HER STUBBORN HIGHNESS
I am a knight bound in service to her majesty yet she wishes me to be something more. But every time she asks, I respond with my vows as a knight but are my feelings just that of a knight? With these enemies arising, will I be able to tell her the truth or will I be consumed first before so.
~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~
Heylo! FrozenCrimsonCroissant here, I am posting this new story because I lost the will to continue My Romeo and Juliet Tragedy. I lost the whole plot in my head and I don't like how it is going now, I am going to take it down. Instead of that I got this new story in my head. I won't make this a long series because I don't want to lose interest in writing a series too long. Maybe just five to ten chapters or maybe just a oneshot.
I hope you enjoy this story like the others that I have written.
~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~
Raindrops clang with the heavy metal in that stormy night for a kingdom prepared for a war they knew not would be the result. Creatures of the dark in armor roared and hit their spears to the ground creating rhythm with the sound of battle. Creatures of the light docking their bows with arrows that fly true to their prey.
Amidst the cries of war, a queen walks to the aid of her soldiers, a knight by her side and her trusted company of ten warriors each carrying their weapons. The soldiers fall to their knees as they see their queen march on the frontlines wearing her armor. Their presence add inspiration to the people.
"Queen Mikan. Why have you come? This is the frontlines." The commander asked in worry. The queen smiled to him.
"What kind of queen am I if I let my men fight and die for me while I wallow in the comforts that my castle bring?"
"Natsume-san, why did you not stop her?" The commander facepalmed.
"I can't order my own queen, can I?" The knight smirked.
"You two are so alike. There is no helping it." The commander sighed. The queen giggled in victory.
"Now then, let's begin." She glowed white in power.
~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~
"Mikan-sama! Natsume-sama! Mou~ Where are those two?" The voice of the princess's personal maid rang through the castle.
While the maid searched high and low, hidden in a secret passage, two children of ten and eight in age chuckled at their mischief. Then they ran deeper in th passage. When they go to the end, they entered the king's study, startling the king who was then reading documents.
"Wha-! Mikan, Natsume, what are you-? Are you giving Shiina-san a problem again?" The king sighed.
"Calm down, otou-san, Shiina-san is just too strict with Natsume and my education. She needs to slow down even just for a bit. We need some rest too. Why do the other children have less strict tutors? Hotaru and the rest don't get to be stuck in their homes to study everyday. Besides, Natsume and I are already smart enough. Our tutor just keeps teaching us stuff we already know." The king laughed as his beloved daughter pouted.
"Izumi ojii-san, is there news of my father and his men?" Natsume asked.
"Well, I have just heard from the morning messenger that Commander Ioran and his troops have subdued the uprising and are bound to arrive by nightfall." The king replied earning a beam from the raven lad.
"Thank you, my lord." Natsume grinned.
"You have done well being with Mikan, Natsume. Make sure you keep your vow of staying by her side. When you come of age, you will be titled her knight and when she becomes queen, you shall be the one that stays by her side."
"Yes, your majesty."
"Father,..." The brunette spoke, making the two men's attention draw her way. "...I do not wish for Natsume to be my knight."
The king was fazed by his daughter's words but whatvshe said fazed him more.
"I wish to make him my king." She said then smiled. Thus making the king laugh and the said lad blush to the tips of his ears.
~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~
Years have passed and the beloved characters have grown into fine lads and fair maidens.
In this morning of festivities, a knight of the age twenty roams the castle in search of the lady he serves. His crimson eyes keen whilst he rakes his already messy raven hair in frustration because of his mistress's actions.
"Polka! Where are you?" He called out. "Damn this girl. Where is she when this feast is for her?"
He placed his hands on his hips as he looks out to the garden. A petite figure with long wavy brunette curls jumped on his back.
"Natsume!"
"Mikan! Where have you been? I was looking all over for you. The king seeks for you. It is time for you to appear at the ball."
"Will you dress as my escort then?" She asked, her breath tickling his neck.
"I am your escort but I cannot dress as that. I come with you as a friend but as a knight more." She went down from Natsume's back and he faced her.
"You will never answer my feelings for you, will you?" She asked.
"Mikan, I vowed to be your knight, to be by your side until death may take either of us."
"Hmph!" Mikan walked away from Natsume.
"Polka."
"..."
"Polka."
"..."
