"Wake up, Namine!" My beloved sister said, pulling my warm blanket off me. "Father starts in court within minutes, and you wouldn't want to miss the chance of seeing Prince Sora, would you?"
"I would," I grumbled, my hands grabbing thin air as they tried to retrieve the blanket.
"Just get up." Kairi said, throwing my now cold blanket onto me. Groaning, I forced myself to stand and dress myself. I brushed my air in a manner that was anything but thoroughly, which earned a look of disapproval from Kairi. But she was grateful that I at least had to energy to get up.
I went to snatch a warm jacket, but Kairi hastily pushed me towards the carriage even though we could walk there in minutes. "I don't care about reputation or whatnot," Kairi said, as she noticed my frown. "But look at all that mud! It'd soak our dresses to our knees."
"Suppose," I said, observing the ground. True, it was dirty and disgusting, quite like the pig sties. "Why are you so eager, anyway? It's not news that father works in the court."
"But it's news that Prince Sora is going to attend," Kairi said, stroking her hair and flattening it. "Do I look good?"
"Your hair is always straight, Kairi," I yawned. "Relax. No one's going to judge you - you look like - like a Queen to be." That calmed her down for the rest of the trip. It was obvious that she, like many other women, had been in love with Sora ever since he was able to speak. However, one thing unlike the rest, is that she was in love with him before he reached the age to marry.
Prince Sora - a kind hearted boy who always saw the good in others. He treated everybody as equals, but from my perspective, he seemed a bit thick. Or maybe he's just too naive. Or maybe ignorant. I'm guessing the former (everyone knew the infamous scandal from when Prince Sora asked the question "What's a period?" In the end, no one chose to tell him, because he's better off not knowing).
But there was also the Prince who always seemed to live in the shadows. While everyone was asking Prince Sora to be their King, Prince Roxas, his younger twin, was overlooked. It's common that many forget about him, but one Princess may try to date him to get to Prince Sora. Not that Prince Roxas wasn't attractive, it was just that it's often that the older brother gets the throne rather than the younger, and it seemed unlikely that Prince Roxas was about to kill his older brother any time soon. He was graver and quieter - but undoubtly loyal to his people.
"We're here," Kairi said in a sing song voice. She brushed off some dust on her dress and walked in a graceful pace towards the courthouse. She was restraining from giggling, I knew. We entered the courthouse and sat in the guest's seats as we watched Prince Sora give out a speech. Spiky brown hair and bright blue eyes - he looked fairly innocent, though what he was speaking about seemed quite serious.
Once the prince had finished whatever he was saying, I decided to push off. I didn't bother telling Kairi, since she was so mesmerized by the sound of Prince Sora's voice. I took my sketchbook from which I had snuck in the carriage without Kairi knowing and began to draw. Since the scenery so finely presented to me now was drab, dull, and two thirds wet, one third brown, I began imagining snow. White, bright snow. Falling down gracefully from the sky, snowflakes beautiful and delicate. One would fall on my tongue, and I would taste the sweet softness of the snow.
Only it never snows here. It's always twilight. That's why it's called Twilight Town. Well I'm sick of twilight. I've had enough of the sun staying in the middle of the sky, never rising, never falling. I'm sick sick sick SICK to death of the orange sky. I want bright blue skies. Or dark navy ones.
I looked down at my paper. I had drawn a twilight view, then subconsciously scribbled crosses all over it. At an impulse, I threw my sketch book at a random spot, angry, until I had heard an 'ow' coming from my left.
A boy about my age had my sketchbook planted upon his head. He caught it before it fell to the mud. "Are you alright?" I hurriedly took the sketch book from him.
"I - I apologise," I stuttered. "I was careless."
He half-smiled."Well, what do you draw?"
"I don't draw," I said stupidly.
He lifted an eyebrow. "Then what's this for?"
"Uh - uh..." I bit my lower lip. "Paper...to...clean up...the mud..." You've been caught, my dear friend.
"The mud." The boy said.
"Y-yeah," I said. "Haven't you done it before?" I laughed uncomfortably. He made me uncomfortable. He was the first and single boy to ever speak to me willingly; but from his bored expression, I think he's just trying to kill time. Or does he just look like that all the time?
Awkward silence.
"I don't like mud much," I said, rubbing the back of my head nervously.
"What's not to love about it?" I laughed at this, but I might've laughed harder if this boy even smiled. "So...?" He gestured at my sketchbook.
"Mostly scenery and people," I mumbled. "I used to love working with twilight, but now it's getting dull..."
"Why don't you draw snow, then?" The boy asked, approaching me with curiousity.
"Because I have to draw what I see. You know - 'Draw what you see' and 'Write what you know'. Besides, I don't know what shades I have to use for it." I blew my hair in frustration. "Is your 'parental figure' in the courtroom or something?"
"Not really, he's at home," He replied. "That is, if you call it a home."
"Oh, I see," I frowned. "Then what are you doing here?"
"My brother's in the courtroom, actually." He said, lowering his voice, as if not liking what was about to happen next.
"Brother?" I furrowed my eyebrows, confused. "How old is he?"
"Sa -"
"NAH - MIN - AYYYYYYYY!!" An all too familiar yell cried out from behind me in the midst of a crowd. Kairi ran to me, looking as if she were about to die of happiness. "Where'd you run off to?" Before I could think of an excuse, she spread her arms out with glee. "Oh, who cares! Prince Sora talked to me, you know!" She giggled excitingly. Normally Kairi would have more dignity, but I suppose you do crazy things when you're in love. "And he's taking me out on a cart this Saturday! Oh no!" Excitement turned to horror and Kairi planted her hands on her face. "I forgot to tell him where we live!" She stomped on the ground in frustration and ran off to find her Prince Charming.
"Stupid klutz."
"Are you calling my sister a klutz?" I growled, fury rushing in my body.
"No. Sora."
I froze. I then glanced at different places, hoping that no guards or anyone of authority could've heard. "You realise he's a prince?" I hissed.
"I'm very well aware, thank you," He replied, looking a little offended. He took one look at the sky and sighed. "Look - I have to go, if it doesn't work out between your sister and Sora, just tell her that his castle here is in on Sunset Hill, and she can meet him there." He ran towards Kairi's direction, and I frowned again.
He must've been a servant or something.
I headed towards my own carriage, struggling to hold my sketchbook and lift up my dress as to not stain it further. I went inside, instructed the driver not to leave just yet. Soon enough, Kairi had entered, the sleeves of her dress and hem brown and disgusting, stained so much that the driver almost mistook her for one of the homeless people who roamed buildings every now and then.
"Kai...ri..." I stared at her.
"Couldn't find him," She said softly. "There it goes. My one chance. And I blew it."
"No, you didn't," I stroked her arm gently. "You know that boy from before? Well, he said that the Prince is staying at the castle on Sunset Hill."
Kairi's eyes lit up with a new light, and the smile I thought was banished from her face forever reappeared brighter and broader than ever. "Oh my god, Namine," Tears of happiness brimmed her eyes. "You...you're the best!" She hugged me tight and lovingly, and I couldn't help smile a bit myself. "I have to thank him! What was the boy's name?"
"It was -" I racked my brains for his name, then realised that I never once asked for it. "I - I don't know, actually. Maybe he's a butler, or something."
"Or," Kairi said, suggesting something I really hated her for. "It could be Prince Roxas."
"He would've been in the court." I said, crossing my arms.
"They say he was absent."
"Exactly, so that means he can't have been there!" I huffed. Kairi rolled her eyes, murmuring something about how 'I didn't get it' and dropped the subject.
I gestured for the driver to drive away and made no move to further go down that topic.
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