Chapter 11 : A confession
The party is still going on. Umi is still at the drinking table drinking more wine and beer. The archer could see some people are still dancing on the floor including her princess who is still dancing with a lot of men for awhile now. Beside Kotori's pair there are also prince Rin who is now dancing with princess Hanayo. If Umi is not wrong, they both have been dancing with each other from the start and never change partner. The blue hair girl can't help but feel envy about them thinking that it must be nice to be able to dance with their partner without anyone interrupted.
When the song ended, Umi thought that she could have a chance to ask her princess to dance with her but again another person will just keep going to ask for more dance with Kotori and the princess never deny to anyone. The blue hair soldier sighed to herself then drinks up all the alcohol that was in her cup. She guesses that tonight she should forget about her plan and give up.
"May I have a dance with you?"
Umi looked up and found a beautiful girl approached to her. The archer never sees this girl before but she didn't deny the request. The blue hair girl doesn't have anything to do anyway.
"Yes, of course…"
Umi guided the girl to the dance floor. Even though Umi rarely dance but she still manage to keep up the rhythm and even make a strong hold to her partner. The golden eyes girl swears that she notices a lot of stare on her but Umi just ignore it and keep focusing on the dance. When the song ended, Umi bow down and her partner did the same. The soldier was about to go back to the drinking table but suddenly some girls came to Umi and asking for dance again. Some of them are the noblemen's daughters and some are the maids. The archer takes turn of the girls until Umi feels like her legs started to give up. Umi can't count how many of them that she has been dancing with but all she knows that some of them told her to come to see them when the party is over or even more some of them even try to kiss her but Umi just avoiding them all thinking that they just wanted to tease her.
When the music stopped, Umi just need to rest. So she excused herself made some of the girls disappointed but later they all found another partners.
"Man…I thought that I was in the battlefield."
Umi poured alcohol in her glass while Maki walk behind her and join the drink.
"Uh…yea you were like dancing non-stop there."
"Yea…I don't know why they keep asking for dance… Maybe guy partners are not enough?"
Maki sighed on how dense of her friend is but she doesn't say anything.
"Anyway, Eli headed back to her room so I guess you should too. Tomorrow you have to leave early right?"
"Yea…I will soon…Thanks Maki"
While on the talk with Umi, the red hair doctor attention is at the twin tailed maid who just got a dance with an old nobleman and judge by Nico's face it's not like she wanted it but she can't refuse it.
"Maki?" Umi called Maki's name when notice the silence.
"I will be right back."
The red hair girl put down her cup and walks to the dance floor. Umi watching her friend walking to the maid then she smiled knowing what her friend's intention is.
"I am sorry, sir but I would like to borrow this girl. There is something that she needs to do."
Maki interrupted the dance of the nobleman with Nico. Although, Nico knows that Maki was lying but she doesn't say anything.
"Ah…sure I will be leaving then."
The nobleman left from the dance floor leave only Maki and Nico. The head maid was about to say something but when Maki's body is close to her then force the maid's hand to lay on Maki's shoulder while another hand is holding Nico's small hand. Nico was too stunned to say anything but she manages to do so later.
"W…What?" Nico is confused but didn't move away
"You should be thanking me for saving you from that old geezer." Maki said then started moving and forcefully make the smaller girl move with her too.
"Who said I need your help. I was enjoying the dance with him until you showed up. See? I told you I will get a dance."
"Yea…I can see that but I…"
"But what…?"
Maki paused a bit while Nico is so very confused on the doctor's action but she still keep dancing with Maki without breaking.
"I don't like it." The doctor said in small voice.
"What do you mean?"
"Ah…Mou…."
Maki let out her frustrated groaned before pull Nico close to her and hold to the smaller girl body firmly.
"Wh…What WHAT! HEY What are you doing!?" The head maid is now struggler in the doctor's arm. Not because of refuse from the touch but Nico is now embarrassed on Maki's action.
"What I meant is I don't want to see you dance with anyone beside me. Don't you get it!?"
Maki moved back from the hold and looking at Nico's eyes while in the other hand, Nico's mouth was open wide after hearing that but she still doesn't want to believe what she heard.
"You…you mean… are you jealous…?"
Maki didn't reply back instead her face just gotten redder and that is the answer for Nico. The head maid's face is also as red as the Maki's hair. So right now they both are just dancing with each other without a word from them later on.
"Good for you, Maki…" Umi smiled after witnessed the scene. Then suddenly a thought hit her. She still hasn't asked princess Kotori for a dance yet but when the blue hair soldier looks around the dance floor, she sees no sign of the grayish hair princess anymore.
