"May I present, Lady Fuyumi Todoroki of the Lordship of Tarlson!"

"You may."

The court herald froze, narrowing his eyes in confusion. He looked between the girl standing beside him and her accompanying entourage and then back to the King and his assembly.

"I….I just did…" the herald tilted his head at the smirk on the king's face and the snickering of his daughter and nephew, standing beside his throne.

The queen turned an unamused, narrow glare at them and they lot of them straightened up quickly.

The Yagis were not what was usually expected of royalty. King Toshinori Yagi was never seen without a brimming grin or a boisterous laugh. And his jokes often came ill-timed. It was obvious that Togata was his nephew, more than that Momo was his daughter. In her poised presentation of herself, and, truly, in her overall appearance, she took after her mother Nemuri, a far more straightforward and serious woman than the man she was married to. In the privacy of their family life she appreciated the humor shared between the members of their family, but in the throne room she was all business and demanded the same of them all.

Momo stifled any thought of laughter at a single look from her mother, but Togata shriveled at the glare. He hadn't lived under that gaze his whole life like Momo had and no matter how big, strong, and intelligent Togata was, he was unbelievably intimidated by the queen. Anyone in their right mind would be, but the young man didn't need to be. Queen Nemuri often said how much she liked him, but never to his face. Most of her compliments were not direct, though her insults usually were.

She was a stark difference to the king. Toshinori Yagi wore his feelings on his sleeves and never believed there was a moment that humor was not appropriate. He got along famously with everyone he met and gave Togata the command of his armies after less than a year of him living there. They were too much alike for the king not to take him under his wing vivaciously and quickly.

But Momo, she sat somewhere in the middle. How could she not? Her father's humor was infectious and his good nature inspired her to be a loving person. But her mother's severity kept her sharp and on her toes. They both put heavy importance on her learning every matter of state to one day take over, but the king's concern for his daughter kept it at an imbalance. Not allowing her into the war council and keeping the darker affairs away from her. She'd complained to her mother before, thinking that she would take her side, see that a future ruler needed to know everything, to experience what it was like to make those world changing decisions. But even she took Toshinori's side, saying that she did not believe Momo mature enough at only nineteen to understand what was going on in the world outside of the castle walls.

She was right in a sense. She didn't know much of the cold, harsh world. Because they tried their damndest to never let her see it, or feel it. It made her frustration endless, but in the midst of war she had no leeway to be selfish. If she couldn't be of help, the best thing she could do was stay out of the way. She had her pride, but she knew her true value to the nation and she wouldn't contradict her father...not too much anyway.

While the herald stuttered his ways through a recovery, the young lady that he was attempting to introduce, hesitantly stepped forward with a tall, straight backed man at her side, armed and official. She curtsied and he bowed.

Momo saw the smile on her father's face widen and felt him shift to rise, but the queen's hand reached over with a look that could have stopped a stampede. She knew he was going to do something embarrassing before he did and as his queen she was fulfilling her most important duty of making him keep face, even when he didn't want to. At first he rolled his eyes, but after a second his face softened and he winked at her instead, sitting back tall in his throne, assuming the regal pose he was supposed to possess naturally.

King Toshinori's voice carried loud and far as he gave his greeting to their guests.

"Welcome to the Capitol, Lady Fuyumi. We're very happy to have you here and to have you as a part of our family."

Fuyumi bowed her head gratefully. "Thank you, your majesty. You have already been a very gracious host."

With a narrowed gaze, Momo eyed the girl very closely, a frown tilting her lip. Her words sounded very empty and her eyes were distant. A suspicious feeling crept up her neck and she looked beside her at Togata. He had been assessing the Todoroki girl himself, but caught her gaze quickly, offering only a shrug to Momo's cynical stare.

The man who accompanied Lady Fuyumi stepped forward, his head crowned with dark hair and his fit, military body stood rigid, strong. The way he held himself and the decoration on his armory showed he was more than a soldier, a leader. While the girl's presence was a bit timid and hardly present, the man filled the space he occupied with energy. Like Togata, but without the goofy smiles.

