I stepped onto the wooden dock. The sun had not yet risen, and my
eyes beheld a darkened city. A light wind played with my silky black hair
and dance on my best, lavender sakura decorated kimono. My pale pink obi
was tight around my waist. I folded my hands and waited.
A young man, who looked in his twenties, walked up the dock alone. He was dressed in a deep ruby silk shirt and simple black breeches with knee-high leather riding boots. When he approached me, I could see his long, dark full hair curled slightly. He stood a head taller then me, with very broad shoulders and substantuary muscle; at least what I could see through his shirt. His chin was firm and covered in stubble, giving him a very rugged look.
"Lady Sonumoshi, it is an honor to greet you," the handsome youth said, bowing to me in the Yamani fashion. "I am Sir Gaven of Parth."
I returned the bow, hands on thighs. "Thank you, Sir Gaven. Please call me Akirako."
The knight laushed heartily. "I could barely remember your other name! Would you mind if I called you Aki?"
I smiled at his honesty. "Not at all, Sir Gaven. I assume you are my royal escort?"
"Indeed." He snapped his fingers and servents appeared to transport my luggage to the palace. He then offered an arm for me to take. I laid my hand on his while with the other reached into my obi and pulled out a paper fan.
As we walked the deserted streets, I kept a steady rhythm in my head; my wooden shoes going clip-clop on the cobblestone.
"Don't worry," Sir Gaven said, breaking my rhythm, "The palace isn't far now. I was told you would rather walk than ride in a carriage. Why is that?"
I could see he was trying to indulge me in conversation, merely mindless prattle. But I hadn't had any new chat partners since I left The Yamani Islands, so I amused myself.
"Well... in The Yamani Islands, it's tradition for nobility to ride in small carriges pulled by servents. To me, that seems ridiculus. Why have us ride when we have two perfectly useful legs to use on our own?"
"You're very passionate about things that upset you. But why is it that Sonumoshi is your last name, when it comes first?"
"In the Yamani Islands, our families are paramount (more important- sorry, it's a school vocab word!) to individuals. So, our family name comes before our personal name. And do not be so quick to judge."
Sir Gaven smiled. "When you speak so forcefully, it is easy to tell what you think."
I decided that I didn't care for this knight's style. The impudence! So what if I was a mere fifteen years of age compared to his twenty-three, or so his servent told me? I was definetely higher in status. Then why did his words cut into me so?
A young man, who looked in his twenties, walked up the dock alone. He was dressed in a deep ruby silk shirt and simple black breeches with knee-high leather riding boots. When he approached me, I could see his long, dark full hair curled slightly. He stood a head taller then me, with very broad shoulders and substantuary muscle; at least what I could see through his shirt. His chin was firm and covered in stubble, giving him a very rugged look.
"Lady Sonumoshi, it is an honor to greet you," the handsome youth said, bowing to me in the Yamani fashion. "I am Sir Gaven of Parth."
I returned the bow, hands on thighs. "Thank you, Sir Gaven. Please call me Akirako."
The knight laushed heartily. "I could barely remember your other name! Would you mind if I called you Aki?"
I smiled at his honesty. "Not at all, Sir Gaven. I assume you are my royal escort?"
"Indeed." He snapped his fingers and servents appeared to transport my luggage to the palace. He then offered an arm for me to take. I laid my hand on his while with the other reached into my obi and pulled out a paper fan.
As we walked the deserted streets, I kept a steady rhythm in my head; my wooden shoes going clip-clop on the cobblestone.
"Don't worry," Sir Gaven said, breaking my rhythm, "The palace isn't far now. I was told you would rather walk than ride in a carriage. Why is that?"
I could see he was trying to indulge me in conversation, merely mindless prattle. But I hadn't had any new chat partners since I left The Yamani Islands, so I amused myself.
"Well... in The Yamani Islands, it's tradition for nobility to ride in small carriges pulled by servents. To me, that seems ridiculus. Why have us ride when we have two perfectly useful legs to use on our own?"
"You're very passionate about things that upset you. But why is it that Sonumoshi is your last name, when it comes first?"
"In the Yamani Islands, our families are paramount (more important- sorry, it's a school vocab word!) to individuals. So, our family name comes before our personal name. And do not be so quick to judge."
Sir Gaven smiled. "When you speak so forcefully, it is easy to tell what you think."
I decided that I didn't care for this knight's style. The impudence! So what if I was a mere fifteen years of age compared to his twenty-three, or so his servent told me? I was definetely higher in status. Then why did his words cut into me so?