Training...*Cough cough* i mean Playing in the Park

[Scythe-Nova]

I was a fine day in the city of Ketra and Akibi were training with Nanako in one of the public parks on the edge of the city just so that there would not be that many onlookers to their training, for now the training was simple running to improve stamina and leg strength. Akibi had tied red ribbons on some branches in the trees indicating they were to be rounded once each time one were to pass them.

-"Nanako we'll take a break now.."

He told his daughter as they neared one of the ponds in the park, Nanako wiped some sweat from her forehead and ran up to the pond before sitting down next to it. Akibi walked but followed Nanako and also sat down next to the pond.

-"Good work Nanako.."

He said and ruffled Nanako's hair with a slight smile, Nanako blushed slightly and smiled happily and closed her eyes enjoying Akibis attention. None of them were clad in armor since they were only training stamina, Their armors were laid out on a blanket that were near them at the pond.

Akibi:"Could you bring the waterskin Nanako?"

Nanako:"Yes father"

Nanako replied and rose from her seat and ran lightly over to the bags on the blanket and pulled out a large waterskin before walking back to Akibi with the waterskin and handed it to Akibi who took only a small sip from it before handing it back to Nanako who drank quite a bit more before closing the waterskin and beginning to walk back with it to the bags.

[Is this okay?]

[GoblinFae]

OOC: Yep just fine ^.^

"Come on Primmy!" Janus' young voice sounded off ahead. Primrose followed her servant's son at a much more sedate pace. She had promised the boy that she would take him to the park this week and to teach him to swim.

The boy broke through the treeline first, headed for the pond when he caught sight the man already sitting on the shore there. The young noble found him frozen in fear of the figure's appearance when she at last joined him.

Janus scuttled behind her skirts as she saw what was causing him to act like a frightened rabbit. She tried to get him to come out from behind her but gave up with a sigh. A hand still clutched behind her on the boy's arm she looked ahead and bowed her head in greeting to the man.

"Good day to you sir. Forgive us for disturbing you. We were just going to go for a swim. Weren't we Janus?" Primrose gently tugged on the boy and got him to come out from behind her. He still clung tightly to her side. Kneeling down beside him she whispered in his ear, "say hello." After much gulping and stuttering he finally obeyed before burying his face in her shoulder. She shrugged in apology as if to say, 'children what can you do.'

[Scythe-Nova]

When he first heard someone at the treeline he perked his ears and listened to the steps of the person and immediately calmed down since it did not sound anything like an armored person and more like a child, he did not turn his head until he heard another voice and glanced towards the two new visitors to the pond.

-"..."

as they neared he relaxed seing that the woman was a noble of sorts and turned a bit more looking at both of them smiling only slightly and looking at the boy who seemed frightened by him, he nodded slightly when the boy said hello and then looked at the woman when she spoke to her.

-"Indeed"

He said and reached out to the side with his only arm and poked into the air and Nanako flickered into sight stumbling a bit backwards from being poked by Akibi, She blushed slightly having been noticed by Akibi. Akibi then rose from his seating on the ground revealing his rather huge stature.

-"I'm Akibi Knight of the Adelan Army who do i have the pleasure of speaking with?"

He said with a Calm voice showing the Noble respect as he bowed his head slightly and looked at the woman calmly. Nanako bowed slightly towards the woman following Akibi's example to show her respect as well.

[GoblinFae]

Janus poked his head out from behind her skirts and puffed out his chest. "This is the gracious Lady Dra-" Primrose's hand clapped over his mouth, effectively silencing him. "Hush you," she laughed, letting go and tousling his hair. He glared up at her but, inched his way out from behind her at the sight of another child.

"I'm Primrose. Just Primrose is fine and my young friend here is Janus. It is a pleasure to meet you both Sir Akibi and you as well young miss," she acknowledge bobbing her head at the bowing child. "That is quite a trick you can do there. If I'm not careful I think you and Janus might team up to prank me."

The boy's eyes suddenly widened in realization as a flood of ideas hit him. Momentarily forgetting his fear and shyness of the tall figure, Janus skipped over to the young girl. "Oh would you like to? Primmy is always so much fun to prank. Although you has to be careful because she'll prank ya right back. But, it's a lot of fun. You like to have fun don't ya?" he chattered on rapidly, hardly giving himself a chance to breathe.

