Aja stepped through the portal stopping on the other side to take in some of the immediate changes she noticed. The evidence that the portal was used a lot, the way people lingered around it waiting for their turn to come or go. She smiled and then turned to make her way to the palace. She had messaged Ajay the night before and told him to expect her. She knew by the escort she had that he got the message. One of Ajay's oldest and most trusted guards, William.

The elder man was an impressive six foot three package of highly skilled muscle. His gray eyes could reflect a fierceness when necessary, they also could convey a great deal of humor. His salt and pepper hair was kept in perfectly smooth ponytail. The armor bearing the colors of Ballentine he wore, with his rank and status among the other guards evident, was flawlessly polished, nothing was out of place.

"Willie!" Aja gave him a broad smile as he approached her. "Long time, mah friend." They hugged and then stepped back to look at each other.

"A long time indeed, Aja." He patted her shoulder lightly as they both turned to move towards the palace gates. "How is business in Arcadia?"

"Steady." Aja grinned at him. "Hence why I don't get much of a chance to make it over here to see everyone."

They walked at a steady pace, people alternately waving or bowing as she passed with him. She waved to them as they went, giving them a smile. She preferred they wave, the bowing thing bothered her a little. She knew it was a sign of respect for who she was, but she didn't think she was any better than any of them.

"Ajay has spoken of this often. Tis his belief that you work too much." William gave her a smile. Aja laughed at that.

"A commonly spoken observation from mah friends as well," she commented as they turned up the palace pathway.

"I would imagine." He gave her a smile and let her precede him through the gates. Guards saluted as they passed. "It is good to see you again, Aja."

"Likewise, Willie." She patted his shoulder and smiled warmly. "We should meet again soon. Have some sparring matches." She turned then as he stopped walking, and she walked backwards. "Unless you're afraid yer gonna lose again," she teased him with a grin.

"I shall look forward to making you regret those words, Princess."

"Now yer jist beggin fer a beat down, Willie!" She laughed and gave him a salute as she turned and went into the palace.

She looked up and down the hall, taking a moment to hear the various sounds of the palace. She heard Ajay's baritone in the study and turned to make her way there. A knock at his study door was given before she opened it and looked in at him. He waved her in, while on the phone.

"And I understand your concerns. I shall take them under advisement." Ajay replied to the person on the other end. "Thank you. We shall talk again." He listened for a moment, giving Aja a moment to stop by the drink cart and pour herself a scotch. She came around and sat in the chair across from him as he ended his call. "Of course. Good bye." He hung up then and smiled at Aja. "I should mark this on the calendar. You rarely visit."

"I rarely have reason to." She smiled at him. "I mean...in general." Aja floundered for a moment, then gave up "palace manners" and just spoke as she normally did. "Screw it. I'm busy, yer busy and we talk on da phone a lot."

"I understood what you meant, Aja." Ajay laughed. "More so after seeing what one of your days looks like." He paused as he rose from behind the oak desk. "I don't think I ever fully comprehended what you would mean when you said you did things." He came around the desk. "But going with you on one of your typical days. I have a better understanding now."

"Then I'm glad ya came by that day. Maybe now you won't give me such a hassle about not stopping by here more often?" She gave him a cheeky grin and raised a brow at him.

"No. I shall still do that. As I do adore seeing you."

"I like seeing you too, J." She gave him a grin and sipped her scotch before setting it aside. "Ok. My concerns about dis Owen fella." Straight to business before they got distracted. "He's " " She paused then just went ahead with what she thought, "A pain in da arse. And a prissy one at dat. Man, ya should've seen him at da Annex. I think even you would've cuffed him one."

"Aja," Ajay started. "Please tell me you didn't..."

"No. no. But I thought about it." She grinned. "He's JiJi's current snooki wooki boy. So...I think me beatin the tar out of him would do little in da way of improving relations between her and me." Aja grinned at him.

"Why can't the two of you get along better?"

"Cause we're in different places, Ajay." Aja stood up and patted him on the shoulder. "You and me" We understand each other very well. We've had years to do that too. Also, we have similar responsibilities." She walked to the window overlooking the courtyard. "We both have hundreds of souls counting on us to keep things running smoothly for them." She turned then to look at Ajay. "She has never had to do that. I think she's had a hard life, true enough. But she's never had to make the decisions we have, J."

"She has to learn sometime, doesn't she?"

"Yes, but at what cost in the meantime, Ajay?" She turned to look at him seriously. "It's not like any wrong choice would be easily undone, and especially if that choice led to some death and destruction. Maybe the two of you are willing to risk the safety and security of others. I'm not."

"I do understand that, Aja." Ajay said smoothly as he stood watching his younger sister, who sometimes seemed far older to him than she should. "And it's a trait I admire about you, but one that also worries me. You are so willing to sacrifice so much yourself for others."

"I'm sensing some sort of big hairy but coming, J." Aja half grinned at what she just said. He smirked a little himself at what she said.

"How else shall Ajia learn this responsibility you speak of?" He asked her honestly. "If we never give her the chance, how is she going to learn?"

"Put her in charge of a ship." Aja said simply. "Give her the responsibility of a supply route first."

"Aja. Not that I don't see the wisdom of that," he started. "But she is a Princess."

"So am I." Aja countered and Ajay nodded.

"There is a difference in her now and you then."

