My Light In The Darkness.

Mizuki Akiyama had always felt a sense of displacement among the other knights of Luminaria, despite having spent almost seven years as a Luminarian citizen after being exiled from Obscuria. Although she was more than happy with her life serving the Luminarian royal family and living with Lady Ena Shinonome in their shared cottage flat in the heart of central Luminaria, there were still many aspects of Obscuria that Mizuki found themselves missing. One of those aspects being their ability to use magic, something that had been lost when they were exiled from the kingdom. It surprised them that neither Ser Hinomori nor Sir Shinonome had questioned her lack of magical abilities while the topic was being discussed with Prince Tsukasa, who of course knew of what Mizuki's exile contained. Letting out a long sigh, Mizuki plastered a smile across their face as they spotted a few knights walking in the distance, deciding to run to catch up with them. "Hey, you guys-!"

"Yoisaki.. The enemy!?" Sir Shinonome's voice blared through the ears of the two women, forcing them to pull apart in a hurry. "Shinonome, Sir!" Ser Yoisaki stood up abruptly, saluting to her higher up, followed by Mafuyu, who followed suit despite having no connection to his rank, and in definitional terms would have outranked him if the three had've been speaking on Obscurian terms. The orange haired man's gaze turned to meet that of the purple haired general that stood before him. Holding out his sword to her, Akito spoke in a cautious tone, "Obscurian knight, what is your business here?"
Before she could answer, the latter responded on her behalf. "Shinonome, I can assure you, General Asahina means no threat being here-"
"Until we find our prince and princess dead in their own palace, hm? How do you know this is not another one of Kamishiro's plans?" Akito interrupted her pleas. "What about Akiyama? We made an exception for her, why can't we make another?" Kanade spoke irrationally, only realising the faults in her speech after she had finished. "Akiyama wasn't brought in immediately, they spent years proving her innocence, and with that much information was provided to us because of her, while with Asahina, she just happened to show up during a time where rumours about a large attack are spreading throughout the land? My apologies, Yoisaki, but we have no reason to believe that she is innocent enough to keep on our grounds, and I will not attempt to prove her innocent and useful until Prince Tsukasa has given his judgement on the situation. For you to use Akiyama as a reason to just accept any Obscurian knight, is way out of line, and I hope that you understand how foolish you sounded saying such a thing, considering that Akiyama is also above you in rank, you should be using their name with respect" Sir Shinonome lectured his underclassman.

"As for you," He turned back to Mafuyu, addressing her coldly. "You will be escorted around by a knight of the princes choosing once he is aware of the circumstances, however for now you will be joining me until I can find someone else suitable" He explained. "What about me?" Kanade questioned him. "First of all, the reason I came here was to inform you that there is a meeting commencing in a few minutes, so I would suggest you make your way to the clubroom, and secondly, after what was happening when I first got here with you two, I'm not so sure"
"What is your rank, Sir Shinonome?" General Asahina pondered. "That is none of your business" Akito replied blankly. "Really? Because to me it seems you were granted a little bit of power from your prince and now you're abusing it by correcting every little thing that Ser Yoisaki is saying to you. She has already discussed plans of meeting the prince with me, and we both know the circumstances until then. Her comment on Akiyama was simply a question, how do you know that she is aware of what happened to them? To call her out of line considering your attitude right now is pretty ironic, if you ask me" She inputted. "You have no right to speak to me that way" He argued. "Oh but-"
"Mafuyu, please, Sir Shinonome is only fulfilling his duty, I have to attend this meeting, we will speak later" Kanade smiled at the young woman before walking away from her and Akito, leaving them in an awkward silence.

"Hey Ichika-?" Princess Saki began as she sat at her desk, her royal guard sitting facing her from the edge of the princess's bed. "Hm?"
"Do you think Tsukasa would be back in the palace by now? As in, finished with his knight duties?" She asked. "I'm not entirely sure, I'd presume so, I'm guessing you want to speak with him about what your mother told you..?" Ichika responded. Princess Saki turned around to look at her. "I don't understand why she had to say it when he wasn't here! It's not even like father's here either, since he's gone off looking for princes and arranging things! I feel bad though, I know that there is much pressure Tsukasa is under because of the war, however I feel like I need his opinion, because he knows better than anyone that I have no interest in any of these men! Even you know that!" She ranted. "I'm only twenty-two, it's not like I even want to produce an heir, but that's all it seems like I'm alive for! If I had my way I would end the bloodline, and I can confidently say that because I know Tsukasa has no intentions of carrying it on either" She added.

"I see your point, and I'm sure your brother wouldn't mind you speaking with him about it, if you like I could assist you walking to his chambers? That is most likely where he will be.." Her knight offered. "I should be alright, I'll probably be a while, so you can do whatever you like, if the other knights suggest going out, I encourage you to join them, you always seem to be stuck taking care of me, you deserve a break!" Princess Saki chirped, standing up from her desk chair and going over to hold Ser Ichika's hands in her own. "I enjoy being with you though, my princess, I would never dislike the wonderful times we spend together" She smiled at her lovingly, a blush rising to both of the girls faces. "You're so sweet, Ichann! I mean it though, go wild, have some fun!" The princess persisted. "If you insist, but if you need anything, don't hesitate to send someone for me" Ser Hoshino stood up, letting go of her princesses hands as she did. The two of them walked to the door, preparing to go their separate ways. "I was going to say how I look, but I don't think that's necessary considering it's only Tsukasa I'm seeing" Saki joked. "I would still call you beautiful either way" Ichika blurted, the realisation hitting her moments too late. She knew she was making herself too obvious, if Shiho were here she would've considered that a confession in itself! She could only hope that her princess took it in a different context. "You're one to talk, I'm surprised you don't have at least ten boyfriends by now!" The blonde responded with a giggle. "I'll see you later, have fun!" She spoke quickly before hurrying down the corridor away from the latter, her last memory of her guard being the bright pink blush that adorned her face.

