Summary: It was never Arika's intention to fall in love with Mashiro, who has been set to marry another. Meanwhile, Mashiro is torn between the benefits of marriage and her feelings for a certain Otome. Will love work out between them or will both remain unhappy?
A/N: Hello, this is my first fanfic ever so I hope you'll go easy on me. Seeing the lack of fanfics about this pairing, I thought I'd write one. This story takes place two years after My-Otome Zwei and I apologize if it's not good enough. Also, I do not own My-Otome.
Italics = thoughts
Chapter One
A young brunette sat up in a tree, humming a somber tune. Her legs swung back and forth; her arms spread out like a pair of wings. Arika could feel the wind caressing her face, letting the breeze tousle her twin brown braids. On her earlobe, the sapphire gem twinkled under the warm sunlight.
Arika drew in a tense breath, feeling her heart flutter as she caught sight of the young Queen of Windbloom. The lavender haired girl was stalking towards her direction, wearing the same irritated look she always had when she was either mad at Arika or tired from a long meeting. Either way, Arika felt strangely happy to see the short tempered Queen.
She felt her heart skip a beat as her Queen's face came into view, only metres away from her. Those sea green eyes twinkling with irritation, but somehow she could see the flickering fire behind them. Arika felt her body tense as a peculiar sensation developed within her stomach, making her wonder if she had become ill all of sudden.
No way, I'm fine. She denied it, shaking her head. Her hand touch her stomach, rubbing it tenderly with the heel of her palm. But the feeling remained.
"Arika!" She jumped an inch off the branch she was sitting on, startled by the obnoxiously loud voice. Before she could remember her surroundings, she tumbled backwards off of the branch. Her hands instinctively moved to grasp onto something but to no avail, she was met with the air.
Despite her Otome training in the past, Arika still had her clumsy tendencies and simply forgot to react. Instead, her back impacted into the ground, sending a wave of pain into her spine. She groaned, thankful that she had sat on the lowest branch. But what shocked back to life was a pair of sea green eyes peering down at her.
"Mashiro-chan?" She whispered, regaining her senses. The lavender haired girl rolled her eyes at her in response, allowing Arika to take note that Mashiro was crouched beside her.
"Baka!" She winced when Mashiro screeched the word at her. "You could have hurt yourself!" Arika's heart skipped a beat as a silly grin spread across her face. Was the short tempered Queen actually worried about her? It made her sit up and lean her head closer, so close that their faces were only inches away.
"Ehhh? Don't tell me you're worried about me?" She teased, careful not to let their noses touch. She watched, amused, when Mashiro's cheeks colored a rosy red and her eyes flashed with defiance.
"N-No, no! W-Why would I care about an idiot like you?" Mashiro stammered, opting to take an angry expression. Her arms crossed over her chest, indignantly, as she averted her eyes, puffing her cheeks out. It made Arika's grin widen, earning an icy glare from the irritated queen and a snicker from the mischievous Otome.
Noticing just how close their faces were, Arika tentatively leaned back. She rubbed the back of her neck, sheepishly, feeling the grin fade from her lips. She couldn't comprehend the strange feeling tingling with her abdomen; it felt as if a million butterflies were fluttering within her stomach. Not to forget that her heart rate had quickened its pace...
Ever since she had become a Meister Otome, served under Mashiro, those feelings had began to surface. She convinced herself that this was because she was close to Mashiro and she admired the girl. But at times, she began to doubt herself, wondering why she always had the urge to be around the girl as much as possible and always thought about her.
It's just the bond we share. Nothing more. She convinced herself, furrowing her brows. Her fingers subconsciously moved to touch the gem on her ear, grazing it with her fingertips.
"Arika?" She snapped out of her thoughts, focusing her sky blue eyes on her Queen. She could see the genuine concern brimming within those sea green eyes and all Arika knew to do was to shoot Mashiro her infamous grin to reassure the girl that she was fine.
"Mou, you need to stop zoning out so much." Mashiro scolded, shaking her head at the girl's antics. Arika couldn't only manage a sheepish laugh in response, rubbing the back of her neck once more. She hadn't expected Mashiro to offer a hand, making every muscle in her body tense. She could feel her heart palpitate at an alarming rate, especially upon seeing the hint of a smile placed on Mashiro's lips.
