Standard disclaimers apply.
Notes: The story is going through an overhaul right now, since there are too many mistakes. The plot is still the same, but some of the chapters will be changed. More notes after the prologue.
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Prologue
The Two
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"When we're older, let us make the name of our daughters the same. It would be great fun! We must make it exotic and different, something no one has ever heard before here in our homeland."
"I heard the East has a very beautiful language. Do you remember that boy and his trader father who hailed from the East? He said that the culture was spectacular and beautiful and rich with colors. I would very much like the names of my daughters to be like that."
"Yes, that would be perfect. The little boy kept saying something to us, remember that? His father translated it to us when we asked."
"I do. So it is agreed then?"
"All of our daughters will carry the name, 'Kaoru'."
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Princess Lifana of Albania hurriedly buttoned the back of her twin sister's dress. "This is insanity, Lilliana. What will father say when he discovers you have gone in the morning? And what about your fiance?"
Her twin, Princess Lilliana, shook her head and laughed giddily. "For now, I really don't care. He is my everything. I don't know when I will have such love in my life. It's a magical and sweet feeling, here deep in my chest." She pressed a hand over her heart. "I cannot marry Vladimir, nor can I stay here to marry a commoner against our father's wishes. This is the only choice I have left."
Lifana went to her sister's bed and took a square bundle wrapped in cloth. "I took the liberty of placing jewelry with the things you deemed to carry, in case you ever need any money where you are going." She hugged Lilliana sadly. "I wish you would not go! I will sorely miss you here in the palace."
Lilliana hugged her back. "I shall miss you, too, Lifana, but I will not change my mind. We knew that we will eventually part. We cannot share the same roof if we are married."
"I know." Lifana replied. "But you will be far away! I cannot visit you."
Lilliana smiled. "Our world is becoming more advanced as we go on, darling. There are letters being delivered to and fro. I do not believe that we will be forever be cut off from each other." She kissed her sister lightly on the cheek. "Take care of yourself, my twin. You will always be on my thoughts."
"As will I." Lifana smiled shakily. "After all, we are mirror images of each other."
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In the dead of the night, Princess Lilliana stole out of the palace, holding in her wrapped cloth some of her most prized possessions, to elope with a man—a trader from the Orient, Koshijirou Kamiya, and immediately sailed out of Albania. The next morning, her father heard about his daughter's scandal and fell ill after releasing his rage. Being the next in line, Princess Lifana took care of ruling over the land.
A month after Lilliana had gone, Count Vladimir arrived from Russia and was also stunned to hear his fiance's apparent desertion, since they were to be married as soon as they arrived. Count Vladimir instead offered for Lifana, and much to everyone's surprise, she agreed. A week after their marriage, she was crowned Queen of Albania, and Count Vladimir as her consort.
She had married an understanding and kind man. Over time, Lifana came to genuinely love him. A daughter was born almost a year later. Joyfully, Lifana hugged her child to her, smiling with tears running down her cheeks.
"What shall you name her?" Vladimir asked, sitting at the foot of the bed, knowing that mother and child needed the time to bond.
Crooning softly to her baby, Lifana replied, "She will be Tomoe Kaoru Petrona, Princess of Albania."
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Six years later
Shakily, Lifana placed the letter down on the table. She breathed deeply to stop the onslaught of tears she knew would come. From the time Lilliana left, there had only been one letter, and it contained mostly about her everyday life in a country called Japan and her daughter, Kaoru Kamiya. But this new letter brought her nothing but grief.
Vladimir entered her study carrying their daughter. With her dark hair she had inherited from her father and warm brown eyes the color of coffee from her mother, little Princess Tomoe would be a beauty in the future. "My little princess oh-so-sweetly asked me to bring you to her." Vladimir chuckled. "She's growing to be much like you, my flower." When he noticed Lifana's subdued quietness, his brow furrowed. "Is something amiss?"
"She's dead, Vladimir." Lifana finally choked out, shaking her head. "From a terrible fever that raged for several days. The letter is dated last year."
He immediately came to her side, placing their daughter on the floor. "Are you sure?"
"Her husband wrote to me. He had it translated in English, but I understood it perfectly." Lifana hid her face in his coat. "She was so happy in her last letter. Why did this happen?"
"She has lived a very beautiful life with her husband, no?" Vladimir said gently. "I'm sure Lilliana does not regret anything, but for leaving her widowed husband and her young daughter. She will not want you to be sad forever, my flower." He placed a hand on Lifana's coifed hair. "After all, you are together because you can see her in yourself. Don't think I take no notice that you touch your reflection in the mornings."
Lifana sighed. "It will not be the same."
"Nothing is ever the same. Everything changes."
Tomoe held on to her mother's dress, her brown eyes wide and warm as she peered up. "Mama." She whispered.
"Do you think her daughter looks like our Tomoe?" Lifana asked, hugging her child.
Vladimir smiled. "If she does, she will be also one of the most beautiful maidens in the world."
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They were mirror images of the other, two women inseparable from anything that can break physical binds. They were beautiful beyond words, rendering men speechless. Although they looked almost exactly alike, they each had different personalities—like a mirror with two different faces.
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To be continued...
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Note#2: Like I said, complete overhaul. I found that I couldn't continue when I have too many mistakes in the story. So sorry for the inconvenience but I want to finish this story since so many reviewers are asking me to. Thanks for all those personal messages and reviews that asks me to stop lazying around and post something. :)