This one is much better too. It took me awhile, but I believe the bugs have been squashed.
As the sun rises the next day, the Great Master wakes Meiki and they travel again on the road to the palace. The trees morph into rock and finally back to trees as they leave the world of the common, and into the domain of the Great Family. Meiki looks all around her, marveling at every garden they pass. There are stone pathways and dozens of workers to tend to the flowers and shrubs. Earlier in the trek, the Great Master had managed to loosen Meiki's hesitant tongue. She asked questions or just plain commented on stuff she saw. Finally, they reach the palace. The large gardens of short greenery didn't prepare Meiki for the wonder around the bend.
The wood and stone masterpiece displayed among the sea of gardens seems to be split into four sections, the very top of each has smaller structures with curtains of different colors fluttering in the wind, sheltering something beyond. The specific colors were for each Kame, but Meiki forgot in its splendor which color was the eldest Kame. The front door was a large archway, which multiple paths ran to, melding into one. Meiki goes over every detail as the Great Master leads the horse with amusement on his face. They pass under the arch and into the palace. Meiki is helped off the horse by a servant and he leads the steed away. The inside of the palace is just as magnificent as the outside. There are etchings and carvings of the Great Family and the villagers.
"Our history," the Great Master comments, "This way, Kodomo," They pass hallways that are for various things the palace needs. "There are places for the servants at each of the Doorways. These are for the palace and front garden maintenance," the Great Master says as they pass neat little hallways. There is an infirmary. Meiki stops at the open skylight above the main courtyard inside the palace. Around it, are the Doorways. Each Doorway is a painted archway. She has to peel her eyes away from looking through one.
Meiki looks at the far wall of the courtyard. It is completely open from the roof to the floor, excepting the four giant pillars spaced out to hold it up. The Great Master walks between the middle ones. Meiki follows, but after being told to wait between them, she stops.
Meiki watches as he walks to the open area in the back. It is a large space that could fit almost half of her village on. It is made up of wide tiles with a railing at the far end, looking over another array of gardens. There are four enclosed gardens around them, a mess of trees beyond and in the back. And right in the center of the patio, sitting in a row are the Great Kame Brothers.
Even from a distance, they seem bigger than she was told they were. Each had on armor of silver mail and cloth, all in brown or black. The main distinction between their clothing is an arm band on each of their left biceps. From right to left, Meiki sees blue, red, purple, and orange. The seams of the cloth match the color of their band. They are all in a meditative pose, waiting for their father to come back.
"My sons, I have returned." They all look up at the same time. They stand and bow to him.
"Welcome back, Father," they all say in unison. Meiki watches the family interact with fascination. She notices they each have a different weapon. The Purple Kame has a long stick on the back of his shell, but she knows from stories that it is anything but a simple stick. The Orange Kame has nunchucks at his sides, as his Red brother with twin sais. Both weapon pairs are too large for anyone else to handle.
"Meiki Tote," the Great Master bids her forward. She takes a step, then another. The four Kame watch her every move. The Master has her stand by him. She takes his hand.
"Reonarudo." Meiki watches the Blue Kame stand up and joins them. He bows again and she sees the handles of a pair of elegant katanas crossed behind his shell.
'Great Leonardo, the Kame of the Swords.' He produces a necklace that has a blue flower pendant. He unclips the end and hands it to his father. The Master fastens it around Meiki's neck. She fingers the flower. It's beautiful. Then she realized she had nothing for him.
"Was I supposed to have something?" She asks. One of the other Kame softly snorts.
"Mikeranjero," The Master sternly scolds.
"Hai, Father." The Master turns back to Meiki.
"No, kodomo, you did not. Do you have any other questions?"
"... What did you say to my father?"
"Ah, hai. You see, there is a month that you stay here with us. If it proves that the bond is true, then you become tsuma to Reonarudo. If proved like a dying flower, you are sent home."
"Oh, okay."
"Sorera o nokosu (leave them), back to your studies." The other three Kame stand and leave. Meiki peeks at them, noticing the red one had a passing glance in her direction. She ducks her head. "A tsuā (tour) is in order." The Master leaves Meiki and Leonardo alone.
"Um, is there anything that you would want me to do?" She asks. He looks at her.
"Where were you born?"
"In the Arika village." He nods.
"An outlying village, it makes sense."
"What makes sense, Leo-"
"That you are disrespectful!" He bellows. She flinches. "You do not speak unless spoken to, am I clear!?" She nods. "And you are not to talk to my brothers, since where they usually go is not your place." He turns away from her and looks off the balcony, "Go to your quarters and dress as my future tsuma should. There will be suitable kimonos there for you." Meiki becomes confused at the request.
"Great Kame-"
"What did I say before!?"
"Yurusu (forgive), but I.. I do not know where my quarters are." Leonardo freezes. How did he think she knew? But he is still too furious at her outburst.
"The Blue Doorway; Follow the main stair. The second door you see to the left is yours," he directs. She bows to his back.
"Arigatō (thank you)," she thanks. She does what he says and walks through the Doorway to the immediate right of the pillars. There's a smaller courtyard through there with doors and stairs dotting the ivy splashed walls. To the right, again, there's an elaborate and wide stair. She climbs it and reaches a platform. The stairs splits up the lengths of the wall. She takes the left, following Leonardo's instructions.