"My king," he said, helmet tucked under his arm, "I am Commander Tenya Iida of the Lordship of Tarlson. Lord Enji sent me to escort his daughter to your home and to provide you with reports on the war effort. I do not wish to sully this joyful moment with talk of war, but this is of the utmost urgency and I humbly ask that we may speak immediately."

That got Togata's attention more than the sight of the pretty young woman. He looked to the king, eyes telling that he wanted to hear this report more than he wanted this frivolity to continue. He was never one to complain about fun or celebrations, but little meant more to him than his duties as the Commander to the King's Armies. He could have been entirely taken with Fuyumi from the start and the notion of a war effort report would have snatched his attention nonetheless.

Luckily, the king seemed equally interested in the topic and he stood, adopting a serious expression in response to Commander Tenya's words.

"We will be holding the betrothal ceremony tomorrow, so there is no need to prolong these introductions more than necessary," he addressed Lady Fuyumi, "You've been traveling a long time. Settle in and rest while we discuss this unpleasant business. Commander, you may follow us to give your report."

"Thank you," Fuyumi curtsied again.

Togata immediately gestured for the Tarlson Commander to follow him, giving only a brief glance and nod to Fuyumi as he passed. The queen stood as the king and his advisors moved with him to the war room.

Momo got a small notion that perhaps in the bustle she could slip in with them, hear this report from the attractive, dark haired man herself. But her mother caught her by the arm with an unimpressed frown.

"I want to hear what he has to say," Momo demanded firmly, knowing it would get her knowhere.

"That's not important right now," her mother insisted, voice smooth as silk and sharp as steel. She gestured out to Lady Todoroki as servants moved to her side to introduce themselves and show her to her quarters. "Accompany the girl, see that she gets what she needs and rests easy tonight."

Momo huffed, crossing her arms. So far she wasn't impressed with anything she had seen of the demure girl and spending the evening playing handmaiden to her seemed far less important than knowing the number of troops guarding the borderlands or which fortifications needed reinforcements.

"The servants can do that," Momo looked up to Nemuri.

The queen had that trademark severity in her eyes. "She will be living here for the time being and likely for some time after they are wed, at least until your father offers Togata a lordship or his father demands him return home."

"I understand," Momo hated to admit that she saw what her mother was getting at, "I have to learn to live with her now to ease things later."

"No," Nemuri twisted her brow, looking to the girl with cool narrowness, "Never trust a Todoroki, Momo. Not that one. Not any one. It's important that you learn about her and more importantly that you watch her closely."

Momo hadn't taken an instant liking to the girl or anything, but to hear such harsh suspicion from her mother over someone, seemingly so timid was unsettling.

"Then why make Togata marry her if their family is so untrustworthy?"

"Marriage at our status is about alliances and heirs, darling," Nemuri brushed a hair behind Momo's ear fondly, "You marry your children to the people you don't get along with, so that you /can/ get along with them. When you share blood in a descendant it eases things. Not everyone is as lucky as me." She winked at her daughter, a tiny bit of the fun loving person she hid well at court, glimpsing through.

Momo wasn't so foolish to think that royalty or noblemen married for anything other than consolidation of power and she knew it would be no different for her. But her parents loved each other deeply and somewhere in the recesses of Momo's mind she had always hoped she would get that; a political marriage, turned into a happy family. And she wanted that for Togata too. More than for herself. She would be queen after all was said and done and whatever sad sack she had to sport around as a husband would be secondary to that all important role of leadership. But Togata deserved better. Deserved better than to be miserably wed to some untrustworthy family. It pricked her with anger that her father would do such a thing to his loveable nephew, but she was practical enough to understand the meaning behind it.

"Now go," Nemuri gently pushed Momo to follow the Lady and the servants who were in the midst of leaving.

Momo forced out a smile and dashed to catch up to them just as they left the throne room.

"Lady Fuyumi!" Momo shouted, stopping them. The girl turned a still sullen expression to Momo and curtsied again.

"Princess Momo," she greeted her.

"No need for all that," Momo waved it off, truly hating when formality followed her outside of court. She was much like her father in that way. "I'm going to accompany you to your room, make sure you settle in comfortably."

