Title: The Cold Polonaise
Rating: T
Chapter 10: The Princess's Sin
Disclaimer: Uhm… can't contact my lawyer so until then La Corda D'oro and their characters are not mine even UNO.
-naomiyukari08-
naomiyukari08 scribbles: Woah! I'm updating at last! Anyway, I'm sorry for not updating soon but anyway here's another chapter. Please notify me is someone is out of character or I have grammatical errors and slips and wrong spellings.
Thank you for reading.
Reviews/Comments/Constructive Criticisms/Suggestions are welcome.
Some reply:
sun-sun kat: I just want to clarify, it is Len who is acting like they don't know each other. Maori is just following his flow.
Kaho14belle: sorry about that. I don't know what to call you but now I know. ;)
Maori walked passed to all of them, tears were falling down her cheeks. She went to the common washroom and locked herself in there. She looked at herself at the mirror,
"Why the hell are you crying, Maori?" She asked herself between sobs.
"No more crying, it's going to be alright, that is what Dad is always saying to you right? You'll get over it." She said.
She then washed her face and breathed deeply and exhaled it. She fixed herself and went out of the washroom. She walked towards their bedroom and knocked.
"Oh! Maori! You're back so early." Ayana said while opening the door for her.
All the accompanists were inside their room playing UNO cards.
"Want to play UNO?" Ayana asked joining the group and leaving the door open.
"Yeah! Come on Kiyumi-san!" Jin said.
She stayed on the spot where she was standing and smiled,
"Uhm… no thanks. I'm not in the mood right now. I just came here to get my…I-pod." She went inside and grabbed her I-pod which is placed on her night table.
"Uhm…have fun." She said and she closed the door.
…Thank God, my I-pod was there. I have a good reason not to be questioned by Ayana… She thought while leaning on the closed door and sighing. She then went to the common balcony, sat on the concrete railing and started listening to her I-pod.
-LIVING ROOM while that was happening to Maori-
"So you know about it? She did say it to all of you?" Aki asked the concours participants. They were asked to be seated in the coach in the living room, like they were being questioned by the police. Ryoutarou answered for the group,
"Yes, Riyoka-sama. She told us about her talent in skating before we heard the news." Aki nodded.
"Aki, don't be too harsh to my students, they didn't do anything." Kanazawa said.
"Kanazawa-sensei, will Maori be okay?" Azuma asked.
"Oh she will be. My niece is a strong person. She can't be shattered just like that." Kanazawa replied.
"Hey, Kanayan, do you know something about this? Everything?" Aoi asked in curiosity.
"Of course I know the whole story, Kaji. Every bit of it, I am her mother's cousin and best friend too. Maori's mother told me every detail and of course I won't say it to you unless Maori gave me a permission to say it."
"Riyoka-sama, do you want this situation to be a secret?" Azuma asked.
"Yes, please. The rest of you, please keep your mouth shut about this. The accompanists should not know about this. Respect the trust that Maori gave you. If she told this thing to you, it just means that she trust every single one of you." Aki said.
"Yes." They all said.
"Are we now…allowed…to go to our rooms, I'm getting kind of sleepy…" Keiichi said.
"Sure. Sure." Aki said.
They all went up except for Len who went to the garden.
--
Nobody noticed Maori at the common balcony except for Ryoutarou who just accidentally glanced at the place. He saw Maori sitting at the edge of the railing just looking at the horizon. He approached her,
"I won't sit like that if I were you." Ryoutarou said while approaching her.
Maori sensed that she wasn't alone anymore, she turned her head just to see the green haired guy looking back at her; she then took off her earphones. Maori smiled,
"So…how are you?" Ryoutarou asked. It was a stupid question he thought but he just wants to start a conversation to make her feel better.
"Better." Maori said jumping down the railing and turning to see the city lights view. She placed her arms at the railing and just stared at the admirable city of Japan.
"I thought you were going to bed?" Ryoutarou started.
"I was, but the room was full pack. All the accompanists are there playing UNO cards. Even if I just lay down at my bed it will not do me good." She replied.
"UNO cards, huh?" Ryoutarou said. There was a complete silence. Then Ryoutarou started again,
"Do you want to talk about it?" She looked at Ryoutarou, who—she just realized—was standing beside her, looking at the view too. She looked down and shook her head.
Ryoutarou straightened himself up, "Then my purpose here is done."