Prince Tsukasa was surprised to hear a knock on his door until he recognised the certain pattern of the knocks, two hard knocks, one pull on the door handle to cause a creak, followed by a third knock on the hardwood of the door. "Come on in, Saki" He called out. Surrounded by papers and documents, the prince was more than happy to escape his void of work for his younger sister, who had instantly entered and ran over to wrap her arms around him. He managed to get himself standing before she had reached him to avoid any accidental contact with his shoulder, which he had since covered with a loose fitting white shirt. "I'm so glad to see you alright!" She exclaimed, throwing herself against her brother, her short pink dress creasing in between the two as they embraced. "It was nothing I can't handle, you know me!" He responded boldly. "That's definitely my brother alright!" She smiled up at him, a slight sadness in her expression that caused him to ponder her true reason for wanting to see him. "Alright, I'm assuming there's something you want to tell me, your expression is telling me that there is something bigger going on." He said. Seeing how his sisters face dropped when he simply suggested that told him that he was correct. "Here, sit down, what's going on?" He directed her towards the two chairs that sat beside the window of his bedroom. "This looks like you're about to give me a counselling session.." A small chuckle escaped the princess's lips as they both sat down. "Well, you look like you need one, and I know you wouldn't ask your girlfriend for help, so I'm happy to substitute!" He proclaimed. "Ichika isn't my girlfriend, Tsukasa.." Saki sighed. "I never said Ichika, now did I?" He smirked as he watched his flustered sister scramble for an answer. "I jest, Saki, now tell me whats going on that's bothering you so much?"

Letting out another sigh, Saki attempted to hold herself together as she began to speak. "It's ironic that you mention dating and stuff.." She said, leading her brother to raise an eyebrow in curiosity. "Father has left the kingdom to search for princes around that would marry me, even though I have expressed my discomfort with the idea, mother and father are both persistent, and now apparently there is some guy coming in a few weeks and I have no clue what to do because I know I won't like him, I know who I want to marry but I also know that it wouldn't be permitted-"
"Just because there has never been a same-sex relationship in the family doesn't mean that it's forbidden?" Prince Tsukasa interjected, understanding his sister without any struggle. "I- what!?"
Princess Saki stared at her brother in confusion, unsure of what he was implying. "Oh come on, Saki, it's so obvious, you love Ser Hoshino, and that's perfectly fine! I support that one-hundred percent! The only issue that stands is the fact that you are yet to tell her, especially now when it's being thought that you will be married off to some prince!" Prince Tsukasa laughed before his tone became more serious. "Trust me, it's better to tell her before it's too late."
"Before it's too late?" Saki questioned in return. Realising his mistake, the prince instantly thought of a cover up to his accidental outburst. "Mhm, before you actually are married off, you need everyone to know so that they are all against it, and knowing you, there will be absolutely no objections to your love with Ichika" He said.
"Did you ever have to do any of this? Seeing princesses and stuff.." The latter asked in defeat. "I was meant to be married off at eighteen, but instead I was made the head of the knights force, because apparently I was 'excelling to an amount that outranks the current head', although everyone knows why they actually did it" Prince Tsukasa laughed as he recalled the memory that once haunted him, attempting to make it seem lighthearted for his sisters sake. Returning an awkward laugh, Saki was quick to notice the slightly stained bandages that peeked through the collar of her brother's shirt when he had changed his position on the armchair, instantly filling her with a sense of guilt. "Did something happen today?" She asked cautiously, her gaze telling Tsukasa exactly what she was referring to. "This?" He revealed a slightly larger view of his shoulder by moving the white fabric down a bit, ensuring that he didn't cause himself anything unnecessary pain in the process. "I had a run in with someone today, no one too important though, just someone who has all the wrong ideas and thinks that their actions are justified, I wouldn't worry about it, as I said, they're not too important to me anyway."

"Tsukasa!? Can you open the door?" A desperate voice called throughout the hallway of the bright Luminarian palace as its owner desperately pushed down on the golden handle of the white door that separated the two. "I'm fine, Rui, I just want to be alone" A cracking voice called back from the other side of the wood. "Being alone doesn't make whatever's bothering you go away, my prince.." The violet haired teenager muttered to him, and with that, he could hear the lock on the door being released, a squeak of the hinges occurring as the door flung open and a set of arms were wrapped around his tall frame, his sobbing prince's head nuzzled into his chest. "Ah- there we go... it's all going to be alright.. Let's head inside, I'm sure you don't want anyone else seeing you like this.." He reassured him with a smile as he swooped the blonde prince off of his feet and carried him into the room that he had first emerged from. Planting Prince Tsukasa onto the large mattressed bed in the centre of the bedroom, the knight let out a soft sigh as he sat down beside him. "I didn't trust you being in here alone, I know that people can do irrational things when they are upset, and I don't think I would ever forgive myself if something happened to you.. So tell me, what's on your mind?"