For the coat, no?

[Euric Qi Britannia]

Once more was Euric walking down the paths of the theme park.

Albeit of what had happened the day earlier, the First Prince wasn't just going to ditch the whole show. Frankly, he had very strongly been suggested to do so, but it definitely wasn't what the prince had in mind to do. Especially now with the Black Knight's words been proven true by the guards in the end, he had a very good reason for it. No matter what it might be, he still would not pass also the model's explanation - hopefully something more than denying all, this time. Maybe it was a spontaneous reaction rather than a pure lie, he thought, but either way, he would try and find it out for sure. So, if they weren't going to let him, it just meant it was a bit harder for him to go. It just wasn't the First Prince prohibited who would show up at the show. It would be simply Euric.

So, that night there was again a man sneaking out of the palace district. What he wore were simple black pants stuffed into black combat boots, a black leather jacket with a dark blue high neck shirt worn under it, and a black baggy cap into which he had stuffed and hid any strands of white hair he might have had, besides the shorter ones for his bangs. Quite efficiently, once again, was the man appearing as anyone but the First Prince of the Imperial Family.
The escape was pure routine, and soon had the man cleared his way to the city, quickly disappearing into its dark, yet lively night.

It was, though, one in a million chance that she would still be around Clovisland when Euric got there.
It had only occurred to him on his way to the park, that the model he was looking for wouldn't probably make it to the stage in this show - of course, expected to be was that she would have got fired by now. After all, she had effectively ruined a good dress and wasn't much likely to just get away with it with nothing.
What mission could cause a model to ruin a dress, which could put even her career to hang at the edge of a knife?

But now, he was standing in the shadow of a large tree near the border of the show area, from which lights were shining brightly to illuminate the nightly park. Well, truth to be admitted, he would miss the show itself - but perhaps it wasn't the show he had been looking for tonight. For a while he searched around with his gaze, but no staff was around to be seen - so yet he had not chance to ask after her either. Which meant he would wait.

So, he stayed in the shadows for now, choosing a lone bench to settle at a distance from where he could still see most of the show area in case someone - or anyone - useful would show up.

[Eve Neuschwanstein]

The blue haired model sighed deeply as the show was mere moments from starting. It was at that time she fully regretted even talking to that man, who she had deduced was a black knight. She had nearly blown her cover, ruined an expensive dress which resulted in her being fired from the show, and even more so, she could have lost her life if the man had been serious. Sighing again, she tucked some hair behind her ear as she walked over to one of the rails near the stage and leaned against it.

The designer suspected her of sabotage so she wasn't permitted anywhere near the stage. Security had been informed to keep her out, no matter what. A nice cool breeze blew past her causing her rather plain indigo dress to fan out a bit. Eve was successful in concocting a story that would most likely fool the prince. If only she could speak to him again...

"I doubt I'll ever see him again. He did seem pretty convinced from what that jerk told him." She sadly clung to the jacket she still carried around from the previous day. Even though she knew she looked odd hugging a coat, an expensive coat at that, she couldn't help it.

The model wouldn't deny the attraction she felt toward him. Sure it made her act like an idiot most of the time, but she couldn't change that. The prince was just so... so... "Charming and handsome. Any girl would be a fool not to fall for someone like him." Of course, this only made her mission that much more difficult. It would require her to detach her feelings and act purely on her orders. Something of which, she feared she would fail at doing in the end.

[Euric Qi Britannia]

Seemed it had been worthwhile to stay and wait, after all. After a while had gone, Euric finally noticed some movement in vicinity of the show area. He leaned forward from the shadow to see the cause of movement better. Despite the lights around, he had to slightly narrow his eyes to get a proper view of the person, but it didn't take too long for him to grasp what he saw. A woman, it seemed, was there, leaning against one of the rails. She didn't seem to be part of the staff, though. The prince sighed, slightly disappointed. But continuing to observe her, soon after his eyes then caught a sight of something she was holding in her arms. Something, which very effectively caught his attention, for it looked far too familiar to be just a coincidence.

