(( HAHA, I forgot to mention, I update every Saturday :D! Be on the lookout everyone! Also, HOW EXCITED ARE YOU FOR THE NEW CHAPTERRRR? Okay, so maybe not THAT excited lmao since nothing major has happened yet xD But it's getting there! And yes, weekly, on every Saturday just like I just put xD There will be a new chapter :) So please put this into your story alerts if you want to keep track of it, andddddd yea! It will let you know :D Also, if you are all interested in a cute Seiya x Usagi fan fic that I'm in the works of putting together right now, please put me into your author alerts and once I put it up, you will be emailed about it :D
DISCLAIMER: Again, I don't own Sailor Moon, but this is my fanfic ;) Please enjoy! 3 ))
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Haruka bit her cheek so hard it drew blood. She could sense the coppery taste flooding her mouth bit by bit as she bit down harder to prevent herself from crying out or doing anything irrational.
The King had died…
He had been buried, and the entire palace, all the servants, guard, and anyone else who worked within the palace walls, had been told to take the day to mourn for the late King.
Haruka had done nothing but watch Michiru the entire time. The way she stood silently, tears flowing from her already tear swollen eyes, her shoulders shaking as she tried to keep her heart ache inside.
It hurt the guardswoman to see the princess in such a fragile state.
She knew how badly it hurt to lose a parent… but when she'd lost her father, not much had changed… For Michiru, everyone knew things would change.
She was the only heir to the throne, but she could not rule alone, and so she was to be married off as quickly as possible.
The thought sickened Haruka. She hated the thought of some man coming in and laying his hands on her Michiru… She knew there was still a bit of time before Michiru had to be wed, but it was like each hour was a second going by to her, and each one brought her closer to the day she knew she would have to see Michiru be wed to someone else. Somoene who wasn't her… The thought hurt so much. But she would never tell the aquanette… Not ever.
All she could do, was keep biting her cheek and stop herself from reaching out to wipe away Michiru's tears away and pull her in.
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It had been three days since the funeral, and Michiru had not spoken a word. She also had not been eating well, missing her father so much that it made the world around them seem greyer and a little more lifeless with the sadness of the princess affecting them so.
"Michiru…" Haruka sighed and looked at her friend.
It had been raining outside all day, a cooling relief from the sweltering heat they'd had for days on end now. But it also mirrored the way everyone, especially Michiru was feeling. Because of the drabby weather, Haruka did not need to train outside today. There was indoor options for the guard to continue training, but it was smaller and more stuffy than being outside in the fresh air, so not many chose to use it. Only those who really needed it.
The aquanette lifted her head and looked at Haruka quietly. "Yes?"
Haruka sucked in her breath and her green eyes looked over the princess' chapped lips and sorrowful eyes. "Princess…"
"Don't call me that," Michiru said suddenly and her brows become a slight frown as she stared back at the empty sketchbook page in her lap. "You know I hate it when you speak so formally to me…"
"But-"
"No buts. In private, I told you to only call me Michiru. Nothing more…"
Haruka held her tongue for a moment and then smiled faintly, nodding. "Alright. I'm sorry… At least I roused some reaction out of you though," she grinned a little, nudging the other girl's foot with her own.
Michiru glanced up at where Haruka stood before her and offered a weak smile.
"I'm sorry, Haruka… I don't mean to act so pathetic, but… too much is happening at once. My father's passing forces me to take the throne, but to fully rule this country, I must marry a man who can govern it properly…" She shook her head and closed her eyes for a moment. "If only I could be a man… Then I could rule on my own, and not be so forced and pressured to marry someone. I could take my time with it…"
Haruka looked at her quietly and shook her head. "I would hate it if you were a man… You would have the strangest color for facial hair…" she said and smirked.
Michiru looked at her and then laughed without meaning to, smacking Haruka's knee with her sketchbook. "Oh hush, you know what I mean," she smiled at her, showing a perfect set of white teeth.
Haruka chuckled and moved to sit beside Michiru by the window, sighing as she leaned back, one arm slightly behind the princess, though not touching her as she watched her.
"I just mean… its so much harder being a woman… It isn't fair that just because I am the princess that I have no say in some of the most important decisions in my life."
Haruka looked at her and nodded. "I know…"
Michiru turned to look at her blonde friend and met her eyes quietly. "You worked so hard to become an independent woman among the royal guard… I envy you for having such freedom…"
Haruka's heart constricted faintly at the words that came from Michiru. "Michi…" she breathed, sitting up and put an arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer, not knowing what else to do. She knew Michiru was trapped in the lineage she had been born into. There was no escaping it, and it hurt Haruka just as much as she imagined it hurt Michiru herself.
