"Finally a day off..." Kenmei spoke to herself as she sat down under a large tree in the Kou Palace garden, book in hand. For a few weeks now, her schedule had been piling up and she had almost no time to herself. Along with her regular palace duties, Judar was always bugging her to train or do something to entertain him and keep him from being bored, which turned out to be more of a job than her real one.

Today, though, he had been called off to do.. whatever it is he always did and this gave her some time to herself. Sure, she loved being around him, but sometimes she needed some space and it was finally hers to take. She decided to spend a few hours out in the garden reading, having become quite fond of the outdoors with how much Judar dragged her around.

So, the young magician settled herself down against the tree, the hot sun blocked from her skin by the branches and leaves. The shade made the area cool and the temperature perfect for just relaxing outside. Kenmei crossed her legs and opened up her book, giving a smile as it opened. This was a new book that she had yet to read, and she was hoping to get through half or even all of it today.

Kenmei had been searching for a book that went deeper into the worlds history for quite a long time, and she had finally found one in a small book store in the Kou Empire capitals marketplace. It was an old, dusty book that had obviously been forgotten about for many years, and was more than likely out dated, but Kenmei couldn't help but feel like she needed to read it. She had read other history books, but they were all about the rulers of the land and how the different countries and cities came to be.

This book, though, was deeper into history and more about the magic side of things. From the small bits she read in the book store, it told of the Magi and how their chosen kings have changed history. Simply reading the tiny bit about the Reim empires Magi made her want the book instantly. She knew that Judar would more than likely not be spoken about in this book, as it was obviously older than both of them, but the wanting to know more about Magi in general drove her to purchase the book.

She held it open with both hands as she started to read, being drawn in and captivated from the first word. The instant she started to read, it was like all other noise and things around her became invisible. It was always like this, every time she began to read. The only thing that ever seemed to pull her out of her little world was Judar, who often did it in very rude and sudden ways. But today, she knew she wouldn't have to be pulled out of her zone. Or she hoped, at least.

Judar gave an irritated grumble as he walked down the hallway of the living quarters. He had just gotten out of his little 'meeting', which was filled with nothing but boring chatter and useless information, at least it was to him, anyway. Thankfully, though, it hadn't lasted the whole day, even though he had been told that it would. But, that was because he had decided to skip the rest of the meetings. If it was really that important, it would just be repeated to him later, like always.

After he had gotten out of the clutches of his caretakers, he had started to search for something else to do. At first, he wanted to speak to the Kou Empire royals, namely Kouen, though the young ruler was no where to be found. And, after seeing cloaked figures searching for him in the courtyard, he knew he would not be able to rest there for a while.

So in a final effort to not die from boredom, the Magi decided to search for Kenmei. Through his previous adventures of the day, he had noticed that she was not walking around doing her normal work, nor was she in the courtyard for.. whatever reason she might have been. The next place he thought to check was her room, which was annoyingly far from the courtyard.

He stopped at the door to her room and, without knocking, grabbed it and slid it open. "Hey, are you in here?" He poked his head inside and looked around. When he was met with an empty room and silence, he gave an irritated growl and pulled himself back into the hall, shutting the door loudly. "Damn it."

And in that moment, he gave up. He was not going to waste his time trying to find her in this huge place. He began to walk down the hall again, deciding to try and find a different place to take a nap. He knew that the small garden had a pretty large tree, even if it was uncomfortable, but it would suffice until his tree in the courtyard was safe to go to. Besides, the tree in the garden was fully bloomed and it was doubtful that anyone would see him up there.

He walked in a deep silence, only the echo of his bare feet on the tile floor making any noise. The rhythmic sound almost put him in a trance, relaxing him and causing him to be in an even bigger need for a good nap. Soon, though, he noticed a different source making him feel that way as well. This actually caused him to become more alert and he looked around, looking down from the second story he was on and into the garden.

He could feel the energy coming from there, so he walked closer to the edge of the hall, leaning out of an open window to get a better look. He glanced around for a bit before he saw a pair of legs sticking out from under the branches of the tree, which were blocking his view. He put his hand over his eyes to block the blaring sun, and was able to recognize the pants and shoes, which were messily flopped next to the freckled shins and feet.

Judar gave a sly grin and got up to sit on the edge of the window, lettings his legs dangle down of the side of the building. If Kenmei was sleeping, he knew that yelling or calling out would freak her out and make her jump.

"Hey! What are you doing in the dirt, stupid girl!" He called down, kicking his legs a bit from anticipation at her reaction.

His grin faded to an irritated frown when she didn't even move, so he tried again. "Hey! Are you deaf?!" Still, the legs didn't move. He listened closely and he heard the sound of paper flapping and rustling of fabric.

She was reading. Of course she was reading, it's all she ever did and it was annoying enough to make him burn every book she owned. But then he would have to deal with her being angry, and that was even more irritating than her reading.

