Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/12763734.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Choose_Not_To_Use_Archive_Warnings, Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence,
      Underage
  Category:
      F/M
  Fandom:
      モブサイコ100_|_Mob_Psycho_100
  Relationship:
      Kageyama_Ritsu/Suzuki_Shou, Hanazawa_Teruki/Suzuki_Shou, Kageyama_"Mob"
      Shigeo/Reigen_Arataka
  Character:
      Kageyama_"Mob"_Shigeo, Reigen_Arataka, Kageyama_Ritsu
  Additional Tags:
      Alternate_Universe_-_Royalty, Genderbending, Underage_Sex
  Stats:
      Published: 2017-11-19 Updated: 2018-03-06 Chapters: 8/? Words: 17071
****** Coronation ******
by HON321
Summary
     One's duty to their kingdom is not to be taken lightly. After all,
     the actions of a monarch can make or break civilization. Will the
     union of the north's prince and the south's princess protect the
     southern kingdom from takeover?
Notes
See the end of the work for notes
***** Announcement *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
It was a cool summer evening in which Ritsu decided he would take a small
stroll, contrary to his mother’s expectations and servants’ many warnings.
Today he just needed a break from being a prince. He wanted to, at least for a
moment, only be Ritsu.
This desire led him to the gardens of the palace: tall, luscious, and arrayed
with every color imaginable. There was a paved path that led whomever followed
it to see the most ideal views of all the greens and their accompanying
pottery. With a small smile, Ritsu recalled all of the times he and his elder
sister would stray off this path and directly into the plants, pretending they
were lost in an enchanted forest, only to actually end up lost, dirty, and
scolded by their father. Now he had grown to a height where he could no longer
fantasize such adventures, nor enjoy the luxuries of being a child. Time had
passed far faster than he wanted; he became aware of customs, of
responsibilities, of the importance of relations and public image.
The Southern Kingdom had suffered a few generations of poor harvests, damaging
its once flawless reputation for agriculture. Thanks to the current leadership
of Ritsu’s parents, the kingdom’s prosperity rebounded and far exceeded its
state even during its peak a hundred years prior. Despite financial status, the
political strength of this family was nearly nonexistent compared to the royal
families of the Eastern and Western territories. This fact, along with some
other details withheld from Ritsu, was what led to the moment earlier this
morning that he was trying so desperately to get his mind off of.
He and his sister were eating breakfast together when one of the maids weakly
let out a “Your Highness?” as though she were troubled. Ritsu looked over at
Tome, confused. He never actually spoke with her, but he did recall her being
one of if not the most outspoken workers in the palace. This difference in her
demeanor put him and the princess in a state of unease.
“Your Highness, you are needed in the Queen’s quarters.” Tome said with a
steadier tone. “She prefers your immediate arrival, if possible.”
“Alright.” Shigeko stood and walked over, leaving her brother and her food
behind. Ritsu was not sure how long she would take to return, so he requested
that their food be put away. This ended up being the correct decision, for he
did not hear from her again until after sunset. Upon her return, she seemed to
maintain her usual stoic expression, but Ritsu could tell that she was holding
back something, like she always had.
“Sorry I couldn’t finish breakfast with you.” She said with genuine sadness in
her tone. “We barely get to spend time with each other anymore, and now I’m
going to be busier.”
“Busier?” Ritsu failed to hold back his disappointment. “Why?”
Shigeko sat back at the table they were dining on and took in deep breath.
Without looking up, she told her brother:
 
“I am engaged, to the Prince of the Northern Kingdom.”
Ritsu let the statement sink in for a while, letting the room fall into
silence. His sister started fidgeting after a bit. “By the end of this year,
I’ll be moving to live with my fiancee.”
“Wha--”
“--and the wedding will take place sometime the next summer.” She finally
looked up after this. They stared at each other for a moment, until the weight
of this news led Ritsu to sit down.
“So…” How could Ritsu even bring himself to start? There were so many questions
he had. Who exactly was this prince, why was the arrangement this sudden; why
would she be moved out of her home region when she was still two years shy of
sixteen, the standard marrying age? Exactly how much time did they have left
together?
“I’ll be getting more lessons." Shigeko started, as though reading his mind.
“I’ll have to learn the language of the Northern Kingdom, as well as its basic
history and customs…Mother also expects me to go through many treatments to
increase my beauty and some other things.” She traced a finger through her
shoulder length hair.
Ritsu scoffed. Why would their mother say that? His sister was fine as she was.
Was the goal to turn her into a porcelain doll?
“Apparently, the people from the north are far more traditional, so the
heiresses are expected to have ‘long elegant hair’, as mother described.”
Shigeko explained. “The Northern Queen herself supposedly has a hair long
enough to touch the ground if she ever allowed.”
“Why? Isn’t she ancient?” Ritsu knew very little of the northern royal family,
but from what he had heard, the king and queen were old enough to be their
grandparents.
“That’s rude Ritsu, even though it’s true.”
“Sorry, but seriously isn’t that just gonna be a pain to deal with in the
morning?”
“For her servants I guess.” Shigeko shrugged, clearly not caring for the daily
routine of an elderly woman. She was far more concerned with the fact that her
life was going to change dramatically, even more than what she had let on to
her brother. The discussion between her and her mother was still repeating in
her head.
“Due to your father and I devoting most of our time to seeing the restoration
of our fields’ fertility, we now lack a great deal of soldiers and ambassadors,
which has removed us completely from the political field of this region. Unlike
us, the Northern Kingdom has the largest army and highest reputation, for both
its citizens and its leadership. We would benefit greatly by increasing our
relations with them.”
Shigeko nodded. The Queen continued.
“While our trades with that kingdom have been successful, it is not enough for
them to be willing to lend us military support. In my letter exchanges with Her
Majesty Reigen she did mention that she worries that she may never see her son
wed nor see a grandchild.”
It was at this precise moment that Shigeko’s mind clicked.
“The daughters of the eastern kingdom have already been married off to high
class merchants, some leaving this region entirely; the western kingdom had no
daughters.”
She was going to be the last resort.
“So I offered your hand in marriage.”
Chapter End Notes
     Magnificent illustration provided by Nusha! You can find her blog at
     ynna-anny.tumblr.com.
***** Arrangement *****
Chapter Summary
     The princess learns more of her engagement.
Chapter Notes
     Hooray! Bonus upload!
     Please do comment if you want to.
See the end of the chapter for more notes
“Nee-sama? Nee-sama!” With a few pats on the shoulder, Ritsu was able to snap
his sister out of her trance; he witnessed a subliminal anxious expression.
“Oh sorry Ritsu.” She forced a smile, even though Ritsu would see through it
instantly. “I zoned out for a bit.”
“I understand. Do you want me to get you anything? Tea?”
“I wouldn’t mind, but you don’t have to.”
“Your Highness?” Tome called.
“Yes?” Shigeko looked at the room entrance again.
“The King wishes to speak with you, for similar reasons to Her Majesty’s.”
“Okay, I’ll be there.” She got up and headed over, but before she actually
exited the room, Ritsu shouted.
“Wait! Will you be able to stop by tomorrow, Nee-sama?”
“...I would like to, but I don’t know. Goodnight.”
“Night… nee-sama.” Ritsu stared even after the door closed.
Tome attempted some light talk on the way down the corridor, making up whatever
she could, such as the possibility of getting new paintings added to the
hallway along with the family portraits. None of this seemed to stir interest
in the princess, but Shigeko was actually grateful that Tome had her best
interest at heart. Up the staircase they went, Tome making sure to stand
directly behind in case her highness lost her footing. Once they reached the
large wooden double-door, Tome knocked and stepped to the side. The doors were
opened by the King’s guards, and Shigeko walked in promptly. Once she was a
certain distance from her father she gave a small bow.
“Now now Shige, I told you countless times you don’t have to do that around me.
Has your mother spoken with you already?”
“Sorry, it’s a force of habit Father. And yes… she has.” Shigeko replied.
“Good to hear. I actually just recieved the Northern royal family’s letters
myself and finished reading just before I summoned you. I just want to tell you
not to worry yourself too much. The King and Queen of the North are both
proficient in our language, and their son has been learning for years, so he
should be fluent enough to help you around when you get there. I know your
mother told you you would have to learn this and that, but I’m sure your new
family will help you adjust just fine. I could not negotiate these ‘beauty
treatments’ she spoke of, but at least you have a bit more time to relax than
you thought at first, right?”
“Right.” The princess managed to suppress her volume, but the warmth in her
smile and glow in her eyes more than made up to show her gratitude. “Thank you-
-”
“No need. I feel it’s the least I could do, since you were hardly given any
warning of your engagement until the actual decision.” The King sighed. “I know
your mother and I were going to send you off someday but I did not think it
would be this soon. I also know your mother did this for the sake of the
kingdom, but I wish she had let you have a bit more of a choice, or at least
given you a name first.”
Shigeko silently agreed.
“Speaking of names, do you know the name of your to be?” The King inquired.
“...Reigen?” Shigeko recalled her mother’s conversation.
“No no, that is the family name. The Prince’s name is Arataka.”
“Arataka…” Shigeko’s lips ghosted. The name easily rolled off her tongue,
although she had never spoken it aloud before.
“You may want to keep that in mind. I don’t think he would be flattered to
greet his fiancee and be asked what his name was.” The King joked lightly.
Shigeko nodded. “Thanks for everythi--”
“What did I say about thanking? This is the least I could do. But I’d gladly
take a hug from my child.” The king said, holding out his arms. The princess
happily complied and gave her dad a sincere embrace. “Also, tomorrow,” The King
said as they parted. “You won’t have any lessons, but you must wear your best
clothing and accessories. A court artist will be creating a portrait of you to
send to the Northern Kingdom. We in turn will be receiving a depiction of the
prince.”
“Okay.” Shigeko nodded as she stepped back. She stared as if waiting for an
order.
“You are free to go. You should rest early since the artist will likely need
the entire day, and since it will take a bit for you to dress up.”
“Okay Father. Goodnight.”
“And Goodnight to you.” The King waved as Shigeko headed out. Tome had been
waiting the entire time, yawning here and there but still in high spirits.
“Looks like your load got lightened!” She chirped.
“Indeed. I may actually be able to sleep easy.” Shigeko sighed as they headed
back down the stairs.
“Need my help picking clothes?”
“Well, it’s not like I ever pick my own in the first place. I would be happy if
you did.”
“It’s a done deal! I’ll get you looking so good that prince guy’ll wanna kiss
the picture!” Tome declared, gesturing excitedly.
“Don’t get carried away now.” Shigeko let Tome open the door to her room for
her. “What time will you wake me?”
“Hmm.” Tome tapped her chin a few times. “About two hours before the artist
shows up, which would be… about five in the morning.”
“Huh?”
“Don’t worry Your Highness, I’ll be doing the majority of the work. I know you
are not a morning person, so all I’ll need is you being able to stand on your
own.” Tome chuckled.
“Alright Tome. I think I’ll be turning in now.”
“Sleep well Your Highness.”
“You have a good rest of your night too.”
With a smile, Tome closed the door. Shigeko was finally alone and could have a
moment to think for herself, at least after she changed into her sleepwear.
 
