Pushing off the last hair ruffling hand Akito manages to escape from his unit more or less intact. All around there is celebrating, the sake flowing, the voices uplifted in song. The way is over, and there is much celebrating to be done. The young soldier can not blame them, nor hold their near cruel treatment of his current situation against them, but as he makes his way carefully to the edge of camp he can not help but imagine making a few faces at his comrades in his own petty revenge. 'They all know I ma basically walking into a lion's den naked and covered in raw meat, and all they can do is make fun of me, or inappropriately envy me. I would swap places with them in an instant. . .'

The singing grows further and further away as the young man moves to where his escort is waiting. The encampment is settled flush against the royal township, not a mile from the palace, but there is still a distance to go before he meets his fate. Akito never imagined himself a hero, and when the end of the war came with his hands stained in the blood of more men than he'd ever imagined he was glad to see it, and had no idea what a storm his actions would throw him into without mercy. “I just want to eat, drink, and be merry. Is that so much to ask?” His fingers run idly over his obi where his pet rests comfortably. It purrs at the touch and for a brief instant he smiles.

“Well, eat and be merry at least. . .” He's never developed the taste for sake, drinking only when forced to. The cool evening air speaks of a warm summer to come as the smell of flowers drifting on the wind is thick and soothing. The more flowers, the longer the summer as they say. In these lands at least. The pale moonlight streaming down from above grows duller as the sky itself lighten, the first rays of sunlight not too far off. Akito looks off towards the mountains where the sun will first show it's face, his eyes trailing to the right to the treeline in the distance hiding his fate from view. 'I didn't want this. Why? All I did was execute a plan, taint my hands in even more blood. I am no hero, I am just another soldier. The captain would be a better choice. . .'

He knows better however. Though his surrogate father is an excellent general, he's never distinguished himself on the battlefield beyond what was needed to earn him his rank. The soft sound of grass beneath his feet, the sounds of the morning birds in the distance, the flow of the breeze across his skin. . . He experiences them all as if it is his first time, or his last. Like a man expecting to be lead to his doom, Akito Muranaga takes in everything he can as if he would never experience it again. He knows better of course, and a part of him even knows that he should be overjoyed at the honor he's being afforded, however he just can't help feeling that his life is somehow coming to an end.

Walking along the outside of town, not wanting to disturb the normal town folk by waltzing down the street so early in the morning, he keeps his gaze set forward, however he has stopped seeing the world around him. He is lost in thought, and in a way, prayer. So many fears of what will change, so many things that may take the ground even further from under him. His life has been turned on it's head for the second time in his life, and he's not sure if this time is any better than the last. When he finally reaches the edge of town he comes around a house and spots his escort. The captain, his adopted father, stands beside his horse, speaking to it softly. He is a tall man, far taller than himself, and often it has been a matter of much amusement for the troops.

The man next to him is only slightly shorter and rather than being dressed as a soldier he seems more like a courtier. His fine silken garb in official kingdom colors, his long black hair left loose but so slicked up with fine oils that it is unlikely that it will ever look out of place or messy. His features are sharp, almost like a bird of prey, and as Akito moves closer to the two of them and those sharp eyes turn on him, he feels very much like a small mouse under a raptor's gaze. Akito is by no means a meek man, but anywhere but the battlefield he is lost and easily put on edge.

The captain sport him and motions him over. The young man walks over quickly, taking the reins of his own horse quickly, keeping his gaze averted from the man now looking down his nose at him. Captain Waruton pat him on the shoulder and motions for him to mount up. He can hear the courtier make a quiet comment somewhere along the lines of Aki being a common ruffian, however he knows better than replying to that. It does upset him however. Despite their last ditch effort to mess up his hair, his comrades had gone out of their way to make him presentable for the big day. His clothes are freshly washed and nearly free of wear, his hair was cleaned and bound properly, his sandals are brand new, and he even polished his scabbard. 'You would think he doesn't know I'm a soldier or something' He thinks to himself as he pulls himself up on to the horse.

Once all three men are in their seats the captain takes point, giving the well dressed man a look that makes it clear that he too overhead his comment, and he disapproves of it. The man makes no response but does keep his eyes to himself as they set off. The road to the palace is made of hard packed dirt and the sound of the beast's hooves on it is almost soothing to Akito. The familiarity of being in the saddle helps him relax, his eyes never leaving that intimidating length of trees in the distance. Somewhere along the way his pet, an audrat named Hoko, peeks his head out and startles the courtier. Akito has to hide a smile as he tucks the critter back in. 'Way to go Hoko. That'll teach him to not be judgmental'

He knows that's nowhere near the case, but it was fun to think it none the less. In less time that he'd have hoped the group is swallowed by the darkness beneath the trees and they have to rely on the horses to guide them through. The silence combined with the darkness, though unsettling, seems fitting to the young soldier. 'Like a child being born, I move forward to the light,. I shall be re-born on the other side of this darkness. Who I was, will no longer be. I enter a world I am not ready for, but like a child, must face none the less' His eyes snap up as light appears in the distance. The path twists and turns several times, mostly to deter charges to the palace gates, and the trees are so thick that even the thin pine needled become an impenetrable umbrella against the sun even at mid day.

However as the light appears ahead it is the first time Akito can appreciate just what that means. They had entered only a few minutes before, and the sun had hardly begin to rise, still hidden by the mountains, however the light ahead appears almost blinding. His eyes narrow as they clear the trees and then slowly grow wide and wider as he takes in the view. As if someone had cut out a perfect rectangle of trees from an otherwise dense wood the palace grounds are completely clear of the deciduous foliage and covered in mostly grass. The only exceptions he can see at the moment are the rockk gardens running along the now stone pathway leading up to the palace steps, and the sakura trees he sees dotting the lawn here andthere. There is even a patch of them in a small corner, most likely used for actual harvesting and viewing purposes he muses.

His gaze them moves up to the palace itself. As the captain swerves to the side to go around a small rectangular rock garden set around a small tree situated in the middle of the path Akito feels the strong desire to paint. He's not really good at it, however the vision before him is enough to make him wish he was better. The high red pillars standing at the corners and framing the front door, the roof with it's delicate curves and long sweeping planes, and the doors themselves, settled so perfectly against the red walls, it's ebony grain looking flawless. His eyes caress the gleaming studs and grand carvings openly. The courtier spots the look on his face and for a moment looks smugly satisfied.

However as they reach the bottom of the steps his expression becomes almost reverent. It isn't until they come to a stop that Akito notices the people waiting at the top of the stairs. He swallows hard, dropping his gaze as he dismounts and giving his horse a few extra pats to try and delay in inevitable. However as his father clears his throat he knows he can delay no longer. Handing the reins off to a servant who had rushed over upon their arrival Akito walks with steady measured steps off to the side and a step behind his captain as they mount the stairs. 'Soon it will be he who would walk in my wake, however for now I am still his subordinate' He sighs, knowing that somehow he will miss being an underling.

At the top of the steps he comes to a halt, his gaze still down, his posture perfect. For a soldier at least. The courtier steps forward, falling to a knee and kissing the lord's ring before standing and stepping back. Turning he gestures to the other two men he came with. “May I present to your highnesses Captain Waruton, of Esenburo, leader of the east river unit.” The captain bows low from the waist before straightening back up and stepping back a step so Akito is further forward than he. The young soldier swallows but stays put, looking somewhere around the emperor's navel. “And this is Muranaga Akito, adopted son of the captain, and hero of the war verses those barbarians to the south.”

Akito refrains from rolling his eyes, instead opting to mimic his father's actions, bowing low. When he straightens he glances over at the courtier and his stomach drops. He can see the man's hands moving subtly to indicate he should look up at the royal family and not keep his eyes down as he has been always taught. He hovers for a moment in indecision but for a brief moment he realizes he'll have to get use to it sometime. After all, he's marrying into the family. No one is the lesser in family, though you should always show your elders respect. Standing all the way up he fights his fear and lets his eyes make the trip up to the row of faces in front of him.

