A/N:
Ohayou Gozaimasu.
I've been watching too much Majisuka Gakuen that I have forgot to post my update and slipped the schedule for a bit. Gomen nasai ne.
This will be the final chapter for the whole story arc. But we still have another chapter, "The missing chapter"
Thank you all reader for stay tune with Midsummer until the end. Thank you, for your reviews Chum-sa, Postoronimv, PlatinaGF, Shurei93, BlackFang64, Leeyou, Peanutcello, Amy-kun, Anon1234, dhez13, M.D, 0mauie0, annoyingLONER, 002Dark1 and all guests.
and answering Peanutcello question, I happily repeat my past answer that Natsuki is a female that disguised as a male. All people didn't know Natsuki being a female. So, Natsuki has been hiding her true gender. She just feeling..rather..sad that maybe Shizuru will not accept her as a female if she know that the Disguised Male Natsuki is actually a female.emm.. to put it simply, there just a misunderstanding between them both. Which is, Shizuru still thought Natsuki had died and didn't know Natsuki still alive because she is busy withdrawn, not socialize, not attending the Garderobe Ceremony, Not even reading the invitation card.
On Natsuki Part, she think Shizuru had reject HER, because she is female..(Because Shizuru known Natsuki for a male)..like you all said before..what happen when Shizuru know Natsuki lied about her gender? the answer is that. Natsuki THOUGHT/THINK..I repeat...Natsuki THINK Shizuru hate her..and that is what happened in the story with the part "If I can't be your Natsuki, Let me be your Kruger". She thought, Shizuru had reject her.
I'm sorry that this story is so complicated for we to understand. But if we could read slowly and leisurely, I do hope its enjoyable..Just don't think too much and go with the flow. Put aside why? what if? what? how?..it's a fanfiction...we read fanfiction to enjoy our time,open up imagination, ney? If we like to think too much on the questions, let just read academic book. Academic book is very well known for answering 4W 1H.
ja...until next final chapter. Arigatou Gozaimas..
Yankee soul! (teheee..I really want to say that word XP)
Frau-san
Chapter 18 – Midsummer Chronicle
A sound of piano playing Canon in D could be heard from inside the throne room. Today is the wedding day. Shizuru dress in her white wedding dress had been crying silently in her room. Wiping her remaining tears, she hopes for her guard to help her cancel the wedding in the last minute, but she knows, it is impossible.
-Flashback-
It was finally the mid of summer when her guard come to her bringing a wedding dress. Looking at the white dress, Shizuru took the opportunity to tease her guard like always.
"Ara! What is with the white dress, does Kruger want to elope with me?"
As expected, her guard blush deep red at her words. Averting her gaze, she opens the box and presents the dress. It's a beautiful white wedding dress.
"No, Hime. I come to give you your wedding dress"
As the words of wedding utter from Kruger, Shizuru could feel sadness in her heart. She doesn't want the wedding with the unknown fiancé. She loves Kruger. But Kruger, despite her love toward the princess, still doing her responsibility as the Aries representative, and approved the wedding. It such a cruel decision on the princess.
"I don't want to marry him. Whoever he is."
"Hime…? What do you mean?. Don't cancel the wedding."
"But Kruger. I love you!" Shizuru raise her voice.
Putting aside the white dress, Kruger approaches Shizuru and put her hand on the princess shoulder. It successfully calming the princess rage.
"I love you too, Hime. That's why…."
"I don't want to marry some unknown knight from Aries. I don't know him. I don't even want to know him!" Shizuru protest.
"I'm sorry, but as deep as I love you, I cannot help you cancel the wedding. I am the Aries Knight and this responsibly given to me. Reunite two nations"
"Kruger, let's run away! Take me away from here! Please."
"Why should I? .Hime. I'm sorry. I can't do that."
"Why are you so bound with your nation? Let us leave here, have our own life. Please, Kruger. Let's run together."
Her guard sighs. "Hime." A hand rest on the shoulder reaches for Shizuru's cheek urging her to facing her. "Tomorrow… Attend your wedding. Put on this dress. I will be there, in the hall. Please, don't forget to practice your vow tonight. I put it here on the side table." Kruger put down an envelope containing a vow practice sheet for her. Shizuru averting her gaze, looking at the envelope, she could not avoid the dread felling creep inside her. She doesn't want to look at the sheet.
"But…I love you. I can't marry him!"
"Shhh…." The guard put her finger to silence the princess.
"I want you to put on this beautiful wedding dress. As the wedding hymn start, I want you to smile and go walk slowly to the aisle. I will be there. If you still want to run away, reach me and we will walk out the hall together..Okay, Hime?"
The princess nodded.
"You must know that, whatever happens, I always love you. In the past, present and future." Her guard continued.
