Drawing Hiro up on to the horses back Akito remains completely still until his betrothed settles, not wanting to unseat him or come across as handsy should the prince be feeling less accepting of his presence all of a sudden. He doesn't quite know where the fear comes from, the flush on his cheeks from having such a beauty in his arms going completely unnoticed by the young soldier, but none the less it keeps him still, the faint smile one his lips resting there comfortably. “I am glad you enjoyed yourself high-. . . .Hiro.” He once more checks himself, remembering that the prince prefers his name over the reminder of his station. “You are most welcome.” he murmurs, turning the horse so they can be on their way.

The trip back to the palace is quite, Akito keeping the horse at a brisk but none too jostling a pace so the prince will be less sore after the ride. He's quite sure the young man has spent very little time atop an actual horse, and as such keeps an arm around his waist t make sure he doesn't topple off. Once they are back at the palace he watches a group of people rush forward to aid the prince and he wonders what it must have been like being raised like this. So many people always there, always ready to help, always worried about your safety and health. He may have had his father, and technically his fellow soldiers, to depend on, but that is nothing like what he sees before him now.

After helping Hiro off the horse a few of the guards look ready to help him as well but seem hesitant at the same time to approach. 'I am an unknown. I'm sure that rumors are already flying about on how I have behaved erratically. Not to mention I “stole” the prince away without permission. . .' He doesn't mind their hesitation, taking the moment of stillness to slide off the horse and hand over the reins to the nearest stable worker. Moving to follow Hiro he nods, forcing himself to accept that this. . . .Really is home, and there is no way to deny it now. He's making the effort, and will continue to do so. He will not give up.

At Hiro's next words however, Akito hesitates, unsure of what to do. He's about to speak up, telling the prince that he is as part of this discussion – as he is quite sure it's about them suddenly running off to town – as Hiro is, but is cut off by the prince bidding him to follow. So, he remains silent, his hands slipping into his sleeves as he follows the man around the edge of the building. He fights to keep his eyes up at the prince turns around to face him as he walks and nods slowly, wondering if he's doing this to be helpful, or to avoid his parents, or both. He doesn't really care the reason. Right now the idea of getting a better look at the grounds is appealing to the ever vigilant man and he smiles softly at his betrothed as he seems to retreat into his mind over the idea of playing board games.

As they come to the garden they slow, Hiro looking at a particular set of flowers and Akito simply enjoying the sights and scents. He recalls smelling these flowers the night before when he was trying to fall asleep and smiles at the idea of being so close to the garden. He lingers here and there, glancing at the man he is to marry every so often and taking in his features, committing this calm expression to memory so that in the future he can remind himself that the man really isn't that scary. 'Looks may be deceiving. Look at me. Unmarred for the most part, childish in appearance almost, and yet I have taken so many lives. . .' Shaking his head he follows as at last the prince moves on towards their destination.

The once more end up in the warm, slightly stuffy room with a few older men sitting around game boards, seemingly off in their own little worlds as they mutter softly to one another and more the little tiles around on the wooden surfaces. One of the men looks up at their entrance and smiles at the prince, giving him a little wive. The man across from him nods towards the pair entering and moves aside to watch a game on a nearby board while the first man motions for the prince and Akito to join him. The soldier hesitates, looking to Hiro for guidance.

Hiro absentmindedly continued walking along the path he created. Knowing the grounds by heart made it much more simple. It also made him think that maybe things should have been changed up. They could have redecorated the entire left wing or something. Hiro chuckled at the idea, reminding him off his stepmother. Before he realized it, the two were indoors. "Hm?" The prince returned to reality and looked around at the men sitting around board games. Politely, he waved to the ones who greeted him.

At first, he watched the various games going on. However being invited to play made him pause. "Oh." Hiro sounded as he moved towards the board. "You can watch if you'd like? Maybe play the next round if you want." He gave a slightly eager smile before plopping unceremoniously onto the floor. Both opponents nodded to each other and the elderly male gestured for Hiro to make the first move.

Unlike the usual relaxed and somewhat lackadaisical look in Hiro’s eyes, he straightened up and looked a lot more focused. It was somewhat like when he was practicing his magic. He worked out a strategy in his head as he moved the first piece. The man across from him looked a lot more relaxed, as he was more of a professional at the game. For the most part, the two remained silent compared to the mumblings of conversations around them. There were a few remarks passed between them.

“You’ve gotten better.”

“Eh, I try.” The prince shrugged nonchalantly and the complimented his skill. It was fairly silent for most of the play.

As things began to get more ‘intense’ towards the end of the game, pieces were moved a little quicker and both were now leaning forward eyeing the board carefully. With a proud grin, Hiro set his final piece down and straightened up. “Ha!” However his grin faltered as his opponent chuckled and moved his own piece.

“I win.”

Hiro pouted and stared at the board one final time in order to be positive about it. “But I-! . .Wah!?” His hands went up to his head and he dramatically fell backwards, his knee bumping the table gently. He ended up messing his hair up in the process as he childishly ran fingers through it. The man sitting next to Akito and Hiro’s opponent began to laugh. A few others near them chuckled as well.

“Now, now your Highness, you’ll beat me at this one day. You were actually pretty close this time.” The man smiled and set up the board again after picking up a few pieces that fell off. The prince laid there with an arm over his eyes for a short moment before he started laughing gently.

“You’re no fun. You used to let me win all the time.” He sat up and ruffled his hair.

“Well, there’d be no fun in that now.” He looked over at Akito with a gentle smile. “Would you like to try your hand at the game?” Hiro had crawled out of the way and sat one side of the board. He was curious if Akito wanted to or not, but he made sure the soldier knew he didn’t have to if he didn’t want to. “We could always find something else, or even go back outside if you want.” Hiro placed his hands in his lap as he waited for Akito’s decision.

Stiffly, Akito takes a seat beside the board to watch the game between the old man and his betrothed. He doesn't know what to expect, or what's expected of him, and the idea of having to follow up behind the prince is a little intimidating. He has no idea how good Hiro is, but ad Akito has only played a couple times – lost both times – he's quite sure the man is better than he is. He feels a faint thrill as he sees the concentration in the prince's eyes, the expression he's only seen once before in the youth and that time had been exciting to say the least. His own senses sharpen as he takes in the match, watching each move and counter move, re-familiarizing himself with the rules and pieces.

He glances at the players ever so often, interested in their moods as they move the little pieces across the board. In his mind he can hear the sounds of combat as the little tiles clash, the furious battle before him translating into real people before his very eyes. He sees the end coming long before it happens and when it does he lets out a long breath, his eyes sliding over to watch how Hiro takes the loss. The rather childish and spectacularly overreaction makes Akito almost want to smile, but he knows that smiling at someone's loss is not the best way to stay in their good graces so he contents himself with a calm expression.

Those around them laugh, including the man who won, but Akito feels it's not his place to do so. He remains still and silent until suddenly he's addressed by Hiro's opponent. He looks back and forth between him and the prince as the man moves out of the way and presents him with other options, but given the other ones could be considered rude after the man offered to play with him he gently shifts over so he's settle opposite the elderly gentleman. Making sure his blade is resting comfortably on the floor he pulls open his kimono slightly and clicks his tongue. Much to the delight of the men around them Hoko comes slithering out with an adorable little yawn.

After getting permission from Akito the old men begin passing Hoko around, petting and scratching him, much to the little audrat's delight. While this is happening Akito bows to the man across from him, who nods in return, and the battle begins. Much like his role in the war, Akito's moves are covert and precise, the man before him commenting on him being a little too aggressive before realizing that it wasn't the soldier's bold front that he had to worry about. Akito's gaze remains on the board the entire time, the sound of battle ringing in his ears but his expression calm. Once his opponent catches on to his tactics and begins to counter them the younger man adjusts accordingly. The old man chuckles at him, delighted in the game play even though he gets no replied from the silent ex-soldier.

