Orion was at peace. Even though he had been plagued by stress, being able to comfort someone else was pleasant. Despite her cold demeanor, she seemed open to being given affection, even if it was from someone she initially wanted nothing to do with. As he helped her calm down and stared at the Lindre flower with her, he found the way she looked at him changed. There were still flickers of hesitation and apprehension, but, perhaps, in the first place, the problem wasn't him as a person. It was probably the different things surrounding him, including his title.

Either way, when he was removed from that environment, it seemed she chose to treat him with just his character in mind. Being in the greenhouse with no servants around must have been the perfect environment. It was useful information that he had gleamed, despite the initial obstacles of getting to that point. The (h/c) haired girl's pride also seemed to be one of those obstacles, but perhaps it wouldn't get in his way too much. After all, she had just had a major moment of vulnerability. He so badly wanted to know what it was about the flower that made her do that when it was so against her motives, but he had to be patient.

"I guess you like flowers a lot more than you led on," the prince chuckled, watching her flare up just a bit, "It's hard to hate them though. Everyone I know loves them, too."

"It's a Vethelan thing," A pause. "You guys throw festivals year round for them, don't you?"

"Of course! There's the Ezdan festival in January and the Sanguine festival this month. Then there's Acrosia in March, and a bunch more. I love them all. They're all super special, too, so it's always different."

"I've never heard of those."

"They only grow in Vethela. You know, because Ezdia lived here."

The orange-haired male spoke brightly about the goddess, but (Y/n) could only dart her eyes away. She didn't believe in the woman, but it was best not to let him know that. After all, his entire existence was devoted to her. Though, she didn't know why he seemed so happy about having the compulsion to worship her simply because of his blood instead of despising it. It just felt like he was forced into the role. It didn't occur to her that he might have felt he had a place because of his faith.

"Don't they have festivals in Athain?" the male questioned, extremely excited to learn more about her home country.

"Well, I guess."

"What are they like?"

"I wouldn't know."

The male paused, trying to figure out what she meant by that. However, it became clear that she had never gone to one before nor had fully experienced one. It was a sad thought, but he couldn't help but smile. In truth, though he liked to talk about them, he had never been able to properly go to a Vethelan festival either. Sure, sometimes, they would simulate what the festivals were like or someone would tell him what it was like, but it wasn't the same. It seemed he had more in common with the (h/c) haired girl than she thought.

"Maybe we can go together sometime. We'd have to sneak out though!"

The girl smiled. She actually smiled. That was a rare occurrence, he thought, especially since she was always trying to put a wall up around everyone. Still, if she smiled at him, wasn't that just another way of accepting his proposition? It would have been fun, having a shared first experience together. There were so many things he wanted to do that he'd never gotten a chance to do before. Perhaps she would join him in doing them. He had a feeling she missed out on a lot but couldn't necessarily say why. It was just some kind of sixth sense.

It wasn't long after that when they were caught. Presley entered with Kazuya not far behind, both of them panicking to catch up with the troublemakers. And though Sona, who had been standing at a distance, let out a sigh, the opposite was true of Orion who sucked in a deep breath. For a second, he considered running away with the older girl just to have a little more fun. But, as his legs reminded him once more of his frailty, he could only sulk and sit in place as they were practically torn apart.

Presley began shaking as soon as he came in contact with him, just like always. The coral-haired knight began looking him up and down, moving his head around just to see if he had any scratches or bruises. There were none, but that didn't mean that he stopped panicking. As he held the prince close to him, protectively, Orion could hear his heart racing a million miles an hour. He had always been doted on by the young man, ever since he was born. That was why he was confused. Really, the prince was confused for a number of reasons, but the most current bewilderment came from his gaze.

Normally, Presley would only ever look at his ward, but, this time, his attention was more so on the girl across from them. While Kazuya helped her to her feet and explained the situation back at the embassy, the chief of staff only glowered at her. Aware of why, the orange-haired male moved to place his hand on the young man's arm. He shook his head, trying to tell him she was no threat, but he didn't seem to listen. No one ever seemed to listen. Not even Presley.

"The nerve," the knight ended up growling, making direct eye contact with a very disinterested (Y/n), "Out of consideration for his highness, I allowed you to stay by his side after his attack! That should have been enough! Yet you stand before me having kidnapped the grandson of the queen!"

"No! She didn't do anything!" the younger male refuted, trying to push the knight away, "Miss Shiratori was only - "

"Your highness."

As Presley spoke his words with such a stern tone, Orion found himself pausing. He couldn't do anything when the knight spoke to him in that tone. It was like a father scolding his son. In the first place, the orange-haired male was fortunate enough to even have a playmate. But what Presley had done - the rules he had broken - just to stay by his side were more than he could ever repay. That was probably why he couldn't find it in him to disobey.

