The High Priest was not long in following the king, as by now they had both been thoroughly dressed-down by someone (it would never be Jin, really, but he was glad of it all the same), which left the six young people in the room to themselves, bar a few servants who stood by. Jin knew each of them by name, and knew also that everyone who worked here knew well that the cardinal rule of such an occupation was silence. It was safe, then, for him to speak. "The actual text of the curse is indeed not terribly informative, and I only encountered a fragment of it, but it seems that it was a powerful magic."

The statement was less designed to inform and more to announce his intent. There was little point in moving everyone to another location, not when they had so little time in which to attempt to see this made a slightly better situation for themselves. Truth be told, he was more than a little rankled that he'd be leaving his work, and even more so that this was something for which three of the six here had left their lives. It was almost selfishness; only the fact that the fate of the king's house was tied to the fate of the country as a whole stopped it from crossing that threshold.

By the same token, though, he could not be selfish either. Though nothing of the sort could be said of his father, his brother was going to make an excellent king one day, and it was Jin's job (always had been, in an obtuse sort of way) to act so as to make that possible. The thought of something so ruinous as anarchy or a coup d'etat was a chilling one, and so it was without reservation that he would devote himself to preventing any such thing coming to fruition. Setting his silverware down and placing his napkin on the table, Jin repositioned himself so he was sitting directly across the table from Adio and Lenore, inviting Zahra with a good-natured gesture to do the same and trusting that Sora and Shizuo would both figure it out.

"I think, perhaps, as much as it might be of relief to lament our situations, this would be time best spent planning." He raised an eyebrow at Adio, knowing very well that his brother could scarcely resist the forging of a good plan. "If we are truly meant to depart tomorrow, there is much to be done in between now and then. Pardon me, Zahra," he offered with an apologetic smile, "but I thought I heard you say something when the forest at the base of the mountains was mentioned. Do you know the area, perhaps? It would be of great assistance."

---

“If no explanation can be given, than I believe our guardians deserve an apology.” Lenore looked up sharply, in time to catch Adio in what appeared to be a stare-down with his father. She had a feeling that there were a multitude of stories there, as none of the man's three eldest sons seemed to like him in the slightest. Of course, for the most part, she couldn't be sure. If someone heard a typical conversation between herself and her father, they might suppose that there was no love lost there, too, and nothing could be further from the truth.

The thought of her father, gruff always and fond of taking verbal swipes at her (which were always volleyed between them for several rounds and usually ended in both of them bursting into laughter for a few moments), nearly cracked her composure, and she set down her utensils once more, with exaggerated delicacy. He'd probably have reproached her sharply for being bold enough to sass the High Priest, but the minute they were in private, he'd of chuckled and told her he was proud of her for standing her ground when it mattered most. But... what would he think of the rest of this? She'd been dwelling on what she'd lost, she knew that, and probably failing to adequately address the present because of that bitterness.

That, he would not appreciate. Duty, he would say, isn't a fixed array of tasks, but a mindset, and by clinging so desperately to the first, she was not properly attending to the second. Like any of this or not, this was her duty now. Somehow, this made apologizing seem like the wrong thing for those who had placed her here to do, and she realized that perhaps Adio was making the same mistake she had been. It was oddly... kind, for him to become so angry on their behalf, but it was also not going to change anything. No words from anyone were going to undo what had been done, and maybe it was time she allowed that realization to really sink in.

Even after the two most powerful men in the country had left, he was still upset, and Lenore laid a hand on one of his forearms. "It is enough," she murmured. And it was; clearly, he and his brothers all disliked what she, Shizuo, and Zahra had been forced to, even though there was nothing any of them could do about it. She was convinced of his- their- sincerity at the very least, and that really was enough. She was not pleased, she would not respect the people who had forced her into this, but she would move on, and they should, too.