Natsume did not like it one bit. He lifted Mikan and carried her on his shoulders.
"Natsume! You jerk! Put me down!" Mikan screamed as she punched Natsume's back.
"Natsume-san you shouldn't do that to the princess. The king will not be pleased." A panicky dirty-blonde haired boy with glasses approached the two.
"Don't mind Natsume, Yuu. Among us eleven, he knows how to discipline Mikan the most." A blonde haired lad with sea-blue eyes joined in with a rabbit on his hand.
"Nogi's right. Besides, this scene is worth taking pictures of." A raven girl with amethyst eyes held a camera capturing the comedic scene that was unfolding.
"Imai is at it again. Are the pictures of Natsume and Mikan that much of a seller?" A dark-green haired girl with perms flipped her hair fashionably as she joined the group.
"We just can't get enough of this sweetness." A pink haired girl came with another blonde boy with slanted eyes. "Sumire, is the princess's dress ready?"
"Why certainly. I have prepared the best." The permed girl said.
"Sumire knows what she is doing after all." Another blonde boy said as he jumped in from the window joining the group.
"Of course I know my job. You should too, Koko."
"Of course I do. Plus reading into people's minds are really entertaining." Sumire hit Koko on the head.
"Don't be so hard on him, Sumi." A dark haired girl came holding a basket of liquids.
"Are those a new batch of shampoo, Nonoko?"
"Yes, for the princess."
"Anna, Nonoko, Sumire, ready the princess for tonight's ball." Natsume ordered the three a they reached the princess's room.
"Yes, sir."
"Then, I will come pick you up, Mikan. I must speak with your father." Natsume left followed by the rest excluding the assigned servants.
"Come, Mikan. Let's get you ready." Anna urged.
"Fine." The brunette replied and the four of them entered the room with Mikan heading directly to si on her bed.
"Wait. Why the long face, princess? It's more annoying than when you are ecstatic." Sumire complained stopping the other two from their preparations.
"Well... Natsume will never answer my feelings likewise, right?" She gazed sadly out the window. The three servants exchanged glances. Sumire sighed.
"This girl is dense as ever." She mumbled.
"Can't help it. Natsume does not make it easy after all." Anna added.
"He is unfair with his signs, inconsistent even." Nonoko sighed. Anna walked to the princess.
"Princess, did you ask him yourself?" She asked. Kneeling in front of Mikan whilst putting her elbows on the bed like a child wanting to hear a story.
"Yes. Yes, I did. Many times." Mikan nodded vigorously.
"What did he say then?" Nonoko asked kneeling across Anna.
"Always the same answer. That he is my knight and he vowed to be by my side until death may take either of us."
"Really... That Natsume..." Sumire facepalmed. "Mikan haven't you ever considered that Natsume may have meant something with his words?"
"What do you mean, Sumire?" Mikan asked as Sumire took a seat on the bed beside her.
"Being a knight, that person is bound to his master for eternity. They cannot relieve themselves the responsibility unless decreed or if by sword they were severed." Nonoko said.
"Princess, have you not considered that Natsume may have not replied to your feelings because he does not want that unbreakable bond to change?" Anna asked.
"Have you not put in mind that Natsume may have been afraid that if he answered your confession everything about you two is going to change?" Sumire added.
"Slow down, princess. You don't need to rush all the time. When the time is right, you can get your answer." The three servants stod as they held Mikan's hand and smiled.
"You guys are right." Mikan smiled. "Now, let's get ready for that ball."
~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~
Natsume walked through the halls in a pace that was faster than a walk because he did not wish to be tardy when called by the king. He arrived at the king's quarters and was greeted by the sight of his father's presence with the king.
"Father, King Izumi." Natsume bowed.
"Mou~ Natsume being all formal is making me annoyed." Pouted the king making the other two in the room to sigh.
"Your majesty, the princess will be ready by the ball." Natsume spoke.
"Yes, yes. So how is she?"
"Well, she is the same as ever."
"No. I don't mean that."
"Then what do you mean?"
"You know, you two have been together for years and she never stops talking about how she does not want you to be her knight but she wants you to be her king. Well, considering your alice and intelligence I have no doubt you would be a good one."
"Well, she keeps asking me about my answer to her feelings and I always dodge that topic with my being a knight."
"And what is her reaction every time?"