He gave an irritated growl and jumped down from the window, landing in the tree. He moved down a few branches, stopping on the largest one above her. He shook the branch some, making the leaves fall. "Hey!"

Still, Kenmei did not move or seem to notice. She was laying on her back, now, holding the book up in front of her face, blocking the view from above her. She was completely toned out to everything but the words in her book. They were amazing and fascinating to her, a little wind in the tree wasn't going to break her out of her spell.

Judar grumbled and jumped down, landing at her feet. "Are you in there?" He kicked her shoe towards her foot, but she only nudged it back away and lied her legs down a bit flatter on the grass. Judar then poked her foot with his, which only caused her to pull her foot away a bit, rub it on the grass like it itched, then rest it back in place.

The boy rolled his eyes and walked around to her head, tapping his fingers on the book a bit roughly, but Kenmei continued to read. He was tempted to push the book down into her face, but got a different idea that he knew would freak her out more. So, he walked back down to her feet and turned to face her. He knelt down before he started to crawl forward, knees and hands on either side of her as he moved.

Kenmei didn't notice a thing, so into the current details in the book. She took the shifting weight of the grass around her just as it moving into place from her laying on it, and the sound of it swishing softly as just the wind or someone else walking through the garden else where.

In fact, the magician didn't react until she saw his face interrupt her sight of the books pages. She gave a yelp and jumped, almost kneeing the Magi in the gut. After her scream, though, all she could do was stare up at him. She had no idea how to react to this.

Judar glared down at her, able to feel the book on his shoulder blades and one of her legs bent upwards to where her knee was pressing against his stomach. "Don't you think you need to start paying more attention?"

Kenmei blinked a few times, face turning red as she processed the situation. "W-what?"

"I've been calling and messing with you for like five minutes."

"W-why?"

He shrugged, annoyed by the book pressing against his back. "I don't know, really."

Kenmei gave him a glare and pulled her book around, pressing it against his chest as she tried to push him back. "Well then get off! I was at a good part of my book!"

Judar didn't fight against the pressure and sat up. Though instead of getting off of her, he sat himself down on her thighs, making her give another irritated cry. "Hey! You're heavier than you look, you know!"

Judar huffed and grabbed the book, curious to see what she was so interested in. "What stupid crap are you reading about now?"

Kenmei sighed, defeated and knowing that her peaceful day was now ruined. "It's a history book."

"That's stupid." He opened it up and skimmed over the page he opened up to. He was bored almost instantly, letting the book fall out of his hands to the side and onto the grass. "I know all that stuff already."

Kenmei tried to wiggle her legs out from under him. "Well I don't, that's why I'm reading it." She grabbed the book and closed it properly, worried the pages might get messed up if she left it the way it had fallen.

"Could just ask."

"You wouldn't tell me anything even if I did ask. You get all pissy whenever I try to talk about anything dealing with you and magi stuff."

"I don't care about telling you history stuff."

"Then tell me." She sat up on her hands, legs still pinned down by his weight. Judar scoffed. "No way, I'm not your teacher."

Kenmei gave him a look. "See? You wouldn't tell me even if I asked." She gently put her hands on his chest and tried to nudge him off, but he wasn't going anywhere. "And please get off my legs, they're going numb."

Judar snickered and grabbed her wrists. "Whatever." In a swift motion, he lied back while also pulling her forward until she plopped down to sit on his stomach, legs on either side of him. Her face darkened and she moved to get off, but was stopped when his hands placed on her thighs. She could tell that's where he wanted her, and she wasn't going to fight it.

Kenmei ran her fingers on the cool metal of his arm bands a bit, feeling a bit awkward at the situation, so she decided to speak. "I thought you had stuff to do today?"

Judar nodded, though a large yawn interrupted him from speaking. His need for a nap was starting to hit him again. "Yeah.. I got bored and didn't want to sit through their talking. If it's important then they'll just tell me later. They always repeat crap to me anyway." He removed his hands from her and put his arms behind his head, closing his eyes.

Kenmei shook her head, knowing he was going to go to sleep. So she began to move off of him, but as she did so, she paused, hearing two voices from down the hall, coming towards the garden. "Lord Priest! Are you here?" Then a second voice. "Perhaps in the garden?"

The instant Judar heard their voices he sat up, going a bit too quickly. His head collided with Kenmei's, who had been leaning forward to try and see the two figures better. Kenmei gave yelp, shocked at the sudden collision and pain from it. His movement also caused her to fall backwards and land harshly onto his lap. And in the reaction to her fear of falling back, she grabbed onto the white fabric he kept around his shoulders and pulled on it in an attempt to keep her self up, but instead caused their heads to collide once again.

Judar growled at the second collision, one eye closed from the irritating pain he was now feeling. "You stupid girl." He quickly turned to look back as he heard the voices speak again and the footsteps become quicker, indicating that they must have heard Kenmei's cry of pain.

