[$]My dear...fiance?

[theasama]

anime_creator

~~~ Rufus Arthur Rayne ~~~

Twenty-one.
Prince.
Next In Line.

Soon-To-Be Wed.
Trapped.

Martha had just returned from the garden, her skirt dirty as she carried her basket of fresh herbs and vegetables. She looked up as Meme came in and smiled. "Master Meme! How are you?"










He held his breath as Kuro got close, feeling shy. But his butler was smiling and seemed back to normal. So he giggled again as he stared at himself in the mirror. "I'm swimming in a distinguished fashion!" he joked.



 

[anime_creator]

** Meme Pear **
Meme smiled when he heard Martha come in. "Hello Martha. I'm still a little tired. Me and Rufus were taking a nap but I woke up a little earlier than him. Are those foods from the garden out front?" he asked curiously, seeing the various carrots, potatoes, other foods and herbs in the basket. It seemed like it was very heavy.


}{ Kuro Suji }{
Kuro laughed a little with Akito, it felt so good to be able to smile and laugh, he hadn't done so since he was a boy. He was just glad that the voices were done taking over his mind. "Why don't you take the rest of the day off. I want to talk to you about something."

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theasama

 

[theasama]

anime_creator

~~~ Rufus Arthur Rayne ~~~

Twenty-one.
Prince.
Next In Line.

Soon-To-Be Wed.
Trapped.

Martha nodded. "They are. I like to grow as much as possible." She put the basket on the table. "Everything alright between yourself and Master Rufus?"










Akito blinked, but nodded. "As long as I'm not needed." He sat on the bed. "What do you want to talk about?" He was completely relaxed, smiling as he waited for Kuro to tell him.



 

[anime_creator]

** Meme Pear **
Meme blushed and gave a soft laugh. "Yes everything is fine! We were just feeling a little tired so we decided to take a little nap but I guess Rufus was even more tired than I was." he said happily, looking through the basket at the different food available. "I think it's wonderful that you grow food. Saves money and food usually tastes better! I've always wanted a little garden."


}{ Kuro Suji }{
Kuro sat down with Akito and explained his ideas about an orphanage. He made sure to inform Akito that this was to be a secret from Rufus so as not to stress him out much more than he already was. "I would imagine many of the rules and laws would be passed when the new year approaches. But that doesn't mean we can't start preparations. What do you think?"

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theasama

 

[theasama]

anime_creator

~~~ Rufus Arthur Rayne ~~~

Twenty-one.
Prince.
Next In Line.

Soon-To-Be Wed.
Trapped.

"Well, when you want to come see the garden, give me a call and I'll show you around." Martha nodded, starting to put the vegetables away.










Akito's fists had clenched; he knew telling Kuro would make the Butler want to treat him like a charity case! Still, it would be good for the village, too, so he tried to calm down. "We need to find out where we can put the place. It'd need to be out of the way, but not so out of the way that people can't get to it. And there'd need to be no stigma... but any baby 'without parents' is going to create a stigma - it's one thing to be an orphan, but a baby without parents that has been abandoned-! People would ask why."



 

[anime_creator]

** Meme Pear **
Meme smiled from ear to ear. "I'd like that! Maybe you can help me create my own garden!" he said happily, taking a tomato from the basket and opening his mouth wide to take a bite but then he thought about how rude he was being. "U-um...do you mind...if I eat one of the tomato's?" he asked a little nervously, hoping she wouldn't hit him with a rolling pin or anything.


}{ Kuro Suji }{
Kuro nodded gently. "The orphanage would have paperwork that would swear secrecy among the employees. But when the clients are outside of the institution we can't stop them from asking why. Besides, this would be serving a greater purpose. I would much rather have abandoned children under a roof than dying in the cobblestone streets."

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theasama

 

[theasama]

anime_creator

~~~ Rufus Arthur Rayne ~~~

Twenty-one.
Prince.
Next In Line.

Soon-To-Be Wed.
Trapped.

Martha blinked at him. "Of course. But you might want to rinse it first - it could have a worm in it, or something." She smiled.










Akito nodded. "I understand that, Kuro, but what I'm saying is that people just aren't that forgiving to children born out of wedlock - why do you think I let dad get away with adopting them?" He sighed.



 

[anime_creator]

** Meme Pear **
Meme nodded and hopped off his seat. "You're quite right." he said softly, washing it first before taking a bite and smiling. "This is very good! Do you put something in the soil to make the veggies taste this good?" He asked softly.


