Meili tidied up Prince Zhiyuan's chambers, lost in thought. In just a week, the royal summer festival would commence. She still had not figured out how her clan sister, Bai Zhi, would infiltrate the palace to aid her mission.

As a mere servant, Meili lacked the authority to bring another into Prince Zhiyuan's residence without arousing suspicion. She pondered inventing some family relation as pretext but dismissed the idea as too risky. For now, she could only wait and put her faith in Zhi's resourcefulness.

Her musings were interrupted by the prince's arrival. "You seem distracted today, little healer," Zhiyuan remarked, regarding her pensively. "I hope attending your village kin brought more pleasure than distress."

Meili composed her features, turning to greet him with a bow. "It was a welcome respite, Highness. The country air revived my spirits." She hoped her vague reply would satisfy his curiosity about her fabricated visit to her supposed home village and Buddhist nun guardians.

Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what did you do to occupy yourself in this quaint rural place you come from?"

Thinking quickly, Meili replied, "I assisted the nuns with grinding medicinal herbs and foraging for roots and wild plants. They were most interested to hear about...court life," she improvised, "though such worldly chatter seemed to bore them swiftly."

Zhiyuan looked vaguely disappointed by this dull account. "Is that all? No tales of mischief or adventure from your youth before the nuns' cloistered tutelage tamed that fiery spirit?"

Despite herself, Meili felt a grin tug at her lips. "Rest assured, I was a wild child who drove my poor guardians to distraction daily. But I should not bore you with such idle misadventures, Highness."

"Come now, don't be coy," Zhiyuan prodded with a smile. "I insist you regale me with your most outrageous act of youthful rebellion. It is clear you hid - still hide - a wild streak beneath that dutiful facade."

Meili laughed aloud at his wheedling tone. "Very well, though I warn you, the tale is shocking." She pretended to ponder but she was just inventing some stories in her head. "When I was but seven, I snuck out at night to climb the tallest tree on the estate, evading detection until dawn when the nuns found me fast asleep in the upper boughs!"

Zhiyuan chuckled, eyes glinting with amusement. "A daring climb for one so young. I imagine your guardians were distraught."

"No more than when I stole freshly baked meat buns and distributed them to village children," Meili went on, enjoying spinning harmless tales to satisfy the prince's curiosity.

She recounted a few more childish misadventures - omitting her true past of martial arts training and mystic studies. By the end, Zhiyuan was laughing freely. The sound sent a pleasant flutter through her chest.

"You sly girl - I can only imagine the trouble you would have stirred up had you joined me here earlier," Zhiyuan remarked. His eyes lingered on her face, their warmth hinting at grudging fondness for her spirit and company.

Flustered by his attention, Meili busied herself preparing a soothing herbal drink. Despite denying it to herself, she could not ignore the quickening of her heart whenever the prince looked at her in gentle amusement.

Nor could she forget the danger should deeper affection take root. She hardened her resolve once more. Her purpose here was not to indulge in tender fancies, but ensure Prince Zhiyuan fulfilled his destiny and defeated the shadows threatening the empire. Any personal desires must be locked away.

Meili turned to find Zhiyuan studying her with a veiled look she could not decipher. An unreadable emotion seemed to flit across his features before he masked it.

"Tell me more of your childhood escapades," he bid her. "I find your adventures diverting. Certainly more entertaining than the dull recitals and lessons that passed for amusement in my youth."

Meili nodded obediently, pushing down the traitorous joy that arose at providing him even this small pleasure. She moved to sit near the prince and resumed her fanciful tales, allowing herself to briefly pretend this simple companionship could last beyond duty's call. The battle was not yet won, but she had lit a candle in darkness nonetheless.

Meili started recounting the tale of how she had once "accidentally" set loose a flock of chickens in the nuns' vegetable garden when Lady Xia arrived. As always, her devoted maidservant Liang trailed a few paces behind, struggling under the weight of an overloaded tray piled high with sweets and pastries.

"Your Highness, I hope we are not intruding," Lady Xia greeted with her trademark gracious smile. "I could not resist bringing some treats to enjoy."