Hmm, so it’s really a done deal. I’m going to marry a man whose name I only
learned today… I guess that is not much different from the usual royal
engagement, but what would our subjects think? Is it known that I am below
marrying age? Well, then again by the time the wedding actually happens I’ll be
fifteen, and mother would likely say “You’ll be dressed up enough for people to
not know the difference. In fact you may even look older than sixteen.”   
The Princess let out what had to be her hundredth sigh today. She decided to
light a scented candle to calm her nerves, lay down, and let the aroma of
lavender fill her room as she stared at the ceiling.
Arataka…  Shigeko remembered the name her father told her as she closed her
eyes.
Chapter End Notes
     Chapter 3 comes in Saturday at the latest!
     Stay tuned folks, and enjoy the holidays if they're happening in your
     country, haha.
***** Appearance *****
Chapter Summary
     The princess has her portrait done.
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
The sound of knocking woke Shigeko from her slumber. “Your Highness, may I
enter?”
“Yes you may, Tome.” The princess rubbed her eyes as she got out of her sheets.
Tome walked in with clothes folded in her arms.
“We won’t have to actually pick out any clothing. Your mother had a dress
picked out for you already. It also has earrings and hair pieces to match.”
Tome placed the garments on the nearby dresser.“I’ll let you disrobe.” The maid
said, face towards the opposite wall. Shigeko walked to the dresser and pulled
off her nightgown. She opened a draw to grab the wrap for her chest as well as
her underwear. Once her most intimate places were covered, she called for Tome
to finish the tightening of her cloth.
Afterwards, Tome helped put on the  first and seconds layers of the dress, as
well as the sash that went on after. The design was quite elaborate. The
dominant shade of the dress was a deep purple, embroidered with red and white
lines depicting dahlias and petals. The bright yellow sash also had a subtle
gold pattern of trees and leaves. There’s no way this didn’t cost twice my
wages, if not more. Tome thought. The earrings were of pure ruby, and the
decorative comb was gold. Tome decided to just gently push the comb in on the
side rather than wrapping the princess’ hair into it since it would be
difficult to do so with her short hair length. The Northern royal family would
likely prefer being able to see her hair anyway.
“Now, some oils. Your skin needs to look a bit more radiant. Also I think a lip
pigment might do nicely.” Tome said as she opened another drawer.
“I think it would be best to keep my natural face.” Shigeko stopped Tome’s
hand. “I doubt that makeup will be seen as truthful since the main purpose of
this portrait is to give the royal family an idea of what I look like. That
and...I don’t want to risk anything near the embarrassment the eastern princess
suffered.”
“Ugh.” Tome shuddered at the memory of the event. The gossip would not stop for
weeks. She could not help but pity the poor woman who thought paying the artist
to make her look better than she actually did would work well for an
engagement, only to be greeted by such horrible backlash, even from her fiance.
 “Right, just the oil will do.”
“Okay.” Shigeko released Tome’s hand.
For the next hour or so, Tome ended up combing the princess’ hair to make it
look as pin straight as she could manage, and gently massaging moisturizers
onto her skin, especially delicately on her face. Shigeko wasn’t sure if she
enjoyed the attention or if she wanted not to be touched anymore.
“Okay, that should do it!” Tome smiled. “I will go grab you a light breakfast
now!”
“Thank you Tome.” Shigeko remained in her chair after her maid left. She took a
glance at herself in the mirror and was mildly surprised by how good the outfit
made her look. After that she merely stared into space until Tome came back.
“I can cut the bread and fruit into smaller pieces if you would like me to. I
avoided grabbing rice and such to avoid making your face a mess.”
“I wouldn’t mind if you cut the pieces smaller.”
“My pleasure Your Highness!” Tome pulled out the knife she had stored in her
pocket and got to work. “I was told that the artist is going to be here
shortly, but don’t rush yourself if you don’t want to.”
“I don’t want this whole thing to take any longer than planned, so I’ll try to
be fast.” Some bread was already in her mouth. As far as this was from royal
behavior, Shigeko and Tome had known each other too long to make a deal of it.
“I’ll be waiting out the door then Your Highness.” the elder girl said as the
princess swiftly ate her breakfast.
It only took Shigeko about four minutes to step out her room. Tome checked her
face for any traces of food. “You did well staying clean. Let’s go.”
“Mhm.” Shigeko nodded and let Tome escort her to the artist’s chosen room.
It appeared that said artist chose to have the portrait done on one of the
lower floors, near the exit that led to the palace gardens. A fair choice it
was, considering the large windows providing ample sunlight. The painter’s
attire strongly resembled that of a commoner’s, yet he supposedly worked for
the castle’s inhabitants directly. Maybe he just chooses to live
humbly...either that or my parents do not pay him enough.
“Good Morning Your Highness!” The artist bowed and quickly resumed to adjusting
his canvas. It was definitely the same height if not taller than the princess
herself. So the northern family will know how tall I am too...I hope they don’t
consider me too short. Shigeko resisted the urge to touch her hair since Tome
had worked so diligently on it.
“If it is not too much to ask of you, your highness, could you stand for the
beginning portion of your portrait?” The artist asked.
“I do not mind.” Shigeko answered, gazing out the window. “Was there a
particular spot you wanted me to stand?” She faced the artist on time to see
him gesture to an area a few feet from the window. Tome watched as the princess
moved, adjusting ever so slightly here and there until she was exactly where
the sunlight flattered her most. The maid wondered if she would serve any
purpose standing this whole time. After some thought, she decided to see what
other tasks she could do.
“Princess? I would like to attend to other portions of the castle. Do I have
your blessing?”
“Of course, Tome.” Shigeko answered, face steady as her frame was being
sketched.
“Would you like for me to bring you any refreshments at a certain time?” the
maid asked.
“If you can, please come back in an hour.” The princess said.
“As you wish.” Tome bowed and promptly exited the scene. While she loved the
company of her highness, and was fascinated by the talent of the court painter,
she could not bring herself to be in the room doing nothing until the image’s
completion. She decided to check on her highness’ younger sibling. If her
mental clock was working, it was half past the seventh hour of the day, so the
prince would be waking up any moment if he had not already.
Just as she was about to head up the steps, she saw a door open; out of it came
a redhead she could recognize in an instant.
“Shouko, why are you up so late? You were supposed to be in the kitchen over an
hour ago.”
“Huh?” the redhead rubbed her eye. “I was up earlier because the prince wanted
a midnight snack. I just decided to rest a little after and I’m heading back to
work now.”
“The prince never requests such things normally.” Tome replied. “Also, did you
sleep in your uniform? It needs to be straightened up.” The elder maid was
adjusting the redhead’s attire as she spoke due to the habit she developed with
the princess.
“Yeah I thought it was weird too.” the younger maid ignored Tome’s latter
comment. “He seemed really stressed. Did something happen that’s being kept
quiet?” Shouko asked.
“Hm,” Tome debated telling the redhead. “Well a recent decision was made,
concerning his sister.”
“Oh?” Shouko perked up in interest. “What kind?” she leaned in. “Is it secret?”
“It will be known across the kingdom sooner or later.” Tome stepped back,
having finished adjusting Shouko’s collar.
“Ohhh, like an engagement? But wai--”
“Yes, it is a bit early. I am not sure why it’s happening this fast.” Tome
shrugged. “But eh, I don’t have any say in this so I’m just gonna act as usual.
Of course supporting her highness when needed.”
“That’s fair. Anyway, I’m gonna head to the kitchen. Buh-bye~” Shouko waved and
headed off; Tome silently headed to her chores.
Meanwhile, the King and Queen were discussing preparations for the engagement,
their daughter’s departure, and the inevitable wedding ceremony. Shigeko’s
mother recited some parts of Queen Reigen’s letter, mentioning that they should
be seeing a portrait of the prince soon, as well as the quite critical offer of
a shared military force.
“It should go without saying that it is essential that Shige arrives at their
kingdom safely, so we should choose the best of our active soldiers.”
“The only question is how many. We cannot bring too much attention to her, but
cannot leave her vulnerable either.” The King said. “We also need to calculate
the most effective route. One that is safe but also as short as possible. By
carriage, it takes near a week to get to the kingdom without stopping, but I
know Shige would prefer to rest in a bed than in her carriage.”
“We can discuss the minor details with her later.”
“Alright. Perhaps a team of ten elite soldiers to surround the carriage? And
two carriage riders who can alternate.”
“Perhaps an extra soldier to be seated in the carriage?”
“In the case that some gets past the guard? Perhaps.” The King nodded. “How
much should they carry?”
“Naturally they should all have rations of dried food and water. Perhaps money
as well since they will likely need to restock, or make a full stop since the
journey is quite long.”
“It would be costly to house fourteen for even one night.”
“Of course the housing money will be for Shige alone. If one of the soldiers
wishes to rest they should bring their own tents. Our daughter would be too
much of a target if she carried that much money.”
“Right.” The King looked over to one of the guards. “Send for news on the
progress of the princess’ portrait. Her company will be needed shortly after.”
“Yes Your Majesty!” the man went to work immediately.
“Oh, and My Love, may I ask one more detail about the Queen’s latest letter?
The one that came in late last night.”
“Ah, that one.” The Queen smiled but looked down. “She spoke of the reasons for
her determination to get her son married in a bit more detail. It appears that
her husband is not as well off in his mind as he was in his younger years. It
could be decades of ruling finally taking their toll. She wants to be able to
retire her husband and herself as soon as possible so that there is little to
no chance of His Majesty making a fool of himself to any degree.” The Queen
explained.
“And they want to coronate Prince Arataka only after ensuring that their
bloodline will not end with him…” the King grimaced slightly. “I know the deal
has been set, but I feel terrible putting such a heavy burden on our child.”
“She may not always act like it, but Shige is a very wise girl, and she should
know well what else is expected with marriage. I had already mentioned to her
that the Queen intends on seeing a grandchild soon. I highly doubt she will be
expected to conceive the same night of her wedding, but even if that were the
case, that is still a full year from now. With that much in mind she should be
focused on becoming a good ruler and only view that as part of her duty to her
new dominion.”
“Right. Can you confirm later on with Shige that she has a full understanding
of this? And that, if the northern family dare treat her poorly she can send
word to us immediately?”
“Gladly.” The Queen answered as the guard returned and immediately knelt.
“Your Majesty, I have been informed that the portrait is expected to be done no
later than two hours past noon. Her Highness’ personal servant Lady Tome has
also been told to escort the princess to this room upon the painting’s
completion.”
“Grand!” Shigeko’s father replied. “Now, until then, we should discuss our
relations with the other neighboring kingdoms. Do send in our economists and
note takers, as well as our local governors. Tell them to be prepared to  speak
on increasing our trade with the Western Kingdom and it’s neighboring small
villages, possible ways to gain more members in the working class, and last but
not least, the current tensions in Eastern Kingdom, and whether we should
continue our interactions with them until they reach a state of higher
stability. ” With that, the King cleared his throat.
“We expect the arrival of all officials to be no later than half past noon,and
please tell them to be prompt. You are dismissed.”
 
