FORTUNE~ 幸運
Book One: Sun
本1: 太陽
Ch.1
Being trapped feels strange. Sometimes, when it's been going on for a while, you learn to compress it. People do that. They live good times in replacement of bad. But the bad is still there. It hurts...
"Ouch, Marabelle!"
"I-I'm so sorry m 'lady."
"Does it have to be tied so tight?"
"Y-yes..."
"Quit yer yappin' you two! And sit still Miss Hinamori!"
-✖✖--✖✖--✖✖-
A beautiful young girl, about sixteen, was sitting on a red cushion before an elegant jade dresser. A white bow hugged a section of her pink hair, its leftover laces falling gracefully to the floor. She had on a fancily ruffled dress, bearing the soft colors of fulvous cream. Two maids occupied themselves in preparing the girl. The first one, frail and skinny, was tying the back of the princess' dress with nervous fingers. The other, sturdy and thickset, was waving a fluffy brush on her cheeks, enhancing her delicate features with foundation.
"Oh what a beauty ya are," the big maid said as she put away the brush, "look it."
She moved aside so the girl could see herself on the mirror.
"This prince would be quite the fool to turn yee down like those in the past!"
The girl stared blankly at her reflection.
"T-there m' lady. You're finished." the tiny maid, Marabelle, said. She stood up from the floor and made her way over to the other maid, Cho. Satisfied with their work, the two smiled at the mirror.
It's always the same....
I'm tired of that girl.
Cho let out a content sigh and clapped her hands together, "Well they probably need me downstairs with the party and whatnot. I'll go fetch the queen as well. Come on Marabelle!"
The two maids made a swift exit, leaving the young princess to stare at herself alone. Beautiful yes, but happiness didn't match her face with her extravagant clothing.
A light knock interrupted the seemingly eternal silence, followed by the entrance of the queen. Her tall, thin body garbed classic and exquisite clothing as well.
She made her way over to her youngest daughter, so mellow as if a ghost. She put her hands on the princess' shoulders.
"Perfect. Cho and Marabelle really outdid themselves this time."
A doll? I'm not.
"The event will begin soon. You should head downstairs. I assure you, this prince is the best one so far."
"I'm not going." The princess did not request, she commanded.
"I won't be made a fool of again."
"Amu, this isn't a choice. You will go and that's final. Soon enough you'll be seventeen. You must marry..."
"I said no!"
"HINAMORI AMU!" Now the queen's command's valued more.
"This isn't a game! I don't care if you feel like it or not, this is the way it must be! We've already been though this countless times."
"The way it must be? What?! So the tradition of this so called 'royalty' is to sell your children off a prizes? That's disgusting!"
"I'm not selling you off! I was to marry when i was sixteen, and so was my mother and hers. It's not a punishment, it's an honor!"
"It's all a lie! I'm obligated to sell myself, and all I stand for, to mediocre marriage?! I refuse!"
"It's not your choice!"
"How can it not be? I'M the one being sold! This shameful system might have been enough to trick Rima and Yaya. But I won't fall to the same fate as my sisters!"
The queen's hand movement was quick to follow. With the swift motion, a slap across the face caused silence for the princess, who with wide eyes held back tears.
"I've had enough," the queen began.
"You will go, and you will marry this prince regardless of circumstances. I'll make sure of it, even if i have to drag you to this forcibly, I will!"
Her exit was forceful, and made a point. The princess was left alone once more.
Her left had rested on the red blushed cheek which had fallen victim to the act. Tears threatened, but the cheek didn't hurt. The heart did though.
"Amu-chan." A sad little voice barely heard, yet spoken out took the princess' attention.
Ran, her guardian character, was the source.
"You'll be okay."
Go go Amu-chan! Fight fight Amu-chan!
She was soon followed by the Artist and the Maid. They kept silent.
None knew what to say. they knew this day would eventually come. The princess wouldn't be able to scare off all the prince's before the game got old. There was no way out of it this time.
Sometimes predicaments fall into the 'minor' category. Marrying? At least you're not dying. Marriage is nothing compared to what other must face.
Really? Being forced into a marriage. You might as well be dead.... if you're nobody.
"Amu..."
She wiped away the first tear, but the others came rapidly in show.
The little green garbed maid, Su, floated to her face with a handkerchief, doing her best to make things better. But failing.
"Don't cry Amu!" Her efforts seemingly tiring, she couldn't stop every tear. With a sigh she began crying too.
"Oh stop it Su. We don't need you making a scene too." Miki said.
"B-but, our Amu! Our poor Amu..."
"Stop it!" The princess' voice crackled. "Just stop. None of you can do anything. You could never do anything!"
The princess made her exit as well. out the door she stormed, high heels forcing angry sounds on the wooden hallway floor.
Her charas were left with a saddened glow. Miki the artist retreated to her eggshell.
"Miki, what are you doing? We have to follow Amu."
No response, so the pink chara tried again.
"Even if we can't do anything, it's our duty to make sure she's okay! We have to be with her and..."
"What's the point Ran!! You heard what she said. She doesn't need us, she never did! It won't be long before we're..." Miki began but was interrupted by the sobbing Su.
"Don't say it Miki! Please don't!"
"BEFORE WE'RE ALL GONE!"
Silence is scary. Only interrupted by the soft crying of the maid... ghastly.
"....I'm still going," the pink one said, and went out the door, leaving her companions behind.
END CHAPTER 1
I will continue this fanfiction soon.
I do not own shugo chara, this is purely fan made. Please review.