Guilt flooded the male's heart, tears beginning to well up. Presley must have been so scared for him. He had just left his room without the proper attendants, gone with a stranger, and locked himself away with her. The knight probably dropped everything he was doing (of which he did a lot) and rushed to his side. After assuming that, there wasn't any reason why Orion had a reason to speak against him. As always, Presley knew best, so he should listen for his own good.

On the other hand, the coral-haired male had regretted using such a forceful tone as soon as the words came out. He watched the prince begin to cry, observing him merely curling up like a flower wilting. Pulling him in for a hug, he apologized without words, placing his forehead on the top of his head. Orion needed to be treated with care, the fragile thing unable to live on his own. That was the only reason he acted with such aggression. The boy was precious. That was why he couldn't understand the girl in front of him. Even then, she just stood still and looked down at him with pure apathy.

"Don't have anything to say for yourself?" Presley huffed, gritting his teeth as an uninvited, all-encompassing fear enveloped his form.

"I guess not."

With that, she moved to leave. She didn't stop to thank Orion nor did she cast another glance at the coral-haired man. Instead, Kazuya and Sona trailed after her, trying to usher her back to the embassy. Haru Akahito was likely going on a rampage, or so the knight assumed. Despite having been so graciously invited to Valiende, all the spoiled brat did was cause issue after issue. It came as no surprise to him that his fiancée-to-be was the same, taking things for granted and not bowing their heads to their betters.

The coral-haired man had been forced to tell Mica about the issue before then. The regent was very conflicted at hearing that his great nephew had locked himself in the greenhouse. In fact, for a moment, he couldn't move a muscle, a look of horror on his face. His thoughts aligned with Presley's, the both of them concerned about the orange-haired male's interest. However, in the end, the regent merely granted Presley and Kazuya permission to enter, saying nothing else, and giving them a key, just in case.

"Your highness, I - "

"I'm fine."

Orion pushed off the knight from his form. He was pouting. The expression was relatively new to the prince, though he had made the same face when he couldn't go outside. It was happening more and more often where the male had to be isolated from the rest of the world. And while Presley fully understood his frustration, lashing out would only make things worse. If he had gotten hurt, or, worse, sick, during the sudden outing, his short life could have been cut even shorter. It was pitiful.

"I understand," the knight hummed emotionlessly, "I'll help you back in the wheelchair. Please excuse me."

As the prince was seated back in his wheelchair, Presley moved to push him outside. The doctors had gathered, probably due to Mica's orders. They began to assess the boy, much to his displeasure. All the while, the knight stood to the side, watching in pain as Orion began crying. He had never liked doctors, always associating them with pain, and, worse still, they were always drawing blood from him. It was only to assess the level of illness in him, but he always cried whenever he saw a needle. Still, there was no other choice.

When it was all over, the coral-haired man draped a blanket over his form, tucking it in tightly to ensure the boy's warmth. At the same time, the boy moved his head away to the opposite of where Presley was, biting down on his lip. If the knight was on his left, he would lean to the right, and if the knight was on his right, he would lean to his left. Even when the young man began moving him back to his room, the prince did all he could to put distance between them. He was mad.

"If you wear this scarf, I can take you to the labyrinth for a while. Wouldn't you like to see the flowers?"

Presley was trying to make amends, but, more so, he was trying to alleviate the male's anger at him. He couldn't stand it when the prince was mad at him. Even if it was rare that the male openly showed such negative emotions, it was the bane of the knight's existence. After all, to him, Orion was his entire world. The boy was what he woke up for in the morning, what he spent the whole day looking after, and what he worried for endlessly at night. There wasn't a moment he wasn't thinking of the poor boy. To be hated by him was his worst nightmare.

However, the orange-haired male didn't respond. The knight had thought hell would freeze over before Orion would reject going to the labyrinth garden. That was the male's favorite spot in the entire world. It told the knight that his anger was not just temporary; that he had done something the male thought was unforgivable. Presley's eyes softened as they moved past the garden, not a word having escaped the prince's lips. Perhaps he was taking his first love more seriously than expected.

For the rest of the day, though the older male tried, Orion would not talk to him. It didn't matter if he showed him a new letter from his cousins or if he put fresh flowers in all the bedroom vases. It didn't even matter if he brought in fresh vegetables for him to munch on. The prince wouldn't touch them. Worse still, he had stopped looking at the knight, preferring, instead, to peer over the window in hopes of seeing the older girl pass by down below.

"His highness says that he went on vacation this week. 'It's quite warm in Athain right now, so Ichiro and I went to Shiyama to cool off in the shade. There are massive trees here. They must be hundreds of years old. It reminds me of home. Are you still watering Esper?' Ah, you haven't in a while, have you, your highness?"