It couldn't be... Now could it?
Squinting his eyes while he kept staring at her, he could only assure himself that the object in her clutch was exactly what he had thought he had seen. It was his jacket, no doubt of it - the very one he had left on the shoulders of a certain model the day before. Which made him step out of the tree's shadow and begin walking towards her. He had yet to recognize her - which wasn't very surprising considering the distance he had observed her from, along with the dimness of the park - but the coat was infallibly his, that he was sure of. Show staff or not, if she had his coat, she had to have something to do with the model he was looking for.
Which was more true than he could have ever believed before reaching the rail she leaned against.

Halting some dozen meters away, he had finally recognized her. It was surprising and quite unbelievable at the same time - how likely it was that he would find her this easily? Not very. But there she still was, actually holding his coat, and seemingly very deep in her own thoughts.
Well. Be it then how unlikely, the easier the better anyway, no?
Yet, in case he still had somehow mistaken of the person - though he was sure couldn't have -he chose to approach her carefully, and taking few more steps closer, he cleared his throat with a light cough.
"Good evening there. I hope I'm not interrupting?"

[Eve Neuschwanstein]

Eve's eyes widened as she heard a light cough from behind her. Virtually everyone in the park was at the show. The only people still out wandering were security guards. She carelessly let someone sneak up on her. The owner of the cough spoke to her, and she instantly recognized the voice.

"Yo-your highness!" the model stammered out as she turned rather quickly to face him.

Another gentle breeze blew past as she stared, completely surprised at the last person she expected to see. Did he come here to see me? The thought was quickly erased from her mind. The prince liked art. Fashion was a type of art. Naturally he was there for the fashion show.

The blue haired model looked to the ground to avoid his intense gaze. "The entrance to the show is about a hundred yards that way," she said as she looked to her left and pointed in that general direction.

Stupid! Why didn't you tell him the cover story you concocted?! Even though her mind was yelling at her, she knew much better than to do that unless he asked specifically about it. She would only be wasting her time if he had no desire to hear what she had to say. She clutched the jacket in her arms a bit tighter in a comforting way.

[Euric Qi Britannia]

"Yo-your highness!"

Also Euric was left a bit surprised - by her reaction, that is. The prince hadn't exactly expected to be recognized that easily - but on the other hand, her reaction at least proved he had been right. So it was really the model.
He blinked, the breeze brushed past him too. Then, the man burst into a hearty laughter. For a moment he just laughed, then the outburst fainting into a smile. He did consider if he should have been more serious about it, but perhaps the soft approach would be better, after all.

Almost immediately she had lowered her gaze, which made the prince look at her a bit thoughtfully. Whatever the situation, he hoped he hadn't been awfully rude - truly, spontaneous had been the laughter, nothing else.
"The entrance to the show is about a hundred yards that way." Euric kept staring at her. She still kept her eyes laid to the ground, just pointing the direction out to him. She... believed he was there simply for the show. The prince's eyes widened a bit.
Ah, but of course.
He almost burst to a new laughter, but this time it was more like giving out a soft chuckle than and actual laugh.
"Why, miss Neuschwanstein - I thank you for your trouble, but I'm perfectly aware of the location of the show."
Do I even look like I would be going?
His smile faded a bit, and now he began to walk to reach her side, in a moment settling to lean to the rail a couple steps away from her.
"Frankly, I did hope I would still find you - and as it has turned out, it was far more easier than I could have ever hoped for it to be." He turned his head to look again straight at her.
"Perhaps I am now plain blunt - pardon me for it - but I'd like to hear your version of what happened yesterday. I may have confirmed the other side of the story - but I don't think I can judge anyone just by hearing only half of it. But -", a small smile curved his lips again, " If you don't mind - please refrain from shouting my being a prince out too loud. I'll be in as much trouble as you if I'm found out to be here. Especially if I'm that easy to spot out, as you did right away. But."
He kept his eyes on her, waiting for her answer.
"Please, can you explain."