Fuyumi stood straight and looked uncertainly at the ground before nodding and pushing out a smile as forced as Momo's own.

"Thank you, I appreciate the company."

Momo fell in step with her as a servant led them up to the room they had prepared for Fuyumi. Her belongings had been brought there when she first arrived, but it would only be a temporary living space until the wedding.

They made idle chat about her journey and the decor of the castle and the view of the courtyard from one of the windows, but it didn't get much more intimate than that. The girl behaved very distractedly and Momo's suspicions only grew at it, her mother's words rattling in her ears.

When they got to the room, Momo remained while the servants showed her where to find everything. Once they had finished doing so, they offered to bring her something to eat, but she refused, asking for only privacy and her bed. The servants heeded her quickly and left.

Momo was more than happy to be excused in that context and moved to follow them, but Fuyumi's voice caught her at the door.

"Your highness," she said, now sitting on the edge of the bed, eyes directed to her hands, "What...sort of man is he?"

Momo furrowed her brow, "Who? Togata?"

Fuyumi nodded, not looking at her.

There was a fond chuckle in Momo's throat to consider the question, leaning a shoulder against the door instead of opening it. "I think it may be hard to summarize, but overall he's a good man."

"I suppose he seems like it," she said, "But it's hard to tell at first meetings, if this could even be called that. All I know is what I've been told, which is very little, and a brief meeting some five years ago, which I barely remember. And considering that he commands armies and that we're at war, I fear I won't even have a chance to know him at all before we're married."

Momo hummed to herself, surprised to find that there was something very genuine in her tone, in the way she spoke of her fears. It was oddly vulnerable and were Momo anyone but the future queen, she too would be afraid of these same things. Whoever married Momo would be subordinate in status to her, but for Fuyumi and many other women of royal station they held no such power over themselves in these marriages. Not knowing who Togata was, Fuyumi did perhaps have a good reason to be fearful.

"My mother always says 'you can get to know your husband when the children are grown'," Momo chuckled and Fuyumi looked up at her with a tense expression. "She tells that to flighty girls who want a fairytale romance, because the world just isn't like that and life and marriage are simply what you make of it with the cards you're dealt. We have duties as the ruling class and in our youth we're bound to accomplish them. When we're old and crotchety and spent of everything we can give society, then we're allowed to have our fun."

Fuyumi's face dropped sadly and her shoulders sagged forward. Momo immediately realized how harsh her words sounded and she sauntered over to Fuyumi's side, sitting cautiously beside her. She didn't regret being honest, but Momo had too sympathetic a nature not to see the distress on the girl's face and want to ease it at least a little.

"I don't mean it to sound bad," Momo said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "It's just some annoying thing my mother says, because she's callous and cold with frivolous people. For most royals, that's the fate we're left with. A few people get very lucky. My parents were very lucky. And, my lady, you are too."

Fuyumi looked Momo in the eye, two gray gems meeting her dark pair with something confused and slightly hopeful.

Momo smiled wide, "My cousin is my best friend in this entire world. We grew up as siblings these last ten years and I can't imagine my life without him. I've never met a person more loving, fun, or honorable in my life and anyone who knows him is lucky."

A delicate smile pulled on the pale features of the Lady of Tarlson, her white hair, flecked with red, pushed behind her ear by a slender finger.

Momo stood, her suspicions finding a bit of ease in seeing vulnerability from the girl. It didn't mean Momo trusted her or thought any better of her. She was still a Todoroki. She was still someone Togata would have to spend his entire life with and she had a long way to go to prove that she was worthy of him.

"I hold my cousin in an untouchable place, Lady Fuyumi," Momo's voice dropped to a chilly register, "I have never once met a person fit to hold his affection, let alone his hand in marriage. And I still haven't."

They locked eyes again and Fuyumi stiffened under the dark gaze, not unlike the queen's. Which was befitting, because she felt oddly like her mother in that moment, confident, powerful, and calculated in her words. It was a good feeling. She understood why her mother kept up such a presence in court, despite being a very loving wife and mother behind closed doors.

Momo moved back to the door, pausing only a moment as she opened it to offer one last word. Something that the softer side of her pushed out, something spurred by the touch of sympathy Fuyumi had drawn out of her.