Behind him Primrose smiled, keeping a watchful eye on him, unsure of how the pair of stranger's would take to his boisterous nature. 'He is such a handful. I hope they don't take offense. Poor Janus, the moment he realizes he is standing next to a virtual giant he is going to have a mini seizure. Why is it whenever I meet new people they are so tall?'

[Scythe-Nova]

Nanako widened her eyes when she realized she had not introduced herself and were about to open her mouth to talk when Janus skipped over to her and speed talked to her which made her shut up, Akibi decided to speak for her.

Akibi:"This is Nanako my Daughter.."

He said and gestured towards Nanako and looked over the little boy with a neutral expression before looking back to Primrose with a slight smile. Nanako on the other hand tried to answer Janus with a slight blush on her face.

Nanako:"Eh.. well.. wouldn't it be.. be better if she did not hear about the pranks?"

Akibi:"..I feel like i have heard the name Primrose before.. may just be my memory acting up again"

They both replied and looked at respective person, Nanako smiled a little seeing that her father did not seem to mind the boy speaking to her. Akibi looked at Primrose wondering about her name, after all he had been the general for the adelan army a while ago and had met many Nobles.

Akibi:".."

Akibi then looked at Nanako and reached out with his hand grabbing at something behind Nanako and then taking her sword that she had hid with her power on her back, Nanako looked up at her father who smiled slightly and nodded a bit before looking back at Primrose and tossing the sword aside next to the place he had been sitting.

[GoblinFae]

Primrose blushed slightly at Akibi's musings and winked at Janus as he explained to Nanako that it would not matter if she knew about the pranking or not. "You see Nanako, Primmy and I are always playing pranks on each other. We know we're going to do it but we don't know what and when. That's the really fun part!"

The young noble shook her head at the child's enthusiasm before returning to address the silent figure before her. "It is actually possible that you may know my name from my father or even still from meeting me yourself. If you were a knight or even a soldier some twenty odd years ago you might have heard of him. He was a dragon knight you see and I am his only daughter. Sir Orean Dragoslav? He died in the line of duty when I was a child. I was away in Serendipity for a long time after that and have only just returned these more recent years, if that is any help."

She chewed at her lip nervously and wrung her her hands together. It took everything she had to not start rambling as was her normal habit. Eying the sword that he had taken from Nanako she looked for a change in conversation. "Were you teaching your daughter to fight?" Primrose nodded her head in the direction of the weapon. "My own father did the same for me. I know from experience a daughter takes great pride in what her father has taught her. She must make you proud." A warm smile graced the noble's lips as she beamed up at the knight.

[Scythe-Nova]

-"Orean?"

Akibis eyes widened when he hear the name and looked at Primrose with a curious gaze before giving her the slightest smile and nodded a bit.

-"Yes i knew your Father, we were friends actually.. i had not heard of his passing though"

When Primrose commented on the sword he had just put away he nodded again and looked slightly at Nanako before looking back at Primrose.

-"Yes we were training before you got here.. Yes she have learned a lot since i began her training.."

He said and looked at Nanako with a soft smile showing his soft side for Nanako. Nanako looked at Janus smiling slightly before gazing to the side and then nodding a bit.

Nanako:"Well were you thinking of anything special then..?"

Akibi:"..Orean was a great warrior, we were almost evenly matched in combat"

Akibi commented and looked at Primrose with a somewhat nostalgic look in his eyes as he brought his one hand to the place where he one had another arm feeling the absence of his right arm

[GoblinFae]

Primrose took a step closer. "You did know him. To spar with him must have been exciting. I only remember snippets of his duels. As a little girl it was not my place to see such things." She chuckled and ducked her head. "He died protecting his dragon from poacher's. As sad as it is, I know it is how he wanted to go, in battle, defending those he loves. A warrior could ask for no better death, or at least I know I also feel that way."

Her eyes followed his hand's movement towards his right side. She switched her gaze from there to his face in a clear show that she was not disgusted or embarrassed by it. "You must think me naive though, a child barely trained who has never fought, at least not as you and my father did. He too had many scars."

Primrose smiled again despite the difficulty of doings so while talking about such a melancholy subject. "My only regret is that I never got to spar with him properly. He always promised me I would. Then again, he always thought that we would have more time." She shrugged her and let her gaze drop again. "You still serve?" she asked, hoping to continue making conversation without leaving an awkward silence in its place.

