Kyoko happily hummed, making her way to the grand assembly room. All thoughts and fears from earlier in the day overruled by her new happy distraction. There couldn't be anything better than going to a party with her best friend. Speaking of best friends, Kanae looked like she'd walked out of a painting

The dirt had been scrubbed from her body - with much muttering and swearing from Kanae- an assortment of thin chains and gems woven through an intricate ponytail. Her eyes had been outlined with black onyx, further emphasizing their sharp angle. They had sent for the barely completed dress from the shop, the green flowing in one seamless stretch from top to bottom, long slits revealing her well-toned legs. Her jewelry had been borrowed from Kyoko's stash, most of the assortment pulled together with the un-willing help of Setsuko.

"You're absolutely stunning." said Kyoko, unable to stop herself from admiring her friend. "Truly you are the image of a goddess brought back to life."

"What? Are you trying to seduce me?" muttered Kanae, glancing at the bangles decorating her arms. "I still think I look weird"

"Not at all. I'm sure you'll be approached by men all night."

Her friend muttered darkly something about taking them down if they tried. Kyoko chuckled. Kanae was obviously embarrassed, unused to the situation. It gave Kyoko heart. She was always braver if she had to be so for someone else.

They arrived at the room, leaving Yuusei at the entrance. He'd been following them closely the whole evening, intent on making sure Kyoko was safe in case Reino came back.

Two attendants stood at the entrance of the room, where music and the smell of food wafted through the partially open doors. She stopped to talk to them about requesting admittance for Kanae. She knew them both, and they immediately consented to her request.

"If she's your guest then that's all that matters Lady Kyoko." said one of the men. "Also, my sister wanted me to give you this."

The man presented a prayer rune. It was simple, made of stone with the word "Health" inscribed on it. Kyoko accepted it gratefully. "Oh it's lovely. Make sure she knows that I said thanks."

"Of course." he grinned.

Biding goodbye, the two of them entered. The room was huge, the arched ceiling expanding several stories high. Cushions littered the ground along with several tables occupied with games of stones and cards. A few low platforms dotted the space where musicians and dancers exhibited their talent. Near the far end of the room sat a dais, where three unoccupied chairs seemed to lord over the party. The intoxicating smell of food came from a long table resting on the side, laden with roasted birds, figs, and fountains of wine.

If the room was impressive, the people were just as breath taking. Beautiful fabrics and gems draped over the partiers, the wine and festivities loosening their tongues as they talked and laughed. Every hair was in place; every wing of eyeliner was perfect.

"Wow." said Kyoko, blinking at the splendor "This... this is amazing!"

Kanae grunted her response beside her. Kyoko stood there for a moment, staring at everything in awe, not caring if she looked like a kid in a candy store. It was like a fairy tale! The sparkling dresses, the amazing room. This truly was a palace full of beauty.

"What was that about?" asked Kanae suddenly, jolting Kyoko from her daze. "At the entrance with that attendant?"

"Oh, that? I just helped his sister out." Said Kyoko "She works at the palace but got hurt one day. She was going to lose her job so I went to her house and patched her up so she could return to work the next day."

Kyoko looked down at the prayer gem, considering it. Then she channeled her magic.

The rock glowed a soft yellow, shimmering for a moment before its image wavered, vanishing out of existence with a swirl. Kyoko closed her eyes, letting the prayer for health wash over her. She would need it to last through the party tonight. As amazing as it was sure to be, her trepidation could not be shaken.

"Do you make a habit of sticking your nose into everyone's business?" said Kanae, though there was not heat in her voice.

"I'm slowly becoming friends with them." said Kyoko, feeling better already. "Why wouldn't I help?" Slowly but surely, Kyoko was starting to recognize almost everyone in the palace, even if she didn't know all their names. Between working in the clinic and the random things she was supposed to do as a concubine, she'd some interaction with almost everyone since being here. "Right, so where should we go first?"

"You could stop blocking the entrance for a start." said a voice behind them.

Yumi, Risa, and Utako entered the room, gliding through the entrance as if they were on wheels. Yumi's hair was pulled back into its usual tall ponytail, the ends curled and dotted with gems that shone in the light. Her dress was a dark purple, a shall wrapped around her tan shoulders. Her neck was heavy with thick necklaces complementing the usual gold and blue one from Kuon.

The other two looked just as splendid, Utako's dark hair covered by a head wrap, a gold nose ring chained to her earning. Her expressionless eyes were highlighted by a splash of gold on her lids, lined with black and dotted with white gems. Risa had her hair down, her mid length curls framing her round face. Her usually tomboyish clothes replaced with a skirt and decorated bra, exposing her pierced belly button.