"I look forward to you proving me wrong, Lady Fuyumi. Sleep well."

"Are you going to tell me?"

Togata raised his eyebrows at the perceptive gaze of his cousin, scouring him like a puzzle to be solved.

"Tell you what?" he feigned ignorance and kept walking.

"What the Commander from Tarlson said," Momo kept pace with him, pushing aside the fluffed front of her gown with an aggravated yank. She hated this dress particularly; it had too much going on, especially at the front of the skirt. But when stately affairs needed to be attended the servants always laid out this one. She suspected it was her mother's doing that there was never another option around when the time came.

All in all she looked beautiful, which was seemingly the point, though she wasn't sure who she was trying to impress. The kingdom was hers whether she was shaped like an hourglass or had the face of a pig. The queen put great importance on appearance, though, and Momo simply had no choice but to wear the awful thing.

Togata had dressed up nicely too, but he at least seemed comfortable. It was more important that he look presentable today than her. But ever since she had caught him on the walkway to the banquet hall there had been something twisted in his expression. Without an opportunity to speak to him or anyone else that had swept off to the war council last night and herself unable to spy on the occasion, she had to assume there was something said in that meeting that had put him in this displeased mood. Though being upset or fitful for Togata was equal to being pleasant and endearing for anyone else. Only Momo had the trained eye to see that there was something wrong.

"Commander Tenya just gave a report on Tarlson's strength and war preparation," Togata shrugged, "Nothing all that exciting."

Momo rolled her eyes, unconvinced. "A man does not go across the country to meet the king and interrupt introductions of a royal family betrothal for a minor report. I saw that look on father's face. It's that same one you have now. Something is wrong and I want to know what."

Togata chewed his cheek, eyes scraping the ground.

"You know I'm under orders from the king to keep all war room meetings completely confidential, don't you?" he said lightly, "I could be drawn and quartered for saying anything about it to you."

A heartfelt laugh cracked the tension in the air and Momo hooked her arm with his.

"Can you even imagine father giving you consequences for anything?" Momo continued to chuckle, "He's more likely to flog me than scold you. He wanted to have a son like you."

"Don't say things like that, Momo," Togata took on a very serious tone, squeezing the hand against his arm tight, "No son in the world could have replaced you."

She elbowed him, giving him a look that told him she had been joking. "Such a sap. I know I'm the best thing that ever happened to him. Now will you please stop trying to distract me from my question and tell me what the hell is going on in Tarlson?"

Togata sighed and came to a halt. They were near the hall now and would soon be surrounded by merriment and frivolity. The musicians had already begun playing and the smell of freshly cooked meats drifted through the air with the chattering of courtly voices.

He took both her shoulders in hand and turned her to face him, his smile smaller than normal.

"Don't repeat any of this, got it?"

Momo nodded profusely.

Togata spoke in a whisper, "There have been encounters with minor demons at Tarlson's border. Somehow they are infecting past the frontlines and they have been for the last week. Dawnfell is holding, but the ether's touch is manifesting beyond it. We don't know how they made it past the defenses. There have been attacks sporadically placed all the way to Tarlson from just past Dawnfell. The things they've reported have been devastating. They've already called for reinforcements from the Synod and are now looking to us to stop it from spreading further."

Momo swallowed hard. That had been far from the news she'd expected and the look on Togata's face said there was something else.

"Toga?"

He turned his lip in a sad smile, running his hands down her arms. "I'm leaving next week. We're marching to Wingsleeve to set defenses."

Momo pulled her arms around her stomach, brow twisted, gut sinking. "What? For how long?"

Togata shrugged and shook his head. "We don't know. But they need the Royal Armies presence out there. Unfortunately, this also moves the timetable up for all this…" he gave a pointed look to the banquet hall's doors.

"You don't mean-?"

"Yeah," he chuckled, "They pushed the wedding up to the day after tomorrow. The Todorokis don't even have time to make the journey to attend. But we're in dire times and frankly they want the union solidified before anything terrible happens to me."

Momo scoffed. "I thought only we were cynical enough to plan out the politics around your death."