Chapter End Notes
     Barely made it ugh...I'm trying not to be killed by my end of
     semester commitments.
***** Account *****
Chapter Summary
     The portraits are delivered to the royal families, sparking a bit of
     conversation.
Chapter Notes
     Oh man I almost forgot to update. That was close. I hope you guys
     like it.
     Also feel free to point out any typos or grammatical errors if you
     spot them. This applies to all of my chapters.
See the end of the chapter for more notes
As the weeks passed, the princess found herself submerged in language and
history courses. The language of the northern kingdom was quite confusing; fact
that a single word could mean so many things made her head hurt, and it showed
whenever her tutor would test her speech.
“Your majesty, please do not hesitate as you speak. You are free to make
mistakes now so you don’t make them at your arrival.”
“Okay.” Shigeko just wanted the lesson to end. She needed a break.
“Now one more time.” The tutor instructed.
“Hello, my name is Kageyama Shigeko of the Southern Kingdom. I am pleased to
make your acquaintance.” she said, letting out a small exhale.
“Now now, do you think the prince will be convinced that you’re pleased with
that tone of voice?”
“Does he really need to be convinced? I doubt he’ll be excited to see me.”
“Nonsense! I bet at this very moment he and his family are preparing for your
arrival.”
 
“Prince Arataka!”
“Huh?” The blonde snapped out of the nap he just realized he was taking. “What
is your take on our interactions with the Western Kingdom?
“Oh well,”  shit.  Reigen had not been listening to the discussion at all aside
from the occasional booming words of the kingdom's general of armies.  Time to
make something up.
Let's see now Western Kingdom...primarily noted for its dominance in silk and
other fabric productions. Its ruler is quite young but that has done nothing to
deter its prosperity.
“We should maintain our current status if not increase trade. I do not see them
as a threat to us in terms of manpower, so there's really not much to comment
on.” Reigen placed a hand on his chin as though he had thought a lot on the
issue.
“I see” The economist wrote down notes.  They actually bought it. Oh wow.
“Are there specific items we should aim to get more of?”
“Nothing in particular, other than silk I suppose.” Reigen stroked his chin
once more. “Is there anything else in need of discussion?”
“There is the soon departure of our selected soldiers to Southern Kingdom.”
“Oh? What for?” The prince asked, earning some gazes from the company before
him.
“My son, have you already forgotten?” The King said with a hint of
disappointment. The younger man’s bewildered stare gave away that the reason
indeed left his memory. “It is to fulfill our promise to the Southern Kingdom.
In exchange for them offering the hand of their daughter we are to unify our
armies.” The elder explained. “Did your mother not mention this to you?”
“I don’t recall, sorry. But since that has been brought up, what is the status
on … the princess?” The prince also realized that the very name of his fiancee
was long gone from his mind as well.
“It is estimated that she will arrive at the beginning of the coming year.” The
King replied. “But let’s not speak of this in a large group. For the time being
the meeting is adjourned.” With this the men of the room left one by one, until
only the Prince and his father remained. “Since the princess was brought up, I
think now is a good time to mention that her portrait arrived. You can ask any
of your servants to escort you to it.”
“Ah, alright. Thanks Father.” Reigen nodded. “May I take my leave?”
“Yes you may.” the King replied, and with that, Reigen exited the room. He
resisted the strong urge to yawn as he made his way down the hall; by chance he
crossed paths with his butler Serizawa, reminding him  of the portrait his
father mentioned.
“Hey, Serizawa, do you know about the painting?”
“Oh, your majesty...yes.” The dark haired man stopped in his tracks. “The one
of the southern princess you mean? It was delivered early this morning.”
“Yeah that one. Can you show me where it is?” Reigen asked, gesturing above
him.
“Of course my prince.” Serizawa led the younger man to the floor above, where
the royal family themselves resided. Seri then went over to the widest hall
that had generations upon generations of family portraits, dating back nearly
to the beginning of the monarchy. Towards the midway point of the corridor was
a notably smaller canvas leaning against the wall. Reigen noted the bottom of
the frame was placed on a cushion and cloth surrounded said cushion.  They
respect this picture so much they won’t let it touch the ground? How strange…
“Your Majesty, you merely wanted to see where we are keeping it or? Do you want
to see?” the butler asked.
“Of course I want to see, unless there’s a reason I should wait.”
“Well, you may be told to view it again with the queen later.”
“Uh-huh.” Reigen’s hand gravitated toward the cloth that veiled his fiancee’s
image. “But should that stop me from looking now?” The prince asked, receiving
a shrug in response. Without further ado, he uncovered the picture.
 
“I was told that this painting was to scale with the princess’ actual size.”
Serizawa commented as Reigen stared. “So she’s a bit short.” was all he said.
Serizawa was surprised that was all he heard. No comments on the artist’s
excellent craftsmanship? The elegant dress? The accessories? “Her smile is
pretty nice” The prince added after some thought. “Her posture looks a bit
stiff, probably was nervous. Not surprising, since she is still very young.
Probably has no experience with any of this. Anyway.” Reigen looked over at his
butler. “I’m pretty hungry, can you bring something to my room?”
“As you wish.” Serizawa gave a small bow and departed; Reigen went over to rest
in his bedroom until he was called for another task.
 
At about six in the evening, all of the monotonous social gatherings for that
day were complete; Reigen was ready to retire early. The latest guests were
horrid, nitpicking over something as trivial as the hand gestures he made while
talking. To think that once he had an heir he would be subjected to this
permanently and not just  training was daunting. Just as he started to disrobe,
he heard a knock on the door. “Your highness?” Serizawa’s voice barely made it
past the door. “As I mentioned earlier, the Queen wishes to look at the
portrait with you. Your prompt arrival to the gallery would be appreciated.”
“Mmm, I’ll be there.” Reigen sighed as he buttoned his jacket back up. He
nearly hit his butler when he opened the door since the man did not expect his
prince to be fully dressed and out in seconds. “Would you like to be escorted?”
Serizawa offered before Reigen could utter an apology. “Uh, only if you want
to.” Reigen shrugged. “I remember where it is if you have other things to do.”
“I see. Well, I do know that the kitchen staff needs help right now. Is it okay
if I head over?”
“Of course. Don’t push yourself too hard though.” Reigen said. Serizawa in turn
bowed and wished him a good evening. Letting out a small yawn, Reigen walked
over to the family’s gallery.
 
The Queen, a dignified woman just under the age of sixty, was staring at
Shigeko’s portrait with high intensity. Whatever she was looking for in the
image of the teen eluded Reigen. “Mother? I’m here.”
“Good evening Arataka...What do you think of the princess?” The woman asked,
not having budged her head. “The artist does not appear to have flattered her
in any way...her face is quite simple. Her hair is rather short though. I’ll
have to address this with Queen Kageyama in my next letter.”
“Oh, I guess her hair could grow, but it does look nice.” Reigen said,
recalling that for whatever reason their family’s girls were always expected to
have long hair as some sort of symbol of status. “Agreed. She has much
potential to blossom into a beautiful woman.” The Queen said, still thinking.
“Also Arataka?”
“Yes Mother?”
“How exactly do you feel about this? Well, I know I am not giving you too much
of a choice, but if there is any way I can ease the transition for you both, I
am glad to accommodate.”
“Hmm...I guess for the most part I would prefer to sleep alone for a time. And
that...we won’t be expected to…” Reigen looked to the side. “...consummate.
Directly after the marriage.”
“But the marriage is nearly a year from now and she’ll have been here the
majority of the time prior. You’ll have time to get to know each other, no?”
The Queen looked over at her son.
“But even then, I do not want to risk making her feel forced to do anything she
is not ready for. Childbearing is not something I want to put her through until
she feels mature enough.”
“And what if she feels that way within a year?”
“I would still wait at least another year after to make sure. Giving birth is
less dangerous at sixteen or older.”
“I see. Perhaps I shouldn’t be so hasty since I didn’t have you until I was
nearly infertile.” The Queen sighed. “But please understand that I just want to
make things as secure as possible for your father and I to step down.”
“I’m aware that father is holding it together the best that he can...but even
so, as long as the marriage itself takes place a child will be pretty much
guaranteed.” Reigen said, making sure to keep his voice steady. Despite his
years, even implying intercourse was awkward for him. He watched his mother
contemplate; she eventually smiled. “You’re right, I worry too much. But the
engagement itself is fine with you yes?”
“I guess. I admit that I don’t care much for being married, but if it’s for the
sake of the north, I’ll do it.”
“Thank you Arataka…” The Queen looked back up at the painting. “She seems like
a delicate girl. Take good care of her. And...I’m very proud of you. You’ve
been taking on your newest responsibilities without complaint and handling them
flawlessly.” The elderly woman smiled, though her eyes showed more sadness than
joy. “That is all I want to speak of for now. Go get some rest, you will have
to wake up quite early tomorrow.”
“Okay, I hope you rest well too mother.” Reigen said, and then the two parted
ways.
 