The aquanette closed her eyes and rested her head upon Haruka's shoulder gently, as she had done many times before. Regardless of in exhaustion, happiness, comfort or sadness. Michiru was entirely comfortable with Haruka.
Haruka looked down at the top of Michiru's head and swallowed with some difficulty, wishing she could just lean down and kiss the top of her head and tell her she would protect her from whatever misery would befall her in the coming months.
That small area along the crown of her head… it would be so easy to press her lips just ever so lightly to it…
"I think I could eat something now, actually…" Michiru whispered suddenly.
Haruka blinked, her train of thought lost for the moment and watched as Michiru sat up and looked at her. "Would you like for me to accompany you?" she asked.
Michiru smiled at her and nodded calmly. "I would love that," she said, walking with Haruka to the dining area where dinner would be served soon.
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"What!" Haruka shouted, standing from the dining table and knocking over her wine glass in the process. The anger and outrage was written all over her horrified face at this latest news.
Servants came to clean away the red stain that began to seep into the table cloth as Haruka breathed raggedly, her fists clenched as she looked at The Queen wide eyed.
"You cannot mean to say he is going to come HERE!"
Aisling sighed and closed her eyes, not looking pleased about it either, but did not deny it. "Michiru… You know it is for the best…" she said and opened her eyes to look at her precious daughter.
Michiru had gone pale and looked like she might be ill. "But…" she shook her head and looked at her mother pleadingly. "He is our enemy…" she whispered.
"He will no longer pose a threat to us as long as you marry Nephrite. He will be satisfied, and our two kingdoms will become one, and all will be well…"
Michiru swallowed and her gaze fell into her lap again. "When… when does he plan to come here to formalize his proposal…?" she whispered.
Haruka gaped at her in disbelief and slammed her fists down on the table in bitter outrage. "Michiru no! He is our sworn enemy! We've fought him for too long for him to simply marry you and get this kingdom so easily, Michiru! He is the reason half our people must join to guard and go into battle! Because of his misguided attacks and selfish rea-"
"Haruka!" Aisling snapped and frowned at her.
The blonde looked at her Queen, a wild and pleading look in her green eyes.
"You do not have any say in this matter, Haruka," Aisling said, her own cheeks flushed in embarrassment as well as frustration for the guardswoman's outburst. "This is a matter between both royal families. Nephrite has heard, as well as many other kingdoms, of the late King's passing, and instead of fighting senselessly, he has proposed to marry Michiru and bring our people together… It will end this… this ridiculous constant feuding at last. It is for the best. Just leave it be…" she told her.
Haruka stood there stunned and then looked at Michiru, hoping deep down the princess might say something to negate this arrangement.
All Michiru did was look at Haruka, her eyes pleading for her to stop making a scene and sit.
When Michiru didn't argue, the blonde woman sunk down into her chair and stared unfocused at her plate, shaking her head faintly. "He is a monstrosity of a man…" she breathed.
Michiru swallowed and looked down. "How long, mother…?"
Aisling sighed, in a way relieved, but in another, made more tense as she parted her lips to speak. "He will be here to formalize the proposal and reside until wedding preparations can be made, in a week's time… I suppose he thinks the sooner the better…" she looked down.
Michiru felt a knot tighten in her stomach, but nodded silently, letting out a strained sigh as she stood.
"I wish to excuse myself… I apologize…" she said quietly, having suddenly lost her appetite all over again as she headed to her bed chamber to be alone.
Haruka watched her go and gritted her teeth at the thought that in a week, Nephrite would be there to propose to her formally, and then marry her soon after. She closed her eyes tightly and finally stood, storming to the chambers set aside in another area of the palace for the guard to sleep in, having acquired a horrible headache after learning such horrid news.
Nephrite… the one man who had been trying to ruin this kingdom for years now, who constantly sent troops and his own guard in to take over this land, had now done so with this easily presented opportunity.
She hated him for it. She had had no doubt when the King had first fallen ill that it may have had something to do with Nephrite and his constant scheming. She had had no proof though, and so he could not be held accountable for causing the King's illness… but she had always had a gut feeling he had been behind it in some sick and twisted way. And now here he was, gaining the kingdom and her princess in one simple swoop and suggestion of marriage…
How on earth could things have so rapidly become so horribly wrong…?
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(( Dun dun dunnnnn. Aaannndddd that's chapter 2~ Short, I know -w- Sowwi. But hey, there's only SO much I can do when the topic is a proposal ya know? XD Anyway! I hope it was good and all "WHOA NO!" for you -w- And now, nighty night. Stay tuned for next week's tension-ridden chapter *o*))