Meanwhile, Janus was smiling wickedly as he began to explain his childish plan to Nanako. "Well you see, if you use your trick we can get 'er real good. Do you have a pail or sumptin'? A bucket maybe? We can fill it wit' water, then you can go all clear-like and get on my shoulders. From there you just dump it on her when she's not expected it. Easy peasy! So you wanna?" The young boy was literally jumping in place from the anticipation of it all. "Please!" he begged.

[Scythe-Nova]

-"If that's how he died then he died honorably.."

Akibi replied to Primrose and then listened to her speka about her father with interest, all the while his tail wagged slowly back and forth.

-"And we did not Spar.. it was an all out battle, The time we fought were when he dissaproved of my leadership"

He explained and looked over the pond for a second before looking back at Primrose.

-"In the end i were the victor and we got a sense of friendly rivalry to eachother"

He concluded and let his hand rest against his waist before looking down on Nanako but looked back when he remembered how the small boy had acted towards him.

Nanako:"We don't have anything like that out here.. not with us anyways."

She said and looked at Janus with a somewhat shy look. Akibi looked at Primrose when she asked if he still served and nodded slightly.

Akibi:"Yes, though not nearly as much like i used to"

[GoblinFae]

The young noble bowed respectfully at the waist. "Forgive me for misunderstanding Sir Akibi. I did not realize that it was that way between you and my father." Rising straight-backed once more her eyes caught sight of his swaying tail and for a moment Primrose found herself slightly distracted by it. It took every ounce of her etiquette training not to giggle and to peel her eyes away from it.

"That is understandable though," she continued. "You are a father now. I'm sure your wife would want you home more often and not as far away where she worries incessantly. My mother was much the same way. My father was just relenting to her wishes when he died. Ironic, no?"

She shuffled nervously, toeing her slipper in the dirt so that she could avoid the awkward silence she felt she was creating. Her eyes darted over to the children but did not stay there long as she glimpsed the tail once more and was forced to bite her lip to keep from smiling at it.

Janus on the other hand was feeling no such sentiments. His little brow wrinkled in contemplation as he rubbed at his chin. "No bucket, hmm. Well if you still want to go with that plan Primmy did teach me how to make a basket out of reeds. Although I'm no good at it. We'll just have to move fast since it leaks. Unless," he looked at the girl and trailed of in thought. "Do you have an idea?"

[Scythe-Nova]

Akibi nodded at Primrose with a somewhat respectful gaze but when she mentioned his wife he swallowed his breath almost soundless and looked at her somewhat sad.

Akibi:"She would if she still were in this world"

He said with a strained voice but his face were expressionless not showing any emotion, As he had been trained he never let emotions surface on his face. Nanako did not listen in on the conversation Akibi and Primrose were having but turned to the side as she were thinking and her tail wagging back and forth calmly.

Nanako:"W-well.. not really the leafs around here would not be good enough for a improvised bucket.."

She said with an uncertain tone in her voice while placing her hands behind herself and leaning a bit to the left while looking a bit up into the sky thinking.

[GoblinFae]

"Oh!" she exclaimed in embarrassment. Primrose's hand covered her mouth as her cheeks flared crimson. "I'm very sorry. I meant no offense. That was terribly rude of me. I just assumed. I know I never should have. I mean it's a terrible thing to do so and-and." The more she spoke the darker a shade of red she became. The young noble was back to her habitually circle talking. Whenever she found herself in a difficult situation she nervously began to talk herself into a hole of going around and around a situation until she was speaking so fast no one could really understand what she was saying.

Clenching her fist tightly to try and stop herself, she looked about for an excuse to change topics. Her eyes fell on the children and she remebered why she had come to the lake at all. Resolved to end her awkwardness, she held her hand out for Janus as she called for him. "Janus, come. We don't need to bother Akibi and Nanako anymore today. We should be heading back."

The young boy's head shot up in shock and surprise, stopping him from continuing his ruminations on the perfect prank. "Aw Primmy," he whined. "But, you promised to teach me to swim."
"Another day Janus, I forgot there were some things I needed to do," she replied, feeling pathetic. "I'll teach you later, I promise."
"But, you promised that last week!" He stomped his foot down and crossed his arms, ready to throw a temper tantrum.