"So beautiful!" cried Kyoko, smiling at the three concubines. They always looked amazing, but they had obviously outdone themselves tonight. "You guys look stunning."

"Thanks." said Risa, grinning as she waved a hand at Kyoko. "You look nice as well. Did you get something new for tonight?"

"No, I just finally wore one of the many outfits in my wardrobe. I don't know what to do with half of them." Kyoko glanced down at what she was wearing. It was a two piece set, the scoop neckline embroidered in gold designs. A jeweled belt decorated her waist, her skirts bunch at the top before cascading in waves down her legs. She'd been bullied into wearing several anklets and rings, her head decorated with a single circlet.

Risa whistled. "You need to start attending more parties Kyoko. You look good when you actually try."

"Says the tomboy" chuckled Kyoko. Then she noticed them glancing at Kanae. "Oh, this is Kanae." said Kyoko, presenting her friend to the concubines. "She's my good friend."

"Really now?" Yumi's eyes did a quick up and down on Kanae. "And pray tell, what makes you think you deserve to come to this party?"

Kanae drew herself up, sharp eyes glaring down at Yumi. "I was personally invited by Shin Hizuri. After all, we collaborated with each other in the finals of the battle royal."

Recognition dawned on Yumi, who gave Kanae another look over. "I see... well that explains a lot regarding your appearance." Her eyes lingered on Kanae's prominent biceps and tan lines.

"My profession deals with actually doing something rather than going to parties, binging on food and bullying the friendless." Retorted the spear wielder.

Yumi's eyes narrowed. "At least I'm not associated with the crass scum of the earth."

"That's still up for debate."

Sparks were flying between the two woman, neither breaking eye contact as they ground their teeth in unison.

Risa, who had come over to stand next to Kyoko was watching the exchange with a small smile. "This is going to be fun. I think Yumi just found her next best friend."

Kyoko nodded in agreement. "I'm glad to see that they're getting along."

Both woman whipped their head towards Kyoko, crying out. "We are not getting along!" which just caused them to resume their glaring match.

Chuckling to herself, Kyoko remembered something.

"Risa, Utako, I have something for you guys."

From a small beaded pouch she carried with her, Kyoko pulled out two prayer stones. One for harmony, and the other for humor. She held them out to their respective receivers. Utako took hers, staring at it with a blank expression. Risa on the other hand, broke into a grin, fanning her face with a hand.

"Oh Kyoko, you are too much!" she cried. Literally. She had tears in her eyes as she gave Kyoko a big hug. "Awwww, I don't think I've ever met such a pure hearted naive lady in my life."

Not insulted by Risa's word choice, Kyoko gave a laugh, returning the hug.

Yumi shot Risa a glare. "Risa, Calm yourself. You're creating a scene."

"Don't be jealous." said Risa, finally disentangling herself from Kyoko. "I'm sure you got one as well. Right Kyoko?"

Kyoko nodded, rummaging through her pouch and pulled out a third stone. She held it up, a blue rune shining on it's dark surface. "I wanted to thank you three for helping me out and accepting me into the harem."

Yumi took it, eyes unreadable as she studied it. Then she glanced up. "Loyalty?"

"Towards Prince Kuon." answered Kyoko. "Because when I think of you, that's the first thing that goes through my head."

Yumi let out a snort, but didn't reject the gift. She slipped it into a side pocket, brushing past Kyoko as she walked away.

"Next time you introduce her-" Yumi jerked her head towards Kanae. "Tell them she was the finalist first. You've got enough people against you without making then think you're infesting the palace with other commoners."

"Translation." said Risa, whispering in Kyoko's ear. "If you introduce her as the finalist first, then people will greet both of you more warmly. Yumi doesn't want any more people looking down on you than there already are."

Yumi barked at her to stop talking nonsense and keep up. Risa gave one last wink before trotting off to follow her friend. Utako moved to follow as well, but paused beside Kyoko, pulling out a book she had brought. She slipped a bookmark from the pages, pressing the strip of lace into Kyoko's hand with a quick "Thanks." Before going after the other two.

Kyoko hugged the bookmark to her chest, smiling up at Kanae. "Weren't they nice?"

The spear wielder gave her an incredulous expression.

"I heard something that alarmed me quite a bit. That Kyoko was attacked by a stone colossus on the way here to the capital."

Lory glanced at Kuon, acknowledging his presence. The Duke had a green and red reptile resting on his shoulder. It had three eyes, it's back covered in webbed spikes tipped with gold. It looked a lot like a creature from Aquiteris, a water country in the far north. Kuon might have taken the time to wonder where in the world Lory had gotten a hold of such a creature – and if it could survive in conditions so unlike its natural habitat - if he didn't already have a topic he was determined to address with the man.

"So she was." said Lory. "Those things are starting to pop up more frequently. The Accursed must be getting restless."

