A/N: Why yes, Red/Miyuki is a thing. A glorious, beautiful thing.

PRINCESS OF IRK

"I'm not going through with this."

"I'm sorry Lady Miyuki, but it doesn't look like you have much of choice, does it?"

"I'm still not going through with it."

"But you have to! You don't want to disgrace the kingdom, do you? It'd be scandalous…"

"I don't 'have to' do anything."

"You're so fussy! Sit still and I can fix your brooch."

"Maybe the brooch doesn't want to be fixed."

"The brooch can't think for itself, Lady Miyuki. There… almost, done! Whaddya think?"

Blue eyes stared into blue eyes. Miyuki rolled her head around her neck, giving it a satisfying crack. She took in a deep breath and sighed. She wouldn't lie; she was gorgeous, a portrait taken in precise composition, framed with the purest metals and hung for display. Well, she wasn't on display yet, but in a few more minutes, she would be. But just because she was beautiful, and just because she felt beautiful, it didn't mean she was happy. Or even content. Nothing, not even the finest jewels on Irk could make her happy.

And really, that was all she ever wanted to be.

It had been a minute until Miyuki realized that Tenn had asked her a question, and it had been thirty more seconds until Miyuki realized that she hadn't given Tenn an answer. Tenn's pink eyes sulked in their sockets, and by the time Miyuki wanted to say something to cheer her up, she had already forgotten what Tenn had asked in the first place. Miyuki opted not to force Tenn to repeat the question, simply because she was in no mood to provide an answer.

And then, without really meaning to, she did.

"I like way you curled my antennas."

Tenn's own antennas perked upright. She smiled, in a cocky sort of way, but also in a manner of sincerity. "Yeah," said Tenn, a hand on her delicate hip, "I think they turned out great. It's like I always say, antennas are always the first to catch the eye. That's why mine are always curled. You should let me curl yours more often."

"Maybe then I could attract the attention of someone I'd actually want?"

It came out in a half-joke, but half-bitter. There was a knock on the door, and Miyuki stood up. Tenn trotted down from her stepped stool, enhancing the prominent height difference between the two Irkenettes. Miyuki felt her hand reach for the access panel, but Tenn slapped it away.

"Let me get it," she said. "I am your attendant, not the other way around."

Miyuki crossed her arms as Tenn punched in a sequence of buttons. The chrome door slid open vertically, and another of Miyuki's attendants shuffled in. It was Tak, a sharp-faced, sharp-eyed Irkenette whose eyes were a vibrant purple. The juxtaposition of Tak and Tenn was almost hilarious; Tenn was sweet-faced, with smooth pink colors, while Tak had the look of a hardened criminal. In spite of their wide contrast, the three of them somehow got along. But the expression on Tak's face hinted anything but friendly chit-chat.

"Your parents want you out, now," said Tak, her voice in a low hiss. "It isn't pretty, and they're getting impatient."

"Do I have to?"

Tak shook her head. "Doesn't matter. Look Miyuki, I hear what you're saying, and I sympathize, but we can't do anything about this. I wish I could, but I can't. Now hurry up and go."

Miyuki opened her mouth in protest, but Tak grasped her hand and began to drag her across the hallway. "You know… you're not supposed to touch me without my permission," said Miyuki in an elongated drawl. Tak grunted. Miyuki narrowed her eyes, contemplating further resistance. But when she glanced over at Tak's face, which was a combination of frustration and worry, Miyuki decided it would be best to not cause a delay.

The hallways were wide and long, and with each pitter patter of their footsteps, Miyuki and Tak drew nearer to the throne room where Miyuki's parents were surely waiting. Miyuki swallowed. She felt her squeedly-spooch twist and churn, and she clutched the area for comfort. Tak had released her hand minutes ago, but would glimpse up every so often just to verify that it was indeed Miyuki by her side, and not someone else. Miyuki wanted to say something, but her mind was sweltering and her squeedly-spooch was thudding.

That was why when they reached the throne room, it took Miyuki a few moments to even register that she was there.

Like, honestly and truly, there.

It was odd.

Surreal.

Miyuki flinched when she felt a light jab at her side. "Good luck, Miyuki," Tak whispered. Miyuki nodded. Tak returned the favor. Miyuki then closed her eyes for a brief second, hearing Tak's footsteps scuttle behind her. She waited until she heard the door clamp shut. Then she reopened her eyes. Miyuki found herself distracted at fascinating piece of tile on the floor. It wasn't really fascinating, but it was better than owning up to her "duties as princess."

"Ehem," said her mother. Miyuki slowly met her mother's blazing turquoise eyes. "You're late."

"Yes," said Miyuki, "I know." Her eyes darted to that same tile, avoiding the emotionless stares of her parents. She couldn't help but to glance at her father, whose face was solidified with tenacity. He didn't say anything; he hardly did. He wasn't the greatest at articulating coherent ideas, anyways.

Her mother tapped her foot. "You're lucky they haven't arrived yet." No answer. "Well? What do you have to say for yourself young lady?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean, 'I don't know'?"

"I mean I don't know by saying 'I don't know.'"

"…You're a cheeky young thing."

"I'm not a 'thing.' And you can tell my fiancé that I'm not interested in marrying him."

"Oh how funny. He said the same thing about you."

"Great! Then the feeling's mutual and we can call this whole thing off."

It took Miyuki by surprise when her fathered bellowed with laughter. "You two aren't getting off that easily," he said.

Miyuki rolled her eyes, stuck a hand against the side of her hip, and released a long, exasperated groan.

"That won't cut it sweetheart," said her mother. "We should have wed you a long time ago, but you're a stubborn thi-…princess. Rejecting all your past suitors at sixteen! Tsk, tsk. Well, that was ages ago. Now we have a great opportunity to create one large kingdom, and we won't have you and your pro-single lifestyle screw it up. I'm… well, your father and I, we are at our wit's end."

