Author's Note: Another chapter up :) I hope that you enjoy the newest update. I am truly interested in your opinions on it as I'm unsure with how I feel about the way this chapter came out. Constructive Criticism is always welcomed. Enjoy!

And a happy "unofficial holiday" to all the American Football fans out there with their Super Bowl madness. XD

Ceteris Paribus

Chapter Two: One Step at a Time

When Mako emerged from her private sleeping room the next morning she gave an audible gasp, her hand jumping to her chest to still her pounding heart. She had forgotten all about her new "house guest" in her exhausted sleep.

"Mako? What is it? What's wrong?" Kotoha's concerned voice sounded from within the room, pulling up short before nearly crashing into her sister who stood just beyond the doorway.

"It's okay Kotoha, I just forgot about…him," Mako waved her hand in "his" direction, still unsure how to address him without a name.

Kotoha, still dressed for sleep, pulled her robes more firmly around her. "He certainly looks better than he did yesterday."

"Mmm," Mako agreed, eyeing her guest who stood at strict attention near the doorway leading into her front room. He had been washed and dressed properly in dark, fitting clothes that managed to hug his frame neatly while still remaining loose enough to be comfortable in the summer's heat. While nothing fancy, his long pants and long-sleeved tunic top weren't throw-away clothes either. He had been dressed for a servant of her station, something Mako noted with appreciation. She never understood why some of the other Court Ladies found it amusing that their slaves should go around in nothing more than their underclothes. It was demeaning and dehumanizing, and didn't reflect well on the Ladies themselves either.

Mako noted too that his wounds had been tended to, something she hoped would lead to faster healing and if they were very luck, no infections. His previous "care" and place of confinement weren't meant for their occupants to last long or comfortably. Her eyes narrowed shrewdly as she studied him closer, he was probably still too lean for his body type, but a couple more days of good food should fix that.

Ryunosuke chose that moment to enter the room. "Ah! Hime! You're up already."

"Yes," Mako answered distractedly. She looked up to meet Ryunosuke's eyes with a nod of approval. "Much better." She frowned slightly. "But what about the restraints?"

Ryunosuke's brow was troubled. "It was the best I could do, Hime. They would go no further."

Mako studied the leather neck shackle that had replaced the iron one, and the lighter chains that connected the neck to the leather wrist cuffs. She sighed noisily, not happy with it, but knew Ryunosuke had truly tried his best. "I'll work on them about it later, thank you."

He nodded.

She steadied herself before daring to look up at his face again after last night. She felt a twinge of something go through her near her navel as she was finally able to clearly see his features. His dark, soft looking hair framed his face, one that screamed of noble lineage in its structure. She was startled to discover that she was being as intensely scrutinized by him as he was by her. Their eyes met briefly and she dared a soft smile, before breaking eye contact quickly so as not to be drawn in by his stare once again.

"Truly Ryunosuke, thank you."

Ryunosuke's smile was bright if not a little tight with stress from the new presence.

Mako turned back to her house guest. "Still no name this morning?"

When all she received was stony silence in reply she shrugged. "Your choice. Just don't be surprised if I come up with a new name you don't like later. I did give you a fair chance and I refuse to cause you by a pronoun for the rest of our time together."

She turned to Kotoha. "Are you going to lie back down for a few more hours?" Her little sister nodded, eyeing the stranger with a wary eye. "Go rest, I'll watch out for you."

Kotoha bit her lip, refraining from saying that it was Mako she was concerned about. That her older sister's good nature might be taken advantage of by this stranger; that the man before them seemed to be hiding more than just his name from them. Instead, she let her sister urge her back into the safety and comfort of their room to try for a few more hours rest; she wasn't the early bird her sister was.

Mako shut the door gently behind her sister before turning back to Ryunosuke. "Has everyone had their fill this morning?"

"Yes, Hime. And your own dish will be along shortly."

Mako nodded in gratitude. "If you could, please bring something extra for our guest as well, please."

"Hime?"

"The guards aren't known for their hospitality; he could use a bit more nourishment right now. Especially in case he contracted any infections from his previous accommodations."

Ryunosuke nodded and exited to do as he was bid.

Mako watched him leave before warily turning to her guest. "You may sit, if you'd like."

His countenance didn't change.

Mako sighed. "Suit yourself, but I'm going to." She placed herself delicately down on a settee near the wall, just under an open window. When he made no move to budge Mako shrugged.

"I'll be honest," she began. "I don't know what to do with you. I have no intention of using you as my father and the rest of this court expects me to." She held up her hands in defense when his gaze finally met hers though no other move was made. "No offense on your honor, dishonor, or physical appeal, I'm just not interested. I have enough to worry about right now."