"Why was I not informed?" said Kuon, irritated with Lory's attitude. "Didn't you know about this?"

"I did." said Lory. "But I didn't think the details were necessary. Merely that she was targeted while traveling. What could you do with the knowledge anyway Kuon? It's not like you could have confronted Kyoko about it without her realizing you had looked into her background."

"That- I guess that's true." How did he explain it? He just didn't want anything to happen to her, and learning that she had been attacked by a demon made him anxious.

Lory was giving him a pitiful look. "You need to watch that expression my friend. One look and people realize just what she means to you."

"Ah, my bad." Said Kuon, morphing his face back into an impassive one. He wasn't on friendly grounds tonight. There were too many people in the crowd that would use his weaknesses to bring themselves up. The better he kept his feelings hidden the more control of the situation he'd have. At least that was the theory.

"Also, she was stalked by Reino today."

Kuon's composure flew out the window as he stared at Lory. It took some very strong self-control to stop gaping, schooling his face and emotions before saying. "Are you being serious?"

Lory gave him a bemused expression, obviously entertained by Kuon's struggle. Kuon didn't think it funny one bit, especially if this wasn't a joke.

"While she was at the dress shop today with Kanae, she ran into him. Based on the details she told her guard, he tried to put a dark seed into her body"

Kuon cursed under his breath, making a conscious effort not to bring attention to himself. A couple people glanced in their direction, but they didn't come over.

"How in the world does she get herself into these situations?" said Kuon, looking in the crowd and not seeing her. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine." Said Lory. "I had someone go check to make sure. The seed didn't stick."

"That's good." Said Kuon, reigning in his anger and panic. "So that means we were right. Reino is one of the Accursed."

"It seems like it. And he might have made Kyoko his next target. I'm going to double her guard for the next few days."

"Triple it." Growled Kuon. "Or even better, I'll stick with her to make sure nothing happens."

"You will do no such thing." Said Lory. "You have your duties to attend to. You can spend some time with her, but you can't be with her constantly while the festival is going on."

Kuon had half a mind to keep arguing, there was no way he was going to let Kyoko get hurt, but he stopped himself. Lory was right. He had a duty to his kingdom to make sure this festival was successful. That meant spending time with other officials from the countries and cities. He couldn't afford slighting or offending them due to neglect on his part. Maybe he could convince Kyoko to go with him to those meetings. They wouldn't think it too strange that he kept a concubine with him.

Speaking of said concubine, he finally noticed her, walking through the crowds with her friend trailing behind her. She seemed to be doing well, talking to a group of women he realized were his own concubines. He was about to cross the room to greet her when he was stopped by several people, all wishing him the best in tomorrow's fight. Kuon was forced to put on his fake smile, keeping one eyes on Kyoko while he entertained his guests. He had a duty to perform first, and he would not neglect it.

Later he told himself. The party would go on for hours, and he planned to spend at least a few of them with Kyoko before the night was over.

Kyoko moved further into the room, feeling braver every second as she glanced around at all the people. She immediately spotted Kuon, surrounded by several guests and well-wishers. Her heart immediately wished to go to him and seek the comfort of his familiar company, but she decided to hold off. She could talk to him later when he wasn't so busy. After all, part of her duty as a concubine was to entertain guests at functions like this. That included talking to people besides the prince.

Resolved to make him proud, Kyoko plunged into the den of people, Kanae trailing along with her.

The first person she ended up talking to was Ruriko. Kyoko had been passing the group Ruriko was talking to when the woman had motioned her over. She'd then told her friends that Kyoko was the one that had discovered her ability to use magic while singing.

"She's quite the stubborn creature." Ruriko was saying, laughing with her friends. "She refused to move, intent on her ludicrous idea that I could use magic through singing."

The other girls laughed, some calling for Kyoko to identify their own hidden talents. Kyoko chuckled along with them. The conversation flowed from there, and Kyoko found herself relaxing, grateful for the Duchess's invitation into the conversation. The girls eventually noticed Kanae, and that began a whole host of other questions. Soon, the spear wielder found herself the center of attention as the girls began bombarding her with questions. Not about her profession, but about Shin.

"Gosh, I wish I had black hair." mourned one of the woman. "Then he'd be completely smitten by me. I've been thinking of dying my hair actually."

"I doubt it would help."

"Hey, just because he flirted with you once doesn't mean I don't have a chance."

And so it went. Even though Kyoko was used to talking to all sorts of people due to her work in the clinic, the atmosphere of the situation and the class of people she was talking to tonight were so different. She felt stiff at first, but with the presence of her familiar friend and the ease of this conversation, she soon began to relax, despite the occasional person that snubbed her presence.

