doinkchan- thanks for pointing out the name thing *sweatdrops* I always think of her as Mama or Kurata-sensei. It's also weird using Akito instead of Hayama.
Swimmygirl90 – glad you like my storey. Now that I think I know where I am taking this, I can probably update faster (after I get my papers done)
Amulak, kazuko, sei-chanpo, sana-chan: thanks for the reviews ~_^
Chapter 3: Lessons
"Your Highness please pay attention!" Mitsuya-sensei demanded as she attempted to go through her lesson. Both Sana and Akito Looked up at her, Sana apologizing while Akito looked at her. "Prince Akito, please pay attention to the lesson."
"I don't see why I have to take lessons here. I'm a guest of the royal family." Akito shrugged as he spoke.
"Both your Father and Queen Misako thought that you should have lessons during your visit here." Mitsuya-sensei explained.
"Whatever" Akito leaned back into his seat and stared at the ceiling.
'I hope his behavior doesn't affect the rest of the class, especially since Sana is actually paying attention.' Mitsuya-sensei looked at the rest of the class then continued with the day's lesson.
Sana ran to catch up with Akito after the lesson was over. When she did, she hit him over the head with her mallet.
"What was that for?" Akito asked as he rubbed his head.
"Don't talk back to Mitsuya-sensei." Sana shook her index finger at him. "I'm sick of people disrupting lessons."
"Whatever. Just leave me alone." Akito walked off leaving Sana there staring at him.
"Baka!" Sana called after him.
"Sana-hima, what's wrong?" Aya asked Sana, walking up next to her.
"Just that Hayama prince." Sana replied. "You saw how was in class."
"Hai." Aya nodded. "Just be careful you don't offend him. Your mother wants this visit to go well."
"I know" Sana replied. "Hayama is our neighbor to the east, so we have to have good relations with them."
"Want to go outside?" Aya asked. "It's a nice day"
"Sure" Sana started running down the halls, Aya following her while trying to be lady-like.
***
Natsumi sighed as the soft breeze gently tugged on her short hair. The gardens were lovely this time of year, and the day was gorgeous too. Queen Misako offered to have Sana show her around, but Natsumi declined in favor of spending some time by herself.
"Aya-chan!" the voice startled Natsumi from her thoughts. Suddenly Aya and Sana were in front of her.
"Konichiwa Natsumi." Sana greeted the older girl. "This is my friend Aya."
"Pleased to meet you Natsumi-hime." Aya nodded her head.
"Hi Sana, Aya." Natsumi smiled at the two of them. "The gardens of the Kurata kingdom are as lovely as I was told."
"Thanks Natsumi." Sana smiled. "Have you seen Akito around anywhere? Mother wanted me to show him some of the grounds, but me and Aya can't find him."
"Aya and I." Aya corrected Sana.
Natsumi held a laugh in watching Aya and Sana. "He probably went off by himself somewhere. He does that quite frequently."
"Domo" Sana replied. "Race you to the garden exit." She looked at Aya before taking off. Aya sighed and followed at a slower pace.
"Kids." Natsumi laughed watching the two of them running off.
***
"There you are!" Sana grabbed Akito's arm before he could walk away from her. The two girls had found him wandering around the outer grounds of the palace.
"Let me go." Akito attempted to pull his arm away, but Sana only tightened her grip.
"Mother wanted me to show you around, Akito darling." Sana grinned at the new nickname she came up with.
"Sana-hime, maybe you should let him go." Aya pointed to the spot on Akito's arm that was starting to turn red.
"Promise you'll behave yourself, darling." Sana released his arm, and Akito rubbed it until the red spot disappeared.
"What do you want with me anyways?" Akito grumbled.
"I told you, Mother wants Aya and I" Sana looked at Aya and winked. "To show you around the grounds."
"Do you always do everything your Mother says?" Akito asked her.
"Well, I usually do." Sana replied. "Besides, it's fun to show guests around."
"Sana-hime, you usually listen to your Mother when she tells you to do something you like to do." Aya reminded the Princess. Sana looked at Aya and sweat dropped. Aya turned towards Akito. "The Princess and I would be pleased to show you around, your highness."
"Sure, whatever." Akito looked at the Sana and Aya. "Well, shouldn't you two be leading me somewhere?"
"Oh, right. Follow me, Akito." Sana started walking, Aya and Akito following behind her.
'At least she didn't call me 'darling' that time' Akito thought.
"These are the gates to enter the royal gardens from outside the palace." Sana pointed as they walked past. "It's hard to get in, they are well guarded."
"Oh" Akito replied, showing no interest.
"And that is the entrance to the royal forest." Aya continued where Sana left off. "No commoners are allowed in there."
"Oh" Akito replied again.