"I love you too, Kruger." With that Shizuru kiss her guard again.
"Kruger…" Shizuru stop the kiss and her breath rage again.
"Yes, Hime."
"Tonight….Stay with me…."
"Okay, my love." Kruger rests her chin on Shizuru head and start a slow dance with the princess.
"Kruger. Take me…"
"Mmmhmmm..Don't worry, Hime. Tomorrow, if you still want to run away, I will."
"No…"
"No…?" the dance stopped.
"I want you, Kruger." Shizuru voiced quietly looking directly into Kruger eyes.
"I'm sorry, Hime. I don't understand. You already have me."
Shizuru chuckle at the answer.
"Do you want me to said it explicitly to you?" with the answer, Kruger eyes widened.
"Take me….tonight….please.." Shizuru bitted her lower lip and look shyly at her guard.
With that, Kruger gulping down a lump in her throat. "Err…Hi.." her answer cut short as the lips devouring her hungrily. Shizuru now pushing her toward the bed as she continues her ministration. A moan could be heard coming from her guard. Straddling her guard on the bed, Shizuru close the distance and purr in her ear with a lustful voice. "I want to have sex with you tonight, my love." And with those words, Shizuru lick and suck her guard neck ever so slowly and her wandering hand touching the skin under her knight uniform.
-beeepppp- this is T-Rate fanfic, remember? -
-end of flashback-
Inhale deeply, Shizuru grip the flowers in her hand hard as if she want to break it. So, this is it. I will run away with Kruger.
The door to the throne room open and the sound of music become clearer now. Shizuru holding down her tear as it tried to escape from her eyes. Looking around, she saw Mai, Alyssa, Haruka, Yukino, Nao, Midori, Chie and Aoi already standing at the front row. They dress in their formal Aries and Windbloom ceremony uniform. Natsuki mother, Saeko also attends the wedding. Maybe Mai have given her the invitation card, knowing that this is the place where Natsuki sacrifice herself for the peaceful day like this. Her father walks toward her and reach for her hand guiding her into the hall. Trying hard to force a smile on her face, Shizuru grip her father hand and walk slowly toward the aisle. Looking at her front, she saw Kruger standing at the right of the aisle with a bright smile on her face. Like the other knight, white Aries formal knight uniform and a royal blue cloak adorning her beautiful figure. The song played slowly and the entire guess already stands as she passes by them and reaches the aisle. As the song end, Shizuru closing her eyes as she listen to the priest voice faintly in distance as her heartbeat sound clearer than that.
"Therefore..bring forth the wedding ring." The priest announced.
This is it. I will reach for Kruger and run away with her. Shizuru open her eyes and look toward the priest.
"And.. the bride…" the priest continue. Shizuru close her eyes, ready for her next action.
"Come forth…"
With that a figure steps beside her. Shizuru looking at the ground, refuse to look at her bridegroom.
"Sire, please take the ring and say your vow…" the priest continues with his wedding ceremony. Still facing the ground, Shizuru could feel her feet glued to the floor. She tried to turn toward next person that stand beside her. She could see a hand in white glove reaching for the golden wedding ring and holding it firmly.
"I…"
Shizuru couldn't hear clearly as she much more focus on her inner turmoil. All she could hear a fainted masculine voice saying a wedding vow.
"Natsuki K. Kruger…with this ring…"
Eh!? Did I hear this correctly? Now the voice becomes clearer in her ears. "accept you, Fujino Shizuru as my wife…."
Bewildered, Shizuru raise her head and look at her front. Eyes widen shocked at what had revealed in front of her. Shizuru tried to form a word but failed.
"K..Kru.."
A face smiling brightly in front of her in white formal knight uniform was no other than her body guard herself. Her guard had stop as Shizuru abruptly looking at her.
"…in good and bad, in happy and sad. I will always be with you, for eternity" the knight finishes her vow.
"Kruger…?"
The knight just smiles meekly. "What?! You didn't even read the vow sheet? Didn't I say, I will be here, Shizuru? Do you still want to run away now?"
Shizuru smile and shake her head.
"Ehem…" the priest cough snapped Shizuru.
"Now. Princess…please says your vow."
Taking the ring, Shizuru inhale as she now could feel her sadness dissipated.
"I… Fujino Shizuru, with this ring, accepting you, Kruger…"
"Natsuki…" her guard husky voice interrupted as she sighs.
"Eh?" Shizuru face crooked in confused.
"Natsuki K. Kruger. Really, Shizuru. You have forgotten me"
With those words, Shizuru fell into silence again trying to process everything her guard said. Her pupils then widened and mouth gapped open.
"Shizuru…?" her guard reaches for her hand. It had tremble in the process of thinking.
