"But mother, I'm only fifteen!"
The royal family sat on their huge thrones, armored knights standing straight beside them. The Emperor and Empress are located on the sides, and their son is sitting in the middle with a defeated face. His face is resting in his palm while his crystal blue eyes are looking downwards. His parents told him that he has to marry soon.
"Hirotaka," In a deep voice, the Emperor called their only prince, "You're going to be the next Emperor. We need to find you a wife."
"In this early age? Father-" "Hirotaka, your father is right. We're going to send princesses here in the palace for you to choose from." The Empress intruded in a calm tone.
However, his mother's soothing voice didn't affect the crown prince's mood. Instead, he stood up with a snort, heading to his room. The couple glowered at each other with a rather beaten face.
Hirotaka threw himself on his bed and covered himself with his thick blanket. He doesn't want to be engaged in such a young age. At the age of fifteen, he should only be doing.. well, what young princes are doing. He strongly disapproves the idea of getting engaged, which will eventually turn into marriage.
The Prince shifted to the opposite direction and closed his eyes. Wait, he can't even sleep. Hirotaka suffers from insomnia, which is bad for a prince like him. Still, he kept his eyes shut, like he just wanted to forget about reality. If he could just hear the voice of the mysterious woman..
There was this one night when he heard someone singing outside his room. He was up even though it was late since he couldn't manage to sleep. The voice was so beautiful that it made him fall asleep. Hirotaka hears the voice everyday in random places-the throne room, courtyard, and even in the hallways. And every time that woman sings, he falls asleep. The knights would even find him sleeping on the floor. Since then, he slowly fell for that mysterious woman whom he considers as his goddess.
"YOUR IMPERIAL HIGHNESS, I'M GOING TO CLEAN YOUR ROOM!"
Bam! The door of his room opened wide with a loud noise, which made Hirotaka jolt and sit up. He saw a blonde young woman, who seems to be one of his servants. Her hair is tied with a red band, and it didn't match her maid uniform. She's not the kind of 'mysterious' woman Prince Hirotaka would want to see.
"Wh- You should have knocked! What is your name!?" The crown prince uttered, anger evident in his tone. He's going to tell his parents about this girl, and they're going to fire her for sure.
"Yuzuki!" The blonde answered cheerfully, swiping the mop on the floor. "But you can call me Seo instead, your Imperial Highness!"
Seo's blithe aura irked Hirotaka. How could she be that merry? He's obviously angry at her for barging in without respect, yet she acts like nothing happened?
Yuzuki Seo is the daughter of the royal family's loyal servants. They have been working on the palace since Hirotaka was still a child. Seo was forced to be a servant too because of her family's state. It was alright for her, though. She does some chores and is a bit obedient, but she is somehow mischievous. She is also bad in reading the atmosphere, and that explains the sudden commotion earlier.
Prince Hirotaka clicked his tongue and laid down again, angrier than earlier. "This Seo girl really gets on my nerves! I'm going to tell father!" He sat up again and decided to speak to the Emperor, even though he isn't in good terms with him right now. The young royalty stood up and rushed to the throne room, leaving the maid behind.
"You want to fire Yuzuki Seo?" The Emperor queried, sitting back on his throne. He doesn't seem to agree with his son. "Hirotaka, Yuzuki has been our servant since she was thirteen. We can't just-" "She's annoying me, father! She doesn't have respect, how could she enter my room with a clangorous mouth! She's been doing the same thing over and over again, and she's been doing a lot of other annoying deeds and, and-" When Hirotaka couldn't complain any longer, the Empress sighed and looked at her husband, and the Emperor returned the gaze. Once Hirotaka growls like that, they know that they should do what he says. We could say that he's spoiled, he's the only child, anyway.
"Alright, alright. Lower your voice. Your mother and I are going to talk to her soon." The imperial leader proclaimed, sighing. "By the way, son.. We've contacted our neighboring kingdoms and they're going to send their beautiful daughters soon." The Empress told Hirotaka with a soft smile, which made him roll his eyes. He calmed himself down before marching back to his room.
