AKASHI NEARLY LOST...
his composure when aisa had commanded him to step inside to help her lace up her black corset. though thankfully, the woman had a white button up under the corset, so she wasn't entirely bare; wasn't entirely being the key words.
"your highness, please at least put some pants on first", akashi coughed out.
"but if I put my pants on first, then it'll be harder to tuck in my shirt if my corset isn't already tightened. so why don't you be a dear and help me with it already", aisa smiled, standing in front of a full body mirror, as she motioned for akashi to come closer.
the redheaded captain hesitantly complied, as he deeply breathed in and out.
as akashi's hands gripped onto the strings, aisa had swiftly tied her troublesome locks into a low bun that managed to keep its shape.
crisscrossing the ends of the strings and threading them through the individual holes, akashi surprisingly maintained a steady hold — and a clear mind.
"let me know if it's too tight", akashi warned, as he pulled on both strings, causing the corset to cinch in on the woman's waist.
"that's good. thank you", aisa calmly replied, as akashi simply tied a bow at the end of the corset.
"of course, your highness. anything else you need me to do for you?"
"grab me a pair of boots from the rack inside my closet would you?"
akashi complied, meanwhile aisa slipped on some slacks, easily tucking in the edges of her button up.
as the woman patiently awaited for akashi to present her with her desired shoes, she had taken a seat on the couch.
the redhead had finally reappeared, kneeling before aisa, as he respectfully looked up at the first princess.
"may I?", akashi questioned.
"why not", aisa responded with a petite smile, as akashi gently slipped both shoes onto aisa's feet.
"shall we head to the stable now?", aisa asked.
"right after you, your highness".
ೃ࿔*:･
"yukimaru is his name. he was born on a snowy day, and is coincidentally the same age as me", akashi informed.
"how entertaining~ my horse — maria — was gifted to me on my tenth birthday by brother aki", aisa smiled; petting the muzzle of her friesian horse.
"she's truly a beauty. her ebony coat really helps her strike out as the only friesian breed in the stables", akashi complimented.
it was as if the horse could understand human language, because maria had promptly trotted towards akashi, gently nudging his shoulder in appreciation.
"brilliant as well...", akashi airily chuckled, to which aisa had simply nodded.
"yukimaru's no exception; a wintry, almost metallic, pelt accompanied by the fact that he's an akhal-teke...truly mesmerizing", aisa breathlessly commented, as she hesitated to caress the horse's mane.
akashi's sharp eyes noticed the princess's reluctance.
"go ahead. he's very well-mannered", akashi encouraged, to which aisa had stroked yukimaru's mane in content.
"we should go for a ride now. apologies for stalling", aisa mumbled, as she slipped onto the saddle without any trouble.
"no worries, your highness. no inconvenience has been caused by our delightful conversation", akashi politely excused, as he too boarded his own horse.
the two gripped onto the reins, directing their horses towards the open field, where it was evident that fall was arriving, with the amount of leaves that happened to pile onto the brittle ground.
meanwhile both nobles indulged in the faint breeze that crossed them, only rhythmic hooves were heard amongst the deafening silence.
aisa enjoyed peaceful times like these, where she didn't have to think much about the family competition, nor her scheming plans to help her climb higher upon the ladder of success.
perhaps it was a feeling that akashi shared as well.
the pressure of expectations to perform well was all too familiar for the two, who were now simply soaking in the freedom bestowed upon them under the humid sun that was shielded by very few clouds.
"lovely, isn't it?", aisa asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"very much so", akashi replied; his skin physically bathing in the rays of the sun.
"isn't it relieving? a breath of fresh air that takes your mind off of your responsibilities?"
"indeed", akashi immediately agreed.
"I can only imagine...how rigorous it must be for such a perfect man like you to exist, hm?", aisa murmured, causing akashi's neutral expression to contort into confusion.
"while I am very honored, may I inquire about your highness's train of thought that led to that conclusion?", akashi responded.
aisa sighed, slowing down the pace of her horse, as now the two were side by side.
"you're a multitalented man, akashi...a prodigy, might I even say. for you to be so skilled in so many aspects, a lot of expectations must've been placed upon your shoulders, hasn't it?", aisa rhetorically questioned.
"it is only my duty to—"
"how about you abandon your duties?", aisa intercepted.
akashi raised a brow in utter disbelief. what was this woman asking of him?