Meanwhile, Shigeko waited on her bed as Tome and another servant brought in the
portrait of the prince, sipping some tea. “Will this spot do?” Tome asked,
having the canvas propped against her dresser. “That’s fine.” The princess
said, watching as Tome removed the cover. She blinked a few times. Her eyes
were not displeased by the sight of her fiance. The man was slim in his dark
clothing, embroidered with gold stitches as detailed she was amazed someone was
able to knit such an elaborate design let alone draw it. The black color of the
suit brought more attention to his bright colored hair, well combed and topped
with a golden crown. His face held a stoic expression, eyes dead focused,
making her feel almost as if she was actually being stared at.
“Your Highness?” Tome said, after what had been about a minute. “Do you like
the picture?”
“Uh yes, it’s well crafted.” Shigeko replied.
“Definitely. I wonder if the guy actually lives up to look as good as the
picture.” Tome had taken a seat in one of the chairs. “Then again, looks don’t
matter if he turns out to be a snob.”
“I hope that’s not the case.”  Shigeko placed her cup down. “So Tome...”
“Yes Princess?”
“Can you ask Ritsu if he has any openings in his schedule? Since I’ll be
leaving in less than two months...”
“I understand. I’ll look over for openings in your schedule too. Do you want me
to request a day off on your behalf if necessary?”
“Please, if you can.” The princess smiled as the maid took her cup. “It’s my
pleasure Princess. Good night.” Tome headed out the door, making sure to close
it softly. The princess now alone in her room glanced at the prince’s portrait
one last time before blowing out her candle. She covered herself and let out
deep breath. As of late she felt a constant hint of unease no matter what she
did. Even though she had time, time flies. She’ll be in a completely different
environment and culture before she knows it, only able to see her family and
the home she had known her whole life on holidays she was lucky. She took in
another breath and curled into herself.  I’ll be alright...as long as I keep
trying my best.
 
She repeated this over and over in her head, until she could not anymore.
 
Chapter End Notes
     See you next Saturday!
***** Acceptance *****
Chapter Summary
     It's the last day before she goes...
Chapter Notes
     I'm terribly sorry for not uploading yesterday, I fell asleep while
     watching the Jungle Movie and then had to go to work first thing in
     the morning, haha.
See the end of the chapter for more notes
Many mornings later, Ritsu found himself waiting by the palace gate at the
crack of dawn. How did he lose track of time so quickly?
He saw the rising and setting of the sun, he saw the clock ticking between all
of his lessons, he felt many small eternities during social gatherings that his
parents forced him to be a part of. He watched his wardrobe being switched out
by his maid to suit the upcoming colder season. He noted the subtle changes in
his beloved sister’s appearance: her lengthened eyelashes, brightened
complexion, continually growing locks that now draped slightly above her waist,
her increased use of makeup and even her general mannerisms, which now took a
slightly different nuance to the perfectly paced steps their mother would take.
He witnessed the slight increase of his father’s facial hair and the wrinkles
under his mother’s eyes, not that he would ever dare comment on the latter. It
was clear enough that the princess’ departure tomorrow was more than enough
stress for them. It was that thought that hit him most: tomorrow.
Already?  Ritsu scratched his head, mentally cursing himself for letting mere
routine separate him and his sibling from spending time together until now. So
many wasted weeks… how could he possibly make up for it all in one day, and how
would it give him any sense of closure for when her carriage faded into the
horizon?
She wanted to explore the town and see the people whom she would be leaving
behind, the land she might have ruled. Due to their status though, the only
time it would be safe to walk around was early morning, when the only people
awake were merchants preparing their shops and early bird customers.
Ritsu’s guard was already waiting by their carriage. All that was needed now
was for Shigeko to arrive. A few moments later, the princess’ maid opened the
gate and the young lady in question stepped out right behind her.
“Nee-sama! Good Morning!”
“Good morning, Ritsu,” Shigeko said as she was taken into her brother’s
embrace. “Did you sleep well?”
“Of course.” Ritsu smiled.  If by well, you mean barely.  “Let’s go!” He said
with a bit more energy and quickly descended down the steps.
Due to her attire, the princess had to be much more careful walking down. Ritsu
did not enter his side of the carriage until he confirmed his sibling was fully
secured in her seat. After a neigh from the horse, the carriage started moving.
The two siblings looked at each other as though both had wanted to say
something, but failed to let a word out. Instead, they looked through the
window and watched the sun gradually ascend from the horizon.
 
There was not much activity going on when they arrived. There was about then or
so people walking around across the whole road for as far as Ritsu could see.
“Nee-sama, do you want to look at the produce, fish, or bakery? We could also
look at the clothing or accessory shops.”
“The bakery sounds nice. We may have a chance for getting a fresh
batch,”Shigeko's smile was gentle. “Do you want to step out?”
“Only if you want to, nee-sama.” Ritsu answered promptly and reflected her
smile eagerly.
The princess nodded and requested the servant to stop the carriage. Ritsu
stepped out and held the door open for Shigeko. The moment the baker heard the
bell ring he made sure greet his first customers of the day, only to taken
aback by their grand appearance.
“My my, good morning to you, young sir and lady. What can I get for you?” The
man grinned.
Ritsu looked over at his sister whose eyes were tracing over the counter and
the cabinets behind. “Nee-sama? What would you like?”
“Just a small loaf is fine? I don’t know what he usually has here.”
“Oh young Miss! I have many treats that will come out of the oven soon. Of many
styles too! Do you like bread that is light and buttery? Or perhaps heavier? On
the sweet side?”
“Something light please.” Shigeko replied sweetly. “Do you want something too,
brother?”
“I’ll have whatever you get, nee-sama.” Ritsu said. He had no interest in food
quite yet, but it was likely as the day went on he would regret not eating.
The baker took out two small bags and placed in it two rolls that were still
slightly steaming. Before the princess could even reach for her purse, Ritsu
had placed a random number of gold coins on the counter and accepted the bread.
The baker was astonished at how casually the young boy had pulled out such a
large sum.
“You can keep the change; we’re in a hurry.” The baker heard Ritsu say, not
processing that they left until he heard the bell, and only realizing their
status as he put away the uniquely engraved currency.
“Ritsu, you should wait a bit longer for the bread to cool down so you can
taste it better.” Shigeko scolded her brother, who already ate almost half his
loaf without realising. “It may be too late for that though…”
“It’s fine like this,” Still, Ritsu rolled up his remaining half as his sibling
had advised. “Want to.head to any other shops?” The boy asked, looking around
for what might interest his sister. He caught a sign being flipped at what
looked like an apparel shop. “Like maybe that one?” Ritsu pointed, making
Shigeko look over. She nodded and told him she did not mind looking into it.
 
The prince’s steps were a bit faster this time around, causing the princess to
nearly trip in her attempt to catch up with him. He quickly apologized before
opening the door for her. Their eyes were quickly greeted with dazzling jewelry
and beautifully patterned scarves. Not close to the pristine quality that was
their custom made attire, but a slightly lesser light that resembled it
nonetheless. Ritsu looked over at his sister, who merely gazed directly in
front of her. It didn’t look like anything in particular grabbed her attention,
making him wonder if this was a good idea at all, but then it hit him.
 