Jin moved over to their section of the table, and Lenore removed her hand with a sudden awareness of its location, looking down at where both were now clasped in her lap for just long enough to be sure that her face was composed before she leveled her gaze at the people across from her. "I think you might be right. As for travel preparations, I think the most important things would be horses and rations. I don't know anything of your stables, but I can cook, or gather as few implements as possible to do so. I think perhaps it would be best to maintain a low profile, so I'll pack very lightly." She assumed that they'd be using inns when possible, but it was also likely that there would be some times when they could not, and thus they'd have to be prepared.

Sora quickly caught on to what Jin was getting at, and turned momentarily to Shizuo. "We should probably move as well," he said quietly, and proceeded to do just that, taking the seat on Zahra's other side, close enough to hear as plans were discussed. He was not much of a talker (as anyone who had spent more than five minutes in his presence would have no difficulty discovering), but he did understand the difference between a silence for the sake of peace and one that would damage things, so though he mostly kept his own counsel, he would offer information if necessary.

Frankly, he thought they were all handling it perhaps a bit too well, all things considered, but then it wasn't as though they had much choice. One did not disobey the king, and to go against both his will and that of the High Priest was not only treasonous, but tantamount to suicide. Just as well, then, that most of the time the two old men were at loggerheads. Unfortunately, it seemed the one time they could bring themselves to agree upon anything, it was a whole lot of trouble for the six of them.

Jin spoke to Zahra about directions, and he remembered earlier her mentioning being familiar with forests. Was the one nearby their destination perhaps the one she knew? If so, it would indeed be helpful. Though his own navigation and tracking skills were nothing to sneeze at, there was no beating someone who knew the area on a more personal level. He could not help but wonder what she thought of all this; while Lenore was somewhat vocal and Shizuo intentionally (he thought) vague, but most likely angry, he did not see such a strong reaction in the blue-haired girl. It was clear that she felt she did not belong here (and he would have told her that was no negative reflection of who she was), but beyond that, she did not seem to carry the same level of displeasure. Was what she had left behind somehow worse? The thought was unpleasant at best.

Lenore chose that moment to speak up, and Sora nodded. "Don't worry about the horses. I can take care of all of that. I'm sure the kitchen staff would help you; they tend to favor my siblings over our father." He was fairly certain he was not the only one who had as a small boy spent an evening or two down in the kitchen with the staff after a particularly upsetting episode with his father. If not his older brothers, than at least one or two of the younger ones had.

Shizuo

Shizuo quietly stood from her seat and moved to seat herself beside her new prince, leaving enough space in between so as not to seem too comfortable with him. She then focused her attention on the discussion but this was only a temporary measure as her thoughts began to wander.

The king isn't as friendly as I would have hoped. Even so, to find that his sons are much kinder I have to wonder how they came about? Sora is in the least, quiet from what I have only so far seen. Adio seems headstrong, able to efficiently deal with his father and the problems that arise. Jin has his knowledge and his ability to support his brothers, I believe. They make an excellent Trio. As for the guardians Lenore and Zahra I have some thoughts upon them too. Zahra is quite like Sora except she has a different presence. Lenore is more assertive than you would expect but it isn't lost on her. To be traveling with all these people. It's been far too long since by last journey and my last was when I was young. Still being trained by Lana in fact. Lana, I miss her somehow. I think she lives near the village were heading too. Perhaps I might find time to go see her. No, I must focus on my original task plus she will only scorn me for being insolent.

Shizuo inwardly sighed and shifted in her chair, placing her hands in her lap solemnly."Since we know that most of what we will need for the trip will be taken care of we have to focus on how we will find the relic. I would be willing to help in any way possible but I believe my efforts would be best put towards either studying up on the region to which we will be headed or helping Lenore with provisions." She took a breath letting her gaze wander over the group. Strange. She actually felt comfortable enough to speak with them like this?

"Anyways As Jin said, Zahra it would be an honor if you would tell us what you could to help. I, myself have only visited that region a few times and I am unfamiliar with the land nearest the mountains." She turned a cool gaze on the shy girl, smiling warmly to encourage her to speak. A thought popped into her head and she had to refuse the chuckle. She reminds me of a cute bunny. Shy and quiet but strong at the same time.

