Disclaimer: I do not own RK.
The first time they met was the night before their wedding day. It was a clear night, the sky sprinkled with stars above the very grand courtyard of the Yukishiro mansion. He smiled at her gently when they were introduced and for a moment, the world around stopped when her eyes met his. He was a gorgeous man, wisps of fiery red hair fell elegantly over eyes swirling in warm amethyst. His eyes were full of spirit, confidence and sincerity and immediately she knew that he was a good man. After all, she was known to have a discerning eye for character.
Her heart warmed at the sound of his baritone voice and when he let out a small chuckle at her weak attempt to make a joke, her knees went weak. What is this man doing to me?
She thought she was going crazy. Or perhaps it was marriage blues.
When he excused himself for the night, explaining that it was getting late and that he had to return to his partner's side for the evening, she felt herself getting a little disappointed. They were getting along so well.
"I enjoyed myself tonight, Lady Kamiya." She laughed. And when he pressed his lips to her gloved hand to wish her goodnight, her heart fluttered to a stop. She stared blankly at his retreating form as he made his way back into the sleeping quarters.
No, this cannot be. She was getting married tomorrow.
It was a double wedding. The Yukishiro family was the most influential in the area as they were of direct royal descend from the king. Yukishiro Tomoe and Enishi were twins, who happened to be the first-borns to the 16th generation of the Yukishiro family line. Their father was a prominent figure in the country's navy and had once been the king's personal bodyguard. It was rumoured that the King would make a very discreet but special appearance on this day, arousing the interest and excitement of both nobles and townspeople alike.
She sighed. While she could understand that being twins, they had done everything together since birth, she could not comprehend their need to get married on the same day.
Enishi had always been a darling to her. They met a couple of years ago at a party; she had just turned twenty at that time and was definitely beyond marriageable age. Her mother had been worried about her being a spinster, so when the Yukishiro Enishi had proposed to her a year later, she obliged.
He provided her with sufficient companionship. They shared similar interests - like fencing and horse riding - and he accepted her for who she was. While it seemed like there was room for choice, she knew that the Yukishiros would not have taken 'no' for an answer and if she had rejected Enishi, her family's reputation would have suffered greatly.
Her thoughts wandered to the fiery-head man she had met yesterday. He had called her Lady Kamiya. Too bad that was the first and last time she would be hearing those words from his lips. In a short moment, she would be Lady Yukishiro until death doeth her and Enishi apart.
She chuckled. The name Lady Yukishiro was far more suited for Tomoe. She was far from elegant and graceful, traits that Tomoe seemed to have been blessed with from birth. And today, Lady Tomoe would become…
She paused. Tomoe would take on the fiery-head man's name.
She felt her heart sink. What was this feeling?
A firm knock on her dressing room door jerked her out of her thoughts and she knew that it was time.
She stood with Tomoe behind the closed church doors. Glancing over, she noticed that the usually composed woman had a tense expression on her face. Gently squeezing her soon to be sister-in-law's hand, she reassured her.
"Do not worry. He is a good man." Tomoe smiled at her words.
"He is, isn't he? It's a relief that you say so. You've always have had a discerning eye."
The wedding march cut short their conversation and the doors of the church flung open to reveal two bridegrooms standing at the end of the carpeted aisle.
Her eyes betrayed her as she admired the fiery head man standing tall in a white suit. You're supposed to be looking at Enishi, you doof!
Sure, Enishi was a handsome fellow but this man, he was something else. He was on a completely different level. Quickly averting her eyes before anyone could notice, she smiled back at Enishi who was gleaming at her.
If only I was on the other side of the aisle.
We are so close, yet so far apart.
And as Kaoru walked down to seal her fate, she knew she was marrying the wrong man.