“Nee-sama, Northern Kingdom’s climate is a lot colder than it is here right?”
Ritsu started. Shigeko perked up at the mention of her soon to be home’s
weather. “It is. Mother warned me to not dress too lightly, and to dress in
layers as necessary.”
The princess’ statement had drawn the shop’s merchant closer; he was now
slightly eavesdropping the conversation.
“Then let’s ask if they sell winter attire!”
“No need to inquire, I have the clothes you desire.” The merchant said,
surprise surfacing on his expression. “Oh I rhymed, haha! But my my, Northern
Kingdom is quite the journey away, you would likely need multiple sets, no?”
“Maybe. It’s likely my parents have some already...”
“But would you like to take a look?” The merchant gestured over to the next
section, gaze alternating between the siblings.
“I’ll cover whatever you want to get,” Ritsu gladly offered, making the
merchant’s expression much brighter. He walked over past the accessories and
pulled a curtain to the side.
“Most people have no need for warmer cloth down here, so I never keep these
dresses in the front display.”
“Sorry to hear that.” Ritsu replied, examining the various garments. The hues
were not that various, mostly brown, black, and the occasional red, white or
green. Ritsu wondered if it was more expensive to dye thicker fabric, because
for all he knew these dresses may as well have been kept the original color of
the material. Something so plain could never possibly fit his sister’s image,
Ritsu thought, though many would think the exact opposite. Ritsu walked over to
the front display where the accessories were.
“Eastern Silk?” Ritsu asked, absentmindedly picking up the violet scarf. “I’m
impressed commoners have access to this. You must work pretty hard.” The prince
had intended that to be a compliment, but a notably forced grin took place on
the merchant’s face instead of his calm one.
“Ah. I had imagined you came from some kind of prestige since you had no
parents accompanying you.”
“We do have other adults waiting outside.” Ritsu made sure not to say “guards”
to not give away their royal status. He was partially disappointed the man had
not figured out yet, but perhaps he should be thankful his mother and father
prioritized the privacy of their children. The merchant’s next statement
brought Ritsu’s gaze from the window.
“Do you take interest in this gown young lady?” The merchant asked.
“Yes.” Shigeko barely noted how quickly the worker had approached her. Still
looking at the black lace that bordered the dark green...fur? No, it was a bit
too smooth for that, but the princess had a very minimal knowledge of clothing
materials. “How much is it?”
“One-hundred gold coins, young miss.”
“I got it.” Ritsu said, pulling out a bag from his sleeve. He was not exactly
sure if he had the full amount in this bag, but he could easily head back to
the carriage if needed. As Ritsu poured the money onto the counter the
shopkeeper was assembling the dress in a way it could actually be carried out.
Shigeko approached Ritsu with a hairpin.
“I can get this myself since you’re already buying the dress. I don’t want you
wasting all of your money this early.”
“It’s not a waste if it’s for you, nee-sama.”
“Ritsu…” Shigeko looked back at the hairpin. Something in her head told her
that she should feel happy to be treated like this, but everything just made
her feel this prickly, somewhat nauseating sensation instead. The fact that
everything she knew would be ending after today made receiving gifts feel more
like unwanted reminders rather than bringers of joy.
Ritsu?  The merchant felt as though the name were familiar, and ended up
squinting as he tried to remember where the name came from. Only when the young
prince asked if he had his change counted correctly did the merchant realize
that the money he was given had a distinct pattern.
“Yes...I believe so. Thanks for gracing my shop with your visit, My Prince. And
to you as well your highness.” He gave a slight bow as he put the money away
and handed the dress to Ritsu. Shigeko pulled out her coin purse only to have
the merchant wave his hand. “Please, just take it as a compliment and travel
safely, alright?”
“Oh… thank you.” Shigeko still placed some money on the counter. “But take
this. As thanks for...your hard work. I guess.”
“I am honored.” The man said as he slipped the money into his pocket. “May you
both have a good rest of your day.”
“You too.” Ritsu gently tugged at his sister's sleeve. They both walked out the
door and back into the carriage. “What place would you like to visit next?”
Ritsu asked.
“Anywhere is fine Ritsu--” Shigeko stopped herself from saying “As long as I’m
with you” since it once again reminded her that soon she would not be with him
for a very long time.
The afternoon came quickly, with the general populace now filling the main
roads, bringing the still streets to a loud and lively state. It was quite a
bother for the guards to keep people from bumping into one of the wheels or
themselves.  People can be quite rude, apparently . Ritsu observed.
Not many of the people who got in the way of either the carriage or the guards
bothered to apologize and some even yelled profanities. To say it was a relief
to make it out of the market was an understatement. The crisper air and light
greens of the town outskirts were much more pleasant than the people’s
cacophony. The further down they went, the greens turned to yellows behind
fences.
The farm area was not very clearly marked, but at least it was evident how much
effort went into the crop itself. Ritsu offered Shigeko a stop, but she did not
like the idea of getting her clothes dirty, moreso to avoid aggravating her
mother rather than personal preference. That was until she saw the horses. It
was not very common for her to see one that was not strapped up to a wagon.
These were merely calmly eating hay as they walked around their… oh. Shigeko’s
face visibly dropped even from her usual stoic expression. She was then
reminded of the smell too.
“Nee-sama… would you like to ride some horses?”
“Maybe...if they were a bit cleaner,” She sighed.
“What about going back to the palace? I’m sure the knight have better groomed
horses and wouldn’t mind? Plus by the time we make it there it will be a bit
cooler.”
“That does sound a lot better.” Shigeko smiled.
“Alright,” Ritsu poked his head out of the carriage. “Can you tell the driver
to take us back home?” He shouted and received a nod from the guard. Ritsu
settled back in his seat; within moments they started to turn. The usual
silence accompanied by the galloping horses consumed the inside of the
carriage. Ritsu tried to think of something to say since his elder sibling
rarely initiated conversation.
“How are you feeling, nee-sama?”
“Hmm...” Shigeko stared at her hands. “I’m not sure. A lot of things. I’m
happy, though..”
“Really?”
“Yeah, because I’m spending time with you.” Shigeko smiled. “Where do you want
to ride the horses?”
“Maybe a field? I think there’s one on the opposite end of our castle.” Ritsu
leaned over.
“Okay, sounds good.” Shigeko looked up to meet her brother’s eyes. “How about
you?”
“Huh?”
“How are you?”
“Oh...well.” Ritsu resisted the urge to frown. “I guess I’m okay too.”
“That’s good.” Shigeko couldn't think of anything else to say.  It was clear
they were both suppressing something, but neither had the courage to admit it
yet.
Once the carriage had finally stopped, Ritsu wasted no time getting out and
opening the door for his sister, causing the guards to suppress a bit of
laughter at his movement.
“Brother, who should we talk to to get horses?”
“Guards?” Ritsu said turning to face the men. “How do you get to the stable
from here?”
“You head to the lowest floor and take a left. The horses are just outside from
there, My Prince. That would be quite a walk for both of you. Would you prefer
if the horses were brought to you?”
“No need. I don’t mind the walk” The princess said. “Do you mind, Ritsu?”
“No, that’s fine!” Ritsu beamed. “After you, nee-Sama.” He said and Shigeko
started her way towards the main gate.
Servants seemed to move at an erratic pace today, as though preparing for an
exceptionally large event. One could only pity those responsible for rubbing
the floors until they were a pristine marble white once again. Or those who
were expected to make sure every scarlet carpet remained as dust free as
possible and that the gold stitching maintained its shine.  Nee-san’s departure
is going to be private so what is all of this?  Ritsu raised an eyebrow. Even
the passing “Good afternoon, Your Highness” was rather rushed in every
instance.
“Maybe…” Shigeko placed a hand on her chin. “There will be a large number of
people coming over. I do remember Mother saying that along with my union there
will be a merging of the northern and southern armies.”
“So all of this is for a bunch of soldiers?”
“More than that, by the looks of it.” Shigeko placed a hand on the railing as
she went down the steps. Ritsu mimicked her gesture on the opposite side of the
staircase. Once they made it all the way down, the princess stopped. “Hmm…I
don’t know the rest of the way there.”
“To where Your Highness?” a maid asked before Ritsu could so much as blink.
“The horses.” The princess stated.
“Ah, right this way.” The maid gave a slight bow before turning to the second
to last hall on the right. The royal siblings followed, excitement ever so
slightly increasing the rate of their steps. Walls soon gave way to windows,
and the windows gave way to the site where all the stallions were kept.
The prince and princess found themselves fascinated, for some of these horses
looked as though they came straight from paintings hung in museums. Their
grooming, aside from a few who were clearly works in progress, was absolute
perfection. The majority of the odor these animals had came from their mouths
rather than their tails.  That’s likely going to change once they finish
eating…  Ritsu thought before looking to the side. His sister was lightly
petting a gray horse, smile growing with the steed’s positive reaction. He
watched as she attempted to feed it some hay. The horse looked eager to eat,
but the prince noted that the girl’s fingers were still slightly curled up.
“Nee-san!” his shout was enough to make her pull her hand back just in time.
“Yes Ritsu?”
“Please make sure your hand is flat. I don’t want to see you get bitten.” Ritsu
showed how her hand was supposed to look with his as he spoke.
“Ah right. Thank you Ritsu.” she adjusted her hand and this time the horse got
to have its food. “Should we ask for saddles now?”
“We should, but I do not see the guards from earlier. Actually...were we
supposed to wait for them or have we been standing around for nothing?” Ritsu
looked up at a brown horse and made a quick decision. “I’m gonna ask a nearby
knight. We shouldn’t waste any time.”
“Alright brother.”
As Ritsu promised, he brought over one of the royal knights and had the man set
up the saddles of both of the horses. The siblings walked out holding onto the
reigns of their respective horses only to conveniently bump into the same
guards who escorted them that morning. There was a brief laugh from the men who
said they were stopped several times before they made their way around the
castle, and afterwards they inquired the teens if they needed to be taught how
stride and side saddle as respectfully as they could manage since their
greeting was very informal.
The offer was eagerly accepted. Ritsu was a fast learner, having his horse
running in patterns within three attempts. Shigeko on the other hand struggled
to even stay in her saddle at first, and thus was carefully watched for quite
some time to prevent injury. Eventually the princess could be trusted with
riding her horse at a slow pace. Ritsu looked out at the field then back at his
sister. “Ready to go?”
“Mhm.” Shigeko nodded her head and snapped the reins. Ritsu followed suit.
 
As the horses’ hooves set a steady rhythm on the earth below, the brother and
sister glanced at each other now and again. Shigeko looked up at the sky as
though it were something brand new, something that she would need to remember.
Seeing this rare and unique expression on her face made it hard for Ritsu to
speak. He managed to let out a “Nee-sama” but immediately trailed off, and did
not bother to continue even when he gained his sister’s attention. Instead,
they had a silent conversation, reading what they would not say in each other’s
faces as the sun made its gradual descent, lightly bathing the siblings in
yellow light. Suddenly, Shigeko snapped the reins again, making her horse race
deeper into the fields where the grass was less tamed and wildflowers were
scattered.
“Huh?!” Ritsu exclaimed before catching with her. “Nee-sama, this is a bit
unlike you…”
“I guess.” Shigeko looked down at the ground with the clear intent to get off
her horse.
“W-wait, let me help you off--”
“Don’t worry,” she held out her hand as she pushed herself off the saddle, feet
stopping just an inch above the ground before softly landing.
“Nee-sama!” Ritsu yelled, looking behind him.
“It’s fine. I made sure they were far enough behind us.” Shigeko said,
referring to their guards. “From this distance they wouldn’t be able to tell.
Want to sit down? I want to relax.”
“Sure.”
Only a few minutes passed since the two sat down. The horses were grazing as
the two stared at the setting sun. “Nee-sama. Did you have fun today?”
“Yeah, I enjoyed today.” She murmured.
“That’s good,” Ritsu looked down at his feet. “Nee-san…I’m gonna miss you a
lot.” He looked over at his sister to meet her solemn eyes.
“I’ll miss you too brother. And everyone here, really.”
“Are you worried about being part of a new royal family?”
“Well yes, but there isn’t much I can do but hope for the best.”
“And I’ll be doing that too, nee-sama. I wish I showed you how much you mean to
me better. I’ll make sure to send you letters whenever I can.” Ritsu gave
Shigeko a hug.
“And I’ll reply to all of them, Ritsu.” She returned his embraced tightly,
showing no sign of letting go; they remained that way for quite some time. In
his elder sister’s arms, he felt a level of comfort that nearly lulled him to
sleep. A gentle stroke of his hair made him realize that he was dozing off, and
he lifted himself from her. “Should we head back?”
“If you want. Supper is likely going to be ready soon anyway.” Shigeko stood up
and lightly patted down her dress.
“Okay, let’s go then. Do you need help up your saddle?” Ritsu offered.
“Maybe?” Shigeko lifted up her dress with one hand while placing her other arm
on the horse's saddle. She then jumped to get her foot into the loop. All that
was left was to actually get seated. She finally put her other arm on the
saddle and did her best to pull herself up. Although she managed that without
help, she somehow made her shoe fall off during the process. “Ah, I got it nee-
sama.” Ritsu walked over and picked up the shoe, waiting for some kind of nod
before holding onto his sister’s foot and placing it back on. He then quickly
headed over to his horse so they could head back to the castle.
After their meal, Shigeko was immediately summoned to her mother’s quarters,
hardly leaving the prince a chance to wave her goodbye. He lingered on his bed,
forcing himself to stay up just in case he would receive news from his maid
that Shigeko returned to her room. It was nearly midnight before he heard the
signature single knock and entrance from the all too familiar redhead.
“Got your stuff, my prince” Shouko said almost as if the title was a joke.
Between two of her fingers was an envelope that was beyond a doubt from the
princess. “She was too tired to write a final letter or whatever, so she said
‘take this and remember me every time you use it’ or something like that.”
With that, the maid gently placed the slip on Ritsu’s sheets. “If you need me,
I’ll be around about another hour or so cleaning.” She let out a yawn. “If not
then sleep well, sweetie.”
“Thank you, and goodnight.” Ritsu watched as she walked out. As the door
clicked he opened the envelope and pulled out a quill pen, not much different
from the one he had. He realized that this was what his sister would use during
her language lessons and held it more reverently.
I’ll try to use this everyday after you leave… nee-sama .
 