She placed her hand on Mashiro's outstretched one, letting their fingers brush ever so gently. When an electrifying jolt shot up her arm, she let out a small gasp. In a state of shock, she yanked her hand back, placing it back on her lap. She shifted her gaze over to the side, avoiding eye contact with the lavender haired girl.
"I can... get up on my own." She mumbled, carefully lifting herself up to stand. She could feel the slight throb in her back but paid no mind to it. Instead, she turned to face Mashiro, who wore a confused expression, but soon that look dissolved into a displeased one. She prepared herself for Mashiro's wrath, knowing the girl always blew her top off around her.
But as soon as Mashiro's mouth opened to vocalize a complaint, her mouth snapped shut. Instead, She placed a hand on Arika's shoulder, making the slightly taller brunette shudder at the gentle touch.
"Is everything alright?" Mashiro questioned, letting her concern show. Arika blinked before a smile slipped onto her lips. Despite the fact that they tended to argue over trivial things, the two had a bond that continued to grow the more they fought and made up. But lately, they hadn't been arguing as often, considering Mashiro had become quite busy with her meetings.
"I'm fine, Mashiro-chan." She responded in her usual enthusiastic tone, giving the girl a wink as she spoke. It didn't help that she felt drawn towards the lavender haired girl, as if something was trying to nudge her in the girl's direction.
"Well, I have an announcement to make at our meeting today. I would like you to be there to hear it." Mashiro stated, walking forward. She paused to turn her head, giving Arika a pointed look. "You better show up. I don't want you shirking your duties as my Otome." Then Mashiro's expression hardened, glaring daggers at the guilty Otome.
Arika laughed, nervously, waving off the indirect accusation with a stiff hand. At times it felt that Mashiro had really grown up over the last two years while Arika still behaved in the same manner. It made Arika wonder what happened to the arrogant princess she had met the first time she came to Windbloom.
Besides, it wasn't as if she planned to miss those meetings. She just didn't like the idea of sitting in a chair for so long without moving and hearing about each issue going on in different kingdoms. Even if it was her duty as Mashiro's Otome to be at those meetings, she found herself unable to stay awake and slowly began to make excuses to avoid them.
"Mou, to think, I'm stuck with an Otome like you." Mashiro pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation, breaking Arika out of her thoughts. The said Otome opened her mouth to protest, only to snap her mouth shut when she heard Mashiro's laugh resonate in the air.
Arika felt her heart warm at the sound, letting her body relax. It made a tiny smile of her own make its way onto her lips. It seemed that no matter how many times Mashiro insulted her or complained about her habits, they still were a close pair. At times, they looked like they were going to fall apart yet they still pushed through.
You've really become a great Queen, Mashiro-chan. She looked at her master, feeling a strange emotion tingle within her chest. She stared at the back of Mashiro's head, gazing at the long mane of lavender strands. It made her want to walk forward and run a hand through those lavender locks, letting her fingers feel the soft strands and enjoy the silky locks.
Arika shook the thought away, frowning to herself. Why would she want to do something like that? She looked down at her hands caked in dirt and wiped the excess dirt on the material of her blue dress. Had Mashiro seen her do it, the said Queen would have thrown a fit and made sure to insult her about her "disgusting" habits.
"As your master, Arika, I command you to follow me now!" Arika obeyed, walking after the impatient Queen. Choosing to think about her current feelings later, she let Mashiro's hand grasp her wrist and drag her off to the castle.
"Arika, wake up, you baka!" Whack!
"Ouch, Mashiro-chan!" Arika awoke with a start, blinking multiple times. Her forehead was throbbing from the harsh wake up. Feeling disoriented, she rubbed her eyes and yawned loudly, unaware of the pair of eyes staring at her.
Her first instinct was to turn to her right, meeting a pair of irritated sea green eyes. She yelped, sitting up straight, as Mashiro glared daggers at her. It didn't take much for Arika to know that her master was embarrassed by her actions and was thinking about injuring the said Otome. It seemed throughout the meeting, the only discussion Arika had paid attention to was Artai's next attack before she fell into her own dreamland.