The end of the game is sudden and the sound of it is like a soft whisper in Akito's ears. Sitting back he bows his head, accepting his loss before looking up at the man who defeated him. The man is smiling warmly, his hand coming out so he can shake the younger male's. Akito obliges, clicking his tongue to call back his pet now that he doesn't have to worry about squishing it wit all the leaning backwards and forwards. Hoko comes racing back, slipping into his clothing with ease and settling down for a nap after the exhausting task of keeping so many old and middle aged men amused with petting him. Looking over at Hiro, Akito smiles softly and nods, showing he was happy to be brought here for the game.

The moment doesn't last very long as the sound of the inner door opening draws the attention of almost everyone in the room. Akito quails under the gaze of the clearly irritated monarch and does his best to vanish into the floorboards without moving an inch. The gaze goes from him to his son and with a sharp hand he orders the both of them to their feet. The emperor isn't all that angry, really, not about the unscheduled trip to town at least, but he is a little irked that Hiro saw fit to avoid him upon their return. Akito doesn't know this however and walks very stiffly behind his intended as the emperor leads the way to a nearby room where the empress waits, a faint smile on her lips despite her slightly worried creased brow.

“It’s practically impossible to beat you....”

The man rubbed his chin. “Not true your Highness. I was beaten two days ago.” He jutted his thumb towards the man that had been watching the games pass. Both of them laughed, making Hiro chuckle.

“Ah, boo.” He smiled at Akito and shrugged. “Better luck next time?” He was going to suggest heading out, not wanting to sit through another beating in the game, however when the door suddenly opened Hiro couldn’t help but flinch. The men around them all paused their games, respectively bowing as the Emperor stared at his son and betrothed. “Busted.” Hiro murmured only loud enough for Akito to here. The emperor remained silent, directing them out and to the next room. Hiro simply stood, keeping his mouth shut for the time being. It was probably for the best.

He kept his head down, glancing over at Akito every now and then to make sure he wasn’t about to implode. When they finally reached the room, Hiro bowed to his mother and offered a smile. She nodded to the both of them but stayed silent, knowing her husband would want to speak up first. “I have the feeling you know what you did. Do I need to waste my breath explaining it?” The emperor’s arms crossed as he stared at his son.

After a moment’s pause, Hiro put his hands up in surrender. “We headed into town. We interacted with the people that live there. That was allll.” He shrugged, only to wave his hand as if that would stop the emperor’s disapproving eyes. “Okay, okay,” He huffed and straightened up some. “We got back and I took Akito to play board games. It was my idea to just go straight there. I didn’t think you needed to know every second of my- our lives. It’s not a big deal.”

The emperor rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Hironori you are a prince. You both are royals. When will you realize the importance of making sure you are safe? I trust that you, Akito, kept him safe in the city, but please don’t fall into his reckless bad habits as well. It’s...dangerous.” He didn’t want to go into details about the possibilities of people kidnapping or even trying to kill the royal family in fear of worrying his wife. No attacks had happened in a long time, but nonetheless it was still better to be prepared for those things.

“It wasn’t reckless. Like you said, you trusted Akito. He protected me. We came back.” Hiro really didn’t understand why his father had to make an argument out of everything. It was as if he wanted a reason to yell at him. “You complain about not spending quality time with him and then you get upset? Father, I really don’t understand your rationality.”

“Dear…” The empress spoke up, making both father and son turn their heads. “You both really need to settle your differences. All of this bickering isn’t healthy.” She rubbed her large stomach before continuing. “And you’re creating a terrible impression of this family for Akito.” She gave a disappointed look towards the both of them.

Hiro crossed his arms and sighed. Both men stood there stubbornly until the Emperor sighed as well. “You’re mother is right. And I apologize for putting you in these...uncomfortable situations.” He nodded and then glanced over at Hiro, expecting him to apologize as well.

Hiro was looking away at the time, but blinked and looked at his betrothed. “Huh- Oh. Yeah, sorry Akito. We’re a bit...dysfunctional as you may have noticed.” He gave a playful smile only for his father to frown at him. “So, would you like to do this now, or would you much rather wait until there’s reason to-” Hiro caught his stepmother’s raised bow and he quieted down and waited for an answer.

The Empress gestured over to Akito beckoning for him to help her to her feet. “Come on love, we’ll give them their space. They need it. Are you hungry? I have a taste for something sweet. Walk with me.” She smiled and waved as her husband and son watched her go. “Be productive please.”

While the two walked, the Empress sighed and smiled. “They weren’t always like that, I promise you. Before I married the Emperor, those two were inseparable. I can’t exactly figure out what happened along the way, but they still love each other. They’re just...stubborn.” She laughed lightly and then glanced over at Akito with soft eyes. “I know this must be difficult for you, but if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here. Those men may not be the best to seek advice from.” She could tell from the very start that he wasn’t warming up as well as he could have been. She just never really had the opportunity to talk with him personally.

It's clear that his intended isn't too worried about in impending doom hanging over them so Akito tries to see this as a good sign that they aren't about to have their hands cut off or something equally as horrible as the punishments he recalls being handed down by ruling bodies in the past. Standing stiffly at attention he waits for whatever is going to happen to happen, his eyes respectfully on his soon-to-be father-in-law. He does his best not to regret his gift to the man he is to marry, but as always Akito has a hard time being anything but completely fearful and remorseful under the emperor's strong gaze.

For a panicked second the ex-soldier wonders if the emperor will require him to speak, then a rush of relief races through him as the prince speaks up first. The relief is followed by shame,. 'I should not feel relived that the man I am to marry is pointing to himself, taking the attention. I am a fully grown adult, I should be able to speak up, to stand up for myself, and not have my less guilty, younger p-partner take the heat' He curses silently that he's stuttering inside his own mind, but as he listens, he looks for an opening to say. . . Something, anything. Some little crumb of assistance for the two of them so he can show he's not a complete coward and that he cares what happens to the man at his side. Especially given that [b]Akito[/i] is the one that started this whole mess. He ran, the prince only followed.

The emperor addresses him directly, making him feel more guilty with saying that he trusts that the young man kept his son safe in town, but even with the opening, he can't quite get his lips to open. 'I know the dangers. I kept an eye out for each and every one of them! I tried, I. . .' His thoughts trail off as once more Hiro speaks for him and voices his own confidence in the ex-solder's abilities. The words make his stomach drop and he really begins loathing himself a bit for being such a coward, however the light lyrical tones chime in, drawing all he attention in the room to her rather stalwart views. Her words however are the final kick and the gut and he finds himself rendered mute without any hope of speaking up.

He doesn't want to confirm her words. He's seen worse. He's lived around worse. They really aren't that bad in his eyes, but the calmness, the kindness, it's too much and he realizes he doesn't even really belong in this conversation. 'I am just a side note here. This is not my fight. I may have done what I have done, but this. . .' The emperor apologizes to him and Akito nods, bowing low in acceptance. Moments later his thoughts are confirmed as his betrothed also apologizes and he turns to his father, ready for a long conversation.

To his disgust Akito feels an overwhelming relief as the empress offers and avenue of escape, but he takes it without question or complaint, helping her up and allowing her to hold his arm as they leave the room together. Something about escorting her is far less intimidating than simply being in the same room as her and not knowing what to do. He takes comfort in knowing at least in part what she wants of him and the two leave the room, her smiling, Akito withdrawn.

The woman's voice is kind and as they walk he listens silently to her words, taking in the little touch of his intended's past, wondering himself what happened to bring on such a change. 'I am close with my father. I can not think of a single thing that would have me at odds with him in this way. . .' His eyes finally go from staring straight ahead to look at the woman beside him when she offers to talk to him, should he need someone to talk to. It is slow, almost painful, but he feels the glue falling away from his stuck jaw and he says softly in reply, “Thank you ma'am. . .”

