This is prompt #16 Royalty for the livejournal 20 heartbeats challenge community. No one had claimed a yuri pairing, so I took it upon myself to do so. :3
For everyone that likes my stuff enough to review, thank you so much. I love you guys!
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Chambermaid
Being a princess was not an easy task, and it was one task that Kairi despised. Naturally, any normal individual would say that's complete poppycock, and dub anyone that is guilty for thinking such things an ungrateful twat. But honestly, Kairi never asked or wanted to be born a princess. Her life was one long immaculately planned schedule after the other, and never was she granted the privilege of actually doing something she wanted. Of course that was blasphemous in all sense of the word. Why would Kairi have any freewill at all? It was not princess-like, and to set a good example all princesses had to follow orders. Much as a servant, or peasant would she supposed.
From the moment Kairi is awaken in the morning ( she is a heavy sleeper, and snores like a dragon, yes a dragon ) until mid evening she has the most annoying duties to get done.
Monday to Thursday from after breakfast to noon Kairi is to socialize, and make nice with the simpletons of the kingdom. Many are a real treat, but some if not most are dirty old men. They constantly greet her only to get uncomfortably close, and kiss the top of her hand-amongst other places if permitted. Sure it was the formal thing to do or something of the like, but it only made Kairi want to get sick all over them. She never enjoyed male contact, especially not the decrepit kind. In all honesty she preferred no physical contact with anyone at all. A princess is to always respect herself, and being fondled in inappropriate areas that shouldn't be fondled in the first place was far from respecting yourself. For that she knew she was very prudent, but she liked it that way just fine.
Afterwards, there were the royal family gatherings, which took a good portion of the day, if not all. One would assume an hour would be more than sufficient for a meeting, but oh no their family had a habit of going all knights of the roundtable happy. Most of the time the gatherings consisted of very important issues such as what they were going to have for dinner the following week, or what color scheme the royal bed sheets should be replaced with for the upcoming month. Because really, the kingdom would seize to exist without the royal family's amazing color coordination skills. If it were up to Kairi they would always be pink and purple, but of course she can't even have that.
If that wasn't enough to bore a person to death, then came the etiquette lessons. There was a different kind of lesson for each day of the week, that included Friday to Sunday. The only exception was when there was an event to be commemorated, and there were times where Kairi wasn't even that lucky.
Right after came dinner, because Kairi simply hasn't spent nearly enough time with the family. At that point the redhead is on her hands and knees begging to go to bed. Thankfully for her, that is all she has time for anyway.
Friday's schedule is a tad different from the Monday to Thursday one though. The reason being that she gets to visit her best friend in the nearby kingdom every Friday. Prince Riku was not like any of the other boys she has had the misfortune of meeting in her life. Although, the boy wasn't wonderful enough for Kairi to want to spend the rest of her life with him. Regardless of her opinion, Riku and Kairi were told they were to wed when they came of age. Kairi dreaded the day with a passion, and so did the prince. They were much alike in that aspect, because neither wanted to be dominated over. So they did what only two kids of royal decent that wanted to rebel against their families could do, make a pact.
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The day of their coming of age was less than a week away, and coincidentally enough so was the closing day of the pact. They both hoped with all their heart that it didn't have to come to that, but it seemed they didn't have much of a choice anymore. How were they to find proper replacements by the end of the week? It was completely impossible, no matter how much faith was put into their wishful thinking. Riku and Kairi were to marry in seven days, and that was that.
Kairi tossed and turned in bed for hours on end, and finding sleep to be just as unattainable as her independence. She really didn't have anything against Riku, but their relationship was simply platonic and nothing more. Their parents have hopelessly tried and tried, all to no avail. They were not attracted to each other! Why couldn't they understand?
She lay back on her bed, and stared at the roof of her canopy. The color scheme for the kingdom that month was maroon and a rather interesting royal blue. She hated it.
"Honestly, why can't I have pink and purple bed sheets… It's not as if I'm asking for the whole kingdom to be pink and purple. Although, that would look mighty-"
A faint knock was heard at the door, and Kairi flinched. She wasn't sure if to let whoever it was come in, or ignore the knock altogether. It was a quarter to midnight, and all servants were aware of the curfews. Maybe it was an assassin! Yes, someone was surely after her head, and they were courteous enough to knock instead of barging in. It seemed perfectly understandable to Kairi for a split second, then she smacked her palm against her forehead. All the time she had just wasted trying to figure out if it was a murderer, she could've called for the guards. But no, she only lay there motionless until another knock was heard, that time a little louder.