His eyes fall at first on the emperor himself. Not a young man but by no means elderly or frail looking. The lines on his face are strong and seem to have been there for a while, though the crinkles in the corners lets the soldier know that despite the strong aura about the man, he likes to laugh. His beard I slender, but full, the dark black shot with bits of white and gray, but it's still mostly black, and is long enough to tickle his navel. It is tied with a small red ribbon near the bottom as is customary. His gaze does not linger long, not wanting to offend the man, and slips to the left where his wife stands at his right hand. Her kimono is surprisingly thin for what he's glimpsed of most ladies of stature, but as his eyes dart down for a moment he realizes why.

'Seems I will have a younger sibling soon. That will be interesting, I've never had a sibling. . .Or. . .I don't think I did. . . .' He snaps his mind back to the present and looks back at her face. She is markedly younger than her husband, but the faint lines here and there show her to be old enough to be the mother of a 21 year old prince. He hair is done up nicely, again looser than he's seen on most ladies, but it seems to suit her perfectly. The lighter coloration is a curiosity to the young soldier, but as it is not unheard of, he doesn't think much of it. She smile when he meets her gaze and his eye drop automatically at the gesture.

When his eyes come back up they dos so slowly, trailing slowly up the body of the young man he is set to marry. His thin body is easily discernible beneath his clothing, the perfect fit and fine fabric allowing his figure to be easily seen at first glance. Akito's own kimono and hakama are a little big, made for larger men, while the haori was one of his fathers and definitely not his size. However since it's traditionally a baggy garb it doesn't really matter. He wonders vaguely if accidentally breaking the man will be a problem, but as that thought crosses his mind he is forced to fight back a flush at the images that follow.

When at last he is looking at his betrothed's face he finds his breath slowing for a moment. He does not see the expression on the man's face, nor the look in his eye. For a brief moment all he can see is a piece of art he wishes desperately he could do justice. His heart actually falls slightly as his mind is filled with images he wishes he could draw, then as a matter of course, imagining what they would look like together. 'I am no match for this man. He is a blazon beauty, and I am a scared, hardened man of the battlefield. . . .True, a am not a brute like my father and most others, but. . .He deserves someone as beautiful as he to stand at his side. . . .' His thoughts are overly romantic, he knows this, but at this point he knows his mind is trying to find any way to get out of this marriage. However this reason is not viable, and he says nothing, simply nodding at the prince before looking to his father.

"Young Lord, it's time for you to get ready. The Emperor himself sent us to make sure you got ready." Two servant women slid open the doors into a large room. Around the room, designs were painted on the walls. As a whole, it was a large mural of a serene garden. There was a tiger in one section hidden in the grass, and that was the one thing that stood out in the peaceful garden. One wall, the wall aligned with the door was the only wall that hadn't been given some sort of flare. One of the women, the more pudgy one, stepped forward and opened the red silky drapes that shielded the bed. "Come now, we've made your bath already. Wouldn't want it to get cold now, would we?" She looked down at the lump under the white blanket and smiled a little when it shifted slowly.

"Alright, alright," A yawning voice came from under the blanket. When it was removed, it revealed the jet black mess of hair, making the servant smile more. "I'm up Kaede, I'm up." A hand ruffled the hair and the prince slowly sat up.

"Just as always. Why is it that only during important events must you stay up so late and sleep in?" The woman known as Kaede pulled the rest of the blanket off of the prince and as he sat up, she pushed his sandals where he could slide into them. She pulled a plush robe off of the end of the bed and held it up for him to put on. "Come on now. You're expected to be on time Hironori." The prince sighed and nodded to Kaede. She was basically his maternal figure when his mother died. Before his father remarried, Kaede took charge in order to help the Emperor. When he got up, Kaede gestured for the second lady to begin cleaning up the room while she made sure the prince didn't take his sweet time.

Only a week before, he had been given the news that he would be married off to a so called war hero. It was all so sudden. First he was living a rather normal royal life and then all of a sudden, he was being reminded and retaught the royal manner and the skills to be a good Emperor over and over again. "This is for your own good. You must know these things when you take over the kingdom with your spouse." His father would repeatedly remind him of his new responsibilities making him sigh.

Hironori, or Hiro as he liked to be called, would then speak up about this marriage he was being thrown into. "Don't you think it's a little unfair, or at least odd to be married to someone you don't know? I understand it's a tradition. . . But what if we aren't compatible? What if he- I don't know- is just a brute!" He never approved of war and the idea of marrying someone that only lived for killing wasn't very. . .ideal. Then again, Hiro wasn't expecting to get married so soon. He thought he had plenty of time to at least. . .live a little. Every time he brought up his distaste, his father would remind him of the tradition and Hiro knew he could do nothing about it.

And a week later, there he was, getting ready to meet the man he was to marry. "What if he's. . .horrible? Or didn't realize that he wasn't marrying a princess or something?" Hiro was ignored and was tossed a towel to dry off. "It's possible. . ." Kaede passed him, looking for his formal attire while he continued to complain.

"A tradition is a tradition young prince. You know this."

Hiro sighed as he slipped on his haori and hakama. The haori was a deep red color with hints of gold designing it. He put on his sandals, prepared to walk out, but was stopped by his servant. "Wait, wait." He raised an eyebrow, but noticed the golden clip in order to pull his hair back from his face. "Let them see your eyes." He smiled and hurried off to his parents as they prepared to leave for to greet Hiro's betrothed. One of the servants mentioned preparing a large breakfast for the guests, so Hiro didn't bother rushing out to grab anything to eat. Instead, he slipped right at his mother's side as they began to walk out.

"You're late Hiro."

"The door hasn't opened yet." He smirked and kissed his mother's cheek and walked out the door with his family. As they walked out, the first two people looked rather old to be married to him, but seeing another step forward, Hiro couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as the male known as Moranaga Akito looked at his parents, and then to him. He raised an eyebrow, giving a look of curiosity. 'He doesn't look like a brute. . . He is rather cute actually. That's two things I can cross off the list.' His attention turned to his father as he stepped forward with open arms and a welcoming smile.

"Welcome to our home. Your new home as well. Come, come it's still early, we have a feast prepared!" He was cheerful as ever, gesturing Akito to follow the royal family while the servants took care of the others. Hiro followed quietly, walking alongside his step mother. She looked up her son and smiled to him.

"Give him a chance, please? At least do it for your father." Hiro nodded and followed them, staying quiet for the most part, at least until they sat down to eat. He was sure his father would start up a conversation to make the male talk.

His father simply keeps his eyes down, as is expected in this public setting and Akito nearly jumps out of his skin when he spots the emperor moving out of the corner of his eye. His eyes snap to the taller man, careful not to retreat in any way least he do something to upset the man. However the smile and open arms relaxes the soldier the tiniest bit and he is able to listen with his heart firmly in his chest rather than his throat. He begins to panic again however when the friendly man motions him forward and servants appear out of seemingly nowhere to escort his father. His steps are slow at first but after glancing back at the general and getting a nod he manages to fall in step just behind the two rulers.

The mother falls behind to walk with his betrothed and in an expert move the emperor slides back to walk next to his soon-to-be son-in-law. His panic does not settle, locking his vocal cords and he is unable to find anything to say to the man. He manages to keep his legs moving however which he sees as quite the accomplishment in this particular case. The tall man smiles down at him and he tries to return the gesture with limited success. Akito is so tense during the walk that he doesn't notice most of the things they pass. When the emperor addresses him he looks up quickly to listen. “So, Moranaga. That is a rare family name. I do not think I have heard it in these parts for quite some time.”

Akito looks to his feet, “No, I suppose you wouldn't have. I think my parents where the only ones to have crossed over from Meiwan in the past generation, or so my fa-, the captain tells me. . .” For some reason, when speaking of his parents, calling the captain father seems disgraceful. The taller male looks down at him, catching the correction but deciding to over look it for now.

“I see. That makes sense.” he says gently. In front of them the boy's attention is caught as a pair of servants open the large doors and for a few seconds at least he is completely distracted. The large dinning hall is set with a long table lined with cushions and bedecked with what is indeed a large feast as the emperor stated. However Akito doesn't look at any of that, instead caught up in the beauty of the mural along the far wall. The emperor actually stops along with him as the youth stares wide eyed at the display, an artist's recreation of heaven. There are people dressed in astounding finery, and others not dressed at all. Beast laying together that would never consider it in the real world, and the landscapes are so perfectly rendered that he actually holds his breath as he takes it all in.