"Well I'm not planning on dying," he laughed, "But they're just being sensible. And it'll probably be better this way." There was a sympathetic glint in the way he watched the door. "That poor girl seems terribly uncomfortable. It would be better for her to get adjusted to life in the castle without also adjusting to married life at the same time. We can get the vows out of the way, see if we can crank out an heir in three days and then she's free for the foreseeable future. Sounds like a winner of a situation to me."

It was hard not to laugh a little at his optimistic nature and the adorably kind gesture behind it. It sounded like a joke, but Momo could see the real, tangible sympathy beneath it. He felt bad for Fuyumi. Which seemed idiotic. As though he didn't realize how much of a catch he was, how perfectly happy he could make any woman.

"Well I don't really care what the good lady of Tarlson thinks," Momo took on a playful tone, "We all have our sorry lots in life and we have to live with them. But for my part, I'm going to miss you and, dammit Togata, you better not die."

Togata turned and put her hand back on his arm, chuckling as they took long strides to the door of the banquet hall. Two servants swept the doors in and the cousins entered the raucous bramble of nobles and members of court. There were greetings and congratulations thrown about to the soon to be groom and polite bows and curtsies to the princess.

As deplorable as it was, they did their duty. They spoke to nobles and lords and ladies and accepted dances and pleasantries until they were finally allowed to take their places at the head table. That was the first she saw of Fuyumi since she had left her the previous evening. Her long hair had a few delicate braids in it, weaving bits of red into the cascading white. Her white gown sat lightly on her slender frame, but she held herself tall. It felt forced, but Momo was at least impressed with her for trying.

Fuyumi and Togata were seated at the center of the table, an honor usually reserved for the king and queen, but given to the pair on the occasion of their official betrothal celebration. The king sat on their right and Momo and her mother sat on their left.

Through all of the speeches and ceremony, Momo watched her cousin closely. Small whispers passed between Fuyumi and Togata, but the girl remained as subtle as ever. Togata didn't seem unhappy, though, and that was all that really mattered.

After the meal there was the betrothal ceremony. It made Momo sick just to think she would one day have to do this ugly pageantry. But Togata seemed perfectly happy about it and Fuyumi didn't hesitate to do as she was asked. The officiator bound their hands together and scattered bits of ash over the knot, before speaking the usual words. It came and went quickly and as soon as the man had finished, the knot was untied and Fuyumi walked back to her seat before she could be approached.

In the exact same breath Momo was on her feet and moving around to the open part of the hall as those who wished to dance and mingle filled it. She hadn't seen Togata's face, but she assumed he would be upset at such an action from Fuyumi, to walk away from him so briskly after that.

But before she could make it to his already crowded side, she unwittingly collided with Commander Tenya. She almost hit the floor with the force in which he ran into her and the panic on his face when he caught her was practically comical.

"Your highness, I'm so sorry, I didn't see-"

"Relax, it's fine," Momo straightened and fixed her skirt, feeling her cheeks warm a little as his hand pulled away from her arm and he went very rigid.

"I should have watched where I was going, I was just in a rush to…"

"Commander it's perfectly fine, I don't look hurt to you, do I?" she laughed, "I'm not a delicate flower like your Lady…" Momo glanced back at the girl seated at the table listening to the queen speak to her. A shiver went up the princess's spine to imagine what her mother was saying to that already shaken girl, but took comfort in knowing it wasn't her under that harsh gaze.

"With all due respect," the Commander's brow tightened, "Lady Fuyumi is not delicate or weak, as you have insinuated. If anything she has shown immense bravery and strength to travel hundreds of miles through a country in the turmoil of war to marry and man she does not know and live in a strange home. To leave behind her brother and her mother when tensions are so high and amend herself to this uncertain future without complaint shows nothing but strength of character."

Momo's eyebrows went up. Not at the rather brash defense, but that the passionate way he stood up for Lady Fuyumi was...attractive? Momo supposed that was what it was. There was a distinctly uncomfortable feeling squirming up inside of her that she didn't quite know how else to explain and it pushed out a little smile on her painted lips.

