A/N: Action coming oh so soon...taking guesses as to what.
Hammy: Life does have a habit of catching up. It's annoying like that, hm? Have another guess :)
AER: Good crazy...I'll take it.
TheRanger'sDaughter: Haha...you know, making plans is great...making busy plans is stressful. Right now I have a lot going on and I just keep looking at my agenda thinking "Okay, I need to get through this...then this...then this...". I think maybe in July things will calm down...maybe...probably not...hehe, Kane isn't that old. Sean and Kineta...Liam and Talia...Horace and Cassandra, Will and Alyss...that lot's getting old. Kane is just under what Halt would have been at the start of Flanagan's books.
Disclaimer: I'm not John Flanagan.
Aunt Kelly, as Reese had predicted, came to ensure he wore the right clothing to his dinner with Kaito. He was thankful she did. She helped him choose a pair of comfortable, loose trousers that would make sitting on the floor easier and a linen green shirt with his own insignia embroidered on the front pocket. He changed his socks, knowing he'd be expected to take off his boots once he was at the ship, and fastened his fur-trimmed cape that was fashionable for young men these days. He laced up his boots and headed out to where he'd agreed to meet the others invited to this dinner.
Hazen, Robin, Jin, Max, Noah, Carter, Lorelei, and Gabe were already waiting for him.
Great, he thought. I'm already late.
The nine of them began walking as soon as Reese joined. Reese had half-expected Hazen to wear his crown, though the dinner had been labeled casual. He'd even spent some time thinking up a few insults to whisper to Robin later, but the Hibernian heir left his crown behind. Max and Carter led the way, Noah close on their heels. The younger boys were infatuated with the foreign ship. Reese wondered why Horace III hadn't been invited. Perhaps Empress Sun opted to cut off the age range at double digits, and Horace III had yet to see his tenth birthday. Someone on their side must have helped her determine who to invite if Max was there. Perhaps she requested her messenger find out who Carter's friend was and invite him so that he'd have someone to talk to.
As they approached the ship the younger boys fell back. Hazen moved to the front, as though that were his rightful place. Reese joined him, not wanting Araluen to be seen as inferior to Hibernia. He could sense Robin rolling her eyes as she walked behind him next to Jin. The gangway was wide enough for just two to cross side-by-side at a time. Reese stepped up with Hazen, then Robin and Jin. Behind them were Max and Noah. Carter, always so observant, chose to trail in the odd end position. Gabe and Lorelei followed them, both watchful of Noah especially. He didn't have the experience on swaying vessels everyone else there had. In fact, this would be his first time on a ship. Docked in the harbor it wouldn't rock or roll too much, but the sea always had some sway to it.
They showed their invitations to the guard at the top. He bowed low to them. Each of them bowed back. He led them up to the second level of the deck towards a set of ornate double doors. He opened them to reveal an even more ornate entryway decorated with silk paintings and gold. He pointed to a shelf on the side where three pairs of shoes already rest. The entryway wasn't large enough for them all to gather to remove their shoes, so the guard opened the screen door to the next room. One by one, they removed their shoes and stepped inside. Each of them had chosen footwear that would be easy to take on and off in preparation for this step of Nihon-Ja manners. Even Noah had been tipped off.
Reese found himself casting his eyes down to all the feet as they filed inside. It was rare in his own culture and for some reason he found the sight of so many people, including three princes, without shoes a bit comical. That was when he noticed just one pair had not worn socks. They belonged to Robin. Of course they did. She'd even colored her toenails dull red, a fashion he knew existed only because he visited Nihon-Ja. It wasn't a Nihon-Ja fashion but during his visit he'd met representatives from the neighboring kingdom of Zhongguo, who loved to color their nails. Coloring of nails hadn't caught on in the western world but if Robin was wearing polish he had no doubts it was coming. Perhaps via her family's company.
"Welcome," Empress Sun said as she rose from her seat to great them. She bowed low. Each of them returned the gesture. "This is Kaito-san, your host."
A boy somewhere between Reese and Hazen in years stood next to her. He bowed a second time as he was introduced. Again, they bowed back.
"Wee-come," he said in a painful accent. He looked up to Empress Sun, who turned back to the visitors. She switched to her native tongue.
"He has only recently began learning your language. I know not all of you speak this one. Jin, would you mind being his main translator?"
Jin smiled sweetly and stepped forward. She bowed once more to Kaito. "Kaito-san, I am Jin Leaf. I would be honored to translate for you."
Kaito's eyes widened a bit when Jin stepped forward. Of course they did. She was beautiful by any man's standards. "Thank you," he told her, relief clear in his voice.
Empress Sun smiled once more. She turned back to the common tongue. "I leave you," she said with another bow. Each bowed back. Reese wondered how the servants in their palace kept their senses with so much low bowing. Already he was dizzy.