He walked away and then turned around to look at her again. "But you know, just like I always say to Kaho, you can count on me to listen to your concerns and problems." Then he turned his back and walked away from her when Maori called him,
"Ryoutarou..." She said. He looked back,
"Is it… Is it right to let go of your dreams when you know by heart that you are destined for that dream?" She asked leaning her back on the railing. Ryoutarou walked towards her and grabbed the nearest chair in front of him and sat down.
"You are easier to persuade than Kaho." He said. Maori smiled.
"Okay. About your question, why? What's the purpose of letting go?"
Maori gave him a slight smile.
"Can I… Can I share something? But please promise me you wouldn't tell it to anyone." Maori said looking at Ryoutarou straight at the eyes.
"Sure. I'll listen." Ryoutarou said putting his arms on his knees, looking up at Maori. Maori took a deep breath.
"Here it goes…" Maori said then she started telling everything to Ryoutarou.
-FLASHBACK-
-A YEAR AGO-
Maori was at the changing room of their Skating School.
"Hey! Maori, still practicing?" A co-skater asked her while fixing her things at her locker.
"Yep. The Championships is getting near so I need to practice more." She replied tying her skates on the bench.
"Fine, whatever you say. I'll be going home now. After you've finished do not forget to ask the personnel here to close this place. You know that 'Ice Monster' will get mad if she sees this open tomorrow." Her co-skater said clutching her back pack in one shoulders.
"Sure. I'll do that." Maori said tying her hair now. Her co-skater gave her a wave and pulled opened the door then went out. On the other hand Maori went out of the changing room and went to the skating rink when her phone rang.
"Maori Kiyumi speaking, who's on the line?" She answered.
"Maui, its Grandpa. I'll be the one to pick you up there." Her grandfather said on other line.
"Oh. Okay. What time?" Maori asked.
"Now, my Princess."
"But, grandpa. I'm just about to start."
"Is that so? But, my Princess, your mom wants me to pick you up now."
Maori sat down at the audience platform and sighed.
"Grandpa, another hour please…"
"But dear, its 11:30 in the evening, Aren't you tired yet? I need to pick you up right now." Her grandfather sighed. There was a moment of silence then,
"Oh… if you are not only my grand daughter, okay, okay. Just promise me my Princess you will win this competition."
Maori smiled to herself.
"Grandpa! Don't put pressure on me! But I'll win of course for my beloved grandfather."
Her grandfather laughed at the other line.
"Okay, my Princess I'll hang up now so you can practice." Maori's grandfather put down the phone.
Maori stood up from where she was seated and went inside the skating rink. She did some exercises then later on, jumps, loops, spins and lutz. After doing this she checked her watch – 12:15 am.
…I still have time to change… She thought. She went back to the changing room and changed to her casual clothing. She checked her watch again it was 12:30 am.
…Good…grandpa will be there… She thought closing her back pack and swinging it to her shoulders.
She turned off the lights of the changing room and went up to the Technical Room. She knocked.
"Joe," She called. The door opened and a tall man greeted her.
"You're still here?! You're an addict Ms. Maori!" Joe said.
"Yeah! Yeah! I'm really an addict. I know that. Anyway, I have a favour, close this place okay? Ms. Julia will get mad at me big time if she'll see this open."
Of course I will. Is your ride there? I'll be going after I fix the stuffs that Ms. Julia asked me to do." Joe said.
"No. but he should be here any minute now." She checked the time on her cell phone.
"Oh. Okay. Why not you stay first at the audience seats, just call me in my cell phone when you get out of this place."
"Are you serious? I can stay here?" Maori said.
"What? Were you planning to wait outside? Do you want your bodyguards to kill me?" Joe said raising an eyebrow at her.
Maori smiled.
"Fine. Okay. Thanks, Joe!"
"Yeah! Sure!" She waved good bye and went down to the audience seats.
"That's strange… Grandpa's never late." Maori said to herself. She looked at her wrist watch for the umpteenth time. It was 12:45 am.
"And why is his cell phone off?" She flipped her phone and looked at the screen, she tried speed dialling her grandfather. The operator was the one answering.
Then her phone rang.
"GRANDPA!"
"Honey, its Dad. I have bad news for you…"
"What is it?" her heart was pounding fast. She had a bad feeling that something happened with her grandfather. Tears started to flow on her cheeks. Her father took a deep breath.
"Something happened to grandpa. The driver and your guards will be the one to pick you up. The media is beginning to pile up here so you need some protection. We'll be waiting for you here."