Rather than make a snappy comment about their wits or point out that she was pro-choice as opposed to pro-single, Miyuki chose to take a more sincere approach. After all, her parents would usually grow tired of her blatant monotony, and Miyuki herself knew they wouldn't take her seriously if she maintained her tedious disposition. "Maybe you should have another kid," she said. Her voice lacked enthusiasm, but her eyes bore traces of passion. "I mean… then you could marry them, and I could be free to choose whoever I wanted. Everyone wins, right?"

Time seemed to pass by slowly, if at all. Her parents exchanged subtle glances with each other. Miyuki glanced downwards, almost regretting her words. But the words were said, so she might as well not take them back. Her mother sighed and shook her head.

"That's rather selfish of you, Miyuki."

She sat across Prince Red without protest. She glanced back at her parents, then she glanced back at his parents, and when they smiled and exited the small dining room, Miyuki couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye.

It was her first time meeting him, the Prince of Spittle Kingdom. And yet she was meant to take him as her mate. It was absurd. Absurd, absurd, absurd. But she shouldn't complain, she told herself. Miyuki reminded herself that she had it all: wealth, status, friends, even a predetermined husband. Other Irkens suffered in poverty. Other Irkens suffered exile. Other Irkens were in poor health. Other Irkens, other Irkens… well, they just didn't have it as good as she did. But all things, good or bad, had to come with a cost.

Miyuki supposed that hers was to simply revoke her freedom to choose whom she wanted to be with for the rest of her life.

Piece of cake.

But not really.

"You could at least look at me," said Red, ending their long string of silence. Miyuki felt a light flush overcome her, but nevertheless, she raised her head. She anticipated what he was going to say next, but it never came. His red eyes squinted as they studied her face, her posture, the shifting of her eyes. Sweat gathered in the crooks of Miyuki's fingers. If he was merely going to stare at her, he shouldn't have forced her to look at him.

"You could at least speak to me," Miyuki finally said. She crossed her arms, tilting back against her hovering chair.

"This is your palace," he said. Red shrugged. He leaned forward and folded his hands together on the table. "You should do me the common courtesy in speaking to me first."

"On the contrary," Miyuki began, "you are a guest in my home. It should be the other way around."

"Not if you're invited. Which I was."

Miyuki felt herself heating up. She didn't notice that she no longer housed a nonchalant demeanor, but was in fact, glaring down Prince Red from across the crystal table. She didn't notice her fingers curl or her antennas stiffen, but she did notice the amused expression hanging on Red's face. She wanted to say something. Something sassy, like she always would. But her mind could not register any witty comebacks. Miyuki cursed herself, uncertain of how to act. Feeling defeated, Miyuki sighed. It was an honest sigh, encompassing both boredom and irritation.

Red's expression did not falter. He remained fixated on her. And the longer he did, the more frustrated Miyuki became with him. In the back of her mind, Miyuki knew it wasn't his fault. It was a setup, after all. She was as helpful to their situation as he was, and they both shared mutual distaste for their forced engagement. But it would certainly help if he at least tried to appear like he wanted to be here. But then again, Miyuki made no effort to make him comfortable enough to do so. It was too late to start, and even if it wasn't, Miyuki didn't care.

"What should we do?" she asked him. The initial awkwardness she once felt was now behind her. Miyuki's eyes hardened into his. "It's obvious you don't want to be here. And I don't want you to be here. Truly."

"You're not a very polite princess."

"And you are not an enchanting prince."

"I don't like to conform to that stereotype."

"Neither do I, yet here we are."

Then, he did an odd thing. Red grinned. He grinned. It was a brief, lopsided, smug sort of grin that could have been easily missed to the imperceptible eye. But years of focusing on random little details when zoning out had benefited Miyuki, sometimes more than she wanted them to. Miyuki didn't know why he grinned, but he did and that was that. She wanted to point it out, just to throw him off guard, but she didn't see the necessity of doing so. It would only create circles: back-and-forth discussions to nowhere that would cause more harm than good.

Miyuki threw herself back against her seat. "I guess you're not so bad," she said. She promptly sighed. "You don't like this any more than I do. That says something."

"Yeah," he said. "Yeah I suppose." Red scratched the back of his neck, giving Miyuki an apologetic look. "Sorry about my manners. I can't help it, though. I'm not happy with any of this, as you can tell. It doesn't have anything to do with you personally. I'm sure you're a wonderful—"

"Stop," Miyuki said. She smiled and waved a hand in the air. "I was impolite. There. But all is forgiven. Besides, it's our parents who we should be blaming. They are the ones who organized this little arrangement. Without our consent, might I add. It was certainly rude of them to do that. The nerve!"

That got a chuckle out of Red. Miyuki felt her shoulders ease up. Her fingers began to unravel. It was refreshing to see him loosen up; Red leaned a bit sideways on his chair, and he gradually began to rest an elbow on the table. Miyuki's back remained glued to the chair, but there was a level of composure that was currently present that had been nonexistent before. It was kind of ironic that she found herself relaxed. But then again, it kind of wasn't.

"So, um…" Red began, his fingers drumming against the table. "What are we gonna do?"

Miyuki drew a heavy breath and slumped her shoulders. "I don't know," she said. "I don't know what they expected of us by throwing us in a room together, either."

Red yawned. "They probably expect us to magically fall in love with each other."

Miyuki scoffed. "In spite of our blatant opposition? That seems too careless of them."

"They aren't the brightest of parents. I bet they honestly thought this would work."

Miyuki paused. She allowed her thoughts to meditate on the "brilliant" scheme forged by the current idiotic rulers of the Voot and Spittle Kingdoms. Red didn't seem to mind as she spaced out, concentrating on the cards she and Red were dealt. None of it made any sense to her. If they were going to marry them regardless, there was no reason to force them to be alone. They might as well have simply gotten it over with by now, but nonetheless, Miyuki was grateful they hadn't. It gave her more time. And time was a precious thing.