Meiki climbs more stairs, her slippers treading softly on the blue rug that runs down its length like a waterfall. She reaches a hallway. There is one door and then the hallway curves around and stairs lead up the direction she came from.
'Second door, one more,' she climbs up and finds a hallway with three doors. The first one has blue flowers decorating it. Taking it, she finds the spacious chambers. She opens the wardrobe to find; brown and gray of everything. She looks down at her light pink kimono and blue rappu, each adorned with a little embroidery. She sighs and unclips her kimono. After stepping out of it, she selects a simple brown kimono that reaches her ankles and hugs her hips. She puts her hair up in a bun, sliding in a chopstick to hold its place. After putting on some new slippers, she feels presentable.
She walks out the Doorway and crosses the large courtyard, feeling like someone is watching her. She looks behind her, to see a tassel of red go out the far end. She returns to Leonardo, who is bursting at the seams. She stops a few feet from him, and bows. "You remembered not to talk." He turns around and she finishes her bow, smiling. But his frown deepens.
'Oh no, am I not supposed to smile? Have I angered him?'
"Where is your necklace? The one I gave you?" Her hand goes to her collarbone in surprise. She forgot to put it back on!
"I wasn't thinking of it when-"
"You weren't thinking!? I handcrafted that for my tsuma. If you won't wear it-"
"No Great Kame!" Meiki falls at his feet. "I promise! I will remember! I can go get it if you want. I can retrieve it. Gomen'nasai (I'm sorry), Great Kame! My mind was of other things," She pleads. He wants to reprimand her again, but feels something touch his foot; delicate drops of water. 'She really wants to please me,' Leonardo thinks.
"Sutando (stand)," he orders. She gets up and tries to wipe the tears she shed. "No, you can get it after your tour. But come. We are already late." She walks over to him and he slips her arm under his, engulfing her slim arm under his large muscles. "The grounds are split between my brothers. My father goes where he wants and has his own garden. You, like my servants are to stay in this one," he directs as they pass under a wooden arch, connected to a hedge that runs the length of the garden. There are servants inside with simple brown attire, the seams a deep blue. They bow to the Kame as he passes. "You may talk to the women, but there is no man here you are to speak to. Unless one of the Great Family speaks to you directly." Meiki nods.
The garden is gorgeous. They don't get to every part, but Meiki resolves to see them someday. It seems to her that Leonardo actually relaxes a little during their time there. But as they leave, it's as if they never entered. His frown comes back as they go to the palace.
"You join me for every meal in my section of the palace." She nods. "The training grounds are forbidden. You are allowed to the front area of the palace fountains, but only when either I or one of the servant women is with you."
They enter the Blue Doorway in the palace and climb the stairs like Meiki did before. He turns right. There is another door on this side too. "This door is the dining room, the door if you turn left is the study." He follows a stair that wraps around, mirroring the other side. "You know your room on the other side, mine is this one," Leonardo says as they pass a room decorated with swords and lots of blue etchings.
He pushes open the door between theirs. "And my personal lounge is this door." They climb a short stair to an opening lined with a railing. The small structures Meiki saw before seem larger. They are gazebos with blue curtains blowing in the wind. Inside each is a couch and cushions. Lamps ring them, currently not lit. Meiki detaches herself from Leonardo and catches a curtain, feeling its silkiness. "The cloth can be anchored down, when needed." Meiki goes to the railing at the back edge and looks out at all the color. She breathes in the smell of the wind.
'The view goes on for miles!'
"My father said your name was..?" Meiki turns back.
"Meiki Tote," she answers. He nods and sits on one of the couches. He bids her to his side. She obeys. He lightly grabs her chin and inspects her face. She is a little tanned from her time outside, her lips brownish pink without paint. Her black hair has come a little undone from the wind. She was soft and delicate. She has beautiful brown eyes, a little red from crying. Leonardo tucks a few of her stray hairs behind her ear. She smiles, a little pink appearing on her cheeks.
"Well, Meiki, you may come here whenever, but if I up here, do not disturb me. You are not allowed to go near my brothers' Doorways and may only go to my father when requested by him. And my room is off limits," he continues. She nods.
"Hai, Great Kame."
"You may go." She stands, bows and leaves down the door. The first place she goes to is her room. She finds the blue necklace on the dresser. She picks it up. 'He made this?' She fingers the petals, feeling every stroke he carved. She puts it back on. 'Now, what to do.' She looks out her window.
The garden was practically begging her to come. She smiles and races down the steps. She slows once reaching the bottom and walks the remaining distance. The garden is beautiful, fountains at every turn and waterfalls form where the path dips down. She paces herself and finds the spot she hadn't been to yet. It's a patch of flowers, including peonies, with benches and a fountain in the center. She sits down and takes a deep breath.
'Maybe this won't be so bad. He's a little rough, that's true, but I don't know the rules here. The Great Master was nice about it.. I just need to adjust.' Meiki shifts in her spot. 'But Leonardo doesn't seem to like me.'
My new version of the palace is actually palace-like. The other one, not so much.. It is a little big, but well, they are the rulers of this country. A king has a huge castle right?
Also, big fan of castle designing. Comes with loving Minecraft. *points to self* One of the best architects on Minecraft that I know.. personally. Okay..in my family and friends.