Deciding that it would take way too long to just push her off, he grabbed her and stood, quickly getting up into the tree. Kenmei clung to him, the pounding in her head increasing at his quick movements. She looked up at him when he stopped, confused as to why he was suddenly in such a rush. They had stopped on a larger branch, Judar still holding Kenmei in a bridal like style while he stayed in a squatted sitting position on the branch, completely still.

Judar kept his eyes down, waiting to see if his caretakers would be able to notice them or not. Kenmei gave a small frown when she saw that one of his eyes was squinted, guessing that her forehead had gotten him on the yet the second time around. "Why are we up he-" She instantly cut herself off when he shot her quite the irritated glare and she covered her own mouth, guessing he wanted her to be quiet.

She looked down at the same time he did when she heard foot steps from under the tree. Two white cloaked men with covered faces looked around. "I thought I heard something from here." One spoke, noticing the book on the ground.

When he noticed it, Kenmei could feel Judar tense, his grip on her tightening a bit as he noticed his mistake. The cloaked man only looked at it a bit before he looked around the area more. He seemed unable to see or sense the two and he began to walk away from the tree. The other, though, glanced up into the branches. After a few seconds he, too, left the tree alone and followed his partner. "I guess he is not here. He must have left the palace."

The two in the tree sat still as they listened to the voices walking away. Judar finally relaxed when he could no longer hear them and he sighed. "Damn it that was close."

"Why are you hiding from them?" Kenmei asked as she removed her hands from her mouth.

Judar only stared down at her before he glared once again and plopped her down onto the branch next to him, causing her to almost fall to the ground. She gripped onto the branch tightly as she regained her balance, giving him a look. "What was that for?!"

Judar sat down on the branch all the way, leaning up against the trunk and rubbed his sore eye. "Your god damned head is like a rock. You idiot girl, always in my way."

Kenmei frowned. "You were the one who sat up all quickly! It's not my fault." Though she was angry at his attitude towards her, she still felt bad that his eye had gotten hurt. She scooted closer. "Let me see."

Judar shook his head, keeping his hand on his eye. "No, go away. You'll probably just end up stabbing my eye with your finger."

"I will not, I know what I'm doing." She scooted up and between his legs, facing him. "Take your hand off." When he continued to protest, Kenmei gave a light jab to his left side, causing him to flinch a bit and have to use both hands to stay up on the branch. "Don't do that, woman!"

Kenmei gave a sly smile and grabbed his wrists as he attempted to cover his eye again, too stubborn to let her help. Though, she pulled his arms down and made him lean forward. "Stop being a child and let me see!"

Judar glared down at her, though it wasn't very intimidating with his left eye still squinted. Kenmei ignored the look as she examined his eye, gently reaching up and pressing her thumb lightly against his brow bone. She knew the purple around his eye was normal, as it was what he always had, but she could see that the whites of his eye were very red and irritated.

He pulled his head away from her hand and was able to get his arms back from her, leaning back against the trunk. "There you saw it." Kenmei rolled her eyes, taking her hand back. "I can help it."

"I don't need your help." He put his arms behind his head and got comfortable, ready to take his nap. Healer or not, he wasn't going to let her help him. He was way to stubborn and proud to let a little bump to his eye make him look weak.

Kenmei raised her eyebrow at him. "You sure? I don't want to hear you complaining later."

Judar grumbled and just closed his eyes. "Yes I'm sure. Now just shut up, I'm tired." Kenmei gave a nod and began to get off of the branch. Judar opened his eyes and lifted his leg to make her stop. "Where are you going?"

"Going down to get my book and leave you alone. I'll sit down there."

Judar sat up, looking down at the book. He put his legs over the side of the branch and jumped down. Kenmei watched, a bit shocked. "You're getting my book?"

Judar picked up the book and looked around a bit before he got back up and into the tree, getting back into his spot. "What?"

Kenmei took the book as he handed it to her. "You got my book for me?"

Judar scoffed as he got back into his napping position. "Not for you, I didn't want you sitting down there because they'd get suspicious if they passed again and saw you reading the book."

Kenmei gave a small smile. "Then you want me up here?"

"Up here, away from the tree, I don't care. I just want to sleep."

"I'd rather sit with you than leave."

He gave a shrug. "Then do it. Just be quiet."

Kenmei turned around and carefully scooted back closer to him, gently leaning back. "Is this okay?"

He only grumbled, eyes closed already. Kenmei shook her head a bit and opened her book back up to the page she had left off on. She was a bit bummed that she had been interrupted while she was so into the book, but she knew it could easily be fixed. Her relaxing day had taken quite the turn, but who was she kidding?

Nothing was more relaxing to her than being with Judar, no matter how much of a pain he was being. Even her books couldn't top the times she had spent with the boy.

All headbutting, both metaphorically and physically speaking, included.