"Hey," she said after minutes of silence. Miyuki gazed up at Red's languid face, which began to show a flicker of interest. "Just how long do they plan on keeping us locked in here?"

There was a brief passage of silence, and then the two of them ended up bursting into quiet laughter. Miyuki smiled and then Red smiled and they both felt themselves sink further into relief. Of course, even now they both would have preferred to be doing their own things rather than sitting across from one another, but in that moment, it wasn't all bad. They both could maintain decent conversations, and they made light of the situation as best as they could. Even though their talks weren't mind-blowing or profound, there were still things to be said.

And before they knew it, the door slid open.

"Well Prince Red, it's time to for us say goodbye! We're leaving."

Red cocked his head to the side, staring at his mother in bewilderment. He and his family started to navigate through the halls, being led by Miyuki and her family. When they arrived outside, their Ring Cutter was situated parallel to the palace steps. Miyuki's parents observed Red and his family with silent respect.

Red's mother shot him a funny look. "What? Why are you staring at me like that?" When Red didn't say anything, his mother produced a hearty laugh. "Oh, I get it! You think you're going with us! Oh… that's so cute… aha. No, no, my silly Prince Red, you shall be staying here at the Voot Palace for a while. It's your father and I who will be leaving, not you."

"I'm what?"

"What?" said his mother in a certain kind of innocence. "Did you honestly think we were just going to shove you in a room with your future bride for an hour and then have you leave her? After all the trouble we went through? Oh, how funny you are!" His mother continued to giggle as she glided towards the Ring Cutter. The door opened, and Red's parents slipped inside. "Goodbye, my silly prince. We'll be back in month to track your progress. And you might as well make some progress, because childish rebellion will do you no good. Farewell!"

The Ring Cutter began to hover. It started out as a steady motion, but then the pace quickened and in seconds, the Ring Cutter became a mere blotch against the setting horizon. Red stood there, gawking at the sky with his mouth slightly ajar. Miyuki was almost as incredulous as he was, and glimpsed over her shoulder to question her parents as to what exactly was going on.

Except when she did, her parents weren't there.

Miyuki frowned. Her lips tightened.

They were there just a second ago.

She could have sworn it.

Miyuki shook her head and blinked. She glanced over again, just to confirm that it was just her and Red standing outside together, just to confirm that her parents really weren't there and that they had left her alone to handle the situation.

Alone. By herself. With no one to help her.

Miyuki sighed. It was rude of her to do so, but she couldn't help it. After all, today wasn't exactly an exciting day. And although she tried to ignore it, Miyuki had this feeling of inevitability wash over her.

"I'm going to have to babysit you, aren't I?" she asked herself more than she asked Red. Nevertheless, Red rotated to face her, his face in a slight stupor. Miyuki's eyes locked onto his. Red shuffled his feet, and Miyuki gave him an inquisitive look. "I can't believe they just dumped you here."

Red's eyes narrowed at her. "Yeah, well, I can't believe it either."

Miyuki let out a soft chuckle. "Don't worry. I won't be a bad host this time. I'll try to make the next month bearable, but no guarantees. After all, you'll probably run into my parents. Often." Miyuki shook her head and gestured for Red to follow her up the flight of stairs. "I'm sorry."

"Nah. It's not your fault," Red said. He shrugged, giving her a softhearted smile as he walked towards her. Miyuki led him through the main door into the spacious, detached hallways of the palace. She waved to her attendants as they scurried by, going to do something and nothing at the same time. There was always something that needed tending to, even if it didn't need to be tended to in the first place. It was the price of living as royalty, and it was all Miyuki had ever known when growing up. The constant rush, the constant coming-and-going… they made Miyuki appreciate those moments of fleeting serenity even more.

"Where exactly are we going?" Red asked.

"Unfortunately, to my parents. We need to get you a room. Unless you plan to sleep on the floor."

"Which I don't."

"Thought so."

Miyuki flushed, much more than usual. She couldn't bring herself to even glance at Red, who she was sure was flushing just as much as she was, if not more. They walked down the seemingly never-ending hallway, not one word spoken between them. The snickers of her parents could not be blocked out of her mind; they replayed over and over again as her mother's swift words continued to ring throughout her head.

She swallowed.

Each breath became a burden. Each footstep, a looming dread. Miyuki wanted to dig herself a hole, jump into it, and never crawl out. Throughout her childhood she experienced humiliation from her parents, but never had they stooped this low. When they finally reached the end of the hallway, Miyuki stopped by the access panel, afraid to speak. She let the silence between them continue to linger, and then she began to punch in a sequence of numbers. She found herself flinching when the door shifted open.

Red took his time walking in. Miyuki followed him silently, keeping her attention directed at the floor. The door closed behind them, and Miyuki drifted towards the chair that faced the mirror. She spun herself around a few times, still refraining from any eye contact.

"So," Red said, his voice unusually calm, "I guess I'll be sleeping on the floor after all."

Red folded his arms across his chest. He felt his posture sag a bit, his pace weakening. "I don't understand why weren't allowed to take a hovercraft."

"Don't blame me," Miyuki said. "This wasn't my idea."

"Yeah, I know. I just don't think this was necessary."

"This tour or the lack of a hovercraft?"

Red's gaze darted up to the sky. "Both."

Miyuki laughed. "It isn't so bad," she told him. "Besides, it's a nice a day out."

They were ambling alongside each other on the shiny concrete, almost in perfect sync. Their walk was easygoing and slow, and Miyuki took a couple of moments to stop in her tracks and scratch her head. Her face brightened when she saw a clutter of Irkens gathered around a giant soda fountain. Her finger pointed at it and without words, she moved towards it. Red trailed behind her. Once Miyuki approached the crowd, they sifted in a wavelike motion. Miyuki smiled at Red and then stuck out her tongue. He shot her a puzzled look, but once stray drops of soda began to strike his face, he did the same.

