Chapter 3 : Cold

Yesterday was another bad day for Umi. She made her princess get scolded by Nozomi princess and furthermore, she could feel that Nico never trust Kotori to be in her care at all. Even though she has been chosen to be Kotori's guardian, the head maid is still being a hostile toward her with many reasons. But even more worst, after Umi escorted Hanayo princess to her room. Kotori hadn't try to spoke up or try to make any conversation with Umi at all. They were like walking side by side in silence until they reached to Kotori's room. The only word left from the princess's lips was a goodnight and then she got back in to her room without meeting with Umi's eyes. Umi sighed heavily after thinking too much. She shook her head then slapped her face couple times to make her forget what she was thinking.

"I should get up…"

Umi said to herself then get out of the bed like she normally do but when her feet reached the bedroom's floor, something is wrong. She could clearly feel that her body is getting heavier and her head is spinning. She thought that maybe it's because of stress and lack of sleep so she chose to ignore it and get dress up quickly.

After she finished everything she left her room and walk to the training ground. Today is another day that she has to train the new soldiers in the morning.

"General! Good morning." One of the soldiers greeting her when he sees Umi is arrived.

"Good morning, please continue training."

The archery general greeted back as she watched her new trained army in satisfaction. They are always come to the training ground in the morning before Umi. This is a reason why Otonokizaka armies are always strong.

"They will be a good army, don't you think?" A blonde hair captain walked behind Umi and sat beside her.

"Ah, good morning captain Eli. Yes, they are our future, I must say."

"You're right…anyway did you do some extra exercise or something? You are quite a bit sweaty, Umi." Eli asked a question after she noticed her friend's forehead is sweating madly.

"N..No…not really. In fact, I just got here …Maybe because it is hot today?"

"Hot? Umi…I can't even stand to take a bath because it is so cold today... Sometimes I wonder if you are really a normal human." Eli is making fun of how weird response of her friend.

"I am normal, Captain! oh crap…" Umi got up from her seat too quickly and suddenly her body just feels out of strength so she has to sit down again. Eli noticed something is wrong so she moves her hand to touch Umi's forehead.

"Umi…you are burning…Why didn't you tell me that you are sick? You should call it a day I will cover it up for you."

The blue hair girl moves her captain's hand away as she was heard.

"I am not sick, captain. It's just lack of sleep. I can still doing my job."

"Umi…You shouldn't force yourself…"

"I know what I am doing captain. Thank you for your concern." Umi cuts out of her captain worry and soon walked out to where her army is waiting. She isn't going to let this stupid cold getting in her way to doing her job properly not even her captain.

The army trained hard as usual but for Umi today is too hard. Her mind is determined to do the job but her body didn't help much. So all Umi can do is guiding her soldiers and gave instructions. She even feels that it's too difficult to lift up her own bow as well. But thanks to her stamina, she can manage to survive the morning training and left the training ground early than anyone by making an excuse that she was hungry and needed for breakfast. Eli saw everything and sighed in defeat on how stubborn Umi can be and that remind her a bit of herself in the past.

The general archer keeps walking toward to where she had to be. She has to meet with her princess in front of Kotori's room to guide the princess to the dining hall for breakfast. This is one of Umi's duties or should say that it is one of the Kotori's request. As soon as the blue hair girl reached the room, she knocked the door few times and kneels down.

"Your highness, I have come to your service. The breakfast has been prepared at the dining hall."

The door slowly opens and the person who came out is the most beautiful girl in the world for Umi. Kotori princess is already fully dress in her elegance white with green ribbons dress and slowly came out of the room.

"Thank you as always, Umi-chan…and good morning…"

"My pleasure…Please follow me." Umi stood up quickly and walked ahead of her princess. She makes a peek to her back to see her princess's face and thinking that everything is the same as usual, or so that is what Umi thought until she notice that the princess still hadn't start any conversation and keeps looking at the ground like last night. Umi knew that her princess is still upset about yesterday so she tried to come up with some conversations to lighten the mood.

