#leo support

“I know we haven’t been formally introduced yet, but I couldn’t help but catch sight of the book you’re reading. The title makes it sound like it’s an interesting read, but I must confess I don’t know much about Nohrian literature.” 

Sumia hoped she wasn’t coming across as too weird. She had meant to come and introduce herself first, but she had spent a minute watching him read, trying to see the cover of the book. Sumia didn’t think she would know it. She hadn’t spent enough time here to be familiar with the types of books they might have, but she spent time in enough places to know that they weren’t all wildly different after a certain point.

"Lady Sakura." Leo bows, all courtly grace and princely manners. "If I may say so, you look beautiful this evening." He straightens and offers her a smile.

"Did you grow those roses yourself?"

A hand extends toward her. He does not dance often--the Nohrian court was far too rife with politics and gossip to enjoy the art in any meaningful fashion--but he is still royalty, and therefore, he knows the basics of what a ballroom requires. "...may I have this dance? I'll even throw in a charm if that will sway you."

A voice quickly reached her ears and as the Hoshido princess turned, her goldenish eyes matched with his reddish one. “Leo!” she chirped, her voice echoed in the ballroom, but the music was way too loud, luckily. “It’s such a pleasure meeting you here, among friendly faces and a lovely ambience” she returned the smile, while she shortly after made a little bow with her head. “These flowers on the dress?” she lowered her gaze, staring at them, “I’m glad somebody eventually noticed it, eheh” she made a soft giggled, caressing one of them with her fingertips, “I enchanted them with a specific serum, during their growth in the greenhouse; this way, they could last much longer than normal flowers and they also keep the natural beauty, as if they just bloomed” she was proud of her creation, but she quickly returned her gaze to Leo, curiosity leaked from her lips as she didn’t imagine to find him during a song popular in her kingdom.

Mitama's eyes grew bright at the treat. Delicate pastry, sweet cream, a varied topping of sweet fruits...Truly she was being spoiled to have been offered so delicious a feast to call the evening to a close.

"Many thanks, Lord Leo!" Though there is some suspicion in her, she hopes she hides it well enough as she reaches out to take the offered dessert from him. Aside from being friends with his sons and nephew, Mitama cannot think of any reason Lord Leo would take the time to gift her with something as decadent as this.

She considers the pastry quietly for a moment, debating how best to approach consuming the sweet. She did not wish to create a great mess or cause it to spill everywhere...Eventually, she angles it and takes a careful bite.

Emotional states, however, are well within his careful control. His son's sudden arrival, coupled with the news that one of his closest friends would be arriving shortly, left him with little room to think about birthdays.

He'd make it up with fleeting remorse if it were anyone else's. Of all the birthdays to forget, it had to be Mitama's. Their interactions leading up to now have been cordial at best, even if he did burn her during their winter vacation.

It's more than that, now. Siegbert loves her; therefore, Leo needs to make an effort to develop some kind of friendship with the poet.

Step one towards the goal is not off to a great start.

He's only one day late. Things could have been much worse. Prince finds Mitama on the monastery grounds. He adjusts the box in his hands, calling out in greeting. "Afternoon, Mitama. A belated gift. Accept my deepest apologies."

Inside, she'll find a leather tome containing various mythos from around the known realms. Another, smaller volume sits underneath: collected haikus from the greatest Hoshidan writers. He's sure she's already read at least half of them, but he's also ashamed to admit he doesn't know much of her likes and dislikes.

The day passed with Siegbert her sole source of fanfare and, in all honest, Mitama preferred it that was. She hardly expected anyone else to stride along and give her well-wishes simply for failing to perish. She knew it inevitable with Siegbert, but she could not think of anyone else who would think to celebrate the day.

That is why, when Prince Leo finds her the next day and hands her a gift, Mitama openly stares at the presented object for a beat too longer than what she could have simply dismissed.

She is...surprised. Genuinely. She takes the box from him, examining it with wide eyes silently as she turns it. A trick? A jest? She does not see one, though she still finds it hard to believe...

"I..." She clears her throat and closes her eyes briefly before meeting the prince's gaze. "Thank you. Pardon me, I do not wish to seem rude or unappreciative for the act, I simply..."

Now how does one explain that they are used to the day barely being of note, even if her father did remember it, and how does she avoid sounding utterly pathetic when she does?

"I was...under the impression that birthdays are not a particularly celebrated event." No, still not good. She suppresses the wince she wants to give herself and bows politely instead.

Mitama’s initial plan had been to simply sleep through the day and ignore taking part of the latest craze that had taken the castle by storm. She then quickly realized that there was no guarantee it would simply last for the day, and quickly gave up on that plan.

“Ah, Lord Leo.” Mitama smiles politely as she mimics his greeting. She even has the grace to stifle the yawn that had been starting. “No payment is needed. If I demanded a payment for every good deed I did, I would certainly be far more richer than I am after father dragged me into his mess.’

Truly, she had forgotten the taffy incident all together. To think Lord Leo had it on his mind for so long. Mitama could almost laugh at the thought. After all, she was hardly someone to concern oneself about.

His eyes narrowed in the other’s direction. Watching as Valter ate bits of the food set out for them all. Robin had said the crazed man had been nothing but polite. So far. Leo was waiting for a turn of events. Highly doubting that a man of Valter’s nature could continue with such a charade for long. Eventually he’d slip up.

And eventually the prince would be allowed to throw the scoundrel off the boat. Oh he so hoped.

“You look…tense. Having some trouble?”

“Tense?” Valter asked, tilting his head to the side a bit like a confused puppy. “Hmmm... I don’t feel very tense, no. I’m actually enjoying myself quite a bit. Especially with this fine spread laid out for us.” Who knew raw fish could taste so good??? This ‘sushi’ business. He wondered if you could could consume beef much the same way...

@scholarlyroyalty

Robin always liked a challenge.

They tried hard not to let their skills get rusty and that meant using them as often as they could. Robin was pleased that a lot of what they had once done was over with. They certainly didn’t want another war or any serious fighting. Dealing with leftover bandits and the like was already troubling, but another war would be devastating. While Robin still helped out with other things, they still wanted to be sure that they wouldn’t become slack in the future.

So that left Robin with time to search out other ways to put their strategic skills to use. Something that was helpful was finding people who were of a similar mindset. Others who had performed a similar job as they had or who were just skilled in the same way.

Robin did not know Leo well and they’d hate to intrude upon his life, but after meeting him, Robin was intrigued. They could see that Leo wasn’t just smart but clever as well. Perhaps they could find a challenge here that would satisfy their desire to challenge themselves still.

“A kissing booth? …You are no longer allowed to attend.”