"My grandfather built this fountain awhile back," said Miyuki as the two of them began to stroll away. "It's a cute kind of tale. He did it because he loved smeets, which is odd, considering he only had one." Miyuki paused, tilting her head. "Now that I think of it, each member of my family directly related to the royal bloodline has always been an only smeet."

"Tradition, maybe," said Red. He wiped away the sweat that was on his brow. Miyuki gestured to a bench that was a few feet near them. Red plopped onto the bench and sighed. Miyuki, her face etched with repose, sat down beside him. "In my kingdom," he continued, "it can be a mess sometimes. I'm not sure how the whole 'next in line' thing works. I have cousins and uncles and aunts waiting for the throne. Then there's me and my brother. But since we're direct heirs from the king, we're further up the chain than our uncle is. And since I'm the oldest between the two of us…"

"You're next in line. I get it now." Miyuki lifted an eye and swished her head, causing her antennas to bounce. "I must admit, that is quite… intricate." She chuckled and outstretched her legs. "I guess I should be happy then, that my family only had one smeet per generation."

"It makes me wonder how the whole lineage will be screwed up if we marry."

"If."

Another long stretch of silence snagged its way between them, but this time, it leaned towards a serene tone. Miyuki didn't mind Red. She didn't mind escorting him. The thing was, by being forced to spend time with Red, she escaped her parents. It allowed her to think more without worry. It allowed her to suspend her duties as princess, suspend her mind from the stress. And even though she was sitting right next to the Irken she was intended to marry, this peace, albeit temporary, gave Miyuki the ability to pretend that she wasn't.

And sometimes tricking herself was the best thing she could do for herself.

"You know something, Miyuki?"

Miyuki inclined her head so she made eye contact with Red. "Yeah?"

"You're nicer when you don't seem pissed off."

She rolled her eyes. "I think it's time we head back to palace. I know you're tired, but you can manage a little walk back, can't you?" Miyuki began to emerge from her seat, looking down at Red with a condescending smile. "Aaah, my legs feel great!"

Red merely smirked.

Just passed the throne room was another room, but larger. Inside there was one elongated table, outstretched so far that its ends nearly touched the opposing walls. Each end had one seat decked out with lavish furnishings. The first four seats next to each end seat were decorated in modest elegance. The rest, however, were simple, hovering chairs. Nothing special about them, but Miyuki's father insisted they were special due to their "presence in greatness." He was kind of right, though. The Irkens who got to fill those seats weren't complaining about the mediocre comfort factor. Spread throughout the table and before their eyes were plates upon plates of sweet and salty delicacies, coming one after the other. Mouths watered; eyes scoped out the area in ravenous hunger.

Miyuki's mother was seated at the end seat closest to the door. Her father opposed her at the far end. Red nudged Miyuki's side. Both of her parents beckoned to her. Miyuki cocked her head in the direction of her father. Red took a quick glimpse of Miyuki's mother, who was bright and cheery, and nodded at Miyuki. They walked towards her father, ignoring the shrill calls of her mother. Miyuki chose the seat next to her father, and Red took the seat beside her. Miyuki's father glanced up after examining the food in front of him. He looked to Miyuki, then to Red, then far down the table. He looked at Miyuki once more, and then bellowed with laughter.

Miyuki smiled, but did not say anything.

"You've made me proud," said her father, and then he said no more. Dinner was eaten in silence, and Miyuki preferred it that way.

Miyuki pressed a small button on the side of her bedroom wall. A door slid upward, revealing fabrics and clothes and accessories in large quantities. Red sat on Miyuki's hovering chair, glancing around as Miyuki dug through her many shelves. She flung colorful dresses into the air, causing them to land in an erratic pattern. They would float for a brief pause, suspended midair. Then the dresses would swish and twist and crumple to the ground.

"Oh, here we go!"

A flimsy white sheet smacked Red in the face. He tugged it away, but received another smacking, courtesy of a dark maroon pillow. The pillow collapsed on his lap, and Red stared at Miyuki with narrowed eyes. "This is all you have?" he asked. Red tossed the pillow and blanket onto the floor, the materials landing on a few of Miyuki's dresses.

"I guess so," Miyuki said. "I'll just remove some sheets from my bed." Miyuki flipped through the layers on her bed and threw half of them onto the floor. "If I had an extra mattress, I'd give it to you." She gave him an apologetic look. Red shrugged it off as he sorted out the blankets on the ground.

"It's fine," he said. He folded each blanket in half and laid them on top of one another. "See? And I still have plenty of room to sleep. Plus it won't be so uncomfortable when I do."

Red grinned up at Miyuki, who was sitting at the edge of her bed. He wedged between the first layer and the second, and reached out for the maroon pillow still on the ground. Miyuki climbed underneath her own sheets and slanted to her side.

"Lights off," she said, and the room instantly became dim. Faint moonlight trickled passed her curtains and onto her silky sheets. Miyuki squinted, burying her head beneath the covers. She clutched the edges of her blankets. She felt her body stiffened. Miyuki poked out her head, inhaled slowly, and then sighed. "Lights on." Red rose from his pile of blankets and gazed at Miyuki in carved composure. "Okay, this is just weird. I doubt I'll even be able to sleep."

"Do you want me to move away from your sight?"

Miyuki sat upright and shook her head. "I don't think that'd even help. Just the thought of you being here… n-not like that! It's just that I'm used to sleeping alone. This room has been mine ever since I stopped being afraid of the dark. I'm not used to having other Irkens sleep with me." There was a rigid quietness that followed. A sly grin crept against Red's face, and Miyuki flushed. "I-I… well, not with me, but in the same room… oh, you know what I mean!" She scratched the back of her head and crashed against her pillows. The smirk Red wore had stretched a considerable amount, and his eyes were flickering with intrigue.

Miyuki turned her back. She huffed and scooted towards the other side of her bed, ensuring that the proximity between her and Red was at its maximum. "Lights off." Miyuki's breath fell still. She focused her attention on the footsteps of the nighttime attendants that scampered outside. She frowned. They were probably tending to the empty rooms that lined up the hallway.

