[PRP] On Time, Arriving Too Late (Rumi x Kito)

[Quaji]

A lioness approached the training field and the half-asleep duke's head jerked up as the sound of her footsteps met his ears. The sun had already set and he had been the only one to show since Thrain had left him to keep his seat warm.

"You must be Lingchen." Kito spoke, breaking the silence between them. He didn't know every lion in the North, despite the intelligence he received so hopefully she was the right lioness or else this situation would become awkward very quickly. She was concerned, that much was evident. Expecting the captain and to be met by a duke instead. He could only imagine how she must feel with that happening to her. Why, he downright felt sorry for the poor girl. Still, Thrain had left him here with a mission to complete and even though he had no obligation beyond being the captain's friend, he was determined to see it through. "I hope I didn't disappoint you too much by not being the one you were looking for. Tie Shi wanted me to wait for you."  

[Quaji]

"Rescheduling?" The duke's laughter soon filled the air as his belly giggled while he did. "Why, he's surely on his way to the Pridelands by now. Gone for..." How long was it again? "About two or three months, give or take a few days. He was waiting for you up until a few hours ago, but seems like the emperor had other ideas and made him leave sooner than Tie Shi originally had expected."

It was odd. She was so worried for the captain that there were almost no formalities between them. Of course Kito assumed it was because her mind was pre-occupied with worry for the captain. Even he had to admit that he was worried for his friend. It was a long journey to the Pridelands, one he would like to make some time, maybe with his wife and children...Children? Now he was just getting ahead of himself. Shaking his mane out, he watched her, curious how she would take the news of Thrain's departure.  

[Quaji]

"He has progressed since he arrived, and quickly at that. I'm not quite sure if the emperor chose him because they're family or because of his proven skill. We won't know that until he returns, I suppose." Birds from the Pridelands, messages from Thrain's sister that had pass through him and others, had told him much of what he knew of the captain while the rest Thrain had told him himself. Still, Thrain was a captain now and had only joined months ago. That and his saving duke Jilie in the West surely helped gain recognition from the emperor.

Shifting on the cold ground, he glanced her over. Thrain had been waiting for her, for whatever reason and if he knew his captain well enough, he knew that he wouldn't have done that for just anyone. "You're too formal, Lingchen. Relax. I may be a duke, but I'm still a member of the North, just like you are." Why Thrain had been so interested something that Kito was determined to find out while the captain was away.

"Are you proud? To be part of the North, that is?" It was something he had always been curious about. The North was so much different than the other houses. Were the members of it proud of who they were as much as the other houses' members were?  

[Quaji]

"Oh? I hadn't realized you were nearly raised here." That was certainly news to him which had caught the duke off-guard, obviously so by the surprised look on his face as she spilled her history to him. It was something he hadn't been expected, but it was a nice way to break the formalities between the two of them. He wanted to be a friend to some of the members of the North, not just their duke or superior.

A silence sat between them as Kito tried to find the words to aid the young huntress. Normally his wisdom was overflowing, to a point even that he would told to dam the river. The river being his mouth. At least his belly helped him with speaking this time by having it gurgle to help break the awkwardness. The duke could not help but laugh. "I would miss your boars though, Lingchen~" He had been lucky to taste some of those she caught here and there.

"But, if you feel like your calling it elsewhere, then I will help you while our captain is away. You are a friend of his and he is a friend of mine. So you must be a friend of mine as well, right?" Maybe lightening the mood would help. It felt too somber and stiff for his usual bright attitude.  

[Quaji]

"Then it's settled then. I'll inform...goodness, I suppose Tie Shi would have been your superior, but now I suppose one of the majors' are who you should answer to, unless you'd prefer to answer directly to me." He was formally trained, most of his siblings were. He outranked anyone outside of his brother and father and they wouldn't likely complain about him taking on a pupil of his own or even care really. But he was interested to see why the captain had taken an interest in her.

Another rumble came from his stomach.

Instead of laughter, Kito simply chuckled. "Perhaps after supper though. Would you like to join my wife and I, Lingchen? Company for dinner is always nice on these chilly nights."