Entering the area, the crown prince sighted the young maid, and it made him furrow his brows in distress. Seeing that Yuzuki makes his blood boil. Right now, she is wiping the windows, tiptoed. Prince Hirotaka walked towards his bed with slumped shoulders; he doesn't care if his suit crinkles or whatnot. He currently has two problems: the engagement and Yuzuki. Yuzuki seems to be the worst. She almost broke an expensive vase right now. Hirotaka groaned and sighed loudly.
"Angel! I hear you!
Speak -
I listen . . .
stay by my side,
guide me!
Angel, my soul was weak -
forgive me . . .
enter at last,
Master!"
"Is that..?" Hirotaka whispered, his eyelids are slowly closing. An angelic voice echoed through the room-It was Seo's. She is currently singing an opera song while mopping the tiles. She seems to be enjoying. Meanwhile, Hirotaka couldn't stay awake any longer. "It's.. the beautiful.. voice.." With a sleepy voice, the prince talked while staring at the servant, even though his vision is getting blurred. He dozed off. Apparently, Yuzuki Seo, Prince Hirotaka's most despised person in the whole kingdom, is also his most beloved goddess.
Prince Hirotaka woke up with a start. Now, his suit is indeed wrinkled. Slowly, the young man stood up with a 'nghh' before looking at the window. The sun is shining bright, and is almost blinding him. The birds are singing.
"Singing.. Seo!" Hirotaka hurriedly went to the dining area (with his bed hair) since his parents must be taking their breakfast by now. Seo must be serving them.
The dining area's door was opened for the rushing prince. The servants tried to contain their laughter because of the prince's hair. Hirotaka looked around while fixing his locks, but Seo is nowhere to be found.
"Father, mother, have you seen Yuzuki?" He spoke in a hurried manner whilst scanning the entire room, hoping that Seo would appear. "She's in the servants' room, packing her things. Didn't you tell us to get her away as soon as possible?" The Emperor responded shortly.
Oh no. Hirotaka scratched his head roughly, bolting to where the mentioned room is located. "Oh, I thought you hated her?" The Empress asked, putting her utensils down. Hirotaka stopped his feet and looked back to his mother and said, "Yes, I thought I hated her, but in reality, I love her."
Where was it again? The servants' room. As far as he remember, it was beside the kitchen. There's a door that opens for the servants' room. He accidentally found it when he was a kid, and he never went there again. Huffing, the crown prince twisted the doorknob of the said room and saw Seo putting her clothes into her bag, humming a familiar tune. It's really her.
"Yuzuki Seo!" As loud as he can, Prince Hirotaka yelled. It echoed. The blonde turned to where the voice came and noticed the prince. She laughed. "What's with the hair, your Imperial Highness!? You look.. You look.. HAHAHAHA! Oh my, I'm so sorry!" Seo laughed as if Hirotaka is the biggest joke she had seen. However, Hirotaka didn't mind. He strode towards the girl and held her shoulders, looking at her straight in the eye.
"Please don't leave." The prince said softly. He's still trying to catch his breath. "Why? Wasn't it you who told their Imperial Majesties to kick me out?" Seo didn't break the eye contact. A sudden knock on the door interrupted them.
"Excuse me, Prince Hirotaka. The princesses have arrived. You are being summoned in the throne room. Please go there immediately." A male servant spoke. Hirotaka took a glance but darted his blue orbs back to the girl's. "I'll be there. Thank you." The man nodded and closed the door.
"Soooo," Seo said, pointing at the door. "You should be going, Prince."
"You were the one who kept singing while doing chores?"
"Is that the reason of my expulsion?"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You didn't ask, your Imperial Highness."
"Stop calling me that!"
"Why would I? You might.. I don't know, double expel me."
Prince Hirotaka groaned. He couldn't make himself confess. He couldn't manage to say that he loved her because he just expelled her. The brunet grabbed the young woman's hand and ran out.
"Hey!" Yuzuki spoke, "I'm not yet done with my clothes, your Imperial Highness! I have to go! Where are we going!?"