The many, many empty rooms.

"Can you at least try to say something?" Miyuki asked in a burst of spontaneity. Her voice was partially muffled by her pillows. "Your silence is only adding to my anxiety."

"I'm as excited about sleeping here as you are," said Red in an even tone.

"Oh really."

"…What? You think I wanted this?"

"I think you don't mind."

"I think you're making a bigger deal out of this that it needs to be."

Red snickered. Miyuki rolled over and lay flat against her bed. Unwanted heat continued to bake the surface of her face. She wriggled her arms out from underneath the covers and folded her arms on top of her chest. Miyuki squeezed her eyes shut, and wished for Irk's sake that she could manage to fall asleep. However, she continued to stare into nothingness; she continued to mull over the fact that the Prince of Spittle was in her bedroom and her parents were the ones that had requestedit. "It's not something you should laugh at," Miyuki pointed out frankly. But when she nearly leapt out of bed after a loud bang came from the door, Red could only laugh more.

"Lights on." Miyuki threw off her covers, intentionally causing them to fall over Red's body. She propped herself on her feet and trudged towards the door. Miyuki punched in the access code and blinked, dazed. On the other side of the door was her mother, waving at Miyuki with a lighthearted smile. Her mother waltzed in with an elegant stride and tilted her head as her eyes scanned the room. Then she clasped her hands together and strutted out.

Miyuki glowered down the hallway, focusing on her mother's figure until it became swallowed beyond the limits of her vision. Then she pressed a button, and the door slid shut.

"Your mother's quite persistent," Red commented smoothly. Miyuki's antennas twitched as she trotted to where Red was sitting. She bent over and snatched her blankets in a hasty, offhand manner. Then she hopped back into bed, entangling herself in her sheets. Her form was taut, and her eyes hadn't shut all the way. Miyuki tried to lie around more fluidly, but she felt herself reverting to her enclosed state.

"Lights off."

There was no time for her to catch her breath, to gasp for the air she so desperately needed. She had to remain swift. Attentive. The extensive halls resembled a labyrinth, and although Miyuki was familiar with said labyrinth, it didn't make sprinting in it any more enjoyable. She took a few seconds to wipe away the sweat forming on the crest of her forehead, and then she continued to maneuver throughout each corridor, each room, each nook and cranny. Miyuki gritted her teeth. She sucked in a huge gasp of air, her knees wobbling to the floor.

"If I don't find him," she began in a low hiss, "I'm going to lose whatever traces of sanity I have left." She rested her head against the wall she reclined on, lost in thought. Her eyes closed and then reopened when the sound of footsteps drew near. Miyuki stared at the floor and gradually tilted her head until her blue eyes met crimson. She was torn between relieved laughter and flaring anger. "I-I've been… looking everywhere… for you," she said between weary breaths. "It's time… time for lunch."

"I was trying to find the washroom," Red said. He grinned sheepishly.

"Next time," Miyuki said, sighing, "ask me, will you? I could've at least had an attendant escort you."

"Yeah," he said, chuckling. "Sure. Sorry for causing you so much trouble. Forgive me?" Red extended his hand.

She reached for it.

Six fingers total, three per hand. She wriggled her fingers as she lay on her back, her arms extended at the ceiling. She pulled her arms back to her sides and exhaled loosely. Miyuki inclined her head towards Red, who was glancing at her with a bemused look.

"What were you doing?" he asked as he slipped himself underneath his pile of folded blankets.

Miyuki shot him an equally bemused look. "What?"

"That thing you were doing. With your fingers." Red made a pointing motion with his finger.

"Oh!" Miyuki released a lighthearted giggle. "I was just counting the amount of days you've been here since you came." She lifted her arms and did a simple flicking gesture with her fingers. "See? You've been here two full hands." Red just shook his head and grinned. Miyuki rolled over to her side, facing away from him and at her stoic chrome walls. "Lights off."

Her eyes remained open, and a few seconds later, Miyuki resorted to lying flat on her back. Her eyes focused on the dresser that was facing the foot of her bed. Draped over the surface was an old dress, dangling like a soggy pancake. Miyuki cocked her head, wondering if her mother had recently raided her closet. She chuckled to herself and reflected back to her first time wearing it. "Hey Red?" she asked, nostalgia hovering over the tip of her tongue.

"Yeah?"

"Am I…" Miyuki turned to her side, facing Red. "Am I the first? Or have there been others that your parents have forced you to meet?" Though the room was dark, Miyuki could still make out Red's silhouette. His antennas swiveled in her direction. In spite of the faint lighting, Miyuki knew that their eyes had met without direct sight.

"There have been others," he replied, his tone somewhat hesitant. "Why?"

"I was looking at a dress I wore. The one that's hanging on the dresser? It was when I was ten, and it was my first time having an 'arranged meeting' with a suitor. It was such a new and odd experience for me. I still felt like a smeet. The entire ordeal ended terribly. The things I did…I know I can be hard to deal with, but back then. It was just. I…" Miyuki closed her eyes and turned away, her face warming up. "Never mind."

Red sat up, his face partially lit by the moonlight. "No way, you have to tell me. You can't get me curious and then not tell me."

Miyuki covered her hands with face. "It's embarrassing!" she said under mumbled breaths. She uncovered her face and sighed, turning back to glance at him. "Oh, fine." She didn't face him, but she could sense his wide-toothed grin. "Where do I begin? I'll start with the dress; the dress did start this whole conversation after all. I was fighting through the whole fitting. Tenn and Tak had to restrain me… I nearly bit my mother. Wow, I was horrible. Anyways, after a long and gruesome fitting, I meet this guy. For the first and last time, naturally. I don't even remember his name. Oh gosh!"

"What?"

"I wonder if he told everyone how spoiled I acted…" Miyuki laughed and then sighed. "It can't be helped."