Though Presley tried to tempt the prince into speaking by mentioning the direct words of his eldest cousin, it didn't work. Even if Orion would flinch, wanting to reply, he held true to his convictions, ignoring the royal guard. The coral-haired man let out a prolonged sigh, gripping at his hair in stress. If things continued that way, the prince would suffer, feeling even more isolated than usual.

"I'll leave this here. Atlas," the knight snapped, calling one of the servants to attention, "If the prince needs something, come get me immediately."

"Yes, Lord Alvaric."

Taking one last look at the bedridden prince, Presley left the room, wandering the corridors seemingly aimlessly. He didn't know what steps to take to protect the male. Love could be so fickle, and it could impact him negatively should it fail. The (h/c) haired girl was volatile, having no interest in him. The knight would have preferred the male fall in love with some greedy noble if it meant he would at least be given fake affection. With the Shiratori girl, who knew? However, he didn't hold any sway over the male's heart, so, even though he wanted to protect him, it wasn't like he could sever his affection with a sword.

In truth, he had no right to interfere with the boy's relationships. As a playmate, he was meant to go along with each and every one of his whims, if only to make him happy. Though the role had come with strict guidelines on what he could and could not do as a public figure, there were so many grey areas. Even with instruction on how to properly manage those that wanted to meet with the prince and what precautions to take in an outing, it wasn't all-encompassing. He had no idea what to do when it came to independence. Orion had never been like that before.

Many times, Presley considered asking for help from other playmates, but, in truth, the selection was very limited. For instance, the second son of the second princess technically had a playmate, but they had never interacted despite the title. The second they had met one another, they developed a great hatred - the playmate for being forced into the role of serving a useless prince and the prince for being looked down upon. On the other hand, the third son of the second princess had a playmate, but was a little too involved. The playmate was unrestrained and often fed into the dark habits of the prince. Asking either one of them would have been out of the question. Then, of course, the former playmate to the first son of the second princess was an entirely different story.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, the knight stared out of one of the many windows. The north of the palace faced the city whereas the east and west faced a small forest. However, the south was where the ocean was. That was the part Presley had always loved the most. He would sneak down with his best friend through the secret passageways and play in the water without any adults knowing. Things were so much simpler then with no worries to speak of.

The male, in the midst of staring at the ocean, neglected the approaching woman. She walked slowly, having nothing but time. As her bloodline dictated, she walked with regality, holding her head up high. Upon seeing the royal knight, mixed feelings came with it, but she was quick to hold her hand up silently. The ladies in waiting around her curtsied respectfully before leaving her alone. Though, there was hesitation. Leaving a member of the royal family on their own was a taboo, even if there was one royal guard by their side.

"Presley," the woman smiled, joining the guard at the window.

"My lady."

The coral-haired man immediately went to his knees, bowing to the woman in awe. Though her and her sister's past warranted the both of them losing any claim to the throne, he had always thought of the woman highly. Perhaps she was impulsive when she was young, but since Orion was born, she had always been kind above all else. And though she would never become queen, he still had undeniable loyalty when it came to her. After all, she was the mother of the prince he held so dear to his heart.

"Formalities," the princess huffed playfully, placing her hand on his shoulder to make him rise, "Something is bothering you."

"It's embarrassing that you've noticed."

"You've never been able to hide your feelings. You're very honest that way. It's rare. So I suppose I'm now obligated to ask you of your concerns."

"There's no need, your highness."

"I'd like to know, if you'll allow me."

Presley smiled shyly. She gave off such a motherly aura, comforting anyone in her proximity. He had no choice but to unload his worries of the prince and the Akahito's. The woman simply listened. For a while, as he talked, she seemed as if she were dead, still as a corpse. She didn't nod along or offer any words to continue the conversation. Rather, she just let the young man talk as much as he wanted before he eventually came to a stop.

"I guess I'm just worried about him being hurt most of all."

"Presley," she hummed, calling his name for seemingly no reason.

"Yes, my lady?"

"There hasn't been a moment where he hasn't been in pain."

The knight's eyes shrank in horror at the realization that she was right. Of course, he never forgot how unfair it was, always rushing to his side whenever he so much as coughed. The coral-haired man gripped at his arm. Still, was it so wrong to want to protect him from more pain? He knew the woman wasn't chastising him for that. She was only trying to get him to recognize what had been true all along. Orion was going to die. There was no saving him from that.

"They don't mix," he huffed, darting his eyes to the side in a pout, "She'll just end up making a fool of him and using him."

"You don't know that."

"With all due respect, your highness, you don't know that the opposite is true either."

All of a sudden, a smile landed on the woman's face. She held her folded fan in front of her lips and narrowed her eyes in amusement, looking at the knight in front of her. Her gaze had traces of affection but also of pity. However, it was his statement that made her hold back a chuckle, her eyes nearly glowing under the light of the setting sun. Her eyes then scanned over the corridor before landing on a small imprint in the wall. Though, of course, Presley wouldn't know what it was even if it somehow caught his eye.