She watched him watch her for a quiet moment before continuing. "Everyone I invite into my personal life is there for a reason; they mean a great deal to me. I don't play games like the rest of this court. I tell you this because I don't trust you." Her gaze narrowed to emphasize her next points even as faint surprise entered his. "You were selected by my father and placed here. I didn't invite you in. He could be telling the truth, which I am inclined to believe in this particular situation for once, but his deceits are too numerous for me to dismiss so easily. If his words are true than you have lost much and I will do my best to ease what pain you'll allow me to. If this is a plot however, than I warn you now: touch anyone I care about, be it Kotoha, Ryunosuke or any of the servants under my care and I will make sure you live to regret it. Are we clear?"

His gaze never wavered from hers, his eyes holding hers steadily though he made no other movement or sound. She took this as his acquiescence and nodded. "Good. Then we understand one another." She moved to stand.

"Takeru."

Mako froze in place, her eyes swung to the only other person in the room. However, from the blank expression her wore, she would have sworn she was hearing voices in her own head before they came off his lips. He didn't say another word but watched her intently, almost warily. It took her a moment for her mind to piece the puzzle together and she smiled. "Takeru it is then. And I thank you," her smile was gentle and genuine.

Ryunosuke entered the room then with a couple of servants behind him, all dressed in similar dark colors. He halted and carefully studied the atmosphere, noting his princess's expression in confusion. "Is everything okay Hime?"

"Yes," Mako assured him brightly. "We have just determined a name for our new guest. Haven't we Takeru?"

Ryunosuke gave the smallest of starts, his eyes darting to the new presence in his princess's rooms in barely concealed shock. The young, dark-haired man made no move to even glance his way. "Is that so?" He tried for nonchalance in his inquiry. "Did you come up with the name yourself?"

Mako watched her guest and Ryunosuke both. "When I call him 'Takeru' he doesn't seem inclined to dislike the name," was her political answer, saying something without giving anything away.

Ryunosuke nodded in acceptance, breathing the quietest sighs of relief. "A name you heard from someone in the palace or from one of your books?"

Mako shrugged casually. "I heard it somewhere." She shot a quick smile to Takeru when Ryunosuke turned to check on the food preparations, and missed the slightest quirk of amusement on her guest's lips when she herself turned away.

"Where would you like to take your meal Princess?" A quiet, shy servant woman asked.

"I'll take here, if that's okay," Mako answered.

When the woman nodded and began setting out the dishes on the table Mako refrained from helping. She always found it silly that she couldn't serve herself, but after several servants insisted, more than once, that it truly was their genuine pleasure to serve her, Mako let the matter go. She thanked the servants as they left, noting that Ryunosuke seemed to be fidgeting.

"What's wrong?" she asked casually.

He started, forgetting sometimes how much she paid attention to those who should be "beneath" her status. "There's a new appointee in the kitchen," he explained. "I wanted to consult with him on your meal habits and introduce him to the rest of the staff."

Mako nodded. "Please," she insisted.

With a last, wary glance at the new addition to his princess's life, Ryunosuke made his exit once again.

Mako sat at the little table set in the corner of the room, reveling in the warmth of the sunshine as it filtered in from a high up window. "Sit," she encouraged her guest. "It's rather uncomfortable to eat standing like that."

He made no movements and Mako sighed gustily. "I thought I had made it apparent to you that I have no intentions towards you. I promise I have no hidden resolve to harm you, nor is the food laced with anything." She took a confident bite. "See?" she asked after chewing and swallowing politely. "Nothing." He watched her warily. "You need more nourishment, as I explained to Ryunosuke before. I know you heard it. You can pretend to hear nothing all you like but it's a lot harder to do than choosing to keep silent." She sighed. "You don't have to say anything if you do not wish." She indicated the chair across from her. "Please," she insisted.

Takeru watched her warily. Just what kind of First Princess of the Court, or whatever her title was, was this? What royal of this place ever insisted that a servant, much less a slave, sit down as an equal and partake in her meal? Did she truly not care or was this part of a deception?

It was at that moment that his stomach betrayed him, giving an almighty growl of hunger.

He heard a beautiful peal of laughter fill the room and he glanced over at the princess. Her smile was not unkind.

"I surmised right," she stated simply. "Please," she offered again.

Against his better judgment, Takeru almost painfully slowly made his way across the room. With the greatest of reluctance, he sat gingerly in the seat across from her. She made no comment, obviously treating him like a reluctant child or wounded animal – something he noted wryly, that wasn't far from how he felt, but silently pushed a few choice dishes closer to his reach.

