"So Devil" The crimson eyed apprentice looked up from the horse shoe he was forging, to his mentor.

"What?"

"I was just curious, are you going to the ball tonight? Because if you are, then you'll have to go into the market and buy something nice to wear." Devil sighed.

"I'm not going." John looked surprised. Surely the young boy might want a chance to meet other people and socialize. After all he felt like Devil deserved to mingle with other kids his age, even if he was a horribly rude boy.

"Why not?"

"I can easily tell that since, my friends are now part of the royal palace and are now royalty, that this ball is going to filled with snotty brats and idiot pretty boys. I'd rather not go." The teen continued to pound the horse shoe.

"That can't be all the reason"

"It's not. I have somewhere to be tonight." John raised an eyebrow. That sentence could mean anything.

"Where might that be?"

"Somewhere. I'll be back later though, so is it okay if I hide out here?" Devil looked up again.

"Sure. No one comes by here to visit any ways. Not anymore." Devil stopped working.

"What do you mean, 'Not anymore'?"

"No one comes by to visit since my wife was alive."

"You had a wife?" Devil was a little surprised. He never thought this cranky old man would have had a wife. Well then again he must have gotten cranky for some reason.

"Yes. I also had a son."

"What happened?"

"My wife died form an illness about ten years ago, when my son was only five." John sighed. Five? That's how old I was.Suddenly Devil felt like a jackass. He shouldn't have said all those things to his mentor.

"What happend to your son?"

"Two years ago he went off with these people all dressed in some weird type of clothing, I never saw him since."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure. Those people are mysterious, they take people and we never see them again."

"So they kidnap people?"

"No. They promise the people things and the people go along willingly. That's what happened to Lucas. That was his name."

"Oh."

"Don't act all down because of my story Devil."

"Alright. Um...Old Man?"

"Huh?"

"Can I borrow some money? I need to buy something at the market."

"Sure, why not? I get paid a lot more than I use." Devil smiled at John who gave him a small pouch.

"Thanks John! I'm gonna go get Azia, then I'm gonna go okay?"

"Knock yourself out" John mereley waved his hand in the air.

"Hey Azia, how have ya been girl?" Devil walked up to the beautiful, lonely mare. She just snorted in answer. She wasn't very social with the other horses.

"Yeah, it's alright though. They'll come around eventually. They have to just accept you, and besides, they're just jealous." Devil hugged her neck. " I mean you aresmarter and faster than them." Azia snickered in agreement.

"Hey Devil! Where are you going?" Devil turned to look into the direction the voice came from. He fond his red eyes clashing with beautiful lightning blue eyes.

"Oh hey Symphony. I'm going to the market today." The princess walked over to him.

"Is John sending you on another errand?"

"Nah, I'm going there to-"

"Meet Forest again?" Melody teased, though the thought of Devil and Forest being together was unsettling. Devil glared at her.

"No. I told you all that I did not have a crush on her and I still don't have a crush on her. Why are you here?"

"I wanted to see if you wanted to go swimming with me." Devil and Azia looked at her like she was crazy.

"I can think of soo many reasons as to why I can't do that"

"Like what?"

"The water's freezing at this time of year"

"You'll get over it after a while. Besides the cold numbs all your feelings for a while so it's relaxing."

"Your father will kill me for going with you."

"Since when did you care about what my father thinks?"

"Your mom won't like it if you became sick before the ball"

"I won't get sick."

"I can't swim" Devil almost laughed at himself. He was so stupid.

"You told me you were a great swimmer yesterday." Melody smirked. She was going to win the battle.

"I'm a potential killer. Do you wanna risk that?" Devil narrowed his eyes at her for effect.

"You told me that you didn't kill them and I believe you." Devil muttered 'Crap!'

"I...uh..."

"Well?" Melody crossed her arms and looked at him.

"I might take a long time at the market. Besides I have to take Azia on a walk. Since being deemed dangerous she hasn't explored the kingdom and I haven't either." Melody pouted. She was so close too! Devil breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well then I'll come with you. If you have a guide then your tour will go by faster!"

"I'd rather just go my own way. Azia won't get lost, and you might have to get ready soon."

"But remember what John said? It's dangerous this time of year."

"More of a reason for you to stay. I'm not afraid of dragons and John didn't seem too worried when I told him I was gonna leave."

"I'm still coming."

"Fine whatever, but then you're going straight back to the palace."

"You're not my dad."

"I could be"

"No you couldn't. You're only one year older than me and my mom married at 16 and slept with no man besides my father"

"I could be older and maybe your mother had an affair? Ever think about that?" He laughed as Melody punched his arm. "You are so weak! You're right, you can't be my daughter!"

"Oh Shut up!!" Devil gasped at her words.

"Such vulgar words for a princess!" Melody laughed.

