A/N: So this is a new story (yes, I realize I have three barely-started stories). Ideas just pop out of nowhere, and I absolutely have to get them down. Besides, this method should be a pretty good counter for writer's block :)

Chapter One: Princess

"Chin up, Ichigo," commanded Queen Zakuro. "A princess does not slouch."

The red-haired princess, who bore resemblance to neither the king nor the queen, only sighed. She felt that she had the right to slouch, especially today of all days. After all, she had to marry the victor of today's tournament!

Three princes from other kingdoms, whom she'd never even met before, would be competing for her hand in marriage today. Princess Ichigo had no say in this; it was marry one of them or be responsible for a war that tore her parents' country even further apart. The feud had gone on so long that it was a miracle that all three parties had agreed to the deal.

The princess knew this very well. That didn't mean she had to like it, though, and she was absolutely not happy with what this meant for her. I'm not even a real princess, she told herself stubbornly. Why should I have to—

At the sound of the door opening, she whirled around, faster than was proper for nobility. Sulking was unladylike, just like pretty much everything she did, and being caught at it was unspeakable.

"Relax, it's just me." Her older brother flicked long blond locks out of his face as he regarded her calmly. He never seemed to be out of his depth.

Prince Ryou wasn't actually her brother, nor was he a real prince. Not by blood, anyway. Queen Zakuro hadn't given birth to either of them, either. Both the prince and princess were adopted—not that anyone knew that. Of course it was a secret of the matter-of-national-security level that the heir to the throne wasn't actually related to the king.

Neither of them could remember a time when they'd been part of a different family, though. They'd been adopted pretty much since infanthood to be brought up as royals. The two got on exceptionally well.

Ichigo sighed, relaxing the perfect posture she'd adopted the second she realized she wasn't alone. Ryou was one of the few people she could let down her guard and be unprincess-y around. He wouldn't rat her out—mostly because he was as lax about proper etiquette as she was. Only, being a boy, his behavior wasn't under such strict surveillance.

"So, it's today?" Ryou clarified.

"Sadly, yes." Even though she trusted him immeasurably, Ichigo hesitated before confiding, "I can't do this."

"Neither can I," came the serious reply.

The leaders of the other two clans each had at least one son and one daughter. Whichever clan's son didn't win the princess's hand in marriage would be allowed to marry into the royal family. In other words, today's tournament affected both Princess Ichigo and Prince Ryou.

"I can't believe Father would do this to me," Ichigo lamented bitterly, her fingers toying with an ornately carved hairbrush. "Mother, perhaps. But Father never seemed to care that I even existed."

"He's been busy" was the quick defense. Ryou got on exceptionally well with King Keiichiro.

Her gaze returning to the mirror, Ichigo began brushing her shoulder-length ruby locks. "I know. He always seems distracted during banquets these days, and the two of you haven't gone hunting in a while." The princess was hardly unobservant; she just preferred to keep things to herself.

"Well, if you can do it, I can do it."

Dropping the hairbrush, Ichigo glared at Ryou. "What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Instead of replying, the prince offered his sister a necklace strung with a golden pendant. "Father and I have been working on something. It's—"

At that exact moment, trumpet fanfare announced the arrival of Prince Kisshu and Princess Retasu, Prince Masaya and Princess Minto. And both royal entourages.

Ryou stopped in the doorway to warn Ichigo, "Don't take that off, whatever you do. I can't promise it'll keep you safe, but it shouldn't harm you either. Trust me."

The teenage girl put on the necklace, tucking it under her dress. The metal was pleasantly warm, to her surprise. Well, the prince was a verified genius.

Taking a last look in her mirror, Princess Ichigo left her room, careful not to lift her long pink skirts higher than was proper.

A/N: I'm not really a Zakuro x Keiichiro fan, but I figured that it would work since the two of them are kind of like parental figures to the others. Let me know if you think I should add Pudding, Taruto, and Pai. Please review!