"I know a lot more than you think."

"Then what are your thoughts on this? Do you really intend to let a random foreigner get close to his highness?"

"Random?" she chuckled before tapping her fan against her cheek, "And a foreigner? I think the opposite. I know not her entire life's story, but Miss Shiratori was most certainly born in Vethela."

The coral-haired man didn't care if she was a pure-blooded noble with a legacy that rivaled the esteemed Otsu family. She was a callous and uncaring person that was leading an innocent boy by a string. At any moment, she could have harmed him or had his heart broken. Worse still, she had the protection of the Akahito family, who were both disrespectful and arrogant in the face of the royal family.

"I understand your worries," the princess continued, "Even more than you do, I realize they do not appear capable of mixing. Like the earth and sky...perhaps."

"Exactly. Would you really allow her to drag him down to the plains of mortals?"

The woman could not hold back her laughter a second time, an unbecoming sight for the princess. She could not fault the knight, nor anyone else in the palace for likening the difference between the two to a deity and a mortal. However, contrary to their thoughts, it was untrue, as were many hidden secrets within Vethela. For starters, should they be compared to the earth and the sky, it would not be Orion that would be likened to the heavens.

Her moment of amusement faded away at the very real threat that was posed to her only child. She had always admired and been grateful for the knight's love of Orion. He stayed by him when everyone else pronounced him dead. But Presley was not the one destined to save the prince. And though "fate" was a lackluster concept, made only by the spontaneous decisions of immortals, if anyone had the resolve and ambition to change it, it was Miss Shiratori. For even though she possessed half, her blood purity outranked even the first ruler of Vethela.

There was a fine line between where Verona could and could not intervene. Suffice to say, it had to be (Y/n) to make the first move. It was the princess's role to ensure there were no obstacles to Orion's happy ending. That included warning those that would try to interfere, namely Haru Akahito and Presley Alvaric. Her countenance changed, the woman staring daggers into the knight's eyes. He visibly flinched at the change in personality.

"I will tell you this once. If you do anything to irreparably damage their relationship, you will find yourself at the mercy of Zydon."

Presley felt the weight of that threat, perhaps even more so than she had intended. The demon that had frozen the world and trapped even the nature goddess in unmeltable ice; how was he supposed to remain calm at the name? Swearing to adhere to her wishes, he fled, presumably back to Orion - whom he believed to be the complete opposite of the demon; a child of the sun. And though Verona wasn't entirely certain he would stay out of their affairs, as long as he did not actively sabotage their budding relationship, it was fine.

All of a sudden, it became freezing cold, even more frigid than the usual temperature of the palace grounds. The princess, understanding what that meant, gave a small chuckle. Usually, the male was uncaring if someone said his name. He certainly hated being above ground, preferring to reside in the isolated caverns below the palace. Still, since he had come, it must have only been about one thing. She moved to her knees, showing respect.

"Good evening, youngest."

At her greeting, she noted the smallest inkling of blush on his features despite the grumpy expression. He must have disliked the reminder of his origin. Nonetheless, as a small girl peeked out from behind his form, he turned back to his blunt self, placing his hand on her head. She nuzzled into it, and it was clear he tried his hardest not to flinch away from the affection. Either way, the yukinko was only happy to be around him, as she always was. The small girl then waved to the princess, the woman reciprocating the amiable action.

"Forgive me for using that name," Verona sighed, placing both hands in her lap, "It's just the only name people know you by here."

"You should be apologizing for using me as a threat. What would I do with some human knight?"

"Well, I don't know. Couldn't you eat him? Nom nom?"

As the princess playfully pretended to eat the yukinko, the small thing giggled in pure delight. However, the blue-haired entity huffed, folding his arms over one another in disgust. It seemed, no matter what he did, his reputation in Vethela would remain unchanged. However, it was fine. He didn't particularly care what a bunch of blind fools thought of him. Snapping his fingers, the yukinko rushed back to his side, beaming up at him for praise. He responded by slowly and hesitantly petting her on the head, revoking the favor after some time. She remained just as bubbly.

"How is Celith?" the woman smiled gently.

"Last time I checked, he was crying his guts out. You know how weak they get when their offering gets rejected."

"Yes, I bet he was devestated. The poor thing must think she hates him."

"He shouldn't care what she thinks."

"Are you jealous, my lord?"

The male looked away with an extremely red face, telling the woman exactly what she wanted to know. Though he was very distant with most things, there was an abundance of love he had for the boy. Whether out of necessity or time, it was near impossible for him not to cherish the boy. Before a handful of years prior, when Cadmus "brought" him to the palace, the blue-haired male never had to share him. It was obvious he was envious.

"It's only in his nature," she smiled, pulling out an object she had intended on presenting a bit later, "But I think I may be able to help him provide a better offering."