The queen just stared at him as he spoke. "No discipline? How do you even know that? You have only danced with one and yelled at another." Se said, getting uneasy and impatient. She smiled at the tigress then furrowed a brow at Akito as he dismissed her like a maid. Then he went down the steps. At first, the queen looked excited, but he had a determined look on his face; one like he knew what he was after. She stood and put her paw on the kings shoulder.
"Let's see what he does. Here has to be a reason he's acting this way." She only watched.

I was in the crowd of ladies, my last treat left my tray and I started to make my way back to the main snack table.

Without another word to either my mother or father, I had made my way through the crowd. The fact that my father hadn't come after me this time to stop me and try to bring me back to the throne had gave me a bit of relief. Only taking a single glance back toward the thrones, it had seemed that my mother had comforted my father with the fact that she trusted in my judgement. It had been quite a while, but I had actually given both my father and mother an actual sincere smile on my own lips. I soon returned to my search for Nora as I began to try and sniff out her scent, it had taken about a minute or so but in the end I had ended up finding her by the snack table with an empty tray in her hand. Slowly enough, I reached out and placed a single hand onto her shoulder. Both her scent and the color of her fur had given away the fact that it had to be Nora who was standing in front of me. "Nora..?..we need to talk.." I called out with a silent whisper just so that my mother and father wouldn't end up hearing me.

I felt someone touch my shoulder and I glanced behind me and almost dropped my tray. My mouth hung open and I blushed, my fur fluffing a bit.
"Akito! What are you doing, singling me out like this?! I'm just a maid... please dont get me in trouble! Im not here to ruin your night..." I said, in a rushed jumbled mess. A few princesses stared at him and I... I started to sweat. The King and Queen were even looking this way.
"Do you think he knows her?" The queen asked the king, not taking her eyes off us.

By the time Nora had turned to look at me, the obvious sight of her fur fluffed up and her mouth open gave the fact that she probably wasn't expecting me to come up to her randomly like that. When she started stating facts that she didn't want to get into trouble and end up ruining this night for me, I couldn't help myself but to chuckle silently to myself. "Nora..this night has already been horrible. I can't imagine how much worst it can get." I spoke before leaning forward a bit to be extra cautious on who would end up hearing our conversation. "Obviously you can't leave with me out of this room..but if I am to leave, I'm more then sure enough that my mother and father's attention are going to be on me more then you. Once I'm out of here..please, follow me..I think I know where your father is, especially if hes kept somewhere in this palace." I explained before quickly realizing that I was a bit closer then I expected I was at. Quickly enough, I pulled myself away with a small blush spreading across my cheeks and my head slowly looking toward the floor. I wasn't sure what it had been about Nora, no matter who I was ever around I was never really the type to start blushing no matter what. I was always serious about everything but it seemed every time I was around her, I felt as though I could barely even stand straight or let alone keep eye-contact with her for too long.


The king who had continued to sit in his throne stared at his son with one of the maids curiously. What they were saying with one another was difficult to understand due to the music in the room still playing. As he had heard the queen speak up on her question, he could only tilt his head lightly before giving a light nod. "It seems so. Hmm.." He spoke before signaling for a single guard to come over, it had only taken seconds for a female guard to make her way over in front of both the queen and king's throne. "Keep an eye on that maid and my son." He instructed as the guard saluted to the king and queen instantly after receiving her order. "Yes, your majesty." She spoke before making her way into the crowd but staying at a distance to make sure it wasn't obvious that she was watching both Akito and Nora.

"Horrible? You should be having fun, and I should be working." I said, still low, but more into his ear as he had leaned in close. A few Princesses stared at us, their stares could cut down a tree if they could.
"Akito... finish out the evening and everything else can wait. My father has been gone a long time... you should be worrying about your bride right now." I said matter-of-factly. He backed off a bit and his face was red with...blush? Was he feeling ok?
"I really should get back to serving everyone..." I said, my tray full of sweets. "and the princesses are staring..."

Listening as to how Nora told me that I should be having fun and that she should be working already. I could only stay silent as I looked at her, it seemed almost as though she had given up hope to find her father. I couldn't really blame her though, having to be in the palace of her rival clan and figuring that my own clan was probably the one who stole her own father would bring out at least some of that feeling from deep within. When Nora spoke about me having to pick my bride soon, I could only take a glance over toward the princesses as they stared over toward both me and Nora. It wasn't too difficult to realize how their stares weren't much of plain curiosity on why I had been talking to a maid but almost as though they were somewhat jealous. Whatever the reason was for their stares, I simply gave them a glare of my own before returning my attention back onto Nora. 'Nora...' I said mentally to myself as I had watched her refill her tray to begin serving the other guests once more. "Then if that is what you think is right..I will respect it..but I won't give up on finding your father for you." I spoke before making my way over onto her side and placing a soft peck of my own lips against her cheek. I had easily known that the other princesses were still watching, but I hadn't really given much care to it. Unaware of my father sending a guard to watch us, I had left Nora's side and made my way to the exit of the room.

The king who had watched his son throughout the entire time he had spoken with a maid, was becoming ever more curious on what his son must've been speaking about toward the maid. When he had seen his son leaned forward toward the side of the maid, both of his eyes had widened up in shock to wonder what he had just done. "What did he just do? Did you see that?" He had asked his wife as he turned his head over to look toward the queen. All the while the guard had stood within the crowd, she had seen what had happened and a light gasp had escaped her lips. Immediately seeing as how the prince had left the room only to leave the female maid still remaining there, the guard turned her attention between the prince and the maid, unaware of who to really follow at this point.

The princesses that were nearby all veered away from me when I came close to serve them treats. I heard a few of them speaking amongst themselves.
"...what does he see in a slave?"
"Did you just see him kiss her?" I ended up standing alone in the middle of the room with a full try of sweets. My eyes began to water... the dream job I had so desperately needed to provide for my ailing family, was coming to a close. A female guard came up to me. I looked to her, recoiling.
"Come with me child; your night is done here." I lowered my eyes and simply nodded, being led towards the ballroom exit.

The queen only shook her head. "What has gotten into that boy... and that maid seemed so promising. Oh well, tit-for-tat. She'll be returned to her market where she was found." She said sighing and sitting back down in her throne. By now, the dancing had stopped and all of the princesses were chatting amongst themselves.

I was led into the hallway, being gripped lightly by my arm; a maid swung by and took my tray back into the ballroom, sneering at me. I hid my eyes from them as I was led into the room I once was, to change. The elder maid who had dressed me before waited for me, her eyes full of sadness.