"It sure is lovely weather today, isn't? Your highness" Umi felt like she messed up after she asked some random question to the princess.

Kotori nodded quietly and made a single response. "Mmh."

After hearing an unusual short response, Umi tried again. "Since the weather is nice, maybe your highness should head to the west garden after breakfast? I think that the flowers will be blooming today as well."

"Mmh…maybe" The grayish princess is still made another short response but Umi is not giving up.

"I…I don't have any plans today so if your highness would like…maybe I can accompany you while you are going to the garden?"

"You will?" Kotori's face lightens up a bit after hearing her guardian's invite.

"Yes…If that's not a bother to you…your highness"

Kotori giggled softly and walked up to Umi's side.

"You are never a bother to me. I would like to have you around, Umi-chan. I guess…today we will head to the west gate after breakfast?"

Umi is blushing but she is glad that her princess seems to be a bit happier now. "Yes, very well your highness…Let us go to the dining hall now. Shall we?"

"Alright" They continue walking side by side until they reached the dining hall.

After the breakfast, the princess and the guardian are heading to the west garden as they promised. Umi enjoyed watching her princess walking around and admire the flowers. She kept thinking to herself on how lucky she is to be able to witness this beautiful scene until she heard the princess is calling out her name.

"Umi-chan…You have been staring at me for awhile now. Is there something on your mind?" The princess asking an innocence question to her soldier and that makes Umi feels so ashamed of herself to be caught staring by the princess.

"Ah…No…Umm…I was just…watching you…Umm...I mean I should be on guard and always watching out for you to prevent any harm, your highness." Umi tried to make excuses as much as she could and the princess giggles softly on how cute of her soldier reactions.

"Thank you Umi-chan, I guess there could be something dangerous in this garden so you have to be on guard all the time right?"

"Ah...Yes…Your highness…"

"Anyway, why don't you come closer and help me pick up some flowers? I would like to give some to my mother and my sisters."

"But if you do that won't you get scold by Nozomi princess again? She was the one who grew these flowers after all." Umi remembered on how Nozomi princess is so fond to the flowers and she always feels sad if her flowers wilt all the time.

"Oh… I see…You're right…Maybe I shouldn't. I remembered now, after I picked up Anemone for you. Onee-sama got so angry on me and we didn't talk for few days." Kotori chuckled after recalling her past.

"Ah…It seems like it's my fault…I am deeply sorry…" Umi is now feeling guilty again and bow her head down.

"No…don't be…I'm glad though."

"How so?" The blue hair girl made a questioned look and then she started to feel dizzy again. This stupid cold is going to getting in her way.

"Because after I gave you those flowers…We became friends…And see? We are still together... I always cherish that moment in my heart…Thank you Umi-chan for always be there for me and became my friend."

After Kotori finished her sentences, Umi's mind is full of joy. Her princess is still cherishing their friendship no matter what time passed. Umi makes a small smile and when she is about to response, her head is spinning harder and not feeling well. She suddenly falls on to the ground quickly and breathing heavily. Umi feels like she's going to lose her conscious soon. She tried to fight with this unpleasant feeling since morning but at last she can't hold it any longer. The last thing she saw was her princess calling out her names and then everything went black.

"Ugg…My head…" The blue hair groaned after she regained her conscious.

"You finally awake…huh?" A sharp voice can be heard. Umi opened her eyes and she saw a red hair girl with purple eyes looking at her.

"Where am I?" Umi tried to get up but she got push down by the red hair girl.

"Don't get up yet. You need to rest…You are now at the soldier medic room. I can't believe it that you are still out of the bed after you have that high fever." The girl still keeps talking nonstop and grabs something to put on her forehead.

"Sorry, Maki…I will be careful next time."

Maki is the red hair girl's name, a medic soldier who got in the position in the army at the same year as Umi. Her stamina can't be compare with Umi or Eli but her intelligence is known as she expert in making healing herbs for curing many kind of disease. Even though she wanted to be a full combat soldier, but people always telling her that it will be best for her if she is a doctor instead. So right now, she became one of the main doctors for the army and the Kingdom.

