Amira gazed at the full moon as the waves lapped around her, her hair floating around her, admiring the view.

" Is it true that a mermaid's kiss can save a drowning sailor, so he can breathe underwater? " a familiar, deep voice spoke from above and behind her, startling her, and as she spun towards the intruder, she wasn't surprised to see the Blue King standing on the shore among the rocks near her. He was dressed the same way she had seen him on previous occasions in his uniform, and she felt her heart ache at the reminder that they were worlds apart.

Munakata saw the pained, fearful look on her face as she watched him coming closer, and told himself to exercise more caution lest he cause her to panic, his chest tightening at the sight because it was so different from the last time he'd seen her when she had displayed almost no emotion.

Amira knew that she shouldn't stay because of the danger that he presented to her, but she did, although she didn't understand why she did it.

She saw him coming closer, knew that she had to leave.

But she couldn't…

Munakata saw the cautious way she watched him as he came to stand on a huge rock mere inches away from her. Slowly, he crouched down, and extended a hand to her. " It would be much better if we speak face to face on equal grounds, " he observed.

He was so beautiful…

Amira reached for his hand before she knew what she was doing, and when she realized that she had been about to place her trust in him, she drew her hand back as if she had been burned. For a moment, they remained that way, suspended in time.

Can I trust him? She wondered as she looked from his outstretched hand to his eyes. Do I have a right to touch him?

Munakata saw her hesitance, felt her fear, and the deep breath that she took.

Amira was afraid.

Afraid that she couldn't trust him, afraid that he only wanted to use her.

Afraid that her heart would break.

He saw the exact moment that she panicked, and turned to dive back into the water.

" Wait. "

She stopped.

" Don't run from me, " he entreated with a gentleness that she never would have expected from someone of his position. " You have nothing to fear from me. "

He saw her tremble before she turned to look up at him again, and he wished that he could wipe the fear in her eyes away.

But he didn't know how…

For a moment, the Blue King seemed to falter, surprising Amira. Against her better judgement, she inched closer to him…

" I need to change… "

Munakata smiled in relief, and rose to his feet. " Of course, " he acquiesced. " Forgive me. "

Always.

She didn't know where the thought came from, and was relieved that he was facing away in order to give her some privacy while she reverted back into her human form and changed into her clothes. That way, he didn't see the blush that was stealing over her cheeks, or how embarrassed she was.

" You may turn around now. "

Munakata turned at her words, and felt his breath catch at the sight that greeted him.

Amira Arashikage was dressed in a simple, short sleeved, white summer dress that stopped just below her knees, the ebony veil of her hair hanging loose, and tumbling all the way to her knees, her flat heeled, silver gladiator sandals reaching halfway up her shins. Her pale face betrayed a blooming of pink over cheekbones, and she seemed somewhat awkward.

Strange how someone who had killed her attackers could feel so awkward in the face of a simple conversation, he mused as they made their way to more even ground. They walked for some time until they reached a spot where Amira was able to sit on the stairs, gathering and draping her hair over her right shoulder.

" I haven't thanked you properly for saving my life, and bringing my sister in law to the hospital, " Munakata spoke, watching her, and the way that her skirt billowed around her perfectly shaped legs. She was a vision of loveliness, but her experiences in life had left her oblivious to her beauty, mainly because she thought that the only reason people took an interest in her was only to use her for her abilities.

Amira was trying not to blush at the close proximity between herself and the Blue King. " I didn't expect you to, " she answered, not in the least bit surprised that he knew her identity as the one who had saved him, along with her abilities; he was the Blue King, after all, and Scepter 4 had the resources to find out the things she wanted to keep a secret.

" Why are you here, Fourth King? " she asked. " Are you here to apprehend me on behalf of the Gold King and his clan? "

Her last words were spoken with a bitterness that Munakata knew came from her bad memories, and couldn't fault her for her opinion considering what she had been through.

" No, " he answered honestly. " I came here out of my own desire to speak with you – not as one of the Seven Kings facing a Strain, but as a human being just wishing to speak with another. "

He sounded sincere, and although she was still afraid, she decided to take her chances, to hear what he had to say.

" It is true that your abilities as a Strain, and your other skills have caught my attention, " Munakata admitted. " And those are part of the reason I came here to speak with you. "

She waited.

" I would like you to join Scepter 4, " he announced, watching her reaction.

She was still, staring at him, stunned. " I… "

" I understand that this is very sudden, " Munakata told her. " However, I am no stranger to the fact that you and your friend, Hikaru Okamihime, who is also close to one of my clansmen, are targets of your classmates who are all assassins of different backgrounds, one of them being the daughter of Koshi Mizuchi. "

Amira Arashikage's expression darkened, but not before he saw the fear in her eyes. " No one outside of the Black Class is supposed to know about it, " she pointed out. " Anyone who finds out about it becomes a target – no matter what their age. "

Anna and this man might become targets…

Munakata had never taken his eyes off her. " I am aware of that, " he revealed. " It is another reason that I am offering that you join my clan since your knowledge, skills, and abilities are quite useful; however, my main reason for making this offer is for your own protection. For as long as you remain without a clan, you will constantly be a target, however, under Scepter 4, chances of you being unprotected are almost none. "

" I can take care of myself, " she spoke in a low, but lethal sounding voice, and Munakata realized that he must have come across as condescending.

" I am sure you are more than capable of doing so, " he countered. " Think about my offer. "

She gazed at him for a moment. He did have a point, she acknowledged silently. And she wanted to protect not only Anna, but him as well.

" I don't need to do so, " she replied. " I can give you my answer right now. "