"Did I ever tell you that you are pretty?" She innocently said, attempting to appease her fuming Queen. The flattery almost seemed to work when Mashiro's eyes softened, except Arika made the mistake of grinning at her supposed victory.
"You're not being sincere!" Mashiro growled in a tone that only Arika understood. Arika waved her hands in the air, shaking her head, while the lavender haired girl's face turned red with anger. She quickly thought of something to say, hoping to correct her mistake.
"I'm serious, Mashiro-chan!" She tried again without grinning this time. She tried to obtain a serious look but that backfired when Mashiro's glare had turned murderous by now. Arika realized too late that she had only made Mashiro angrier. But thankfully, their surroundings made the short tempered Queen control her temper.
"Uh, do you two need alone time? Your flirting really is... distracting." Natsuki commented, awkwardly, causing the two to acknowledge her presence along with the other council members. Mashiro's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment while Arika only tilted her head in confusion.
"W-We're not flirting!" Mashiro sputtered, losing her calm demeanor. Her cheeks were a noticeable bright red with her eyes averted to the wall. This caught Arika attention, causing her gaze to return to Mashiro's face, observing it carefully with a concentrated expression on her face.
To Arika, Mashiro was pale like a porcelain doll with sea green eyes that burned with defiance and confidence. Her lavender hair framed her face, bring out the beauty Arika had began to notice often. Even Mashiro's body had developed over the last two years, giving her body with noticeable curves and a slightly bigger bust. But seeing those sea green orbs, it would always make Arika want to place a hand on Mashiro's cheek and gaze into the eyes that made her heart skip a beat each time she saw them.
Am I in love with her? She questioned herself, continuing to gaze at her master with her sky blue eyes. Is that why I want to be around her all the time? Is... that why I'm so happy when I'm with her?
Arika knew that idea was far fetched. Even if it was true, why would she ever fall in love with her master? She was Mashiro's Otome and her sole purpose was to protect Mashiro from any threats. She couldn't fall in love with Mashiro because Mashiro had yet to settle down with a prince from another kingdom...
"You really haven't changed at all, have you, Arika?" Mashiro sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, irritatedly. Her arms were crossed over her chest with a blush still evident on her cheeks. When Arika gave no response, it was then Mashiro directed her gaze over to her Otome.
Mashiro's eyes widened slightly, noticing that Arika's eyes were fixated on her face. It made Mashiro feel self-conscious, feeling intimidated by Arika's fixated stare. Did she have something on her face? She felt her hands twitch, wanting to brush away any blemish that might have situated itself on her usually unblemished skin.
While this dispute occurred between the oblivious pair, the council members around them sighed with exasperation. It wasn't a surprise that these girls would always end up side tracked from a meeting.
"Those girls are going to give me a headache." Natsuki commented, sighing, as she chose to ignore the antics of the younger girls. Mashiro had intended to conduct a council members along with a couple of her advisors by her side. But so far, it seemed the young Queen's attention had been focused on her snoozing Otome the whole time.
"Ara, Natsuki, isn't this fun?" Shizuru put a hand over her mouth, taking on a sly look as she did so. Her eyes focused keenly on Arika, who had been staring at Queen Mashiro for over ten minutes now. It interested the older Otome as she watched the scene unfold, raising an eyebrow as she did so.
"Why are you staring at me like that, Arika?" Mashiro hissed, nudging Arika's leg under the table with her foot. The brown haired girl blinked, finally coming back to reality.
"Oh, was I staring?" Arika questioned, tilting her head to the side in confusion. She scratched her cheek, sheepishly. A noticeable crimson hue had spread across her cheeks, symbolizing her embarrassment. She hadn't even noticed she had been staring for so long. Time really didn't adjust in her mind as she carefully averted her eyes from her lavender haired master, feeling a bit embarrassed that she had been caught.
"We'll discuss this later, okay?" She stiffened when she felt a warm breath tickle her cheek. She resisted the urge to turn her head, feeling a lump form within her throat. She could sense the close proximity between them, leaving only a gap of space between their bodies. It made her heart begin to pound uncontrollably, palpitating with a rush of adrenaline.