It does not take long for him to notice he's holding up the royal party and with a deep flush his gaze drops to his feet and he murmurs an apology. The emperor slaps him on the back telling him there is not reason to say he's sorry. Biting his lip he follows the man's direction and takes a seat. The emperor and empress take seats side-by-side at the head of the table, the empress on the emperor's right. The lady motions for Akito to take a seat at her right and after a moment's hesitation he complies. Sitting cross-legged he settles in, finally looking at the meal before his gaze darts over to the prince sitting across from him.

'He really is beautiful. I wonder if he has someone he cares about. . .I had plenty of offers and I'm nowhere near as lovely. He must have at least a few people he enjoys liaisons with. . .' He looks back down at the food, waiting for the okay to eat. Once it is given he does his best to not look a total slob as he picks out his food.

“So, care to tell us a bit about your time on the battlefield? I was once a soldier, and I rode with the men from time to time in this last war.” Akito refrains from jumping and looks up at the man. He is ready to answer, though perhaps not with anything too exciting, however it is almost as if the empress can read his thoughts and speaks up before he can.

“I am sure he doesn't want to talk about that right now dear.” she says softly, looking up at her husband. “Besides, I do not think battle talk would be appropriate at the table. Especially since this is suppose to be a joyous occasion to celebrate the children's upcoming union, not one to dwell on the terrible sights during battle. . .” The emperor nods lightly.

“Of course you are right my dear.” He murmurs gently, touching her back with a tenderness that Akito finds quite endearing.

'They are quite cute together' He surmises, taking the first bite of fish from his plate. The flavor takes him by surprise making him stare at his plate for several seconds before chewing. 'Well, I am use to rations, so I should not be so shocked. I just, wow, flavors. . . His hand slips idly over his obi, a natural gesture, when suddenly he freezes. 'Hoko's gone. . .Oh no. . .' Dropping his chopsticks he suddenly ducks down so he can see under the table. His heart once more come to live in his throat as he spots the audrat wandering over to the prince. “Hoko!” He whispers sharply, but ht beast ignores him, the smell of food too much for the little guy.

Sitting back up he looks at the prince with an almost pained expression. “Highness, I, um, I have a pet, and he's use to eating with me and the other soldiers, and, well, he's about to try and crawl into your lap and possibly nip at you, but I promise he's not trying to hurt you!” His words come out in a rush and just before the beast does exactly that. The split second before it happens the empress begins laughing while Akito dies his best not to pass out from panic, and the emperor looks on in confusion.

Hiro followed along, being a support for his mother as they walked behind his father and his betrothed. He listened to him speak softly to his father, trying to determine if anything was off about him. Besides the slight stutter, he didn't hear anything out of the ordinary. The sudden stop made his eyes wander over to what Akito was looking at, and he couldn't help the small smile as his eyes wandered over to the murals on the walls. 'He likes the murals. Well, he has good taste at least.' Hiro chuckled to himself as Akito quickly apologized and hurried along. It had been awhile since he marveled over the fascinating paintings that were put on the walls, but that didn't mean he didn't like them. He loved the art and the creativity they put into the work. It was really beautiful, even enough to make him wish he could do it as well. In the end, he left the art to the professionals.

Once his mother took a seat, he walked over to his father's side and day cross-legged at the table. His gaze falls falls over all the food. 'Such an extravagant meal for so little. After all, it is just a welcome meal. The prince looked over to the general and watched him take a seat, glancing every now and then to the royal family and then to Akito. Song nothing of interest, he turned, only to catch Akito starting at him. And right after, he was looking away. 'Why was he starting? Hmm, hopefully there wasn't anything on my face.' He ran a hand across his cheek before letting the thought go. Instead, he began to eat.

Hiro let out a mental sigh as his father immediately brought up the mention of war. Of course he would bring up something like that. He was a man of war himself. Not prepared to hear a gruesome story, Hiro put his chopsticks down and hoped that he wouldn't lose his appetite right after. Thankfully, his mother ended that conversation before it began. 'Yes, save that conversation for another time father. Some of us are trying to enjoy our meals. . .' Hironori continued to eat, glancing over at his mother as she started to speak- only for Akito to duck down under the table. 'What on earth?' Akito began to ramble and Hiro raised an eyebrow, barely catching on to what he was saying. And for the first time, he spoke to his betrothed. Those unlikely first words so happened to be, "What in the heavens are you going on about?"

Yet, in that split second he asked, he felt tiny paws crawling on his leg. A cold chill went up his spine causing him to slide back quickly. And then it nipped him, further causing confusion and a slight panic. When Hiro managed to sweep the creature off him he sighed. The prince managed to prevent himself from looking like a complete fool as he tried to remove the furry creature off of him. He didn't even get a good look at it before it scurried back under the table. The general sighed and shook his head in embarrassment, hoping that Akito could fix his mess before he had to. The Emperor chuckled as his son scooted back to the table and composed himself. "Are you alright Hironori?"

The prince heard the teasing tone in his father's voice and he huffed. His mother on the other hand was still laughing in delight, making him smile a little. "Yes father, I am perfectly fine." His eyes wandered over to Akito before returning to his father. "Akito's pet just. . .startled me is all. No harm done." To ease the other's panic, he gave a reassuring smile before continuing to eat.

The Empress finally stopped giggling and looked over at Akito. "How cute, a tiny pet. What's its name? Can I see?" She decided to take a few bites of her own food as well. Hiro noticed his father look at him with a raised eyebrow as his mother talked to Akito. Through facial expressions, they communicated.

'What?'

'Say something to him!'

'Well. . . I'm eating.'

The Emperor sighed to himself, wondering why his son was so stubborn.

His expression really does become quite pained when the prince replies, however Akito does not have long to think about anything as a moment later the prince is scrambling backwards sending Akito's panic to a whole new level. 'Oh this is just perfect! Exactly that I want our first meeting to be like! Hoko, you furry hell bringer, I should have left you with father. That's it, I am the greatest fool ever. I should just commit sepuku right now and pray that it will be enough to keep me from going to the hell for dishonorable warriors' The youth does his best to control his breathing while the woman to his left continues laughing.

Hoko lets out a mix between a yowl and a yelp as he is pushed off the prince, giving him a dirty look before racing back under the table and to Akito's lap. Without thinking Aki grabs the beast by the ruff and pulls him up above the edge of the table. He's not being mean to it, and Hoko makes no protest, however as the human glares at him he begins to sag a little bit. “Don't go wandering around, got it?” Akito says in a low hiss. Hoko begins purring loudly and after batting at his owner's face playfully Aki lets him go and like a snake he slithers inside Aki's kimono. After a little shifting Hoko ends with his head poking out, waiting to be fed.

Still to embarrassed to relax Aki scratches the little guys head as he looks slowly around to assess the damage. 'They don't seem too upset. The prince looks embarrassed. . . .' Glancing over at his father his stomach drops at the same expression he knows he must be wearing on the man's face. 'Forgive me father, I did not think. Such a gross miscalculation. . .' Looking back to the prince he spots the smile. As kind a gesture as it is, it does little to ease Aki's guilt. Hoko nips at the nearest digit, not wanting to be left out. Aki poke him in the nose and hands him something that won't filthy his clothes and finally gets his breathing under control.

When he is addressed again Aki looks slowly the speaker and gives her a half smile. “Th-this is Hoko. He was a gift some years ago. He's actually very well trained, he just. . .The table, and the food, he just thought it was a normal meal. . . .”

The kind eyed woman smiles at the poor soldier and holds out a hand carefully to the beast. Hoko finishes what it was handed and looks to the hand. Slipping half way out of his hiding place he settles his paws on the empress's fingers and begins sniffing them enthusiastically. 'Be good Hoko. No nibbling. She's the empress for goodness sake, an biting her could get you killed, and me along with you!' Aki does his best to remain calm as the woman giggles, withdrawing her hand to reach for something on her plate. She hesitates however.