Shizuo leaned back in her chair crossing her arms over her chest in a manner that made her feel comfortable. She relaxed letting the weariness after dinner soak out of her system. The anger had long subsided and for that had left tired resignation in it's trail. However much she wanted to rest, she needed to get some work done before tommorrow came. Too soon indeed. She moved a hand to push her bangs away from her face. She hadn't forgotten her attire either but it had become a small niggle in the back of he mind as she had a new set of problems to deal with.

Leave it to King Edolas to maintain silence. Apology was beneath him but Adio wasn’t going to sleep regretting having not asked. It still irked him to no end and he could do nothing but try and drown out the anger with the smell of delicious food. But it only made his stomach churn.

A hand fell onto his forearm, light but its presence certain and confident. Looking down he noticed the only person who could do this was Lenore and his heart skipped a beat. He looked into her face, hearing her words and letting a smile tug at his lips. At first, her words held a cryptic tone and he couldn’t really find what she meant in her eyes. What was enough? The anger? The guilt? Adio sighed and looked down, nodding his head in agreement. All of it was enough. He had more important matters to get to and staying in a constant aura of anger and regret would get him nowhere.

His eyes glanced at her hand as she stole it away and he felt the sudden chill that the absence of it left. The Prince was no stranger to intimate touches, in fact, he could even boast knowing the science of a physical touch. Many women didn’t realize but there were universal meanings to the gestures they made, the way they laid their hands upon things, the way they murmured their words. Adio knew it all in order to play his mindless little game with them. Lenore, laying her hand on his forearm, sparing kind words and perhaps thanks? It had meant something entirely different than a young woman just trying to get a little closer to him. Her confidence had seeped into him and he looked up to his younger brother, trying hard to listen to him through the thrumming of his blood through his ears.

While the others spoke aloud about what the tasks they would take on, Adio was making mental notes. Apparently Lenore could cook and had taken those necessary preparations on herself. He grinned to himself. Sora, of course, would take care of the horses and gather the necessary supplies in the hopes that they would be able to stay in inns on the way to town. One could hope, Adio thought, but that did not mean it would happen. Most likely they would be spending more time out of doors than anything.

They would also have to learn of the village. What kind of place was it? Was there a person meant to specifically learn, study, and know everything about this relic? Shizuo’s voice turned his head upward and he followed her warm smile to the seemingly small blue haired girl sitting in between Jin and Sora. Adio remembered she wasn’t a short young lady, but she had the uncanny ability to take up as little space as possible. Perhaps, though, it had been that she was a little upset earlier? Now he saw something around her that gleamed purpose and something like confidence. He nodded his agreement to the golden haired woman’s statement and rested his chin on folded hands.

---

Zahra moved, rather awkwardly in her dress, with Jin and sat down. Sitting across from the the Prince Adio and Lenore she felt incredibly tiny. They were two presences that just exuded confidence and intent. Zahra was feeling a bit shadowed by it, but with an adjustment of her back and shoulders, she decided to match their auras. It certainly wasn’t as strong but Zahra wasn’t about to be bullied down by unseen presences. Of course, she knew they weren’t doing it on purpose, they seemed much too kind for something like that. She just wanted to look like she fit in. It didn’t feel like it was working at all.

When Sora sat beside her she let out a small sigh of relief. With him beside her she didn’t feel the need to “puff out her chest” as much. Everyone said their piece, which left Zahra to answer Jin’s question and Shizuo’s encouragement. Returning her smile, though Zahra’s was not as beautiful or radiant as the golden woman, she nodded slowly.

“Well,” she began, swallowing hard because she really hated speaking in front of so many people. “He mentioned the village at the base of the mountains and that the relic was somewhere in the mountains. If it is in fact the same place, than he speaks of the Stone Pagoda. I have never be within the village, but my… the tribe that had tutored me had traded with them on numerous occasions.” She sighed, trying to make sure she didn’t sound like a fool with her quiet voice and down-turned eyes. “I do remember having been there once. My…” She shook her head. These slip ups were becoming too often with the memory of them. “The tribe takes all their apprentice hunters to the Stone Pagoda to make their first kill. The elders hide within the stone and snow while the apprentice camps out at the rim of the Pagoda. They believe it holds some kind of energy that keeps the hunter aware for longer than normal. It protects the hunter from the elements of the earth and body.” A ghost of a smile came across her lips as her own experience with it traveled into her mind. Never sleeping, eyes always aware of her surroundings. Bow and arrow always at the ready. For three days she sat in one spot, waiting for the right animal, the right kill.