Chapter End Notes
     Next week's update is likely to be delayed or simply postponed until
     the week after due to a good deal of upcoming events I have in the
     next few days. Again sorry! I do hope you all liked this chapter
     though.
***** Embarkment *****
Chapter Summary
     Finally, the departure is here.
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
At the crack of dawn, Tome rose from her bed as she would any day, but today
her body seemed to carry more weight than usual. She would not receive any pity
for that though, so she took in a deep breath and threw herself out of her
sheets to prepare herself...to prepare the princess, whose departure was in a
mere four or so hours.
Despite all the work she had put into Shigeko’s move, the fact that the girl
she had known for as long as she had worked at the castle would be gone still
felt unreal to her. Tomorrow, the only hair she would have to brush was her
own. No more outfits to choose for soft spoken girl, no more one-sided yet
endearing conversations, no more blank stares or sounds of surprise. When the
maid opened the door to the princess’ chamber, the hollow state of the room was
almost haunting. Had Shigeko not been sitting on her bed one would think no one
occupied this place.
“Good Morning Your Highness.”
“Morning Tome.” Shigeko looked up with the same stoic expression as always. “Do
you have my clothes?”
“They should have been left in one of these drawers. I asked the other servants
to not take everything out.” Tome paced over to the drawers in question,
pulling each out one by one until she found the designated outfit. “Here it
is.” she let out a quick sigh of relief and pushed the opened draws in using
her hips. “This one is a bit? More complicated it seems. It has multiple
layers, for, you know, the weather that will get steadily colder as you make
your way up the map.”
“That’s very thoughtful. Thank you.” Shigeko let out a small smile.
“I’m going to show you how to put on each one. Please remember this. Obviously
you should not ask your guards to help you put them on…” Tome warned.
“I wouldn’t, but thank you.” The princess smiled. As she removed her nightgown.
 
Shigeko did not find the dress as difficult to put on as Tome claimed it would.
It was really just time consuming rather than confusing. “I can remove the
outer layers on my own if you want”
“Go ahead! You’ll have to do it own your own when you travel anyway.” Tome took
a few steps back. The dress was white and gold and seven layers total, each one
slightly thicker than the last. Her mother was rather thoughtful when getting
this customized…. The maid watched as Shigeko carefully removed a sash.
You’re...going to be so different when we meet again, won’t you? Tome looked at
the ground smiling, even though all she felt was a subtle sense of melancholy.
Oh man, the girl I’ve taken care of for so long might even have her own little
girl before I see her again? She’ll be wed before I even find a guy I like? The
maid shook her head and patted down her face.
“Are you still tired Tome?”
“No, not at all! Just let my mind wander. You ready?”
“Yes, do you mind carrying these?”  The princess held out the removed layers.
“I got it. Let’s get you over to the dining hall. I’m sure the chef has
something good today.”
“He always does though.”
“You know what I mean Your Highness.” Tome chuckled a little as she finished
folding the clothes.
Shigeko felt an odd sense of relief as she left the room. Tome made her usual
chatter on what’s been going on in the castle, which calmed a great deal of the
princess’s nerves. The steps they took were so ingrained into Shigeko’s routine
that she was hardly looking in front of her, causing her to bump right into
Tome’s face. “Oh sorry!” Shigeko gasped a little.
“Are you sure I’m the one that’s tired?” Tome blinked. “Anyhow, I have
something for you. It isn’t much but…” She reached into her pocket and then
held out her hand like a fist. The princess held out her hand and watched as an
emerald ring fell into it.
“I uh…. Didn’t want to send you out without any parting gift.” The maid
scratched her hair. Before she could add anything onto that, she found herself
wrapped in a soft embrace.
“I’ll miss you a lot Tome…I’ll remember you every time I wear this.”  Shigeko
said as she let go. Tome was speechless for the remainder of their walk, but
nothing else needed to be said.
After breakfast, Shigeko was summoned to her mother’s quarters. The queen was
likely going to say her goodbyes or give a lecture; knowing her, it was going
to be both. Tome made sure the princess was spotless before she headed over,
lest her mother demanded she get cleaned again and stall the inevitable
journey. When Shigeko entered the room, her mother was adjusting her robe and
crown in front of the mirror. She turned to face her daughter, expression quite
different from usual. She seemed oddly peaceful, as though all of her daily
stressors had vanished.
“Shige, come over” the queen said, her daughter approaching immediately.
“Today’s the big day. How do you feel?”
“I...don’t know.”
“It’s okay. You don’t need to know exactly, but you do need to know what to do
as you travel right?”
“Be safe?”
“Of course, and how will you do it?”
“Be aware of what’s around me…”
“And?”
“And...uh…” Shigeko was not sure what else she meant.
“Rely on your guards. They are the best this kingdom has to offer. I put my
full faith in them escorting you, but in case my judgment is wrong...you do
have my permission to break our typically unspoken rule.”
“You mean my--”
“Yes, those strange powers of yours. Only as a last resort though. The last
thing we need is you being put under the same light as cultists or participants
in dark magic.”
“I understand.”
“You guards may be good at following orders, but I did not trust them with that
last bit of information. So please...”
“Only use them in emergencies. I will Mother.”
“Good.”
 
A moment of silence passed; without breaking it, Shigeko’s mother pulled her in
for a hug and kissed her forehead. “I wish you the best. May you grow into a
beautiful queen that is loved and adored. Don’t forgot to send a letter once in
awhile. And don’t hesitate to visit either. I know we won’t.”
“Mhm, yes Mama.” Shigeko smiled.
“Your carriage should be ready now. Let’s not make anyone wait more than they
have to.”
“Alright.”
 
