Kimura Akemi is bored.
Profoundly so.
Sighing, the young heiress pushes herself off the pillar and skips to the side, wondering where her friend Hibiki may be. It was a stupid question though she didn't ask out loud, the young appritance healer is most likely in the royal gardens, seeking out rare herbs and interacting with nature.
Royal parties, such a pain. The teen lifts the large skirt of her golden gown slightly so she may make her way down the stairs, Akemi is a lady of adventures and excitement.
True, she may excel in the art of story-telling, but she is by no way a maiden who would enjoy spending her entire life wasting away in a library, learning the world beyond through the pages when it is just beyond her door. She longs to venture into the deep dark woods, into the looming mountains where endless secrets and dangers hide, yet father wishes for her to be the obedient little lady, the perfect wife to whoever he wished to marry her off to.
And she is having none of that. Akemi sighs again as she finally arrived to her destination. The royal gardens are magnificent, though Akemi prefers the wilderness. Father is back home for now and she just couldn't wait for him to leave. As one of the lords of the concole of the Kingdom of the West father is often called away to the capital, leaving her home alone with her sister, Koki. And during those times she'd leave her home behind, taking only her mount, the black tiger which she jokingly named Smudge, and with her dear friends she may finally gain freedom for a short time, yet not forever.
She will have to return home before her father does, she always has to. The unspoken rule of never crossing father looms over her and her sister, almost like a death threat. As her thoughts wandered her nails began to dig into the flash of her palm, even through her glove. Was it anger or frustration? She don't know. But he mind is so clouded by this endless pool of emotions she couldn't control herself, and in a fit of anger and a swipe of her feet she sent a stone by her feet towards the pond, splashing into the water and expelling ripples.
"That is rather unbecoming of a lady, isn't it?"
At the unfamiliar voice she whirled around, standing a little down the path in an elegant blue suit was a young man, her age, or perhaps a year her senior? But the golden embodory on his clothing states his status quite clearly, and just as she had been taught to do so, Akemi lifted her skirt with grace and dipped into a respectful bow.
"I apologize." She says, inwardly snorting at how untrue the words she had spoken was.
The teen examined her, tilting his head just as she straightened and rested into a pose she hated so much, hands clasped before her and shoulders pulled back, graceful and pretty for sure but not at all comfortable. She began to take in the gentlemen's appreance, pale with a lean and well built frame. He is very handsome, she noted, though with a scar, he has a face she is sure most ladies in the country will be chasing after. His eyes are quite peculiar, each a different color with one a pale grey and another a striking blue. Not to mention his hair— with the left side a brilliant ruby red and the other a stark, striking white.
"It's quite alright." The teen's voice bought her attention back towards his almost expressionless face, "Though, may I ask, what brings you out here in the gardens, Lady..."
"Kimura. Kimura Akemi." She dipped into a bow, "Heiress to the Kimura and Hayashi seat, It's a pleasure."
He raises an eyebrow, "Well, Lady Kimura," He bowed, "Todoroki, Todoroki Shouto, Prince of the Eastern Empire."
Her breath caught. Todoroki Shouto. The crown prince of the Eastern Empire, ruled by King Endeavor. Dipping into an even deeper bow and kneeling slightly she lowered her head as a display of respect. " I apologize, your Majesty, I did not recognize you. It's my honour to meet you."
"At ease," He waves her apology away, "Well, as I was asking?"
"...I find balls and royal parties in general, rather..." She hesitates, will this offend him? "Not of my interest." She finally decides to praise it like this, and gains an almost amused look in return.
"I see." he looks away towards the sky, pensive. "Are you perhaps familiar with the paths of the gardens, Lady Kimura?"
"Akemi will do, and, yes, I suppose so." She glances to the side, "Why do you ask?"
"Will you perhaps be my guide of tonight, then, Lady Ki-" He coughs and corrects himself, "Lady, Akemi?" He asks and Akemi smiles.
"It'll be my pleasure." She responses, and turning on her heels, she beckons the prince to follow and the two made their way into the maze of paths that is the royal gardens.
Being friends with Hibiki has its merits, and one of them involves knowing every last path of the gardens by heart. As you never know when you will need to run into this perplexing internet of lanes and paths to fish her out for lunch. She introduced the prince to the many herbs and floras Hibiki had rant to her about, the beauty and the history of this place, and shared small stories of hers and her friend's banters there. Filling the air with small talks and at one point, the prince began to join her in her pointless chatters and for a while, she forgot about his status and began talking as she would to her sister and friends.
Though it wasn't a long time, it was time well spent.
"I'm afraid I must leave." The prince looks towards the clock tower, and Akemi followed his gaze.
"It is quite late." she hums, " I suppose we'll bid each other goodbye for now."
"I suppose so, my father will be looking for me." For a moment, his face seems to darken and Akemi almost recognizes the look, however it was there for but a fleeting moment and it was gone before she could.
"Perhaps we may meet again?" She asks, and the prince smiles for the first time.
"Perhaps."