“They never spoke of a relic inside the Pagoda, but I know there are obstacles to get inside. The tribe never wanted to get in to see what lay beneath the doors and walls. They thought it unnecessary.” Finally, she looked up, a strange confidence exuding from her. “I can get us there, if you like. I know the trails of those mountains well. I never forget where I have been.”

"That would be most appreciated," Jin told Zahra with a nod. "I think I myself will spend as much time as possible trying to figure out exactly what the structure of this Stone Pagoda might be, as well as the local culture of the area involved." His mind was already at work trying to identify the books that would be of the most assistance with this, and had a decent running list by the time he reentered the conversation. "Actually, Shizuo, if you wouldn't mind helping Lenore gather supplies, I'd like to borrow your knowledge, Zahra. Anything at all that you can remember of the area would be most helpful." He nodded to himself.

He would of course, leave Adio and Sora to their own business, trusting that they would certainly know where they were best needed. Though he could have used help like Shizuo's in his research, it would at this point probably be more advantageous if he had firsthand knowledge to supplement the rather voluminous amount of reading he was going to be doing this evening.

---

Another few minutes found Jin back in his library, moving up and down the shelves and pulling books from their places with the kind of practice ease that only happens when you have the order in which they are placed memorized. Most of them were general references on Kandra as a whole, and he wasn't sure how much help they would be in discovering anything about the rather esoteric mountain region. It was generally one of the least directly-governed; as long as the citizens paid their taxes, nobody really bothered them.

In a sense, it was absolutely fascinating, and he felt rather privileged to be able to speak to someone who knew firsthand something of it. Maybe not much, but even that little was more than he currently had, since he'd never been there himself. "Make yourself at home, Zahra," he invited. "It's a bit messy-looking at the moment, but the chairs are all a bit too comfortable. I tend to fall asleep in them quite often." This was true; often he was so late at his work that he passed out on top of it, actually, and occasionally woke up with graphite or ink on his face. It was all rather embarrassing, but thankfully nobody ever saw it except Walter, who'd had the same habit for a number of years anyway.

The old man appeared to have left for the day, which was normal around this time. Though he had no family, he was not disposed to linger here in his advanced age, preferring the comfort of his personal quarters. Almost as many books, a more suitable place to sleep. Hefting a heavy stack of tomes onto the central table, he settled into his own customary place beside it and leaned forward, bracing his elbows on the table and folding his hands together. "I'm sorry to put you on the spot like this, but do you remember anything of the Stone Pagoda that you didn't mention earlier? if not, that's fine, anything about the forest surrounding it or any people you might have met there would be helpful, also."

---

Lenore was glad to be up and moving again; not because she patently disliked anyone in the room, but becasue she was starting to feel distinctly uncomfortable in her seat. And for good reason: she had actually touched the heir to her country's throne! First of all, Lenore did not touch people. Not if she could avoid it. It was just a thing of hers, like how some people counted fenceposts or always ate cake a particular way. But worse was that she'd done so in such a familiar manner, as though she had any right!

It occurred to her that Adio himself made it too easy to forget that he was the future king of this country. He seemed so... genial, and even when they were engaged in some kind of clandestine battle for knowledge of the other or to get under the other's skin, which she knew to be an occupation of the nobility, it somehow felt so... something that she forgot. Normal wasn't the right word. Natural? That was almost as frightening, but probably more true. She didn't want to consider why that might be.

So instead, she made conversation with her companion for this task. "Shizuo? Do you mind if I ask where you're from?" It was innocuous enough, but invited expansion if the other young woman felt so inclined. They were currently in the kitchen, in the process of (with much helpful assistance from the staff) gathering a few basic cooking essentials, plus nonperishable ingredients and some perishable ones, which would hopefully be replaceable along the way. Lenore chanced a look at the clock, and was surprised to find that the hour was that late already. Time flies when you're conspiring, I suppose.