"Difference is, J, I wasn't just handed a huge responsibility. And I sure as hell just didn't expect people to give it to me and let me do whatever I wanted." She paused letting that sink in first before she continued. "I had to earn it." Aja spoke and then motioned to Ajay's doorway to the garden courtyard, indicating they should walk. He nodded and they moved to the door.

"Aja, Ajia needs to feel like she's equal to the rest of us." Ajay argued his side gracefully.

"I'm not saying she isn't. You've heard her though, when she speaks to me." Aja countered. "It's like she just expects we're going to let her do whatever she wants. Just hand over a large portion of running the kingdom and not be concerned about it."

"She protests you talking to her like she's a ill behaved child."

"Well, that image won't change if she continually takes off. Throws a tantrum or sounds like a spoiled brat."

"Aja." Ajay scolded.

"Ajay, I ain't making that up. Go speak to some that witnessed this event from last night. They tried to help, bless them, but the two of them..." Aja shook her head slowly. "It wasn't only the attitude, it was the way she took off to the bathroom when she couldn't ..." Aja made air quotes with her hands. ?"Deal" with things. And don't get me started about him." Aja made a face. "Spoiled brat came to mind. Ill mannered. Antagonistic."

"What did you say to him?"

"I can see how you would automatically assume that I provoked him." Aja grinned, Ajay was familiar with Aja's sense of humor and well versed in her usual manner of dealing with him when it came to palace business sometimes. "But I gave him a chance, he was a miserable beast from the moment he stepped into the Annex, J."

"Surely you're exaggerating."

"I can assure you that I am not. I swear it on mah children's precious heads." They paused by the pond, Aja watched the fish swimming around as she started to speak again. "Ajay. Of mah many faults, I think ya know I always give people the benefit of a doubt when first meeting them. It takes a pretty big faux pas fer me ta get riled."

"I do know that about you." he smiled. "But I also know you want things the way you want them, and Gods help anyone who doesn't do what you say."

"With mah crew. Yes." she grinned. "Yes. I'm stubborn. I want things the way I want them. But it's always in the best interest of their safety. I would never expect them to do a thing I wouldn't do mahself."

"I have witnessed that myself." Ajay conceded her point. "You do expect that people just fall in line, Aja."

"With my crew" Yes." Aja looked at Ajay and started her way around the pond. "I pay them to do things. Should I not expect it to be done exactly as I wish?"

"No."

"Thank you."

"The town folk you oversee?" Ajay asked then thinking of the day he accompanied her around Arcadia. "What of them' Surely, there is no payment argument to be made there."

"You mean Mrs. Johnson?" Aja grinned.

"One of the things I am thinking about, yes." He chuckled lightly. "You spoke to her like she was an ill behaved child."

"That's learned experience over years of dealing with her, Ajay." Aja exhaled slowly with a slight smile that slowly faded as she continued on. "That didn't happen overnight, and I certainly never started out wanting to be their leader. But they choose it, so I do my best to make sure things run smoothly in town. They have come to expect that of me. They need me to step in, make decisions. They expect me to solve their issues. I won't be letting them down."

"Aja, how is Ajia to learn this leadership if you don't let her?" Ajay asked.

"And again, I ask at what cost, Ajay?" she asked him as they continued around the grounds. "How do you think I learned to do what I do?"

"I hadn't honestly thought about that angle of it."

"I had Tanner. He taught, he gave me little bits at a time. He didn't just let me walk in and take a huge thing on. There were too many other lives at stake. Just like there are here." They went out further into the garden. Ajay thought for a moment.

"I wish I had met him." Ajay said idly, Aja looked at him and nodded.

"I do too, Jay." Aja paused a moment thinking of her mentor before speaking again. "It's up to you to teach her what it means to be responsible for people. You be Tanner to JiJi."

"You do realize of course, you're really quite bossy." Ajay smiled at her.

"Yes. I am." Aja gave him a smile in return. "We both are, in different ways. Yer a little more diplomatic about it. But the results are da same."

"We have a lot at stake."

"Yes." Aja stopped dead as she looked up at him, giving him a smile. "And that, dear brother, is the point I've been trying to make to her." She paused. "And to you." Aja gave Ajay a moment to think that over. She saw in his eyes when he finally saw what she meant. "I know JiJi wants to be "grown up". But first, I think she has to learn what that means. I'm not just going to hand things to her and I don't think you should either. There is way too much at risk." she took a breath and gave Ajay a slight bow to reflect that she was respectful of his position in Ballentine. "Of course, the final choice is yours when it comes to the kingdom and I shall respect what you ultimately decide on that front."

Ajay reached over and took her lightly by the arm pulling her for a hug. He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her.

"You're a good sister," he spoke quietly. "Even if she can't see what you are trying to do. I want you to know that I do see it."

"I ain't doin nuffin." Aja protested with a grin as she hugged him back. "Merely stating my point of view." She looked up at him then. "I do appreciate that ya took da time ta hear it."

"Of course." He smiled as he let her go. "You are trying to teach her though."

"Am not." Aja made a playful swat to her brother's arm.

"Alright. You're not." His airy tone conveyed the light sarcasm in the statement.

"Right." Aja nodded once and smirked as she looked at the flowers to avoid that knowing look on her brother's face.

The rest of the afternoon was spent discussing the previous nights events in the Annex with Owen and Ajia, Ballentine business and trade negotiations. Along with a good amount of joking around.