Fotios had been at the Scholeio since dawn. He had been speaking with one of his old associates regarding the young Sara who was beginning to attend classes. Intent on knowing exactly what was happening with the youngest of Irakles' children - the one who was naive and still uncertain of the ways of court - Fotios has been able to leave upon hearing a voice he recognized...

Another daughter of the House of Mikaelidas was clearly practicing in one of the empty classrooms, her tone pretty but not ground-breaking. He was curious, however, when the melody devolved into a sad ballad that he recognized as a happier song the girl had adapted in her grief.

Curious at this saddened heart - for grief was a strong motivator, Fotios moved to stand at the doorway to the room and casually leaned against the frame. He folded his arms, the side of his bicep holding him up as he narrowed his eyes in curious thought as he listened.

When the girl was done with her practicing, Fotios spoke calmly and quietly, intent on not disturbing her.

"I recall you singing happier songs in your youth..." He told her, his head tilted in polite curiosity. "My condolences, princess..."

He added a polite bow to his words for despite their age difference, she was immediate royalty, and he was not...

Fotios bowed his head respectfully at mention of the young princesses' recent bereavement. Her father's passing had been harsh in more ways than one. First, with the timing of it. While the man had not been young, it had clearly been too soon for his passing - as the girl said - when the King had been in perfect health until that fateful day. It had been the will of man that ending his string of fate - not the will of the Gods. Secondly, was the manner in which the passing occurred. Not only was such an event violent and horrific in aesthetic but it was harsh in its suddenness. To go from a complete family one moment and then, in the stroke of another, a broken household... It was too disjointed, too abrupt, for the human heart to keep up.

While he had heard rumour from Irakles that the young girl had exerted violence upon her belongings in the palace - likely as a method of catharsis against the agony she must have been feeling - Fotios knew that such grief could not to assuaged with a so singular bout of emotion. More would be coming. If not immediately - the shock of the event still needed to subside - then within the next few weeks or months...

Every time Stephanos was referred to as King... Every time a family get together was held and only four were in attendance instead of six... Every time a celebration for the city was held - every time a race was attended. It would be there. Like a wraith in the back of the princess' mind. A shadowy hand around her heart, squeezing with every reminder.

His eyes communicated such dread and were clearly sympathetic as he arranged his features accordingly.

"You're quite right, Princess." Fotios agreed with a small but sad smile. "I'm sure your father would be proud to see you considering propriety... even when your only audience is your servant." He made a gesture to the girl who hurriedly left the room at her mistress’s instruction.

"I suggest you sing for your mother more often." Fotios ventured to offer, his cadence and frame evolving to look meek; he was humbled to indicate a suggestion to a royal. "While I am no connoisseur of music and would not know a harp from a horn -" He gave an awry shrug and smile of chagrin. "- I understand that the Queen Mother is greatly fond of music. I'm sure your skills in the subject would calm her grief... For I know enough to know you are quite good."

Adjusting himself in the doorway so that he was no longer leaning against the frame, Fotios stood calmly his attire as casual as himself. Unlike most Lords of Taengea - for they were a nation of peacocks after all - Fotios preferred a demure appearance as often as he could and wore simple riding trousers - for a Leventi went nowhere without a horse - and knee-high leather boots. His slim upper frame was clad in a fitted, military cut shirt with a high colour but he had never indulged in the lace and silks that many men preferred at the collar and cuffs.

If it wasn't for the fact that he was far better groomed than any lower-class man, exceptionally clean and wearing clothes of the finest quality - if not the finest styles - Fotios may have appeared as a simple head of stables rather than the head of a House. But he had never been one to showcase.

"I was here to speak with one of the tutors." He commented, answering the princesses' question politely. "I had heard from your uncle that young Sara was attending classes here and enjoying it greatly. I was interested in expanding the topics my daughter Melina is currently studying and looking for advice regarding her timetable of lessons."

Such a subject or issue would have normally - in every other Taengean Household - be handled by a steward or the caretaker of the House. Perhaps even a chief lady’s maid. And yet the Head of Leventi had never been a delegator. A work-focused individual to his core, Fotios was the hardest worker he yet knew and would not be changing his ways. No matter how little he cared for whether Melina studied artistry or sculpture.

Glancing over his own shoulder and back into the corridor, Fotios looked back at the princess with a dip between his brows, as he assessed her with a small but sharp frown.

"Did you not attend today with guards, Princess?" He asked her with a tone of suspicion. "While I commend your bravery, I would suggest that to be unwise in these times... Perhaps you will permit me to escort you back to the palace?" He indicated back in the direction of the University entrance with his hand as his voice rose in innocence. "Unless you have not finished with your practice, as yet? In which case, I am happy to wait in order to join you? I do not wish to be the reason you return home alone this morning, Princess Xene."

As the young princess mentioned her intention to take his advice with regards to Queen Elise, he dipped his head for the second time that morning; a gesture of humbled thanks that she saw his words as holding merit. He was bold enough to make an alternative reading on her thoughts regarding song choice, however...

