Shuriken was getting ready to go on a trip with Uncle Plague down to the Hallows so that he could trade for some alpaca wool, but really Ike knew it was so that she could see Ezra again. He hadn’t been a prince come to collect his gemstone, but he was fun and goofy and such an impressive fighter! Ike couldn’t get over how easily he made her smile. How relaxed he was, and how unproper he was. The opposite of Ashen and her family. Maybe that was what drew her towards him so strongly, curiosity and attraction to that which she did not have.

Thinking about Ezra was easier than thinking about Iki or Oki. Her star siblings. Iki’s performance had been incredible and Oki had won Ashen’s tournament. Kiyohime had nothing to show for herself, no accomplishments or grace. She was still clumsy and uncoordinated. And hard on herself. The girl was feeling sorry for herself, all these thoughts gathered up and overwhelmed her so she made her way to the beach to try and clear her head.


"Speech"

Kitsune was walking quietly down the beach, watching the ocean and keeping her eyes peeled for sharks. She had decided that if she found one, she would wrestle it and bring it to shore. That would be a pretty impressive story to tell her family, right? ‘Oh, this shark here? Yeah, I wrestled it to shore…’

Her daydream was interrupted by the sight of her sister. The other girl had started out smaller than her, and was steadily growing taller - Kit was going to have to ask her exactly what she was eating and doing lately that might have helped her growth spurt.

Her monochrome sister looked distracted and sad, and Kitsune wiggled her tail, already pushing energy into the idea of cheering her sister up. “Ike!” she called

"Speech"

Distracted was one way to put how Ike felt about everything. Her father took her on special trips into uncertain terrain to try and teach her how to be graceful. Her talents didn’t nearly match with her siblings, and she was gangly and awkward at best. Ike didn’t feel anything like a princess in those moments. She didn’t know what she wanted either, her dad to blatantly address her shortcomings or her uncle Plague’s biased eyes where she could do no wrong.

Those thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her name on the wind. Dual toned pale lavender and icy silver swiveled to find Kitsune’s fiery form dancing in the sand. Her tail always seemed to be wagging, and Kit was probably the most down to earth of the siblings beyond Take who didn’t even speak.

"Hello there, Kitsune.” Ike offered politely as she stood so she could bow. A soft smile on her lips and a little wag to her tail as she greeted her sister. Where Ike was once the runt, the tiniest of the siblings, she was now only barely smaller than their big brothers.

"Speech"

Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle went the girls tail when Ike’s eyes found her. Her sister's greeting was polite, and the bow made Kit giggle. But she returned the gesture all the same, bowing her fiery coat over a paw, before hoping forward and kissing her sister cheek.

“Hey Ike, are you busy?” she asked, seating herself in front of her pretty, dragon-like sister. “Did you want to fish, or spar, or tell stories?” she asked, keen to steal a moment of her sister's time. She didn’t mind what they did, so long as they did it together.

"Speech"

Kit giggled at her, but returned her sister’s bow all the same. Ike grinned and righted herself as her shorter sister offered the kind gesture of a kiss to her cheek. The innocent affection made the tall princess grin. Unlike their perfect sibling, she felt much more at ease with Kit. She didn’t feel inferior. Like she had been trying to find her from the start Kitsune asked after her, but other than training as hard as ever Ike would always find time for Kit. She kept her grounded and occupied when she felt wretched on the inside.

"Do you want to spar in the sand together?” She asked with a curious tilt of her head as she lowered her front half into a playful bow. Her rump wiggling in the air as her tail continued to wag a mile a minute.

"Speech"

She always loved to see her sister's smile, and even more she loved to see her sister's playful side. Giggling still as Ike gave a playful bow. Kit mimicked the gesture, lowering her front end and wiggling her rump as she swiped at Ike. attempting to land a playful paw against her sister's nose. A spar sounded perfect! “Last one there has to kiss the ocean!” She squeaked, and tore across the sand towards the ocean, figuring fighting right next to the sea might be fun.

Not one to be unfair, she slowed as she neared the ocean to give Ike a chance to catch up after kit’s head start.

"Speech"