"Where here? And what happened? Dad, could you tell me now??" She said.
"Maori calm down. Patience dear, just wait for the people who will pick you up then we'll explain it to you when you arrive. I got to go now. See you."
"DAD! Hey! DAD!" But her dad hung up on her. Then suddenly the entrance door opened.
"Lady Maori."
"It's about time. Now, take me where my Dad told you to take me. Joe!! I'm leaving!" She grabbed her things and briskly walked towards their car.
--
"HOSPITAL?!" she shouted while inside the car.
"Lady Maori, we'll be the one to go down first. We need to block the media for you."
"Whatever. Just bring me to where my Dad is. Immediately."
When the car door opened, camera flashes greeted Maori. As she went down, the media tried to get near her asking the same question at the same time.
"Ms. Maori, what happened? How do you feel right now?"
"Maori, how is your mother doing? Ms. Maori, Ms. Maori!!"
She was safely brought inside the hospital but the questions of the media kept on ringing on her head which made everything confusing for her. She was rather nervous and scared of what she was doing at the hospital at one in the morning.
…I hope nothing serious happened… She thought.
"Why am I here? Where's Dad?" Maori asked her bodyguards.
"This way, my lady." One of her bodyguards said.
She followed her bodyguard. The guard directed her inside a room. Inside she saw her mom crying to her dad's shoulders. She silently went in. She was trembling; she's not a dumb person to not feel the atmosphere. She saw a covered body on a bed. Tears started to form into her eyes making its way to her cheeks. She doesn't know what to feel, but she tried to convince herself that this is all a dream, a mistaken identity.
"This is not him, right?!" Tell me! It is not him!" Maori shouted between sobs.
"I'm sorry, honey…" her dad could only say to her. She ran outside of the room. There she cried and shouted, banging the walls of the hospital building.
"Why me? GRANDPA!! You said you'll be with me forever?! Why?" Then suddenly she felt a hand grabbed her and pulled her into a hug.
"What's done is done, Maori. Everything will be fine." Her dad whispered to her.
"Take me home. I don't want to see this. Maybe… maybe when I get home and drown myself to sleep maybe I'll wake up and realize that this is just a dream…" She whispered while sitting on a floor and her face was covered by her long hair.
Her father signalled her bodyguards to take her home.
When she arrived home, she went straight to her bed.
"This is all a nightmare." She hugged the teddy bear that her grandfather gave her. She slowly closed her eyes and went to sleep.
It was 4 in the morning when her parents arrived home. She woke up by the touch of her father's hand. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. She looked at him and said,
"It was all a dream right?" her dad did not answer. She noticed someone was leaning at her bedroom door. It was her mother. She came up to them,
"Mom?" She said. Suddenly her mom slapped her on her right cheek; tears were flowing down her cheeks.
"AEMI!" Hiroki grabbed his wife.
"It's not her fault. He had a heart attack while driving. The heart attack was the cause not the accident." Hiroki said.
"But if she could have listened, maybe it will not happen on that time. God Maori! Are you that desperate to win that you will stay the whole night in that… that place?! It is because of you!" Aemi pointed a finger to her daughter and cried on her husband's shoulders.
Maori cried as she touches the cheek where her mom slapped her. It was the first time that she saw her mother like that.
"I'M SORRY!" Maori shouted while sobbing.
"YOUR SORRY WON'T BRING BACK THE LIFE OF YOUR GRANDFATHER!" her mother pointed out.
Tears flowed to both their faces. Maori's grandfather was too precious for Maori and for her mother and it was really a devastating moment for them.
Aemi wiped her tears and collected herself.
She looked at Maori sternly.
"Maori listen to me." Maori looked at her mother with watery eyes.
"This will be the last competition that you will join. You will never let me see that talent of yours. NEVER AGAIN!" Maori was shocked by her mother's words. Aemi knows how much she loves skating and Maori knows that.
"Aemi, you know how much she loves ice skating…" Hiroki said.
"Well, she should have thought of the consequences if she loved skating and her grandfather that much. I should have not let you and your grandfather persuade me with this sport. I knew it all along that I should have let you stick with music." Aemi said.
"But I play music too. I play the flute and I can balance it with skating. I've been doing it since I was 4." Maori said between sobs trying to explain to her mom that she can handle both.
"The issue here is not about how you balance music with skating, it is about the cause of the death of your grandfather. That sport and pride of yours killed your grandfather. If you just listened to him, may be he will still be here and I will not be bothering shouting at you like this." Aemi said with gritted teeth.
