His father said, waving the words aside impatiently. "Captain Midori has agreed to personally escort you on your secret mission. He is handpicking the crew, and you will be sailing on our finest ship. All will be ready for departure in seven days. You will be ready."
Kyo bowed low. "As you wish, father. Captain, I appreciate your assistance in this matter."
Midori smiled at him, friendly and charming. In another life, with other choices, he would have been a suitable man to marry, and Kyo might even have tolerated it, if not loved it. He wondered what Midori would say if he knew the nature of the secret mission.
Probably ensure Kyo go through with it, and Kyo wondered idly if his father had already arranged for that, if he would do it last minute so it was too late for Midori to back out, or if he was trusting someone else to the duty. "Speaking of people to accompany me, father, I wanted to confirm with you that Taka be permitted to come along."
"Absolutely not," his father replied. "He's an unnecessary liability. You will have no use for a secretary at sea, or in the course of your mission. Taka's skills are better put to use here. Your brother expressed an interest in him."
Yes, he was quite certain Taiheiyou had. Kyo would have to tell Taka just to see him get angry. "As you wish, Sire. How else can I be of service to you?"
His father eyed him, clearly aware of the underlying sarcasm that Midori was just as clearly missing. "Be ready in seven days, Nankyokukai. You are both dismissed."
"Yes, Majesty," Midori murmured, sweeping a deep bow to Kyo's father, then a less deep one to Kyo before following him out. In the hallway, he brushed back his dark green hair and said, "Would you permit me the honor of escorting you to your room, Highness?"
"The honor would be mine, Captain," Kyo said politely, and Midori walked beside him as they made their way through the halls, across the palace to Kyo's rooms at the furthest end. "I do appreciate you would take the time to escort me personally, Captain. You are busy, I know, and the job could easily have been delegated."
Midori smiled at him. "I am never too busy to serve you, Highness, or to answer to my King's will. It is an honor, truly. That aside, I am looking forward to being at sea again. Ironically, my position keeps me land-locked, which I cannot abide."
"I am looking forward to the sea," Kyo admitted. "We are a sea-faring nation and yet, as you say, duty keeps me bound to land."
He could see the curiosity burning, but Midori was too well trained to beg for answers to questions he should not be asking. "Your mission will keep you preoccupied I am certain, Highness, but I will see to it you enjoy the journey as much as possible. We will have to stop in a couple of ports for supplies, and perhaps there will be time to show you other places?"
"That sounds lovely," Kyo admitted. "As advanced and noble as you are, Captain, I am astonished there is no spouse keeping you firmly at home."
Midori laughed, amused and tired sounding all at once. "Sailors do not attract many spouses, Highness, least of all a high-ranking one, for my first love is the sea, my second is the family I serve, and no one wants to be, or ever should be, third."
Kyo flicked his fingers in dismissal. "I think you do not give yourself enough credit, Captain. Thank you for escorting me to my room."
Bowing low, Midori murmured in reply, "Thank you for permitting me, Highness. Dragons guard your sleep as they guard the Islands."
"The very same to you, Captain," Kyo replied and slipped into his rooms, closing the door behind him. He leaned against it and sighed, wishing briefly his life were that simple: a lesser prince tending to the duties his brother did not have the time to address, married to the captain of the royal fleet, and every reason in the world to be happy with that lot.
But no, his life was not so simple. He was being sent to die so his family retained their magic, was instead going to
Kyo bowed low. "As you wish, father. Captain, I appreciate your assistance in this matter."
Midori smiled at him, friendly and charming. In another life, with other choices, he would have been a suitable man to marry, and Kyo might even have tolerated it, if not loved it. He wondered what Midori would say if he knew the nature of the secret mission.
Probably ensure Kyo go through with it, and Kyo wondered idly if his father had already arranged for that, if he would do it last minute so it was too late for Midori to back out, or if he was trusting someone else to the duty. "Speaking of people to accompany me, father, I wanted to confirm with you that Taka be permitted to come along."
"Absolutely not," his father replied. "He's an unnecessary liability. You will have no use for a secretary at sea, or in the course of your mission. Taka's skills are better put to use here. Your brother expressed an interest in him."
Yes, he was quite certain Taiheiyou had. Kyo would have to tell Taka just to see him get angry. "As you wish, Sire. How else can I be of service to you?"
His father eyed him, clearly aware of the underlying sarcasm that Midori was just as clearly missing. "Be ready in seven days, Nankyokukai. You are both dismissed."
"Yes, Majesty," Midori murmured, sweeping a deep bow to Kyo's father, then a less deep one to Kyo before following him out. In the hallway, he brushed back his dark green hair and said, "Would you permit me the honor of escorting you to your room, Highness?"
"The honor would be mine, Captain," Kyo said politely, and Midori walked beside him as they made their way through the halls, across the palace to Kyo's rooms at the furthest end. "I do appreciate you would take the time to escort me personally, Captain. You are busy, I know, and the job could easily have been delegated."
Midori smiled at him. "I am never too busy to serve you, Highness, or to answer to my King's will. It is an honor, truly. That aside, I am looking forward to being at sea again. Ironically, my position keeps me land-locked, which I cannot abide."
"I am looking forward to the sea," Kyo admitted. "We are a sea-faring nation and yet, as you say, duty keeps me bound to land."
He could see the curiosity burning, but Midori was too well trained to beg for answers to questions he should not be asking. "Your mission will keep you preoccupied I am certain, Highness, but I will see to it you enjoy the journey as much as possible. We will have to stop in a couple of ports for supplies, and perhaps there will be time to show you other places?"
"That sounds lovely," Kyo admitted. "As advanced and noble as you are, Captain, I am astonished there is no spouse keeping you firmly at home."
Midori laughed, amused and tired sounding all at once. "Sailors do not attract many spouses, Highness, least of all a high-ranking one, for my first love is the sea, my second is the family I serve, and no one wants to be, or ever should be, third."
Kyo flicked his fingers in dismissal. "I think you do not give yourself enough credit, Captain. Thank you for escorting me to my room."
Bowing low, Midori murmured in reply, "Thank you for permitting me, Highness. Dragons guard your sleep as they guard the Islands."
"The very same to you, Captain," Kyo replied and slipped into his rooms, closing the door behind him. He leaned against it and sighed, wishing briefly his life were that simple: a lesser prince tending to the duties his brother did not have the time to address, married to the captain of the royal fleet, and every reason in the world to be happy with that lot.
But no, his life was not so simple. He was being sent to die so his family retained their magic, was instead going to
Similar Books