"Besides," Red began in a casual manner, "you had plenty of other suitors, right? So obviously one guy's opinion didn't change anything. I mean, how horrible can you be?"

"I refused to speak to him, look at him, or even acknowledge his existence. I didn't even shake his hand. When my parents left us alone to sit on the couch in their room, I locked myself in the closet until my father had to pry me out. And while he was prying me from the closet, I was screaming and kicking. Oh… goodness. Just thinking about it…" Miyuki felt her head droop to the side, and she released an anxious chuckle. "I got a good lecture that day."

Red attempted to stifle a laugh, but failed. He flopped back against his mattress of sheets, his bursts of laughter coming out in choking fits. Miyuki's nervousness melted away. She began to laugh without shame, without self-pity. It morphed into something sentimental. Miyuki looked over at Red as her head rested against her pillow. "So," she said, her voice sly, "what about you?"

"Huh? Oh, I have nothing that's as great as yours."

Miyuki snorted. "I don't care. After all, something interesting had to happen. Otherwise you wouldn't have ended up here, now would you?"

"Alright, fine." Red took a moment to recollect his thoughts, letting the quietness settle between them in a peaceful manner. His face scrunched up. A slight smile fell upon his face, but it transformed into something of pity. He shook his head.

"I'm gonna make this short, alright?" His eyes pointed at the ceiling, tracing back and forth along the square tiles. "I was thirteen. It wasn't my first arrangement, but it doesn't matter. Anyways, I guess you could say I was a little bitter because I got rejected by another Irkenette that I had pursued three days before. I guess you could say I told this new Irkenette off… it was kinda harsh. I insulted her and my parents that day. You could say that I never saw her again. Heh. To my relief."

Miyuki laughed in good-nature. "I'm sure it was to her relief too," she said quietly. "It isn't your fault. Growing up. It's hard. We're forced to do things we don't want to do, but rather 'have to' do. I'll admit: some good things came out of it. I'm forever grateful I learned how to operate a Ring Cutter at the age of nine. And that I can act like a proper Irkenette when need be. But… I don't know about marriage. I mean, I'm fine with being forced to learn a few things. But to make a commitment? A lifelong commitment? That frightens me."

Red nodded. "Yeah."

Two more hands, Miyuki thought to herself as she lay in in bed, recounting her fingers as she had done many weeks ago. It wouldn't be long until the final verdict would be confirmed, so Miyuki decided to dwell on the fact that it hadn't.

It was easier that way. That was what she told herself, and that was what she would keep telling herself until those six days would come to an end.

She curled against her side, grasping at her sheets in loose comfort. The blankets had glided between her fingers in a smooth grip as her body rested in a laidback incline. Her eyelids flickered between the subconscious and actuality, flashing little snippets of the past month that had made it bearable. It went back to the time she and Tak had snuck up on Red, causing him to jolt and drop the bag of chips he was holding. It went back to the time Red got his revenge by locking her up in her own bedroom, using her own mother as a means of help. It went back to the time she and Red took a stroll around the garden, back to the breakfasts and lunches and dinners and the little moments of laughter that they shared.

Miyuki's eyes closed, her squeedly-spooch thumping slowly. Her brain melted into a state of half-dream, half-reality. And as she drifted away from the sounds of the night and the hums of her computer, Miyuki wasn't sure if what Red uttered were his actual words or were mere fabrications from her diluted mind:

"If I'm forced into marriage, I'm glad it's with you."

Sitting on the front stairs of the palace, they watched the sun rise in silence.

Red's body was sprawled against a number of steps while Miyuki sat upright and stiff. Red released a mundane sigh, and Miyuki fiddled with her fingers as rays of light began to caress her face. Her head was thudding with looming dread as her eyes made out a small dot against the sky. It rapidly grew in size until the outline of a Ring Cutter became distinct. A short puff of air escaped Miyuki's lips as the Ring Cutter skidded towards the palace. She stood up and started walking, urging Red to do the same. A plastic smile across her face, Miyuki glided to where the Ring Cutter had landed. It clicked open.

The Queen of Spittle was the first to depart from the vehicle. "Miyuki! Red?" She yanked Miyuki into a sloppy embrace. "Oh what a surprise to see you both so early! I would have thought your parents would have been the ones to greet us. Where could those two silly Irkens be?"

"They should be coming any moment now," Miyuki told her. She exhaled in relief once Red's mother released her grip. "Mother wanted to look exceedingly extravagant for your arrival."

His mother nodded and then smiled as her husband joined her by her side. "Hello, Miyuki!" he said, proceeding to embrace her just as his wife had done seconds before. Miyuki felt her face squish against his royal attire as his arms wrapped around her body. "I hope you had a good night's rest." He let go of Miyuki, giving her space to breathe.

"One month and that's all you ask?" Miyuki said, eyeing Red's father with a quizzical expression. The King of Spittle gave a hearty chuckle, and Miyuki shrugged it off. She slightly flinched when she heard a faint rustle emit from the Ring Cutter. Her gaze turned towards the craft, wondering why it had not yet closed and why the chauffeur had not yet driven away. Miyuki's attention focused on the Irken who was now leaving the vehicle, an Irken with sleek, violet eyes and a haughty face.

"Purple?" Red said, his voice nearly cracking from the shock.

"Hello brother," Purple said as he moseyed his way passed Miyuki and his parents. "Betcha didn't expect to see me, now did you?"

Red glanced at his parents with narrowed eyes. "I'm confused. What is he doing here?"

Just as Red's mother began to speak, the front doors of the palace swiveled open. Miyuki's parents trotted out with expressions of glee written over their faces. Her mother had jewels strung around her neck and metallic ringlets circling her antennas. Her father's crown sported a different jewel at its center, much to Miyuki's distaste. Miyuki's mother waved in an elegant motion, and Red's mother mimicked her movement.

