Princess Identity.
Chapter 1 Runaway.
"Princess Ruki, where are you?" Himeko called throughout the grounds of the royal palace. There was a good possibility that the Princess would be out here, Ruki loved the outdoors everyone knew. She dispised wearing dresses, even though it was customary for a princess. In all truth, she didn't want to be a princess. She wanted to be free, away from the clutches of royality, but she could never do that. Who ever heard of a princess running away, it was absurd, never thought of.
"There you are Princess, the whole palace has been searching for you, it's time for you to get ready for the ball tonight." Himeko said breathlessly as she found the princess sitting by the pond in the east garden. This was Ruki's favourite spot in the whole grounds. She often sat and thought out here for hours upon hours thinking of ways to leave. However she had never acted any of them out. But tonight, she thought, tonight is the night I leave this place.
"I'll be right there." Princess Ruki replied calmly to her maid. Himeko wondered her way back to the palace and, reluctuntly, Ruki followed her.
'This ball is going to be a nightmare. No doubt, mother is going to set me up with some prince.' Princess Ruki broke into a run and made her way into the palace swiftly, beating Himeko upto her room.
"I knew you'd beat me." said Himeko ten miniutes later. "The Queen has requested you wear this dress." Princess Ruki looked over the soft pale lavender dress her maid held in front of her. Ruki never said, but of all her clothes this was her favourite piece. Even if it was a dress. Ruki had jeans and shirts, although she was never allowed to wear them in public, she often wore them on her 'days off' as she called them. They made her fell like a normal person.
"If you don't mind Himeko, I'd like to get ready be myself this evening." Princess Rukis said quietly. Himeko knew better not to argue with the princess and left her in peace. Quickly Ruki pulled on the dress, she would have to attend the meal, then it would be time to change into her dancing outfit. That would be the time she left.
Ruki had planned this carefully. She had to do this quickly and her timing would have to be perfect. The princess pulled out a large bag she had aquired years ago and stuffed in most of her casual clothes and her second favourite dress. That one being a baby blue. She then walked over to her vanity table and pulled out two necklaces. One with the Royal Crest etched upon it and another with the letter 'R'. She placed the second into a small box and into he bag, the other around her neck. Lastly pulling her lavender gloves on and hair out of it's messy ponytail she stood in front of the floor length mirror.
"This is it." She said to herself. "Tonight is the last night i'm a Princess."
She had it all worked out. There was a ship leaving China at eleven o'clock that night. The meal was at seven, the guests would arrive at six. The dancing started at ten. This gave her at least an hour to leave and board the ship. The docks were a twenty minuite walk away from the palace. Ruki knew that the guard left his moniters every eight minuites passed the hour the check on the systems in the next room. He was away for at least five miniutes. This gave her enough time to run out of the gounds without being seen. She also knew he never re-wound tapes.
At six-thirty Ruki made her entrance. The guests looked and smiled at the beauty of the sixteen year old girl appearing before their eyes. Many gasped and whispered to the people around them. The dinner went well. A simple three course meal. At nine thirty the ladies went off to change including Princess Ruki and the Queen. Himeko was strictly forbidden to visit Ruki as, again, she wanted to be left by herself.
In her room, Ruki grabbed her bag and changed into a black skirt and shirt. One that may be used in the case of a funeral. It would be harder to see on the monitor screens dressed in all black. Ruki had one pair of trainers she had begged her mother for. Giving in, like she had with the jeans, the Queen agreed. Luckily theses were also black.
At ten o'clock Ruki left her room and wondered down to the second floor. Most of the women would still be getting into their dresses so it was highly unlikely for her to be spotted. After a few miniutes the guard left his room early. Ruki tiptoed her way down the hall and out the door. She looked around at her surroundings, it was dark but enough light to see where she was going. Running, she made her way out of the gate and away from the palace. She didn't stop running for ten miniutes straight when she took a small rest to catch her breath. She was a good runner, but not at that speed. Quickly she made her way in the direction of the dock. Glanicing down at her watch it read 10:15. 'I can't believe I did it. Now I just need to get on that boat.' And with that the former Princess walked on.
The boat was still in the docks when she reached it, thankfully. Ruki had heard that the boats left earlier sometimes at this time of night. She walked up to the side where men were walking up with large packages. Ruki, too, walked up the boat and onto the ship. Nervously glancing back as she did so.
"Name and Boardig pass please?" a gruff male voice asked as she boarded. Ruki took out her ticket she had purchased long ago with another name on it.
"Nonako, Rika Nonaka."
