DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN BROTHERS CONFLICT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM
When Ema and her brothers returned to the palace, they were surprised to see the king and Wataru roughhousing in a playful manner.
"Wow, surprised the king's acting like that given his condition," Richard said softly.
"I think it's sweet," said Ema blushing.
At that Stephon realized Ema and the others had returned.
"Ah welcome home," he said as he quickly put Wataru down. He held his back a little after letting the boy go. "How was your trip to the university?"
"Wonderful, it's an amazing school, " Ema said, "I can understand why it's a great pride of Elence."
"Ah yes, so many talented and intelligent people have through that campus," said Stephon with pride.
"Well, hello Emma," Robert suddenly said as he came down the stairs, dragging Bea along with him.
"Of course, there's always a few exceptions," Stephon muttered.
"And what sort of mischief have you and your brothers been up to, today?" Robert asked smugly.
"We went to see the university," said Ema as casually as she could.
"Ah, yes, the university," Robert seemed to recall, "had many a happy memories when I attended."
"Memories we often had to clean up," Stephon muttered some more, "anyway, Ema, I'm sure your tired and would like some rest."
"Actually, Grandfather, can we talk about something?" Ema asked.
"Absolutely," Stephon said happily, "let's go to my office."
"Is it something important, Emma?" Robert asked.
"Well, not necessarily," said Ema, "would like if I was able to speak to my grandfather alone if that's alright."
"Fine, I understand," Robert muttered trying to sound upset. He turned and walked away in a different direction, pulling Bea behind him.
"Charmer, isn't he?" Natsume said as he headed off on his own.
"Yes, I can see how he'd end up being a marvelous king someday," Futo added, putting his arm around Ami and leading her away.
"He scares me, that's for sure," Iori said softly.
"Ms too," Wataru said, "and I don't like how he calls Big Sister Emma! That's not her name! It's Ema!"
Subaru patted his head. "Don't sweat it. He's usually the only that does."
"Hmm," Wataru moaned.
"Master Wataru, I think our lessons are done for the day. So if you'd like, you're free to go do as you please," Sophie said quickly.
"Who's this?" Iori asked.
"Lady Sophie, she's my special teacher!" Wataru said as he quickly went and held her hand, "did you hear? My Teacher! She's here for me, nobody else!"
"Right, of course," Subaru said.
"Okay, whatever," Yusuke said.
"I'm glad you have such a nice teacher," said Iori.
Wataru shoot his brothers all a warning look before walking over to Sophie and taking her hand.
"I'd want to go ride my horse Wind Storm! You should come watch me! I'm very good!" he insisted.
"Maybe for a little bit. I should work on getting some lessons ready for tomorrow," said Sophie.
"But you will come right?" Wataru asked.
"I will come watch," Sophie promised.
"Here I'll go with you," Subaru offered.
"You?" Wataru said, "oh right, you want to see the pretty stable girl Rose, huh?"
Subaru blushed.
"Come on, let's go," he replied as he headed to the back of the palace.
"So Subaru has a crush on someone other than Ema?" Iori said a little surprised.
"I think a lot of us are finding someone they seem to feel attractive to since you all got here," said Yusuke, "what about you?"
"Uh, well, I wouldn't go that far, but I guess I'm getting a little closer to that maid Jane," Iori admitted, "but I don't know where it's going to go, even if I'm going to school here now. Anymore than whatever will happen with these guys and these girls we keep meeting. Who knows what's going to happen."
"Yeah, we could all go back to Japan and then turn your attention back onto Ema," Yusuke said, a little annoyed at the idea.
Stephon looked a little disconcerting at Ema's request to visit the building and its residents.
"Eh, I don't know dear, considering we're going to have to work on getting ready for all your other relatives coming," he admitted.
"I realize that Grandfather, but it is early in the morning and I'll try and be really quick with it!" Ema pleaded.
Stephon sighed with a smile, "ah hell with it. As long as it doesn't run too long. I've had to negotiate with cival workers, foreign diplomats, charities, and still host a formal gathering all in the same day back in my younger years. This could give you a good taste of how hard royals usually have to work, especially when at the top."
Ema beemed and rushed around the desk. "Thank you Grandfather!" she said hugging him.
"Don't thank me too much," Stephon warned, even if he returned the hug. "Richard, you'll go with her right?"
"Yes sire," Richard agreed.
"Good," said Stephon, "so Ema how are you feeling now?"
"Great!" Ema assured.
"You're not feeling tired or anything like that?" Stephon asked.
"No, not really," Ema kept insisting, "why?"
"I wanted to go over some of steps we'll have to do at the party, along with Louis. Richard?" Stephon spoke up.
Richard opened the office door, "Chrissy, will you find Lord Louis?"
"On it," Chrissy said.
"Have him meet us at the ballroom," Stephon said as he stood up, "Ema, come along."
"Coming Grandfather," Ema said politely and took his hand to help walk with him to the ballroom.
Chrissy hurried along the hallway, on her radio, asking anyone who would respond to be on lookout for Louis.
"Have you see Lord Louis?" she asked a random maid.