That wasn't exactly the best word for what they were doing, but it was close enough, and it certainly had tinges of that, what with the group of them playing a sinister version of a guessing game with the King and the High Priest. She couldn't help but think that all of them were chess pieces on a board, but the question was: who was really playing? And were they important ones, or simply pawns?

Sora knew what he needed to do, and he was rather inclined to be efficient about it, so as soon as the group began dispersing, he was off and back outside, truthfully grateful to be where he could breathe fresh air again. The atmosphere that pervaded wherever his father went was heavy with expectations he could not meet, and Sora disliked it all. Not perhaps with the same fervor that Adio attacked offenses done, nor with the same sheer determination to make things better that characterized Jin.

All the same, he felt his dislike in much the same manner as he felt everything else: below the surface, but deeply ingrained. In a sense, the events of this evening had made him feel much like a child again- not free to choose his fate and under the thumb of men with much more power than he would ever possess. So, in exactly the same fashion he had as a boy, he retreated to the stables and lost his worries amidst the horses.

For the most part, he knew which ones they'd be taking. Though none were at it as often as he, all his brothers knew how to ride, and each had a horse that knew him well. Isis was as much Zahra's partner as she was anyone's, so that was an easy fit as well. All that remained was to find a couple for Lenore and Shizuo. He realized he'd forgotten to ask how much they knew about horseback travel, but then he expected that each probably had some knowledge. Well, he'd give them both ones he'd trained, just in case. Of course, then saddles would need to be oiled, probably weapon-sheath attachments added for comfort also. He'd better find an extra mount too, for supplies and in case of emergency.

He had a feeling it was going to be a long night, for all of them.

Shizuo busily shuffled through the dry foods as her task was set upon her. She didn't mind the work after all and the kitchen staff seemed to be helpful enough. She would often pull an object down and scan the label before either putting it in one collection or another of her foods. However her mind never stayed in one place for too long and soon she would think of what the trip would be like and how they would go about getting the relic. Shizuo sighed quietly, having been happy to get out of the dining room to move around but letting her focus slip was rather tedious when it was reoccurring.

"Shizuo? Do you mind if I ask where you're from?" She froze in her efforts to try and think up a reply. She hadn't been expecting the personal question from the pink-haired warrior and that she was asking it now in front of others made Shizuo a little reluctant to part with her past. Nonetheless she remembered to keep going and resumed motion as her lips formed a solid response.

"I'm not sure but I believe I was born somewhere in the far south but my most prominent memories are of a village close to this castle actually. Not too close to where the castle is right above us but to where it's in the distance. Perhaps about seventy miles out? Can't be too far but it's not enough to where it's extremely close." She left her reply at that vague few sentences. She wasn't keen on reliving her past just so she could share it with another but she didn't mind giving a few hints or minor sentences.

She took the time to store away her gathered objects before looking towards the clock. It didn't feel like it had been a long while but time had certainly passed with the ease of speed. She shook her head and sped up the working process. It would be a long night if she couldn't get everything they would need and since the estimated time they would be away from the castle was unknown the rations would have to be guessed. Shizuo, however, made sure to keep the weight to a minimum. No horse or man would want to carry something heavy for a long period of time. She shook the thought of the prince's struggling to just get out of a castle with heavy packages away with a small chuckle. Returning her attention to Lenore she decided to continue the conversation since she would have to get familiar soon enough. "What about you? Are you far from the castle?"

Slowly, with a grace and poise Adio still could not compare it to, the sun filtered in through the cracks of the curtains adorning his windows. He was not a spoiled man in the sense that he relished in material things and adored them above all else. No, the prince was rather spoiled in a way that he got everything he wanted and was eternally grateful for never having to go without. He looked at his belongings and cherished them. He watched the servants sweat and groan into their work and appreciated their hard work. His newest butler, the one that had replaced his mentor, his father-figure, was a quiet man but had grown on Adio. He was used to be scolded with a smooth tongue and intelligent eye. This man, Leonard, was compliant, always at the ready, and practically psychic. Before Adio had even entered his room that night, half his things had been packed. He patted him on the shoulder, gave him the proper courtesies than insisted her do the rest.

