Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I wish I did! You know what they say: be careful what you wish for; well, I'm being reckless!
Summary: Keladry is not who people think she is. And who's Princess Hanakami!? They're one in the same!!
A man sat in front of a desk, writing on some parchment. His brush was dipped into black ink and left intricate symbols in its wake. The man was tan with a fairly muscular build; his dark onyx hair was kept in a high ponytail that cascaded down his back. He had no facial hair, except that of a mustache that framed both sides of his mouth and passed his chin. His black eyes were slanted and focused in concentration as they darted from character to character.
He was wearing an expensive looking outfit. It consisted of a plain gold haori underneath a silk red one. There were golden and jade colored dragons that wound their way up his sleeves and their heads rested on his chest. He wore red silk hakamas and on his hands were rings of the highest quality. On his head, where his ponytail laid tied, was a gold piece that resembled flames, his crown to mark him as emperor of the Yamani Isles.
Just then, the large, heavy, wooden, gold, and wrought iron doors opened to his imperial study. He looked up and was ready to yell at the guards for having someone disrupt him without warning, when he finally saw who was there.
A small figure walked up to his desk on the dais and plopped themselves next to him on a plush red pillow. The emperor looked at the figure, who turned out to be a little girl, no older than five.
She was wearing a pink yukata, or summer kimono, that had no sleeves and stopped above the ankles. It had yellow butterflies on it; her obi was a paler yellow with pale pink butterflies on it. She had light brown hair that was being held into two pigtails on both sides of her head by yellow ribbons. She was pale by Yamani standards but still tanned with freckles splashed across a delicate nose. She had full pink lips that were blood red due to the fact that it appeared that she got into his private stash of cherries. She looked at what he was writing before turning wide hazel eyes on his face.
They searched his eyes with an incredible intensity before narrowing into dangerous slits.
"Jii-chan! You should be learning your Tortallian letters!" She scolded, using her nickname for him, which she was only permitted to use in private with him or her parents. She hastily crawled into his lap and stole the brush from him. She reached out her chubby little hands and grabbed another piece of parchment. "Here, this is an A!" She said slowly as she carefully drew a capital A on the paper.
"Yes I see, Hana Chibi," Said Emperor Ichiro. He used her nickname which meant Little Flower. His face betrayed nothing, as was Yamani custom, but his eyes had a soft look to them as he looked down at the girl who had managed to worm her way into his heart.
Before, he was a cold and heartless ruler. If he so much as thought you were thinking ill of him, he would sentence you to death. He ruled with an iron fist that had been frozen for millennia. He was a savage warrior; he had no time for love of family. So much to the point that he had never gotten married, nor did he have an heir, he had five other brothers and seven sisters to give birth to his heir. It wasn't uncommon for the emperor's heir to have been his nephew, or even his niece.
But this girl, who was not of his heritage, she had steeped of a boat and flip his world upside down. She made a little hole through all of those layers of ice surrounding his heart, crawled into it, and thaw it from the inside out.
And it was only made worse when she began to call him 'Jii-chan', or the cute, affectionate way of saying grandpa.
He had changed, there was no denying it. He actually gave people second chances now. He was still a harsh ruler, but now, not every law required death as punishment if you broke it.
Her parents were ambassadors from Tortall, a country a few days sail from the Isles. They were here for negotiations involving an alliance and they had brought there youngest child, for she was too young to be left at their fief with her older siblings.
Keladry of Mindelan was not the average five year old. She was incredibly adaptable. She had learned to hide her emotions behind a mask within days. Days. Most kids, who had lived here forever, took months to learn control like that. She was also more aware of her surrounding that any of the ninjas that roamed the lands. She was also very interested in the art of war.
Any weapon she picked up, she was natural at. Hand to hand combat, no one would dare try to get her angry and make her resort to that. Within a year of being at the imperial palace, she had learned how to use the shukusen, glaive, bow and arrow, hand to hand combat, ninjistu and swordsmanship.
She was quick, flexible and agile, all together- a very deadly weapon. She had saved the emperor's life over seven times.
She was a natural born warrior, a person born every thousand years or so. Most people had to be molded into a warrior. Whether it was from the fact they were born into a family of warriors and they were raised to be one, or they became one because it was an obligation. But not Hana, she was born. She was expected to be something else, but her heart guided her to its own destination. By following her heart and using her head to aid it, she would go to on to do great things. Ichiro saw it in her already.
