Nadia blushed lightly as Alexi held her hand. "It's fine like this" she said happily and smiled, her cheeks still slightly red. As they walked hand in hand, Nadia looked at the flowers around them. For some reason, she could feel her heart beating faster than usual, especially when she was with Alexi like this. Nadia stole a quick glance at him.

Erik woke up to a throbbing in his head and the bittersweet taste of wine still on his breath, despite the buckets he'd filled last night whenever he'd had more than his fair share of the poison. "Round three." He muttered, as he set up and readied himself for the day -- the first two attempts this morning had barely resulted in him shifting his weight amongst the sheets, before a bout of nausea rushed over him.

He was quick to dress, especially since he'd probably scared off the few servants assigned to him; dressing always seemed to be prolonged when someone was doing all the work for you. Upon finishing, he stopped before a mirror taking in his reflection with a tightening of his lips... there was no hiding his adventures from the night before as his face was flushed and his hair was in a disheveled mess; but, he counted his losses, pouring and finishing a glass of wine to bring peace to his unsettled stomach. It was a trick he'd discovered: when the drunkenness of the night before gave you grief in the morning, rather than fighting it, appease the beast with more booze.

He made his way down the steps to the kitchen snagging a loaf of bread to the sound of some nagging kitchen wench. He simply gave her a flick of his hand as a dismissal, as he made his way to the front of the castle for a breathe of fresh air. His bowels were already churning again from all the movement of the morning, so he stationed himself at a distance from the crowd gathered around a serf.

He looked on, his mind in another place as he nibbled on his bread and focused the rest of his willpower on trying to keep the food down.

BK201 said
Mystearica finished cleaning the potatoes and walked to the garden where she saw the sibblings"they look cute together" she thought and walked behind them

Ogcnoton walked behind mystearica, hoping if he acted like he was supposed to be there perhaps he could get away with going into the kitchen. But slowly he began to realized the love between the prince and princess, he had felt the way before, until his love was taken away by knight, if they wanted something they got it, rika was the only one he could trust and he still felt the chills when he looked at her. "truly, I think they'll grow a strong bond that will bloom into true love" the serf responded to the woman's comment. It wasn't like him to talk this way but something about the couple made him show just how intelligent he was. It was amazing that he could read, and where he learned was even more amazing.

Tear was startled by Ogcnoton "sheesh! you scared me!" Tear said with a low voice and crossed her amrs "dont get behind me like that" she then continued watching the prince and princess

Elise saw the man take the bread and fumed. "What do you think you're doing?" She asked furiously. "Stealing bread from the kitchens? I don't care if you're a duke." She said and snatched the bread out of his hand. "You look like a mess," Elise scoffed and then shut her mouth quickly, realizing what she had just said. She regretted it, but didn't want to back down now that it had come out. She stared him down.

BK201 said
Tear was startled by Ogcnoton "sheesh! you scared me!" Tear said with a low voice and crossed her amrs "dont get behind me like that" she then continued watching the prince and princess

ogcnoton smiled at the servant, she was so close the two she obviously knew more about there relation than him. It wasn't until he realized that she hadn't shooed him away that he made him smile. "it's to bad they will be married away to other princes and princesses that they have never met, some times I think kings can be a bit too greedy"

Erik looked the girl over, his nature being more impulsive and hotheaded, but action required energy that the boy just didn't have at the moment. He took a breath, allowing the air to escape slowly from his nose as he made his best attempt to swallow down his natural reaction.

"I missed the Royal Breakfast, love, and seeing as its your duty to make sure that the nobles have had their fill, I'd kindly suggest you hand me that loaf back." He stated as he stretched out his hand, giving the girl a smug smirk. "And before you critique myself, I'd suggest a wash... You smell of pig."

Elise mas taken aback by his response. "As you wish, your highness" she said as she made a overly dramatized bow." At the mention of her smell she had to stop herself from bursting. She took a deep breath and slowly responded, "I'm terribly sorry about my smell. I obviously should have rid myself of it before being graced by your presence. My deepest condolences. For your smell of stale wine smells much more pleasant" She said and made another sweeping bow. She turned and started to walk away. Clutching her fists at her side.