[Eve Neuschwanstein]

The model's breath stilled as the prince moved closer to her. Relief washed over her face as he leaned against the rail next to her. He was looking for me, she thought, her hopes rising a bit.

She stood silently as the prince explained his reason for returning to the park. Purple eyes slowly moved to stare at the prince who was apparently staring at her. She fought the urge to smile as he smiled sweetly. She blushed slightly as he asked her not to announce his presence again.

Taking a deep breath, Eve began to tell the colorful lie that she had woven. "I'm," she paused momentarily. "I'm a Britannian spy. Although my purpose here is to remain a secret, that is, not even your guards know my true identity. However, I feel that you have a right to know my current mission as you're involved directly." She paused again and took a few steps away from the railing, her hair blowing with the breeze that blew past.

"The Emperor feared that you were being targeted by the Black Knights. His fears were confirmed yesterday when that Black Knight approached you. Although it appeared to be a fairly innocent encounter, you can never tell with them." The model turned to face him, a small smile on her face. "My mission is to secretly watch you and ensure that you are kept safe from the Black Knights. I was forbidden from directly interacting with you, but..." She held up his coat for emphasis. "We can see how well that turned out."

[Euric Qi Britannia]

So, here was her explanation. For the mentioned mission, and for everything for that matter. The prince listened almost calmly, though an eyebrow risen from the first sentence coming out of her mouth. A Britannian spy, eh? Well, definitely he wouldn't have expected that. On the other hand, as he did have the certain level of knowledge about spies and all, it was everything he could expect from a spy. Of course they were those who one would least expect to be one. It figured. And her explanation was fitting to every other fact he knew - plausible in all. After she had finished, he stayed quiet for a moment, thinking it over.

Well. The viceroy of the Area 11 becoming targeted by the Black Knights - couldn't have been more obvious, that one. It was only natural, and sure had Euric known it the moment he had been nominated to hold such a position and when he had agreed to take on the post. And his brother to set someone to protect him - even in secret - well. Euric sighed, his lips curving to form a slight smile. It was, too, only natural. And spies working directly under Alistair - not a word Euric could've accessed such information by himself.

Finally, he nodded to her.
"I appreciate your explanation - and moreover, am terribly sorry I was so rude back then. Naturally, I couldn't have told it from you - then again, that can expected from a fine spy. I'm also sorry to not have listened you properly before - although you must agree with me that revealing this kind of information wouldn't have been that proper in front of such a crowd we gathered back then. I'm sure you understand that I'll have to confirm this, too, but I do ask for your apology for my indelicateness."
Euric gave the woman a slight bow of an official apology. Then straightening himself, he smiled a bit more widely than before he had bowed.
"I'm rather happy to have met you, though, rather than if you had stayed only at the distance. What it comes to my confirming your facts - don't worry about it ruining your mission or perhaps causing any harm to you by my brother - after all, if anyone would complain about it, I was the one to interact with you first."
The prince did believe her. Of course he would get the facts confirmed before he would trust her completely, as he had told also to her, but when it came to something this classified, he was sure it couldn't be just a story someone could cook up. Or then, that certain someone was pretty stupid to assume a prince would by it without making sure it was true. Quite hard would it also be to just claim such and make it seem as if it would be true. Truly, pretty impossible to be exact. But her telling matched the other things he had confirmed right, and considering the Black Knight matter as well as her actions - though how ruthless, if to express it with such a word - she did explain herself. Finally. Her denying it all at first - Euric assumed it was only reasonable with the crowd present, as he himself had said that revealing such matters in such a situation wouldn't have been very appropriate. Ah well.

Yet another breeze brushed past them - Euric only now noticing that she wasn't exactly wearing that much to be out in such a weather. How tactless of him, again, he mentally shook his head. As she held up his coat, he stepped a bit closer and took it from her clutch, swung it open and once more set it to lay on her shoulders.
"The weather isn't exactly warm, you know. I think you don't want to catch a cold. That wouldn't be very pleasant, now don't you think."