Kyoko and Kanae found themselves flowing from group to group, talking to all sorts of people Kyoko had never even seen before. Many of them recognized Kyoko's necklace and realized she was the new concubine. That eventually led to questions about the murder attempt on Kuon's life. Kyoko had received quite the glare from Kanae the first time that had been brought up. She'd forgotten she hadn't told Kanae about that yet.

After that, Kyoko made a more conscious effort to point the conversation away from her and her friend. She'd rather hear about other people anyway. Get to know them and what they did. She was soon smiling brightly as she talked to all the familiar and new faces, learning and laughing along with them.

"You know quite a lot of people." said Kanae as they made their way towards the food table. After the last few hours of talking, the two had gotten hungry and decided to take a break to eat.

"I guess so." Said Kyoko thoughtfully. "Though most of them I met through working in the clinic. I still haven't been here long enough to know all the important people."

"Kyoko." Said Kanae, who looked like she was resisting rolling her eyes. "You seem to know only the important people."

"How do you mean?"

"Hmm, let's think." Kane help up her hand, counting names on her fingers. "You know the Takarada family, the Matsunai family, the Sanda family. Not to mention you're a concubine to the crown prince, so you have connections within the royal family. Oh, and then there's all those physicians that know and praise your skills. You're rubbing shoulders with the elites of the elite."

"The Sanada family?" said Kyoko, pointedly ignoring the rest of the statement. "Does Hoshi come from a high ranking family?"

"He's the highest ranked in his family. He's the brains behind the kingdom's finances."

"Huh." Kyoko had never thought about the position of the people she knew. Now that she did, she did know quite a lot of 'high ranked' people. "Well, I didn't become friends with them for their positions. I just like them."

The two of them found a couple cushions that surrounded a platform where a woman was dancing. Several other people were there, admiring the entertainment, eating their food and enjoying the company. Kyoko had just started digging into her own food when the cushion beside her was filled with another presence.

"I see you found the food."

Kyoko smiled.

"It's good to see you again Shin."

Shin smiled, dark eyes shining at her. He was wearing a red and gold jacket, a sash tied around his head, dangling with circular gold chains. She'd never seen him in anything other than clothes meant to fight in, and she was surprised at how well the look suited him. Rather than the rebel he usually appeared to be, he looked every bit a prince as Kuon, even if he was only technically considered a Lord.

"We can't all be princes." Laughed Shin after Kyoko spoke her musings aloud. "Honestly I'm glad he has the job. Gives me more room to spread out and do my own thing." He leaned forward, looking at Kanae. "You look beautiful I must add, Kanae. Both you and Kyoko are like music to my eyes. Or ears for that matter, whatever you chose."

"Flattery will get you nowhere." Said Kanae, flatly.

"Quite the contrary, you will find it works wonders." He glanced away before returning his attention to them. "Take this situation for example."

A second later, a dark haired woman with prominent cleavage latched onto Shin from behind, giggling as she did so.

"Shin, you promised to stay with me the whole night." She pouted.

"Be patient little flower." He said, patting the woman on her arm. "I am but a humble Lord and must see to my duties of greeting all the guests. You don't make my job any easier by looking so delicious. I'll have to fight half of the city to keep them off you tonight."

"Aww, flattery won't get you anywhere." Said the woman, almost mimicking Kanae earlier, the only difference being that she didn't seem to mean it. She stuck out her lip in a cute pout before noticing Kyoko and Kanae.

"Oh, and who's this? That necklace…" The woman's eyes lit up. "Are you that new concubine that everyone's talking about?"

"Maybe?" said Kyoko. "Depends on what they're saying, but I am the newest concubine."

"Really?" The woman disentangled herself from Shin, leaning towards Kyoko. She had a strange smile on her face, fighting to suppress her giggles as she whispered. "So... I've always wondered… How is the prince... you know…? The other concubines won't tell me."

"He's just like any other person I guess." Said Kyoko, not understanding why she was acting so strange.

"Yes, but what is he like!" she said, impatient. Then her head suddenly shot back, gaping at Kyoko. "Wait, so you've known other people before prince Kuon?"

"Of course." Said Kyoko, now getting more confused. "Haven't you?"

The girl started sputtering, as if Kyoko had called her out on something embarrassing. Behind the woman, Shin's face was turning red, and his shoulders were shaking. Had he choked on something?

"So what is prince Kuon like Kyoko?" said Shin, his voice purposefully even. "Compared to other people? How does he treat you?"

"Well." Said Kyoko thinking back on when they first met. "At first he was a little rough, and sometimes he's still a little mean, but overall he's a very gentle person. After a while we warmed up to each other. I guess you could say that our relationship has improved a lot over the course of getting to know each other."