(I dont know where to go so ill just make him walk around)

His highness Vladimir Leon Volkonsky was thankful to the gods that he had sme spare time on his hands and was able to do his own business as he saw fit instead of his usual mundane courtly affairs. Vladimir began to walk to corridors of his castle, reminiscing of the old days when he first seized the castle "Oh if i could only raise a sword again" he sighed

"Tell me, Nadia, what are your past time activities? I barely know you," his deep voice radiated in question to the small child. She seemed so young, fragile, even for the moments that he kept remembering they always astounded him, continuously, as if a bond was forming forever over the marvelous size of her body, and the length of her beautiful, silk hair.

His lean frame did not turn to take peaks at her, but kept locked in his memory, and felt through his large hand over hers. "I am wondering if the king provoked this outing for a particular reason," he said before waiting for her response. He felt himself moving quickly with her, but he knew hand holding was as far as this date would let him get. There were servants and guards all around them, around any corner. Anything further would go recorded and he would be reprimanded.

With any such bad luck, he knew he had to make some kind of connection, lest his heart get broken when the dukes came into town. He knew how to pull the rebellious heart strings of Aleksandr, and for one, those strings were jealous and ungentlemanly. He could see himself not being a gentleman in this moment, forcing himself to hold hands with her... Interrupting her answers. Nervous blood flowed through his veins, and he knew it was showing through his speech, no matter how calm he presumed his voice to be steady.

"Uhmm" Nadia said as she thought about the questions and then looked at the sky. "So far.. I've taken up Archery, Martial Arts, horseback riding and I am still doing them. Hmm actually I think I took up a lot of activities in the past.. Those three are the main ones so far.." She said, and looked at him.

"And perhaps father just wants us to bond better with each other, we are family after all" she said, squeezing his hand lightly. Nadia looked behind them and spotted Tear and Ogcnoton nearby, watching them. Smiling, she tiptoed towards Alexi's ear and cupped her hand over it. "Follow me" she whispered.

Quickly, Nadia pulled Alexi behind a tree and through a hedge behind it, giggling softly. "I just found another way out of the castle~" she said happily. She got out two cloaks from the hedge and wore one of them. "C'mon Alexi, it's no fun walking around with people watching" she said, looking up at him and holding a cloak.

"Milady, i know you since you were born" Tear muttered with a smile she let them get away knowing perfectly where she was going to
"i know all your tricks" she thought

Ogcnoton smiled, she had known about his first entrance to the castle for some time now, perhaps she knew more about the trap doors then he did. Smiling as he knew when he was beat. "you know we should let them have there fun, I'll alert people not to lay a finger on them if you'd like, some of the people can be... rowdy" he said remembering how he lost his ring finger, thought trying to steal from a butcher wasn't the smartest thing he could do.

Prince Aleksandr was amazed at Nadia. Normally, he would not have done anything of the such; he was a stickler for the rules, almost a prude in some way. He wanted to badly to be king, he was afraid to break the rules. . With the exception of breaking them with the Duke's son. But, Nadia was so playful and innocent, the way she maneuvered herself through the hedges and the secret passages. She couldn't possibly get them into any trouble.

He followed her, holding her hand tighter than before. A rush of adrenalin sprinted through his body, flushing his cheeks at the thought of being commanded around by a woman aside from his mother. Ah, his beloved mother. .

"Another way?" He was astounded. She left the castle so often, then. He wondered for how long she had been so rebellious. The thought of the duke and his rebellious antics suddenly made him jealous. He was beginning to warm up to the idea of sneaking around the castle with Nadia. He knew a few places, which he was informed about due to his respectful character, "Did someone tell you about these locations?"

As Nadia being a female, he was even more surprised. He held his breath a bit, anticipating some response strange to his knowledge of her.

Nadia shook her head and looked at Alexi. "I found it this morning, before Royal Breakfast" Nadia said, smiling at him. "And then I thought it'll be nice to break away from the watchful eyes in the castle with you" she said happily and helped Alexi wear his cloak. "Though, most likely Tear already knows that we sneaked away.." Nadia said, thoughtfully. She then grinned and held his hand, pulling him gently as they walked towards the town.