[Eve Neuschwanstein]

"I don't blame you for being suspicious," she said in response to his speech.

Another breeze blew past and Eve held back a shiver. It seemed that the temperature had dropped a bit since she arrived. The model resisted the urge to step back as he suddenly moved closer to her. Gently taking the coat out of her hands, she watched curiously as he draped the expensive material around her shoulders once more. Her body instinctively reached out and held onto the coat so that it wouldn't slide off her small frame.

Eve gazed up at the handsome prince as he spoke. I don't understand. It's not like father said at all. Royalty is supposed to act high and mighty with no respect or anything for people below them. So then... Why is he being so nice to me?

The model shook her head in response before she looked back to the ground once more. She was pretty sure she had a blush on her face as her cheeks felt a bit warm. "Um, can I ask you something?" she said meekly. "Why are you being so kind to me? For all you know, I could be an assassin sent to kill you by the Black Knights." Her blush had faded and Eve stared intensely into the eyes of the prince.

[Euric Qi Britannia]

"Um, can I ask you something?"
"Of course you can."
"Why are you being so kind to me? For all you know, I could be an assassin sent to kill you by the Black Knights."

Her suddenly giving him such an intense stare, he answered to it with an equal one. Quite different from all the blushing and more or less avoiding his gaze, now wasn't she, all of a sudden. Apparently she didn't cease to surprise him - under all the blushes and shyness, there really was something else. What exactly, he could perhaps never tell. Not to mention that just anyone would not have even dared to face a royal - let alone someone the First Prince - with such a look. She had guts.
Albeit also remembering the Black Knight's warning, the prince wasn't the type to trounce anything before investigating it first. Yet her question - he sighed. He could sense she was surprised - surprised he wasn't quite living up to the general assumption that being a royal automatically equaled to being the embodiment of superiority complex.
Well, the belief was common enough for Euric to be not a bit surprised. Even working to the royal family was nothing to annul any such assumptions, sad but true. It was even more saddening to Euric himself because it was his own and very much dear family in question, after all. But the ways of ruling for many royals now and even before were as many, and such assumptions could ever be claimed to have no grounding at all. Even though the current First Prince tried his best to crush the assumed stereotype, it wasn't easy nor even said that he would ever succeed. Sad enough, there was probably only one man who could have won this kind of battle alone - but he wasn't the First Prince.

The prince kept looking back at her, somewhat thoughtful.
"Of course you could be. And in case as such, I think it'd only be most unfortunate since I would rather keep on living a bit longer - yet I can blame but myself for choosing to care more about people themselves rather than about their positions. But being kind may hurt less, don't you think?"

[Eve Neuschwanstein]

"Oh..." Eve mumbled, her heart sinking a bit.

The prince was apparently nice to anyone and everyone. For a moment, the model had felt special. She had thought that perhaps there was a chance her had some sort of feelings developing for her. Wooing him over just got a bit difficult. She had achieved the first step, contact. The next part was to get him to want to spend time with her.

Hmm... I read about personality types during training a while ago, she recalled. Nice guys tend to fall for... oh yes, the tsundere type! So if I just act like I have no interest in him or his kindness, then perhaps he'll desire my company.

Eve allowed the expensive coat to slide off her shoulders and neatly folded it up. She rather rudely shoved it into the Prince's arms before turning to walk away. She paused to look over her shoulder. "Thanks Euric, but I'd rather have honest kindness and not kindness out of obligation." She made sure not to smile a him before turning to look back in front of herself to continue walking away. Hopefully he would make some sort of movement to stop her from leaving the park.

[Exit unless Euric stops her.]

[Euric Qi Britannia]

//I think I do.//

The coat thrust back to him all of a sudden, Euric was simply left staring after her as she began to walk away.
Kindness out of obligation? What was this, all of a sudden..? He blinked.