}{ Kuro Suji }{
Kuro gave a soft sigh, Akito was right. "What about all of those women getting raped and having children? I'm sure those children would be among the abandoned. Those women have no choice but have their children, they cannot hurt the baby while they're pregnant. Our law states that as murder." he said softly, giving Akito a serious expression. "It's a risk we will have to take, but I think there are more people like your father who will want to help."

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theasama

 

[theasama]

anime_creator

~~~ Rufus Arthur Rayne ~~~

Twenty-one.
Prince.
Next In Line.

Soon-To-Be Wed.
Trapped.

She shook her head. "Not that I know of, but you have to tend them very carefully." She started getting the pots and pans out. "What do you think Master Rufus would like to eat?"










"I hope so, for their sake." Akito sighed. "What we need, is several women like Martha, whose reputations can't be ruined by being associated with that place. Maybe make it known that any woman in trouble can seek Martha out, help in her kitchen until their 'time' and then Martha can claim she found the babe on the palce steps?"



 

[anime_creator]

** Meme Pear **
Meme thought about it for a minute or two. "I'm not sure....I still don't know all of what he likes." he said softly, but he decided to give it some thought. "What about a nice salad and a sandwich?" he asked curiously, wondering if he would like that.


}{ Kuro Suji }{
"That would be a good idea if Martha didn't have so much to do already." he said softly. "What if we make it a private organization? Nobody will know about it except those who don't want their children and those who would want to adopt. Mothers can go through your father, and your father can either escort them to the organization or give their children right to him. And we could probably employ your oldest siblings and your father. We would find select staff through the kingdom and possibly neighboring kingdoms."

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theasama

 

[theasama]

anime_creator

~~~ Rufus Arthur Rayne ~~~

Twenty-one.
Prince.
Next In Line.

Soon-To-Be Wed.
Trapped.

Martha smiled. "Maybe you'll get him to eat his greens, Master Meme; he was always stubborn about them, even if he liked them." She got out the loaf of bread, the bread knife and butter. "Do you know how to slice bread?" She wasn't being funny: she didn't know whether he could cook or not.










"I like that idea, except for the part about women hanging around Father - he wouldn't handle being accused of seducing them too well. What we need is a discreet woman... perhaps Princess Helena? No, nevermind: she can't stay here, can she? But her reputation would be spotless..."



 

[anime_creator]

** Meme Pear **
Meme laughed a little. "Of course I can. I have some basic cooking skills. I just don't know how to cook a lot of meats or make soup from scratch...those kinds of things." he said softly.


}{ Kuro Suji }{
"That...isn't such a bad idea! Perhaps we could talk to her once the marriage is settled. She wouldn't be taking the throne until her father passes. That seems to fit best." he said with a little smile, glad he took Martha's advice in telling him the plans he was going to make.

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theasama

 

[theasama]

anime_creator

~~~ Rufus Arthur Rayne ~~~

Twenty-one.
Prince.
Next In Line.

Soon-To-Be Wed.
Trapped.

She nodded, moving aside to let him get to work. "I shall leave it to you, then. He'll appreaciate it more if you make it." she winked.










Akito blushed brightly at the praise and started picking at the shirt sleeves, embarrassed. "I'm sure you would have thought of it soon..." he mumbled.



 

[anime_creator]

** Meme Pear **
Meme was about to slice the bread when Martha had mentioned it would mean more to Rufus if he made it. "Um....do you think I can make the whole meal?" he asked with a little bit of enthusiasm, it would be the first meal he would make for his husband and he felt it was important for him to get it right.


}{ Kuro Suji }{
Kuro gave a soft chuckle and placed his hand over Akito's. "Sometimes it takes an outsider's point of view to make decisions easier and clearer." he said softly, nuzzling Akito's neck a little but this time he wouldn't go too far. He needed a little break from earlier.

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theasama

 

[theasama]

anime_creator

~~~ Rufus Arthur Rayne ~~~

Twenty-one.
Prince.
Next In Line.

Soon-To-Be Wed.
Trapped.

"Of course you can! A sandwich is just bread, butter and whatever filling you choose. So, slice and butter the bread, cut some ham and cover the ham with washed lettuce and tomatoes from the garden!" Martha instructed, voice patient and kind, encouraging.










Akito shivered and cuddled Kuro for a moment before standing. "I'll go home and get a clean shirt - I can't work in this one, it's too nice..." he mumbled.