She could sense the eyes staring at them, either with distaste or amusement; Arika didn't know as she kept her gaze on her lap. Part of her was close to believing that she had fallen in love with Mashiro, considering the reactions her body gave whenever the girl touched her or even looked at with those beautiful sea green eyes. It would be a lie if she said she wasn't happy whenever she spent time with her master.
It was true that she cared about the girl more than anyone and would even protect her at all costs. She wanted nothing more than to be there for Mashiro, even through the tough times. At times she felt a bit sad, knowing their lives were bound to each other and if Arika ever failed on the battlefield, Mashiro would disappear.
A cough from her master brought Arika out of her thoughts, carefully turning her head to meet Mashiro's eyes for a moment. The said girl was giving her a stern look, a look that told her that punishment would be in store if she made a fool out of the girl again. Arika didn't have a hard time depicting that message, knowing her Queen better than anyone. Instead, she puffed her cheeks out and nodded in understanding.
A small hint of a smile flashed in her direction made Arika sit up attentively in her seat. Feeling her heart begin to accelerate once more as she replayed the smile over and over again in her head, she felt the tingly feeling develop within her stomach. It overwhelmed her, reminding her of butterflies that were danced in the air during a warm sunny day.
"Before this meeting ends, I have one last thing I want to discuss." Mashiro announced, carefully standing up from her seat. Arika's sky blue eyes darted upwards to look up at her Queen, feeling an unfathomable feeling nip at her heart. It was a feeling that made her feel strangely uneasy.
"What is it, Mashiro-sama?" Yukino asked, politely, nudging Haruka in the ribs as she did so. The rash blonde huffed, halting her fidgeting for a moment. She had been ordered not to make any outbursts during the whole meeting, especially with her "violent" ideas on what to do with the Artai situation.
"Well, you see..." Mashiro's cheeks colored considerably, glowing with a bright red hue. This action made Arika tense and awakened the curiosity within her body. Her gaze lingered on her Queen's expression, noticing the slight waver in Mashiro's usually confident green eyes, and felt the prickling worry creep into her heart.
"After a few discussions with Prince Takumi of Zipang last week, we made a mutual agreement." Mashiro's expression lost its shy layer, instead revived into a determined one. It was a look Arika had never seen before and for a moment there, she could have sworn Mashiro's eyes had given her a quick glance, as if they were regarding her.
She could feel a nagging feeling tug at her chest, sending an alert into her mind. She could feel her chest heave in and out heavily, wondering why it had become hard to breathe. Amidst her inner struggles, Mashiro held out her hand for all to see.
"To ensure an alliance with Zipang, I have agreed to marry Prince Takumi." Arika felt as if those words had just punched her in the gut. The oxygen had left her lungs as she struggled to breathe properly. The pain in her heart was unbearable, as if someone was crushing her heart with their hand. Her hands moved to grip the edge of the table, attempting to steady her weakening body.
Why does it hurt? She placed a hand on her chest as a stinging sensation began to develop within her eyes. She could feel the threat of tears ready to fall into a salty river. But she couldn't understand it; she couldn't understand what she feeling at the moment. It made her feel as if her world had come to an end...
"Arika, are you okay?" She dodged a hand that attempted to touch her shoulder. She looked up, looking into confused green eyes and deliberately looked away as a wave of pain struck her heart. She couldn't bear to look at her Queen, let alone stay in the same room with her. Instead, she stood up with her hands lingering on the edge of the table. She didn't have to look up to know that everyone was staring at her.
Instead of speaking, she turned to leave, forcing a silly grin to make its way onto her face. She briefly acknowledged Mashiro with a quick glance, before she looked down at her feet with the false grin still perched on her face. She bowed, politely, as if to excuse herself from the meeting and began to walk towards the door with hasty steps.
All the while, the pain had began to strengthen, burning hotter than a branding iron. She could feel the sharp prick in her heart, letting an overwhelming feeling of sorrow rush over her. She could her body sway slightly as she walked, making her wonder why her legs felt so heavy. It was different than the pain she had felt when Sergay had rejected her, it was a thousand times worse...
"Mashiro-sama, congratulations." She paused, giving the lavender haired girl a forceful smile. "I'll see you later!" Before anyone could speak up, she burst through the doors and stormed off, letting a single tear fall down her cheek.