"So good to see you face-to-face once more," said Miyuki's mother to the Queen of Spittle. She leaned forward and dragged the other queen off to the side. They exchanged whispers that were audible to neither Miyuki nor Red. Red's mother gave a slight nod, and Miyuki's mother glanced over her shoulder, eyeing Miyuki with intent. Her mother turned forward and resumed speaking with Red's mother in privacy. When her mother clapped her hands and spun around, Miyuki honed in with anticipation.

"Princess Miyuki," she began, "don't talk; just listen to me, alright now? Your marriage plans have been… modified. You are not going to marry Prince Red." Miyuki's eyes widened. She looked to her mother then to Red. Her chest sunk. She knew what her mother's next words were going to be before she said them: "We've arranged for you to marry Prince Purple instead. There will be no objections to this, Miyuki. I will see to it that you are wed by the end of the day."

A long, uncomfortable silence lingered. The smile her mother once had had evaporated into resolute solemnity. Red crossed his arms, letting his eyes wander up at the sky. Miyuki could feel her breath trembling with an array of emotions: of anger and disappointment and self-pity.

But mostly self-pity.

Miyuki shook her head in bitterness, her eyes refusing to glance up at her mother.

"And just when was this little alteration made?" she finally asked, her voice icy and shaking. "Why are you telling this to me just now? Why him? I want answers. I think I'm old enough to deserve some answers."

"Miyuki, we didn't want to ruin your fun."

"What on Irk do you mean?"

Her mother pursed her lips together, her stare digging into Miyuki with a sharp focus. "You and Prince Red… both of you were getting along so well, we all agreed we wouldn't spoil your fun. You seemed happy while being unaware of the new arrangements. So we waited till the month was up, even though we've known since last week."

"But I don't understand?"

"We tried to protest it," her mother assured. "Believe me, we did. When we saw how well the two of you were getting along, I was genuinely excited for you. It was going so well. But, but…"

Purple stepped forward, his eyes grazing over Miyuki's cold face. "Allow me to explain," he began lowly. Purple stole a quick glimpse at Red and grinned. "It's a long and complicated political process, so I'll keep it simple. My brother is unfit for the throne. Therefore, I'm the one to surpass him as Spittle Kingdom's newest successor." Miyuki stared at him bug-eyed, saying nothing. Purple gave her a condescending smirk. "And that means I'm going to be ruling by your side, my future queen. Nifty, isn't it?"

Miyuki brushed passed Purple and stomped towards her mother, eyes flaring. "I don't like this," she said, clear enough for everyone to hear. "I might have been somewhat fine with marrying Red, but you're a fool to think I would consider marrying Purple."

And without hesitation Miyuki's mother slapped her in the face.

Miyuki blinked. She could sense the awestruck faces surrounding her; she could picture their mouths ajar. Miyuki reached for her face, stroking her aching cheek with a gentle touch. Her head swirled. Her eyes stung, not due to pain but due to emotional despair. For once, she had been okay with a predetermined marriage. For once, she had believed she could have been happy with the life that was laid out in front of her. Miyuki released an agitated sigh, stifling the urge to collapse on the ground and cry. She remained stiffened, glancing at Red through the corner of her eye.

His face was hardened and his eyes were narrowed, his gaze still fixated at the sky.

Blue eyes stared into a white gown.

Blue eyes stared into a long, elegant and flowing gown that spiraled smoothly onto the floor. It was so graceful, so pure. Miyuki envied it. She fidgeted as she sat upright, feeling confined as restraints cuffed around her wrists. She inhaled a deep breath, exhaling slowly. She wouldn't deceive herself; Miyuki looked miserable because she was miserable, and no amount of jewelry or accessories or antenna-curling could make her feel beautiful in this misery.

"I don't want to go through with this," she said, more to herself than to Tenn.

"I'm sorry Lady Miyuki," Tenn uttered as she dropped metallic ringlets through Miyuki's antennas. "I'm truly sorry, Lady Miyuki."

Miyuki thrashed about in her chair. The magnitude of it forced some of the swirling ringlets to fly out of her antennas and land on the floor. "Why did they have to chain me down?" When she quieted, her eyes were engraved with tears. "I don't think I can go through with this."

"There is no choice in this, I'm afraid." Tenn sighed. She bent over and began retrieving the fallen ringlets from the ground. "You have to, Lady Miyuki. You serve a greater purpose. You must oblige to your kingdom."

"I'm not obliged to do anything."

"Sit still and let me fix your necklace. Stop being so fussy."

"This isn't fair. This can't happen."

"But it is."

"Maybe I can stop it."

"I don't see how, Lady Miyuki."

Miyuki kept silent, engulfed in her thoughts. She allowed Tenn to continue working on her appearance. It made Tenn happy. Miyuki figured that she should at least try to make Tenn happy. Besides, Miyuki wasn't at that point yet.

She was still a princess.

In this dressing room, on this chair, as she stared ceaselessly back and forth between herself and the mirror, Miyuki was not a queen, but a princess. She chose to relish that. She chose to live in that moment. It wouldn't be long until she would never be in that moment again.

Tenn took a small can of fragrance and began squirting it onto Miyuki's head. Miyuki coughed at the pungent scent. Tenn placed the can on a nearby dresser, rested a hand to her hip and sighed. "Well," she said, reluctant. "What do you think?"

Miyuki only glanced at Tenn through the mirror. She fiddled with her hands and leaned back, rocking the chair.

"I hate what you've done to my antennas."

Tenn smiled sadly. "Lady Miyuki. You don't mean that."

A knock on the door caused both of them to flinch. Miyuki remained seated as Tenn approached the access panel. The door shifted vertically. Tak stood on the opposite side. Her face was apathetic, but her eyes were stained with emotion. She walked over towards Miyuki while removing a keycard from her own pocket. Tak slid the keycard against the narrow slit in Miyuki's right cuff. She then slid it on Miyuki's left cuff, and Miyuki wanted to leap out of her chair and hug her, but she didn't. What she did do was stand up, lift up her arms, and stretch.