"Jii-chan! You're not a very good student! Now listen, this is an S. It's like a ssssnake! See, it looks a snake." Kel said, making it very clear that indeed, an S looked like a snake.
Her light brown lashes batted furiously as she tried to blink an eyelash from her eye. Ichiro plucked the offending lash away from her eye and flicked it away.
"Arigato, but now I'm hungry. And if I'm hungry, then your lessons are going to have to wait. Food time! Food time!" She said as she hoped from his lap and pulled on his sleeve. He chuckled and followed behind her.
"Where are your parents?"
"They are…" Kel trailed off slightly as they rounded a corner and she collided with a lithe figure. She fell to the floor and a grunt, but quickly sprang back up. She looked at the person she hit and was greeted with a face of a woman nearing her forties with white hair, a kind face, and soft brown eyes. Next to her was a short, stocky man with hazel eyes that were framed in long lashes, a delicate nose, and mousy brown hair. "Right HERE!!" Kel said as she twirled around on one foot while hugging herself.
"So I see." Ichiro chuckled as he nodded toward Ilane and Piers of Mindelan. They bowed back to him with their hands on their knees. "I do believe that your daughter is still hungry after indulging in my cherries again." He said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
The baron and baroness of Mindelan knew of the emperor's fondness toward their daughter and knew that he would never be angry with her. As a matter of fact, they knew that Ichiro viewed Kel as the granddaughter that he never would have.
Ichiro was in his late fifties, but hardly looked forty. It was too late in his life to even think about having a family. But the time his would-be-children were in their twenties, he would long gone. So, he could forget about even the possibility of seeing his grandchildren.
Piers bent down some to look at his daughter.
"You've been eating Ichiro's cherries again? If you keep eating them, you're going to become one!" He tickled her a little before picking her up and settling her on his hip.
"But papa, it's not my fault. It's all Jii-chan's fault!" She said while pointing at him. "He leaves 'em out in the open all the time! And they're so red! And they're so yummy!"
The group of three adults and one chattering kid walked into a large, but cozy room. There was a low table there with six plush pillows set in order around it. Ichiro sat at the head, Piers on his left and Ilane on his right. Kel dragged a pillow to sit in between him and her mother.
Servants quickly brought out tea and served it.
Kel took a small sip of her tea before gulping the rest of it down.
"It needs some sugar." She said simply before tugging on her mother's purple kimono, Ilane, understanding the plea, poured some more tea. But this time, she added a tea spoon of sugar and mixed it in.
Four servants came out with steaming platters of chicken, pork, beef and an assortment of veggies and sauces. A bowl of rice was placed in front of each person.
Each person picked up a pair of chop sticks but did not dine. They held their hands and chop sticks in a prayer position and bowed their heads.
"Itadakimasu," they murmured before resettling. Ichiro took the first bite of rice and then everyone began eating.
"Ah, that is right," Ichiro murmured after swallowing some nabe. "Can I speak to you two after this in my study, and no Hana Chibi, you can't come." He said glancing at the five year old. Her bottom lip stuck out in a semi-pout before she slurped down some ramen.
"Dono," Piers said as he and his wife entered Ichiro's study. They used the common term for 'Milord' instead of saying emperor.
"Please, this has nothing to do with your jobs, so call me Ichiro." He said as he waved a hand for them to sit down. As they did, Ilane poured tea, as custom dictated. "I called you here to talk about Hana." Of course, husband and wife knew that Ichiro seldom called Keladry by her name or by Kel.
"Has she done something that we should know about?" Ilane asked as she straightened out her kimono.
Ichiro chuckled, "Surprisingly, no, she hasn't, yet." He paused, becoming somber once again. "I am becoming old. At first, I denied it, but now I cannot. I have age creeping upon me, and I am too old to start a family of my own.
"Before you came, I thought that having a family was a liability. It was another target for your enemies to get to you, if you will. But when you came with Hana, my views had changed. I have seen the errors of my ways and I regret my decision not having to start a family. If I had, not only would I have had children, but by now, grandchildren. Hana has shown me the joy of what having a youngling near you gives you.
"I was wondering for quite some time, if maybe, I could adopt Hana. Not as her parent, but as her grandfather."
Ilane and Piers sat there; shock froze their bodies and dilated their pupils. This was not what they expected when he said that he wanted to see them.