Looking up at Aki she asks, “May I feed him?” Aki nods silently. “Is fish okay?” He hesitates at this, however after a second he nods again, focuses the best he can on his own meal as to not embarrass himself again.

'Even if he gets fish oil on my kimono, I can at least point out that I wasn't the one responsible for not being presentable. . .' He surmises. The emperor looks over as his wife hands Hoko a small bit of fish. He chuckles along with her giggling as Hoko slips all the way out and sits on his owner's bent knee to eat. Sitting back on his haunches he holds the fish between his paws and eats it quickly, his high metabolism making him hungry most of the time. The emperor click his tongue, trying to call Hoko over to give him more fish, however the critter stays put, looking at the fish longingly.

Looking up at the noise Akito says softly, “Sorry. I ordered him not to wander around. He won't leave my person until I say.” He hesitates for a moment in which the emperor expresses his amazement that the beast listens so well. He nods and smiles, still very uncomfortable. Hoko looks back and him and he says softly. “Go ahead, but come right back.” Hoko clicks happily before racing over to take the proffered fish. Once he has it properly in his mouth he races back to Aki and slips inside his kimono, popping his head out to eat. Aki normally wouldn't notice the press of food against his skin as the beast turned, however this time he has to hold back a grimace at the thought of the stain it's going to leave on his clothing. Akito eats carefully, almost afraid of what will happen next.

Everything settled after the small panic with Hoko. Seeing the prince scramble back made the servants all step forward at once to aid him, but they all paused as the Emperor raised his hand for them to calm. Hiro continued eating, but took interest in his mother's and Hoko's interaction. Occasionally his eyes fell on Akito, who was still embarrassed about the entire situation. 'Poor guy is going to explode from embarrassment. How adorable.' He chuckled to himself and continued to eat. The Empress didn't realize she had fed most of her food to the cute little creature until the Emperor chuckled and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Dear, you should probably eat as well."

"Hm, oh right." She smiled and then looked over to the closest servant. Without a word, she hurried over and traded out the picked off plate for a fresh one. "Hoko was it? He seems to like it, you can give him that if you want." She gave a grin before eating. The Emperor on the other hand had finished.

"Oh! I've got a perfect idea!" He clasped his hands together, causing all eyes to fall on him. "How about you give him a tour of the palace Hiro? Show him around, make him feel welcomed!" The Emperor looked truly proud of his idea. It wasn't like Hiro could just deny his father's wishes...not including protesting against a tradition. "Well? What do you think Moronaga? Does that sound like a good idea to you? I'm sure a tour with the servants won't be as...entertaining." He chuckled and pushed his plate forward, stealing glances at their expressions towards the news.

All the while, Akito's father stayed silent until he was called upon. His food was delicious, so he didn't mind not having to speak for the time being. It had been quite awhile since he was able to enjoy such exquisite things. Hearing the idea, he refrained from showing any emotion about it, knowing that it would have probably just been surprise and a sigh hoping Akito wouldn't embarrass himself more than he had already done. He was sure Akito was probably thinking the same thing.

To entertain his mother and to appease his father, Hironori smiled and nodded. "I think that would be a wonderful idea. After all, he'll have to know his way around the palace soon enough." This made Hiro's father give a curious look, wondering what his son was planning. He was only given an innocent look before Hiro finished eating.

"So, Akito. How old are you?" Hiro spoke up as he finished. The male didn't look all that old. In fact, he looked fairly young to be a war hero, but that seemed to be all the more reason to ask.

The faint laugh coming from his betrothed sends Akito into whole new levels of embarrassment and his eating becomes even more mechanical. He can't even bring himself to look up from his plate as Hoko continues wandering around his person to eat. When the plates are traded out and the servant tries to give the plate to the rodent feline, Hoko ducks out of sight, only his nose and whiskers showing from inside his hidy spot. Akito glances up long enough to spot the worried expression on the woman's face and with a gentle hand he takes the plate. “Thank you. And thank you milady.” he says softly, offering a nod to both the servant and the empress. Hiro's mother raises an eyebrow at the gesture but goes about eating with just another smile. The servant looks very confused but nods in response, watching as Aki sets the plate atop his crossed legs and Hoko pops back out to eat.

His chopsticks stop half way to his mouth however when suddenly the emperor announces the idea of leaving him alone with the man who by now must see him as a complete joke. H manages to bring the bite to his mouth and start chewing after not too long of a pause, however as he does so his gaze finally wanders up from his plate as he takes in the expressions on the faces of those around him. 'Well, the emperor seems pleased with himself. I thought he might be a nice guy, but I see now he's a sadist. . .He seems delighted with the idea leaving me alone with a man who just was attacked by my pet and was so panicked he tried to flee'

His gaze shifts over to the empress and he can feel his stomach drop further. 'She looks just a-' His thoughts stop as once more the emperor speaks. A sharp pain passes through him as the slip with his last name brings back some incredibly painful memories. Setting his utensils down, losing his appetite in an instant, he manages to say softly, “I would be honored, your majesty.” Down the table the captain also stops eating, for the first time ignoring his food to look at his adopted son. The general has never been able to get out of his son why that slip bothers him so much, other than the obvious that it contains the word “Moron”. He watches his son closely, praying he will not panic or completely shut down.

When the prince agrees to the idea then turns to address his betrothed it takes a moment for Aki to work himself out of the funk brought on by the emperor's mistake. Both rulers look to one another but with a whine from Hoko he seems to snap out of it. Looking up at the prince all sign of embarrassment is gone and he responds politely. “I am twenty-three years of age highness.” Removing the plate from his lap the soldier pulls his obi out a little. At that prompt Hoko slips under it without a fuss, settling in to digest his meal. The captain isn't sure if his son it okay, but as he's not doing anything wrong he goes back to eating, save now with half an eye on his ward.

The Emperor noticed the slight pause in Akito's behavior, but didn't catch his little mistake. So, he continued his warming smile as Akito agreed. "Wonderful. My wife and I can talk to the general about the future event and the likes."

"This will have be wonderful! I can't wait to help with choosing the decorum." The Empress was off in her own little world thinking of different styles and colors they could use and that would fit Hironori just right. She eyed Akito a couple of times, but figured they would have to dress him up a couple of times in order to see what looked best. Then again, he probably could use a good scrub after being out and about with war duties and being outside. . .even if he had been cleaned up for the event. Akito might as well learn about the pampered life anyway.

Hiro finished eating and a servant gathered his plate. He waited for Akito to finish and then stood, excusing himself from the table. His hands were behind his back as he prepared to walk out the room, expecting Akito to follow. "A lot of these extra rooms, I don't really go in. Some of them are just nice to look at or are great for peaceful meditation.

As they headed out, the Emperor managed to add a rather sly comment with a smirk. "Do you plan on showing him your bedroom as well? I did assume he'd take up residence there." Hiro paused for a short moment, glancing back at him. He lightly patted Akito's shoulder and smiled. "That's his decision where he wants to sleep. I have plenty of space so I would not mind at all." He smiled at his betrothed and then gestured forward. "But we won't worry about that now. So no need to get all worked up alright Akito?"

Still a little out of it from the ruler's mistake Akito doesn't really notice the empress practically glowing with joy at the sudden subject of wedding planning, nor the almost predatory look in her eyes as she begins plotting his outfit for the big day. Instead he remains lost in thought, his fingers running over and over the feline rodent curled up against his midsection under the cloth. The images flashing before his eyes start drowning everything else out, however as the prince finishes and stands he automatically rises to his feet, offering a bow to both the rules and his own father.

Shaking his head lightly he takes a breath, pushing his past back where it belongs and does his best to stop staring at the floor as he follows the prince out. His left hand comes up automatically to settle on the spot where his sword is tied, his thumb hooking over the braided thread, while his right hangs loose and at the ready. He nods vaguely at the prince's first comment however as the emperor chimes in with his two cents he comes completely out of his funk and turns a brilliant shade of crimson. His eyes fall once more to the floor, a part of him praying that his bangs will be enough to hide the color.