Tak waited off to the side as Miyuki exercised her arms and pivoted her body. Miyuki glanced up at the ceiling, wishing, hoping, begging. Her neck arched as she raised her arms at the ceiling, her fingertips outstretched and rigid. Tak cleared her throat. Miyuki to whip her head in Tak's direction, noticing Tak's head gestured at the door. Miyuki closed her eyes and nodded. Her lips twitched, and Tak began to lead her down the hall.

Tenn trailed behind them as they navigated through the extensive halls and large rooms. Tak glanced back at Miyuki every so often, and Miyuki responded with a quiet nod. The hallways were silent today; there were no hasty footsteps rushing in out of rooms, no hovercrafts patrolling the spacious corridors. The only exceptions were the guardsmen, all of whom saluted Miyuki as she passed them by. Her squeedly-spooch churned as they approached the indoor garden. Her mother was lingering in front the entrance, her arms crossed. Her mother's antenna's perked once she caught sight of Miyuki.

"Tenn, Tak," her mother said, "you may go inside. I would like to speak with Miyuki privately."

The two of them bowed. Miyuki's mother punched in the numbers on the access panel beside her. The door slid open, and Tenn and Tak wasted no time dashing inside. The door closed. Miyuki watched as her mother grimaced, but Miyuki lifted her chin and challenged her mother's glare by drilling her with one of her own.

"Princess Miyuki," her mother began, "if you are to be queen, you should not get into the habit of tardiness."

Miyuki hid her hands behind her back. They tightened into fists.

"But mother, if I am to be queen, then I can be as tardy as I want. After all, who is going to question my royal highness?"

Miyuki smiled, teeth clenched.

"It's not a respectable quality to have. You would be shamed from the history books and be scorned by the kingdom."

She resisted the urge to sneer.

"Then I will smite all who dare oppose me."

Her voice was gritting.

"Really, Miyuki. Late to your own wedding! Now that's entirely selfish of you. Look at all the Irkens waiting for you. Shame on you for delaying the inevitable."

Mental images of ripping the white gown to shreds began to replay in her mind.

"They've only been waiting for ten minutes."

She let out a desired sigh.

"Princess Miyuki, you're going to be queen. You shouldn't get into the habit of tardiness."

Her mother opened the door and shoved Miyuki into the indoor garden, which was decorated with chrome spirals and tacky ribbons. Music was playing as Miyuki stepped inside. At the end of the seemingly endless aisle was a floating altar, to which Prince Purple was standing beside. He wore an impatient glare. Another Irken, dressed in long, stiff robes towered over the podium and glanced directly at Miyuki as the doors slid behind her.

Miyuki noticed her mother scurry to the front row of chairs that were hovering in perfect unison. Each seat was filled: she could make out Tenn sitting in the second row and Tak in the fifth. Miyuki began to walk at a leisurely pace, allowing the music that was now being blasted throughout the room to swallow her whole, to deconstruct the walls and to blur the monotonous stares of her observers. The music blended with her mind, so much that Miyuki didn't even notice that she making her way down the aisle at all.

The entire walk itself was abrupt. It took Miyuki a few seconds to realize she was there, honestly and truly there in that moment where she stood. One moment she was there and the next moment she was there, and the whole situation was a skip in both time and memory. She could have sworn the audience's backs were facing her one second but she couldn't remember if that had been real or another working of her imagination. But all that mattered now was that their backs were not facing her; it was their faces facing her, and she was facing them face-to-face.

The music stopped. The Irken standing behind the altar coughed, and Miyuki turned around. The Irken smiled and proceeded to speak, but the words became jumbled and nonsensical. Miyuki wanted it that way. She allowed the words to be mashed together so that they were drowned out from her mind. Miyuki almost closed her eyes, picturing herself back in her room laughing and smiling without a care in the world. She could pretend that she didn't have responsibility.

She was still a princess.

She was not a queen.

The Irken's words lagged on for so many minutes that when Miyuki reentered reality, she noticed she wasn't the only one off-track. Tak had casually slipped into daydreams, and Tenn was slumped over in her chair, staring at the mundane corners. If Purple was aggravated with Miyuki's delay, the vein on his forehead was enough to express his blatant disinterest for the speaker's ceremonial speech. Or perhaps he just wanted to get the whole thing over with so he could be king of one large kingdom. Miyuki sighed. Yeah, that was probably it.

The Irken cleared his throat and spoke directly to Purple. "Prince Purple of the Kingdom of Spittle: do you accept the unification between you and Princess Miyuki, the merger of your two kingdoms, and the responsibilities that come with it?"

Purple winked at Miyuki, and this time she couldn't prevent herself from rolling her eyes. "Yes," he said, grinning.

Miyuki almost groaned when the Irken turned his attention towards her. She mentally cursed herself. She mentally cursed herself again and again and again as if cursing herself would change the outcome, as if it would provide any solace. It didn't.

"Princess Miyuki of the Kingdom of Voot," he began in an elongated drawl. "Do you accept the unification between you and Prince Purple, the merger of your two kingdoms, and the responsibilities that come with it?"

Miyuki looked to her mother, then to her father, then to Tak then to Tenn then back to her mother and then to Purple. She looked up and down the aisles; she looked to the current rulers of Spittle, whom, with a single word, would no longer be rulers anymore. Miyuki searched for Red in a sea of reds and pinks and purples, but could not find him. She searched for freedom. She searched for the happiness that was just beyond her reach.

Miyuki inhaled a slow breath and concentrated on the Irken conducting the ceremony. In the back of her head, she wondered if it was worth it: to accept her husband, her crown, her kingdom. In the back of her head, she wondered if she honestly and truly deserved this kind of unhappiness. And as she drifted away from the sounds of anxious mutterings and aggravated sighs, Miyuki wasn't sure if what she had uttered was her actual response or a mere construction of her obstinate mind:

"No."

Fin.