"How is she, doctor?" The grayish hair princess coming toward to the bed and as soon as she found out that her guardian is awake.

"Well… She has high fever, your highness. I suggest her to rest and take some herbs that I will be giving to her. She should be fine in 1-2 days." Doctor Maki is giving a report to the princess after the she heard a question.

"So that means she has to stay in bed for couple days, is that correct?" Kotori asked again.

"Yes, that will be better. So Umi no more duty for you until you are recover. Understand?"

After hearing that she will be on bed for few days, Umi feel like she is useless for her princess so she speak up to show that she is fine and no need to stop her from doing her job.

"I am fine. I don't need to rest. I will get better in a few minutes…So would you excuse me and let me do my duty…"

Maki about to say something but the princess is quickly response faster than she is.

"Umi-chan, you will be in this room to recover so please do not force yourself to do anything and do whatever the doctor said…Okay?"

Umi made a protest again but this time louder. "Your highness, I am fine…please do not worry about me. I still can doing my own job. Tomorrow I will still going to your room and…"

Umi didn't get to finish her sentence until the princess interrupted.

"This is an order…You dare to disobey me, Umi?"

Umi looked up to meet the princess's eyes and she will never forget what she saw today. Her princess's face shows a sign of furious and furthermore the princess even called her name unlike her usual Umi-chan. Umi's mouth went dry and nodded quickly as she know that this is not the right time to say anything to displease Kotori anymore.

"As your wish…Your highness…"

"Good…now everyone please leave…I would like to talk with Umi-chan in private." As soon as the princess ordered everybody got up and left the room including the doctor Maki.

When there is no sign of anyone, Kotori moves herself to sit on the chair next to Umi's bed and gently grab Umi's hand.

"I'm sorry for being too harsh…I was so mad so I couldn't help it." Kotori spoke out softly after she finally calm down.

"No…Your highness, it was my fault that I was disobey you…From now on, I will follow every your orders and never do something like that again." Umi made an apology face as she speaks.

"No…It's not that Umi-chan…I am not mad about that. I was mad that you are trying to force yourself for the duty. You should take care of yourself more. It made me worry everytime I heard that you are over working yourself."

"But without duty…I will be nothing... your highness…I vowed to Minami Queen that I will be serving under this Kingdom and will protect this royalty even if I have to lose my own life."

Kotori made a sad smile after hearing Umi's speech so she tighten her grip with Umi's hand and whispering quietly."So all you are caring about is your duty huh? Umi-chan…"

Umi panicked after seeing her princess face become sad again so she too tighten the grip with princess's hand but not too much force then smile

"It's not just about my duty that I care about, your highness. I am also caring about you and will always make sure that you will be happy and safe no matter what it takes."

The grayish hair girl looked at Umi in wide eyes and Umi swore that she could see her princess blushed a little.

"Now you are being unfair…Umi-chan." Kotori beamed a smile to Umi and Umi knows that her princess is feeling better again.

"I'm sorry…" Umi smiles softly and closed her eyes.

"I guess I should let you rest today, I will tell doctor Maki to keep an eye on you and make sure you will be on bed." The golden eyes princess got up from the chair and releases her grip from Umi.

"Yes, your highness…"

"Also, I will ask Nico-chan to help you recover while you are resting. Will that be okay for you?"

As soon as Umi heard Nico name she shuddered in fear and wonder if she will be survive so she shook her head quickly.

"I will be fine your highness! I can take care of myself. No need to send the maid to me."

"Oh okay then if that's what you want Umi-chan…I guess I will see you in few days. See you later Umi-chan…please get well soon." Kotori walked to the door and bid her farewell to the guardian.

"Yes your highness…"

As soon as the door closed, Umi closed her eyes once more to rest as she was told. Today is indeed another troublesome day for the archer.


Hello, I am back for more chapter...the grammar is still error. I am sorry about that... I actually finished this for while now but I wait for someone to help me edit with the grammar...(he/she is still not finish it but I just can't help and post before he/she can finish lol, sorry about that.)