Chapter 1 Runaway.
"Princess Ruki, where are you?" Himeko called throughout the grounds of the royal palace. There was a good possibility that the Princess would be out here, Ruki loved the outdoors everyone knew. She dispised wearing dresses, even though it was customary for a princess. In all truth, she didn't want to be a princess. She wanted to be free, away from the clutches of royality, but she could never do that. Who ever heard of a princess running away, it was absurd, never thought of.
"There you are Princess, the whole palace has been searching for you, it's time for you to get ready for the ball tonight." Himeko said breathlessly as she found the princess sitting by the pond in the east garden. This was Ruki's favourite spot in the whole grounds. She often sat and thought out here for hours upon hours thinking of ways to leave. However she had never acted any of them out. But tonight, she thought, tonight is the night I leave this place.
"I'll be right there." Princess Ruki replied calmly to her maid. Himeko wondered her way back to the palace and, reluctuntly, Ruki followed her.
'This ball is going to be a nightmare. No doubt, mother is going to set me up with some prince.' Princess Ruki broke into a run and made her way into the palace swiftly, beating Himeko upto her room.
"I knew you'd beat me." said Himeko ten miniutes later. "The Queen has requested you wear this dress." Princess Ruki looked over the soft pale lavender dress her maid held in front of her. Ruki never said, but of all her clothes this was her favourite piece. Even if it was a dress. Ruki had jeans and shirts, although she was never allowed to wear them in public, she often wore them on her 'days off' as she called them. They made her fell like a normal person.
"If you don't mind Himeko, I'd like to get ready be myself this evening." Princess Rukis said quietly. Himeko knew better not to argue with the princess and left her in peace. Quickly Ruki pulled on the dress, she would have to attend the meal, then it would be time to change into her dancing outfit. That would be the time she left.
Ruki had planned this carefully. She had to do this quickly and her timing would have to be perfect. The princess pulled out a large bag she had aquired years ago and stuffed in most of her casual clothes and her second favourite dress. That one being a baby blue. She then walked over to her vanity table and pulled out two necklaces. One with the Royal Crest etched upon it and another with the letter 'R'. She placed the second into a small box and into he bag, the other around her neck. Lastly pulling her lavender gloves on and hair out of it's messy ponytail she stood in front of the floor length mirror.
"This is it." She said to herself. "Tonight is the last night i'm a Princess."
She had it all worked out. There was a ship leaving China at eleven o'clock that night. The meal was at seven, the guests would arrive at six. The dancing started at ten. This gave her at least an hour to leave and board the ship. The docks were a twenty minuite walk away from the palace. Ruki knew that the guard left his moniters every eight minuites passed the hour the check on the systems in the next room. He was away for at least five miniutes. This gave her enough time to run out of the gounds without being seen. She also knew he never re-wound tapes.
At six-thirty Ruki made her entrance. The guests looked and smiled at the beauty of the sixteen year old girl appearing before their eyes. Many gasped and whispered to the people around them. The dinner went well. A simple three course meal. At nine thirty the ladies went off to change including Princess Ruki and the Queen. Himeko was strictly forbidden to visit Ruki as, again, she wanted to be left by herself.
In her room, Ruki grabbed her bag and changed into a black skirt and shirt. One that may be used in the case of a funeral. It would be harder to see on the monitor screens dressed in all black. Ruki had one pair of trainers she had begged her mother for. Giving in, like she had with the jeans, the Queen agreed. Luckily theses were also black.
At ten o'clock Ruki left her room and wondered down to the second floor. Most of the women would still be getting into their dresses so it was highly unlikely for her to be spotted. After a few miniutes the guard left his room early. Ruki tiptoed her way down the hall and out the door. She looked around at her surroundings, it was dark but enough light to see where she was going. Running, she made her way out of the gate and away from the palace. She didn't stop running for ten miniutes straight when she took a small rest to catch her breath. She was a good runner, but not at that speed. Quickly she made her way in the direction of the dock. Glanicing down at her watch it read 10:15. 'I can't believe I did it. Now I just need to get on that boat.' And with that the former Princess walked on.
The boat was still in the docks when she reached it, thankfully. Ruki had heard that the boats left earlier sometimes at this time of night. She walked up to the side where men were walking up with large packages. Ruki, too, walked up the boat and onto the ship. Nervously glancing back as she did so.
"Name and Boardig pass please?" a gruff male voice asked as she boarded. Ruki took out her ticket she had purchased long ago with another name on it.
"Nonako, Rika Nonaka."