Sure his duties, his work, fulfilling the role of a prince in general might have been an obligation to him - well, frankly was - but kindness? Never. The First Prince was a kind man by nature, not by obligation. Perhaps he was kind for many, but not for all - polite as in most cases required, but not kind. Not to those who he wished not to be. When one thought about it, could be said he really could not even help it. It was just how he was.
She had got him all wrong. Though Euric could but wonder what he had done to lead her to such a conclusion. Had he sounded somehow awry when answering to her question? Had he the done something wrong? Though as hard as he tried to think yet he couldn't figure any reason. But clearly for some reason she had become offended, and that was something the prince had not wished in any form to happen.

But be the reason then whatever, he could not just let her go. She kept getting further away, which soon dawned upon Euric, too. Snapping out of his thoughts, he grasped the coat and hurried after her.
"Eve, wait..!"
Reaching her quite quickly, he didn't wait but made her stop by reaching his hand for her shoulder - firmly, yet gently as he did not want to be boisterous, let alone hurt her. Confusion showing on his face - genuine as he was - he looked down at her.
"You- you must have been mistaken. Why would you think I'm kind only out of obligation?"

[Eve Neuschwanstein]

Eve mentally cheered to herself. All she had to do was string him on a bit longer and perhaps, if she was lucky enough, his interest in her would peak. Thus getting him to show a bit of interest in her and desiring her company. If only to figure out her line of thought. The model made no move to look at the adorable expression on the prince's face. She knew her persona would crumble if she did. Instead, she moved away from his touch and turned to face him. Crossing her arms she closed her eyes as she answered him.

"No, there's no mistake about it. You feel that since you're a prince and that you have all this power, you should use it for good. Which in turn makes you feel obligated to help anyone and everyone, including the enemy." Eve grunted before turning her back to him. "There's nothing slightly attractive about you acting on obligation. Maybe if you were selfish and did exactly what you wanted, woman would want you more."

The model prayed her little speech would work. After all, most of it was a lie, and he seemed to be able to tell when someone was lying. But she had managed to fluster him before hand, so perhaps that would work to her advantage.

[Euric Qi Britannia]

Euric kept his eyes at her, even as she moved away. With her words, though, the confused expression disappeared, leaving behind something between incredulity and... Regret.
Of course...
Of course it was so. Just because he was a Britannian royal. A damn prince. She had showed it before that she thought no more of them than the general belief indicated, but still coming actually across people who really though so did sadden the First Prince every single time. Were the royals, his family, really made out to look that bad?
Ahh screw it, of course they were. How would he otherwise ever bump into all of this doubt and misunderstandings every time he tried to do something out of the square he had already been categorized into because of his standing by birth? Yeah, what of the individual who wasn't feeling so high and mighty - of course he was just pretending not to because he was a royal. The times one of them would be actually show any positive must be for something - they just couldn't act so simply by nature, now could they?

On the other hand Euric was surprised that she actually got him this infuriated again over a subject he had been dealing with for years. He had met way worse responses than hers had been, but somehow she had got him to it again. Her voicing the words... had struck. The mental outburst was good proof for that.
Why... Euric could but admit then that he had once again let himself to grow a feeling of fondness towards a person he hardly knew - this time it being the young model. Now with her having suddenly turned so harsh, though, he couldn't help a feeling of dubiety rise. Of course he couldn't claim he knew a thing about her, but Euric tended to have a certain sense for people - may first impressions be usually how deceiving, he usually got less mistaken than one might have otherwise. And now, her going off like this didn't feel right at all. Plus, she had claimed to be a spy with a mission to protect him. Yet, why this kind of action... What did his kindness or obligations have to do with her mission, anyway? ... If he had ruined it by making contact with her which she shouldn't have made with him. Wait, what had it then again to do with how he was or was not attractive the way he acted?
The more thoughts stormed through his mind, the less he felt he understood anything of it. The feeling was more than uncomfortable - being this befuddled wasn't exactly a familiar feeling for him in any sense. All of it had got way off the trail.