Kaito motioned for them to sit on cushions around a low table. Jin took a place at Kaito's left while Gabe sat on his right. Lorelei settled next to her fiancé with Robin across from her. Reese took a spot next to Robin with Hazen across from him then Max, Noah, and Carter rounded out the other end. Reese tucked his legs under him, as did Jin, Robin, Hazen, and Carter. The others sat with their legs crossed like children. Two servants came forward with trays. Reese realized that, though this had been named a casual dinner, Kaito (and perhaps Empress Sun) aimed to impress them.
They'd be sitting on the floor for a while if that was the case. Reese noticed at the Araluen and Hibernian places they'd set forks, spoons, and knives alongside the sticks traditionally used in Nihon-Ja. Two girls wearing silk robes came forward holding trays of individually covered dishes. The girls bowed to those at the table and then went about shuffling on their knees to set a dish before each guest. They started with Gabe and went around the table so that Kaito was last. The girls stood, bowed, and left the room without a single word.
"Please, eat," Kaito said in the common tongue. Each lifted the lid of their dish. Reese realized Empress Sun had been planning for Kaito to host this dinner since they left Nihon-Ja. There was no way she'd acquired the ingredients necessary for such a meal on a whim. The girls came back with cups and two large containers while everyone settled in for their meal. On pitcher was green and filled with sake, a fermented drink so strong Reese never cared for it. The other held a strong fruit-infused tea. Everyone was served a cup of each as the girls went around the table. Without a word Hazen and Reese both reached across the moment the girls were gone to remove the sake from the younger boys, much to their disdain. Kaito raised an eyebrow. "They not drink?"
"No," Reese answered. "Their mothers would kill us."
"I see," Kaito nodded.
Reese glanced to Noah, wondering if he should correct 'mother' on his behalf. Noah didn't seem to mind so he shrugged it off. Elizabet would be fiercer than Caitlyn and Carissa combined if she found out he and Hazen let Noah drink. The food in their first course, shiizakana if Reese remembered correctly, was simply an appetizer for them to relax as they began their meal. The dish curved slightly so the user could sip from it. Miso soup was among Reese's favorite Nihon-Ja foods. He sipped it slowly, using its warmth to cut the sake he committed to one glass of out of respect for Kaito. The first course included a small cup of dark beans and a second cup of sticky white rice. This first course wasn't much, just enough to warm them up.
"You enjoy?" Kaito asked slowly. Everyone nodded.
"Did you plan this meal, Kaito-san?" Robin asked. Leave it to Robin to get a conversation going. Reese tried to hide how pleased he was it was her who took that lead rather than Hazen.
"Yes," Kaito answered. He turned to Jin, whispering to her in his native language. Jin knew well those actually interested in talking to him knew his language, but now wasn't the time to show that off. Lorelei would need translation, as would Gabe if they went fast.
"Kaito-sans he planned a dinner for western friends before they leave," Jin translated. "He says he is happy all of us come tonight."
The next course arrived while Jin translated their responses back to Kaito. This one included a bowl of a different soup, one that was thicker with shrimp, carrots, and mushrooms.
"How do you find our world?" Gabe asked before sipping the new soup.
"I'm sure it's strange to you," Lorelei added.
"Yes, strange," Kaito agreed. "I like. Is is…uh…" He turned back to Jin and whispered to her.
"Kaito-san says he likes our food and customs," she translated. "But he does not understand our clothing or humor. He says he saw a queen disrespect a king, something forbidden in Nihon-Ja. He also sees royal children mixing with common children. It is strange to him."
"I wonder which king and queen that was," Robin said as she set down her soup.
"Hyper-a queen," Kaito answered. "And Ar-lune king."
"My mother, Reese's father," Hazen laughed. "They are old friends. I assure you, King William didn't take offense."
Reese nodded to Kaito to confirm what Hazen said, though he hated to agree with the princely prince. "Our families like to tease one another all the time. It doesn't affect our treaty."
By the time dessert and fresh tea were brought out, they'd managed to put Kaito at complete ease. Jin stopped translating when the younger boys drifted into their own conversation and when Lorelei and Gabe missed something Hazen leaned in to translate. Apparently, Kaito had studied their families and saw the wayward lines of succession.
"You are heir?" he asked Hazen. Hazen nodded. "Why not you?" Kaito asked Gabe.
"My parents formally adopted my cousin, Scout, when they thought they would have none of their own. They made her their heir before I was born."
"You birth not over that?"
Gabe shook his head. "No, and I don't want it to be. Scout is a good queen, and Hazen will be a good king. I'm happy in my place."
"As am I," added Lorelei before Kaito could question her. He nodded and then turned Reese.
"You be king?"
Reese nodded.
"But there is male heir in the family?"
Reese nodded again. "Horace III would be the next male heir. My cousin Iris is after me. My parents adopted me as a war orphan and when I was ten the family decided I would be the heir in full."
"But your country supports you?"
"Yes. I think many times they forget I was adopted."
Kaito nodded. "Empress Sun is kind to make me her heir. She has not done it yet, but promises to when we return home before she marries my father."
"What an honor," Jin said sweetly with her winning smile.
"An honor indeed," Kaito agreed.