"Aemi… The doctors said it was the heart attack that killed him." Hiroki said again.
"But he gave me his permission. He gave me a choice." Maori explained but it looks like she was just adding fuel to the fire. Her mother was enraged and she knew what will come next.
"ENOUGH!! Maori, I don't care if he allowed you to stay but from now on, no figure skating for you. And that is final!" Aemi said pointing a finger to her daughter's face.
She then straightened and walked away from Maori's bedroom leaving a devastated Maori and a concerned father.
Hiroki sat beside his daughter and hugged her tightly.
"Dad…I…I am sorry… I'm so… sorry…" Maori said between sobs. Hiroki rubbed the back of his daughter trying to calm and comfort his one and only child.
"Honey, it is nobody's fault. Your grandfather had a heart attack before the accident happened itself. It will never be your fault." Hiroki said while trying to calm his daughter.
"But mom… she's accusing me…" Maori said raising her head to look at her father. Hiroki cupped his daughter's cheeks,
"Maori, your mother was shocked just like you. Listen to me; I'll try to talk to your mother about this. I'll try to convince her but now I want you to rest." Hiroki said wiping the tears of his daughter. Maori nodded. When Maori was tucked on her bed, her father bend over to kiss her forehead, he then whispered,
"Everything will be fine." He stood up and left her room.
--
"Welcome to the World Juniors Figure Skating Championships!" The emcee said to the audience.
Maori can hear the crowd cheering for their own country. She was at the backstage with her team mates who are representing United Kingdom, her birth country. This is the third time that she'll join this competition and it will be her last. Maori was expected to be part of the Worlds Figure Skating Championships next year if she'll win all the competitions that she'll join in their country. Unfortunately, after a month of hearing her parents argue almost every night about the issue of her quitting ice skating, she decided that she will just oblige to her mother's choice so that it will not cause trouble to their family. Aemi was on the verge of filing a divorce with her husband if he won't stop persuading her and of course, Maori doesn't want that to happen.
A hand touched her shoulders while she was sitting on a bench.
"Straighten your back, Maori." The woman said. She looked up to see her coach. Ms. Julia was her coach since she started figure skating.
"Ms. Julia…" Maori whispered as the woman sat beside her.
"Do your best. Give your very best. Let the world know how great a skater you are. Most of all, offer this last dance to him. You're one of the best and I'll miss you so much." Ms. Julia said as she held Maori's chin. Maori nodded, she wanted to cry but if she will Ms. Julia will get mad at her because of ruining her make-up.
"Let's go Maori. It's our turn." She said as she stood up. Maori followed her coach. Next thing she heard was her name being called by the emcee.
"Maori Kiyumi of United Kingdom. 15 years of age, two time World Junior Skating Champion. If she can beat her team mate Ashley Jones in this long program then she'll be our gold medalist again. She'll be dancing with the piece Polonaise Brilliante No.1 by Henryk Wieniawski." The male commentator said.
Maori positioned herself at the middle of the rink. When the music began she started gliding gracefully in the rink.
"She will open with a twizzle…" the female commentator said.
Twizzle, double twizzle and then a third twizzle. Then she made a straight-line foot work approaching into a right forward inside Three turn to enter a toe loop.
"Perfect landing! So graceful. This girl is very graceful, so sophisticated." The commentator commented.
She positioned herself to a dance layback spin, spinning until she reached the upright position spin. She stopped gently, let her hands express the music for her then she readied herself for a triple- triple combination.
"Did you see that?! A 15 year old doing a triple-triple combination! Triple toe loop, triple flip. Amazing!" The female commentator commented with awe.
The next move that Maori made was a basic camel spin and made an outside edge spiral in a catch foot position. After this she readied herself to do a lutz. As she was on air, she miscalculated her landing and fell on the ice. The audience was shocked but nevertheless, they applaud as she recruits herself. She glanced at the audience and noticed her mom shaking her head. She ended with an Ina Bauer, then a camel spin and an upright spin.
naomiyukari08 scribbles: done with chapter 10! Working on chapter 11.
Thank you for reading.
Reviews/Comments/Constructive Criticisms/Suggestions are welcome.
if you want to know the spins, jumps and flips that she did you can check it in youtube or you can PM or leave a review, I'll describe it by words.
I'm not a skater myself, I kind of research for the exhibitions that skaters execute. I love watching them. Haha!