"What a luck…"
Umi drink all up the wine and heading out to the balcony without joining any dance anymore.
The moonlight is bright outside too bright for Umi to be exact. The archer sighed again then scratched her head. Today is probably not the best day for her. Her plan was totally ruined furthermore she doesn't even had a chance to speak with Kotori at all in the party which makes things worst.
"I guess I am unlucky huh?"
"Why?"
Umi quickly turned her head to the voice. It's the princess Kotori who came at the balcony and walking her way to the archer.
"Y…Your highness? I thought you left."
"No? I am still standing here aren't I?"
"Ah…yes…you shouldn't be here, your highness… It's cold outside you should head back." Umi takes out her suit and cover them on Kotori's shoulder without asking permission.
The grayish hair girl smiled gently before hugging herself that cover with Umi's suit.
"Thank you, Umi-chan but the cold doesn't bother me."
"But the cold will make you sick later on. Please head back to the ball, your highness."
"I will later, Umi-chan. But now I want to stay here and enjoy the view tonight. Can't I do that?"
"Uh…Yes…you can your highness…" Umi gave up after hearing her princess's protest. They were just standing to each other in silence for awhile until Kotori broke the silence.
"Umi-chan, you look so tired tonight. Perhaps…is it because you have been dancing with a lot of girls?" Kotori's hand reached on the soldier's cheek that currently became red now.
"Ah…ummm… yea I would be lying if I say that it didn't worn me out…Sometimes I can't help but wonder how can you manage to dance with a lot of people like that, your highness."
The princess takes her hand back when she heard Umi then she smiled sadly.
"It is also tired me out too you know? But I can't deny them when they asked me."
"I see…" Umi scratched her cheek not know what to reply.
"Did any girl get your attention? Perhaps…some of the noblemen's daughters?" Kotori asked a question out of nowhere and Umi didn't have time to get ready for it.
"Wha…What? No… Of course not…your highness."
"Is that so? I thought for sure that one of them might take you away." Kotori giggled after successfully teasing her guardian.
"NO! Never! I mean…I…I don't like any one of them."
"Oh?"
"Yes, your highness! I already have…!"
Umi quickly cover her mouth knowing that she almost spilled her feeling out to her princess while Kotori noticed about that so she moves closer to the archer to seek for the truth.
"You already have what Umi-chan…You mean someone you love?"
"No! Your highness! I…I am a soldier! I can't have this feeling!"
"Why? A soldier is also a human you know? So tell me who is it that you love."
Umi knows that she can't escape now not with this determined eyes from the princess. The blue hair archer looking around tries to find a way to escape but she can't think of anything.
"Umi-chan…Can't you tell me? I am basically your childhood friend…So please…"
Umi's heart feels like got stabbed from the childhood friend word. The love of her life only thinks of her as a friend but now she wanted to know who is it that Umi loves. If the princess knows the truth will Umi have the right to be by her side? The archer shakes her head refuse to let a word from her mouth.
"Umi-chan…please…"
Kotori is now making a pleading eyes and voice. The blue hair girl can't take it anymore. Beside it's Kotori's fault to pressure her to do this anyway. The archer grabbed both of the princess's arms before said the word that she has been hidden for a long time.
"Alright, your highness…I do have someone I love…"
"I see…Who is it?"
Umi take a deep breath before let it out of her chest.
"I love you, your highness…I am in love with you."
"Eh?"
The princess eyes went wide after hearing Umi's confession. She backed away while covering her mouth with both hands. The blue hair girl saw the reaction and knows that this is the end. Umi bit her own lips trembling then bowed down one last time before turned back to her princess.
"I am sorry that someone like me is in love with you, your highness. I tried my best to hide this abnormal feeling toward you but you left me no choice… I hope that you can find a place in your heart to forgive me…Goodnight."
Umi slowly walk away from her princess but then stopped when a pair of arms holding to her waist.
"Wait…"
"Your highness!?"
Umi looked back to the girl who hugged her from behind. She saw Kotori is looking at her with tears in eyes before wiping away and let go of the soldier.
"There are still some people left so they could walk here any minute. Follow me to the garden outside."
The princess gave Umi's order before walking into the ball. Umi was confused but proceed to follow Kotori. They were walking out from the party until they reached the garden outside. The garden is a bit dark and quiet but Umi still can see and hear everything around her. While Kotori is still keeps walking inside the garden further and further.
"Your highness…it's dark here please be careful." Umi reached her hand meant to hold to the princess but stop when suddenly Kotori just stopped moving and turn around to meet with Umi's golden eyes.