"Yes Madam, he started up his hair styling station again for the palace residents," said the maid.
"Ah, thank you," Chrissy said as she dashed off.
"Something the matter?" she heard Lord Markus asking as he came out of his study with a book, complete with a pipe.
"The king just needs to go over a few things with him and the princess over the party with the royal family," said Chrissy.
"Ah, yes, the rest of the family," Markus said, "I should probably make a cheat sheet for the two so they know who most are."
It was then he started to think of something serious before turning and walking back to his library. However as he came around the corner fast, he accidentally found himself bump into someone.
"Oh terribly sorry," Markus quickly replied.
"Alright, my fault,"
Markus adjusted his glasses to see who he had bumped into.
"You are Lord Hikaru, correct?" he asked, "one of Princess Ema's stepbrothers, correct?"
"Why, yes and you are?" Hikaru asked.
"Ah, Lord Markus, Palace Historian," Markus introduced himself offering Hikaru his hand.
"Delighted," Hikaru replied shaking his hand back.
"You'll excuse me, I'm in a very big rush. Just had a brilliant idea!" Markus explained with haist as he walked past Hikaru. He paused when he happened to see another person behind Hikaru. "Hello Miss Cook, nice to see you."
"Likewise," Heather said with a smile.
"I hope your mother's doing well," said Markus as he hurried along further.
"I didn't realize historians were so enthusiast with their work," Hikaru mentioned.
"I just had a brilliant idea for the party coming up with the royal family in regards to your sister!" Markus explained with delight.
"Oh this I want to see," Hikaru said as he and Heather followed.
They watched as he dashed into his private library and started looking through many of the different books.
"Could we be of help sir?" Hikaru asked.
"I'm looking for a certain picture of Ema's mother in a certain dress," Markus explained, "it's hard to explain it but I'll know it when I see it!"
"Oh, please do let me help with that!" Hikaru insisted.
Markus waved his hand in front of a certain section of books on a book case.
"It should be in any of the books in and around here," he said, "and they are all captioned so, they'll say if Ema's mother Yolanda is in it. Plus she looks so much like Ema it'll be hard not to notice her."
"And I'm guessing we should be looking for an elegant evening dress of sorts?" Heather asked as she and Hikaru each grabbed a boom and started flipping through.
"Yes," was all Markus would reply as he tossed the book he was holding off to the side and grabbed another.
"Are any of these the one your looking for?" Hikaru asked as he showed Markus a few pictures.
"Mmm, no, think younger, more Ema's age," Markus explained.
"Got it," Hikaru said as he flipped through some more pictures, "I must say, even if she wasn't a princess, Little Ema's mother was quite stylish."
"She always wanted to look her best, less she make her father look bad," Markus said.
"Sounds like our Ema, always trying to make sure she doesn't embatass her family," Hikaru praised.
"I wish Ema had known her. Even if she never came back to Elence, Yolanda would have been a wonderful mother," said Heather.
"Did you ever know her?" Hikaru asked.
"I met her once or twince when I was little and my mother was starting out in politics. I think she was a little bit of an inspiration for my mother to run for Prime Minister. I don't know if she would have remember me so easily," said Heather.
"She sounds like the kind of perso nwho could inspire lots of different people," Hikaru said as he turned the page of his book and found a picture of Yolanda in a fancy ballroom gown. A long skirt, yellow color, stapless, with a rose pattern on the top. The caption read, Princess Yolanda age 17, hosting her first ever ball at the palace."
"Is this the one you're looking for?" he asked Markus.
Markus' eyes exploded with delight. "That's it, that's the one! The dress Yolanda wore her first time as a hostess! I was thinking of finding where they're keeping the dress and see if they can alter it for Ema to wear!"
"Oh wonderful! Ema wearing her mother's gown when she's introduced to her mother's family!" Heather said with delight.
"My thoughts exactly!" Markus said as he hurried out of the room. Hikaru and Heather both ran after him until he came to a set of black doors and tried to open them.
"Blast! But I guess it would figure it would be locked!" he muttered mad, "where's a servant when you need them?!"
Futo kept his hand around Ami as he walked with her through the palace. At first she figured he was taking her back to his room, but got a surprise when instead he led down a different hallway.
"Master Futo, did you need something?" she asked.
"A private room," Futo said, "particularly one with good acoustics."
"Um, well there's the tower room. It's meant to be a place of seclusion, especially for the servants," Ami imformed him.
"Good take me there," Futo ordered.
Ami was able to pull free from his grasp, but still held his hand as they headed up several flights of stairs until they came to a small door and Ami opened it to see a small lounge room with some old couches and beanbag chairs and a big round window, sunlight shinging through it.
"Hmm," Futo muttered as he looked around, "guess this will work." He sat down on one of the couches and then smiled at Ami. "So...,"
"So?" Ami sputtered, shrugging her shoulders.
"Let me hear you sing some more," Futo ordered, "if I'm taking you back to Japan with me to help launch your singing career I need to make sure what happened earlier wasn't a one time thing."
"I really don't think I'm the best canidate to be a personal singer sir," Ami insisted.
"But would you rather be a maid the rest of your life?" Futo asked smugly.