"To my room. I'm going to change my clothes."
"Wow, you don't have to bring me with you. Do you want me to see your body?"
"Of course not, you fool!" With reddened face, Hirotaka entered his room and went straight to his bed where his prepared clothes are laying.
"Turn around." He commanded. Shrugging, Yuzuki obeyed and stayed in that position until Hirotaka is done. "Alright, let's go." Once again, he grasped Seo's hand and paced. "By the way, you look nice in that dress of yours."
The princesses are lined up in front of the thrones. Twenty lines, and the whole room is full of gorgeous princesses wearing extravagant gowns. It was a noisy place until Prince Hirotaka and Yuzuki shows up.
Everyone became silent. All of the girls stared at the handsome crowned prince, hoping that he'd pick them. Also, they looked at Seo with squinted eyes. Who's that girl?
"Hirotaka! We've been waiting for you, dear." The Empress stood up, and so did the Emperor. "Yuzuki? Why are you with her?" It seems like they didn't hear his confession earlier back in the dining room. Hirotaka didn't speak to any of them. He merely stood at the center of the elevated floor, Seo standing beside him.
"Thank you for coming. You all look exceptionally lovely today." Hirotaka started, and the princesses smiled their brightest because of the compliment. They forgot that the prince is still holding the servant's hand.
"But you see, I have no interest in marrying any one of you." He announced. The smiles slowly faded and transformed into sad expressions-or should we say disappointed expressions. The Emperor and the Empress who are standing behind the two gasped.
"This girl, is Yuzuki Seo. She isn't as beautiful as you princesses are, and she's damn annoying." Hirotaka looked at Seo who seemed to be somehow irritated. He gazed back to the young ladies before continuing. "I hated her so much. Hated. But now.. I realized that I'm in love with her." Everyone gasped loudly, including Seo.
"Her voice is the most wonderful thing I've ever heard. I feel in love everytime I hear that." Hirotaka held Seo tighter, and she reciprocated the act. "When I realized that she was the goddess I've always wanted to meet.. All the hatred faded. Like it was magic." He paused. "And one more thing.. I'm not good in speeches." He bowed, and yes, still holding Seo's hand.
"Hirotaka.." The Empress spoke. Hirotaka (and Seo) turned around.
"Mother, I would like to marry Yuzuki Seo."
"What?" Yuzuki said, releasing Hirotaka's hand.
"Yuzuki Seo, please marry me!" The crown prince said with determined blue eyes. And red face.
"I'm only sixteen!"
"I'm only fifteen!" Hirotaka answered shortly. Their Imperial Majesties only stared at the two. The room was silent, only the two arguing teenagers can be heard.
"I will only marry a boy who will kneel down before me and tell me that he really really loves me and that he'd want me to be the mother of his children." Yuzuki smirked and crossed her arms. The whole room gasped again. A royalty would never kneel before a mere servant, she thought.
But she was wrong.
Hirotaka knelt down in one knee and held Seo's hand. He took a deep breath and looked at the startled princesses before looking at Seo. "Yuzuki Seo, I really really love you." Hirotaka's face is so flushed in embarrassment. "..And I want you to be the mother of my children."
"Alright!" Yuzuki pulled Hirotaka up and grabbed his face before smooching him in the lips. Unexpectedly, the room roared with the princesses' squeals, and the servants' cheer. The Empress giggled, while the Emperor just shook his head with a smile in his face. "Looks like we don't have to find him a wife." The man whispered, "He found her himself."
And of course, they lived happily ever after.
Is it too long? I enjoyed writing this, sorry haha! (●'∀`●) I used Hirotaka since it's Waka's first name, and the imperial family in Japan doesn't have surnames. Plus, once a female commoner marries a prince, her name would be the female version of the prince. Yuzuki would loose her surname and be named as Princess Hirotaka. ( ' ▽ ' )ノ And also, the song Seo sang is one of the Phantom of the Opera songs (The Mirror) It was a random search.
