DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN BROTHERS CONFLICT IN ANYWAY SHAPE OR FORM

Subaru twirled his basketball on his finger as he walked towards the royal gymnasium. It helped him to think and concentrate on what he should do in regards to his education and future career as a basketball player. Would it be a good choice to transfer here? Or would he be better off back in Japan?

"Subaru, hey!" he suddenly heard a familiar voice call out. He looked towards the royal stables and saw Rose walking by. She waved at him witha bright and kind smile.

'There's another reason to maybe stay,' Subaru thought as he waved back.

Rose quickly ran over to him, "how's it going?" she asked.

"Going good," Subaru concur. "And you?"

"Good, a little busy. What with Natasha laid up with her leg, we're a little short handed," Rose explained.

"Is she doing okay?" Subaru asked.

"I think so, she just has to stay off her leg for a while," Rose explained, "that's why Mr. Derrick has her doing the office work for now. And will have to be the nurse maid for the mare that's expecting soon."

"Do you need some extra help?" Subaru offered.

"Nah, we'll handle it just fine. You go enjoy your basketball game," Rose insisted.

"Oh, sure," Subaru agreed. He tried hard to figure out something else to say to Rose. He hoped there was something he could do or say to make this encounter last longer.

Rose was looking a little awkward as well. "I should get back to work," she finally said.

"Yes, of course," Subaru said as he walked off to the gym.

'Am I just not good around girls in general?' Subaru kicked himself, remembering how awkward he was around Ema as well.

Rose watched Subaru walk off and breath a heavy sigh.

'Why did I tell him we didn't need help?!' she scolded herself. 'I, I could have...,'

"Oh good morning Rose, or is it Miss Rose?"

"Oh, hello Master Azusa," Rose greeted the man walking towards the stables. "Just Rose is fine."

"Is Natasha here?" Azusa asked sheepishly.

"Yes she's in the office," Rose informed him.

"Thank you," Azusa said with a slight blush and walked past her into the barn.

As Azusa walked past the different horses he was surprised when one headbutted him.

"Oh, hi Wind Storm," Azusa said as he patted the horse's head, "sorry Wataru's not here, but I'm sure he will be soon."

Rose chuckled as she walked up behind him. "Yeah, Wind Storm has seem to become just as fond of Wataru as the boy has for him. I think now anytime he sees one of your brothers here without him he gets a little annoyed because his buddy isn't here."

Azusa patted Wind Storm some more, "or either that, he wants some sugar," he joked.

"Maybe," Rose said as she grabbed some sugar cubes, "here." Azusa held out the cubes for the horse who ate them up much like a child with candy.

"You are a lot like Wataru," Azusa said, petting Wind Storm again.

"Azusa is that you?" Natasha asked as she came out of the office. She looked a little mad at seeing Azusa with Rose.

"Hi," Azusa said quickly walking over to her, "I just came by to see how you're doing and ask if you still want to hang out tonight."

His question made Natasha seem to relax a little. "Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. You want to try our pizza night again?"

"Love to," Azusa agreed.

Natasha started to blush herself right as the phone in the office rang. "I got to get that." She hopped back in.

"Well, look at you two," Rose said sounding intrigued. "You two seem closer than me and your brother are."

"You mean Subaru?" Azusa asked.

"Yeah," Rose muttered.

"Don't take it personally," Azusa tried to assure her, "Subaru's always been a little distant and a loner. And he's a little awkward around girls. You should see how he is around Ema."

"Hmm," Rose muttered.

"Hey, Rose!" Natasha suddenly snapped from the office, "you have time to flirt you have time to be checking the stalls for cleaning!"

"Yes Natasha," Rose said walking off.

"You're not jealous I'm talking to Rose, are you?" Azusa walking back over to her.

"Maybe a little," Natasha reluctantly admitted, "everybody always seems to like Rose. And when I find a guy who's cute and a celebrity and I see him acting all nice to her too, guess it gets me a little testy."