Out at the front gate stood the King and Prince, waiting for the arrival of
their female counterparts. When the two appeared, they were promptly greeted by
the knights below the steps. Shigeko looked at both her father and brother,
feeling both warmth and a sense of unease. The king walked over and gave his
daughter a brief kiss on the forehead.
“Good Morning Shige, did you rest up well?” the king asked, getting a nod as a
reply. “That’s great. Be safe as you go out there; never hesitate to send word
to me if you aren’t being treated right.”
“Thank you.” Shigeko smiled as she looked down. She was having a harder time
keeping a straight expression than she thought she would, the stinging
sensation taking over her eyes. The rub on her shoulder was not much help. With
a few blinks she managed to look back up partially, only to be greeted by the
teary-eyed expression of her brother.
“Ritsu…” She said as she approached him. “I uh--” She stumbled for something to
say. “I hope you keep doing well while I’m gone.” She smiled pitifully as she
watched the composure of her brother crumble. Through teary eyes and and a
throat gone dry, the young prince managed to say “Thanks and you too.” He
punctuated his statement with a sharp inhale pierced into the elder sister’s
chest. Despite their shared pain, the princess managed to walk past her brother
to the carriage that would take her to the northern kingdom. Two of the
thirteen chosen to escort her helped her board it, gently shutting the door
behind her. So this is it... A prickling sensation settled into Shigeko’s skin
as the finality of her seperation became clear. A look back through the window
revealed her family already waving her off despite her guards still getting
into position. Meekly, she waved back, letting her hand fall a moment when the
wheels started turning. As the distance between them grew, the members of the
royal family grew more frantic in their farewell gestures, unceasing till the
very last horse made it beyond the horizon.
A sonorous command woke the princess from slumber; she blinked until she fully
arose from her daze. Multiple hours had passed, no doubt. Even without parting
the curtain Shigeko could tell from the sunlight’s hue that evening was soon
approaching. She peaked out of the window to find the source of the resounding
voice: one of the guards, the leader no doubt. His armor was no different, nor
his horse, yet he gave off a sense of authority that would even make her
highness latch onto his every word.
“After a short rest we’ll increase our pace so her highness is brought to an
inn before nightfall. Eat and hydrate as needed. Attend to your steeds too.”
The man dismounted after speaking, setting an example to the other men. Shigeko
finally took her eyes off of him to accidentally catch the eyes of the guard
that was assigned to sit with her in the carriage. He immediately looked down,
sparing her from any social interaction with a stranger. There was hardly
anything to do in the carriage other than rest or stare outside. The princess
doubted she would be able to sleep upon arrival at the inn since that was what
she’d been doing most of the day.  I should have brought a journal . She
thought. This dress really is warm, I should have avoided putting it all on
this early.Absentmindedly, Shigeko toyed with the sash that would loosen the
layer, only to remember that she was sharing this space with a grown man and
quickly ended her actions. Shortly after, the lead guard shouted for the men to
get back on their horses. Shigeko expected the carriage to move any moment and
was startled to see the gentleman right by her door. “Are you faring well, your
highness?”
“Yes, thank you.” She said tersely. The man seemed to want to say something
else, but doubt was written all over his expression. “If it is ever needed
before we reach our destination, my men and I have plenty water to lend.”
“I see.” Shigeko looked to the side. “I do not need any water. How long is it
until we stop for today?”
“A few more hours, hopefully before nightfall if we keep or pace up.”
“Then get to it.”
“Yes, right away!” The man said, riding his horse back to the front of the
group. Not long after, the carriage started moving again.
Shigeko was certain that the clicks of horse hooves and thoughtless chatter
would be ingrained in her head for hours, but managed to tune them out with
effort. The scenery gave way from a lone road to a small town, embellished with
scattered grass patches. People were scarce in number, as expected of  the
later evening hours. Despite this, the large party still got a great deal of
attention from bystanders as they approached the inn. Shigeko was helped out of
the carriage and reminded to bring her pouch with her to the counter.
“One night, please, in one of your better rooms if you can.” She said as
clearly as she could, still trailing off at the end.
“That will be 300 gold coins.” The innkeeper said as he went to get the room
key. Shigeko made sure to count up to the exact amount as she placed coins on
the counter, knowing well that she cannot risk tossing random amounts at
commoners while lacking a way to restore her funds. This also made her look
more like a member of the artisan class, not that she was aware. After eyeing
some of the money to check its legitimacy, the innkeeper stored it away and
called for a worker to escort the princess to her quarters. Both the escort and
Shigeko said goodnight to the soldier who saw her in before heading to the
hall.
Once the princess was out of sight, the guard hastily exited the facility,
hoping the others had not gone too far. It seemed his horse had also left him,
so he had no choice but to run. The leader of the group eventually noticed the
man’s heavy steps and winded calls and demanded that the soldiers halt; he also
took this opportunity to give his last command for the night:
“When we reach a suitable spot to set camp all of you check your rations and
make sure you have enough to last at least two more days. There won’t be
another town with a reliable source of drinking water for about that long. Make
sure there is also enough for her highness, not just yourselves.” He paused,
wondering if that detail even needed to be said. “We won’t ‘till the princess
is ready to go, but all of you should be ready first thing in the morning.
We’re not going to waste any time. Let’s go.”
Chapter End Notes
     Since I took a much longer break than expected, I may need some time
     before I go back to weekly updates. I am terribly sorry this took so
     long, but life can be hectic.
     (If you catch any errors feel free to tell me)
***** Ambuscade *****
Chapter Summary
     The group starts the second day of their journey.
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
It had been the first time in a while that Shigeko slept past sunrise and had
her eyes greeted by daylight’s peak. The feeling was more than refreshing
compared to waking up at an exact, mandated hour. She looked around her room
and realized there was no bath prepared for her, not that she should have
expected such from a commoner’s inn. How much extra will I have to pay to get
that kind of service? The princess wondered as she put on two layers of her
dress and searched for a nearby worker. After another hour, Shigeko managed to
get two female workers to bring her warm bathwater. Her smile made the workers
feel somewhat less guilty for taking so long. They hurried off to give her
privacy, and she wasted no time undressing and getting in. She reached for the
soap and started spreading it on her skin as usual, realizing that it is much
harder to clean one’s back without a servant at hand.
Once Shigeko was fully checked out, she met up with the guard at the front door
and let him help her onto his horse. Their trip to the camp was silent aside
from passerby conversations. After giving the princess courteous greetings, the
other soldiers mounted their steeds and waited for the order to move. Shigeko
was impressed by how clockwork their movements became despite it only being
their second day of traveling. It nearly startled her when the lead guard
shouted “move” right as she sat down.
That’s almost creepy.She exhaled and immediately looked out the window. She
could just barely see the captain discussing with someone else, most likely the
rider of her carriage. Knowing how business-oriented the man was, he likely was
trying to determine the best direction to take. If that was the case the
princess was relieved, for she was not sure how much more traveling she could
endure without becoming bored out of her wits.
“Your Highness, how are you faring?” The soldier before her asked, making her
eyes widen in surprise. Aren’t guards trained to speak to royals? Well, maybe
he only meant to be nice because this ride is boring. but what do I even say…
“I’m well…” The Princess gave a tentative smile, trying to appear friendly, but
her true feelings were plain as day. The guard simply bowed his head and
resumed his silence.
The greenery was a necessary distraction after that useless attempt at
conversation. Shigeko took to staring at the hues of the fields and the
dazzling light reflecting off the nearby river until it got blocked by an array
of bushes and trees. She then tried shifting her focus to the patterns of her
dress, haphazardly tracing them with her finger until she lulled to sleep. This
process repeated itself until the sky took on a slight orange hue. The few
drinks of water the princess took had ran their course, causing the young girl
to call for a rest stop. She made sure to be as quick as possible removing
herself from sight, but once she had achieved it she let out a long exhale and
leaned against a tree. She looked up a bit longer and tried to cherish the few
moments of fresh air and silence she would get before returning to her seat,
only to have her body urge her to do what she came for. Once she stood back up,
she saw a flash of black cross by the corner of her eye and panicked, only to
realize it was just a loose strand of hair. She shook her head at her own
cowardice as she returned to the carriage.
Without delay the group resumed travelling, and Shigeko looked for something
else to stare at. There were even less options this time around, limited to
trees or the ground. Her guards could have been another option if she did not
find the gesture unbecoming. The sight of a few birds moving from tree to tree
was nothing short of entertainment after so many hours of blankly staring at
the sky, but this enjoyment was a mere fleeting moment. They flew away
abruptly. Before the princess could so much as turn her head, she heard a thud
immediately followed by hollers, neighing, and the carriage coming to a halt.
“Protect her highness!” A man shouted, and then it sunk in.
Ambush.
The guard before her unsheathed his sword and hovered between the doors, ready
to attack at either angle. Shigeko saw two other guards fall to the ground. She
felt bile crawl up her throat at the sight of arrows poking out from their
bodies. “Your highness please stay calm” her guard told her, but his words had
the opposite effect. She was visibly shaking; she felt chills all over. As she
withdrew into herself, she heard the cries of animal and man alike in matching
agony. Right after she heard shouts of aggression as footsteps grew closer to
the carriage. A bandit yanked the door open, arm already posed to strike.
Without hesitation the guard lunged at their assailant. The move was sloppy,
all aggression and little skill, but what mattered most was that it kept her
highness out of reach. The guard swung his blade once more, only to have his
target dodge the blow and stab his collarbone. At this point Shigeko had her
eyes shut and her body pressed against the opposite door, failing to realize
this only made her more vulnerable. She toppled out the carriage once another
bandit opened it, landing on her back. The pain of hitting her head was
negligible at the sight of a sword swinging down towards her. Fortunately,
Death only teased her. The sword dropped an inch from her arm, followed by the
weight of her would-be assassin atop her legs. Blood gushed from his side as
the lead guard removed his sword. She felt herself shrieking but could not hear
herself, or anything really. She could not process anything that was happening
around her, the blood, the shouts, being pulled in stained clothes. The bodies
on the ground, the severed legs of her horses. A sense of horror consumed her
and took over all of her being, before erupting.
A bright light burst from the princess, blinding all who within her immediate
range and causing those remaining to shield themselves; simultaneously, a
shockwave sent foe and ally alike meters away from her.
She didn’t open her eyes initially, but once she did the bandits seemed to be
gone. Her men however were in terribly injured states. Shigeko shuddered again,
this time at herself rather than the threat that transpired in what felt like
mere seconds yet so much longer all the same. Everything she could see looked
devastated; even the very ground beneath her had the ghost of a fissure. The
men around her were getting up and salvaging whatever they could; the leader
that saved her laid absolutely still. Despite wanting to see if he was okay,
Shigeko could not bring herself to move. The man lying as still as a corpse
before her brought the sickening scent of iron on her clothes to her attention.
She had just witnessed death, multiple times. The only thing that kept her sane
in the slightest was the sound of one of the surviving horses. “Your Highness.”
A guard called. “Are you hurt anywhere?” His eyes quickly scanned her as he
dismounted. “Please, get on. We’ll handle the rest of this.”
Shigeko had her eyes glued to her stained lap as the men attended to themselves
and their dead. Though a burial would have been proper, the group was in no
shape to be this exposed for much longer, so instead the five men lost during
the fight were laid side by side and covered using the materials of two of
their tents. Of the eight remaining, only three were still perfectly able-
bodied, while the others sported a limp or some variation of sluggish movement.
Much to the princess’ relief, the leader of the guards, though still
unconscious, still had a pulse.  He was placed on another available horse, and
the remaining two steeds remained unmounted, only to be used when the able-
bodied grew weary. Shigeko eventually noticed that the men were waiting for her
cue to leave, to which she made a vague hand gesture. She was far too mentally
drained to speak. She could barely look up, yet at that same moment, she
realized that even in harder times she had to maintain the dignity of a ruler
and straightened her posture.
They traveled in silence, to respect their lost.
 
Chapter End Notes
     I will be changing my upload schedule to be once every two weeks
     instead of one since classes are in session and I am trying to get
     higher marks this time around. Please be patient with me.
***** Arrival *****
Chapter Summary
     Accomplishment follows tragedy.
Chapter Notes
     I'm terribly sorry for disappearing. I kind of had an 'episode' of
     sorts where my mind burned out due to stress and that was affecting
     my ability to write quite severely. I do hope this update is at least
     partially worth the wait!
See the end of the chapter for more notes
Ignoring the grief caused by their recent toil, the princess and her remaining
guards continued down their path. One of the soldiers suggested changing their
course to avoid further attacks, but their navigator was amongst the
fatalities. This realization made the group fall into silence. The dull sounds
of their feet and the stench of their wounds only amplified the princess’
pestering thoughts.
Are we even going to make it alive? Or be found laying on the ground like the
rest of them?She shuddered, gripping her dress then releasing it once she
recalled the bloodstains. She grimaced at the traces of it on her finger before
rubbing it onto the horse. It made her feel bad to treat an animal this way,
but she had very little options. The guards’ attire was far more spoiled than
her own, so using their cloth would likely make her hands filthier. Though she
was hardly looking, Shigeko could tell the soldiers’ movements grew lethargic
as time passed. Even her horse seemed sluggish now. Should I order them to
rest? She glanced down at her men, thoroughly worn and moving by willpower
alone. She was torn. On one hand, resting to ensure no one collapses seemed
like common sense, but was there any guarantee they would be able to get back
up, or that they would not be spotted by another thief?
“Your highness, are you feeling ill?” A guard asked, making Shigeko realize she
was barely holding her head up from her hand. Saying she was fine would be too
blatant a lie.
“Not quite, I’m just thinking.” She looked ahead and noted something
indistinct. “What is that?” She pointed, making her men look accordingly.
“Another carriage!” A man shouted. The expressions of those around him
brightened.
“Let’s...not be hasty.” The leader said, rising from his slumber. “We can’t be
sure that carriage is a safe one...though it could be our only chance to get to
shelter quickly.”
“I could go ahea--”
“No, we must keep our numbers.” The captain tested his legs, lifting them a few
times, and jumped off the horse. He suppressed a small curse as his knees
quaked. “We’ll simply move over to the side to not get in their way.” He looked
over to Shigeko. “Your Highness, if it does not bother you, stay behind as the
wagon approaches.”
“Alright.” Shigeko nodded.
 Once the distance closed between the two parties, two of the soldiers called
for the rider’s attention. He was evidently a merchant of some kind, his cargo
taking up more space than his own hired guards. The leader was about to give a
composed and concise narrative of their tragedy but was cut off immediately by
the overlapping calls of his subordinates. While the sight of them was nothing
short of embarrassing, they did succeed in getting the merchant’s attention.
 
He scanned his eyes over the tattered group as they told the events they
recently suffered. His eyes specifically settled on the princess, noting the
quality and embellishments of her cloth despite its damage. Compassion was
hardly something this man would act on while performing the drudgery that was
his job, yet he could not help but take pity on the young girl. She appeared as
equally composed as she was in pain. Likely a figure of importance, the man
concluded, despite the guards omitting that knowledge. He ordered his own
servants to remove themselves from the carriage to make space for Shigeko and
her men. There was a brief fuss about seating arrangement since the guards
wanted Shigeko to sit alone, but she silenced them for the sake of getting the
trip over with. Once everyone was settled, the rider took an about-turn to the
nearest borough.
In addition to taking them to a motel, the merchant offered to pay for their
stay if needed. Shigeko requested that he only pay for the soldiers and she
would handle herself. Her pouch was still tied to her arm under her sleeve.
Okay good...I should have checked before saying anything.
“Thank you for everything sir,” she said, her men echoing the sentiment as the
man departed.
“Alright” The leader started once the merchant was out of sight. “First we
should all get cleaned. After that those who are willing can help me restore
our supplies.”
Shigeko was already on her way to her room and missed the rest of what was
said. She could care less about what process had to be done next, she just
needed rest. After shutting the door Shigeko disrobed quickly, not bothering to
wait for a servant to bring her spare clothes before tossing herself onto the
sheets. She curled into a fetal position as she covered herself, questioning if
she would be able to sleep after such a disaster. The captain did eventually
bring a new dress for her and had a maid place it in the room.
“Ma’am, would you like this washed?”
“Yes” the princess barely muttered; the woman took it with her silently.
 
