"Zeke!" Yeran almost toppled off the balcony in his excitement to finally see his beloved after almost a whole month.

Ruth subtly tugged on his short cape to prevent the disaster with no one else realizing, though his effort went to waste if the grimace on his brother's face was anything to be noted of.

"Careful, your highness," Ruth muttered, forcing Yeran to settle.

Aki quickly wiped off the displeased face, wearing a mask of polite appreciation to the colorful parade.

Royal hunt was a new tradition for both brothers, their culture not as much tournament based.

It was an annual tradition celebrated highly in the Kingdom of Aved, in the act of commemorating the king providing for the country. The more success the hunt brings in, the more people believed prosperity will strike that year.

Which also acted as of a festival for the people after the harvesting, working dual purposely as the harvesting festival as well, getting ready for the upcoming winter.

Ruth threw a glance around, noticing how even if the guards and parade is full of colours, all the knights as well as the crown prince, Prince consort and he himself had opted for black clothing. Even the king dressed in a light, black leather armor.

Yeran looked handsome and dignified, the rains of his war horse held in his hand and almost vibrating out of his skin, even if it was only visible to those who stare at his glittering eyes.

Ruth had chosen a set of robes with less layers, skirts slit in the front for easy movement and a leather vest over the top.

Aki as usual was dressed in long robes that brushed the ground when he walked, though he had also have pinned his sleeves inside a pair of bracers.

¤¤¤

Ruth watched, Yeran and Zeke's heads bent together in a conversation, both their faces lit with smiles, even if contained and keeping enough distance between them to maintain courtesy.

Zeke glanced around, his eyes catching on Aki, whose one hand running absent-mindedly over the flank of his own horse, the other spinning an arrow in a dizzying circle.

Zeke frowned, turning around to mutter something at Yeran, which he waved away. Seeming to be insisting, Zeke took a step closer, only for Yeran to laugh, shaking his head, dismissing whatever that caught Zeke's eye.

"Son," the Queen's voice came, an indication that Ruth had kept away for long enough, giving privacy to the lovers.

"Mother," Yeran inclined his head in a small bow while Zeke swept into a respectful one, the queen barely acknowledging him.

"Go to your husband Yeran, it is almost time, here's my wishing for a bountiful hunt, give my blessing to Aki as well." It was unmistakable how a look of displeasure passed over Yeran's face.

"But mother I have always hunted with my knights," he protested, voice low, not enough to draw another's attention and create a scene.

"True as that may be, this is your first traditional event as a newly married couple, a good opportunity to show our people how strong you are when united." The queen replied with a benevolent smile.

"Prince Consort said he is not willing to hunt, he may as well stay with mother," Yeran countered.

"What nonsense, Aki," The Queen's voice rose to reach Aki, who stood further, lost in thoughts.

"Yes, your majesty?" However lost he may have been in his own head, Aki had had no issue in hearing the slight stern edge to the Queen's voice.

The queen inclined her head in invitation, which Aki accepted, handing the reigns to a servant standing nearby.

"Have you said that you were not willing to hunt, my child," though her words were kind, the edge was still there, which probably went unnoticed by Zeke, his face turning ugly at the familial address.

"I....," Aki threw a glance at Yeran.

"It isn't that mother, I was merely not used to the idea of hunting for festival reasons, but if it is for tradition, I have no issue in participating," he smiled.

"See, good, off you both go, stay together and be successful." The queen clapped her hands cheerily, throwing a glance of warning at Yeran.

"Yes mother," face dark Yeran slipped a hand through the crook of Aki's elbow, almost dragging him away, Aki easily letting him whisked away with an amused smile.

¤¤¤

"Have you ever hunted at all, Aki?" Yeran asked, displeased. They had trotted deeper into the woods, separated from other parties, only Ruth keeping them company, far enough not to eavesdrop, but close enough if a danger were to occur.

"Not animals," Aki replied, smiling like a cat.

Yeran again felt that irrational fear, realizing how easy it would be to pretend an accident. Not that that would ever work, Yeran was no one if not prepared, he already had a small army in the shadows, keeping guard every inch of the way, Ruth almost a decoration only.

He wasn't ready enough to trust either of the brothers' even with the restrictions he bound Aki with and his ever growing habit of familiarizing himself to Yeran and Ruth's almost honest explanation and given proof.

"Bow a familiar weapon?" Yeran asked, pretending to be ignorant.

"Not particularly, I prefer daggers, less messy." Aki replied, offhand, his attention flickering around.

"Anything wrong, Prince Aki?" Yeran asked.

"I cannot seem to be shaking off the feeling that we are being followed." Aki said, confirming Yeran's suspicion.

He idly tapped the pommel of his saddle, tapping out a rhythm. Knowing where Aki's attention was fixed is not at his own people.

"There are many in the woods today Prince Aki, and not all of them are human." Yeran waved off his concerns.

"Hmm....." Aki hummed, though not particularly satisfied.

¤¤¤

The arrow shot true, missing nary an inch, sinking straight through the animals kidney, killing it instantly.

"You are good," Aki praised, sounding genuine.

"You are not so bad yourself Prince Aki," Yeran said, eyeing the matching bore that lay just a few feet away, two arrows locked onto the body, one at a flank and the other straight through the head.

"Why, Thank you, from you, not bad is such a high compliment." Aki said, charmingly.

Aki slipped off the horse, circling the fallen pray. He grimaced,

"Don't tell me we have to drag these back ourselves." Yeran couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his face.

"No, the servants will already be tracking us, the arrows are marked specifically for each person, they shall know who the kill belongs to," Yeran assured him.

"Thank gods!" Aki sighed in relief.

"An assassin disgusted by blood," Yeran wondered aloud.

"A dead animal and a dead human is quite different in my eyes Prince Yeran." Aki replied critically.

"You do realize that, that is quite discomforting, right?" Yeran asked.

"I'm never nothing but honest your highness, I can kill a man with no hesitation, but an animal who had done no wrong? For no purpose but fun? That itself is the worst misdeed." Aki replied, honest.

"It isn't for fun, it is for tradition, and these animals will provide the people some sustenance in coming winter." Yeran refuted.

"That can be said as these are bores, but what of the other animals, animals that can be fed upon are not all that will be killed, hmm?" Aki asked, looking up at Yeran.

Yeran had no answer to give, knowing Aki to be speaking the truth.

"That's what I thought," Aki said as a reply to Yeran's silence, swinging up onto his saddle, not sparing Yeran another glance.

Unable to find where the intention of comforting him came from, Yeran kept silent.

¤¤¤

.
.
.
.
.

Yeran

Aki

.
.
.
.
.
.

Hey,

2nd chapter for today, aren't I generous? Say, do you feel like the story is getting boring? Like the hype at beginning is dying down?

Arkhane.