A/N: Though this is multiple chapters, it's really not. This story is a one shot, and the following chapter is a poem. Though the theme is the same, the feelings of the two are a little different. To see the drawing that accompanies this theme, go here, without the spaces. d80jjls
Disclaimer: I don't own Princess Tutu.
Quiet as she could be, Ahiru stepped out of the castle and quickly made her way through the garden, her heeled shoes making clacking noises as she ran down the stone pathway behind the stables. She wasn't worried that anyone would find her; Ahiru always snuck out when she was bored and skipping lessons.
Ahiru passed rows and rows of flowers and fruit trees before running into the thick forest that marked the edge of the palace grounds. The Wedding Forest it was called, but Ahiru didn't bother with knowing about the meaning behind the name. Deeper she ran until she came upon a great, stone wall, the border of the country she was princess of. It's so tall….. I wonder why we need such a border…the kingdom next to us isn't our enemy.
With one hand on the wall, she walked beside it, just like she did many times before. Sunlight shone from the clouds and struck metal. Ahiru never ceased to be amazed at the wrought-iron gate built into the stone wall that separated Gold Kingdom, the country she lived in, and its neighbor, Crown Kingdom. A thick, golden chain wrapped around the bars where the gate parted, and on the chain was a huge, metal lock. The metal was strong, and though it was rusted, no matter how many times Ahiru tried to force it, neither the chain nor the lock would give.
"Well, you sure took your time, didn't you?" A voice called from past the gate. Ahiru looked up to see someone step out from the shadows.
"Fakir!" Ahiru exclaimed. Ahiru ran to the gate, hands grasping onto the bars.
"Well, who else would it be, moron?" Fakir walked up to the gate and leaned on it. "You took so long, I was going to leave." Ahiru gasped and made a sad face. "Nah, I'm only kidding, Ahiru, don't look like that. I promised, so I wouldn't leave unless I had to."
"Oh," Ahiru sighed, "that's good. Because I have a lot to tell you!"
At that, they both sat down and leaned on the gate, backs against each other, save for the gate that separated them. Ahiru talked about her day, and every once in a while, Fakir would tell her what was going on with him.
This had been a daily routine ever since Ahiru discovered the gate and Fakir nearly a year ago. Ahiru had never gone so deep into the Wedding Forest before, and just as she was about to turn and head back to the castle, something had caught her eye: the glistening of the metal gate. Fakir was also walking by, and the two were shocked to see another person on the other side of the gate, in the other country. Curious as to what the other person had to say, they started talking. Ahiru was the younger of Gold kingdom's two princesses; Rue was her older sister. Fakir was part of the esteemed family that served as knights to the king of his country and acknowledged as nobility because of it. The two countries were on good terms, but even so, Ahiru had never been allowed outside of her kingdom's capital, let alone to the neighboring country. With curiosity such as theirs, the two couldn't help but start to talk to each other about their culture, traditions, the landscape, or anything else they happened to bring up in conversation.
"Hey, Ahiru. It's getting late, you should head back now." Fakir stood up and dusted off his pants. "Don't want your sister to worry too much about where you disappeared to."
"Oh, you're right. See you tomorrow, then, Fakir."
"Hey, wait. Tomorrow's going to be a bit busy, Prince Mytho and the royal family are busy readying up for something in two days, so I'll be here, but only for a bit." Fakir said.
Ahiru gave him a smile and started running towards home. "That's okay, I'll still see you tomorrow!"
"Ahiru, where were you?" Rue cried. "Did you forget that in two days, my wedding meet is going to happen? You've been running off to see your knight again, haven't you?"
Ahiru turned around and blushed. Behind her, the crown princess and her elder sister stood in the hallway. Rue had been the first one Ahiru told when she first discovered the gate and Fakir. "No… well, yeah, but you knew that! And anyways, what wedding meeting?"
Rue shook her head and sighed, "You haven't been listening at all, have you? I'm 18 and that makes you 17. You should really start paying attention to important stuff like this."
"Okay, okay, just tell me again about this wedding meeting."