The redhead gulped and poked her head out from the silk covers of the canopy, "Come in?"
All that was seen in the pitch dark room, minus the dim moonlight, was a head of light brown hair. "Thank you Lady Kairi. I'm so terribly sorry I've come at this hour, but the king has told me to send the new bed sheets personally. They apparently had a secret meeting while you were sleeping, and they've changed the color scheme again."
Kairi stared at the chambermaid dumfounded, not because of the secret meeting that took place while she was trying to sleep oh no. Neither for the bizarre and random color scheme selection ( that time it was a rather tacky canary yellow and ugly brown, Kairi could almost cry! ), but because she had never seen this person before in her life. Her quite interesting hairstyle stood out no matter the lack of lighting in the room, but not more than her luminescent green eyes.
"I uh…"
The brunette giggled as she continued holding onto the repulsive looking sheets, "I'm sorry princess, is there something wrong?"
"Wrong? No! I… Who are you?" Kairi didn't mean to come off rude, but she really didn't know who the hell that person was. Even if she was definitely different from the regular staff, and Kairi really couldn't stop gawking.
"Oh! I'm sorry, how rude of me!" She bowed embarrassedly and finally handed Kairi the sheets, "My name is Selphie Tilmitt. The king was kind enough to give me a job as a servant in this castle. But I was deeply honored when I was told that I was going to serve as your chambermaid, Princess Kairi."
Kairi took hold of the sheets and blushed a deep crimson, "H-honored? To serve me? But w-why?"
Now it was Selphie's turn to blush; she hardly presumed she was going to go for a full on confession on her first day working in the castle. She turned her head away from the princess' gaze, "I'm honestly not sure, but I know that I really do admire you."
"Admire?" Violet eyes widened as the words left the brunette's lips. It couldn't be, Kairi couldn't understand… Why would anyone admire her? Alright, she was a princess and yadda, yadda, yadda but still that wasn't a good enough reason. Or was it a good enough reason for the adorable timid looking servant? The redhead noticed that those emerald colored eyes were not set on her anymore, which was disappointing to think the least. For some reason Kairi wanted those eyes to always be on her; they were so inviting. She felt so odd; the princess never had an interest in another individual before. What was so special about the girl standing a foot or two away?
Still not looking back at the princess' direction, Selphie nodded. "I'm so sorry, I must go now. I've dawdled long enough, and the head chambermaid will have none of it."
Kairi frowned as she finally got out of bed, ignoring what she had said altogether. Now that she found someone worth talking to, the girl had to leave? No, way. Kairi was not going to let her go that easily. "Please, stay."
Selphie was still bright red, and looked down at the floor, "She will have my head if I don't report back this instant! "
The princess snorted, "You mean Aerith? Oh please, she hasn't had my head yet so I'm sure she is not about to have yours. I mean, Yuffie is a menace and you still see her head attached to her body."
Again muffled giggles filled the room as Selphie shook her head, "You're not only charming, but quite the jester as well. Although really, I must go." She turned to the door, and contemplated twisting the doorknob to actually leave. If it were up to Selphie she would stay with the princess forever. Her mind was not comprehending much of that nonsense, but her heart was way ahead of it all.
Everything was all so sudden, and Kairi was still mighty confused of all the mixed emotions that were surfacing. Was that what love at first sight felt like? No, of course not, she couldn't possibly harbor feelings for another female. That was not only absurd, but then her immaculately planned life would fall apart. She could already hear her father and mother's disappointed voices in her head. But without thinking it through any further Kairi took Selphie's hand into her own, "Don't."
Selphie looked back in disarray, "Excuse me?"
"Don't go, and that's an order," Kairi said as she attempted her father's ever popular stern look.
It apparently worked, for the brunette quivered in place, "Yes, your highness."
Her eyes were slowly entrancing the redhead; she didn't know if she could take anymore of the torture. Selphie was going to be hers, whether she wanted to or not. It was all coming into place. Her heavenly angel that was going to lead her to an eternity of happiness. The one that was going to make Kairi feel alive. She could see all that and more in those eyes of hers. After finally coming out of her reverie, Kairi brought Selphie as close to herself as possible, and leaned her head against a shoulder. "Thank you."