Azusa smirked and patted her head. "Don't worry, right now the only girl I'm in interested in spending time with is. Even if Ema were to suddenly declare her love for me, I think I'd rather hang out with you some more."

Natasha suddenly looked like she had won a jackpot. "Thanks," she said softly, "I got to go get back to work."

"Yes of course," Azusa said, watching her hobble back into the office.

He headed back towards the main exit, when he came across Rose working hard cleaning a stall.

"Sorry about Natasha," he apologized.

"No, don't sweat it," Rose said, "I'm kind of use to it. She's always been a little jealous of me. And it's not like she doesn't have good reason."

"Because the king likes you and your family?" Azusa asked.

Rose sighed, "there's that, but it actually goes a little deeper. You know how I ride for the university riding team? Natasha had wanted to ride for them too. However she never made the team. Her last year of college, her last chance to try out, was also my first year. The day of the try-outs though, one of our other stable worker hadn't shown up and Mr. Derrick wouldn't let us both leave at the same time. So he let me leave first, knowing the king would have wanted it that way. With the promise that I'd come right back and let Natasha go. So I went, tried out, and unfortunately on my way back, I ran into a road block. I tried so hard to get back in time. But I just didn't make it in time and Natasha lost her last chance to make the team and have a leg up to try out for the Olympic team. I think that's why she hates me the most. In a way I cost her her big chance all because I was favored by the king."

"Oh," Azusa said softly, "well, I don't want to give up on her. I think there's good in her, if she's shown it."

"Yeah, you and her are awfully cute together," Rose said.

"I was kind of thinking the same way about you and Subaru," Azusa mentioned as he walked off.

"He's kind of right, you know," Natasha suddenly said hobbling past. Azusa and Rose both jumped but smiled at her.

"I'm just going to check on the mare," she said. She looked at Rose a little softly.

"Don't over do yourself and get yourself some water," she mentioned as she kept moving along.

She looked at Azusa, "I, may have heard what she said. I just never heared her sound like she cared. That she even realized what she did. Guess I was a little wrong about her."

"Eh, we're human, bound to make mistakes," Azusa said casually.

"Yeah," Natasha agreed, heading towards the pregnancy stall.

'Water does sound good,' Rose thought to herself as she walked to where her water bottle was kept.

She started taking a drink. Then a thought occurred to her.

"Hmm, water?' she thought smugly. She gathered up a few empty bottles and quickly started to fill them.

Subaru watched as the ball take a quick swish, staright into the basketball hoop.

"I think I'm getting better,' he thought to himself as he retrieved his ball and dribbled it around. He took another shot and the ball saild straight through the net.

As he started to dribble his ball again for another shot, he heard the doors to the gym opening and saw Rose walking in with a tray of water bottles.

"Hi," she said casually, "thought you might be thirsty."

"Yeah, actually," Subaru admitted. He quickly hurried over to her as Rose handed him a bottle.

"How you doing?" Rose asked.

"Good, I'm having fun," Subaru told her.

"You know, I've never really played this game," Rose said, "but I bet it's fun."

"Oh it is, it gives me a big thrill," said Subaru.

"Mind if I give it a try?" Rose asked.

Subaru eyed her, "I guess," he agreed, handing her the ball. Rose walked over to the net and took ame, throwing the ball towrds it. It didn't even make it all the way up.

"Oops," she said embarrassed.

Subaru actually smiled a little at Rose's failed attempt. Rose chuckled awkwardly.

"That was a little humiliating," she said trying to avoid looking towards Subaru.

"Try more like this," Subaru said as he showed her the proper stance to use and took a shot.

"You make it look easy," Rose said as she gathered the ball and tried doing as Subaru had. The ball still didn't make it very far.

"Darn it!" Rose muttered getting the ball again. Subaru was looking more amused by her failed attempts.

"Guess you'll have to just keep trying," he said as Rose came back up to him with the ball.