His visibly jumps when the taller male pats his shoulder however he manages a cough and a quick glance added to a nod before his body completely seizes up. At the sound of his name a curious feeling comes over him. He relaxes ever so slightly, the flush fading, and his eyes come up to meet the prince's. 'No one. . .No one calls me by my name. At least not my first name, not like that. . .' He pulls a shy smile, his free hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. The general rolls his eyes a little, standing up to move a few cushions closer to the married couple to make talking easier, however he is still a handful of seats away out of respect.

Akito lets out another light cough before making a slight gesture that Hiro is free to lead the way. Once they are on the move Akito finds himself relaxing a little more with each step. The beauty of the new world being presented to him draws him in and makes him both forget where is is, and realize he is so far from anything familiar. Each new mural and tapestry makes his widen, soft sounds of amazement and awe finding their way out. The view also keeps him from focuses on the man guiding him, helping immensely in his efforts to purge the visions of sharing a room, let alone a bed, with the beautiful you man before him.

~*~*~*~*~

After the prince and his betrothed are out of sight the emperor chuckles softly. Looking to his wife he murmurs, “Not exactly the most enthusiastic lad. Looked down right terrified of sharing a room with Hiro.”

The empress clicks her tongue lightly. “He's probably just a little nervous about looking a fool. Though, our Hiro is a nice boy, he won't be cruel to the poor boy.”

They both look to the general who, after overhearing their hushed comments, lets out a single laugh. When he spots the monarchs looking at him he straightens his gaze. “You have a different opinion general?” The emperor asks, a light tone in his voice. It's clear he wants in on the joke.

Looking down at his food the captain smiles once more. Careful to keep his face neutral and his tone unsuggestive he clears his throat and says, “Aki has a very active and vivid imagination. At your highness's inference, and the way you said it, I am sure Aki jumped to the same conclusion anyone would and as he is entirely without experience he was set into a panic and became very self conclusion.”

The emperor's eyes go wide. “I know I have been long from the field, but has the army really changed so much?! By his age I had my fair share of experience. Is there now something against such things?”

The general shakes his head politely, the expression on the empress's face a mix of exasperation and disbelief. “No highness, Aki is an anomaly. He's been fighting since before he could lift a sword, and never really fit in like the rest of the warriors did. He didn't care about such things. He was to focused on the fight to risk a night of compliance.” He knows he's just making excuses for his son, but he also knows that he's at least partially right. Akito simply wasn't interested when the whores and town girls made their way around camp, offering their services. In fact, after checking them out closely to make sure they are not assassins in disguise, he would often leave camp entirely and wait until most everyone was asleep before slipping back to the captain's tent to pass out on his bedroll in the corner.

Hiro smiled towards Akito's wonder to the palace. Akito's amazement was adorable, making him remember the times of his younger years. He remembered being younger and enjoying exploration around the palace to see if he could find any new art made or anything else that he had never seen before. Hiro paused over and over again to point out a room here and there, even letting the shorter male walk in to examine it.

Passing by a more open area, when Hiro opened the door, instead of a room it was the entrance to a closed in garden. "Here's one of the many, many gardens we have. This one is one of our more simplistic ones since the palace surrounds it. On the outside there are plenty more. I prefer the ones outside the palace because of the space." There was a stone pathway to follow and Hiro smiled letting Akito take the lead and venture forward, despite the path being designed so two people could walk side by side.

This particular garden had little in terms of flowers. It was more of greenery with small trees and ponds around. It was spacious, but still closed in, hence why Hiro thought it was small. As Akito marveled and explored, Hiro sat on a bench and watched him. "So, Akito, is there anything you want to tell me about yourself? Besides you being some war hero?" The last part was said with a slight distaste, though it wasn't too rude. Hiro figured he'd let his betrothed speak for himself instead of hounding him with a thousand questions. The poor guy would probably have a heart attack or something. "You can also ask me questions if you want. By the way, be careful by the ponds, they're kind of slippery."

“Huuaaaaaa. . . .” Akito whispers softly at the sight opening up before him. Plants and greenery, almost all common, but with a few rarities, but all inside! A little patch of earth while still inside. The fresh clean smell of it rushes at him as the door opens and he can't help but take a deep breath, trying to take it all in. Looking over as Hiro explains about the indoor garden, his face lit up like a child’s in wonder. Taking the hint he steps down into the garden, his head snapping this way and that causing his hair to sway almost wildly in it's high pony.

“I would love to see the other ones some time. . .” he whispers just as soft as before. His hands reach out, brushing against the tall grasses and the broad fern leaves. It isn't until he is once more addressed by the prince that he realizes he's acting childish and his hands snap behind his back. Turning towards Hiro he snaps to attention and listens intently. He refrains from wondering aloud about the prince's clear distaste for the war, however it does sting quite a bit. 'If he hates the war, and I am it's hero, I do not see this turning out well. Battle is all I know, and if he really hates it. . .I wonder if he already hates me. . .'

Thinking it best not to dwell his eyes drop once the young man is no longer talking to him. “There is not much to share highness. After losing my parents to a raiding party, I was adopted by the captain and have been basically a soldier since. I was only a child, but he agreed to train me. . .I. . .Don't have much of interest about me. . .Sorry. . .” His eyes remain on the ground, one hand coming to slide across the spot where Hoko is resting on impulse. Unable to really think of something intelligent to ask about the prince he blurts out the first thing that comes to mind. “Why do you hate the war?” He catches his tongue right after saying this, taking a step back with his eyes still down. “Forgive me, I just, the way you spoke of me, I. . . .” His eyes press closed as he waits for whatever his bumbling tongue has incurred from this most powerful man.

Hiro smiled as Akito wandered off in pure wonder. "How cute!" He chuckled and let his eyes rest on a near by pond until Akito had finished. "I will most definitely show you other gardens. Not all in one day of course." He realized that his betrothed had snapped himself back to pay attention to him, making him laugh again, but he simply just let him do it. Maybe it was something he did as a soldier. It made him wonder if his father had been so jumpy when he first got to his birth mother's palace. Then again, his father was a lot more open and talkative. He probably had no problem wooing his mother.

Now it was Hiro's turn to focus his attention. His smile turned into a more empathetic one. "Don't beat yourself up Akito. . . You're probably just still all flustered from before." 'I don't believe anyone could be that boring. He has to have hobbies, besides killing people. He doesn't even look much like a warrior, compared to the troops I've seen.' He kept his opinion to himself and smiled at the shy hero. The smile turned into a curious gaze as he asked a question and quickly hushed afterwards. One thing was for sure, Hiro could practically toss the list of 'What Ifs' out the window. Akito was neither a brute or ancient, or. . . Well he wasn't anything he imagined.

He was more attractive than he presumed, and a lot more shy. Hiro didn't know warriors were shy, but it wasn't like he stayed around them. Realizing he still hadn't said a word, Hironori stood and stretched his arms outward before putting them behind his back again. "You don't need to apologize after everything. I don't mind, I promise." He smiled and then wandered down a path, not too far away from him. "Wars are inhumane in my opinion. I don't believe killing each other is a way to resolve anything. There's so much bloodshed. Those people had families they wanted to get back to. It doesn't seem fair for men of power sending others to fight their battles." He finished his rant with a small shrug. Obviously his father disapproved of the idea, being a man of war himself, so he kept his ideas to himself most of the time.

Hiro moved closer to Akito and he casually took his hand, pulling him out of the garden. The prince decided to have the last stop be in his room. He had seen plenty of empty rooms that he could use and thanks to his father, the option still stood for him to sleep in Hiro's room as well. So, it was only fair to show him what it looked like. "And here," Hirob opened the door and pulled him inside. "Is my room." It appeared that the servants decided to swap out the colors of his room again. Instead of there being red drapes around his bed, they were a white and blue color to match the bed. "They change the colors every now and then. I like the sudden changes though, it keeps things. . .fresh, in a sense."

He wandered off towards the back of the room, where his clothes were neatly folded and put away. Since the fancy greeting was over and the first impressions were practically over, he decided to change. He grabbed a more comfortable and less decorative kimono and walked behind a plain folding screen. "You still haven't decided where you'd like to sleep. I mean, you have plenty of time since it's not dark, but just a reminder." His clothes were draped over the screen and he changed into the more relaxed clothing. Hironori walked back out, sighing in content. The golden clip in his hair was removed, letting his hair fall . He pushed part of it behind his ear in order to see and then glanced over at Akito.

