A/N: READ. THANKS. KYOUI SETH. Hi everyone! I really missed writing and so I present another story. Haha truth be told, the plot for this just came to me all of a sudden. To think, I was in Burger King when I typed this chapter up. See, inspiration comes in the most unexpected times and places! Anyway, please tell me what you think of this. I changed my writing style a bit for this. Not many might realize this but depending on the story, I change my writing style. Haha the most distinct and harder writing styles are used when writing A Thousand Palettes and Fleeting Chances. Anyway, happy reading!
BETA: Sorry, I couldn't wait gracefulsunshine! Haha but will change this one, once you've sent me the edited one. :)
Disclaimer: KHR-its plot and characters are all owned by the great Akira Amano and no one else. Everything in this story is fiction. Duh, that's why this site is called fan 'fiction.' Please do not be stupid and sarcastic. Thank you.
Prologue
Deep within the fortified land of Italy, lives the royal family, the Vongola. With the lush forests and countless geographic landscapes, the Vongola Mansion was strategically built at the center. This mansion is made inaccessible from the cities, and other towns, by a long mountain range, and a large stone bridge, which extended for about 53.4 kilometers long.
It was easy to say that the royal family was isolated from the rest of the civilization, and they rarely appeared before the people of wide and beautiful Italy. It was a precautionary measure, long built before even the oldest people existed. Hundreds, no, thousands of years had passed since this isolation had been set for the royal family.
It was safe to say, they were the most coveted royals of the current generation. Reporters, the mass media, and everyone else for that matter, were prohibited to even see a glimpse of the members of the family. Only the king and queen were known to the world. The names and faces of the other royals were guarded closely for the protection of the rest of the family.
The Royal family was secretive and very protective, people say. Also, spies and assassins were easily selected and exterminated this way, and traditions of old were impossible to change. The people of Italy were perfectly content with this arrangement and throughout history; none had ever revolted against the rulers of their country.
This was due to the land's prosperity and the people's carefree way of life. None was too poor to slave away, and none was too rich to conquer. Balance seemed to reign among the people and they all lived contentedly. Italy, one would say, was the ideal county. However, they were also quite undeveloped in terms of technology. For the kingdom treasured tradition, there was hardly any known advanced technological development.
Instead of trains, cars, motorcycles, and other means of transportation, Italy used carriages, horses, and other animals. Homely and humbly brick houses and Victorian houses replaced buildings and factories which dominated the rest of the countries and states. With technological scarcity, Italy was considered 'Old England,' a nation living in the past.
If others were to argue, they would say that people of this traditional nation were not completely ancient. Italians also used phones, computers, televisions and other gadgets; however, the newest and most updated ones were scarcely seen. It did not matter to the people though, for they lived abundantly and healthily, and for a nation, that is what matters. The royal family strives to protect and nurture the people of their land which they tirelessly did. And the whole world bore witness to the beauty of Italy and its bountiful resources.
Forests and other mines were intact, thus, the plentiful exports of natural resources and expensive gems. Aside from that was what they were famous for—medicine. With their resources, the researchers of the nation—scientists, naturalists, and doctors alike had all the materials and data they needed. The biodiversity and lavish amounts of by-products served as the primary ingredients for far greater things.
These resulted into the production of countless medicine still unknown to other countries. From cancer preventing fluids to preventive mental deterioration solids, most cures were possible in this humbly nation. This fact alone gave Italy an overwhelming advantage from the rest of the world. Most of all, the best healers also came from this nation. Countries from every part of the world donated sums of money every year for the research and development of these medicines.
The surplus of money is then used for the cultivation of these plants and herbs, the provision of school supplies for public schools, and medical supplies needed in hospitals. All these, along with the king's wise ruling, the country flourished endlessly and continuously throughout the years. The only thing that Italians and the rest of the world didn't know was the rite of passage known only in the royal family. Before a royal member is crowned and deemed worthy to rule the nation, the royal must be tested. only when that individual had passed, could they be introduced to the people and the world.
It was the same for the oldest child of King Iemitsu and Queen Nana. Giotto Vongola was the heir to the throne, however, none knew of his appearance or his whereabouts. This was the test. For the royal to live and survive on his own for three years, without the influence, and the money he was privileged to have. Until the deadline, no one must know of his identity, however, one must flourish and be successful without assistance from one's lineage.
Three years had already passed, since the king and queen had challenged the heir, and in a month, Giotto would be returning to his homeland. He had succeeded marvellously by becoming the sole CEO of the largest automobile manufacturer in America. He was known to the people as Sawada Ieyasu, but he was known among the royal family as Giotto Vongola. Once the royal heir returns, he would be formally crowned as the next ruler of the nation. This led the royal couple to believe that their second son was ready to be tested.
Tsunayoshi Vongola was the second in line for the throne, and within a month's time, he would be set free from their homeland and into the world. If he returns as a failure, the royal family will not recognize him as the second legitimate heir, even if Tsunayoshi is a blood relative. Instead, he would be exiled and another member must be tested. However, if he succeeds, he would be pronounced as the second heir and will be bestowed with the second highest ranking position of the land—the Archduke.
This method of inheritance bestowal was only known to the royal family, thus, its rules were strictly followed. Not one is an exemption for even the female members of the royal family were tested the same way as well. The proof of legitimacy could only be seen in their eyes. Long before, the Vongolas possessed an extraordinary attribute—their fiery amber irises.
When direct, male descendants felt emotional overload, their eyes turned fiery amber. It was as if the burning sun was embossed in their eyes. However, only when they were deemed worthy could they gain this ability. Though royal members were born with this latent attribute, it would not be expressed until they are able to 'activate' it. The activation lies within the rings worn by the king and queen—the Vongola rings.
The rings were made from an ore found only within the deepest forests of Italy, and were one of a kind. The activation lies within the ore's origin. Strangely, the ore had properties which were reminiscent of a nikolite's – another kind of ore – ability to store energy. With this stored energy, the particles in the retina of its bearer will scatter further and would reflect light easily. Added with the body heat and innate energy from an emotional wearer, the irises would turn amber, and in extreme cases, flaming orange.
The Vongola family had always been known to have either blue or brown eyes, and for this reason, they are able to have such eyes. Brown eyes are abundant in lipochrome – a kind of eye pigment – while those with blue eyes have incredibly low amounts of melanin. Combined with the pure bloodline of the Vongola, the 'activation' of this latent gift came to existence.
Female descendants show a different kind of mark altogether. The gladiolus symbol would be marked at the upper left of their chest, just above their heart. The gladiolus meaning freedom gives them free will and the right to choose their own path. Only recognized female royals are marked with this symbol. For those who fail, however, will remain as lady-in-waiting for those already accepted by the royal family. It was a hierarchical system well-established thousands of years ago as amber eyes only manifest in males.
During the test of the heirs of the land, the Vongola rings are divided in half—one half for the highest ruler, and the other half for the second highest. In this case, the king was the former and the queen was the latter. The next heirs-to-be would then be their sons, Giotto and Tsunayoshi Vongola. Now, as the new dawn rises over beloved Italy, the second prince of the nation is tasked to live and survive in Japan on his own. To succeed and receive the half Vongola ring from the king and queen, the second prince Tsunayoshi Vongola must now begin his life as a Japanese citizen, known as Sawada Tsunayoshi. Will he succeed or fail and be exiled for all eternity? Now, his journey begins in the town of Namimori. What awaits him, nobody knows. However, within a month, his story will unfold.
R&R please! :)