"Guess so," Rose concur a she stood in front of him holding the ball. Subaru put his hands put his hands on it, he realized he had accidentally put his hands over Rose's. However neither one pulled away quickly. Instead both just stood there looking at their hands and faces in a soft kind of silence.

"Um," Subaru started to say.

"Yeah?" Rose replied.

Before Subaru could continue, they heard the creaking sound of the doors opening once again.

"I just want to try one lap Richard. I can handle that at least, even when I still used the cane!" they heard the king say.

He and Richard both suddenly came into view, catching the pair in their current position.

Both Rose and Subaru looked like they had been caught committing a crime.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Richard mocked.

"Subaru? Rose?" Stephon said a little intrigued and confused.

"I was, just, bringing Master Subaru some water!" Rose quickly tried to explain.

"In the basketball?" Richard teased.

"Ah!" Rose said quickly let go of the ball.

"I was also giving her a few pointers," Subaru added as seriously as he could.

"Really?" Richard asked as he walked towards Subaru with a smirk, "think any of those pointers could get you to beat me?"

"You want to go now?" Subaru asked, as he started dribbling his ball

"That's a good idea! Do your little grudge match here and now. That way I can watch," King Stephon declared as he took a seat on bleachers. "Rose come sit with me and we'll cheer the two on."

"Um, okay," Rose said, now glad she had brought a whole case of water bottles instead of just one.

Richard threw off his jacket and tie, "think you're ready?"

"Sure," Subaru declared, looking at Richard in the eye. He started dribbling the ball, doing his best not to look away from Richard's face, when suddenly Richard managed to steal the ball from him and make a mad dash around him. Subaru barely managed to turn around as Richard ran to the hoop and slam dunk the ball straight in.

"He's still got it," Stephon said with pride.

"Yeah," Rose said, a little nervous.

'Come on Subaru!' she thought.

Richard smirked at the younger man as he walked back to him, "Guess that's 1-0," he said as he bounced the ball back to Subaru.

Subaru caught it, his face looking more determined. He dribbled the ball around Richard, trying to see if he could psych him out like Richard had done to him. Finally he managed to manouver around Richard and tried to get to the basket.

However, as Subaru went to make the shot, Richard jumped up at the last second and blocked the shot.

"Have to try harder than that!" Richard said as he ran around Subaru. He started bouncing the ball in between his hands, leaning his body back and forth as well. Subaru tried to figure out which way he was going to go, when Richard suddenly dodge around him and started to run at the hoop again. Subaru tried to stop him, but Richard was able to make the shot again.

"2-0," Richard taunted again.

"Come on Subaru!" Rose suddenly shouted out loud.

King Stephon looked at her surprised.

"Don't have to tell me who's team you're on," he joked.

Richard and Subaru also looked at Rose in surprise at her outburst.

"Hmm, hope you don't embarrassed yourself in front of your girlfriend," Richard said as he threw the ball to Subaru.

Subaru took a deep breath as he bounced the ball around.

'Hope you don't embarrassed yourself in front of your girlfriend,' Richard's taunt rolled around in his mind. It made him a little more determined to beat Richard.

He tried thinking of a way to make a score against Richard. He kept his back turned to Richard as he dribbled the ball. He could feel the presence of Richard behind him.

"You goingto make a move?" he asked.

Subaru stook out his left foot, but at the last second made a dash right, running straight towards the basketball hoop and managed to shoot the ball into the net.

"Yes!" Rose suddenly shouted.

"Yes indeed," Stephon said applauding.

Subaru looked back at Richard who was still smiling, but now it looked more like a smile of respect.

"Nice shot," he praised, '2-1. Just be warned, I'm going a little harder on you now!"

"Bring it!" Subaru declared.

"Heck yeah!" Richard said happily.

"4-3," Richard said as he walked away from the basketball rim in victory.

"You can still do this Subaru!" Rose kept encouraging.

King Stephon looked at her amused, "my dear, I'm curious as to how your parents will feel once they have been informed you have found an intrest outside of horses."

"Oh, well, I like to cheer on the underdog," Rose said sheepishly.