"I wasn't intending to," said Ami.
"Then what better way to help get you out of this place than a sure fire singing career?" Futo insisted, "now come on, sing for me."
"Okay," Ami said sheepishly as she started singing out loud.
Futo sat ans listen, nodding his head to the song.
"Nice," he said as the song finished, "very nice. I think you'll be the sure thing. Great isn't it?"
"I, guess," Ami said unsure.
"What?" Futo asked as he got up and walked over to her. He put his arm aroun her waist and the other on her cheek.
"I guess, I didn't think about being famous," Ami admitted.
"Mmm, oh you'll be famous alright. Even if you don't make it as a idol, you'll be the most envious woman in Japan, as my lady," Futo said as he leaned in for a kiss.
Ami however turned her head away.
"Are you sure you'll want me to stay with you sven after the whole affair with your sister is sorted out?" she asked.
Futo made her turn to look back at him. "Yes, I'm going to keep you with me for as long as I can. I've only ever felt this way about Ema. And well since she'll no doubt be persude even more now, thanks to being a princess and I don't like the idea of her out-shining me in popularity, I'm lucky I found myself a girl just as great all for myself. Maybe even better than Ema."
"Better than a princess?" Ami asked annoyed.
"Of course, she's everybody's princess. You however are my princess and my princess alone," Futo insisted as he finally managed to kiss her.
Ami once again couldn't find herself able to pull away. Instead she gently put her hand on Futo's shoulder in order to steady herself.
"i guess this is for real then,' Ami allowed herself to beleive as she and Futo kept kissing.
"Sing for me again," Futo suddenly ordered in-between kisses.
"What?" Ami asked a little confused by the request.
"Anything, I just want to hear your beautiful voice," Futo said as he moved his kisses down Ami's face to her neck.
Ami had hard to try hard not to crumble with the kisses and at the same time started to sing out loud.
It was a little harder this time around given how much Futo kept kissing her, but she managed to finish it without too much trouble.
"Good, wonderfully done. It's good to know you can keep your cool singing in difficult situations," Futo praised.
"Was that what this was all about?" Ami asked with a giggle, "you are naughty!"
"I just have certain ways of conducting my business," Futo whispered seductively before kissing her lips all over agin.
However, both were soon distarcted by a loud shouting.
"Blast! But I guess it would figure it would be locked! Where's a servant when you need them?!"
"Was that Lord Markus?" Ami asked
"Who cares," Futo tried to argue, only to suddenly lose his hold on Ami.
"Forgive me Master, but it sounds like he could use some help," she said, bowing and hurrying to the stairs.
"You realize this is going to result in a penalty game," Futo called after her, as he walked after her.
"Lord Markus?" Ami said as she came down the stairs where Markus, Hikaru and Heather standing in front of a set of black doors.
"You, you work here correct?" Markus asked.
"Yes," Ami said bowing.
"Why aren't you in your uniform?" Markus asked.
"Because she's acting as my personal maid and I don't want her to stand out if I decided togo out of the palace," Futo said as he came up behind her.
"Makes sense," Hikaru said with a smug smile.
"Anyway, do you or can you find someone who can open these doors?" Markus asked.
"I can see if it's on my chain," Ami said as she pulled out her keys and flipped through them.
"Try that small one," Markus instructed. Ami put the key into the lock, and turned it. She was then able to push the door open.
"Thank you my dear," Markus said as he hurried into the room. The four others all poked their heads inside to see a room full of fancy clothes and accessories all neatly preserved in clear clothing bags. Markus hurried started flipping through.
"It should be in here, I don't think it was one they donated," Markus said out loud as he kept looking.
"Hmm, please let me help you look kind sir," Hikaru offered as he joined Markus in browsing.
"What are they looking for anyway?" Futo asked.
"An old dress that belong to Princess Yolanda," said Heather.
"Who?" Futo asked.
"Princess Ema's mother of course," said Heather, sounding a little annoyed at the question.
"Oh, right," said Futo.
"These gowns are to die for! Oh if I could only wear one, if only for a moment!" Hikaru said as he kept looking through.
"Sorry Hikaru, but unless they're donated for charity, these outfits are to be kept here for royalty only," Markus said.
"Pity," Hikaru said as he fliped another dress past. "Oh I think I found one you were looking for!"
"Let me see!" Markus said as he hurried over to Hikaru. He smiled with delight as he took the dress down.
"Wonderful, just wonderful!" he said happily, "now to find the king and Ema and present it to them. Ami, don't forget to lock this door up."
"Yes sir," Ami said shut the doors and locked them again.
Hikaru sighed, "a girl could die with pleasure in a room like that!"
Heather took his hand. "Come on, let's go get changed like you wanted and then I'll take you shopping."
"You know a way to a lady's heart!" Hikaru said as the two walked off together.
"You know, your brother seems like the perfect man for Miss Cook. She's always been a little free spirited," Ami.
"Whatever," said Futo. He grabbed Ami's hand and pulled her towards him.
"Come on, let's go and practice your singing some more," he insisted, dragging Ami to the lound room again. All Ami could do was blush as she was pulled along.