"We are honored, but, wouldn't that make Kel a princess?" Asked Piers after his mind kicked back into gear.
"Yes and no. She will become a princess, but not just that. If you do allow me to adopt her, as my only living direct descendant, she would become my heir."
"That is an amazing offer, truly it is Ichiro. But the choice is up to Kel, herself. And whatever chooses, we will support."
"It is good that she has parents like the two of you." Ichiro nodded, "I'll ask her today. She should be in secret stash of sweet cakes by now." Ichiro said as he got up. Ilane and Piers laughed quietly at his dilemma. Kel always loved to steal his sweets. The three left the room, Ichiro to the left to his rooms and the couple to the right for quick stroll into the gardens.
"Do you think Kel will accept the offer?"
"I don't know Piers, but she might. She loves Ichiro like the grandfather that she never met." The couple was sitting on a bench under a sakura tree in the gardens. Its pink petals floated gently around them in the spring breeze. The moment, however, was ruined by a loud shriek.
"I'll take it that she said yes." Piers said, allowing a wry smile to appear through his mask as he took a blossom and put it in his wife's hair. Ilane also smiled and kissed him on the lips before snuggling close to him. She rested her head on his shoulders and tucked her feet under her. Piers let his arm drape over her and held her close while his head rested on hers.
Two weeks later, a ball was held. Scratch that, a LARGE ball was held. For whom? For one Keladry of Mindelan, no, she was no longer that girl. She was Princess Keladry Hanakami of Mindelan and the Yamani Isles, the sole heir to the Yamani Empire.
The adoption ceremony was held with a small audience of a few priestesses, priests, monks, her parents, and some of Ichiro's family members. But the ball was huge! There were about two thousand people or so there, all dressed in their finest of clothes. Many of the Yamanis welcomed Kel as their new princess with welcome arms, for everyone in that nation had succumbed to her charm and wit. Though there were some who were angry about this move.
They varied about three to seven in age, and they were not pleased. They all had one thing in common; they loved Kel. But now that she was heir to the throne, she was out of their reach forever. Ah, but as long as she was happy, they would be happy too.
Keladry was dressed in a very decorative kimono. Her under kimono was a pale silver while her outer kimono was a shimmering green that brought out her eyes. It was decorated with silver flowers that reflected the light. Her obi was silver with green leaves embroidered onto it. Her hair, which normally reached mid-back, was styled so that it hung loose. However, two sections of it were arranged so that it wrapped to meet in the back of her head with an ornate hair pin. It was a white flower with an emerald center. She wore no rice paint to make her face seem whiter than snow, nor did she wear heavy kohl on her eyes or that bright red lip rogue. Instead, she ate cherries. It made her lips red enough and besides, free cherries for no reason! She was happy.
Her mother was much the same. Except she wore light kohl on her eyes and some pink powder that made it look like she was blushing. Ilane took out a small shukusen that was green with silver vines and tucked it into Kel's obi.
Ilane was wearing a light red kimono with orange flames coming up from the bottom while wearing an orange obi and red shukusen. Her white hair tumbled around her shoulders in curls as she got up from her seat and led Kel into the ballroom.
Piers was very proud of his youngest. She wasn't even six yet and she was doing better than all of his other children put together. She was beautiful, and he knew that he would have a hard time keeping the opposite sex away from her.
Five Years Later
"Jii-chan!" A girl ran towards the man wearing expensive robes. The man stopped and turned to look at his granddaughter. Okay, so she wasn't his granddaughter biologically, but nevertheless, she was still his.
"Yes Hana," said the man. He was in his early sixties but still looked young. The girl, Hana, wasn't actually named Hana, it was her Yamani name meaning flower. The girl looked to be about ten or so. She was tall, five feet and growing, with long sandy brown hair and a tanned complexion. She had hazel eyes that were framed in long, light brown lashes that gave them a dreamy look and a delicate nose dusted with freckles. She had full, pink lips and a stubborn chin.
"Jii-chan, I'm going back to Tortall with Mama and Papa! They said that I could go to the palace there and become a knight!" She said excitedly, though her face betrayed no emotion. "Imagine it, Lady Knight Princess Keladry Hanakami of Mindelan and the Yamani Isles! I can picture it now!" She said wistfully.
Ichiro chuckled, "Yes I know where you are going. I knew that you would become a warrior. You have the spirit of one. "
"You speak wise for one who does not eat in the like," Kel said as she tried to imitate her grandfather's wise, old voice.