"Listen up," Rue said, as she walked down the hallway towards their room. "You always go off to meet your knight at the gate, but that gate is what's important. It's at the bounds that separates the Gold and Crown kingdoms and at the farthest edge of the Wedding Forest. The forest is called that because when the crown prince and princess of the two kingdoms come of age (I turned 18 last month), they meet at the gate and exchange formal vows before getting married. The wedding also takes place near the gate. You also need to prepare yourself because mother and father also want you to take someone of Crown Kingdom as a husband, and since only nobility are allowed to cross the gate, we'll know your husband will be of good standing."
Ahiru stopped suddenly when she heard that and shouted, "EH? REALLY, RUE?!" Ahiru had completely forgotten about the wedding meeting, but she now she knew why the forest was called that. "I forgot about your meeting, but that means the gate will be opened! And that means-!"
Rue looked back and smiled teasingly, "Yup, Ahiru. That means you could meet your knight!" She laughed and opened the door to their shared room. "Now do you want some help in picking out the perfect clothes for such a momentous occasion?"
"Yes!"
"Don't tell me you're the only one that didn't know that!" Fakir put a hand to his forehead and shook his head. "Your sister just turned 18, so she's going to get married to Prince Mytho! He's been waiting for two years! As her sister, I thought you were aware of that!" Fakir sighed again and muttered under his breath, "Idiot…"
"Hey! Don't call me that! I just momentarily forget, that's all! But anyways, she said that since I'm turning 18 in a few months, this is a great opportunity to find a husband, too. But that seems like a drag!" Ahiru sighed dropped to her knees as she held onto the gate. "I mean, I'm still young, why do I have to think about things like this now?" She pouted and looked as Fakir. "What about you, are you already thinking about marriage?"
Fakir looked at Ahiru, his eyes widening and his face beginning to turn red. "Uh, maybe-I mean, no, I haven't!" Fakir coughed as Ahiru looked up at him with a bewildered expression. "I serve as a knight to Prince Mytho, so I haven't had time to think about stuff like that, idiot!"
"Oh, so that's it…" Ahiru said and gazed at the ground. "Anyways, the gate will finally be open, so that'll be great!" She held her hand up to the gate, palm flat against the twisted metal. "I can finally shake your hand and greet you properly!"
Fakir looked down at Ahiru and her hand pressed against the gate. Fakir sat down in front of her and brought his hand to meet hers. Though metal separated them, they could still feel each other through the gaps. "Yeah," Fakir said, "That would be nice."
The next day, Ahiru was jumping up and down with excitement as the royal family and other nobility marched their way towards through the Wedding Forest and towards the gate. It turns out that there was a paved walk way that led through the forest to the gate; Ahiru didn't have to stumble her way through the forest anymore!
"Ahiru!" Her mother called. "Please do behave, we need to look respectable when we arrive." Ahiru stopped jumping around, but inside, she still felt like she was going to burst!
"Rue," Ahiru whispered, "are you nervous about meeting Prince Mytho?"
"I am, but I've heard a lot about him and how well he treats his subjects, so I know that I'll come to love him," Rue replied. "Besides, you're worrying about me? What about your super, secret knight?"
"Shhh, Rue! Keep quiet about that, I don't know how Mother and Father will take to that if they know I… um… like him…" Ahiru blushed when she said that; it was the first time she admitted that she had feelings for Fakir.
"Well, don't hold your breath. We're here." The party came to the gate and on the other side were the Crown Kingdom's royal family and nobility. Fakir stood right beside someone Ahiru guessed was Prince Mytho, his hair white like swan feathers. Beside the prince were the king and queen. Ahiru gave Fakir a little wave and surprisingly, he smiled back at her. Ahiru looked away and blushed.
"It's time for the ceremony. You remember what happens now, right?" Rue asked. Ahiru nodded. Yesterday, she had studied the ceremony of the gate opening, the exchange of vows, and even the wedding ceremony. Ahiru watched as her father took a silver key from a box the minister held and inserted it into the lock. With a jangle, the lock fell away and the chain and lock were removed and put back along with the key into the box. The gate slid open only enough to allow the crown prince and princess to step up and face each other. After exchanging vows, promising to uphold the love for each other as well as the two kingdoms, as well as to one day rule fairly and righteously, Rue grabbed on side of the gate as Mytho took the other. At the same time, they slid the part of the gate they were holding towards the stone wall, fully opening it. The physical boundary between the two kingdoms was no more.
