Although she could contain herself before the eyes of a potential suitor, Lilliana completely fell apart a few minutes after he'd left her by herself in the sitting room.  The moment she could no longer hear his footsteps, she squeaked giddily and even hopped a little.  He'd touched her bare shoulder! Her unclothed flesh!  Perhaps something of that nature was not considered to be important in his culture, she didn't know for certain.  However, in her vast, European world, it was outrageous, forbidden and utterly intoxicating.<br/><br/>His hand, though gentle, was quite firm and strong.  She could imagine it wrapped around a large sword of the purest steel, just like those she'd seen in paintings.  More enchanting still, she thought of what such a man could do with such hands, to her.  Threatening, dangerous, enthralling, sensuous, all these adjectives came rushing to her mind like moon-driven tidal waves.  Attempting to compose herself again was of no use, and she practically danced on her tiny, dyed court shoes to her bedroom.<br/><br/>Once outside, she recalled what kind of danger she was truely in and took precaution to open the door slowly.  The main room was empty, and she could hear nothing.  She stepped inside and proceeded to her vanity, where she removed her makeup for the second and final time that evening.  After removing her outer layers, she rang for a bath to be drawn for her.  Her bath-tub was a fairly small oval-shaped porcelain tub with wooden pannels all aaround the bottom, except for  a small grate where a fire would be lit to heat the water.  The servant would light the fire, turn the dial to open the fossette and then go to the basement to turn on the main valve to her room.   Quite a lot of work for a bath, considering they would repeat the process when the Princess finished and stoke the fire on request as she bathed.<br/><br/>Once all the preparations had been made, Lilliana undressed completely and lowered herself into the lavender and primrose-scented water.  The heat from the fire warmed the bottom of the tub, and since she really didn't need to breathe, that's where the vampiress languished.  Like a lizard on a hot rock, she sprawled with her belly and breasts against the heated ceramic bottom.  Sweet thoughts gathered in her mind and she relaxed her muscles.<br/><br/>_______________________________________________________<br/><br/>Eurich, taking notice of the delight in the other boy's face, gestured for him to have a look at the shelves.  He'd considered lending a few books to Ijemaru, should he ask for them, so there was really no concern in lending a few to this lad as well.  There were a great many titles one outside Europe would not recognize, but with his clear grasp on speaking the english language, Eurich wagered it wouldn't bother Tsukiya in the least.  He didn't take his twin sisters for "avid" readers, but if they'd like to barrow something too, then that was fine with him.  Just as long as they didn't come to bad terms during or after the deciding of the throne.<br/><br/>Then something the boy said caught his attention.  His brother was to meet a female suitor.  Clearly there were other females here, some of which he knew for a fact were unattatched, but with his luck there was only one possible conclusion.  He therefore took up the slate and began to write an inquiry.  He then passed it to the pair of girls seated before him.  It read: "Your brother is currently with my sister, the Princess Lilliana, is he not?  What kind of man is your brother?  Strong-willed? A leader?"<br/><br/>He stood and awaited their reply, though he expected nothing but the positive aspects from his family.  He wanted to know at least the bassics, as to whether or not he shouldn't contact Ijemaru and see into having him watched.  That man was growing more useful by the minute.  It seemed as though he nor his sister might make it through this competition without him.  Eurich wasn't so much concerned with dying.  As was clarified by Tsukiya, most forget that he's even in the catacombs.  For all he knew, he could wake one morning and find the entire upper-world in ruin; his family dead, his castle in shambles and the landscape here-about burnt to ash, and no one would think to rouse him.<br/><br/>It was therefore benificial to have Ijemaru and his family about to not only keep an eye on Lilliana, but to allow him to remain forgotten, to live in the shadowy  depths of the castles under-world.  It served as a kind of womb, a place of great quiet solitude where he could revel or despair without the eyes of his mother or others upon him.  Keeping this place to himself was indeed important to him.  However, it didn't bother him if those whose company he could find enjoyment in should stop in every now and again.  Barrowing from the library or sitting for a chat, even playing a game of chess would not serve to disrupt the peaceful nature of the place.  Just as long as it stayed a private sanctum when he needed it to be there for him.