"I would eat better, if only you would not keep me from it. I have to eat my vegetables too, and you keep on stealing them from me."
"Because, oh never mind that! Come! You must help me pack! We leave tomorrow, did you know that!?" Kel then grabbed hold of the priceless blue silk and urged her grandfather into her rooms to help her pack.
In Tortall
"It's not what I expected," Kel said softly as she looked at the letter in her hands. "I don't understand, with boys, they are a page for four years then a squire then a knight. There's nothing about a probationary year."
"You can choose to become a Queens' Rider, dear," Ilane told her daughter quietly.
"No, I told Jii-chan that I would become a knight, I'll do it."
"Very well, we'll tell Lord Wyldon of your choice." And with that Piers, her father, left to his study.
Probationary Year- Palace
"THIS WHOLE PALACE IS CRAZY!!" Nealan of Queenscove exclaimed as he went on a rampaged. Kel sat on a cot while Duke Baird, Neal's father and the chief healer of the realm, healed her broken nose.
"He tends to be over dramatic, eh?"
"No offense sir, but sometimes your son can be a real baka," Kel said while rolling her eyes at her new best friend.
"Baka?" The duke questioned as cool green fire trailed from his fingers to her, now, black eye.
"It's Yamani for stupid, idiot, and moron, dummy; dim-witted…the list goes on and on, sir."
"It suits him."
"WHAT! FATHER HOW COULD YOU?!"
"Simple as this; It. Suits. You."
Neal stormed out of the room.
"There, that should be enough. Get some rest, after a healing like you had, you'll be tired."
"Yessir, thank you."
Nine years later- palace
"Did you hear Kel?"
"Hear what, Neal?" Kel said from her strawberry gelding, Peachblossom.
"There's supposed to be a new Yamani Princess coming here, but she's supposed to be Roald's betrothed. Since after Princess Chisakami died another bride was chosen, I heard from some Yamani politicians that this new princess is like the heir to the emperor, so when he dies, she becomes empress.
And then she's marrying Roald! Holy Crap! That means that she'll be Empress and Queen. And Roald'll be King and Emperor!"
Kel didn't say anything, but she stood ramrod straight. What the Hell? Why didn't Jii-chan say anything? She thought as they arrived in the stables at the palace. They had been riding all day from New Hope to Corus for the celebration of something that Kel didn't know of. Now she knew. And now her Jii-chan had some explaining to do.
Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan wasn't always that. She was now, Lady Knight, Princess and soon to be Queen?
Being royal sucked sometimes!
A knock resounded on her door, and Kel got up and answered it. She had taken a bath and changed out of her dirty clothes into a clean, green tunic and black breeches. On the other side of the door stood her parents and Ichiro.
Kel, forgetting her anger toward him, jumped on him with a ferocious hug.
"Jii-chan! I have seen you in over a decade!"
"I know my Hana! It is good to see that you have lived your dream!"
After getting reacquainted with each other, Kel learned why she was chosen. During her years in Tortall, most of her Jii-chan's family had fallen out of favor. She was the only one who was capable, loyal, and honorable enough to become the prized candidate. Besides, she and Roald were already good friends.
"You'll be introduced at the ball later on tonight. Does anyone know who are?" Ichiro asked as he took her in.
"No, I kept that part of me a secret, just in case they might treat me special."
Ichiro nodded before rising.
"I'll leave you to prepare."
Kel looked much as she did at her adoption ball. The only exception was that her outfit was light blue where it once was green and white when it was silver. And though her hair had grown to her shoulders, she had managed to pin it up in the same style.
The ballroom quieted down as the emperor stepped onto the dais.
Neal and the rest of his circle of friends were looking for their Kel. But she was no where to be seen.
"Where is she? Can you see her Neal?" asked Merric as he looked in another direction.
"Nope!"
"We can't find her anywhere!" Whispered Faleron.
"Let's just listen to what the emperor has to say."
So they did.
"I would like to introduce my heir and the betrothed of Prince Roald, my granddaughter, Lady Knight Princess Keladry Hanakami of Mindelan and the Yamani Isles!"
The ballroom ceased to make a sound. Neal, Owen, Merric, Faleron, Cleon, Seaver, Dom, everyone had their mouths gaping open as Kel descended down the stairs to Roald.