"What you said before is it true?"
"Your highness….I…I shouldn't say it…I…"
"I am asking is it true or not, Umi-chan."
Right now, Umi and Kotori are standing at the middle of nowhere in the dark garden. Nobody will pass by, nobody will hear anything. So it's okay to speaking the truth because Umi has nothing left to hide. The soldier gulped down her nervous before nodding her head.
"Yes…I meant it every word. I love you, your highness…"
Kotori moves closer to her guardian after hearing the confession again then hold on to Umi's cold hand before squeezes them a bit firmly.
"You mean like lovers?"
"Yes…"
"How long…"
"Pardon me?"
"How long have you been in love with me?"
Umi paused a bit before answer another question to Kotori. She has nothing to hide now after all.
"Since we were kids…"
The grayish hair girl let go of Umi's hand before dashed herself into Umi's body. The soldier doesn't know if this a good sign for her or not but she welcoming her princess anyway and wrap her arms around Kotori's thin waist.
"I am sorry, Umi-chan…It must be hard on you isn't it? I am so sorry…"
"Your highness…"
"Umi-chan…when you said that you love me I was happy…So happy to know that you feel that way about me…but I …I don't know how to reply your feeling…I like you too but…you are my friend…"
Kotori speaks with tears in Umi's arms while in the other hand the archer couldn't say anything back. For what she heard, it seems that the princess doesn't feel the same way with the archer but she doesn't show any sign of disgust after knew the truth. So all Umi can do is hold to her princess and rub her back smoothly.
"It's okay, your highness…This is enough for me. I am happy that you didn't tell me to stay away from you after hearing it…" Umi said after hearing her princess is still sobbing.
The grayish hair princess shook her head violently before looking up at the soldier.
"NO! Of course not! You are my precious friend…How could I…I would never say that to you…"
Umi smiled to herself. Even the Kotori can't return her feeling but she still cares about the archer as much.
"You are so kind, your highness…This is why…"
"I am not kind…I am the worst…I made you feel sad…" Kotori rubbed her eyes from the tears.
Umi raised the princess's chin up before staring in to Kotori's eyes fully.
"No…your highness…This is enough for me…I feel so much better now. Thank you your highness…"
"I feel bad though…I wish I could do something for you, Umi-chan…You are a great person…You deserve better than this…"
Umi shook her head softly.
"I am thankful to be in love with you, your highness…and I won't ask anything for return. My only wish is that tomorrow we will forget about my confession and going back to the way we used to be. Is that okay for me to ask for?"
"Your confession is so beautiful…I wouldn't want to forget it…"
The soldier is blushed a little and looked to another way. "I see…then…can we have one dance together? I have been wanted to dance with you tonight, your highness…"
Umi reached her hand out and Kotori smiled widen before take it right away.
"Of course! I thought that you will never ask me!"
The blue hair girl smiled then they both dance together under this beautiful moonlight. Umi's mind is not caring for anything anymore. Only wish she has right now is to stop the time and let this moment stays forever. They kept dancing until their legs are giving up. The blue hair girl holds to her princess one last time before letting go of Kotori's body.
"Thank you…your highness…I will treasure this moment in my memories for the rest of my life. For now, I think we should head back before it will getting colder than this."
The princess doesn't say anything except nod so Umi guide her out from the dark garden until they almost reach to the exit. Suddenly, a small hand tugs on Umi's shirt made Umi stop in her track.
"Your highness?"
"Can you wait?" They grayish hair girl's hand is still on Umi's not let go.
"Yes? Did you forget something, your highness?"
"No…I didn't mean it like that, Umi-chan…" Kotori shook her head softly before moves her lips near to the soldier's ear.
"Please give me some time to think so I can properly reply to your feeling."
Umi's widen eyes and look back to her princess.
"You…you mean…"
Kotori's eyes didn't meet with the archer's but she still replies to Umi normally.
"I would like to ask you to wait for me to think about it, Umi-chan…I know it might not be fair for you but if I have more time to think carefully Umi-chan I…"
The blue hair girl stayed silence and wait for what's coming next.
"I think…I might want to hear you say you love me again…"
The grayish hair girl just ran away without looking back after she finished her sentence while Umi was left standing there and still confused about Kotori's reply. Did Kotori reject her or accept her? Umi had no idea at all. The archer sighed again one last time under the moonlight before heading back to her own room to get some sleep. Tonight she might not get exactly what she wants but at least she got a chance to dance with the princess alone and that should be enough for her now.
oh oooh oh no...