"Mmmhmm," Stephon hummed as they turn to watch the two men playing.

"Um, your majesty, I was wondering something," Rose asked, "where's your cain?"

"Don't really need it," Stephon said happily, "thanks to Ema's Buddhist monk brother."

"I didn't think they had that kind of power," Rose said surprised.

"Hmm, all he did was help me let go some deep pint up rage," Stephon explained.

"Bet that'll be a big surprise to Lord Robert," Rose said amused.

"I'm hoping so," Stephon said delighted.

"4-4," they suddenly heard Richard say.

"Yes! Go Subaru!" Rose shouted.

Richard and Subaru looked her way.

"Is she getting a little into this do you think?" Richard asked as he got ready for the last play.

"Maybe," Subaru said as he assumed the position. Though he was a little happy to have her cheering him on.

"Last play?" Richard asked.

"It'll be 5 to whoever scores next," Subaru pointed out needlessly.

Richard took a last glance at Rose, "don't sweat it if you lose. She seems to like you either way."

"Hmm," Subaru muttered, trying to keep it cool.

"Of course it'd still be pretty embarrassing to lose in front of her don't you think?" Richard also added. Subaru narrowed his eyes as Richard trying his little manouver getting around him.

However this time, Subaru tried to block him and steal the ball. He tried to move around Richard said go for the hoop himself.

"Oh this is getting intense!" Stephon said. He looked at Rose and saw her clenching her fists tight.

Subaru ran and leaped up and started to slam down the ball. Somehow Richard managed to jump too and slap the ball away.

Both he and Subaru waisted no time and raced to the ball.

Subaru managed to stretch his arm far out enough and grip it in his hand. He immediately try running back to the hoop. Richard ran next to him, trying hard to get the ball away. Subaru managed to keep him at bay until he finally managed to jump again and this time make the shot.

"Yes!" Rose cheered as she jumped up clapping loudly.

Stephon laughed at her as he too applauded.

"Well done lads, well done," he praised.

Both Subaru and Richard took a moment to catch their breath before Richard walked over to him.

Subaru wasn't sure what he was going to do or say until Richard stuck out his hand.

"Good game," Richard priased.

"Good game," Subaru also said and shook Richard's hand. He looked over at Rose who was still clapping happily.

"So that bet we made about whether or not I stay here in Elence?" Subaru started to ask.

"I wasn't going to make that stick regardless, that's your choice and your choice alone," Richard assured him.

"Hmm," Subaru said as he looked at Rose again. He hurried over to her and was surprised when she hugged him.

"Good job!" she said, only to let go of him. "Um, sorry, it was just nice seeing you win."

"Thanks," Subaru said. He surprised Rose and himself by pulling her back into the hug. "You helped believe it or not."

"Oh, well you're welcome," Rose said looking happy with the hug.

"Um, I wanted to ask you something a little personal," Subaru suddenly said again.

"What?" Rose asked a little confused, looking back up at him.

"Uh, well, the king has decided to allow me and my brothers to have dates at the ball," Subaru started to explain, "and well, I was, wondering, if you would, if you'd like to...,"

"Yes, I would love to be your date," Rose answred before he could finish.

"Oh, good, thank you," Subaru said, rubbing his neck, "he also said that we could...,"

"Pay for a dress for me? Yeah I know. My family's been friends with the royal family for generations and that includes being invited to royal parties and functions. I can take care of my own dress. Guess I'll see you at the ball," Rose said. She gently patted Subaru's cheek. "Thank you, I'll be looking forward to it." She walked back over to the now empty water bottles and gathered them uo before walking off to the exit.

Subaru wasn't sure m but looked like she was walking in a more seductive way.

Even Richard and the king followed her with their eyes as she walked out.

"My-my, seems Subaru has had made quite an impact on the girl," Stephon mentioned.

"Does his majesty approve?" Richard asked.