Feeling more and more embarressed by the second, Primrose did not know what to do to just end the situation. 'I swear if I crawled a rock and died, it would not be as horrible as this. Oh Janus, why can't you just work with me? For once in your life make something simple on me!'

[Scythe-Nova]

Akibi:"No don't worry about it, there was no way that you could have known that.."

Nanako:"You're leaving already?"

Both of them said to their respective conversation partner, Akibi scratched the back of his head as he also apologized a bit. Nanako looked at Janus a bit curious before tilting her head to the side.

Nanako:"You can't swim?"

She asked and looked at Janus a bit curious. Akibi glanced to Nanako and Janus but looked back at Primrose and smiled slightly before raising his hand and putting it on top of Primrose's head and ruffling her hair only slightly to not mess her hair up.

Akibi:"Breathe out a bit miss Primrose, there's no need to so formal around me.."

He said with that slight smile looking down on Primrose gently before pulling back his hand to rest against his side again. Nanako stopped looking at Janus when Akibi put his hand on top of Primrose's head and puffed up her cheeks a bit jealous and in the next second she's standing next to Akibi almost glued to his leg. Akibi Glanced down at Nanako a bit supprised but smiled before putting his hand on top of her head and ruffling her hair also before poking her side so that she stumbled a bit backwards now standing next to Janus again.

Akibi:"Say why don't we have Nanako help teaching Janus to swim?"

He said looking back at Primrose with that same smile, Nanako was blushing a bit when hugging her fathers leg but when she was pushed away she looked up at her father a bit supprised before looking down a shyly.

[GoblinFae]

The boy's eyes widened as he realized what he had let slip in front of the girl. Flushing, he sputtered, "of course I can swim!" He crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly and glared at Primrose for outing him. Primrose meanwhile ran a nervous hand through her hair to settle it after it being ruffled.

She was just about to speak in reply to Akibi's suggestion when Janus beat her to it. "What?" he screeched. "Have a girl teach me? No way!"
"Janus!" The woman squawked. "That is very rude! Am I not a girl as well? Apologize!"
"You're not a girl! You're Primmy! That's different," he replied petulantly. "And I won't apologize! You can't make me, you're not my mother!"

Primrose was a dark shade of red now and biting her lip to keep from showing how embarrassed she was. 'Meet a friend of father's, disgrace myself for all time. At least you are no longer alive to be humiliated by me father.' She wanted nothing more than to cry but pride kept her from doing so. Instead the young noble glared at the little boy, silently demanding him to do as he was told.

[Scythe-Nova]

Akibi looked at Janus when he shouted in denial and looked at him for some time before crouching down and poking him in the side with one finger raising his eyebrow.

Akibi:"Don't you think thats a bit unfair to Nanako?"

Nanako on the other hand looked at Janus a bit angry with puffed up cheeks. Akibi glanced towards Nanako before looking back to Janus grinning a bit.

Akibi:"I bet Nanako could teach you a lot of things.."

Nanako:"Father i think you're scaring him..."

Nanako interuppted her father making him look a bit supprised looking at her before laughing a bit and then rose from his position standing may heads over Janus looking at Nanako and ruffling her hair making her blush a bit.

Akibi:"Sorry i forget my appearance sometimes.."

Nanako:"... though i can teach you if you'd like Janus..."

Nanako looked at Janus with a difficult expression before trotting away to the pond and pulling off her belt and the attatched loincloth still having her shorts an shirt on before jumping into the pond and then looking back at Janus with a shy smile.

[GoblinFae]

Janus stood there, glaring at the adult that had dared to make such a ludicrous suggestion. "I'm not scared," he denied, dropping his arms and balling his hands into little fists. His chin stuck up in the air as he look straight up at that the much taller man. "I could fight you! Both of you, with both hands tied!"

He continued his false bravado act, going so far as to stick his tongue out at the swimming girl. Behind him, Primrose watched silently in complete disapproval and disappointment. As much as she wanted to say something though she was curious to see how Akibi would react. She really wanted the boy to be taught a lesson but she would not allow any serious harm to come to him. He was too much like a little brother for her to allow that to happen.

Looking past the boy to the man, Primrose raised a brow as if to say 'he's all yours.' Her pursued lips and reddened cheeks identified her embarrassment for all to see. Shrugging her shoulders, she walked past the boy over to Nanako. "Wait! Primmy where you going?" the boy nervously called after her.