"A-ara. W-what…in..the..world." Shizuru reach for her forehead. She starts to see the hall spinning around her.
"A-anoo..are you alright, Shi-Shizuru?" her guard worried voice reaches her ears.
Her father had reached for her back supporting her to stand firmly.
"F-father…ermm.." she look at her father again asking for an answer.
"Shizuru.. That is Natsuki. You don't remember? Natsuki…"
Shizuru look again and observe closely on her guard face. Yes, she looks exactly like Natsuki. Ah. But, she is Natsuki. But Natsuki is a male and Kruger is female. Then, Kruger is Natsuki. So, that make Natsuki is female?
"Let me think again…unnn…you are Natsuki? And you also Kruger?"
Her guard nodded. Then it confirmed. But Natsuki had died, and then Natsuki become Kruger? Kruger is Natsuki? Natsuki didn't died? No..No..this couldn't be.
"Natsuki Kuga from Fuuka?" she asks her guard again.
"Yes. I am… Natsuki Kuga. We attend Fuuka High School together, we date. Do you remember?"
"I..I remember. B-but…h-how..you…but Kruger.."
"Shizuru. I am your Natsuki. Natsuki K. Kuga. K is for Kruger. The descendent from the King Kruger."
"A-ara…." with that Shizuru vision went black.
….
….
"So, what happen next? Did the princess marry the knight?" a small child voice asked.
"Yes." The mother chuckle. "Although… the wedding continued two hours after that." A motherly voice answered patiently.
"Did they live happily ever after, mommy?"
"Yes. They live happy. It appeared that Kruger is also the Mysterious Headmaster of the Garderobe Academy. Three months after the wedding, the king descends from his throne and giving Kruger the crown of Windbloom Kingdom. So the prophecy if right after all. The knight from a commoner class will take his throne and rule the Windbloom Kingdom. After that, they were gifted with two beautiful and cheerful princess with the bless from Wishing Star magic"
"so…it will be boring life after that…" the child pout.
"No! It's not! One day, a dragon awakens in the faraway hidden volcano. In that hot fire, the dragon lashes its fire breath and fly toward the kingdom…The Ice Knight unleashed her sword again…" The mother raises her child above her as they laughing happily.
"Natsuki…haven't I told you about the bedtime story….." another figure standing at the door. Arms hugging at her front and a child yawning next to her.
"Erk…!" Natsuki wide eyes slowly turn toward the figure. "e..eyyyy…Shizuru..haha.. I..I was telling Natsumi a bedtime story."
"The midsummer chronicle again?"
"Haha…." Natsuki laugh meekly.
"But okaa-chan. Natsumi like mommy bedtime story…Natsumi want to become like Ice knight too someday!" the child in Natsuki arm pouting.
"And…the story make you sleepy?" her okaa-san questioned.
"Nope!" the child answers simply. Grinning. At that, another small figure tugs her mother dress.
"Ah..Shizuka. Come here." Her mother scopes her up in her arm and walk toward the child bed.
"Now, you both need to sleep. Natsuki…don't tell another weird illogical fairy tale for bedtime story. Also, no vampire during full moon.
"Ha-hai…"
"But…." Natsumi whine taking her warm sheet. Shizuru tuck the quiet Shizuka into her bed. The child immediately closes her eyes to sleep.
"No but, Natsumi. Sleep now." Shizuru said firmly.
"Y-yeah. Sleep now. We will continue our bedtime story tomorrow, okay?"
The child nodded happily. "Okay. Mommy. Okaa-chan. Good night."
"Good night, kid." Natsuki said before flip off the light.
….
"So, Shiz, really, you don't know it was me all that time? It's not even cross your mind that I am Natsuki?"
"How would I know. I thought you were dead in the Valkyrie War."
"And, you didn't read the dinner invitation I gave you. I have written clearly my name on it with the private messages. I have been waiting all night long for you to come and you dump me."
"I…."
"and you didn't come to the Garderobe Ceremony too, which conveniently had written my name also."
"Ara…"
"and you didn't read and practice the wedding vow which ALSO has my name. You should already know by then."
"I never thought that Natsuki is a female."
"and I thought that because I am a female, which clearly written on the dinner invitation and Garderobe ceremony as Miss Kuga Natsuki, so you decline the dinner invitation. Thanks to your father, he arranged a marriage between us. He knew you were too ignorance about us."
"I'm sorry for being an ignorance girlfriend, Nat-chan."
"Apologies accept."
"But..why are you not telling me first time we meet?"
"You left me there in the snow by myself, remember. I was just start to asking you but you slap me during dinner. How am I supposed to tell you. It was clearly said that you hate me for being female. And I though you already knew I return by then"
"A-ara. Sorry about the slap. Now I kiss your cheek."