They are silent for a short while after that, the empress almost sensing that he needs just a little while before he'll be able to say anything more and directing them with little tugs and pointing fingers towards where she hopes to settle in and wait. When at last he does speak she look up at him with great interest, taking in what he has to say with a light smile on her lips.

He starts, with an apology. “I am sorry if I caused any worry. I was not his h-” he bites his lip, “Hiro's choice to go to town. . .Well, that is not entirely true, I did ask where he would like to go, but I was the one who made the initial choice to abandon returning immediately to the palace, so it is really I who. . .” He looks at the empress helplessly for several seconds before composing himself, turning his gaze to the wooden floor beneath them. “I just wanted to give him a gift. . .” His voice is barely a whisper, but it carries just enough for the eager, kind woman to hear clearly.

Jezura actually feels quite touched to hear that this man at her side was trying to present her son with a gift. 'A gift in fact that he seeks daily, whether he knows it or not. Freedom, independence, his own space away from his responsibilities. All young men are the same, they want out, even if only for a little while. . .' Still smiling the empress directs them into a room as they pass the closed doors and Akito complies silently. The inside is filled with many soft looking chairs and giant pillows strewn across the floor.

After helping her into one of the chairs, Akito take a seat on the floor beside her. At her raised eyebrow he murmurs, embarrassed, “Such soft surfaces to not suit my back quite yet. . .” She smiles an nods, accepting his answer and he smiles back gratefully. Once settled a servant appears to ask what they want. The empress orders some sweet tea and cakes while Akito simply asks for water and some meat scraps for his pet. Once the servant is gone the empress begins talking softly, deciding to soothe Akito, if she can, with stories of what it was like to suddenly move into the palace of the emperor for her. Her tales are varied, but most have he smiles and laughing and a few times Akito joins in a little, able to relax slightly as he listens to the tales of the emperor and empress being quite human.

The Emperor waited until both his wife and future son-in-law had left the room before he sighed and gestured to the table. “Sit down.” Hironori figured this talk would take awhile so he walked over to the table and took a seat. The Emperor, Satoru, took a seat as well. For a moment, he could only stare at his son. He was staring at the table, drawing circles with his finger, awaiting the talk to come. Satoru continued to stare at his child, the hard look on his face gradually softening. ’Where did I go wrong? There was a time things were much more… simple.’ He sighed to himself and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Hironori,” He began, but didn’t get his son’s gaze. “Hiro.” He restated, and this time the young prince looked up. “You know, I only want the best for you. I don’t understand why you’re so upset with me.”

“You constantly berate me with rules. You never let me go too far from the palace. And my opinions don’t matter in anything that goes on- not even with my life. I think that’s a pretty decent reason to be at least a little upset.” Hiro didn’t speak angrily, in fact he was calm as before, still idly scratching at the surface of the table. Before his gaze fell back onto the table he did spot his father’s face fall into a frown.

“That’s not fair Hiro. Those rules are there to protect you. And every time you want to stray away from the castle you want to go alone. You’re the prince. People know your face and know you’re… of value. Not everyone can be so trusting!” Satoru sighed again and watched his son. “I do take your opinions into consideration son. You just happen to have opinions that go against tradition. And that’s just not how we do things.” He shook his head. “Besides, you have your magic hobby. That’s more than any prince has done.”

The two went back and forth, pleading their cases about why the other was justified in their reasoning. Neither got too hostile, but voices did raise every once and awhile. Hiro was just about ready to go. Whether they settled their differences wasn’t very clear, but it was safe to not expect too much.

For a moment, both fell silent and looked around instead of at each other until Satoru finally spoke up. “I don’t think I’ve ever told you this but, your mother, before she passed,” He clarified, once more grabbing the prince’s attention. “When she held you in her arms for the first time, she smiled and told me you’d grow up to be a talented young prince and an even greater king.” Satoru pushed himself to his feet, slowly walking to the door. “I do believe you’re a talented young man… I just don’t believe you’re using your talent to its fullest ability.”

Without turning, the Emperor walked out, leaving Hironori to his thoughts and going to find his wife. A pregnant woman couldn’t have gotten too far, could she? He was left with his head slumped into one hand for a few minutes until a servant walked past and politely asked if he needed anything. “No, no thank you.” Hiro decided to walk to his room. It felt like one of the few things he could do without defeating the talk’s purpose. Somewhere in there was a picture drawn of the woman he never got to grow up with, and he took some time to stare at it. While he was fine with his stepmother, he still wished he could have gotten to know his mother just a little more.

“Don’t tell me the mighty have fallen?” Kaede walked in, carrying fresh sheets for the bed. Sometimes Hiro wondered why they servants needed to do things like that so often, but he never questioned it. It was just their job after all. The woman gave a small nod when the prince didn’t respond and spoke again. “Food will be ready soon. I figure if I tell you early, you have a chance of making it there on time at least.”

“Oh, yeah thanks Kaede.” He sat on the floor while she worked on cleaning his room- though there wasn’t much cleaning that needed to be done.

The empress is just reciting a tale about a time where she and the king took a trip to a nearby kingdom for the first time when the door to the room opens and Akito, upon spotting the person entering, jumps immediately to his feet. The empress disguises a laugh as a cough and her husband simply looks at the man, bemused. “No need to stand lad. I've just come to collect my wife.” He sounds kindly as he speaks, but it's clear fro the lines creasing his brow that he is greatly troubled by something. Jezura notices and motions for Akito to help her rise. The soldier complies, helping her to her feet silently even as he tries to calm his racing heart at the emperor's sudden appearance, and in no time he is gently handing her off to her husband. Taking the tall man's arm gently between her hands she smiles up at her dearest and pets the arm soothingly.

Akito watches them leave silently before suddenly realizing that he has no idea where he is, and no idea what he's suppose to be doing next. Talking with the empress had calmed him a bit, however the fright he got from her husband has him on edge once more. Scooping up his pet he moves into the hall, intent on locating a servant to direct him. 'She seems like a happy, calm woman. . .' He muses. 'This place is not a scary place. It should not be. If such a happy, kind woman lives here, and has had such fun inside these walls, then this. . .This is a good place. . .' He repeats this and other encouraging things to himself as he looks for a servant until at last he spots one at the end of the hall. Racing forward he calls out softly, watching the young girl stop and turn to look at him.

He watches as she looks suddenly flustered at the sight of him but does his best to smile and look nonthreatening as he approach. “Sorry,” he says softly. “I was just looking for someone to direct me back to my room.” He keeps a light smile on his lips as she looks up at him nervously and after a few seconds she bows and begins walking away. He takes this as a sign that she is showing him the way and returns the bow before following. After only a few steps however she stops, turning to face him again.

“Forgive me my lord, but dinner will be served soon, so if you would like, I could take you there instead.” She sounds like she's trying to be polite while still being a little scared, and he smiles down at her again, willing her to relax.

“That would be great. Thank you.” This time he bows before she does and soon they are off to the large dining area. He walks behind her, his long even footsteps echoing off the walls alongside her uneven, shuffling steps. He's glad when they arrive, partially because now he knows what he should be doing, but mostly because now he can let the nervous girl off the hook. Bowing as she leaves he turns to look at the half dressed table and with a sigh he settles against the wall to wait, not wanting to be in the servants' ways.

Everything fell back into its normal pace after the talk with Hiro’s father- not saying that anything was actually out of place for the servants, just back for the royal family. The short adventure was nice while it lasted, but of course Hironori knew it wouldn’t have lasted forever. ’Kaede said dinner should be ready soon.’ It was then he realized the maid had already departed to continue her chores. “I might as well change it up a bit.” Hironori pushed himself off the floor and made his way into the halls.