But Commander Tenya seemed to catch himself after he'd spoken and rigidly bowed again, face contorted. "I apologize, your highness, I should not have spoken to you like that. I simply don't want you to think badly of Lady Fuyumi when she has done nothing to earn your contempt."

The smile on Momo's face held and she found herself more interested in this man than she had been before. With a look back over to Togata, she found that he was still swarmed by well wishers and his face was lit up like normal. He could be internalizing his frustration at Fuyumi leaving his side as soon as the ceremony was finished, but she was also aware that he didn't expect much from his bride, that he didn't expect her to be happy about marrying him. She determined that he would be fine for now and that she'd have little chance to speak to him while he was being swarmed by nobles anyway.

"Would you like to dance, Commander?"

Commander Tenya's head shot up and the confusion that painted his face was comedic. He looked warily at the lighthearted smile on her face and hesitantly presented his hand.

"Uh...of course," he darted his eyes past her a few times, slightly nervous looks directed to the head table, to Fuyumi. But Momo took his hand quickly, pulling his attention away and unceremoniously leading him to the dancefloor.

The etiquette of the thing was lost as she held fast to his large hand - strong, lightly calloused from handling a sword for many year - and pulled him into the throng of other dancers, forgoing the usually, bow and curtsy that preceded a dance with a new partner and pulled him right into the motions. He looked practically frazzled by the lack of decorum and he watched the little glares that passed around them for being so uncouth in how they swung onto the dancefloor, sweeping into position and practically taking over the space in moments.

Commander Tenya frowned at the faces as he quickly caught his footing, fixing his hand position to stay high on her back, barely touching her.

"They're looking at us like we've done something wrong," Tenya chewed his cheek.

"Oh, we have," Momo nodded, "I'm ignoring about ten rules right now, firstly by even being the one to ask you to dance. But my father could have their heads for saying a single cross word about it, so they'll keep quiet. My mother may be the only person we have to worry about."

Tenya shook his head. "I've been all across this country and others, your highness, and I have never met royalty that… I apologize I should not say such things."

"For the love of all that is holy, please stop apologizing," Momo groaned, "I'm too much like my father to care about sparing feelings and walking on eggshells. If anything I like that you speak your mind. Too few of these jesters do." She swept a glare over the annoyed faces of the nobles with judgment in their eyes and returned to Tenya with a smug look.

"You don't fear that they will lose respect for your authority?" Tenya asked, pivoting into a turn.

Momo laughed and drew a little closer, feeling how uncomfortable it made him, but not caring. "My birthright is Yagi, but I am also a Kayama by blood."

"The Kayama family of Canticus?" Tenya's eyes widened.

Momo nodded. "I've never been to Canticus and since I have about ten cousins ahead of me in line for that throne I may never set foot on those rocky grounds. But the Kayama blood is as strong as my father's. No one disrespects a Kayama and lives to tell about it. I may not have been brought up in their brutal culture, but my mother knows it well and anyone who knows her knows that she is not to be trifled with."

"I would never dare," Tenya shook his head excessively, "I've been to Canticus before… I know the dangers of challenging its people. I lost a few good men to duels spawned from unimportant disputes. Their severity is unmatched. And I mean this in a complimentary way, but I can see the spirit of those people in the queen. And, speaking to you now, perhaps I see some of it in you. Only a foolish man would cross you." He pushed out a smile, somewhat forced, but it seemed as though he was really trying and Momo found that she liked that.

"But, if I may be so bold, what I don't understand is the union," the Commander said thoughtfully, "I'm certain there were many political advantages to the king and queen's marriage, but they are so very different. The queen is what I would expect of a Canticus ruler, everything ordered and principled, but the king, and please do not take this as a slight, though he is an excellent strategist and decision maker, does not behave like a king."

Momo stepped into a spin, not waiting for him to take charge and twirl her himself, but demanding the lead for a moment, before turning back into his hands. She got a bubbling feeling in her stomach, something exciting about speaking to the Tarlson Commander in the midst of this dance and tripping him up with unexpected actions.

"I can explain that if you like," Momo offered.

"You have my full attention," Tenya gave her leave to proceed.

