There was something different about this environment, all the pieces were training with dummies, or fake images of an assimilation of the battles in the war. Emil looked around, he was a knight, he was fighting with his sword, when suddenly daggers were thrown at him.

"What the hell!?" He yelled out without noticing, a young Chinese guy walked over to him and smirked,

"You've got good reflexes, too bad...you're still not good enough" he told Emil. The Icelandic boy noticed this was an assassin pawn of the orange kingdom, named Li wang, but people called him Leo.

"What do you mean I'm not good enough? I'm far better than you are" Emil replied as he smirked,Leo smiled a challenging smile. Holding daggers in his hands,

"You're kinda cute when you get mad" Leo complimented as Emil was thrown off guard, he began blushing.

"Me? C-cute? What? I-what?" Emil began saying as his cheeks were blushing red. Leo laughed, and moved closer to the Icelandic boy,

"Yeah, you're cuter even closer" Leo said in a low whisper as his face was almost 3 inches away at best, Emil blushed harder. Pushing the assassin away,

"That won't win you a war! Flirting"

"I know, but just wanted to say that before...we face eachother in the arena" he said with a smile, it was genuine and kind. Emil felt his Heart beat faster,

"Leo! Come here!" As lien Chung (Vietnam ) called out to him. She was indeed beautiful. A wonderful dress, short in the front and long in the back. But long enough for her to move accessibly. Leo lightly bowed to Emil, and took his hand, placing a kiss on it,

"See ya later, my princess" he said teasingly as he walked away. Emil watched as the Chinese guy walked off, meeting the female assassin, she smiled at him and looked happy at his side. The Icelandic youth felt a tad bit jealous, he wanted to know Leo a bit more...

As for Kiku, he was mastering his magical skills. They were a bit rusty, and his dragon Whom stayed with him was watching. Kiku closed his eyes and focused on imagining his dragon growing, becoming bigger. Magic worked that way, it worked as though your thoughts and emotions could drive magic. As the Japanese man opened his eyes he saw his dragon was indeed much more bigger, and very close to a Taiwanese girl.

"Hey! Watch out!" She yelled out as she had accidentally thrown a sword at Kiku, Kiku ducked down immediately. Feeling terror. "I am so sorry!" She yelled out as she ran to him.

"I am rusty with my swordsmanship skills! I am so sorry!" She said as she bowed in apology. Kiku laughed a little.

"No need, I thought my dragon was too close to you as well, my apologies" he said as he bowed a little. Mei smiled and laughed. Scratching the back of her head nervously.

"I'm Mei, second knight of the orange kingdom" she introduced herself

"Konnichiwa Mei-San, I'm Kiku Honda. First bishop of the blues" he said. She smiled at him,

"Please don't call me Mei-San. Makes me feel old"

"Mei chan? Then?" Kiku asked as he looked at her curiously. She was indeed pretty and very kind. She smiled at him and nodded,

"Thank you! That sounds better. I'm sorry Kiku-kun...but could I ask you for a favor?" She asked quietly and shyly.

"Hai!"

"Well...could we train together? I know we are enemies, but just for today, could we act as though we weren't? Or maybe just for the week? You teach me stuff and I teach you how to avoid not getting your head cut off" she said with a nervous laugh. Afraid he wouldn't accept being her friend. He was cute, and very kind, and gentle. Different from the guys she was surrounded by at the castle.

Kiku lightly laughed and nodded, "of course Mei-chan. I would most like that, please take care of me" he said respectfully as he bowed. Mei smiled and bowed as well,

"Please take care of me as well" she replied as that was the beginning of her friendly time with Kiku Honda. As the looked back at eachother, flower petals flew with the breeze. The gardens had cherry blossom trees, most beautiful. A petal fell into Mei's hair. Kiku reached for it, delicately seeing he wouldn't hurt her. As he had reached for her, Mei felt her heart pound. Seeing him focused on her, to not hurt her, to keep her safe...it made her like him. She blushed lightly as she looked at the ground,

"Mei-chan? Are you well? Did I hurt you?" He asked her as he looked confused and worried. Mei smiled nervously

"N-no...j-just...no one really takes care of me besides my older brother Yao...a-and just...seeing you...care...made me...feel..."

"Different?" Kiku asked, as he noticed his hand was on her cheek, he immediately took his hand away and blushed. "I-I'm sorry!" He managed to say weakly as he didn't look at her. Mei laughed and equally blushed.

Maybe they didn't have to be enemies after all?

The two orange bishops were practicing their magic and fighting skills together in a very secretive part of the gardens in which Francis had found. Mathew was sitting under a maple tree, enjoying the weather when Francis sat down and leaned on Mathew, placing kissed on the Canadians cheek.

"This is not exactly practicing, Francis" Mathew said quietly,

"Je veux bisous, mon Petit Chou " Francis replied as he kissed the Canadians neck. Mathew blushed Harder,

"No, Francis, no wanting kisses, what if someone sees-" Mathew began saying as Francis pushed the Canadian down on the ground. Topping him.