Prince Zhiyuan sighed, though not without a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "Lady Xia, must you continue to appear unbidden, plying me with desserts as though I were a child to be tempted?"

"She means no offense, Your Highness," Liang jumped in eagerly. "Our lady merely wishes to provide you any small comfort or cheer." As if to demonstrate, she extended the tray of sweets toward him with an entreating look.

Meili hid a smile as Liang's grip faltered, causing a few pastries to topple onto the floor. The maidservant's plump face flushed crimson in embarrassment.

"Oh dear me, what a clumsy fool I am!" Liang cried, nearly upending the rest of the sweets as she hastened to gather up the fallen pastries. "Pardon my clumsiness, Your Highness. I am filled with despair!"

Lady Xia sighed, shaking her head. "Liang, do compose yourself. It is only a few dropped sweets." Yet she watched anxiously for the prince's reaction.

To Meili's surprise, Zhiyuan chuckled. "I begin to see the entertainment value in your visits, Lady Xia. Between your earnest offerings and Liang's antics, you provide a moment's diversion from dreary routine."

His wry but good-natured tone brought a dazzling smile of relief to Lady Xia's face. "Your amusement brings me joy, Your Highness."

At that moment, Liang crammed one of the dropped pastries into her mouth, forgetting decorum in her delight. Crumbs rained down her front as she chewed with abandon.

Prince Zhiyuan snorted, then gave in to full laughter at the ridiculous scene. Meili soon joined in his mirth, and even Lady Xia giggled behind a dainty hand. Liang mumbled apologies through her still-full mouth, which made them all laugh harder.

When their merriment finally subsided, Zhiyuan regarded Lady Xia with unaccustomed warmth. "Your visits have become habit, but I find I do not mind the intrusion. You are welcome anytime if it pleases you, friend."

Lady Xia's smile bloomed brighter at his words. "Then I shall come often to entertain my dear...friend. We cherished each other's company once; I am gladdened to find traces of that happy past remain."

Meili observed the tender exchange with bittersweet feelings. She was pleased to see Zhiyuan softening toward one who cared for him. Yet something in her heart clenched painfully to witness the obvious depth of Lady Xia's devotion and desire to reconnect with the prince who had withdrawn from the world.

Meili steeled herself against such unhelpful emotions. If Lady Xia's loyalty could help coax Zhiyuan further out of his self-imposed isolation, then her romantic notions could serve a useful purpose. Meili must remain detached, focused only on her duty to guide the prince down his destined path.

Yet when Zhiyuan laughed again at another of Liang's antics, his eyes meeting Meili's with familiar warmth, her traitorous heart fluttered once more. Denying the growing bond between herself and the prince was becoming harder each day. But for the sake of her clan and the empire, she must remain unattached - even if it meant sacrificing her own fragile chance at happiness in the process.

Shortly after Lady Xia and Liang had departed, Prince Zhiyuan turned to Meili with an eager look she had seldom seen him wear.

"Now that my strength has returned, I wish to resume practicing archery," he declared. "As a boy, I was accounted a fair shot, but those skills have languished long neglected."

Meili blinked in surprise, then smiled. "That is wonderful news, Your Highness! Fresh air and exercise will only aid your recovery."

Prince Zhiyuan rose decisively from his seat. "Come, let us go now to the training yard. I am tired of inaction - my limbs yearn to test themselves again."

"I shall gather your equipment at once!" came an excited voice. Eunuch Jiang had overheard the prince's words and now bustled forward, trembling with enthusiasm. "Oh blessed day, to see Your Highness take up your beloved bow once more!"

Meili had to smother a laugh at the sheer intensity of the eunuch's joy. He looked liable to burst from emotion.

Prince Zhiyuan endured the outpouring of delight with reasonable patience. "Yes yes, just fetch my bow and some blunted arrows for practice. And calm yourself before you have apoplexy from excess excitement, Jiang."

"At once, Your Highness!" Jiang scurried off, still visibly vibrating with happiness at this sign of his dear prince's return to health.