Jumping from the open window did turn a few heads of the servants; but who would question the prince?... Traveling into the gardens it almost seemed as if Hitomi had vanished from the grounds as not so much as the faint glow of her lantern could be seen in the quickly darkening landscape. Even speaking out in a hushed whisper showed no results; in fact it wouldn't take the prince long to realize that all the sounds of night had even vanished from the gardens, as not so much as a chirp of a cricket was heard in the stale night. However before the thought of the worse would set in too deeply, he would finally catch glimpse of the light of her lantern.<br/><br/>"You have a lot of nerve to interrupt my time with the prince." Hitomi's soft voice would break the dead silence in the air, and by the time Ryou would catch sight of her he would see her standing along side a man he had never set eyes on before. The man was young, probably around the same age as the prince, perhaps even a touch bit older; but what would come off stranger then not seeing the man enter the garden was the fact the man looked to be wearing noble messenger's clothing... Further adding the confusion to the fact Ryou didn't recognize him... "I apologize, but the message was urgent, and I would not wish to trouble the prince further..." Hitomi stared down the man, strange as she normally was very respectful to men, keeping her head bowed and remaining silent until spoken too. "Then what is it? You know good and well there are many more important things to attend to."<br/><br/>The two would continue to speak unaware of of the prince's presence hidden among the garden's wide range of sculptures and bushes. "We seemed to have lost contact with the group watching over emperor's eldest son..." He spoke once again, which seemed to only show more forwardness and aggression. "What do you mean 'lost contact' " She pressed forward, shining the lantern more into his face. "We have sent the message out about his father, but no one has replied, or rather no one can confirm the message has reached him..." She squinted slightly to this, pulling the lantern back. "So you are saying someone may have gotten to him first?..." The man shook his head. "No, Marley that we are having trouble locating him..."  Hitomi nodded slightly. "I see... Keep me informed... There is no scene in troubling the prince over 'maybes' - Come to me with facts then you can interrupt our time together..." With that she turned away, as if starting to leave.<br/><br/>"Wait, I do bring good news..." He spoke just as she turned, keeping Ryou's hidden position covered as she turned back towards the man. "Ohh?..." The man then grinned slightly before nodding to her interest. "The servant you requested to join your staff; the newly wed widow... She has been settled into her room, she will be ready to start work any time you wish." She soon slowly grinned in reply. "That is  indeed good news.... Hmm.. Well then... I was going to go straight to bed... But I suppose I can give her a quick visit before I retire myself..." She then actually bowed to the man before turning to leave once again; walking back out to the servant's quarters... Looking back to where the man was standing would show the man seemed to vanish in thin air... A fact that would only occupy his mind long enough to see the fox that lured him into the gardens dart out from a random bush, and run off deeper into the garden.<br/><br/>Turning back no doubt would leave many questions within the prince's mind, more so as Hitomi was already stepped out garden, and the sounds of chirping crickets in the night air would return once she was gone. Watching her movement though it was easy to see she was heading straight to the servant quarters.... But the real question was what secrecy was happening right under his nose, and why was a widowed servant so important?....