He had passed a few servants, some who questioned if he needed anything, while others bowed respectfully. Some of the servants that asked if Hironori needed aid had been concerned due to his ‘aimless walking’. He looked lost, or as if he was looking for something. However, he was just lost in thought, reminiscing about the trip to town. He remembered the various shocked faces when he arrived, the familial and safe feeling as everyone gathered together to play games.

He couldn’t understand why his father would think it was dangerous just to visit the people who adored the royal family so much. Sure there were other kingdoms that they went to war with, but these were their people. They were protected by the Emperor’s army! They, and himself, were perfectly safe!

Hironori’s thoughts subsided when he entered the dining room. Seeing the servants still setting up made a brief look of surprise flash across his face. “Huh.” The last time he had been this early for a meal had probably been when he was a kid. The staff moved back and forth in a system, but one person in particular hadn’t been doing so. That’s when he realized Akito was standing out of the way. “Oh.” He nodded his hello. A servant broke from the flowing system of plates and food being set in order to direct both of them to their seats. “You know, it’s not necessary to come in so early?” He looked at Akito with a genuine expression of curiosity before adding. “Well, depending on when you got here. My parents should be arriving soon as well.” He shrugged and looked down at the empty space in front of him. He didn’t seem as troubled as his father, but something did seem a little off about him.

Their conversation was short lived after a few exchanges due to both his parents walking in. Well, the Emperor walked in while the Empress sort of waddled. They both briefly paused in surprise when they spotted their son already sitting with Akito. Jezura beamed in delight while Satoru simply nodded to the both of them before helping his wife sit down.

Akito stands there watching, just observing the fluid movements and interactions of the servants. 'Like a dance. . .' He smiles ever so slightly. They way they operate around one another perfectly reminds him of his unit. Their daily training exercises and practice bouts give them the ability to work around one another without accidentally attacking the wrong person, even in the heat of battle. His mind begins watching the servants like troops, picking out the seasoned veterans and the new recruits by how well they work together and can deal with interruptions in the flow of human traffic.

Out of the corner of his eye he notes someone not moving in any semblance of the system he sees in place and he turns his head to see who is causing the break in the flow. His heart skips a beat at the sight of his soon-to-be husband but he brings a small smile to his lips, not wanting to appear afraid after all the progress they've made at the mere sight of him. He stands up a little straighter however and smiles at the man as he makes his way over to him. He nods slowly as the man informs him that he's far earlier than he needs to be and replies quietly, “I had nowhere else to go really, and they said it would not be too long before the meal started.”

His eyes go to the servant directing them to their seats and, pushing off the wall, he follows silently behind them. Once seated he looks across the table at the prince. 'Something seems a little off. . .Not sad really, I don't think, but definitely something. . .' Running his hand over the creature curled around his midsection Akito speaks softly about whatever his betrothed wishes to talk about, but the conversation is light and doesn't go anywhere before there is an interruption in the form of the rulers of the kingdom entering the room side-by-side.

Akito has to fight the urge to jump to his feet, trained to always stand when those of a higher status enter, however with a look of determination he manages to stay seated while the two get settled at the head of the table. He's able to breath more easily once they are down and, turning to them with a strained smile he greets them quietly. The queen beams at him before clicking her tongue lightly, clearly trying to entice Hoko out of his hiding place. The emperor looks down at his plate, obviously avoiding his son's gaze, and as Akito encourages Hoko to wake up and come eat he looks between the two men and wonders if there's anything he can do.

The audrat slips out of his little pouch and stretches cutely, waiting for permission from Akito before slipping over to the empress to be fed treats happily while his master continues trying to figure out if there's anything he can do to alleviate the tension in the air around them. Finally, he decides to take some of the attention on to himself. 'After feeling before, it's the least I deserve. . .' Taking a slow breath he looks at the emperor, his insides quaking, and speaks with as much strength as he can muster.

“Sir, I was wondering if I could make arrangements with you to take day trips away from the palace every once in a while,” he nods at Hiro, “w-with Hiro, if he would be willing to accompany me.” The larger man looks over at him, curious, but not angry as far as he can tell. He goes on quickly. “I mean, my unit will be here for only so long, and I would like to see my father as often as I can while he is around. Though after. . .” He takes a steadying breath. “I have spent a good deal of time in this area, both before and as of late, and even with my unit gone I am sure I can handle anything that may become a problem around here. I know the area well, and it would be easy for me to spot anything out of place, so I am sure I would be able to keep the both of us safe. . .” Swallowing hard again he finishes, a little more quietly, “And, I am sorry I did not ask the first time, but we came away safe and I think that should be taken as a sign that I am quite capable of keeping myself and my betrothed safe. . .” His eyes have begun descending to his plate, however with a hard wrench he looks back up at the Emperor, waiting for the hammer to fall for his impertinence.

Hiro glanced over at his parents again. As usual, his mother smiled at him before turning her attention to Hoko. She loved the cute little audrat, he noticed. He was almost surprised she hadn’t asked to babysit the creature while Akito wandered the palace. However that wasn’t Hiro’s concern so his train of thought continued. His gaze landed on his father but by the looks of it, eye contact was being avoided. ’Oh well. . .’ He mused, deciding to leave it be.

Servants started to file in just as quickly as when they were setting up, setting plates in front of the four royals. Jezura took her attention from Hoko to look at her son and then her husband. She gave a small, barely noticeable huff before smiling and gently placing a hand over Hiro’s arm. With a voice near a whisper she spoke, “I appreciate the effort dear. Thank you.”

A playful grin flashed on Hiro’s face before playing innocent. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, honestly. All I did was come for a meal with my family.” He paused and passed a quick glance over at Akito. “New and old of course. That’s no big deal.” He smiled when the Empress giggled and nodded. Once again his gaze fell onto his father but he didn’t pay him much attention. “Yeah, no big deal at all.” His attention went over to his stepmother as she somehow managed to rope into a conversation about one of the many gardens in the palace. “Well, there are a bunch of yellow flowers on that side. Wouldn’t you want to change the colors as the season-”

Both Empress and Prince paused in their conversation, turning to look at Akito. One was rather surprised while the other practically had stars in her eyes at just how cute the two were. Neither of them probably saw what she did though.

Hironori took a sip of the water next to him only to cough when he realized what Akito was doing. Eyes fell on him and a servant quickly rushed forward, but he immediately waved them away. “My apologies… went down the wrong way.” He shrugged and then dropped his gaze back to his food.

The Emperor raised a curious eyebrow as Akito spoke. At first, the only response Akito got was a nod towards the apology. His brows furrowed in contemplation and he finally looked over at Hiro- who had kept his gaze down. He didn’t want them thinking he had any part of this. The drawn out silence made the Empress nudge her husband with her elbow. He was going to question it, but the look in her eyes was enough of an explanation. With a sigh, he spoke. “I suppose I shouldn’t stop you from seeing your family.” Emperor and prince met gazes before he added, “And that would be one less thing I have to worry about in regards to his troublemaking.”

Hiro shrugged, starting to say something but was pinched. The Empress apparently knew that whatever he was going to say wouldn’t have been good, so he opted to taking a bite of his food while the Emperor continued agreeing to Akito’s request. There were probably rules he was going to spew out so Hiro opted to pay more attention to his food instead, though that didn’t stop him from giving Akito an appreciative smile.

“So, what did you to do when you went to the village?” The Empress prodded before taking a bite.

“Oh, I met the villagers. They were really nice, they even have activities together- it’s a small place too so I believe everyone is well acquainted with each other. One of the activities is a game actually.”

“Oh? What kind of game?”

“It’s a lot of running back and forth, but you and your team have to kick a ball into a basket on either end.”

The Empress smiled. “I remember watching the servants play something like that when I was a little girl. They always looked like they had so much fun. I’ve never played it though. Why didn’t you play with him?”

