I haven't been on for ages, but all the same I want to thank everyone who have read my writings and for the reviews that I still get once in a while. Just a short piece I have written to relief some pre-exam stress. Little editing is done so pretend that the grammatical errors don't exist. Cheers, Yuna.
It was a very warm summer night. Albeit the summer in the Eastern Kingdom of Kei is known to be pleasant and warm, the summer heat was almost unbearable this particular night. It was a rather unusual phenomenon, especially at the height of Mt Gyouten on which the Kimpa Palace stood. Unwilling, Keiki threw off the covers and sat from his bed. After numerous tosses and turns, he had finally admitted that the heat was getting to him and he was not going to get a good night rest until he does something about it. The edge of his room was lit dimly by the pale moonlight which splashed generously through the open windows. There must be a full moon tonight. Not wanting to alert anyone, Keiki threw on his dressing gown and set out of his chamber with quiet steps.
The palace was deadly silent in the night and only the footsteps of the patrolling guards could be heard in a distance. With a quick glace around to make sure that no one was around, Keiki set off for his night stroll in the relatively cooler air outside his stuffy chamber. To his surprise, he caught a figure from the corner of his eye. Clad in a grey suit, the figure moved swiftly across the corridors. With nimble steps, it kicked at the passageway pillars and in one clean move, leaped onto the high palace roof glistening in the silky moonlight.
He detested breaking the palace rules, especially when he has always taken it in his liberty to give small reminders to his queen who prefers the informality. But he could not fight the growing curiosity why would his queen want to go up to the palace roof in the middle of the night like some sneaky burglar. In this particular summer night, Keiki decided that an exception could be made. With a soft sigh, he muttered the name of his trusty Shirei and a chuckling tall, grey wolf appeared beside him immediately.
"Stop laughing, Hankyo," he chided quietly as he climbed onto the back of his Shirei, who gladly covered the short distance to the rooftop above them.
Youko was lying on the golden tiles which laid the roof of her magnificent palace, with her right leg propped against her left which was at a right angle on the roof. Despite the undulating texture beneath her back, she didn't feel particularly uncomfortable. Youko wondered if the palace tiles have something special about them.
"Ah, I didn't know you do such things as well," she mumbled softly at the quiet landing sound a short distance from her. She didn't need to look to know who was the intruder to this quiet moment that she was enjoying by herself. "Keiki."
"Your Majesty, pardon me, but a girl should not be in such an ungraceful position."
"As do a Taiho should not be on a rooftop of the palace," Youko said simply, "Since I am queen, I give myself permission, but I do not remembering giving you the same privilege."
Keiki was stunned for a moment at her choice of words. How is laying on the rooftop a privilege exactly?
"Join me, I give you permission now. It's really nice to lie here and enjoy the night breeze." Youko smiled sweetly.
Pausing slightly, Keiki sat down beside his master, reluctant to do away with all formality by lying down on such an inappropriate place.
"Your Majesty-"
"Isn't the moon beautiful tonight?" Youko interrupted her kirin.
Keiki looked up at the huge silvery orb hanging above them, the milky moon rays were beating down gently on the pair of them. He wondered if it was the height they were at that made the moon appear larger than usual, closer to them. It was no doubt a breathtaking sight, and he never thought the moon would look so different from that angle.
"I used to envy how my classmates when they talked about how they lie on their rooftops during summer to enjoy the night breeze," Youko spoke suddenly, her eyes distant as she stared into the inky night sky, recalling her other home far, far away. "My father never allowed me to do the same, because a girl should not be so ungraceful to be seen on the rooftop. I wonder what he would have said if he were to see me now."
Keiki glanced at his master and the weak smile lacing her lips. "Do you miss Hourai?"
Youko turned to face him, his porcelain face was filled with concern. Breaking into a wide grin, she sat up from the roof and hugged her legs against herself.
"I would be lying if I said I don't. After spending years here, I wonder what would happen to me if I never came here. I would probably be in a college of my parent's choice, studying something that would ensure good career prospects in their opinion, and then graduate and get stuck in a boring job."
"Does Your Majesty regret choosing to stay here?" Keiki asked. He regretted almost immediately at the slip of the question he had wanted to ask on so many occasions but he never got to. He was always afraid of her answer, afraid that she would desire something else, afraid that she would blame him for ripping her from the world she was from.
"You spoke as if I had a choice then," Youko chuckled, "But no, I have no regrets. Look at the glistening lights below the sea, Keiki. Kei is now prospering enough that the people are having night life. The pastures are green, the streams are flowing, the people are well-fed. We did this together, how can I have any regrets?"
Keiki smiled at her answer. Her features looked chiseled in the contrast of the moonlight, making her usual solemn expression much softer and gentler. She was still grinning up at him, happiness sparkling in her eyes as she spoke of the kingdom which they built together. He was glad that she was his master and not somebody else, the spunky girl with her lack of conformity to the world they live in whom he had always have to give a small lecture to. But tonight against the silvery moonlight, he was grateful for her informality that they could enjoy this magical moment together.
In the silence, Youko gently lay her head on his shoulder as she closed her eyes slowly. "We have many, many years ahead that we got to keep creating miracles. It is tiring sometimes," she paused, "But I am glad that I have you."
With a small smile lacing his lips, Keiki took off his dressing gown and draped it on his master who was drifting off to her dreams. The night breeze brushed against their faces softly as Keiki gazed up at the moon once again.
"I am glad that I have you too."