Reluctantly but knowing the logic behind her words, he extended his hands towards the closest dish. The clink of metal rubbing against each other had her stilling. He watched her carefully as she watched him bring a warm, fresh roll to his mouth. She frowned, a crease forming between her brows.

"I really need to talk to someone about those," she muttered more to herself than to him.

He was confused by her mannerisms. She had heard her father announce that he was the prince of her rival kingdom, now her personal slave, and she was more uncomfortable that he was in chains than not? Most court women would have made sure that his restraints were heavier and thicker, not lighter.

He noted that she finished eating quickly, most likely not eating her fill but pushing dishes closer to him without a second thought. Unfortunately his stomach was pleased at this, over-riding any suspicions he would have normally had.

She sat back and studied him with her piercing gaze; he did his best not to fidget under her scrutiny.

She sighed. "Just what am I going to do with you?" she mumbled. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to have heard the question or not. She certainly didn't expect him to answer. "I'll have to talk to Ryunosuke and see if he has any ideas."

Takeru's ears pricked up at the suggestion. Would he be allowed out of the confinement of these rooms? Not that he minded exactly. They were a definite improvement upon his last quarters. He studied the young woman before him discreetly. And if he was being honest with himself, the company had certainly improved a great deal as well.

Sitting in the early morning light, her long dark hair seemed to shine. Her delicate features accented her petite figure, her every move graceful, almost poetic. Her eyes were gentle but sharply intelligent. Her face schooled into a mask in front of most others as he had witnessed at the banquet, but alive with animation in private. Her honesty that morning had startled him, and the fierceness with which she stated her words had struck a chord somewhere in him. She was so petite that he was almost positive a strong enough wind could bowl her over, but he had no doubt she'd use every last bit of strength to wreak hell on anyone that pushed her too far the wrong way. He had never had any intention to harm her, her sister or her friends intentionally, but her words did strengthen this decision.

He finished the food on the table before he knew it as he lay in his musings about the beautiful woman before him. He wasn't reading into her beauty, simply acknowledging it as a fact, he told himself. You'd have to be blind not to see it.

She appeared to be straight-forward, honest, and sincere. But he was no fool. He wouldn't blindly put his trust in anyone in this place so readily. Still, he figured it would be okay to keep an open mind about it at least.

When Ryunosuke re-entered the room it was to find Mako tucked back into her settee, reading. Her silent new guest was standing in almost the same exact spot he had been when Ryunosuke had first left the room. Ryunosuke quirked his eyebrow up in question but didn't put his curiosity into words.

"How was your meal Hime?" He asked.

"Excellent, thank you," Mako smiled up at him.

He inclined his head in acceptance.

Ryunosuke waved in a couple of servants to remove the used dishes, watching the entire process carefully. All was quiet except for the bustle or the occasional sound of a turned page until all quieted once more. When silence reigned again Mako spoke.

"Ryunosuke?"

"Yes Hime."

"What are we to do with him?"

"Who?" Ryunosuke asked, distracted in his thoughts.

"Takeru," she answered.

Ryunosuke did his best not to react to the name. "Do?" He asked intelligently.

Mako nodded, her cheeks faintly flushed, her eyes trained on the book in front of her but it was obvious she wasn't really reading.

"You know what your father expects…" Ryunosuke trailed off.

Mako's lip curled. "I know what he expects," she replied sardonically. "But I have no intentions of carrying out his new whim."

Ryunosuke stifled a sigh and shifted awkwardly, vastly uncomfortable to be having this conversation with the current room's occupants. "It's not just your father," he began.

"I care even less what the rest of the court thinks," Mako muttered mutinously.

"I understand Hime, but it's important to understand tradition and expectations so that you can fulfill the role you were born into."

Mako snorted in a un-lady-like fashion. "What role? To dress up like a pretty ornament and dance like a doll for whomever my father deems suitable for me to wed?"

Ryunosuke's expression fell slightly as watched her. Mako was one of those people who deserved so much more; he knew it with all his heart. But he also knew what was to come in the near future for her and couldn't deny that what she said was true. He tried a different tactic. "Your people expect –"

"I know what they expect Ryunosuke," her tone soft. "And they deserve better."

Ryunosuke opened his mouth to speak, glanced over at Takeru and quickly snapped his jaw shut. A weighted silence filled the room, all three members unintentionally tense from the conversation.

Mako kept her eyes firmly on her book, skimming without really taking anything in. Takeru, for his part, watched her, studying her with increasing curiosity. Ryunosuke watched them both, unsure or unable to say what he was thinking.