"I don't believe that I can just relinquish everything I've been working on up until now. my apologies, your highness", akashi replied, slightly dipping his head.
a light laughter was then heard, causing akashi to lift his head once more.
"of course you can't just desert all your responsibilities, but I'm simply asking you to relax with me", aisa explained, extending her hand out to the redheaded captain.
"come be a nobody with me. just for today, we are not the first princess of the kitani empire, nor the ideal son of duke akashi", aisa enticed.
akashi's initial thought was that the woman must've gone mad, but with some more consideration, he had cracked an unlikely smile.
"if you say so, your—"
"aisa", the princess corrected, as she felt akashi's hand slip into hers.
a name that the red-haired male never thought he'd so casually utter out in broad daylight; yet here he was, endearingly calling the princess of the kitani empire by her first name.
"aisa, do you intend on holding hands even though we're on separate horses?", akashi questioned.
"why that's an easy problem to fix", aisa stated, as she maneuvered onto yukimaru, with the steady grip of akashi's hand.
now with her back pressed against the captain's chest, she had let go of maria's reins.
with a simple whistling from aisa, the friesian horse had knowingly trotted back to the stable.
"where should we head now?"
"to wherever you wish, akashi".
"seijūrō...", akashi muttered.
"pardon?"
"if I remember correctly, you said that I'm not the ideal son of duke akashi, so for today, I am simply seijūrō", akashi explained.
"yes, my mistake, sei-jū-rō", aisa slowly drawled out, slightly tilting her head backwards so that she could meet akashi's matching ruby eyes.
akashi maintained a calm expression, as his hand snaked to aisa's delicate neck, his fingers grasping onto the princess's chin and tilting it downwards so that her face was now facing forwards.
"please do not look at me like that", akashi requested.
"why not?", aisa lightly laughed.
akashi then teasingly leaned his head to the left side of aisa's face, his lips only mere centimeters away from the woman's feverish ear.
"you wouldn't want to know, aisa".
before the princess could inquire any more about what akashi had meant, the male had promptly signaled for yukimaru to start jogging — eventually sprinting.
aisa was caught off guard, least to say, but what really startled her was when akashi's arm had protectively secured her position on the saddle.
"let me know if yukimaru's running too fast!", akashi said, slightly raising his voice e so that she would be able to hear him over the wind.
"HE'S FINE!", aisa replied with a lighthearted giggle, to which akashi had allowed a soft snort to escape from his lips.
as the two continued on their sporadic journey throughout the acres of free land, aisa had squeezed akashi's arm, signaling for him to halt the horse.
yukimaru started faintly panting to catch his breath, as aisa slipped off of him, approaching a nearby bush.
gathering some whitish-pinkish flowers, aisa had motioned for akashi to get off the horse as well.
"close your eyes", aisa demanded.
"why?", akashi asked.
"just do it. it's an order", aisa naturally replied.
"I don't see a princess in front of me", akashi smoothly replied, causing aisa to ever so slightly scrunch up her face in realization.
"I never knew you were such a tease, seijūrō", aisa scoffed, as akashi noticed the displeased expression that had formed on aisa's face.
he'd rather not deal with an angry princess once they get back to their actual roles.
sighing, akashi begrudgingly closed his eyes, as he awaited for whatever the hell aisa was doing.
the blonde princess then delicately tucked one of the flowers behind akashi's ear, snickering in amusement.
akashi's eyes immediately snapped open, unexpectedly witnessing the woman's parted lips as staggering breaths of air escaped her; strands of golden locks framing her darkened face that was caused by the shadow of the setting sun behind her.
her gleaming scarlet eyes squinted inconsistently due to the fact that she was laughing, at him.
"what's so funny, aisa?", akashi mumbled.
"oh you just simply look adorable, seijūrō! the apple blossom truly complements your complexion", aisa smiled, her hand caressing akashi's cheek.
her thumb soothingly rubbed the piece of skin that was right under akashi's similar vermillion eye.
"apple blossom...?", akashi almost questionably repeated.
"indeed. you know what they mean, don't you?", aisa whispered, her eyes calculating every little movement — every breath — that akashi executed.
"I do...", he softly replied with a smile.
"I'm honored", he added on.
because apple blossoms meant...I prefer you before all.
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EVIL
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