Leonard had not been back since. Adio had not slept since. His mind was too full of things that needed tending to. Letters had been written throughout the night by candle, seals created with the ring about his finger, and new aliases created with official papers. There was no telling who would stop them on the roads and if it be official guards, they would have to have the papers at the ready. Telling the entire world that the heir to the Throne and his two younger brothers were out among the people was too dangerous. It seemed the people were fine with the King and his children, but there was always someone lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike. Even with these powerful women to help them, an assassination attempt was not something they could readily prepare for.

And so now, Adio sat, facing the balcony in his desk chair, relishing in the last few minutes of nighttime and the last few sips of lukewarm coffee. His thoughts would drift from readiness to Lenore and back again. The way she’d boldly faced the High Priest, the way she’d made him feel about confronting his own father and the King of all Kandra. Something about her made Adio feel stronger than usual. Taking a stand wasn’t so improper and expelling your thoughts and feelings was more normal than letting it slide. She was a strange companion for him, but he had a feeling like they would work out just fine in the end. He couldn’t have asked for a more capable guardian, he was sure.

Taking one last sip, the Silver Prince stood and readied himself into some civilian clothing. Dank and boringly patterned, Adio felt refreshed. It would be nice to get out and be treated like a person rather than a title. He wasn’t all optimism about the idea, for he knew things would be harder to get and not everyone would treat a stranger kindly, but that was the beauty of the situation. His worn boots took him steadily through the halls and toward the stables where he knew Sora would probably already be up and have half, if not all, the horses ready for the ride. Adio silently thanked for competent siblings who kept things mostly orderly. Now, if they could keep it that way through the journey, Adio would have nothing to worry about.

---

There was a horrible pain down her neck, through her left shoulder as she slowly lifted her body up from the floor. A page of the book her head had fallen on was stuck to her cheek and she had to gently pull it from her skin, for fear of ripping it. How long had she been out? When he she fallen asleep? And how in the world had she gotten on the floor with her head smashed in the pages of a book, no less? Zahra stared down at the jibberish on the pages and a new wave of fear swept through her. Her memories of the hours just before came crashing back at her and she looked all around for the yellow haired prince, Jin. Her ward, the one she would have to protect, the most intelligent of the bunch. A bookworm. A man of words and stories. Her complete opposite in all things and he had obviously deduced that she was horribly flawed.

Zahra’s heart was racing and she just wanted to curl up into a ball and die a little bit. No one knew yet that she was totally uneducated in the way a woman her age should be. No one but Jin. Of course, neither of them had said anything. Nothing really needed to be said. She’d stared at the maps, dumbfounded. Trying to appear like she knew what was going on with the words and symbols, but knowing she had no clue what she was pointing at or what the words meant. The sapphire girl wasn’t stupid. She knew her way around a forest. She knew poison from potion. She knew when to attack and when to back down. Her instincts were keen and her wisdom of the earth was much. But she couldn’t read or write, or tell you the history of the government or its monarch. She could tell you nothing of prayers and religion or how to add and subtract for the purposes of money. Zahra was not intelligent. Zahra was a lost cause and as her two amber eyes peeked slowly over the table covered in more books, papers, and maps, she stared at the yellow haired man with fear. Running would make her weak, so she just watched him, eyes wide, hoping and praying he would say nothing about it. No, she was not hoping for that. She was hoping he had not noticed. That she could go on and prove herself through her actions rather than her lack of knowledgeable facts.

Jin had noted Zahra fall asleep, and though he had contemplated waking her that she might make her way back to her room and do so there, he had the sneaking suspicion that she might have insisted on remaining awake, and so he simply let her sleep, taking a touch of good-natured amusement from the way her breaths fluttered the page she was slumped over. It had not taken him long to come to the conclusion that she could not read, but he didn't mind. He did not expect everyone he met to have had his opportunities for a first-class education, after all, and it was no character flaw.