"I can show you a few more of the gardens if you want. Unless you were curious about something else."

Despite the prince's earlier mirth the extended silence really gnaws at the young soldier and as it stretches on all he can think about is all the horrible tales he's heard about people who messed with or insulted the royal family. He is no fool, he knows most not to be true, but it is common knowledge that it is wrong to do, and such rumors normally have at least a small base in fact. His brain goes wild, getting more and more elaborate with his death, however as it does so it almost calms him down. 'Death is something I have faced several time. I find it far more calming an idea that anyone really should. But somehow, my demise almost sounds better than what's happening, right now'

He jumps as he hears the prince rise, his soldier instincts honed to respond to such motions when as stressed as he is. The prince's promise helps him calm down enough to open his eyes, looking up to watch the man walk closer to him. His body remains at attention, his eyes the only thing moving even as his head remains tilting down out of respect. 'He may just be being nice to please his father. I have heard many stories about the prince, not all very flattering, though I will say many spoke of how pretty he is, but even then, I am surprised. I think it mostly has to do with the ones that admitted his beauty were a but more lewd in their appreciation than I am' As the prince goes on to state his view on wars, in general, Aki finds himself feeling once more lashed by his words. However he once more holds his tongue.

A nervous tremble runs through his body as Hiro moves in closer, pulling one of his hands from behind his back then proceeding to drag him out of the indoor garden area. It takes less than five steps to match the younger male's pace and without thinking Akito follows him silently. As they walk once more into a room, his eyes go first to the walls, then simply go wide as the man announces that it's his room. He falls back into attention, for the comfort of it, and does his best not to look around in that same child like manner he'd had with the other rooms. 'One's room is their private place. Bringing me here. . .I don't know what it means, but with how he obviously views my kind, it can't really be because he wants me in here'

His eyes lock firmly on the floor when he realizes that the prince has decided to change and for a brief moment wonders if that is some kind of custom for royalty. Having only one outfit, Akito has never really had to think about what he'll be wearing the next day. All of his unit wore the same outfit for the entire war, so even if he changed once a day, he always looked the same. Even now, other than the overcoat, he looks the same he always has. While the prince is out of sight, even as he tries desperately to avoid it, Aki can't help but look to the wall with the tiger. Sparing a glance at the screen he quickly but quietly stalks over to the wall and with a gentle hand reaches out to stroke the tiger's face. 'Tiger in the grass. . . .That's how I feel right now. Like there is some fearsome beast just waiting to pounce on me at the slightest misstep. . .'

When Hiro finally comes back into sight Aki turns and watches him, his eyes still down a bit. A habit not soon unlearned, he wonders how long it will be before he can look into his betrothed's eyes without invitation. 'Speaking of invitations. . .Is he really inviting me to stay in this plush room with him? I don't see us getting along well enough, at least not for a while, to be able to share his private space. . . .' Coughing lightly he steps away from the wall, taking up a spot near the middle of the room while he thinks. When at last he comes up with an answer, he has the distinct impression it's not something the young man will like, however he feels the need to ask anyways. “Actually, I would like to see the training grounds. You father was a soldier, like many kings before him, and I would like to see where they stay in shape. . .I find comfort in training. . .” The last part he says softly, almost to himself but, loud enough for the other in the room to hear.

The silenced waned on for a moment, so Hiro let his mind wander. 'Maybe he isn't as interesting as I gave him credit. Then again, I did assume he'd have a one track warrior's mind in the beginning. Ah well, I did as I was told. Escorted him around, played nice. . . And I am officially bored. Hmph, I could always just leave him somewhere and go off back to my magic studies.' His thoughts were deterred when Akito finally spoke up. It was a request he figured would come up eventually. He was just surprised that the request was so soon. However, it did give him the perfect excuse and alibi for his disappearance with his betrothed. It wasn't wrong in Hiro's mind, after all, Akito did mention that he found comfort there.

"Of course!" The excess enthusiasm in his voice made him clear his throat and stand from his bed. "I bet my father would love to see you train. See if you 'have what it takes', and whatever else he says about it." Hiro waved the words away with his hand and led the way. His pace never rushed. He didn't want to seem too eager to go to the training grounds with Akito. That would have been suspicious. As they walked down another hall, Kaede passed the two. She bowed before the two.

"Prince Hiro. Sir Akito." She gave a warm smile before glancing down at Hiro's attire. "You know your father doesn't like when you dress like the commoners. He gives you the same speeches over and over. You should definitely try abiding by them, sir." Hiro chuckled and looked down at the kimono he was wearing and then back to Kaede.

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere besides the palace. I'm taking Akito here to the training grounds. I'll change if the circumstances call for it. Oh, Akito, this is Kaede. She is a personal servant of mine. She basically raised me until my father was able to remarry." She bowed again before Hiro nodded to dismiss her. "Back to our original destination." He nodded to Akito and lead the way once more. As they passed a few more servants, they all bowed to the two of them. Hiro didn't think much of it and continued walking, assuming Akito was at his side or at least near him. "It's not too far now." He commented on their extensive trip. The palace was large, so walking to a few places would take some time.

It was a somewhat a shame that the two had nothing to speak of on their trip. At least, Hiro couldn't think of anything to say that would be of interest. Though anything Akito said or questioned, he didn't hesitate to answer. If he was going to be living in the palace, he needed every bit of knowledge he could get. "Here we are." Hironori slid the door open and gestured for him to go inside, while he stayed at the door. In the prince's eyes, he saw nothing more than a large, plain cream colored room with padded flooring. In one corner there were bamboo swords neatly hung on the wall, low towards the ground. Mantled on the wall was a shining sword with a grey hilt. It didn't hold as much importance as the sword in his father's room, but it held some significance that Hiro never quite understood. . . Unless he forgot in midst of one of his father's 'lessons'.

"Out the door right across is the way to the training grounds outside. More space and for nice days out, such as this one." He nodded, still in the doorway. He decided not to dart off, being courteous just in case he had any more questions. . . Though, he wasn't very talkative so Hironori wasn't sure that would happen.

The Prince's immediate compliance sets the soldier on edge more than ever. 'He seemed almost overjoyed at the prospect, and after saying all that about war, there is no way he's actually happy about the idea. . .' Putting his worries on the back burner Akito follows behind his betrothed, his gaze darting this way and that with every mural and servant they pass. He gets an oddly uneasy feeling when passing a certain maid that almost makes him stop and get a better look, however he resists the urge and continues after the prince. 'It's just a feeling. It could mean nothing. . .I don't want to cause a scene over nothing more than a feeling, and it's obvious he wants me to follow without question. . .'

Lost in thought he stops automatically and once more comes to attention before even realizing why they stopped. Looking at the elderly woman Akito senses peace and kindness in her eyes and flashes her a half smile when she addresses him. The 'Sir' feels odd on his ears, however he accepts it and goes back to staring at the ground as he waits for them to move on. 'This may be my home now, but I am not yet a part of this. These two. . . They almost sound like father and I when off duty' The thought brings another smile to his lips, just as weak as the last but with a touch of a gleam in his eyes. The old woman notices this and chuckles softly as they continue on their way.

Every time a servant bows, Akito bows in return, mostly earning him looks of confusion, or giggles and whispering. 'I'm sure they all know who I am by now. I guess it's odd to think of someone bowing to them, since they are servants and all, but. . .It's just polite! I don't see why everybody doesn't return a bow. . .' Once they arrive he offers Hiro a bow before walking past him, his steps slow and a bit reverent. He can't help feeling the energy of those who have used this room before him. He's never trained indoors before, all of his training done on the warpath, however the feel of it is enough to relax him, if only a little bit.

His eyes drift over the scrolls on the walls outlining the base of the discipline used in this dojo, the blade held high in honor, the practice swords he's never really had the chance to use. He smiles warmly, a sparkle coming to his eyes as he begins, for the first time since entering the palace, feeling that just maybe he'll be able to call this place home. Turning back to the man in the doorway his smile does not fade and he offers a bow from the waist to show his gratitude. Standing back up a touch of his shyness returns in the form of a light blush.

