she sat back down again on the grand wooden chair.

"Are you sure you don't want me to oversee it?"

"Such a small matter? It would be better coming from me. Your father won't care either way but he won't be happy to see the Chen clan acting up like this, so let's put our foot down now before they think they can get away with disrespecting us like this."

"I didn't expect her to be like this." Jing Han admitted as he took aim with his bow, eyeing up the target some distance away. Zixuan was on standby with water and snacks, servants nearby in case he needed anything else.

"She was quite formidable in Ranhara or so I've heard." he replied, slotting a handful of arrows into the Crown Prince's quiver. "I certainly wouldn't have wanted to mess with her."

"Now that I think about it, when we took that little trip over to Ranhara to meet their King, he barely wanted to speak without her in his presence. It was like she was the one who knew everything."

"She was the one with the real power, it seemed."

"Who wouldn't take advantage of being in that kind of position?" Jing Han responded. "I have to admit, even I never expected that she would throw them all away after everything that happened."

"She's impressive. It must be hard for her to get used to no longer being in such a high position. I mean, she was untouchable. I daresay it's in her nature to be so tenacious."

"It would be good to have someone like that on my side." Jing Han admitted, hitting the target directly in the middle.

Zixuan glanced over at the Crown Prince, wondering if his gaze was starting to wander away from Dana, whom he had seemed so fixated on. He hadn't been spending as much time with her since he was busy with internal affairs and undertaking the tasks his father delegated to him.

"Forgive me for saying so, but it seems like Princess Shiyao is someone who might stab you in the back at any moment if it means she can get her own way."

Jing Han smirked as the bow string pressed tight against his cheek, his right eye closing as he aimed this time for the apple on top of the target.

"Doesn't that make her all the more interesting?" he replied, releasing the arrow and allowing the bow to spin around in his hand as the green fruit exploded in the distance.

"If you say so, Your Highness." Zixuan nodded, taking the equipment from the Crown Prince as he finished up for the afternoon and handing it off to the eunuch who came running at the wave of his hand.

"I ought to go and greet the Princess myself." he decided, stretching out his shoulders and neck as they left the archery range. "It would be rude if the first time we properly talk would be on an outing, don't you think?"

"Your Highness, you have an appointment with Special Advisor Dana in thirty minutes-"

"Cancel it." he waved his hand dismissively. "I will go to her at night time instead."

"I will send a messenger." Zixuan replied. "But don't be surprised if she's unhappy that you're giving some other woman your time instead of her."

"It's not her place to misunderstand."

"Well, be prepared anyway."

"Your Highness! Your Highness! You must come out right now!"

Ina burst through Shiyao's door almost completely out of breath as the news was passed to her by one of Jing Han's men.

"What's wrong?" Shiyao asked, examining herself in her mirror as she fussed with the light blue robes she had on that day. The silver head dress just didn't quite suit her, it was too bright, too cold.

"His Highness Crown Prince Jing Han is on his way, he's coming to see you now!"

"What are you so worked up for?" she frowned, turning around to properly look at her lady in waiting. "Ah, how am I supposed to greet him?"

"You don't have to kneel, just bow and call him 'Your Highness' and welcome him to your home." she panted, her hand firmly slapped against the doorframe.

"Your Highness!" Jae's voice called through, clearly alarmed.

Well, that was her cue.

It wasn't her first time meeting Jing Han, but the fact that everyone around her was nervous about it made her wonder if there was something worth worrying about. There hadn't been any repercussions from the Minister Chen incident so far that she'd heard of, so what was the fuss about? Shiyao shook her head and quickly smoothed her robes down, zooming from the room to join Yixing, Jae and Ina at the entrance to the house.

The sunlight seemed to bounce off the Crown Prince's skin as he approached in his black and gold robes and Shiyao couldn't take her eyes off him. His dark, wide eyes shined just as much as his bright gold accessories that were adorned on his ears, hair, wrists and fingers. His smile was like Jun's, but his features much sharper. She was so busy taking him in that she just about remembered to bow as deeply as she could when his feet passed over the inner gate of the residence.

"Wang Shiyao welcomes Crown Prince Jing Han to Kingfisher Residence."

"Thank you."

She didn't remember Jing Han's voice being that deep before and she tried not to look him right in the eyes as she rose up, but she couldn't help herself.

"Please." she smiled, a little too stiffly, Jing Han thought, as he nodded and stepped into her home, his guards taking post beside Yixing.

"I heard you kicked out Minister Chen." he commented, hands clasped behind his back as he surveyed the old residence, knocking the walls and looking for anything that might need repaired.

"He deserved it."

"Indeed he did." Jing Han replied. "How are you finding it here?"

"Revenet or Kingfisher Residence, Your Highness?"

He smirked at her straightforwardness. "Both." he said, taking a seat on the fancy upholstered loveseat on the back terrace where Shiyao joined him. "Have a seat."

She sat on the opposite loveseat as Ina brought them a tray of tea and poured them both cups.

"Revenet clothing is very heavy." she commented. "And I'm not used to such... bright colours or such pretty hair styles, nor am I used to being bossed around by those two over there about what I can or can't do or wear."

"They dare to speak down to you?"

"That's not it!" Shiyao interjected. "They're just trying to help keep me on the right path."

Ina didn't have to look up to feel Jing Han's burning gaze on her, not daring to move in case he changed his mind about their nagging.

"If you say so." he nodded, licking his lower lip and taking a sip from the teacup. "Have you eaten lunch?"

"Not yet, Your Highness."

"Then let's go together." he stood up and she followed suit. "I haven't eaten either, my stomach feels like it's going to tear itself apart."

A quick glance to Ina was met with a slight nod towards the Crown Prince and a determined expression indicated that she was to join him.

"Come, let's go."

"Coming, Your Highness."