"Perhaps your Mother and the Courts might instead read your determination to continue with your practised pieces as a defiance against those responsible for the destruction we've all been victims of?" He suggested, tentatively reminding the girl that he entire city had lost loved ones, lost innocence and been terrified of flame and blade for a whole evening and night. One of his own manors had been infiltrated and almost burnt down; one of his nieces almost killed. "I am not a military man, princess and, as I understand it, there are few ways that creatures such as us can show our valliance without a sword to our names." He smiled a little - almost in conspiracy. "I think showing monsters with no souls that true beauty lives on no matter their efforts would be more significant than you might imagine in the hearts of your people these days, Your Highness." He gestured momentarily to illustrate his next point. "Do not underestimate the power you hold over the hearts of your citizens, princess." He commented with a brightness to his eyes. "I encourage you to reconsider the Taengean pride in singing exactly what you had prepared already."

Moving into the room and then pausing a step away from the high backed chair in the corner, Fotios gestured to it; once again capitulating to her rank despite his own position of nobility being only slightly below her own.

"With your permission..." He commented, genteelly and, after waiting on her response, took the seat, his posture calm and encompassing of the chair.

Placing one booted ankle on the opposing knee and then resting his elbows on the arms and his hands loosely in his lap, Fotios gestured for her to continue with her practise.

"Come, princess..." He entreated. "Allow me the honour of begging your audience. Let us see if such songs you have rehearsed are so unsuited for your courts." Fotios smiled conspiratorially with her. "But I warn you..." He paused as his eyes sparked. But his tone was light, his words in jest. "I am not easy to convince, princess."

Sitting in his chair across in the corner of the room, Fotios made no movement or sound as he watched the princess perform. Instead, he sat gracefully and stoically, one leg over the other, his elbow on the arm of the chair and his chin rested in his palm as he ran his forefinger over his lower lip thoughtfully.

He analysed the girl as she sang. The way she held herself, her frame, her long blonde hair. She was the epitome visual and a princess and why her voice was not the finest he'd ever heard it was still plenty skilled thanks to years of lessons and for many in the courts she would be a beautiful bird, trained to perform. He pursed his lips to himself and wondered at her songs, the melodies and the word choices, his mind piecing them together and retaining all that he heard.

When she was finished, he waited a moment, allowing quiet to settle over the room as the princess caught her breath.

There was no need to compliment or flatter her. No need to applaud or clap in a manner that would risk either seeming condescending or excessive.

Instead, Fotios simply smiled at her compassionately and nodded, his eyes bright.

"You truly do have a gift, princess." He commented with layers of sincerity to his tone.

Pushing himself back up to standing, he took two calm steps towards her - so as not to shock her by entering her personal space too quickly and he leaned around her frame to analyse the parchment in front of her with the words and notes scribbled in her own elegant hand.

"If I may be so bold, Your Highness." He offered, before taking up the pen and marking two different points on the sheet. "A change in sentence structure here eradicates the need for this particular. You lose a syllable and I feel it would flow better - allowing your audience to hear the notes better." He smiled at her. "For they are such pretty notes."

Smiling kindly back the girl as she agreed to take his criticism on board, Fotios noted her to be wiser than he had expected. And less emotional. He had seen many an "artist" as she called it, take great ego and offence at any word designed to indicate a flaw in their work. Women were usually the worse for it. The princess Xene seemed to have more of a head on her shoulders and he was grateful to see it. Emotional women of the entitled ranks of nobility were such a chore to deal with and interact with.

When the girl suggested he accompany her back to the palace, Fotios immediately took two steps backwards, offering them the appropriate distance of propriety and then offered a shallow bow - too deep and he would have seemed patronising.

"But of course, Your Highness." He offered, referring to her by the nomica used for either gender of royalty. Somehow, he doubted the young woman would like the prissy and pithy term of "princess" and then immediately stepped out of the room to call back in the woman's servant.

Offering a clipped explanation that the royal lady was ready to leave and head home now, the servant quickly followed his instructions and packed away Xene's parchment, stylus and ink, and then helped the lady on with her chlamys.

Fotios stood patiently throughout the preparation for departure, despite himself needing no such time as he waited by the door, his hands loosely clasped behind his back.

When the princess was ready and the three of them prepared to leave the practice room and then the university itself, Fotios offered an arm to the girl - as was respectful when escorting a lady of breeding - and, together, they headed out into the sunlight.

As they stepped from the main entrance of the university, three guards stepped out of shadows and fell into step behind them. Fotios made a simple gesture to the one in the lead, clearly indicating them to be his own bodyguards. As Head of his House it would have been odd for him to travel without a few of them in toe.

As the day was sunny and the people of the city finally beginning to step out onto the streets again and enjoy the pleasures that Vasiliadon had to offer, the walk to the Palace was not unpleasant and Fotios said little initially, simply guiding the princess through the streets via their linked arms, turning a shoulder when necessary to direct a passer-by away from them in order to give her highness a wide berth and not risk her being shoved or pushed. He pointed out uneven surfaces and was careful to make sure to her chiton and gown did not snag on the carts they passed. In short, he was the perfect gentleman.