"Well, she sulks and sometimes refuses to talk to me." Natsume said as he messed his hair.
"I can see you get annoyed at that." The king laughed. "What is your say in this, Ioran?"
"Natsume..." Ioran started. "...if your mother was here, she'd be telling you that to follow what your hearts says. And for me, I would tell you the same. If you want to say something, say it. Regret always comes last."
"Natsume, if you are worried about me. I am all for it. I would rather Mikan belongs to you than to someone I do not trust." Natsume looked down. "Natsume..." Natsume looked at the king. "...Mikan has loved you for years, but even love withers if not felt. If you take too long, Mikan might be taken by some other guy."
"I will have that guy's throat before they can elope." Natsume replied in gritted teeth.
"Well, I can see someone gets jealous so quickly and a bit overprotective. I remember Ioran to be like this with Kaoru too." Izumi teased.
"Whilst both you and Yuka are too carefree." Ioran defended.
"Pity how they both went ahead before us. We had to become single fathers."
"Don't get too emotional, Izumi."
Natsume walked out of the scene before things could get emotional between the two men. At least he received wise words from those two men he looked up to.
"Time for the ball."
~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~
A knock on the door was heard and Mikan answered. Natsume entered her room with clothes she did not expect.
"Natsume..."
"You wanted me to be your escort, right?" Natsume posed as if saying 'and-so-here-I-am-in-this-clothes'.
"Ne~ Natsume, I am sorry about how I act every time you reason out when I ask about your answer to my feelings. I should think about how you feel too."
"It's okay, Mikan."
"But - ! Wait. Did you just call me by my name?"
"Mikan... During the ball, don't let other guys get to you and don't dance with other guys..."
"But if I don't, that would make the party more bori-"
"...dance only with me."
"What?"
"After this party, I have something to tell you."
"What?"
"After the party."
"Oh."
"Let's go." Natsume held his arm to Mikan in which she obliged.
"What's got into you?"
"Well, let's just say two old geezers who were drunk gave out words that made sense."
"I don't get it."
"You'll get it." Natsume chuckled.
Mikan and Natsume stood behind the closed doors and when the door opened plus Izumi announcing Mikan's name they walked into the people's view.
"Mikan, Natsume, just in time." Izumi made a gesture of hugging the two teens and allowed them both to walk deeper into the room to mingle.
Mikan didn't like social events like this, that's why most of the time, Natsume stays with her until the end. And in every social gathering questions about their relationship always arises. They would dodge these questions swiftly but this night was different, Natsume took the liberty of answering.
But amidst the festivity, a shadpw lurks outside the halls. The king being as cautious as ever with Natsume's father, summoned ten particular individuals, nobles and palace servants alike.
Ruka Nogi, captain of the imperial guard and son and heir of the Nogi household, bearer of the animal pheromone alice.
Hotaru Imai, heiress of the Imai household, a genius bearer of the invention alice.
Yuu Tobita, palace librarian, head of the intelligence gathering department, wields the illusion alice.
Kokoro Yome, the kingdoms spy and messenger, wielder of the mind reading alice.
Sumire Shouda, one of the princess's attendants, wielder of the dog-cat alice, assassination asset.
Anna Umenomiya, another of Mikan's attendants, wielder of the cooking alice and sometimes used as asset during assassinations.
Nonoko Ogasawara, the third attendant of Mikan, Mikan's physician and mostly makes the kingdom's poisons and antidotes, she wields the chemical alice.
Kitsuneme Yome, Kokoro's twin and partner, he is a palace scout and wields the flying alice.
Tsubasa Ando, Ioran's righthand, he guides the castle's knights also, wields the shadow manipulation alice.
Misaki Harada, head of the special missions department, wielding the doppelganger alice.
These ten individuals were summoned by the king right before the ball and they were tasked one mission. The mission they were all trained for, to aide the princess for when the time was dire. And now at the ball they dance. For the king, sensing the danger forboding, alerted all the men but an attack can never be determined when especially if it is unexpected.
~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~•••~
"Imai, are there any reactions from your devices?"
"None so far, Nogi. Stop asking so much, enjoy the party naturally, you are acting all stiff."
"Says the ice queen herself."
"This is my normal demeanor. You, on the other hand, have a different one and if the guards notice you being all that, they might do actions that could cause panic."
"Right. Sorry."
"Calm down, Nogi. We've been trained for this for years."
