Akito remains still and silent at the prince's comments, too focused on waiting to be forgiven to even acknowledge he's spoken. His eyes remain on the ground until Hiro's arm comes into view. His stomach nearly drops out of him at the sight of the mark, his breath stilling. Though only for an instant, as the prince forgive him in the next breath, Akito realizes he needs some serious discipline. [i]'If I can not turn off the warrior in me, this will happen again. I will hurt him, again. . .I don't. . . .I don't want to hurt him. . .'[/i] For the first time an actual tender thought passes through his heart for someone other than his father or his pet.

The moment passes, but the feeling stays and as he comes to his feet there is a new determination in his eyes. [i]'I hurt him because of fear. I can not be afraid like that, ever again'[/i] He begins planning just how to desensitize himself to common happenings in the palace without hesitation, several ideas coming to mind. “I'm use to these conditions.” he murmurs while Hiro seems distracted. With a slow nod he follows behind the prince, watching him trying to use his magic to see better. [i]'He's actually making things worse. The palace is in a different direction'[/i] He is distracted for a moment when the prince says what he had the servants tell the emperor.

“Thank you.” he murmurs, wondering next how to bring up the idea of going the right way. [i]'He seems so confident, so sure, even though he is out of his element. He is a princeling. They are not forest folk. . .'[/i] He has to agree with the interesting day bit, but instead of responding to that he instead walks up behind the prince once more. Unable to trust his voice he reaches out with both hands. One takes hi arm to still him while the other slips forward to close the prince's palm, cutting off the light. “Shhhhh. . . .” he says softly, waiting for his eye to adjust. He already knows which way is out, his sense of direction quite keen, but he doesn't want to just show the prince out, he wants to give the prince the chance to figure out what he's doing.

The difference in lighting is so subtle however that only one trained to operate in the darkness would be able to detect it. Despite his natural instinct to walk apart, to remain separate from others even when working together, Akito move from behind the prince to his side and slips an arm around his waist to guide him. Turning to the right he takes it slow, almost feeling the ground with his feet before each step just to make sure he doesn't walk the prince into something. When at last the light becomes evident he speeds up a little, but it isn't until it is easy to see the ground that he lets Hiro go and takes half a step away to walk a little distance apart from the younger male. Once out Akito notes that they are a good hundred yards from where they entered, glancing off to the right at a servant's cry before taking the chance to admire the small garden they walked out into.