“Thank you for bringing me here highness. I would. . .Like to stay here for a bit. There is a lot of. . . Familiar. . .” He casts about for the right words for a moment. “This place has an energy that comforts me.” His gaze drops, Hoko poking his head out as if he too can feel the energy and is curious about it. Reaching up he scratches behind the beast's ears. “I am a child of war, and I have no shame in that.” He murmurs softly, his eyes still on his pet, unable to bring his gaze back up to Hiro's. 'Though I may be tempting fate, the sooner we learn about each other, the sooner we can try actually getting to know one another. . .'

Hironori couldn't help but smile towards the sudden awed expression on Akito's face. It was almost as if something changed in him completely. He looked. . .well more comfortable. The male was truly a child of war, yet somehow, seeing him so comfortable as if he was home was quite adorable. The male stayed a little longer just to watch and then eyed him as he bowed. Eventually he would get out of those habits, but since it was hurting no one in particular, the 'proper' lessons could start later. "This home is now yours as well. You're free to go anywhere you please and stay as long as you like- except my parents room of course." He chuckled and stood straight.

At his admittance towards being a child of war, Hiro could only nod. "You shouldn't be ashamed of such a thing. It's who you are. Besides, if you weren't, you wouldn't be standing here in the palace." His eyes gazed over the room before resting on Hoko and Akito. "My father too claimed to be a child of war and here he is now." His arms crossed over his chest and he nodded once more. "Stay in here as long as you like. If you need anything or anyone don't hesitate to call for a servant. Surprisingly, they're never far away." He smiled at the idea of them popping out of nowhere. As a child, he thought that was exactly the case. Whenever he wanted something, as if on queue, there would be someone questioning what he needed.

Hironori turned on his heel and wandered down the halls. A few servants carrying baskets paused to bow, and the prince gave a polite smile before gesturing them to continue their work. He continued to wander until he was once again met with Kaede. "Why do I always end up running into you?" He chuckled and she smiled. But that smile faded when she noticed Akito missing. Her arms crossed. Before she could question, he put his hands up defensively. "He wanted to stay in the training area, so I let him. I'm being nice don't worry. Not much company when he's nervous about everything." He nodded and then hurried off to his destination. The servant sighed and shook her head letting him leave.

Hiro moved towards the back of the palace into a secluded room. This room lacked the carefully made drawings and designs. It was simply a plain room. Books piled on one side, against the wall. Only one stack seemed to be a bit disorganized, only because he had been using them previously. Against the opposite side, on a small shelf were different materials that he collected or created. There were some normal things like silver pieces, a preserved flower, or even a bird feather. Some of things weren't so common like a some only found near volcanic areas, or a jar that contained some light source that couldn't be seen. Walking in, he took a deep breath and smiled.

His magic practice was one of the things he enjoyed to a full extent. His father thought it was a little odd, but eventually warmed up to the idea. He was never in real danger, and he was only learning the basic elements so far. Practicing for some time, he managed to successfully master, in a sense, the element of fire and the element of light. He rubbed his hands together and concentrated. In moments, a small flame danced in his hands before disappearing once more. He figured, if anyone needed him, they could find him in the room.

Akito does not react to the prince not returning the bow. He knows royals live by their own morals, so he knows also that you can't really fight their nature. Nodding at information about his freedom about the castle and it's grounds he remains at attention for the rest of what the man has to say, wondering if he was simply trying to be nice, or if he meant it. 'He claims to have no love or respect for those who fight and die for the safety of their loved ones and in the defense of their kingdom. How can he not think less of me if I have spent my entire life as far as I can recall doing exactly that?'

Brushing that thought aside he stays at attention until the man vanishes and only after he hears the footsteps fade does he relax and return to looking about the room. Hoko slithers out and settles around his shoulders, sniffing at everything that comes within reach. “What do you think Hoko, should we check out the outside one as well?” The little beast chatters at him, rubbing his face against Akito's cheek. With a chuckle he nods, heading for the door Hiro had indicated. He can feel himself relaxing further as the familiar dummies and stick figures come into view, the background of trees adding to the familiarity of the sight.

Hoko crawls down and begins exploring the area as Akito walks out on to the hard packed earth. 'I swear I can feel it. The energy in this place, it's almost like being back with my fellows. It's. . .It's almost like being home. . .' Striding over to one of the dummies he takes off his haori and puts it on the figure to keep it safe. With a couple tugs his kimono loosens and he lets it fall from his shoulders, exposing his upper body. The fabric settles around his waist letting the slowly warming morning air caress his skin. Letting out a faint shiver he exhales, pulling his sword.

As he begins his normal morning routine he can feel his mind clearing. The world outside the clearing fades. Nothing beyond the training area exist. His focus turns inwards, and the blade slicing through the air cleaves away the doubts in his mind. He does not feel those approaching, and not until steel clashes with his own does he realize someone has taken the field. 'Target' The sound of steel on steel grows louder as he works to down his target.

~*~*~*~*~

A servant races through the halls, his face lit up brightly. He's never seen such a thing, and with the prince missing it he can't slow down. 'This is an amazing fight! And so beautiful, I've never seen his highness raise his blade before. And it looked like the general was going to join as well! Oh!' Skidding to a halt outside the prince's magic room he knocks twice before sliding the door open ever so slightly so he can be heard clearly. “Please forgive me for disturbing you highness, but you mother requests you join he right away. She asks that you hurry.”

~*~*~*~*~

Not really seeing at this point when he feels another enter the grounds behind him he turns and takes on this new challenger. In no time he is battling both, a ring of eyes appearing around the area as the sounds draw in spectators. Most training on these grounds are not done with actual blades, so the sound of clashing metal is unusual to say the least. The battle speed increases, the movements of the smallest male becoming almost impossibly fast, the two larger men almost getting on one another's way as they both go for the smaller target. The battle is intense, going on from some time since even in his haze Akito knows that he's only in practice and can not actually kill his targets. And then in a sudden, near imperceptible move, the tall opponents fall, their blades taken from them. One lands several paces away while the other is held at it's owner's throat.

It isn't until both of his challengers are down at at the tip of his blades that Akito realizes just who he was fighting. At the sight of his father he shows a faint smile, but at the sight of the emperor, staring at the tip of his won sword, Akito blanches and steps away. From the edge of the field a mix of awed whispers and cheering comes, including the empress who is clapping and giggling like a school girl. Sheathing his blade Akito quickly offers his hand to the emperor, a cold sweat replacing his battle perspiration. Once on his feet the king lets out a labored laugh, the fight and fall having left him winded. Akito keeps his eyes down as he pulls the general to his feet. Before he can pull away however his father wraps an arm around him as if to support himself and whispers quietly int his ear, “Very good, he's impressed, not angry.”

Aki nods as he steps back, looking down as Hoko crawls up to regain his place around the youth's shoulders. Letting go of the captain he forces himself to look at the emperor and give him a strained smile. A lot of the stress he's worked off with the fight had returned at the sight of the man at the end of his own blade. Handing it back he says softly, “You still have quite a talent highness, though your rhythm when working with others could use some dusting off.” He prays the joke will be taken well. From the sidelines several of the guards laugh, along with the emperor's wife. Akito spots her, and blanches again as he spots Hiro at her side. 'oh goodie. . .'

Hiro was sitting on the floor, a small table in front of him. On the table was a small bowl of water. He was in a comfortable concentration. With a book at his side, he was attempting to control the element of water. It wasn't going quite as he planned, but he wasn't frustrated so he continued on. He did note that fire took a shorter amount of time than this, and getting the element of light down wasn't a walk in the park either. Just as he thought there would have been a break through, the knock on the door made him move too quickly and sigh. Instead of getting the water to move, he ended up bumping into the bowl a little. Hiro sat up and turns his head so he can see just who peeked through the door. He didn't see the excitement on the servants face, but the message sounded urgent. His brow raised and he stood to his feet quickly. 'Hopefully everything is alright. . . Unless they are going to scold me for leaving Akito on his own. . . But it couldn't be that urgent. . .' He shook his head and focused more on the thought that something was wrong, hoping that wasn't the case.