"You're right. I should calm down."
"You're commander for pete's sake." Hotaru commented as she munched her favorite crab cakes.
"Yeah." Ruka sheepishly grinned.
"Well, well, if it isn't my favorite commander." A man in his twenties with a star tattoo on his face approached Ruka and Hotaru along with another woman with pink hair.
"Lieutenant General Ando, Captain Harada, you came here as a couple?" Ruka asked.
"What are you talking about, Ruka. Of course we would, we are engaged after all." The pink haired woman said.
"But you know what? This Misaki is a total amazon." The male said earning a whack on his head from Misaki.
"I'd call off the engagement if I feel like it." Misaki teased as she walked away from the group.
"No. Misaki, you know how much I love you." The male pleaded as he chased after Misaki.
"I bet Tsubasa is going to be under Misaki once they get married." Hotaru said.
"But you can see how much they love each other anyway."
"Hotaru! Ruka-pyon!" The voice of Mikan rang as she dragged Natsume with her.
"Yo! Natsume, Mikan." Ruka waved while Hotaru nodded their way.
Izumi appeared on the balcony of the venue and cleared his throat.
"Everyone in the venue, please lend me your ears," He started, General Hyuuga was beside him. Every guest in the room directed their attention to Izumi.
"I held this ball in honor to my daughter becoming of age for ruling the kingdom. By her side always is her knight, Sir Natsume Hyuuga. But the reason I am making this announcement is because I want to introduce this group of individuals that I have assembled."
As if on cue, Hotaru and Ruka walked front followed by Tsubasa and Misaki then Kitsuneme came flying in with Anna in his arms. Koko then jumped down from the roof along with Sumire, who landed on all fours just after using her alice. Nonoko appeared in a blue smoke with Yuu.
"These ten individuals were tasked by me, a very special mission." Izumi nodded to Ioran and he moved to each person giving them a badge-like thing. "Wear those things as you please. Now, will Mikan and Natsume please come here beside me?"
Mikan gave Natsume a mischievous grin and they both knew well to play with Izumi's show. Mikan twirled around until she and Natsume disappeared. Mikan appeared again by Izumi's side sitting on the balcony and Natsume landing by her side standing on the balcony. This act of theirs earned calls of amusement and claps.
"So this was what you have been working for, Father?" Mikan smiled as if earning a second persona.
"That smile is creepy, my daughter." Izumi teased.
"Why have you made such a team? What have you seen with mom's alice?"
Izumi only gave Mikan a sad smile.
"Father – !" Before Mikan could continue her sentence, an arrow came flying straight to the king's heart. Mikan seeing this, shot a projectile from whence the arrow came before going to cradle her father in her arms. A body came crashing down from the window which proved to be the perpetrator.
In despair, Mikan shook in grief as she cried, Natsume seeing this, alerted everyone to clear away from the venue. The ten other people, knowing what was bound to happen encircled themselves around Mikan and formed an alice barrier. Natsume pulled Mikan away from Izumi's dead body as Ioran took the body away.
"Natsume… Father…Father is… Father is…" Mikan sobbed unto Natsume's chest. Air started to build up due to Mikan's grief.
"Mikan, you have to calm down."
"But – "
"Mikan, you know about your power, if you don't calm down, the kingdom your father built up might end in ruin." This brought Mikan back to reality and calmed her down. The other ten, put down the barrier surrounding them.
"Natsume… He's gone now… Right?" Mikan managed to say in between sobs. Natsume merely kept his head low. Mikan looked around at the rest and she could see thee grief written all over their faces.
"Everyone…was my father the one who gathered you all?"
"Yes." Hotaru replied.
"For what purpose?"
"To protect you and to stop you from going berserk." Ruka said.
"Oh. To prevent the calamity from twelve years ago that caused my brother's life."
"Mikan – " Natsume spoke.
"No, this works for me. I think Father may have seen something through mom's alice. He did not tell you about this assassination?" Mikan asked.
"He merely gathered us and briefed us but he did not mention about him being killed." Misaki said.
"He must have meant it so that you all won't panic. Well, anyway, let's get a move on. We can't let the enemy sense that we are in a panic. Let's have my coronation done after the funeral."
The group left the scene carrying the corpse of the dead king. Knowing that this death will be the cause for their princess and soon, queen to enter battle.