Hiro didn’t really want to admit he’d much rather watch the sport than partake in it. He figured his father thought he was lazy enough. So, he smiled and shrugged. “I decided to watch and learn. Besides, I wasn’t in the right attire for physical activity like that. And there was a nice woman on the sidelines giving out muffins- It was worth not playing. Besides, I got to watch Akito play; he’s really good at it.”

The silence is deafening. Akito sees the little nudge, but doesn't know if it will help or hurt. He's seen both in the homes he's stayed in during his missions, the spouse prompting their significant other and things getting better, o9r way, way worse. In this case however, there is a little nugget of hope in the former soldier's chest as the woman in question seems very kind and her husband very attentive. He keeps his focus on the man however, this ruler of the land, waiting, his heart too afraid to even beat, but his determination not wavering. He will see this through if it kills him. 'Which, it very well might, if this goes on much longer' Akito thinks, not sure when the last time he took a breath was.

Then it happens, the emperor speaks and. . .He lives. His breath returns, his ears once more picking up the sounds all around him and now, it seems, with new clarity. He can feel his own face lifting, completely free of his will, as the man agrees to let him go see his father. And more over, for him to take Hiro out of the palace. He doesn't notice the exchange between the mother and son, but he does catch the smile and he feels his heart beat returning full of warmth and vigor. Bowing his head low in thanks he murmurs his gratitude and looks back to the man he will soon call father for further instruction.

The prince and the empress go back to having their own conversation as the large man gives Akito a stern look. “I will be laying some ground rules for you though.” he starts, tilting his head towards Hiro, “The first being, if there is something we need you or he for here in the palace, don't let him talk you into leaving to avoid it.” Akito wrinkles his nose curiously, wondering why Hiro would do such a thing.

'I mean, that sounds like something I would do if I were freaking out, but. . .He doesn't seem one to flee from responsibilities. . .' Despite his thoughts he concludes that this man knows his son better than he does and simply nods, ready for Satoru to continue.

“Next is very important too.” he goes on, taking the nod as ascent. “You two are not to leave without informing someone. We can't have you vanishing without a word and spend hours looking for you, worrying us.” Akito suppresses a cringe at this rule, knowing it's directed at his spur-of-the-moment style of their initial trip to town. He nods at this, agreeing readily, knowing it's what's best for the family, and be extension, empire. Nodding in return Satoru lays down the final rule. Pointing at his son he says, very sternly, “He is not to leave your line of sight, got it?” The firmness in the man's voice and the fire in his eyes makes Akito shrink a bit, but he does not hesitate to nod, keeping his eyes carefully on the man speaking. “I want to hear you say it Aki.” His tone makes the ex-soldier swallow but, taking a slow breath, he manages to sit up straight for his reply.

“I swear sir, on my life and my honor, I will take care of his. . .Hiro, as you have instructed, full and complete.” Satoru eyes him for a long moment before nodding, grunting slightly before turning his attention to his food. Breathing once more, Akito's head comes up as he hears his name mentioned. It takes him a moment to realize what they are talking about and he flushes slightly at the compliment. Shaking his head slightly he looks between the two and mumbles, “I simply had an unfair advantage. I am used to playing against soldiers. When I play against my unit, or other units, I'm not nearly as skilled as I looked. . .”

The empress giggles at his modesty, petting Hoko gently as he licks her fingers. “Yes, well, perhaps you could teach Hironori to play some time Aki-chan. I am sure the village would have fun having more skilled players on occasion.” She looks over at Hiro, beaming. “I am sure he could learn to be a wonderful player, if he put his mind to it.” She giggles. “It could be something the two of you share!” Excited at the prospect she begins discussing having the staff get together and play some times, for practice, with her husband who seems curious at the idea.

Akito on the other hand looks to Hiro, wondering if he'd want to play the game, or if he was reading the signs right that he'd rather not get all sweaty running around, falling over other people and getting scuffed elbows and skinned knees. His runs a hand over his own knee where a light scrape had appeared after a tumble during the game. He gives the young man a soft smile before looking down at his plate and taking a few bites. “I would be more than willing to teach you, but only if you want to. . .Hiro.” A little proud of himself over the only mild hesitation to say his betrothed's name he looks up at the man in question, nibbling on a piece of meat.

Hironori’s gaze returned to both Akito and his father when he realized that the list of rules and regulations had ended. ’Shorter than I imagined’ His smiled betrayed his sarcastic thoughts. It wasn’t the best idea to ruin whatever foundation of trust that was built between his betrothed and his father so his focus returned back to the conversation at hand. “So modest, isn’t he?”

“Absolutely!” Hiro’s mother chimed in before spewing ideas about him playing the game and even getting the servants to practice and have fun as well.

While the latter choice didn’t phase him- he actually thought it was a nice idea- the former of the two options made his smile falter ever so slightly. His parents didn’t notice it, but Hiro quickly straightened up again. Watching the sport was entertaining to Hiro. He enjoyed watching all the people come together and have fun, of course! However actually partaking in the sport… Hiro wasn’t very upbeat about the idea. The thought of all running back and forth and possibility for injury didn’t sound very fun, but his stepmother looked so excited- even his father was curious about the idea. After all, he used to play the game too when he was a bit younger.

And then Akito spoke. ’Only if you want to…’ Hiro rubbed his shoulder, stealing a glance at his parents who were still discussing the idea. “Oh, I…” Hiro gave a nod. “It doesn’t look too tough. Sure, I’d love to try.” It wasn’t a complete lie. Hiro didn’t think the sport looked too hard to learn, so if he had to then that would be the least of his worries. He also did want to find something that interested the both of them since he and Akito struggled to find multiple similarities. Despite not believing this activity would be one of those things, he gave it the hopeful chance that he would ‘learn to enjoy it’. “Learning new things can be fun.”

Both of his parents nodded their approval, but instead of a response, Hiro continued eating his food before it got cold. “Oh, what a great idea! I can’t wait to see you two out having fun together- though of course, we’ll try not to pester.” Jezura giggled. “You do need your personal space after all.”

“Mother now you’re just trying to embarrass me.” Jezura responded in a fit of soft giggles mixed with apologies. Hiro chuckled and rolled his eyes. Sometimes his stepmother acted just like a child and it was rather amusing most of the time. Hiro was just glad she was happy. He relaxed into his usual expression and pushed his bowl away, indicating that he was done. One of the servants quickly responded and retrieved the empty dish from him.

With a grunt, Satoru raised a finger at Hironori with a surprisingly pleased look on his face. “It’s good you’re getting out to do something like this. Keeps you from being all cooped up inside with those books.” He looked back down at his food, taking a bite. “Not that being book smart isn’t a good thing- just, you need more skills. You need the experience.” He became more focused on his food along with his wife to notice Hiro’s puzzled expression.

’You expect me to gain experience from playing games? Guess I shouldn’t have given them expectations.’ Hiro cleared his throat and nodded. “Yes, of course father. I’ll...do what I can.” His smile was brief; just enough for them to not expect anything wrong. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go...stretch my legs?” Hiro couldn’t think of a good enough excuse to leave, but bowed his head before leaning over and kissing his stepmother’s cheek. “Try not to stay on your feet so much. You worry the servants, and father.” He smiled when Jezura giggled and nodded.

“I suppose I can take a break for a few minutes. I do get tired a lot quicker lately...” She began to ponder over how long she had been carrying the baby and then if she had a taste for something she wasn’t eating at the moment. While her mind wandered, Hiro bowed to his father and Akito before heading out.

Once again, the idea of spending time alone with the prince is brought up by Hiro's mother and the implication makes Akito flush. He keeps his eyes on his food however and keeps himself from overreacting to the tease. Hiro himself has a comeback and Akito is glad it's to fend her off a bit. He knows things will eventually need to happen between them, but for now, he's happy that his betrothed isn't rushing things.