Afterwards, the minister said his part and wed the two. Ahiru was happy that Rue was married, but a little sad that she wouldn't be able to talk to her whenever she wanted because Rue was going to live in Crown Kingdom from now on.
A reception was set up and tables and chairs lined up in the shade to provide for a peaceful setting for the nobility of the two kingdoms to mingle with each other. Ahiru was a little hesitant to cross the boundary at first, so when Fakir spotted her by the gate, he walked up to her and extended a hand.
"My lady Ahiru, would you do me the honor of escorting you across the threshold?" Fakir smiled, then gave a little laugh. "I may be considered nobility, but I still have to act like this in front of a princess, even if she's an idiot. And also, you said you would properly greet me when the gate opened."
"Humph! You should act like that whenever we meet! But I did promise that." Taking his hand, Ahiru shook it and said, "It's nice to meet you, I'm Princess Ahiru of Gold Kingdom" She also curtsied and waited for Fakir to reciprocate the greeting.
"Princess, I am honored to meet you. I am Fakir, knight of Crown Kingdom." Fakir bowed then once again extended a hand. Ahiru accepted it and let Fakir lead her over to the tables where refreshments were laid out. After getting food, they sat next to each other and chatted like they usually did.
At another table, Rue and Mytho had also been talking, and they realized that they had much more in common than they realized. Not only had they been watching the little princess and knight interact but they both knew of their secret rendezvous Ahiru and Fakir had every day. In fact, they both agreed that today couldn't be a better day to do what they had decided to do.
"Attention everyone," Prince Mytho said, and stood up. "Princess Rue and I have decided that as the future King and Queen of Crown Kingdom, our first decree is spread the joy of such a momentous day. By this, we mean to have Princess Ahiru of Gold Kingdom wed Fakir, knight of Crown Kingdom!" Rue and Mytho both beamed and smiled as gasps and whispers spread throughout the reception. Ahiru's mouth fell open and her eyes grew wide, while Fakir coughed and spit out the water he was drinking. The two looked at each other, and the situation was not unlike that of a pair of children realizing they were in trouble.
"Rue! I don't understand-I... what do you mean-huh?" Ahiru sputtered, unable to form a whole sentence at the shock of hearing how the crowned heirs wanted Fakir and her to marry.
At the same time, Fakir was questioning Mytho. "What do you mean by this, my prince? This is… I don't know what to say!"
Rue smiled and stood up to speak. "I would like to tell everyone here that long before Prince Mytho and I knew of this gate between our two kingdoms, these two have found it and since had the pleasure to be in each other's company. I believe that if ever there were two hearts that would benefit from the opening of that gate, none other would be more deserving of being wed than these two." Rue gave the two a meaningful look. "I mean, you do love each other, don't you?"
"I-!"
"Well…"
Fakir and Ahiru both looked at each other and blushed profusely. Ahiru spoke up first. "Well, I can't deny that I always wished I could open the gate and really meet you."
"And I suppose I can't deny wanting to see you the next day…" Fakir said. The other guests chuckled at Fakir's shyness and unwillingness to admit that he was in love with Ahiru.
"That does it, you two are marrying today and that's final, no objections!" Rue said and crossed her arms. "Minister, if you would, please."
"Certainly. Princess Ahiru, Knight Fakir, if you would come to the gate, please."
Hesitantly, Fakir stood up and offered a hand for Ahiru to take. She was still embarrassed with everyone watching, but she knew that she was glad to hold someone's hand as they walked to the boundary once more. Ahiru stepped back over onto Gold territory and turned around to face Fakir. The minister started his speech as guests stood up and watched the exchange of vows. Ahiru and Fakir hadn't practiced this part of the ceremony, but after mumbling "yes" to upholding their love for each other and their two kingdoms, the two finally grabbed each part of the gate, just as Mytho and Rue had, and started pushing it towards the wall. Fakir and Ahiru never knew that when they first met each other at the locked gate, something as wonderful as an open gate (and marriage) was going to be waiting for them. However, as they turned around to face each other again, they knew that this gate only marked the beginning of their lives together, that nothing like a closed gate would separate them again.