Alone.

Kennai smiles. "You know what your mother would approve of," he says, closing the door for the young prince. "You may pick." He nods.

Souri nodded to her when she said she was heading out and got back to digging. He wiped sweat off his brow with the back of his hand nd sighed softly. It wasn't tedious work, or even hard work, just long work. But it was work that had to be done.


Aekra finished her work and went off to sit out on the outskirts of the castle grounds. She sat there to think and be by herself. Also to keep an eye out for Kokajin, though she didn't really expect him to show up right now.
Her left leg was tucked under her as she sat on the ground. Her hair had fallen down out of the braid and hair tie so it was now flowing freely around her in the slight wind.

Escorts so far: (Ones that I'm positive of, at least)

Aekra - Kokajin
Ania - Mikoto
Seko - Kennai

Aja nodded and quickly pulled clothing out of his drawers and then disappeared to his changing room, pulling on clothing, while muffled giggling escaped the door. He ran back out after just a minute and stared up at Kennai. He tugged on the hem of his own shirt, looking down. It was backwards. “Help?” From the doorway, there was a soft laugh. His head snapped up and he grinned, rushing over to his sister.

Seko smiled gently down at her little brother, her stress finally gone. She had managed to evade the seamstress while she was walking around the corridors, which helped her just a bit. She knelt onto one knee and quickly fixed his shirt, and then her eyes landed on Kennai, before moving away quickly. She stood and brushed off her robes and bowed her head. “Could you have Aja ready for dinner an hour early?” She asked. “And… Perhaps you could join as well?” It was an event her mother was hosting to speak with the guards and escorts about what was to be expected during the ball.

Ania shrugged once more and muttered. “I guess we could pick up some more stuff that way…” She looked over her shoulder at Satsu, then forward again, starting out again. She did have a few things in mind, like food, and more blankets, but also anything she could really get her hands on. She just hoped Satsu didn’t get in the way.

Kokajin quickly made his way to the outskirt of the castle, to pick up Aekra. He wondered if she had already been fitted for her dress… He already had his suit made and it was hanging in his home. He got to the outskirts and spotted Aekra, then approached. He let out a low whistle to get her attention and then smiled, still slightly stained with blood.

Kennai smiled at the two as Soko fixed her brother's shirt, his arms remaining crossed until she addressed him. When she looked up, he turned business-like suddenly and clasped his hands in front of him, standing at the ready. "Yes, my Princess," he replied, giving a slight bow, but his eyes kept his amused glint. When she needed a bit of stress released, he acted as he had earlier to attempt to give her a laugh - even if it didn't work. When she acted as she usually did, he stayed official. He was there for her, after all; to protect, to advise when she asked, or to simply give a touch of normal interactions in this place.

Seko nodded slowly, a soft smile forming on her lips. “Thank you,” she said, bowing her head once. She paused briefly, wondering if they ever got bored, just playing little games that Aja would come up with. “Aja,” she chimed, “would like to come out to the garden with me?” She glanced up at Kennai briefly, eyes signaling the same question. She hated the thought of letting the small boy go anywhere without her trusted guard. Aja simply glanced up at Kennai questioningly, like he was giving him the option to decide what they did.

Kennai smiled at Soko slightly, the smile growing to amuse Aja when he too looks up. "Sounds like a good idea...Right?" He ask the boy, walking up to the two of them to offer his hand to Aja. "No hide and seek along the way, however..." Kennai looks up at Soko, nodding to her.

Seko grinned for a moment and then put on a face of mock hurt. “Hmm, not offering to take my hand as well?” She asked, looking away, not truthfully bothered by it, but even now and again she liked to joke. She was afraid that if she didn’t, everyone would start to see her as some replica as her mother, completely humourless and boring. She wanted anything but that. She wanted a personality, not just to be the woman her future husband made her. She glanced back at Kennai, eyes still shining with feigned emotion, though she was having trouble holding back her grin.

Kennai chuckles. "I do have two still, Princess," he says, but still he offers his arm to her in politeness. To be seen holding hands with her... It wasn't right of him with his level of status.

Seko bowed her head slightly and took his arm, smiling. Aja grabbed one of his hands and led them both outside with a wide grin. Once they were outside, Seko carefully let go of Kennai and went to sit near a bed of flowers, on a polished stone bench. Aja went to work finding little bugs and laughing the entire time. She blinked and slid over, making room for her guard, in case we wanted to sit.

Kennai watched the boy run off before looking back at Seko, pondering the open seat a moment before sitting beside her, glancing up at the sun and squinting before looking back at her.