While not a master of understanding people, Akito can tell that Hiro is mostly trying to humor his parents rather than having any actual interest in playing. He sets the idea in the back of his mind to play with the prince only when he brings it up, leaving more free time for them to find something Hiro would actually enjoy doing. 'I already know he likes magic, and. . .' His thoughts pause as the king chides his betrothed on his enjoyment of books and Aki feels a little tug in his chest at the idea that his father actually disappointing of something Hiro has a passion for. He looks to the lord of the household and wonders if there's a way to help him see that it's actually a bit mean to say stuff like that, but keeps his thoughts to himself for now. 'I've already had a victory today, and I think time out of the palace will be good for. . .Hiro' He smiles, proud of himself for growing more comfortable in this environment, and even more proud that he's learning to look forward to spending his time with the man he's meant to marry.

The smile becomes a little plastered on when Hiro rises to leave and he knows he can't just up and follow. He's not done eating, and Hoko is still nibbling away at the little treats he's getting from his plate. He watches the man leave, dragging his eyes back to the table once he's out of sight, and smiling at his soon-to-be in-laws before turning his attention to his food. Jezura seems to sense his discomfort and smiles at his before turning to talk to her husband about some ideas for the baby's room. Akito is grateful and eats his meal silently, looking up to listen once in a while so he doesn't seem rude.

They manage to make it through the rest of the meal without Akito jumping out of his skin and once he is finished he leaves, bowing respectfully. On his way out he notices the servants gathered in a shadowing corner whispering to one another and despite knowing that this is probably a normal occurrence he feels the hairs on the back of his neck stiffen. He doesn't stand there staring however and instead slips out of the room and begins wandering through the halls. He keeps the basic layout of the palace in the back of his mind and eventually heads for the back garden best he can. I knows he wants to eventually wind up in the practice area, but he figures that watching Hoko run around catching bugs will give him time to relax and think.

Walking outside he watches the few servants in the garden bow and move off away from him to give him space. He bows back and tries to suppress the feeling that they just don't want to be around him. Taking a seat on one of the stone benches he pulls his legs up so he can sit cross-legged and clicks so Hoko knows he's free to wander. The critter slides out slowly, a little lethargic over having such a hearty meal, but after a few quick breaths of fresh air he's off to play in the flowers and reeds. His eyes slide out of focus as he watches his companion chase a small lizard across a patch of white flowers and he wonders what the future holds for him.

Four days left.

The days were going by so quick despite what Hiro expected. At first, it was all planning and staying out of the way which seemed to be so long and drawn out and a little too meticulous. Staying out of the way was also an excuse to pull Akito away from various frenzies like his step mother’s calls to talk about decorations or his father’s talks of- well anything. Akito always seemed to look at least a little uncomfortable, so it was hard to tell what was actually worse for the soldier. The prince figured it was probably not the best idea to leave him in such awkward predicaments so often. It wasn’t fair to him.

Of course, stealing Akito away from his parents also stopped their consistent questioning about the two together. Sometimes, he’d steal the man away just for the sole purpose of letting him find somewhere to relax, but more often than not, Hiro found that he did enjoy the ‘soon-to-be’ royal’s company. Akito was so wildly different than the typical people who surrounded him all of his life and fed him with a silver spoon. When not bothered, he was rather calm and interesting. Sure, the rest of the palace was relatively calm but it was also because they were forced to. Having Akito around to genuinely be interested in some of the things he did was a nice feeling. The more he actually spent time with his betrothed, the more the idea of marrying him didn’t sound so bad. With how jittery Akito could be, Hiro wasn’t sure if the feelings were reciprocated. It was fine if they weren’t though, it was obvious that Akito wasn’t very fond- or at least used to the royal lifestyle.

While the thought of it all made him sigh, he was considerably more okay with it all than before. Being forced into marriage wasn’t ideal, but at least it was with someone who was tolerable. With all the thoughts of Akito, he did consider that maybe if this was going to work out he should probably take more interest in the things the soldier liked to do...

The prince hummed a little toon and strolled through one of the many gardens. He remembered seeing Akito there last and decided to pop in to see him. “Akiiitoo~” Hiro sang out, leaning in the doorway.

Not seeing him made him the prince waltz further into the garden and call out to him once more. “Hm, I could have sworn this was the right- Oh, there you are.” Hiro smiled and leaned over, resting his hands on the stone bench in front of him. “I was wondering if you wanted to head into town today? Get off palace grounds?” He could use the change in scenery, but Hiro for once was more wondering about Akito’s well being than his own wishes. Better now than never to really try to start bonding more, right?

The days slide by filled with a mix of worry and wonder. From moment to moment, Akito has no idea what's going to happen, and in the end he decides that it's not something he should try and control, or avoid. He almost feels like he's being lead around by the nose, but in the end, there really isn't much he can do about it. He's not a royal yet, and even after he is, he's sure it won't feel right to order the servants around. He's not their son yet, so he still doesn't feel right asking the emperor and his wife for things, though he's sure that much like the situation with the servants, he'll never feel comfortable around the ruler and his spouse enough to consider them anything but his lord and lady.

One small comfort he's found however is the quiet moments between himself and his betrothed. True, he's still a bit nervous most of the time, ever vigilant, as he's always been taught. But sometimes, when there's no one else around, and he's able to just sit and listen to the man, he feels a kind of peace he's never known. With the other soldiers, there were calm times, and even with his father, there were times of peace, but with Hiro he finds a contentedness he doesn't quite understand from time to time. He will listen to the man talk about magic, or games, or even small stories about his life, and Akito will find himself just listening. He won't feel the need to interject or to look around, or question if he's doing the wrong thing or not. He just finds peace and calm, and that isn't so bad in his eyes.

As the day of their nuptials approaches however, he finds himself more tense, more alert. He jumps when he hears his name called or when someone appears suddenly from around a corner. It feels almost like a noose being slowly tightened around his neck and his only relief comes when he finds himself alone and away from the hustle and bustle inside the palace. In the garden, or the forest, or on the training grounds, he can pull himself away from it all and find the zen kind of peace he had back with his fellow soldiers.

He is in such a peaceful state when the sound of his name makes his eyes snap open, locking on the direction the voice came from as he slowly pulls himself back to the reality around him. Like always, the servants had vacated the garden to let him sit and meditate so the only movement he sees at fist is Hoko, skittering off after however called Akito's name. A slight breeze ruffles his hair and the plants around him causing him to shiver slightly, his eyes coming into complete focus when Hiro's face appears over some tall decorative grass.

His heart does the little dance it does every time he remembers that he will be marrying this man and flutters again as his gaze moves over that pretty face, taking in all the little details before focusing back on actually communicating with the man. “Hello Hiro.” he murmurs, leaning back ever so slightly as the prince leans in to talk. Around his fellows, there is a respectful distance they would keep when talking, but he supposes he really needs to get used to the idea that Hiro will be just that much closer. They are going to be married after all, and it's not like he's right in his face. Just that little bit of closeness that makes his spine a little stiff and his attention unable to be elsewhere.

He smiles slightly at the man's suggestion and adopts a thoughtful look as he wonders if it will be okay to do so close to the wedding. Hoko half crawls up Hiro's leg, providing a mild distraction, before turning and climbing into his lap and slithering out of sight. It's clear that the little beast knows what's being proposed and is getting ready to head out. Akito laughs slightly before nodding, smiling up at his betrothed. “That sounds like fun.” he replies finally, shifting away from the prince a little so he can stand up without bumping into him. He doesn't mean to be standoffish, but he's still trying to get used to the idea of being so physically close to someone.