He followed the servant, only more concerned seeing the servant in such a hurry. He quickened his pace, only to slow down upon seeing the crowd in the training room. The servant he was following slipped into the crowd before he could ask any questions, and they all quickly parted so the prince could be in the front with the Empress. "Are you alright? Did something happen?" Hiro looked at her with a puzzlement in his eyes. Seeing her laughing and cheering, he turned his head in order to see what was going on and why everyone else was so cheery as well. To his surprise, he saw Akito not only fighting the general, but his father as well. And then moments later, both older men on the ground. 'He really is talented. . .' His thoughts mulled over the short battle, and then wandered towards Akito's semi nude form. 'He's so shy, with so much going for him. . .' When it was over, the Empress was laughing and cheering.

"Nothing is wrong dear! I just wanted you to see your father get his butt handed to him." She laughed even more at her informal use of words and then waved as the men looked over at them. Akito turned just as Hiro was chuckling at how silly his stepmother was. The prince noticed the look he was given and then chuckled even more. He seemed so happy only moments before, even with the surprised look he gave the Emperor.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

The Emperor gave a hearty laugh and slapped Akito's back with a heavy hand. "Splendid! I can see you live up to your title! I can see the passion in your eyes. You're a true fighter. I'd want nothing less!" He chuckled and then fixed his clothing. "Me? I'm old. I'm not in my prime as you are. Rewind at least five years and it would've been you on the ground." He chuckled and waved to his wife. Noticing Hironori at her side, he smirked a bit and looked at Akito, his voice relaxing some. "Look at that. You've even managed to make Hironori smile. He never watches people train. . . Always into that magic of his. That's a plus." He patted Akito's back, softer this time.

"I'd love to spar with you more often! It's been years since I've seen this much talent at hand." He nodded and then stretched. "That got me in a sweat. Haven't moved like that in some time. . ." He walked back and the servants quickly scrambled out of the way in order to make a path for him, or go back to their usual routines.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Hiro smiled and looked down at his mother, being at least two or three inches taller than her. "Well, I guess it was worth the interruption. That was. . . Quite impressive." He admitted and ran fingers through his hair, pushing hair out of his way.

For a moment, the Empress looked a tad shocked to hear the words, but then smiled again. "Ah, you were studying? I didn't mean to interrupt dear I do apologize." Her head tilted a little towards Akito as she prepared to follow her husband out. "Although, I do believe you should be telling him this. He looks as pale as a ghost." She hooked an arm around the Emperor's and followed him out, seemingly forgetting about the general. As they left, she coddled him. Hiro heard things like, 'Oh my poor baby' and 'We could get the servants to run you a bath'.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Hiro shook his head and chuckled. The servants were getting back to their duties, though four stayed to clean up around the training field, inside and out. Hironori waited for Akito to approach, his hands hooked behind his back. When the male did come close, the prince decided to even bow to the shorter male, more so to see how the shy male would react. "I must say. . . I was earnestly impressed by the display. I have never seen anyone manage to knock my father off his feet. Even as a child." He gave a sincere smile and quietly nodded to the general. The general bowed respectively, but stayed back in order to give the two more room to speak. Moments later, a servant fetched the general as the two royals realized he'd be left in the palace alone- or stuck with the engaged couple.

The general nodded to Akito and gently patted his back, giving him a look saying, 'You've appealed to both of them, now don't screw this up.'

Still trying to recover from the thought of his betrothed watching him ply his craft, and half naked at that, Akito has to fight hard not to yelp at the sudden hard contact with his back. Instead he coughs, catching himself from falling over. The sting of it is enough to draw him out of his shock and his flush redoubles as he pulls his kimono back into place. Hoko, who'd chattered loudly at the sudden jolt, crawls into the kimono to rest as if all the work Akito just did exhausted him. Akito almost laughs at it however he's still too caught up in the embarrassment and mild panic to follow through with the feeling.

“Yes, I'm sure that's true highness.” He mutters. Pulling his clothes into place Akito glances at the sidelines again. 'Yes, he';s smiling. Probably laughing at me for being so into fighting. I bet he thinks all of this is just foolish. . . .Did he say magic?' Aki had once been very curious about magic, but after one of the testers came through camp to find soldiers magical aptitude to take and train and he'd done a less than satisfactory job at the test and was turned down he never really gave it a second thought. At least unless he was told that he'd be fighting a battle with magic users in it. He'd actually developed quite a knack for killing magicians. 'But, I think I'll skip mentioning that to his highness. Don't need yet another reason for him to hate me. . .'

“Of course highness. . .” He bows low, accepting the invitation to spar with him in the future. Watching the older male go his fingers stroke along his pets body who shifts and coos happily, crawling out from inside the kimono to under the obi so he can have a more relaxing rest. In a short avoidance tactic the soldier makes his way over to where his haori is hanging on the dummy and begins carefully putting it on. However one look at his father lets him know he needs to stop stalling and go see his betrothed. His flushed cheeks are still rather dark, though he could play that off to the rush from the workout. He walks slowly, but eventually comes close enough to be addressed. Watching the prince bow he is struck with both curiosity and nervousness. Well, beyond the nervousness he was already feeling.

'Why is he. . .?' Though he keeps his eyes down out of habit, he does glance up at the man's words. Returning the bow he chews over the prince's words, looking for the meaning behind them. 'How can you claim one minute that you despise war, and in the next say that you are impressed but battle prowess? They are linked in a very true and solid fashion, and I just. . .This man is going to drive me mad before we even tie the knot, I swear. . .' Deciding not to comment on his own thoughts he thanks Hiro softly for the praise, watching his father be escorted out and catching the look he was shot.

Behind him he can hear whispers and his soldier training kicks in to listen. “They seem so cordial with one another. . .

“Well of course, they've only just met!”

“But they are to be married. . . .”

“Doesn't mean they are going to hit it off. They may end up hating each other. . .”

“I just hope that samurai is gentle with the prince. I know how rough those soldier types can get. . .”

“Of course you do Rania, you use to camp jump when you were actually cute enough to do so!”

“Are you calling me ugly!?”

Akito tunes the rest out, once more turning deep crimson at the image of “Being with” the prince. Looking up at the man in question he manages to returns the smile, a light cough finding it's way out to try and banish the image. “You father is actually quite good, especially for his age. My father is only a handful of years younger and he does not do much better than that. He may have tried to play it down to his age, but I still think he may have done better against me if he'd been alone. . .” He drops his gaze again. “Though, I guess we shall find out. . .” Coughing again he looks up. “I'm sorry, did this bout interrupt something? I am sure you have better things to do than show me around. . .” He shuffles his feet a bit, looking somewhere around the prince's knees.

'He seems confused. . . Well, he's been confused and shy this whole time so there hasn't been much of a difference. ' The prince didn't hear the whispers. Instead, he gazed at Akito with a calm expression, wondering what went on in the shy man's head. He was so calm and collected while he was fighting, but now here he was stammering and fumbling.

'He really is quite cute. But, I don't think he likes me very much. Well I suppose it was bound to happen. . . I did tell father that this tradition was just too risky.' He mused over the compliment Akito gave his father and merely nodded. "As old as he is, he does like to keep in shape." His brow raised when Akito apologized and he shook his head. The bout did interrupt his study, but he wouldn't make the male feel more uncomfortable than he already was.

"No, no. My mother sent for me, so I came to see what was going on. I was doing personal things, which I have all the time in the world for. You're fine. No need to worry. And I wouldn't want you getting lost in the palace or anything, I don't mind showing you around." He paused and gave a small shrug before glancing over at the servants at work. "But, I suppose if you don't want me to that's understandable." Hiro wouldn't impose on Akito. If he didn't want to, then he didn't have to. Akito now had every right as a royal- well, he would once he was married into the family. But for the time being he still had a 'royal right'.

Hiro was completely at a loss with Akito. He seemed completely nervous unless he was training or staring off at the art, and so far, neither of them had much in common besides the fact they were both stuck in a marriage. 'I wonder how my mother felt when she first met my father. . . Then again, it really isn't a fair example. I mean, I'm sure Akito was probably expecting a princess after all. Not the best of luck there.'