"My father is the kindest man to ever grace the throne," she smiled, "Only because he was never meant to have it. My grandfather was severe, the Conqueror of the Dracos, and every one of his sons was like him, except his youngest who didn't have the heart for conquest and decided to live his life among the people. He planned to disavow his right to the throne and take up a life of servitude. He wanted to devote his life to simply doing good deeds and spreading joy."

For the first time since she had met him, Commander Tenya's face softened with interest, throwing a glance to the king whose laughter boomed across the banquet hall even as they spoke.

"When you are fifth in line for the throne you never expect to be the one to sit on it," Momo said a little solemnly, unsure why she felt so compelled to make this man understand her and her family. "But my grandfather, my two uncles, and their two sons were ambitious. They took their conquest far. Too far. In the midst of their campaign to expel the scourge of the dragons in the south another Summoner appeared and an Archdemon rose. They were journeying home to aid in defenses, but it got to them first and in one fell swoop nearly an entire royal lineage was wiped from the earth. Against his wishes, my father was brought from his life of service to fight a war and rule a country without warning or time to mourn. And he rose to it like a royal should. He took charge and since the people loved him so much they flocked to him with their support. He married my mother to align himself with Canticus and use their resources and soldiers to maintain his kingdom while demons swarmed inland. He was there when the Magestrate exercised the Archdemon to the ether and has treated his kingdom with a gentle hand ever since."

The song came to an end and they went still, not moving or dropping their hands as Momo held his eye contact.

"No matter how unconventional my father or Togata or I am, nothing will change the fact that my father took care of his country when it never should have been his responsibility to do so. These people are alive because of his decisions and self sacrifice. They will turn up their noses at his uncouth behavior, they will glare at me for behaving childishly, but they will never raise a finger against our family. Do you know why that is?"

Tenya let his hands fall from her back and released her completely. "Because they respect your father."

Momo shook her head, "No. Because they're terrified of my mother."

The Commander's head tilted, a bit confused at the wry chuckle she gave him.

"I'm joking," she rolled her eyes, "Of course it's because they respect him. But don't underestimate how much they fear her too. She's a frightening woman and I plan to be like her when I'm queen."

He smiled at the confident raise of Momo's chin. "I feel certain you will command both love and fear from your people, your highness."

Momo found herself laughing softly and grinning up at the man. She opened her mouth to give a witty response, truthfully a flirtatious response, but caught herself like a whip had been cracked over her head to realize what she was doing. When she realized how she was speaking to him. And how she was feeling while talking to him.

Unacceptable behavior. She had higher standards for herself than this. Screw anyone else's opinions, it was her own that was being slighted right now.

Momo stepped back, her face falling and his turning to concern to see the rapid change in her mood.

She gave a polite curtsy to signify the end of their conversation. "I believe you were trying to attend to Lady Fuyumi when I interrupted you," her tone turned formal, level, political, "I won't keep you any longer, Commander."

Tenya bowed and stuttered through a quick, "Your highness", brow tight with concerned confusion, before being lost to the crowd, returning to the task Momo has interrupted him from.

The room suddenly felt very tight, small, and stifling. The air was thick and every delightful scent of sweets and seared meats were now sickening. A few nobles were already moving her way to speak to her, but she couldn't be in this room anymore, not when it was getting so hard to breathe.

Brushing aside everything and everyone in her way, Momo rushed out of the hall through one of the balcony doors. The long terrace was empty and the midday breeze was blowing, delicately crisp and refreshing. She shut the door behind her and sucked in the clean air, untainted by perfumes and revelry.

For a good moment she absorbed the feeling and relaxed into it and then just as quickly as she had dashed from the room she started to berate herself.

What was wrong with her? Every day you she struggled to be taken seriously and treated like the ruler, the leader that was expected of her and then she goes and acts like a flirtatious young girl giggling over the first attractive man she sees! It was a bad look and a dangerous game to let even flippant feelings enter. The court could eat crow, but if the king and queen saw her acting like that they would only restrict her more. If her father saw her flirting with a Tarlson Commander he would likely rush to secure a marriage for her as well. And her mother would call her immature and remind her again how unprepared she was for the throne.