The time had passed rather quickly after that, and though the desire for rest tugged at his eyelids, he remained engaged in his work, moving about quietly as he could so as not to disturb her. He even did a little bit of tidying, since it was bound to be a while before he could come here again. The thought caused him to pause in the act of reshelving a narrow book on the flora varieties in and about the mountains, and his eyebrows drew together over pale grey eyes. Soon, it would be he who was throughly out of his element, and he realized that this was something he had failed to adequately consider. Perhaps he and his guardian were more alike than either of them thought; he was soon to know the feeling that he was sure pervaded her thoughts of late. He wondered if he would cope with it quite so well.

Zahra awoke rather suddenly, looking around with eyes much like he imagined a frightened rabbit might have, and he smiled gently. "Good morning," he greeted amiably. "I'm sorry I didn't wake you sooner; you looked like you were having a good rest. I was a bit envious, truth be told." The corners of his eyes crinkled a bit, but sobriety returned to his expression quickly enough. "I imagine we'll be leaving rather soon, but you have time to gather your things. I think it would be best if we met at the stables. Sora showed you where they were yesterday, did he not?"

That reminded him... there was a chance that Shizuo didn't know where they were. Perhaps it was best that he retrieved her on his own way. So thinking, he held the door for Zahra to pass before casting one last glance at his library and sighing inaudibly, shutting the door behind him. He was going to miss it. Jin split from his guardian when he reached the branch hallway that led to his ill-used quarters. He did not keep a personal butler, as such a person would have their talents frightfully wasted by his rather sparse needs, but he did share a manservant with Sora, and Oscar had apparently taken it upon himself to pack the older of the two some clothes for the occasion. He swiftly donned the rough commoner's green tunic and brown trousers, noting that the boots were still well-made, though not so much so as to stick out horribly.

Double-checking his quarters for anything he might have forgotten, he nodded to himself and headed out. Upon reaching the girls' hallway, he noted that both Lenore and Zahra seemed to be gone already, as maids were busy at work cleaning both quarters. The one in the pink room was carrying out armfuls of pink roses, and he wondered how anyone had thought it was a good idea to put that many flowers in one room. Turning back to the unassuming door in front of him, he knocked thrice and stepped back, offering to guide Shizuo to the stables for their departure.

---

Her question was volleyed back, and Lenore replied without hesitation. "I'm from a mid-sized city perhaps twenty miles from here," she answered evenly. "It's not a bad place to live, but I can't say it's luxurious, either." Her nose crinkled slightly at the mention of luxury, making it perfectly clear which situation she preferred. The two made an efficient team, and with the help of the staff, finished their work in silence. Lenore volunteered to deliver the resulting travel packs to Sora, and made her way out to the stables to do just that.

Afterwards, she had done the sensible thing and gone to sleep. It was not a particularly easy or restful slumber, and she turned fitfully several times during the night, dreaming of foes that could not be vanquished and hurdles that simply could not be jumped. She had known such night-phantasms before, but this time there was a spectral audience to her failures, and she was acutely aware that she was not only failing herself this time.

She woke some time before dawn, and threw open the windows of her bedroom to escape the perfume-smell of flowers that still cloyed the air in here. She sat upon the sill, the side of her head resting against the place where glass became stone, and tried to breathe slowly. Her riotously-colored hair, tousled and unbound, dripped into pools up the sill and some of it even slid out the window, but she didn't notice. For the moment, she allowed herself to be as weak as she felt; there would be no opportunity for it in the near future, and she needed to get this shameful self-pity out of her system.

The cool touch of stone was a balm to her heated forehead, and brought with it clarity and the same iron resolve she'd found the night before. Dreams were just that- they could not touch her waking self if she did not let them. The tension in her body eased; her face relaxed into a small tracery of a smile. She was her father's daughter; if failure wished to win the day, it would have to face her at her best first, and a fight was something she could handle. Reassured, she stood and rummaged through her clothes, pulling on a black cheongsam with her family crest on the back. She added soft, loose pants in white under it, since they would be riding and the slits on this one were rather high. Her hair was hastily arranged into a single tail, and she showed the comb back into her bag before deciding that she might as well see about helping the blue-eyed prince assemble the horses. It was early yet, but she was ready to be gone.