Two days after, the group left to continue their journey. A few discussions
with locals and the purchase of a new map made it easier to set course; the
soldiers’ recovery was successful enough that they managed to travel even
faster than before, making it past the halfway point to Northern kingdom by
nightfall.
Around that time, some servants from Southern kingdom were on their way to a
trade city as ordered by the court. The normally dull task was cut off at the
ghastly sight of the princess’ carriage. “What on Earth?!” one shouted as he
approached the empty husk. Another person noted a foul stench and wandered
slightly off the path. Her shriek made the workers’ hearts skip a beat. They
hurried over only to reel back at the sight of rotting corpses. Panic filled
them. “Were these not her--”
“--Guards? But weren’t there more of them? And where’s her highness?”
“Oh God, what do we do?”
“Report this to the court?”
“But what about our jo--”
“--our job is to figure out what happened to the princess! And the best way to
do so is seek help from His majesty!”
The group hastily returned to the palace. They did not sleep a wink until they
made it to the castle gates. It was hardly the crack of dawn when they arrived;
only a few of the butlers and maids were awake. The servants sought for any of
the King’s personal attendants to share their discovery.
The first one they found was nearly too horrified to wake the royal couple with
such terrible news, but one’s duty must take priority over their fears.
Irritation turned to disbelief; disbelief became terror. Terror that led the
monarch to write both a letter and decree while still in his sleepwear.
 “Have this sent to our general; make it absolutely clear that this is
confidential. I do not want any of this to reach the commoners or my son. Get
messengers to notify the Northern family straightaway, for they have the most
resources to ensure her safety.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” The attendant said and hurried off to deliver the letters.
 
The news spread rapidly amongst the court, army, and down trade routes. A
contained panic took place amongst the servants that overheard of this,
especially those who served the prince.
Ritsu could not help but notice a change in his maid’s mannerisms: the usual
careless strut now proper and calculated, her typically loose red hair now tied
back. It was as if she had lost all the humor in her when she spoke as well.
Her smile remained, but it was hollow. 
“Shouko, you’ve been acting weird lately.” He said, making the redhead halt
right in her tracks.
“You think so your highness?” She turned to face him.
“What happened?” Ritsu demanded, not entertaining any indirect answers.
“Tssk.” The girl’s composure went lax at the prince’s serious tone. It was
strange how his words always seemed to have the opposite effect on her when he
ordered her. Perhaps she was just that defiant in nature, but that begs the
question of how she was ever eligible to be a servant for the royal family.
“There’s word going around about something I’m not allowed to say.”
“And that is?”
“An order from your dad not to say anything. I don’t want to cause more trouble
than what’s fun, so trust me. You don’t want to know yet.”
“Really…” Ritsu sighed. “Fine, go.”
“Alright, I’ll be back with your breakfast soon.” Shouko said as she shut the
door.
 
Completely unaware of the decree and search parties sent for her highness, she
and her guards were gathered outside of another inn for their next stop. They
learned from her reading the sign that Shigeko did not have enough funds to pay
for her night stay after providing her men medicine and replacement camping
supplies.
“Your highness, we can return these right away.”
“No, the weather is too cold for that. I don’t want any of you falling ill
after all you’ve gone through.” Shigeko said as casually as could be, but her
words swelled the hearts of her subjects. How could they dare make a princess
so pure sleep outside? Without pause, the leader entered. He went to the
counter and began to ask for a night’s stay, only to be cut off but the owner’s
confused look. The leader mirrored it once the man spoke in a language he could
not understand. Curses, I’m useless aren’t I. At least this is a sign we are
getting close.
He made a gesture that he needed a moment and exited the inn. “Your Highness,
it appears the staff here do not speak our language.”
“Oh, that makes sense.” She breathed in. “I could try to talk, but I am still
learning.”
“I am sorry I cannot be of more help.”
“You’re fine.” Shigeko exhaled softly as a soldier held the door for her. She
was still holding her purse carelessly from counting her coins.
“...May I stay overnight?” The princess enunciated, hoping her accent wasn’t
too heavy.
“That will be 200 silver coins” The hotelier responded. The princess placed her
remaining gold and silver pieces on the counter. The man slid them over and
counted.
“You need forty more coins.” He said.
I know… She thought. “Do you take...tabs?” She asked.
“Sorry Miss, we don’t save tabs.You need to pay in full.”
“I see…” She squinted, as though that would help her understand the other words
besides “sorry”. What do I do now?
“Guards, can one of you come in?” She called. “This place doesn’t allow owing
anything.”
“Do you know enough words to explain your predicament your highness?”
“I know how to introduce myself but would they believe me?”
“It may be our only chanc--”
“Hello? Young lady?” An elderly voice said. Shigeko silently turned to face a
woman just a few inches above her height.
“Is something wrong?” The woman asked.
“I don’t have enough money to stay.”
“None of the adults with you have funds?” The woman reasonably asked, but the
question fell on ignorant ears.
“I’m sorry. I only speak a little of this language.”
“You don’t look like you’re from here.” The elderly woman nodded again.
“No, I’m from Southern kingdom.” Shigeko replied. The woman perked up.
“That’s very far…” She paused, looking over the princess’ features as though
she were looking for something. “Where are you going?”
“Um, I don’t know if I can say.” Shigeko answered. The woman’s eyes lit up
slightly, though her overall stoic expression remained. A man towering both of
them walked over a whispered to her, and she nodded.
“I have a wagon that can take you to a cheaper place. Would you like that?”
“She’s offering us a ride to another inn?” Shigeko said to the leader.
“Tell her we do not mind her guiding us, but we won’t get in the wagon.”
“Okay”
“We have horses, so you can show us how to get there. They don’t want to go in
the wa-gon” The princess held back her embarrassment.
“Okay!” The elderly woman replied. “I’ll grab my things.” The woman then walked
away. Shigeko’s guards headed back to get their steeds once the princess exited
the inn. As she waited, Shigeko noticed a carriage framed with gold
approaching. So this lady is rich. She thought.
After ten or so minutes, the now combined groups left the inn and went onto
what looked like a main road. It then grew narrow after a time, the very
pavement of the road changing as well. 
“How much more time?” Shigeko called out to the woman in the wagon.
“Not long!” The rider of the carriage replied instead.
Shigeko noted that the routeway was littered with tall trees, all bare due to
the cold season. This place probably looks creepy when it’s dark--
Oh my.
In the distance, Shigeko saw a building so colossal she had to double take.
There was no doubt that was the castle she was meant to go to this whole time,
but how did this lady know to take her here?
Once everyone had arrived at the front gate it felt as if the palace had
blocked half the sky from sight. The doors slowly swung open and the party went
through. Shigeko hardly paid attention to where they were going, getting
distracted by the garden and fountains, and almost went off the path. With a
call from her guard she quickly corrected herself. The wagon stopped and the
subjects of Southern kingdom did the same. The rider briefly informed the
guards where they should take their horses while the leader helped Shigeko off
her horse. The elderly woman then called for Shigeko to follow her. It took
much willpower to ignore the complexity of the castle’s interior, but even from
the corner of her eyes the princess could tell the marble floor’s design was
made through the sedulous craftsmanship of many master artists.
They went up two flights of staircases; Shigeko hid her fatigue to the best of
her ability.  They then stopped in front of a set of double doors. “This is
your room.” The elder woman said, opening the door.
This chamber at first glance was not much different from the one she had at
home, only a different color scheme and furniture placement. At least, this was
what she thought until she saw there was a second room that wasn’t even a bath.
“I’m sorry for not being honest at first.” The woman started, but then cleared
her throat. “I saw you and your men at the hotel and then heard you speak
foreign. When I got closer and looked at your hand. The ring you had is only
for your family, so I knew you were the princess.”
“My ring?” Shigeko looked at her hand. It was the gift Tome had gotten her, so
she assumed it was an ordinary gem from a second-class market, not that its
monetary value would affect how much she treasured it. She stared at it closer
though and realized that the engraved pattern was that of her family’s crest.
It dawned on Shigeko that she should thank Tome for a whole other set of
reasons the next time they met. The thought of her now distant friend made her
frown a moment.
“I did not want to say where we were going in front of other people. The--er--
security--?” ,the woman gestured shutting a door hoping that would help, “--is
very strict.”
“That’s okay.” Shigeko finally let her hand down. The woman curtsied once the
younger looked toward her.
“I’m also sorry for not greeting you right, your highness.”
“I’m just happy to be here.” The princess replied. “But what now?”
“Nothing right now. You can sleep. I can bring bath materials and new clothes.
Your own servant will meet you tomorrow. I actually serve Her Majesty.”
“Oh, well thank you for everything.” Shigeko glanced over at the bed. It was
rather tempting at the moment.
“My pleasure. His highness is still on duties, so you will have to wait to meet
him too.”
“Thanks for telling me.” She looked back at the servant to be polite, but ended
up starting at the patterns that embroidered the door frame.
“Do you need anything else?.” The woman seemed to mistake Shigeko’s curiousity
for need; the young girl did not want to give the impression she was easily
amazed so she made a request on the spot.
“Is there any sleepwear in here?”
“Yes, in the dresser” The woman started to walk over.
“I can do it myself.”
“I’m sorry your highness.”
“It’s okay. I just want to lay down now.” Shigeko hoped she did not sound too
hasty.
“Okay, have a good night.”
“And you too,” Shigeko smiled. Once the woman was out of sight she plopped onto
the mattress, almost scared by how much she sank in initially. I wonder if I
can ask for a different one later… After a breather she quickly changed and
took one last cursory glance around the room before covering herself with
blankets. The typical anxiety that kept her awake for too long seemed absent
today; it was replaced by relief so overwhelming she slipped out of
consciousness in mere minutes.
 
 
Chapter End Notes
     Stay tuned for the next chapter! The prince and princess shall
     finally meet!
End Notes
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