"And how often do you and prince Kuon, get to know each other?" said to girl, breathless with anticipation.

"Maybe every other day." Said Kyoko, wondering why this was so interesting to them. "Sometimes we can only meet for a few minutes. But other times we've been able to spend a few hours together. It all depends."

Shin let out a loud guffaw, slapping his hand on this thigh. The woman was a little red in the face, looking pleased. Kyoko looked at her friend wondering if Kanae understood what was going on. The spear wielder was pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger, muttering something that sounded like 'of all the stupid naive things…'

"I must have more details." Said the woman eagerly, "Where do you guys meet? Where are his sensitive spots? Do you go all the way every time or do you-"

"Now Penny." Said Shin, interrupting the woman. "I think that is quite enough. Let's not pry into their private affairs."

"You never let me have any fun. Kyoko was willing to tell me." Said Penny, licking her lips. "Oh well, I'm going to go brag to Miku what I found out. She'll be so jealous. And you're coming too. If I can't have my fun with Kyoko I'm sure as heck not letting you go again."

The woman grabbed Shin by his arm, pulling him away while grinning at Kyoko. "It was nice to meet you. Let's talk again later when we don't have this one to distract me."

The two whirlwinds left, Shin giving them one last wave before allowing himself to be pulled away by an animated Penny. Kyoko wasn't sure what just happened. Penny's questions had been strange. She again looked to her friend for help who gave her an angry glare saying: "No way! I'm not going to be the one to teach you about that."

Kuon was busy talking to Yukihito when Hidehito Kijima turned up. He knew the man wouldn't be able to resist taunting him before the start of the light sword tournament tomorrow. Hidehito was five years older, a player, and seemed to enjoy taunting Kuon specifically. While most people seemed to like his playful attitude, Kuon just found him annoying.

"Yo, Kuon." Said Hidehito, clapping him on the shoulder. "Are you nervous about tomorrow? It's your first light sword tournament after all."

"But it won't be my first fight." Said Kuon evenly. "What about you? Last time you went out in the first round."

"It's not my fault I was put against your dad so soon." Said Hidehito. "Though I am honestly surprised that you're going to be fighting in this one. I thought you wouldn't bother with it."

"Obviously you assumed wrong."

Hidehito was one of Kuon's distant relatives, a very adept man with a talent for light magic. He was just below Shin in terms of power which was saying something considering how close to the phoenix's contract Shin was compared to Hidehito. Only those who were direct descendants to a king could use light magic, and the power usually thinned out the further you got from the source.

"You know." said Hidehito, talking casually as if he were above the topic. "I had heard some interesting rumors about you for a while. They said that you couldn't use light magic anymore."

"Did they now?"

"Indeed, which would explain why I haven't seen you in the arena for such a long time."

Kuon didn't say anything. His councilor stood beside him, wisely keeping quite. Kuon used to frequent the barracks a lot to spar with the other men. It served the dual purpose of training while increasing moral. But since the last few months he had slowly stopped showing up, his abilities to use light magic getting weaker and weaker until they had been gone all together. Of course, he had Kyoko to thank for the return of his current strength.

"We won't be able to see each other until the finals." said Hidehito. "You're lucky. It will be a lot less embarrassing when you lose at the end instead of the first round."

"Much like you did last year." said Kuon. "There's a reason Shin decided not to participate in the tournament this year, and it wasn't because of you."

Hidehito raised an eyebrow, folding his arms across his chest. "Is that so? And you suppose that you were the reason he's not in it?"

"Of course."

The two men glared at each other, neither backing down an inch. Yukihito fidgeted nearby, obviously uncomfortable from the intense atmosphere between the two.

Perhaps they would have stayed there for a few more minutes had they not been interrupted. As it was, the energy was deflated immediately at the arrival of a new body who completely ignored the strained atmosphere.

"You guys can bark at each other later." Said Shin, barging into their confrontation and resting an arm on Hidehito's shoulder. The man staggered for a second before righting himself. "Listen, I just had the best conversation with one of your concubines. Well, not really the best, but it was hilarious considering the situation."

"Then please, tell us in detail what happened." Said Kuon sarcastically, unable to suppress his desire to roll his eyes. The man had a strange talent for sewing chaos easily. Kuon put a cup to his lips.

"I just had a talk with Kyoko," Said Shin, eyes sparkling as he watched for Kuon's reaction. "About your sex life."

Red juice went flying as Kuon choked on his drink. Yukihito let out a cry, dodging the projectiles.

"Would you care to run that by me again?" said Kuon, wiping his mouth with a sleeve as he fought to keep his face stable.

"Well, it was more about both of your adventures together." Said Shin, acting innocent. "She told me unabashedly about how you were 'rough' and "mean" at first, but eventually became gentle towards her. Apparently you guys meet every other day to satisfy each others needs."