On the way to the front doors, Akito's ears perk up at the sound of whispering and he glances over to see some servants watching them pass. Normally, the servants look away or down when the royalty is passing by, but he's noticed that a few in particular keeps eyes on them as they pass. He's not sure why these servants are different from the rest, but he figures there must be a good reason. He's seen no hostility from them, however he's not completely convinced that something strange isn't going on with them. He keeps an eye on them as they pass, turning his attention back to his betrothed as soon as they are out of sight.

Still slightly amazed when things are just sort of “done” for him, Akito takes a moment to stare as they leave through the front doors and there is a horse already prepared for them. He's a bit curious as to why there aren't two horses, but he says nothing, figuring the prince must have a reason for wanting to ride with him. He takes the reins from the groom and mounts gracefully. He then pauses to consider something before scooting back slightly and holding a hand out to the prince. 'It's easier to protects from a frontal attack. He can bend over the horse, and I can see the attack coming. Behind me, he could get shot and I'd never see it coming' He wishes that he was overthinking things, but as he pulls Hiro up in front of him he can't get those staring eyes of the servants out of his head.

One arm slips around the prince's waist as he urges the horse into motion. Despite this being closer than usual, he finds the position less invasive than when Hiro moves close to talk to him. 'The things you know. . .' he muses, looking over Hiro's shoulder to make sure they are headed in the right direction. “Is there anything you were thinking of doing in town? Perhaps a picnic on the outskirts?” he inquires. He wants to make sure the prince enjoys himself so they can keep up the trips away from the palace even after the wedding. He shudders at the idea of being stuck there all the time.

Hiro’s soft gaze widened into a smile when Akito agreed to the trip. The slight shuffles backwards didn’t bother the prince in the slightest. Akito was usually a high-strung and observant person- that and maybe he just really wanted his space. “Oh wonderful, I think we both need a break from this place.” The small jab towards the hustle and bustle of the palace made him chuckle, and while he did he turned to lead the way out. As usual, Hiro walked with his hands rested behind his back, his fingers hooked together. He glided gracefully across the smooth wooden floors as they headed outside. Unlike his betrothed, he was less vigilant of the servants that passed by. Thanks to the wedding, Hiro had already guessed that things would get a little busier so the foot traffic didn’t bother him. He gave nods and smiles where they were wanted or needed. The prince didn’t need any of their assistance and usually tried to stay out of their way. They were always busy with their routines, so the only servant he did bother was Kaede. But in his defense, she was also like a second- or third mother to him.

Once outside, he spotted the saddled horse and a guard on either side. “I may have also pre-prepped for the trip with high hopes you would agree.” There was no guilt behind his statement, only admittance followed by a small shrug. He didn’t think it was too bad. If Akito did deny the offer, they only had to put one horse back in the stables. “Well, let’s not waste any-”

One of the guards stepped forward and bowed as Hiro stepped to the horse. “Your majesty, the Queen wanted me to relay a message to you before you departed.” Slowly, he raised a small satchel, stealing a glance at both the prince and his betrothed. His slow movements were moreso of caution. He was aware that the betrothed ‘given’ was typically the best of the best in the royal army, so he didn’t want to make any movements that would cause an alarm. “The Queen stated she wasn’t sure how long your majesties would be gone, nor what you would be doing, so she got a lunch packed for you both.”

It was obvious by the smell that it was food in a tightly packed compartment. Hiro didn’t check the contents inside before slinging it over his shoulder. “Thank you. We will be back before the sun sets.” Both guards saluted and Hiro took his seat at the front of the saddle. He was fine with sitting behind, but with a quick glimpse of Akito’s eyes made Hiro refrain from questioning his actions.

“So, we have food for the trip if you, or Hoko gets hungry.”

The horse began to move and Hiro gave a gentle and relaxing sigh. Although towards the question, he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. His mind began to whir with possibilities of what they could do, but it stopped when he remembered why he wanted to take the trip in the first place. While Hironori was fine with being in the spotlight, even when he didn’t want to be, he knew Akito was the exact opposite. He wanted Akito to be happy and he seemed to be the happiest when he was in more quiet and peaceful places. ’Right, right, this is supposed to help Akito. I don’t mind the peace and quiet either for a change.’

“That doesn’t sound like a bad idea. I can guess that the town has also learned of the news by now as well. And if I wanted to be questioned about anything and everything in regards to ceremonies and responsibilities, I think I would have stayed home.” He couldn’t help the laugh that followed. “A picnic sounds wonderful. We even have the food for it.” With a satisfied nod, Hironori settled into his seat and let Akito steer them to a nice picnic spot while he enjoyed the ride. Every time they left out, seeing the scenery almost always felt new.

It was nice to take different paths even if they all ended up at the same point. Little by little, and piece by piece, Hiro was mapping out the small town they traveled through. Sometimes, he dared to explore farther, however his stubborn father would not have it in the slightest. Sure the prince had went past the kingdom a few times, but that was usually for meetings with other royal families so he never got to see what anything beyond the royal doors were like. “Hey...Akito? When you were with the army, did you travel a lot?” Hiro could only assume so, but he was curious nonetheless.

Akito had most definitely been alert when the guard had approached his betrothed, but he'd kept it hidden well behind the guise of patting the horse's neck and checking his tack. He knows he should trust everyone in the palace without question, seeing as he's the new guy after all, but he can't exactly stamp out a lifetime's worth of trained instinct in a matter of months.

He is finally able to relax as the palace falls out of view behind them however and he can feel himself breathing more easily. The warm body in front of him, the steady motions of the horse. . .Something about it all is very peaceful. The laugh that tumbles from the other man's lips brings a smile to his own, a few more muscles relaxing. He's still nervous around the man he's meant to marry, but he feels far more in his element atop a horse and away from prying eyes. He shifts the horse gently once they leave the woods, taking them almost immediately off the road. Vendors and sellers have been coming in often enough that Akito wants to avoid having a run-in with someone delivering flowers or foods for the upcoming nuptials.

They skirt along the edge of the wood, making a calm beeline for a nice pond Akito discovered on one of his forays – well escapes – from the palace that is surrounded by high grass to provide a good bit of privacy for their quiet outing. His head tilts as he hears the question from over his shoulder and tries to silently determine what “a lot” entails. Given how little Hiro even leaves the palace grounds he's sure any amount of travel is “a lot”, so he's not quite sure how to respond.

“I traveled when it was required of us.” he replies simply. Knowing that's not exactly what Hiro wants to know however, he goes on. “Because of my specialty, sometimes I would travel without the unit, so I suppose I traveled more than they. For the most part, the unit stayed around the war front, but I would occasionally have a job alone in an enemy city, so I would go along my myself as to not raise suspicion. A couple times a year I'd say, after my qualification was confirmed.” Pulling off to the side a bit Akito carefully dismounts before holding his arms out to help Hiro down as well. Once the prince is on his feet the once soldier moves a little ways off to tie the horse to a branch of a log hidden in the tall grass that he saw peeking up as they came upon it.

Turning, he offers one of his small, quite smiles to the other man. Turning back around he leads the way forward, carefully brushing the grass aside so as to not accidentally step into the pond he's looking for. Once he finds it he calls out for Hiro to watch his step, circling the water until he comes to a side of it that has clearly been used more than others, leaving the grass flattened and perfect for sitting on. Turning, he ushers the prince forward, taking his seat only after making sure Hiro's comfortable. 'Well, as comfortable as he can be not sitting on one of those plush seats or cushions they have all over the palace' he muses. 'I swear, some of those rooms are nothing but pillows. . .I wonder if his bedroom is like that too' He flushes at the thought, having not even seen the other man's room yet.

