The King of Darkness stood on the ground in her expensive, shimmering gray-and-purple dress. She was looking up at the cold sun, watching the bright dot just to the side of it move ever closer. Her sister would be here soon.

She looked back at her castle, mentally checking the things that needed to be done. She found only two more rooms needed cleaning, and that was Sunako's room and the library connected to it.

Sunako didn't really like clean and well-lit rooms. They just weren't her. But she had agreed, for the sake of hygiene, that the bathroom would be kept clean and the book and bookshelves at least dusted. So, around now, the maids would be finishing up the library and then leaving through the dark, shadowy room that her daughter inhabited, and then all would be finished.

The unicorns came in sight first. They were gold, of course, with silver hooves and small, copper and silver wings. Then came the chariot, also gleaming a warm gold in the slight afternoon sun. Then the people on the chariot were visible wearing pale robes and headgear.

She waited for them to touch down, not moving from her spot. A small 'thump' greeted her ears before she attempted to walk forward with her personal servant. The unicorns seemed to find gargoyles somewhat lacking and started to snort at the gray, bent over figure behind her. Emiko hissed at them and bristled when they started pawing at the ground and bobbing their heads to make their crystal horns catch the minimal light.

"Emiko," she murmured soothingly without looking behind her, "do not act like an uncivilized barbarian just because these Jyotians do not know their manners."

Emiko settled down with a glare for the Jyotians before her. The unicorns froze, then tossed up their heads, refusing to look at the people in front of them.

"Kin! Furoko! Be nice!" came the scolding voice of her sister.

Now comes the fun part, thought the King of Darkness. The guests from Jyotis stepped down from their chariot. I hope Sunako-chan and Noi-chan can keep my husband away.


Sunako was sitting cross-legged on the floor, covering her eyes and counting backwards from one hundred.

It really wasn't her idea.

She and Noi-chan had been walking down the hallway, discussing how to distract her father, when the man in question had come out of a nearby room with his sword in hand. The three people had paused and stared at each other.

"Ah! Sunako and Noi-chan!" Her father had wiped his face with the towel around his neck. His eyes warmed at the sight of the two girls (Sunako had never really seen her father smile) before asking, "What brings you here?"

Then Noi-chan spoke up. "Will you join us for a game of hide and seek?"

Whoever said that Noi-chan was an innocent little girl had obviously never tried to stand up to her pout. Sometimes she would ask for the most ridiculous things . . . and actually get them!

They decided to play in the abandoned side of the castle for the duration of the feast—the East side, where the sun would be setting to.

Noi-chan had offered up Sunako as the first finder, and then warned her in a nice way not to use the shadows to help find them. Sunako had asked her what would be the sport in that?

She'd heard the pattering of feat leaving, and her father wondering briefly to Noi-chan, "Won't mother be mad at me for missing the ball tonight?" Noi-chan had laughed, and said something that Sunako could only hear as distant muffled sounds.

"3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . ." she opened her eyes and whispered to herself, "zero."


Yuki, Takenaga, and Kyouhei rolled their eyes at Ranmaru's antics.

He was smiling at the King of Darkness with all the charm he possessed, which was quite a lot. He stepped forward off the carriage after the Queen (who was scolding the Unicorns) and used his god-like grace to approach the King. He smiled at her prettily and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you," all suave-like, bowing and bringing her hand to his lips. His eyes were sultry in the least-innocent sense of the word beneath long, thick lashes.

"Quite," said the King briskly. She patted him on the head with her free hand and pulled her other away when Ranmaru stiffened in shock at being treated like a dog. She strolled with dignity to the ones who were snickering and smiled up at them with a plastered-beatific face. Yuki and Takenaga thought that it was because she'd been slightly affected by Ranmaru and was trying to get back her bearings, while Kyouhei didn't notice. "I welcome you all to my home," she said, glancing at her sister and Ranmaru to include them. The men bowed while the Queen curtsied. "I hope that your stay here is comfortable, and that if you have any problems at all that you will inform me or a servant so that the problem may be rectified as soon as possible."

This was more formality than anything else. With the King and Queen sisters they knew how to treat people from the opposing land. But, as the realms were naturally conflicting, it was better to err on the side of caution, especially as moods were tense right now. This whole visit was to improve relations as best they could before things got worse.

"Of course, Madame King." The Queen of Light swept forward and curtsied. The King of Darkness responded in kind. Then the Queen of Light sashayed forward to wrap her arms around her sister's neck. "It's good to see you again."

The Kind of Darkness smiled and once again repeated her sister's action. "Yes, it is." I only hope my daughter and husband will be safe. Noi-chan, second daughter, please look after them. . . .


AN: I don't know. I'm just making up names, since this is a different world. I don't think Furoko means anything, though Kin is a Japanese boys name for 'Golden.' Jyotis is an Indian name for a female, and it means 'Light of the sun.' Sorry for not explaining that before.

Oh, and since Sunako never was rejected, she still likes the dark things, but she hasn't stopped caring about her looks. At least, not to such a degree. She's not flamboyant, or anything like that. And about her room: Sunako's mother meant that Sunako's room does need cleaning, but they're not cleaning it, so: two rooms needed cleaning, but only the library was actually cleaned.

Also, I have no idea on the name for Sunako's aunt. If anyone does, please, please tell me.