"Man Kuon." Said Kijima, looking impressed. "I thought you said you were done using the harem for sex. I guess the rumors are true. She's got you addicted hook line and sinker."

"I have never slept with Kyoko." Said Kuon firmly. "There is no way you heard that nonsense from her."

"Ah, but there's no denying you wouldn't mind it." Said Shin, "She's quite the cutie, especially when she's dressed up like she is today."

"Is she now?" said Hidehito. He glanced around, obviously looking for Kyoko. "I've got to see this creature who's got Kuon's attention every other night."

Feeling a surge of protectiveness, Kuon ground his teeth, more than a little irritated. "I'd kindly appreciate it if you two didn't talk about my concubine like that."

"Don't worry, we know better than to go near your things." Said Shin, waving a hand. "Her friend on the other hand, have you seen her legs? Those calves man, I'd like to see the rest of the package."

"Legs aren't my thing." Said Hidehito, frowning.

"We know you're more of a boobs person anyway Kijima."

"Gentlemen!" Said Yukihito, face red. He looked like he was on the verge of passing out "We are in mixed company tonight. Don't you think this is conversation is completely inappropriate? Besides, aren't you courting someone already Shin?"

"Did I encroach on your territory Yuki?" said Shin, getting off of Hidehito and walking over Yukihito. "What do you like best in a woman? Her legs? Bust? Or maybe you are more of a backside person?"

Yukihito turned, if possible, more red.

"Shin." Said Kuon, keeping his voice steady. "I will seriously pay you whatever you want if you never start this conversation again."

"No can do Mr. fairy. I can't let go of all your embarrassing moments. Do you want to deprive me of my fun?" He motioned at a spot behind Kuon. "You won't have to look far to find her Koun, she's right over there. Now go stare at your favorite part of the girl, while you flirt shamelessly with her."

Kuon glared at Shin.

"Man, mind like a gutter this one." Said Shin, throwing up his hands. "I was talking about her eyes." He pointed to his own, smirking. "You like the way they shine, I can tell. There's a spark of hidden flame behind those gold gems that's got you entranced."

"How did you…?"

"Come on Kuon." Said Shin, rolling his eyes. "Anyone who knows you can tell she's got you completely entranced, though I actually think it's a good thing in this instance." In an uncharacteristically sincere moment, Shin clapped a hand on Kuon's shoulder, none of the previous mocking in his eyes. He lowered his voice so that Yukihito and Hidehito couldn't hear them. "You've changed since I last saw you Ren, and it's been a good change. I know it's from her influence. I really need to thank her if this is what she does to you. You have my full support in this relationship."

Kuon stared at his cousin, grateful and a little bewildered by the man's words. Shin was more perceptive then he let on, and despite his annoying personality, Kuon appreciated his acceptance. Not everyone would be supportive of the crown prince falling for a commoner.

But the moment was gone a second later as Shin glanced over Kuon's shoulder, a grin spreading across his face. "I think she just realized what Penny was getting at."

Kuon looked behind him, and sure enough, he saw Kyoko, on the verge of having a nervous breakdown. She was visibly sputtering, red faced as she talked animatedly with Kanae.

"Go soothe her worries." Said Shin, giving Kuon a shove on the back. "I'll stay here and help Hidehito embarrass Yuki some more."

Kuon didn't need to be told twice, mostly for the sake of getting away from Shin. His feet were already making their way towards Kyoko before Shin had shoved him. He'd been craving her company all night and decided that he had spoken to enough people to warrant spending time with her. Besides, he was genuinely curious if Shin was right about what had flustered her.

Kyoko was beyond embarrassed. The word didn't even begin to describe the shame she felt. How did she not realize that's what they were talking about? Of course that's what people wanted to know about her and Kuon's relationship, and she had now encouraged those rumors, adding new details to the lies.

Resisting the urge to howl, she clamped both hands over her head, wishing she could disappear through the ground like Reino had.

"Kyoko, are you alright?"

The voice made her jump, recognizing the deep vibrations is sent through her chest. Slowly, Kyoko raised her head, glancing under the hands at the man standing next to her. She swallowed, realizing it was exactly the last person she wanted to see at the moment.

He's come to scold me. Was the first thought through Kyoko's head. He was probably disgusted with her, coming to yell at her for spreading such awful lies.

"I-I'm so sorry your highness." She cried, tears bursting from her eyes. "I'm such a shameless shameful person. I didn't mean for it to happen."

"Kyoko, please calm down." said Kuon kindly. He took hold of one her of wrists which prevented Kyoko from going down on her hands and knees to beg for forgiveness. "I'm not sure what you're so worried about, but crying like this isn't going to help."