Without looking back at him she sat down on the water's edge and softly replied. "What's it to you Janus? You are man enough to beat a knight and to swim. You don't need a girl to help you. I am no longer neccessary." The words were said calmly, but one look at her face would have shown him that she was very much hurt by his childish attitude.

She smiled sweetly at Nanako and splashed a little bit of water at the girl. "Boys are so stupid aren't they, Nanako?" she whispered conspiratorily, sharing a wink with the girl.

[Scythe-Nova]

Akibi once again raised his eyebrow when Primrose looked at him meaningfully and nodded a bit and then crouched down so that he was in eye level with the boy and looking into his eyes with his one eye, His gaze was piercing and hard as he looked inte the boys eyes as if to stare him down before he cracked a slight smile and raised his hand and flicked the boy on the forehead with enough force to make him stumble backwards but not enough to make him flip over. Akibi were not used to hold back when it came to anything other than Nanako and cats, but he knew not to go full out on a child or to never harm any child.

Akibi:"Both hands tied eh?"

He said with a somewhat mocking and looked at the small boy with an amused smile. Nanako on the other hand looked at Primrose and seemed to empathize with her looking a bit sad but when she splashed her with water she giggled a bit and looked at Primrose with a playfull gaze as her pupils contracted showing her slitted draconic eyes before splashing back at Primrose.

Nanako:"N-no they're just thick.."

she replied and bit her lip a bit before moving to the side in the water before getting closer to Primrose and grabbing her hand with a smile, tugging lightly on it with a very playfull smile.

Nanako:"Let's play"

Nanako said to her and giggled a bit, Akibi held his gaze on Janus and wagged his finger in front of janus in a provoking manner as he followed his every movement. The plan in Akibi's head were to bully some sense into the kids head, either that or to make him to apologize to Nanako and Primrose.

Akibi:"come on even Nanako could dodge that kind of attack"

He said mocking the child with a slight smile as he flicked his finger in the air in a mocking fashion.

[GoblinFae]

Primrose did not stop to think for even a second about the fact she was wearing a dress as she took Nanako's hand and entered the water with her. It was not uncommon for the noble to do things out of the propriety of her station and it seemed this was no exception.

Laughing she splashed more water at the child before 'running' away a few paces. The water quickly soaked her skirts making them heavy and hard to drag through the shallow water. Her eyes though never drifted far away from Janus and Akibi. The boy's stubborn pigheadedness concerned her. But, as a teacher, a sister, and a friend she knew this one lesson she just could not interrupt.

Janus on the other hand was not having any fun. His false bravado and lies were getting him into big trouble as he grew more and more frustrated. He is was too slow and his anger only made him more reckless and less aware of his surroundings. Little by little he was being backed up towards the lake. "You only go easy on her because she's a girl! Of course, she would be able to dodge it!"

[Scythe-Nova]

Akibi:"Oh You think i'm not going easy on you? No Boy I go easy on all that do not reach above my waist."

Akibi said still mocking the boy and following him as he reached out again and flicked him on the forehead once more with the same force as before. His one eye followed Janus movements with a predatory gaze.

Akibi:"But she could still dodge these small attacks"

Nanako giggled as Primrose splashed water at her and followed her in the water and splashing more water at Primrose with a beaming smile on her face laughing happily. She moved very fast in the water not being wheighed down by her clothes like Primrose and her dress.

Nanako:"You okay with my Father doing that to Janus?"

She asked a bit quietly and looked at Primrose as she swum up to her with a curious expression on her face. At the same time Akibi glanced to the side purposedly giving Janus an opening but he made it look like he did not mean to give the opening.

[GoblinFae]

Janus reddened darkly at being taunted so by Akibi. "It's not my fault that she has better training than I. If I had been taught by a knight with even half a brain I would be better off than I am with my teachin's. I was trained by a girl!" he shouted lunging for the obvious opening.

In the water, Primrose drew her attention away from the fight to look at the perceptive girl. "Some lessons must be learned the hard way. This is one of them Janus must learn. It is not my place to interfere," she replied diplomatically, attempting to hide her worry behind a smile.

Winking mischievously, the noble sent a large wave of water towards the child. "And what of you? Are you so sure you can win this splash war? I think you may have met your match." Laughing, the woman sent more water and began to slowly wade her way over to Nanako. "Better watch out or I may dunk you!"