He lowered his gaze drawing it away from her, closing his eyes, frowning. How could he express it... The thing, a mere feeling to which he, for the moment, could not find any words. Yet, he wouldn't just shrug it of - there were many courses of action he could've taken already, more or less polite, to get away from it if he had wanted to. But no, for some reason he hadn't taken any. He wanted not to. How would it have done him any better, if she already thought that lowly of him? Yes, escaping wasn't an option.

He lifted his head to glance at the dark sky instead, like he could've found some sense there from above. But the sky was as unclear as his mind, and the breeze was getting cooler still. One could only hope it wouldn't start raining - though on the other hand, it might have been somewhat refreshing. Yet staring up made him soon to lower his head again - looking up had made his neck hurt again, which made him lift a hand to rub it slightly. Hmh.
Turning his eyes back at the model, he sighed deeply.
"Well, if that's really what you think, I'm sorry. Alas, my intention was not to make you feel that way - but I don't tend to fake kindness. Politeness, perhaps, but not kindness - whether you believe me or not. What I don't quite see however..." He rose an eyebrow, still looking at her.
"...is how my being attractive or not has any meaning here."

[Eve Neuschwanstein]

The model accidentally let a small gasp escape at his last remark. She kept her back to him as her mind raced to come up with an answer. Stupid! How could I say something so stupid?! Of course his attraction has nothing to do with kindness. But what do I say? How do I answer him?! Purple eyes scanned the area in front of her, hoping to stumble across some inspiration to keep her new persona going.

"Well you see..." she trailed off as her mind raced to unsuccessfully fill in the blanks. "That is to say..." She turned to face the prince and accidentally met his bewildered gaze. All logic left her mind and her brain tried to pick up the pieces. "You are... It means... With attraction..." Her brain was fried. The odd innocent look she saw plastered on his face distracted her completely. He's so adorable when he's utterly confused.

Eve furiously shook her head, successfully ridding her mind of his image and all the thoughts swimming in it. She crossed her arms cutely and looked away from him before speaking again. "Look Euric, how attractive you are affects how genuine your kindness is. The less people you're actually kind to, the more genuine you are, and the more attractive you are. It's a vicious circle and I don't think you're can take it."

[Euric Qi Britannia]

Euric blinked, yet kept still staring at Eve.
Attractiveness affecting how genuine was his kindness? A vicious circle she thought he couldn't take..?
Frankly, it made no sense to him. Nor did it explain anything else either for that matter. But he had noticed that his last remark had managed to make her act to crack, which did cause an observing furrow reappear onto his brow. It appeared as if she had somehow bag talked herself - well, that was probably easy with their subject gone so off trail. Actually he paused for a while to recap what the subject actually should have been - about the day before, right? But she had revealed her side of the things, so all Euric would have try and do was to confirm it - not that he really doubted her. But it was just in case - though even with her Black Knight remark, he highly doubted it would be true especially with the way she had treated the one they had met the other day. Her actions back then had very much come from genuine dislike, he was sure of that. But then, this sudden deal about kindness...
The only thing he could gather now - that she thought he was more attractive if he was less kind? The prince slightly shook his head - wrong move for his neck, unfortunately.

But nonetheless - what a curious little spy she was.

He sighed lightly, closing his eyes as he spoke.
"I still can't say I'd quite understand, but if so... Is that why you first accept my kindness, but then reject it?"
The moment he had spoken, though, something dawned upon him.
Wait. Could it be, that..?
He gave a new glance at the young woman. Obviously, she hadn't minded his company, yet now for some reason she had tried for a while to act like she rather wished him to be away though he could sense she really wasn't meaning it. And then all this idle talk about kindness and attractiveness... And the sudden wavering in her act with his comment. All of it could fit to one thing - only if Euric wasn't the log he had began to feel he was.
It could be.

Watching her stand there, arms crossed, he sighed once more before folding the coat in his arms to resemble something less of a royal origin, and made a move seemingly in intention of leaving.
"Well, if you'd rather hold to the indirectness as you're ordered to, please just tell me so. Naturally I won't bother you if you wish to keep the distance."