Sora spent the majority of his evening in the stables, eventually falling asleep in the hayloft, which had become something of a habit of his over the years. It was something that his father, thankfully, did not know about, because his friends kept quiet about it. The first rays of sunlight hit his eyes quite early, and he realized that though most everything was taken care of here, there were still matters to be attended to regarding his personal accouterments. Right. Leave it to him to forget something so basic.

His passage back to his room was swift and silent; no need for anyone important to see him with straw in his hair this early in the day. After a quick scrub and a change (though his wardrobe did not need to be drastically altered to fit in with people outside the castle) he grabbed the packed bag of clothes and supplies someone (he suspected Oscar) had arranged, and was back out to the grounds before anyone had any cause to know he had been rushing. He stopped at the falconry and debated the merits of taking an extra bird for messages. Eventually, he decided against it. One who make his living as a hunter or something might keep one such bird, but two was hinting at material wealth beyond what he really wanted to suggest.

Ophelia on his shoulder, he headed back to the stable proper and was surprised to find Lenore there. She seemed willing to help out, and also to know her way around tack, so the two worked in companionable silence for a few minutes until Adio and then Zahra showed up as well. By that time, everything was just about ready to go. The supplies Lenore had delivered the previous evening were slung over the back of the spare horse, and everyone else's mounts were ready. Unfortunately, the nature of the journey demanded saddles all around, as they were useful for attaching supplies and also had leather loops for holding weapons that would not sit comfortably in the position that horseback necessitated.

Each of the princes had his own horse, and he'd picked three of the swiftest otherwise for the guardians, anticipating that covering the distance as quickly and efficiently as possible was probably for the best. It looked like they were simply waiting on Jin and Shizuo now. They were not late by any means, not yet anyway, but it seemed as though some of the others had been as anxious as he had that morning.

Shizuo

She awoke with a start, looking to the window to see the time. She could see the first rays of dawn peeking through her window and that induced a smile from her. Taking her gaze away from the window she moved to get out of bed only to find herself face first on the floor. It seemed that she had fallen asleep on the edge of her bed, not even covered by quilt. "What?" She mumbled trying to make sense of the situation. Then it came to her. She had come back from working to try packing up a bit tonight and had been polishing the blade. When she finished, Shizuo had simply fallen to sleep where she sat. She sighed and shifted to lay on her back staring up at the ceiling. "I don't feel like doing too much today." She whispered to herself before her mind gave in to resignation. Oh well.

Shizuo spent most of that morning gathering her things together. She also had cleaned up rather nicely considering the state of disarray it had since the night before. She would not so easily trust someone else to do it anyways. Just like how she didn't trust herself not to forget anything important. "Did I get my sword?" She glanced towards the door where she had put it to rest. Her sword had been polished, shaped, and wrapped ready for battle. Everything she needed was in tip top shape.

She glanced back towards her bed where she had laid her bag. "Light armor, leather, and pleasantries?" She shuffled forward to give the bag another thorough check for the third time. "Okay." She looked down at her attire making sure it was suitable for the evening and yet good enough so that she could ride when they departed. It was composed of her boots, pants, white button-up shirt, and her coat that acted as her armor. "Perfect. I believe." She murmured. As for one last touch she pulled her hair into a ponytail using an ornate clip she had gotten from her aunt. A good luck charm so to say.

She glanced to the door when she heard the knock. "Coming." She hurried over to her bag and strapped it over her shoulder before walking to the door and opening it. "Oh. Jin." She started before glancing back into her room. "I'm ready." She leaned back to snatch up her sword before scampering out the door and closing it behind herself. She slid the sword into a special sheath on her bag and looked to Jin with curious interest. Being so early in the morning she didn't feel like putting up a front of calm fortitude. "Shall we go together? If so, lead the way."