"Oh Matthieu, you worry to much my sweet heart. What are you worried? Your brother seeing? Don't you know? He's busy with Arthur today"

"No, I'm worried someone will see"

"But the only one who knows about this place is Me, and probably the hostess." Francis said as he leaned down and kissed the Canadians forehead.,

"Francis, we should be practicing"

"Mon petit Chou, quiet. I haven't had time to indulge in your embrace in weeks. I deserve this much" Francis whined as Mathew laughed and wrapped his arms around the French. Francis smirked and leaned down kissing Mathew long and hard. The two hadn't been together in weeks, that was true. Francis was busier with more bishop responsibilities than Mathew and Alfred made sure they slept on the opposite side of the castle form eachother. Alfred was a very overprotective brother. As the two kissed, Francis slipped his tongue onto Mathews mouth, savoring his Canadian. Deepening the kiss, as Mathews hands roamed through the French mans body.

That was their training for the day,

The black kingdom, was actually training. The czechian girl, and the Slovakian boy. Two assassins. Hedvika and Jakub, they were training with their daggers.

Hedvika the Czech, took a false step and fell to the ground. Jakub, the Slovakian rushed to her side,

"You okay?"

"Of course I'm not okay!" She complained as she looked at her twisted ankle, Jakub slightky laughed.

"You're always like this. Let me get you some ice- actually lets get you to the infirmary" he said as he picked Hedvika, holding her in bridal position. She began blushing,

"I-I'm not a baby! I can walk!"

"No you can't, you sprained your ankle, now, Hedvika, calm down please. You're going to get hurt"

"Jakub! You're making me feel embarrassed, I'm an assassin Goddammit! If this happens out in the field-"

"I will be there and help you up, holding you like this" he told her with a smile. Hedvika blushed.

"W-what if you're busy" she mumbled as he began walking into the mansion, heading to the infirmary,

"I won't be, because my eyes are always on you." He informed her with another kind smile. He was always to sweet to her,

"Jakub..."'

"Yes?" He asked her as he turned another hallway,

"Why do you take care of me when I'm always so mean to you"

"Because...I-I like you.." He mumbled, "I always take care of you, you take care of me. That's why we work perfectly together." He said as he justified his reasons, Hedvika blushed,

"Let's not talk about the war...it's depressing, and I'd rather see you smile" he told her as he finally got to the infirmary. He pushed the door open, noticing the Blue Queen in there. Sleeping. Her knight at her side, reading a book.

"Oh? What happened?" Roderich asked them, as he stood up.

"She sprained her ankle" Jakub answered, he was being kind to Roderich, despite being form enemy kingdoms. The Austrian man walked towards the back of the room, and brought back an ice pack.

"Here," he said as he handed it to Jakub. Hedvika was already sitting on a bed,

"But...you're our enemy, why are you helping us?" Hedvika asked curious. Roderich smiled,

"Because...my queen would want that, and besides..I would rather get to know who my enemy is first before I kill them..." Roderich replied as his smile went away, "I really hate these games, nothing but slaughter"

Hedvika stayed quiet, Jakub laughed to cheer up the mood, "well thank you! I do hope to not cross you, or fight with you in the arena. I wouldn't want to kill someone so nice" Jakub said as he smiled at the Austrian. Roderich laughed,

"Same here! But take care of her, it pretty swollen" Roderich said as he looked at hedvikas ankle. She sighed,

"I'll be fine!"'

Roderich smiled, "strong girl, that's good. And your names are?"

"I'm Hedvika, this is Jakub. Black pawn assassins" she answered

"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Roderich, first knight of the Blue Kingdom. And that over there sleeping is my Queen, elizaveta"

"Why are you taking care of her?" Hedvika asked, '"shouldn't her king do that?"

"Well.." Roderich began saying

"Hedvika! Don't ask questions that invade personal matters!" Jakub scolded her, but he wasn't using a strict tone. Hedvika blushed embarassed,

"I'm sorry..."

"Oh no! Don't worry! I take care of her because...she's important, I mean of course she's important, she's a Queen-" Roderich began saying when Jakub smiled,

"You love her don't you? Don't worry we won't tell...I mean..right after this week...we basically go into the arena," Jakub informed as he looked at Hedvika,

"How do you know what love is?" Roderich asked curiously, pulling up a chair.

"Well...the way you look at her. And because in this world you can't hide two things, sneezing and love" Jakub said as he laughed a little

"You're pretty wise for a young person"

"I'm only 18, doesn't mean anything" Jakub replied, Hedvika laughed,

"And I believe you also love someone don't you?" Roderich asked. "I mean...if you're familiar with the way love looks"'

Jakub turned red, "I-I don't know what you're talking about"

"I think you do" Roderich replied as he laughed and looked at Hedvika, she was clueless. "I hope your lucky girl one day understands. At least tell her before the games begin. You don't want to lose her"

"I-I haven't found the time.." Jakub muttered as he slightly glanced at Hedvika, she looked clueless, but curious. "Besides..it's not like she likes me" he muttered as he glanced quickly at the czechian girl.

"Maybe? Maybe not? But it's better to know before the games, than die not knowing" Roderich said as he smiled, and went back to his book...