"Come on! Help me get Seina"

"Sure"

Sky nervously twirled the crystal around her neck as she watched Takeshi and Chef Alex cut up vegetables to add to the food. Chef Alex allowed her to stay in the kitchen as long as she didn't distract Takeshi from his cooking. Takeshi occasionally glanced

at the young princess to see if she was still giving off the aura of nervousness. He sighed.

"Sky, you've been sitting there, twirling that necklace for half an hour. What's wrong?" He didn't stop chopping the carrot as he spoke.

"Nothing is wrong"

"Sky." He stopped cutting and looked to his beloved friend. "What's the matter? You never get like this." Sky sighed and turned her gaze away from those sightless eyes.

"I just feel like something's going to happen today. It's like the world shifted or something."

"Sky just relax. Nothing is going to happen. Leaf, and I, we'll protect you if anything does happen." The blind teen turned her head towards him and kissed her forehead.

"Hey break it up lovebirds! Takeshi, are you doing what I asked you to do?" Takeshi quickly turned to meet his angry mentor. Alex sure did lose his cool easily when it came to cooking. Sky blushed furiously at the thought of Takeshi and her being lovebirds

"Yes Alex, I'm sorry"

"What did I tell you?" Takeshi sighed at his mentor.

"You are not Alex in the kitchen, you are Chef Alex or Sir." Alex smirked.

"That's right now get to work!" When Alex walled away, Takeshi looked at Sky and he tried to suppress a laugh and then he heard her giggling. He couldn't hold it in any longer and began to laugh as well.

"Is he always like that when he's cooking?" Sky managed to ask as she laughed. Takeshi just nodded.

"What did I just say?" Alex went over to them again and hit his apprentice's head. "Get back to work!" The Chef then turned his eyes to the young princess.

"I'm sorry Chef Alex. Please let me stay, I promise not to distract Takeshi anymore" Sky pleaded with her beautiful amethyst eyes and Alex couldn't say no. Takeshi smiled as he continued to chop carrots.

Beautiful music filled the room as Leaf watched Rose play her violin with a pleased look on her face. Thomas wasn't sitting too far away and he smiled at his prodigy. He wasn't even sure that he could teach her more than she already knew.

"I wish I could play an instrument" Leaf mumbled as Rose stopped playing.

"What do you mean? You have an instrument" She walked over to the prince who looked at her in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"Your voice is a instrument." Leaf laughed

"Hardly"

"Prince Leaf, you can sing?" Thomas looked to the teen with interest. His voice must be satisfying to the ears. His mother's is outstanding!

"Not much. I don't like to do it in front of people." Leaf stated with a shrug and it was true. He got stage fright whenever he found that someone was watching him.

"But he sings really good!" Rose assured her mentor.

"I'd like to hear your instrument one day Prince Leaf" Thomas smiled at the new heir to the kingdom.

"If I get the courage." Leaf nodded.

"Now come on Rose, we have to rehearse with the rest of the orchestra for the ball tonight." Thomas gestured with his hand to follow him.

"I'm going to actually play in the orchestra ?!" Rose was amazed when Thomas nodded. She looked in Leaf's direction and he gave her an encouraging smile as she followed Thomas to the ball room.

"Now what to do, what to do?" Leaf asked himself as he walked around the palace. His father was with his mother doing....he didn't want to think about that, and Melody went to bug Devil so that left sibling bonding out. Sky was in the kitchen and so was Takeshi and Leaf wasn't allowed to go in there because he'd fool around too much. The emerald eyed prince sighed.

He could go visit his grandfather himself but the last time something important was happening so that wasn't such a good idea. Suddenly, as he was walking, Ruby flew by looking down. She flew past Leaf without even acknowledging him and she sighed.

"Ruby!" the floating fairy stopped and turned around. She raised her big silver eyes to him.

"Oh hi Leaf"

"Hey what's wrong? we haven't seen you in a while." Leaf walked up to the small figure.

"I'm on the wrong end of unrequited love" Leaf looked at the poor heartbroken fairy and figured that she had a crush on his best friend.

"Unrequited love huh? Well all I can say is try hard to forget. I'm still trying to do that" Leaf offered a smile.

"You loved someone who didn't love you?!" Ruby was surprised. Leaf was a good guy and that girl must be an idiot.

"It wasn't like that Ruby. I loved her and she loved me like a brother like she should, anyways I'm getting over it. Slowly." Leaf added as he thought about his younger sister.

"Maybe you can find someone else! Like Rose!" Ruby blurted out and quickly covered her mouth upon realizing the mistake she just made. Leaf looked at her confused.

"Rose and I, we're just friends. Besides she doesn't like me like that, Right?"

"R-right!" How could he be so dense?! Rose flew onto his shoulder.

"Anyways, do you want to come with me to the beach? I have nothing else to do"

"Sure!!"