As they walked through town, some people waved at them, bowed politely or ignore them as the cloak was somehow a good disguise. Most of the people there recognized Nadia and smiled her way, earning a wave from her. They all knew her escapades as it happened very often and was rather fond of her as she was always so cheerful.

After walking for some time, Nadia brought Alexi to a lake where it was really peaceful and serene there. "This is my favorite place!" Nadia told Alexi and they went to sit on a fallen log that was near the water.

Before a Royal Breakfast? Aleksandr blushed as the people waved at him. He politely waved back, feeling a tad embarrassed to be holding his sister's hand, and to be outside of the castle without any guards. He wanted to ask of she was afraid if anyone would attack her, but... He did not.

At least, he knew why she had been late to breakfast. She had been late on other various occasions to presentations of the a Royal Court, but he did not think this could possibly be why. He always saw her in her beauty and elegance, always able to twist Mother and Fathers disdaine into something sweet and tender for her tardiness.

He always blamed her lateness on getting ready, perhaps over sleeping...

The clock became a good disguise, he finally loosened a bit and smiled. "Nadia,you are quite terrible. You are fortunate for your beautiful features," he swiftly made the comment, enlightening her on his trade of admiring her looks.

The lake was serene and heavily endowed in wonder and awe, "Mother and Father let you have favorites?" He questioned her, feeling a tad bit sick to his stomach. She was so much more clever than him, his chance at being remotely close to the crown just seemed like a joke, now. "It is a nice place," he admitted. It was nice, though, he was still frightened from calling it his favorite place. He was starting to think maybe the a royal Garden was his favorite place since he was able to hold his sister's hand there... But then again, here he was holding his sister's hand in her favorite location. Should her favorite be his favorite? He was new to favorites, having been forbidden to have favorites for various reasons. He understood them, but something shy and timid and marvelous about Nadia having favorites rustled in the garden of his heart.

"Well.." Nadia said, thinking about his question for a bit. "They don't know about it so keep it a secret?" Nadia asked, tiliting her head a little as she giggled softly. "I came across this place a few months ago, I've always loved sitting here by myself at times ever since then, it's really peaceful" Nadia said softly, smiling warmly as she looked around them. She then hummed a little song that seemed to fit the scenery perfectly, leaning gently on her brother's arm.

After a while, a rabbit hopped nearby and Nadia got up and went to it slowly, so she didn't alert it. She crouched down and pet it, smiling. She then turned to Alexi and looked at him for awhile, before she picked up the rabbit gently and sat back beside him. "This is Mr. Hoppers" Nadia giggled, showing him the rabbit.

Aleksandr figured he kept Nadi being his favorite sister a secret, but really, he found that to be his only real favorite, how many favorites did Nadia have? He had kept the secret passageways secrets. He could keep a secret. . Clearly, she had found them all, plus more. He wondered if she could spy on him. A wave of paranoia swept over him, forming small sweat at his brow. He almost became hesitant about it, but the weather and cloak was warm. He ignored the sweat and acted normal, continuing to ponder his sister and her addiction to favoriting.

He wondered if he was part of her favorite collections. . He quickly brushed the thought from his mind, reminding himself he was in public.

He perked up when she leaned against his arm and quickly pushed herself away from him to grab a rabbit that she had already named, "Is this a favorite of yours as well?" He did not mean to keep pressing the issue, but it worried him for her to be so open with him. How did she know he would not tell. Was she going to give him something in return. Or was this all some. . some sort of sabotage. It was not as if he resisted going with her.

"Hmm?" Nadia looked at him, tilting her head as little. "Well, its my first time meeting a rabbit here.." Nadia said, looking at the rabbit. She gently took the rabbit from Alexi and set it free. She watch it hop a way and smiled. She turned to face Alexi and tugged at his sleeve. "Its time to go, its almost lunch" she said, smiling at him.

"Oh, yes, lunch," Nadia was beginning to baffle him more and more, "We're not late are we?" He pushed himself from the grass and stood, towering over Nadia, once again. He was worried the King and Queen would know about their decision to leave the castle without a blessing of servants or guards. He tucked his hand away from Nadia, and pushed both of them into his pocket. His status was beginning to ware on his nerves. Was Nadia dragging him down the line?

He looked down at the innocent, smiling child. She was too cute and pretty to stay angry.