True, spending any amount of time in such a place with the prince would lead to rumors, which is partially why he's not asked. The other part of it however is his own fear of something besides rumors. While Hiro's made no inclination towards intimacy himself – well, beyond getting closer than he's used to and occasionally touching him when he doesn't expect it – he's not sure what would happen at that level of “alone” with the beautiful man beside him. Flushing a little deeper he shakes his head, making a slight clicking sound so Hoko knows he can go explore. The sinuous beast slides out, stretching, and is off in the grass in moments. Looking over at Hiro, Akito clears his throat, trying to push back his embarrassing thoughts and smile, this suppose to be a peaceful time.

The answer Hiro got wasn’t technically the one he was looking for, but that was moreso because he didn’t phrase it very well. Nonetheless, Akito did answer and he smiled in thanks. Instead of carrying on the conversation, Hiro took in the scenery around them. He didn’t recall this particular area, which only further moved his attention to his surroundings. There wasn’t anything spectacular about this particular place, but it was quiet and secluded. Somehow, it had its own charm with its simplicity. It was very fitting for Akito and a place that would could definitely grow on him.

He started to take a few steps after the horse was tied, but paused to watch Akito carefully make a path. He decided not to question it and followed the faint impressions that he left behind only moments before. As he got closer to Akito, it was a lot clearer that he was trying to make sure the two avoided falling into the small body of water hidden in the grass. Fortunately, on the side they were on, there was a clear view of it all. Hiro took a seat and placed the box of food in between them. If either of them got hungry, there would be easy access so no one had to reach around the other.

The silence was drawn out a little longer before Hiro realized Akito clearing his throat. “If you don’t mind me asking, what were the other towns like? Well, if you got to see them. Were they similar to this kingdom?” Asking that, he realized he wasn’t even sure he could even define his own kingdom, save for the few short visits. Nonetheless, the prince was curious.

Once he did get the answer, Hiro seemed content with it. He returned it with a soft thanks and rested his hands in his lap. “You know, I don’t think I’ve asked… Or at least I haven’t asked in some time, but there’s four days left before our big day. How are you feeling?” There was a moment’s pause before Hiro continued. “Me? A bit overwhelmed.” His relaxed expression hadn’t changed, although instead of staring at the pond, he would occasionally look in Akito’s direction or watch Hoko shuffle about. “There’s a lot of first impressions as future emperors’ that’ll be made that day. And as much as I...fret over the traditions and rules- and whatever else I could annoy my father about, I know I can’t mess this up. Not this one.” He had taken to creating a small, contained flame in his hand before giving a shrug. “I suppose, I should be used to this kind of pressure with all the teaching, so it’s hard to imagine just how you may feel.” As he thought it over, he realized not much of his life required this much responsibility from him, but it did at least try to prepare him for it unlike Akito who was quite literally tossed into the life.

He expected, as his father told stories about it, that he’d receive a betrothed excited about the idea of marrying into royalty. What he got, was someone definitely the opposite of such and without realizing it, he was beginning to enjoy that about Akito. All or at least most of his expectations of the ex-soldier weren’t as true as his father’s stories foretold. He would have laughed at the thought had he not been listening to the man next to him talking. It had also made him wonder what it would have been like to marry into another royal family had his father not been so utterly opposed to sharing his already great kingdom's power and wealth.

Images of the cities he passed through fill the former soldier's mind. He calls back the sights, the sounds, the smells. . .In his line of work, he had to pay such close attention. He recalls the attention to detail he paid every given inch, every shadow, every alley, every shop, every guard he passed. He recalls the feeling of terror and unease from the moment he left his unit to the second he returned to his father's side. He never found a way to enjoy his forays into hostile territory, despite all of the truly wonderful things he saw each and every time.

“Streets of cobble rather than dirt.” he murmurs, eyes distant. “A press of people so thick it was hard to breath. So many faces, so many beating hearts, but each one completely alone as they passed one another on the streets.” He turns to look at Hiro, flushing. “A lot of the places were very similar to the larger cities of this country, but sometimes I went a bit further and saw building far plainer, but with an oddly appealing look. Might have just been the novelty though.” Still flushing, he looks back over the water, clearing his throat self-consciously.

His eyes find Hiro's again as he thanks him and he simply nods in response. When asked how he's feeling all he can manage is a shrug, looking embarrassed once more. “Fine I guess.” he mumbles, unable to shake this feeling of bashfulness. “What about you?” he asks, trying to redirect away from himself. He listens quietly as his betrothed talks, relaxing faintly as he hears that the prince isn't completely calm about everything either. His eyes are drawn on occasion to the flickering flame in the other's hand, but he mostly watches that pale, delicate face. Takes in his every expression, each twitch of the lip, every scrunch of the nose. He wants to give his full attention to the man, showing him the respect he deserves.

The conversation ends up on him again and he lets out a slow breath, the tenseness returning. “For me, I am not sure I am quite out of the fog just yet.” His voice is soft, smooth, his gaze falling to his hands. “I know it is not a dream, but that does not stop the hazy feeling I get every time I try to come to terms with what the future holds for me. . .” He sighs softly. “I can try to deny it, to flee the palace, to hide behind my training, to spend my spare hours laying far from the hustle and bustle of it all, but in the end I am drawn back in and reality begins to cloud my mind once again, showing me that my past is falling away, and the future, once so clear, is now a large unknown with few certainties in it. . .”

His gaze flickers back to Hiro, biting his lips gently before going on. “One of those things I am sure of, one of the things I do take strength from, is that. . .That y-you will be there.” He curses his stutter silently. “You have been kind High-. . .H-Hiro, and for that, I am forever grateful. . .” He flushes again, deeper this time. “You are kind, understanding, and I. . .I find comfort in the idea that I have someone willing to spend their life around me who is as understanding as you have been.” Despite knowing he will be married to the man, he can't bring himself to say “who will spend their life with me”. Hiro is still too far from him, despite how close they have been growing. He still can not see the man as anything closer than “his highness”.

He noticed how it was much easier for Akito to be the listening party rather than the speaker. He was much more relaxed up until he had to speak up. Hiro was patient though. He didn’t want to be apart of the overbearing world Akito was put into. The small flame went out so he could give him his attention, much like Akito did for him. It was only fair. Not once does he interrupt, but his expression does soften a little towards Akito’s own turmoils. However, he couldn’t suppress the look of surprise he gave when Akito is finished.

’That’s… Aw, he’s so cute!’ Hiro refrained from saying these thoughts aloud, not wanting to spook the man at his side. He gave a rather goofy grin, something different from his usual expressions, before looking at his lap. He wasn’t sure what to say at first wondering what he meant by spending time around him instead of with him, but in the end assumed it meant all the same. “Likewise,” He started to say, but then clarified. “You’ve been able to put up with me for this long and I appreciate it just as much as I apologize for it.” The laugh that followed was light. “I’ve… been told I could be a bit stubborn and hard to deal with, but you’ve been patient. I admire your courage though. You’ve been put into this royal business and you’re handling it fairly well.” He blew a few strands of hair out of his face and finally, couldn’t help but playfully add, “And though I’ve never said it, you’re so cute!”

Hiro took the tie out of his hair just to re-tie it, collecting the loose strands of hair that would bother him eventually. He could have kept it down, but his stepmother insisted that she saw all of his face- and he wasn’t going to say no to her. “I was happily surprised to know that you weren’t anything like my father boasted about.” He finally continued. “Not in terms of status of course, but,” He chose his words carefully. “I guess age and possibly a little rough around the edges? No offense to them I guess. They chose to act how they please.” He wasn’t sure how to explain his father’s ideals for his betrothed didn’t sound as tasteful as Akito, so he left it alone.

Hoko had disappeared out of Hiro’s line of sight which made the prince glance around for a brief moment. Akito wasn’t panicking about it, so he assumed Hoko was fine. His query was quickly answered however when Hiro felt those familiar tiny claws sneak up and across his lap to get to his owner. For once, the prince didn’t jump at the sudden feeling of something crawling on him, in fact he had started getting used to the little furball scurrying about when he was allowed.