Leaving all sense of realization behind, Selphie passed a hand tenderly through the princess' soft berry colored hair. Even if they had just technically met, her heart was pounding so fast in her chest. She then whispered and asked, "Why are you thanking me Lady Kairi?"
Kairi thought carefully of what to respond with, but in the end she could only answer truthfully. "Because you're probably the only person in this entire kingdom that I can tolerate bringing me horrid colored sheets."
The brunette didn't hold back the laughter that time, and she smiled at her, "Oh? Well, you're welcome then."
"Wait I'm not done."
Selphie placed a hand over her mouth and stayed silent.
Kairi smiled back, "Don't worry, I'll tell you another day. You must go now, it's almost midnight."
The brunette panicked and gave her a quick nod, "Yes princess, until tomorrow…" The sound of the door closing never felt so dissatisfying.
Once Kairi found herself alone in her room again, she clutched the front of her nightgown and smirked to herself. That newfound feeling in her chest was growing stronger and stronger, but she still didn't understand it very well. Although the feeling was far from unpleasant, it had left her in a state of dysphoria.
"I want to get to know you better Selphie Tilmitt… I really, honestly do."
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"Are you sure you should be doing that in the courtyard?"
Riku ignored his surroundings and continued to focus on his primary target that was fifty-five feet away. Usually his father would let him practice archery out on the fields, but alas he had told his son they were in the middle of festival preparations. The boy mentally scoffed because he knew exactly what the man was aiming towards with said preparations.
"Oh I see, you're pretending your dad is the target, eh?"
At that instant the arrow went flying to the other end of the courtyard, almost going right through a cat that was inconspicuously walking along the edge of the royal fountain. The cat never saw it coming, and from the impact meowed in immense shock. Soon after it lost it's balance, and fell right into the dreaded fountain. It once again meowed, but that time in great annoyance.
"Riku! Look what you did to poor Aramis!"
Light silver strands of hair was pulled aside when aquamarine eyes fixed themselves at the wailing cat. Without a care in the world he retrieved yet another arrow from it's compartment, "No one told him to be right smack in the middle of my practice ground."
Kairi glared at the pompous fool, "It's not as if he asked to be thrown into the fountain!"
He turned to the princess and shrugged, "He wasn't thrown-"
Not another word left Kairi's lips as she stomped over to the fountain, and struggled to pull Aramis out. The mangy cat was not cooperating, and it was only making the redhead even more irritated. She gave up and let go of the feline, as it went flying back into the water. Needless to say it was going to take a long time for Aramis to forgive the both of them… Long time.
Riku stifled any laughter, and cringed when he noticed the princess about to break out in a fit of rage. He called one of his servants to get her a towel, since she was soaking wet from the battle royal with Aramis. It was definitely a sight.
After drying up a little, Kairi walked back to Riku still seething. She got over it immediately when someone made their way into her mind. Now she was smiling ridiculously wide, and naturally the prince noticed.
"Bi-polar much? What's that creepy smile for?"
Still smiling she squeezed the towel letting all the water it absorbed drip onto the ground, "You wouldn't understand."
"Oh, and why not? I'm assuming if anyone would understand it would be me."
Kairi sighed a dreamy kind of sigh, "You've never been in love Riku, it only works if you have."
His eyes widened and looked at her questioningly, "Love? Kairi, did you really find someone? Could it be enough to stop this dreaded arranged marriage?"
She frowned, "I highly doubt it, but still dear friend I'm in love. Honestly, that's all that really matters. I never thought I would actually-"
"Are you sure it isn't some sort of infatuation instead?"
"No! It isn't! It's really, really…" The redhead paused and placed a hand over her chest, "I felt it here."
Oddly enough Riku's cheeks felt slightly warm. Suddenly he knew exactly what his friend meant, and was a tad jealous of it all. If he were to tell her about his close encounter with that same exact feeling, she probably wouldn't believe it either. Regardless, Kairi always knew what she was doing in the end. So he was going to leave it all in fate's hands. "What's his name?" He asked out of sheer curiosity.
All the redhead could do was smirk innocently, and respond in an infectiously sweet voice, "Selphie Tilmitt."
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A/N: So that was it. I was thinking of making a Riku side story to this piece, but I'm not sure. Also I wanted to continue the Kairi/Selphie goodness... but it all depends if people end up liking it. So if you want the Riku side story let me know! As well as more Kaiphie. :P