"Let's go to my favorite spot!" Sana almost shouted. She grabbed Akito's arm and pulled him towards the entryway to the forest. Aya followed trying not to laugh at Akito's distress.
Once they entered the forest, Akito managed to pull his arm free. "I'm coming ok? You don't have to pull me the whole way like some toy."
"Akito said more then three words." Sana laughed. The only reply from Akito was a glare sent in her direction.
"We should get moving Sana-hime." Aya reminded her. "It does take a little while to get there."
"Hai!" Sana grinned and started running, luckily they were on a path free of roots at the moment.
"How big is this place anyway?" Akito asked Aya as the two of them struggled to keep up with Sana.
"It is quite large. Don't worry, the spot Sana wants to show you isn't that far away." Aya replied. She then turned her attention to the princess. "Not so fast Sana-hime. We have enough time, you don't have to run." A laughter bordering on manic was the only reply to that last statement.
'I wish I had half her energy.' Akito thought to himself.
'Better be careful' Aya thought as they left the path and followed Sana through the brush. "Watch your step through here, Akito-sama, there are roots near the surface and it's not to even."
"Ok" Akito replied yet again. The two of them hurried to catch up with Sana. Aya took the lead and they wound their way between close trees, and she pointed out the roots and holes as they went.
Akito plopped down next to Sana on the log in the clearing they were in. Aya smiled and leaned up against a nearby tree. The view they had was great. The clearing they were in was near the edge of a hilltop, and they could see quite a distance away.
"That's Maro, the capital city of the Kurata kingdom." Sana pointed to the city not to far from the edge of the forest.
"But shouldn't the castle be in the capitol city?" Akito asked.
"I don't know, I never thought of that." Sana shrugged.
"Actually the castle is on the edge of the city, the forest we are in is sort of off to the side a bit. The castle isn't as high up as the clearing we are in now." Aya explained. "Part of the reason the forest is safe is because of the sharp drop off that runs along part of the one side. Maro was built near the mountains, so the castle and part of this forest are higher up." Aya explained.
"The design of the city and the castle help protect us." Sana finished where Aya left off.
"We should be heading back soon." Aya reminded them. "You know your mother will worry about you Sana-hime, no matter how safe we are."
"I know. Race you back?" Sana asked. One look at Akito and Aya and Sana decided that would be a bad idea. "Well let's go." She grabbed Aya with one hand and Akito with the other and started back to the castle. Sana had to let go as soon as they left the clearing due to the closeness of the trees.
***
After dinner Sana made sure to get Akito's attention before he disappeared. He decided to follow her out to the gardens instead of giving her a reason to try and drag him along. 'What's with her?' he thought.
The beauty of the gardens was lost on the two as they wandered around in the fading light of the day. Sana was to busy chatting away to Akito, and he was half listening to her while thinking.
"So what do you think of the gardens Akito?" Sana saw Akito shrug so she asked again.
"They are nice." He looked up at Sana as he replied.
'Why am I nervous?' Sana wondered as Akito looked at her. "I'm glad you like them." Sana smiled at Akito, and took a step closer to him. "The roses over there…" she didn't get to continue. She had failed to pay attention to what she was doing and the front of her foot caught the edge of one of the stones on the garden path. Akito who had been looking at her managed to catch her before she could knock them both to the ground.
"Gomen Na.." Sana started to apologize before she was cut off by Akito's mouth on hers. 'My first kiss.' Sana thought. As suddenly as the kiss started, it ended. Akito pulled away from Sana and pushed her back so she wouldn't fall before turning and walking back towards the castle.
'Why did I do that?' Akito wondered as he walked away from Sana. 'It's not like the time I kissed Lady Fuka just to annoy her.'
"IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" Sana screamed once she came out of her dazed stupor. "I'm going to get you back for that Hayama prince! What made you think you could do that!" Sana yelled out into the early twilight.
"Because I don't hate you." Akito's soft reply was somehow miraculously heard by Sana as he entered the castle.
'What the?' Sana looked up at the newly appearing stars. "Baka!" She yelled before running to her room, taking care to not look at Akito as she practically flew past him.
***
"It's a wonderful night out tonight, Rei-kun." Asako said as she continued to watch the stars as they started to appear in the night sky. The two of them were standing on one of the palaces many balconies and were leaning against the railing.
"Hai, it is Asako-sama." Rei moved ever so slightly so that he was closer to her.
"You don't have to use the 'sama' Rei-kun." Asako laughed.
"But you are a Lady, Asako-sam..." A look from Asako made him change what he was saying. "I mean Asako-san." He leaned in closer and was about to reach for her hand when a Scream ripped though the evening. 'That must be Sana. Some timing' he thought as he looked at Asako.
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Well that was a bit longer then I was originally going to make it, but I think it turned out ok. I think I know where I might take this fic, any suggestions are welcome thought. ~_^