She leaned on the balcony rail and let her head fall into her hands as she groaned annoyance at herself. Her head was amix in distractions and swirling anxieties.

Truthfully, she wasn't ready. Not because they had not trained her efficiently enough or that she wasn't mature enough, but because she did not know her own country personally beyond the Capitol. Of course they visited other lordships and even a few other countries, but quick political jaunts were not enough to learn the world she was supposed to rule. She thought often of how her father lived as a commoner for many years in his youth, how well he knew the world he ruled from a personal standpoint, how attune to his people he was. And Momo couldn't imagine being ready to command a nation without experiencing some of that herself. Her mother didn't think it necessary; she hadn't needed it to be strong and well rounded, so why should Momo? And her father feared only and constantly for her safety so she was never allowed to leave his protection.

And Momo was a good princess, a good daughter. She stayed when they told her to stay and studied what they wished her to. Even if she snuck and interrogated to learn the things they tried to hide from her.

But right now she felt immensely trapped. And maybe that was just some minor immaturity, some little prickle inside of her chest that was annoyed that she had to quickly stifle the first little crush she had had since she was a kid. But the feeling of knowing she required more than what she had been given to be prepared for a queenship was not new. Just stronger right now than usual.

Momo heard the balcony door open and she straightened fast, putting on her neutral expression like a habit, before seeing that it was Togata. His head was tilted at her in a concerned smile and she let her expression fall to her true feelings, knowing she didn't have to hide them with him.

"Are you okay, Mo?"

She shrugged, rolling her eyes. "Are you?"

He mimicked the action back at her and chuckled, moving to her side to lean his back against the railing. "I'm fine actually. I think you're far more up in arms about this marriage than I am."

Momo sighed and leaned into his side, letting her head hit his shoulder as they both watched the bustling crowd beyond the glass doors.

"I'm envious of you, you know that?" she said, "Not the whole arranged marriage thing, frankly I pity you being attached to that dull girl for the rest of your life."

Togata nudged her with his elbow. "Be nice, she doesn't seem so bad. But why be envious of me? You're going to be queen. Unless you die before I do, I'm really not anybody."

"Sounds wonderful," Momo chuckled, "When you're a nobody you can leave and no one will care. Do you think I could quickly fake my death? You could be the new next in line and I'll take a vacation."

Togata laughed heartily. It sounded like her father and she again struggled to believe that he wasn't actually the man's son.

"You're only young for so long, Momo," Togata threw an arm around her shoulder, "Before you know it you'll have nothing but political problems, marriage offers, and wars to manage. Believe me, the reality is pretty bleak and it's nothing to rush towards."

"I'm not anxious to take my father's position," Momo shook her head, "And I'm not in a hurry to be tied down like you. But mother and father can be so stifling sometimes. I feel like I've been studying for my entire life and know absolutely nothing. Books and lessons can only teach you so much. I want to be a part of a war council, to go work a day in a field, or settle a dispute, or levy a tax of some sort. I hate that my job right now is looking pretty, reading my books, and entertaining dignitaries."

"Again," Togata tilted his head back and forth, lips pulled in, "Doesn't sound so bad. But I think I understand. You want to do more. I'm sure it's not easy watching me get a military command and make decisions during wartime, while you aren't even allowed in the councilroom. But I'm older than you and this is what the King brought me here to do, raised me to do, really. Your responsibilities are very different and he's still in the midst of raising you to do them."

"You're not very helpful, you know that?" Momo crossed her arms and pulled away from him, "I'm not stupid. I know. I just want to vent sometimes."

A fist lightly bumped her shoulder and Togata grinned at her with a wink. "Not in the middle of a party, though! Come on, I thought we were celebrating me today."

Momo groaned with a laugh and pushed away from the railing. She grabbed his wrist and tugged it.

"Fine, but only because you're leaving soon."

With a victorious smirk, he leapt past her with gusto, suddenly dragging her along with him instead, back through the glass doors and into the bustling banquet hall.

Whatever her inner turmoil, it was still his day and he deserved her to be happy and present for it. They had less than a week left together and if she could do nothing else, she could keep face to make the time worthwhile to them both.