Red Painted Roses Chapter 4
Miyako Suzuki
A/N: Hello! CrimsonMoon5600 and KikuNakamura here! It's been awhile, but here we are! We're ready to continue Red Painted Roses! Now a word from Kiku: This story is okay for now. I really have to apologize for not updating in months! I am sincerely sorry. So I (with the help of Crimson) will try to make this chapter longer than usual. Thank you for staying with this story, my dearest readers! ~Kiku Nakamura~ Now then, without further ado… let's start this chapter!
When leaving the room Ichigo heard a cold, evil laughter fill the corridor. It really spooked me and she guessed her face was pale because Yamada-san said: "Ojou-sama, are you okay? You look like you have seen a ghost."
"Oh, don't worry about me, I am fine, just a little startled." She nodded and smiled.
"I shall get you to the stable boy now. You must be longing to see Kamida Umeko–sama. She will probably experience what you are feeling now, the sooner you mount the horse the sooner you will get the peace you want."
The duke's daughter and the maid had reached the stables where the brown-haired stable boy worked. He kept on stroking the mane of a mare, which had a sleek and pure coat of black.
She's beautiful, Ichigo thought.
"Ojou-sama, this is the horse that will accompany you in your journey. I hear that you have requested traveling alone and not with a carriage," he said. "Midnight here is one of our finest horses at the stable."
"I shall be mounting now," she told the stable boy who went to get the stepping stool.
"Farewell," Ichigo had said to her handmaiden and parted.
She felt the thrill as Midnight rode swiftly down the road, with her cloak flowing in the back of her; the cold wind to her face, and holding the reins of the horse, she felt powerful. Like no one could stop her until… she married.
Ichigo started to feel tired and slumped down a bit, depressed. The horse seemed to know she felt upset because it slowed down a bit and whined.
Staring down at the horse's mane, she stroked it, running her hand through.
Several minutes later, Midnight had started trotting. On the right side of the road was a old handed painted sign that says: MACARRON KINGDOM 5 MILES. Ichigo knew she still had a long way to go before she could talk to her cousin and feel 'sane' again. She was determined to get to the Éclair Castle.
She rode into the Macaroon Kingdom, taking notice of the architecture and the big castle. The ball was held here this year. Finally, she was allowed to go to the masked ball after turning seventeen, the maiden's age. Ichigo was always looking forward to the masquerade ball, but she had been too young up until this year's May. The annual Winter Ball was an amazing feat that each year was better than the last. Occasionally, a prince or a princess would choose to court their dance partner.
What would it be like to fall in love? Ichigo thought. But there would be no freedom. Ichigo loved her freedom. It was the thing that mattered the most to her. All that would change when she got the taste of something new.
People say they were happier, and the world was more colorful. Ha! False words. Remember the heartbreak? Ichigo would remind herself every day. She would ponder upon the l-word but remind herself of freedom until the end.
Suddenly, her horse came to a halt.
"What's wrong, girl?" Ichigo asked the horse. A rustling sound came from the bushes. Ichigo got off of her horse.
"Who's there?" she demanded towards the bushes. "Show yourself,coward!" Picking up a rather large rock, she drew closer.
A boy popped out from among the plant.
"KYAAAAAAA!" the duke of the Monte Blanc Kingdom's daughter screamed in fright.
"Whoa! Put down the weapon, don't throw it. Now step away from the bush, Miss."
Ichigo stared with wide deer-in-headlights eyes. However, she didn't follow the mysterious boy's instructions. She clenched the stone in her palm and began to step closer.
"Stop, drop the weapon! I demand you-" the boy began.
"Don't command me to do anything!" Ichigo yelled back.
"My, my… such rude girl, useless too." The boy was starting to irritate her now.
"Watch your mouth…My parents taught me not to say bad comments about people infront of their faces!"
"Still, she is a useless person…" the blond haired boy muttered under his breath. His eyes had a glint in them and his lips turned up into a smirk.
"You…" she growled. "I heard that!"
"You shouldn't be angry, I didn't say anything to your face." Ichigo's face started to turn red of anger.
"Hmph!" She exhaled and inhaled. Remember keep calm, do not lose composure. Ichigo thought about Miss Takera's words. She thought about what she had said about losing composure as a lady. She made it seem as if it was the most terrible thing in the world.
"Farewell, I shall not talk to you anymore. I must hurry on my way."
Turing the horse back into direction of the bordering kingdom, Midnight rode swiftly pass the town, leaving the sandy blond haired boy with those choclate brown eyes following his acquaintance.