Kyoko gave a loud sniff, trying to stop the stream of tears produced by her guilt. Kuon gave her another kind smile, then addressed someone beside Kyoko.

"Do you mind getting some tissues? I'll go help her sit down."

It must have been Kanae, but Kyoko couldn't see through her anguish. She let Kuon lead her towards the side of the room, away from all the stares she could feel piercing the back of her head. They sat down on some cushions away from the bulk of the party.

"Thank you." said Kuon, taking some tissues from Kanae who appeared to have returned. Kuon positioned his mat so that he sat in front of Kyoko. He reached out, one hand taking a firm yet gentle hold of her chin while the other started to wipe away her tears. "Now, let's get you cleaned up. It would be a shame to have your pretty makeup get ruined now wouldn't it. Did you do it yourself?"

"Setsuko helped me." muttered Kyoko, scrunching her face as the tissue brushed against her cheeks. She felt her face burn from a mixture of humiliation and a sudden awareness of his proximity. "She said that I shouldn't shame you by looking like a commoner playing makeup."

Kuon let out a small chuckle. "It sounds like something she would say."

Kyoko didn't answer, letting him finish his work. He eventually drew back, thumb and forefinger still gripping her chin as he gazed at her face with an unreadable expression. She let him stare for a few second before she stared to squirm.

"Did it smudge at all?" she said.

"Just a little." Said Kuon, and he finally, blessedly let go, drawing fully back onto his own cushion. "But it doesn't look bad. Gives you an exotic smokey eye look."

"Smokey eye? What's that?" said Kyoko.

"It's a type of look for makeup." said Kuon. He shot a glance at Kanae who was sitting in the cushion beside Kyoko "And before you start your jabs about me knowing makeup terms, I do have a harem full of concubines. I know more about hair and cosmetics then most women thanks to them."

"We are all aware of the extent of your harem Prince Kuon." Said Kanae coolly.

"Hmm. Kanae, would you mind if I talked to Kyoko alone?"

A spike of fear immediately shot through Kyoko. So he planned to scold her privately did he? Even though she had been looking forward to spending time with him the whole evening she now found herself dreading being alone with him for just a few minutes.

"Of course." Said Kanae. "But only if Kyoko doesn't mind."

Kyoko inwardly thanked her friend for her loyalty. It gave her strength to face Kuon, knowing that she had Kanae's support.

"No, it's fine Moko-san." Said Kyoko raising her eyes to her friend. "See if you can find Yukihito or someone. I'll come join you later."

Giving the two of them one last long look, Kanae stood up, leaving Kyoko alone with Kuon.

Kyoko had to force herself to not squirm. Was he going to yell at her now? She should probably apologize again for her mistake. She opened her mouth to speak, but he beat her to it.

"Are you enjoying the party Kyoko?"

"Ah, y-yes." She said, caught off guard. "It's been a lot of fun."

Kuon's green eyes were shining as she smiled at her. "Has everyone been treating you well? There haven't been any rude comments have there?"

"A couple." said Kyoko, shrugging her shoulders "But they weren't that bad. Most people just refused to acknowledge my presence if they didn't like me. Other than those few, everyone has been super nice. It hasn't been as scary as I thought it would be, especially since I had Moko-san to support me."

"I'm glad to hear that." He sounded genuinely glad too. His reassurance gave Kyoko heart to keep talking, renewing some of her energy.

"I really enjoyed talking to all the different people. Like Sir Fedireck from The Lowlands country. Apparently grass covers most of the ground where he lives and it's thinner, not thick like our sandgrass here. He was fun, but once you got him talking about his kids he wouldn't stop."

"Did he show you pictures?"

"No, I managed to get away before he could start. But then I ran into someone else that tried to coax me into dancing on the stage."

Kuon chuckled. "How did you manage to avoid that?"

"Why do you assume that I got away?"

"Because you'd be blushing if you hadn't."

Kyoko smiled, relaxing further into the conversation. It was strange. He made her feel at ease so quickly. Just moments before she was sure terrified he would get angry. She realized he hadn't shown any sign of displeasure since meeting, instead treating her with an abundant amount of respect and care, even when she was being unreasonable. Did that mean he hadn't heard what she'd said to Shin and Penny? She didn't want his opinion of her to go down especially after he said he considered her a friend. It was best to come out with her mistake now. She didn't want him finding out later and retracting their friendship.

"Your highness." Said Kyoko quietly. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to… what I mean is..."

"Before you apologize," said Kuon. "Could you tell me what it is you're apologizing for?"

"Ah well." Kyoko scratched the back of her head, nervous. "I was talking to Shin and a woman called Penny, she was asking questions about me and you, but I misinterpreted them. I thought she was asking about how we got along, but apparently she got a completely different impression from when I told her…" It was a vague explanation, but she was too embarrassed to tell the exact details.

