DISCLAIMER: I do not own GA.
CHAPTER 1: I wish I was not a princess
"We're gonna be late! And when I say late, I mean real late!" Jun, the official person in charge of the schedule of the princess, said while he was pacing back and forth as the princess of the Alice Kingdom was standing still for her fitting for the wedding gown that she was supposed to be wearing for the wedding in the wedding of the dutchess of a nearby kingdom.
"We have exactly 20 minutes and thirteen seconds for your royal fitting and then it's move, move, move to the historical museum of antiques for your conference. And then we still have your math lessons, your biology lessons and then your music lessons afterwards. And then after all of your academic lessons, you have to attend a royal dinner with the princess of the Technology Kingdom." Jun continued while the princess simply sighed while looking at the long list that the man in front of him was holding.
"*sigh* will there ever come a time when I would finally be free from all of these royal duties? Well at least I would be able to see Hotaru later this day. I miss her so much. It has been a week already since I last saw her." Mikan, the princess thought to herself.
She is none other the Mikan Sakura, the princess of the Alice Kingdom. She has the highest rank among all of the other kingdoms because these kingdoms as just the sub-kingdoms of the whole of Alice and she also has the Alice of all alices which means that she has every alice that was ever invented in the whole of alice. She is the one and only daughter of King Izumi and Queen Yuka. She also has a younger sister whose name was Youichi Sakura who's a year younger than her.
A day filled with a jam packed schedule was nothing but the ordinary for a royal especially for Mikan. Unlike all of the other princesses, she has more work to do since she is from a higher rank and that almost everyone expects so much from her. That is why she never gets any fun because she has to be prim and proper just like what a usual princess should act.
"Jun-san…" Mikan uttered.
"Yes, your highness?" Jun replied.
"Can I just not attend the conference on the historical museum of antiques?" She asked quietly as one of the seamstresses wrapped a tape measure on her petite waist. "I mean, father would be going anyway so what's the point of me coming there?"
"I'm afraid that your request cannot be granted your majesty. Even if the king would be going, the owner of the museum is expecting your presence that's why your father insisted that would add this event in your schedule." Jun replied while Mikan simply nodded.
"I see then." She muttered as she changed back into her normal princess gown since she was now done with her fitting. And then the royal tutor of the princess entered the room.
"The king and queen are requesting for the presence of the princess in their quarters." He announced as Mikan went out of her room, heading to the quarters of her parents while the tutor was walking alongside her.
"What's with the sudden formality a while ago, Natsume? I already told you that it's alright if you call me by my first name. and even if you don't even call me by my name, why didn't you call me by the names that you always tease me with?" Mikan asked her tutor who had raven hair and crimson eyes.
"Nothing. It's just that Jun was there. if I do that, he might report to your parents again that I'm being impolite to a royalty." Natsume simply replied as he opened the door for Mikan once they reached the quarters.
"Daddy, Mommy? Were you looking for me?" Mikan asked as she entered the room.
"Oh, you're already here. Please take a seat my dear." Izumi, the king, said as he gave a signal to Natsume that he may already leave the room.
"What is it that you wanted?" Mikan asked them.
"Sweetie, we have something to tell you." Yuka, the queen stated while Mikan simply listened.
"Mikan, now that you're 16, you're finally at the proper age and that we have finally decided that we would arrange a marriage for you and the prince of the Shadow Kingdom, Tsubasa Andou. You still remember him, don't you?" Izumi explained while Mikan nodded.
"Yes. I used to play with him when I was young with Princess Misaki." Mikan replied. "But, why put up with an arranged marriage so suddenly?" She asked. "Why does it have to be now? Now that it has been a while that I have just realized that I like Natsume…" She sadly thought.
"Mikan, daddy and mommy aren't here forever. And when the time comes, you would have to rule and take over the whole kingdom. You cannot do that all alone. That's why as of now, we chose the partner that you're going to be with forever." Izumi explained to his daughter.
"And look at the brighter side of the story sweetie. We chose your childhood friend because we don't want you to marry some sort of stranger from another kingdom. At least we know that you and Tsubasa get along with each other real well." Yuka added while Mikan sighed.
"But mommy, I don't wanna marry someone who I don't even love. Sure I get alond with Tsubasa in a good way but we're just friends. And I'm afraid that it's up to that extent only." Mikan replied.
"No more buts young lady. You're going to be the future ruler of this kingdom and me and your mother what's the best for you." Izumi interrupted while Mikan just quieted down and the nodded. "Now if you'll excuse me, I still have some papers to attend to." He added as he left the room.
"Aww. Don't look so down sweetie." Yuka said as she approached her daughter.
"Why does it have to be this way?" Mikan sadly stated. "Sometimes I wish that I was not a princess but a mere commoner just like Natsume so that I would finally have some freedom." She added.
"Aww. I know how you feel sweetie. I felt the same way when I knew that have an arranged marriage with your dad. But hey, it all worked out between us, right?" Yuka explained.
"But still… the two of you ended up liking each other. And I think that will not happen with me and Tsubasa." Mikan replied.
"Don't say that sweetie. Always think positive. You and Tsubasa are good friends. Somehow in due time you two would end up liking each other." She stated as she held her daughter's hand. "Listen Mikan, being a royal is nice and being a princess is fun so enjoy it until the very last moment because once you're the queen, the responsibility that you have is higher and that you wouldn't have that much fun just like the times you were still young."
"But mommy…" Mikan nearly whined.
"Shhh. If your dad hears you he'll scold you again for sure. Mikan, I already told you that being a princess can be fun but things like this are one of your duties and you can't just back down on them when you don't feel like doing it." Yuka answered. "Sometimes, duty means doing the things that your heart may well regret, don't you know that?"
"What do you mean?" Mikan asked confusedly.
"Before I was arranged to be married to your dad, I was in love with someone else but I had no other choice but to let him go." Yuka said while lowering down the tone of her voice. "Sure it was painful at the start but as time went by, I was finally able to move on and I learned to opened the door of my heart to your dad since I knew that there was nothing else that I could do."
"But mommy, I still having doubts about this." Mikan mumbled.
"Sweetie, doubt is luxury that we cannot afford anymore. Your father was right. We cannot stay here by your side forever. We have to accept that fact. And when the time comes that we would have our final curtain call, we would at least want you to be happy while you're running the kingdom. And with Tsubasa, we are rest assured that everything will be fine. Now do you understand?" Yuka explained while Mikan just nodded.
"Well, I have to go now and face the boring conference about antiques with daddy." Mikan stated while Yuka just nodded in response. "See you later, mommy. Daddy would be angry if I'm late."
"Ok sweetie. You better go now. Tardiness is very an unprincess-like habit, don't you think?" Yuka stated while Mikan went out of the room.
"It won't be fine mommy and it will never be. I like Natsume so much." Mikan sadly thought as she left the room.