Seko returned his gaze, pale red eyes curiously sweeping over his features. Idly, she wondered how he came to become a guard here, especially considering he was not that much older than her. Her eyes had been on him long enough so she tore them away and a light blush filled her cheeks before she put her chin on her hand, looking at the dirt. At least looking there, she could not be considered weird about it. She slowly looked up at Aja, who was still happily distracted by the many plants in the garden and felt slightly at ease.

Kasumi carefully ran her fingers though the thick stands of her hair, wincing as her pointer finger caught a tangle. Working it out she glanced up from her work, noting the quiet peace of the woods. She preferred this to the rush that could be among people at this time, so close to the Queen's Ball. Tempers seemed to run high along with all the work that had to be done, and she knew that she would be all to willing to help those tempers to a breaking point if the chance came. Best to stay away from it all.
Letting go of her hair now that it seemed to be completely straightened, although it'd been fine before she'd started, Kasumi glanced around once more before standing. She would draw out her escape from people as long as she could, but she knew she'd have to go back soon enough. With that in mind Kasumi slowly made her way out of the woods.
Unsure of exactly where she should be at the moment Kasumi simply stood at the exit of the path she'd taken for a moment, once again marveling over the simple peace that the woods gave her. As she did she noticed a figure nearby, distracting her from thoughtlessness. Hesitating for a moment she shrugged, it wasn't as if she had anything better to do.
"Hello, Anosen."

Aekra looked up at the whistle and smiled over to him. "Kokajin!" she stood and smiled at him. She noticed the blood right away and went over to him, her smile fading a bit. "Are you ok?" she asked, slightly worried. "Do you need help cleaning up?"

Kennai kept his eyes to the sky, though he felt her gaze and his lips twitched up more when she looked away. From the corner of his eye, Seko's blush matched the tint of her scales. "Every year... I do believe you would get used to the stress of this event by now," he says off handedly. He looks back at her, hiding amusement politely.

Seko paused, her cheeks heating a bit more, and then meets his gaze. "Every year, and I should be used to it. I know that, but... Where is the fun of having everything so calm around the castle?" She smiled very slightly and shook her head. "Mother spends no time fussing, really, so I take up her slack." Seko was a notorious stress ball when these events rolled around. She just... Couldn't help it.

"Because it is a time of good spirits and fun. One shouldn't fuss," Kennai says to her, smiling wider. "Or do you still miss the point of it?" He's slightly teasing, although it's nothing he hasn't pulled with her before. Still blushing... Kennai was to be the princess' escort, which was perhaps why... She was at the age which she was expected to be wedded off by the King and Queen, similarly to how Kaede was to have a young maiden betrothed to him. He wondered who the older prince would escort...

Seko sighed and let her head loll to the side, eyes still locked on him. "I suppose I am still missing this supposed point," she said, but her tone was light, still playful. "Please, enlighten me." She turned her body to face him, eyes lighting curiously. Some days, she felt as though he was her only friend. She was friends with her brothers of course, but that was so different.

Kennai smiles over, leaning back while resting his hands behind him for support. "It's the signal of a new season. The celebration of a successful year. The end of a business quarter, the end of the harvest. Just a signal that stress is to be lesser and a little bit of celebration for the success," he sums up, keeping an attentive eye on Aja as well.

Kokajin shook his head briefly and then looked her over. "No, I am fine. And I do not need help with anything." His tone was nearly exasperated, already tired from the work he had done. He finally got to her, running his fingers through his hair. "How are you?" His eyes showed the labor he had put into the day.

Seko leaned back, basking in the sun for just a moment, almost mimicking his pose. She crossed her legs and nodded lazily. "But when so much pressure is on you to pretend to be perfect, the stress seems to find a way to creep up and build. It's like something is leeching my energy," she said, looking at him for some sort of reassurance. She couldn't wait until the ball was over, just so she could go back to being what she was, not her mother's little doll.

"You do not need to pretend to be perfect, Princess," Kennai says with a smile. "Your mother taught you well, and what is 'right', but you still show through as being your own person. That will really determine what the people think of you if you are chosen as the inheriting heir, as every ruler has their own thoughts and ways of running the kingdom." He pauses a moment, pondering what she said some more. "It will be tiring, yes, but it is all practice until you can take the reins and ride for yourself."

Aekra looked at him and nodded. "Alright, Kokajin." She reached up and brushed her fingers against his cheek. "Do you wish to head home? Or would you rather come with me to get fitted?" She didnt care what option he chose, she could get fitted almost any time before the ball.