With Taris gone, Aera looked down, sharing his opinion on the dress. [i]I wonder what he would have thought of the one I put on first.[/i] She pursed her lips and stood, bothered at the fact that, for a moment, she'd wanted to change again, just to please him. [i]Ridiculous[/i]. She left the library and headed downstairs to see what her husband had brought home.

Outside Kentaro was sitting on his horse in the courtyard, his hair silvery in the sunlight, his cheeks red with drink. He watched as his comrades jumped off their own horses and circled the cart that carried the great deer they'd brought down. He enjoyed hunting. There was something about chasing after a living creature, knowing it was going to be the last thing it did, if you had your way. 

Kasca, the dark haired, dark eyed young man who had the honor of being Kentaro's best friend, walked his horse to stand besides Kentaro's. "Here comes your wife." 
The prince looked, spotting the elf walking down the palace steps. He put a fake smile on his face as she stopped to speak to Risa. "I was hoping she would stay in during the day." he grumbled behind his smile. "She never liked the sun before."

"Oh, I'm sure she learned to put up with it for her love for you." Kasca leaned in. "If you let me tire her out at night, she would stay in all day, I promise you." Kasca leered at Aera, his mind still in hunting mode. 

"Easy, Kasca." Kentaro warned. He may have lost interest in the elf, but not enough to let others make jokes about pleasing her in front of him. He was the only one that got to touch her. 

"When was the last time you kept her up all night, my Lord?" Kasca asked, giving his friend a dark look. "You're never going to get a child off her if you never mount her." He sneered. "Or maybe its not her that's the problem."

"Enough." Kentaro snapped. He got off his horse and walked toward his wife and his sister, smiling at them both.

"Good hunting, I hope, Brother." Risa grinned as Aera curtsied before him.

"Shut it, Risa." He kissed Aera's hand and she smiled at him. Risa and her damn pokes at his whoring. Risa shrugged with a tilt of her head and walked off, leaving Aera and Kentaro alone. "How was your morning, Love?"

Aera thought about Taris, his hard body and his dark skin. And his eyes. Why couldn't she get over his eyes? "It was quiet." She stepped closer to him. "I was wondering if I might go and visit the others, soon. You know I miss them and love them." She added quickly, noticing his annoyed look. 
"I know, my sweet, but you're needed here." And letting you near that elf is out of the question. "I'm sorry, but no."

Aera kept her face blank as her heart sank, when one of Kentaro's drunk friends threw his arm around the Prince. "Morning, Princess!" He shouted, red faced. "Kenny, my boy, we'd best get upstairs. Your father's game starts soon. We want to be [i]pretty[/i] for the *hic* pretty women."

With a nod to his wife Kentaro and the men went inside. Aera stood where she was, ignored by the group of servants bustling about to get the deer inside and prepared and the stable boys dealing with the horses. Her eyes were on the gate. She could leave. Right now. Go visit her friends in the tunnels and be back before the tournament. No one would notice her absence. 
Knowing Kentaro's wrath if he DID find out made her turn and head back into the palace, following the mud the men had dragged in.