"Let me guess." Said Kuon a thoughtful expression on his face. "You told her that we meet every other day, which she interpreted to mean that we meet to have… certain activities during those times."

Kyoko's eyes widened. "How did you-"

"Shin was telling me about it when I noticed your distress." Said Kuon with a sigh. "I honestly hoped he was lying."

"I'm so sorry." Said Kyoko again. "I know it's shameful to have you tied to me in such a way. I didn't mean to encourage the rumors."

"I'm sure you didn't. But it doesn't matter. Those rumors will exist whether you encourage them or not. If I was bothered by such things I wouldn't have put you in the harem in the first place. Well, kept you in the harem I should say. We both know the original reason for you being in there doesn't exist anymore."

"You're not angry at me?" said Kyoko, unable to contain her surprise.

Kuon raised an eyebrow at her, looking playful. "What, do you expect me to be such a petty person that I'd hold a grudge against you for accidentally spreading rumors?"

Kyoko paused for half a moment before saying "No! of course not."

"Ah," said Kuon, and Kyoko couldn't tell from his expression if he had noticed her hesitation. "It's not like the rest of the harem doesn't encourage those rumors as well."

Kyoko folded her arms, nodding in agreement. "They gossip more than a group of old ladies in the waiting room."

Kuon didn't answer, as good as admitting his agreement with the statement. They fell into a comfortable silence, enjoying the moment of peace between them. The gratitude Kyoko felt in that moment was enormous, happy that he hadn't gotten upset at her for her mishap from earlier. Perhaps her imagination concerning the prince was a bit exaggerated in that department.

"Have you been enjoying the party Prince Kuon?" said Kyoko.

He nodded. "I think I can say it's been a success so far. These types of events are usually hard to maneuver through since there are so many egos to satisfy. But with the combined effort of all the concubines and some of my advisers, we've managed to avoid starting civil wars so far."

Kyoko gave a wry smile. Kuon was such a workaholic. She had asked how he enjoyed the party, not how it was going. He really should learn to relax. She had half a mind to comment on it but decided not to. For Kuon, he probably wouldn't be able to enjoy the party unless it was a success. He put a lot of pride into his efforts for the kingdom. It was a part of him that she admired.

They enjoyed each other's company for a few more minutes, making comments about the people they had talked to or about the events they had managed to see. After a few minutes though, Prince Kuon told her they should probably head back to the party. He stood up holding out a hand to Kyoko.

"Come." He said "If you're feeling better, we should enjoy the rest of the party. While I enjoy sitting here in the corner talking with you, both of us will be missed eventually. Perhaps we can continue this conversation later tonight."

Kyoko's heart gave a soft flutter which she immediately squashed down. She took his hand, allowing him to help her up. He didn't let go for a moment, giving it a squeeze. Kyoko ignored the energy that motion sent through her hand, denying its existence. But she couldn't help the smile on her face as she later looked at the hand that had held his, remembering the warmth of his grasp.

Thanks for reading!

Rosashiganti, so you want to know how many chapters I plan on making this story? Too many! That's how many. If you really want to know PM me. I don't wish to depress myself by writing it down in the actual story. =.=

Also, I'm super pumped I managed to scare some of y'all with the specter. That was my intention so I'm glad it worked at least for some of you. (Yes, I'm a mean authoress) XD

Guest: *Glomps* Don't worry, Kuon withdrawal does it to the best of us. Besides, I honestly want feedback. The good and the bad. I've had some lovely conversations with several you regarding the story. As I've said, I promise not to be offended. This is a learning experience for both/all of us I hope. I'm just overjoyed you guys have stuck through this long story with me and taken the time to comment.

As a side note, I almost didn't get to publish this on time since I barely got it done. This last week I was super stressed out/depressed from school. The teachers successfully made me feel like the scum of the earth/worst student in the class/don't deserve to be there/etc. Gahhhhhh! Oh well, I'll write the experience down and use it in another story later. (The whole thing with Aya's betrayal was based off an experience I had with my dance teacher and 5 other girls who ganged up on me and got me in trouble for not taking their crap.) I literally spent this last Saturday in bed for an hour looking through reviews to make myself feel better. So thank you guys for helping me get through school with your reviews and PM's! Here's a chapter full of love. (Hope it could make your day better guest-san)

-Blushweaver

Now, a note from our beta: Imoutu

Blushweaver has informed me I need to write something at the end of this to let my adoring fans know I have not fallen off the planet, and an still editing/ beta reading for her. Also, can I just say Blushweaver made up some great outfits for this party. Makes me think about what I'm going t be for halloween... yeah need to figure that out.