Morg: Heyo! I truly hope there are still plenty of people out there loving these stories.
Ikuto: Are you going to stop writing them if there aren't?
Amu: Please say yes.
Morg: No. My stories are for me first and my readers second.
Ikuto: Oh, good.
Amu: Damn it.
Morg: Sucks to suck, I guess.
~Queen's Decree~
Kiseki scowled behind his drink as he watched the princess move throughout the ballroom with her shadow right behind her. "That fucking cat. What is he doing here?"
Tadase flinched but hid the movement by shifting his weight as if he were looking to see what his brother was talking about. "We heard the rumors that he made his way here. Why are you so surprised to find that they were true?"
"Him being in this country is different from him being the princess's personal guard," Kiseki said with a frown. He turned to his younger brother while schooling his face to hide his displeasure. "We'll have to assume that he's told her about us."
"It was forbidden."
"In our kingdom," Kiseki said with a shrug. "He's free to do whatever he wants here."
Tadase turned to look at Ikuto from across the room. He engaged with the princess whenever she addressed him but otherwise kept his attention on the people around them. He didn't look bored. He looked as though he was exactly where he wanted to be. "He's not going to leave her side. I'm not going to be able to approach her."
"No," Kiseki agreed. "But don't assume that means you're not going to do your part."
Firming himself, Tadase made sure that his emotions were not showing on his face. "What are you going to do?"
Kiseki smirked as he set his drink glass on the tray of a passing servant. "Don't worry. I've got a plan."
XXX
Amu dipped her head in response to the bow a courtier directed at her before he left their small group. She didn't do something as uncouth as sigh in relief, though she knew her closest friends knew exactly how she felt.
Rima smirked as she lifted her glass of wine to her lips. "Are you going to agree to dance with anyone tonight?"
Amu shot her friend a look. "Not if I can avoid it. The moment I dance with one person the floodgates will open and everyone will ask."
Utau laughed as she brushed her long hair over her shoulder. "True. But I think that only applies to anyone of lower rank."
"You mean," Amu said as she turned to look at Utau. "That if Kukai, Kiseki, or Tadase ask then I'm obligated to say yes. Which at any other ball, would be correct."
Rima laughed as she turned enough to survey the room. "But tonight is to celebrate your birthday so you can reject any invite."
Amu dipped her head in response as she gave her two best friends a wry smile. "I'm quite content to stay off the dance floor tonight."
"Amu," Ikuto said as he stepped closer to her side to speak to her quietly. "Look at your mother."
Calmly, Amu turned so she could survey a lot of the room. She's had Ikuto near her for enough public events that she knows how to act as though he has not given her a warning. Her gaze landed on her mother, still seated on the throne, before they skipped to the man bowing before her. "What is he doing?"
"I don't know," Ikuto replied just as quietly. "He won't hurt her. Not outright but I don't trust him to not try and manipulate her for his own gain."
"My mother won't fall for any of his schemes."
Ikuto sighed as he surveyed the room to make sure that no new threats popped up while he was distracted. "His plans are often convoluted, Amu. He could just be complimenting her on the ball and still manage to get what he wants out of the interaction."
"Well," Amu said as she turned to speak to Ikuto. She met his gaze before he continued to watch the crowd around them. "I can't go over there and demand to know what he's saying. I'll have to ask her about their conversation later."
Ikuto dipped his head in a nod as he took a half-step back from his princess. "I only wanted you to be aware that it was happening."
Amu studied him for a moment longer before she turned back to Utau and Rima. She ignored their curious gazes as she glanced at her mother to see her still speaking with Prince Kiseki. It was odd, she decided, that Prince Tadase had not joined his brother in whatever it was that he was saying.
Turning, Amu scanned the rest of the room until she found the younger prince standing alone near a table that held a lot of food. Something about his face had her gaze lingering on him. He looked as though he wished he could be anywhere else but there at her ball.
"Ikuto," Amu called as she turned back to her knight. "Should I be more concerned about the older one or the younger one?"
Ikuto stepped back to Amu's side and followed her gaze to look at Tadase. "It is my experience that he is often forced to follow along with his brother's plans even if he might not agree to them. But don't feel sorry for him, Amu. He could say no."
Amu mulled over that information in her mind for a minute. So Kiseki was often the brains but Tadase still carried out his part in his brother's schemes. She made a considering noise as she looked back at Ikuto. "He doesn't seem like he wants to be here."
"He probably doesn't. Your palace is a long way from his."
Nodding, Amu turned back to where Rima and Utau were talking quietly without her. She was sure they had questions but she wasn't about to answer them. Not while they were in public. "What has he been doing?"
"They spoke quietly together before Kiseki went to speak to your mother. They have both looked over here at you and at me several times but neither of them have made any effort to approach you."
"Probably," Amu murmured. "Because you are here and they recognize you."
"Probably," Ikuto agreed.
Amu tapped her fingers together without raising her hands from where they hung loosely by her sides. She didn't call attention to her fidgeting as she thought over what Ikuto had revealed. "So they are here with a purpose and your presence has caused them to change tactics."
"Most likely."
Amu nodded again. "We've been speaking too long. One of them has probably noticed."
"Kiseki will assume that I've told you to be wary of them at least." Ikuto directed his attention away from his princess to scan the ballroom again. "He will assume that we are speaking about him."