"To finally find a way to merge Rose's family with mine? Of course!" Stephon declared, "Subaru's Ema's brother, Ema's my granddaughter, that'll make Rose her sister-in-law. Be nice to call someone from Rose's family an actual member of my family."

"Wonderful," Richard said. "Would you still like to run that lap?"

"Yes!" Stephon declared, "I almost forgot!"

"Oh," Richard muttered.

"I'll be fine," Stephon assured him as he prepared himself for his run.

Subaru bounced his ball again.

'That is a little easier than I thought it would be,' he thought. He paused however when he heard some more footprints on the court floor. He followed it to see the king taking his jog that he had been talking about doing.

He didn't look too bad as he ran. In fact he looked like he was a pro at running.

"Was his majesty a good athlete when he was younger?" he asked Richard as he walked over to him.

"All royals try to be athletic, my boy," Stephon asked as he ran past the two, "good way to keep in shape and maintain a good image for the public!"

Subaru nodded.

"Of course I mainly did track and field and cross-country when I was close to your age. I do enjoy the thrill of the run," Stephon also mentioned.

"He's looking a lot better now," Subaru mentioned.

"Yeah your brother Kaname seemed to help work out some inner conflict and apparently that helped with his physical problems as well," said Richard.

"He's usually telling me the same thing," Subaru muttered, "that when he's not bragging about his conquests with the ladies."

Richard smirked again at his comment.

"I'm still not sure if I want to stay here, but I think I would be happy here if I did," Subaru said to the man.

"What would make you want to stay?" Richard asked.

"Probably whatever it is Ema decides to do. Even if we're not as close as I would have like to be with her, I still like to be close to her as her family if I can," Subaru explained.

Richard nodded, "well hopefully the princess will find the right choice for her soon," he said.

Robert sulked in his car as he came to the palace gates.

"Is here there now?" he asked Henry.

"Yeah, from what I've been told, he's got eyes on her and none of the gaurds have noticed yet. They didn't even seem to notice the one at the building site either," Henry assured him.

"Maybe I should just go ahead and get rid of her then. It'd be too easy," Robert said.

"No, no, it'd be too similar to what happened to her mother, remember?" Henry said, "if we do strike, we'd have to do it at different location, in a different atmosphere."

"Hmm," Robert said as he happened to see a car drive past them and familiar face was inside.

"Was that one of her stepbrothers in that car that just passed us? One with the weird name?" he asked.

"I don't know, I didn't notice," Henry said.

"I've been hearing rumors that nearly all of them are getting comfy-cozy with some of the ladies here. Hell one's even banging one of the prime minister's ditzy daughters apparently," Robert said. He stroke his chin.

"You thinking what I think you're thinking?" Henry said.

"Yeah, find out about it. Even if it's just a casual hello they share with the help, see if they're someone we can use to our advantage," Robert ordered.

"Yes sir," Henry said.

Just then Robert's phone rang.

"Not him again, now what does he want?" Robert muttered as he answered, "hello my future father-in-law," he said in a much kinder tone.

"The king's invited me and my wife to palace!" the man said, "said it has something to do with your and Beatrice's engagement! Any ideas what is it?! Ia he getting you a ring to use? Is going to make it public at the ball?! Do we need to start worrying about dress fittings? Wait, he's not going to ask that little gold digger to be bridesmaid or worse maid-of-honor in the wedding is he?"

"I don't know, my uncle's not all right in head," Robert said.

"You need to pick up the pace in regards to him and you getting the crown! Especially with that fortune grubber in town. She might very well get a swell head and decide she's the rightful heir!"

"I'm trying but she and her brothers aren't making it easy," Robert said, "I'll see you both when you get here." He quickly hung up before he had to talk to the man anymore.

"You were right from the beginning. We should have killed her back in Japan!" Robert said to Henry.

"Yeah well don't worry, I've been forming a plan to take the whole family out, in one night if need be. My men just need the word," said Henry.

"That simple huh?" Robert said, "well after we've figured out what the king wants to do with my engagement, we can talk more about that."