Amu hummed as she fidgeted her fingers again. "King Souma is approaching."
"Yes, he's finally managed to pull himself away from some courtiers."
Amu smiled softly at that as she turned to rejoin Utau and Rima. "I'll see what he wants before I decide what I want to do."
Ikuto tilted his head and stayed a few steps away as Amu joined her friends with a smile on her face and her shoulders set in a way that conveyed she had no concerns about what they'd been speaking about. Her ability to mask her feelings was truly astounding. It was only because he knew her so well that he knew that she was thinking about their conversation even while she laughed with her friends.
Amu kept a small sliver of her attention on her mother. She could admit to herself that she was relieved when Kiseki bowed to her and left the throne to rejoin the crowd. Amu forced herself to not track his progress. She didn't want him to know that she had been watching him.
"Happy birthday, Princess Amu," Kukai said with a grin and a bow as he approached the group.
Amu returned his smile and his bow. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Please," Kukai said with a wave of his hand. "This is your party. There's no need for titles here."
"As you say," Amu said with a dip of her chin. "Have you met my friends? This is Duchess Hoshina Utau and Countess Mashiro Rima."
Kukai turned to bow to both of the ladies present. He smiled at them as he did so. "I don't want to seem rude," he said as he turned back to Amu. "So I'm asking you first out of politeness. Would you care for a dance?"
"Ah," Amu said with a smile. "Not particularly."
"I thought not," Kukai admitted as he grinned. "I do believe you already have a handsome shadow that would be more than willing to help you sate any desires you have to dance."
It was only through years of practice that Amu managed to tame her blush. "True."
"In that case," Kukai said as he bowed to Amu once more. "I would like to ask the person that I would actually prefer to share a dance with."
Laughing, Amu nodded her head to him. "Be my guest to try your hand."
Kukai's grin turned into a smirk as he nodded at the princess. Then he turned sharply on his heel and dipped into another bow and held out his hand. "Duchess Hoshina, would you do me the honor?"
Utau blinked down at the hand being offered to her for a second before she breathed out gently and curtsied. "Your Majesty, the honor is mine."
Amu and Rima exchanged smirks as Utau placed her hand into Kukai's waiting one.
Utau shot them a look over her shoulder as she allowed the king to lead her away. She would be having words with them later.
Amu didn't bother to warn Rima that a certain duke was making his way toward them as her friend snickered at Utau's sudden departure. "Ah, that does give me an idea."
Rima lifted an eyebrow as she turned back to her friend. "What are you talking about?"
Smirking, Amu lifted her hand out to the side and was once again pleasantly surprised when Ikuto did not hesitate to take it.
"Your Highness?"
"Did you hear the king, Ikuto?"
"I did."
"Then I have a desire that I wish to slake."
Rima's mouth dropped open partway as her gaze slid from Amu to Ikuto and back. She quickly closed it when she noticed the looks she was getting from both of them. "Seriously?"
Ikuto crisply stepped forward and bowed over Amu's hand. He did not wait for her to curtsy back, as she was a higher station than he was, before he stood and led her toward the other dancers. "As my princess commands."
"Do you know how to dance, Ikuto?" Amu asked quietly as people turned to watch him lead her toward the dance floor. "I don't want you to do anything you aren't comfortable with."
"This gives you the excuse you needed to speak with me without certain people noticing," Ikuto replied. "And, yes, I know how to dance."
"Do they teach all the knights?"
Despite knowing that she was teasing him, Ikuto shook his head ever so slightly. "I learned how to dance from my mother."
Amu smiled as Ikuto brought her to a stop and turned to face her. She let her hand turn in his grip before she rested her other hand on his shoulder. She forced herself not to shudder as his hand landed on her waist. "Don't worry, I will follow however you lead me."
Ikuto tilted his head and smiled though he did not meet Amu's gaze. "It hasn't been so long that I'm worried I'll misstep."
Amu allowed him to lead her around the dance floor for a few minutes as she worked up the courage to say what she wanted to tell him. She'd never hesitated so much with him before. "I wasn't talking about just the dance."
That did have Ikuto looking down to meet her gaze. "I know," he said softly. "I vow to do my utmost to make sure you never have cause to doubt my intentions."
Amu sighed as she listened to the song change. She made no indication of wanting to stop and was pleased that Ikuto switched his steps without hesitation to continue to lead her through the dance. "Have you noticed any threats?"
"Have you?"
"It is hard to tell if people are eyeing you because they want to know who you are or if it is because they are displeased you are protecting me."
Ikuto chuckled at that. "I think there's been a mixture of curiosity and animosity. Though I think the animosity stems from them being jealous that you have chosen to keep me by your side instead of one of them."
"Ah, then I should probably point out to you that I am also receiving jealous looks from some of the people here tonight."
Ikuto tightened his hold on his princess in a way that no one but Amu would notice. "There is not anyone here that could call me away from your side."
Amu smiled as she looked back up to find Ikuto watching her instead of the crowd. "In that, we agree."
.
Morg: I mean, I want to keep moving the plot along but I also want time for the fluffy stuff.
Ikuto: I do enjoy the flirting.
Amu: Just let it end.
Morg: Never.
