Maki

Evor, the groundskeeper's middle child, watches Maki as she collects a broom from the stack of tools against the far wall. He looks confused about why Maki is even there, but his father pays her no attention, having seen her collecting brooms before. Maki, meanwhile, keeps her head down as she selects a wide broom meant for use outdoors. Evor, a year or so younger, tilted his head at her. He, too, wore a beige tunic and brown pants to go with his knee-high boots. Maki grumbles at the sight of his boots. "The other servants never misplace his shoes," Apart from Suzuka and Iroha, everyone at the castle seems to have made it their personal mission to make her life as miserable as possible.

There are times that make Maki want to run away. If it was not for Suzuka, then Maki knows she would have left the castle years ago. Giving her the worst jobs, constantly yelling at her and stealing her shoes are the most common things Maki has experienced. "It's a shame being without shoes doesn't bother me," Maki smiles. The ground gives her energy and helps her through her tasks. She has had years of going barefoot to get used to the feeling. After losing three pairs of shoes in a single week, Maki stopped asking for new ones, not thinking the lecture she would get for asking for new ones to be worth it. "At least they left me my winter boots," The only good thing Maki has to say about her fellow servants is that they are not entirely merciless.

"Hi, Maki," Evor calls out as Maki wraps her fingers around the wooden handle of the broom. "What are you doing here?"

"I have to clear the seeds off the garden path," Maki mutters in response.

"I thought you were meant to be the princess handmaid,"

"It's hard to believe when she is dressed like that," Someone in the back laughs.

"Unfortunately, only Suz… I mean, the princess seems to remember that" Evor smirks at Maki's slip of the tongue. If it were anyone else, she is sure she would be lectured until her ears bleed for almost saying her friend's name. Then forced to do another excruciating task.

"They must be jealous of you," Evor comments. "That's the only reason I can think of for them to be treating you like that."

"I doubt that," Maki shakes her head with a faint smile growing. "I have no status or wealth for them to be envious if."

"I think they are jealous of your pretty eyes," Evor says, stepping closer. "They are stunning. You're a beautiful lady under all that dirt and grim Maki."

"Thanks," Maki looks away, not used to anyone other than Suzuka complementing her.

Typically, the male servants look down on her like everyone else. They either ignored her or glared at her until Maki finished whatever chore she was tasked with and left. They only talked to her when they wanted something done or to insult her. The only servants who Maki found treated her like an actual person were the servants that worked outside. Evor being the groundskeeper's son, did not stand that high up on the social ladder. No one would give them a second thought if they were seen together, but still, Maki finds it strange to be with him. Maki is not used to people seeing the women under the muck and boy clothing. It makes her feel fidgety and squirmy while trapping the breath in her throat.

"I should get back to work before I get in trouble," Maki tells him starting to feel uncomfortable.

"See you around," Evor replies, but he takes another step closer. "Maybe later tonight, if your free, we can go for a stroll around the lake."

Maki found herself at a loss for words. She did not think of him that way. She could not. Maki took in a deep breath, trying to think of how to turn him down. Friendly people were hard to find in the castle for Maki. Evor, although they rarely talked, was one of the few people who did not feel dirty for simply standing next to her. She did not want to lose him. Maki could not afford to make more enemies amongst the servants.

"Thanks…" Maki says, finding it hard to look at him as she picks up her broom. "I'll… consider it…"

"Here, you should use this one," Evor suggests holding up a different outdoor broom. "The one you got is about to break."

Look down at her broom, Maki can see he is right as her broom looks like it is about to fall apart. The head wobbled, and the bristles looked worn out. Maki can tell that she would need to replace her broom before she even got halfway through sweeping the garden path. Maki quickly swaps her broom for his.

"Thank you," Maki can feel his fingers brush hers. "I should get going before I get in trouble."

"Let me know if you need any help," Evor calls out as Maki races from the room.

Maki hurries towards the garden path, taking a shortcut through the narrow pathway between two farms plots. Young farm hands wave at her as Maki cuts through, taking a break from tending to the rare vegetables and herbs Evor's father grows for the queen. Maki does not wave back but responds with friendly smiles and nods of her head. She rushes by them, only changing course to avoid running into the beehives at the end of the farming plots setting her sights on the corner of the main keep. The grass and dirt are wet under her feet from the recent watering of the crops, but the sun quickly dries her feet.

The inner moat separates the keep from everything by about thirty feet except for the eastern face where the garden is located. Maki starts to follow the moat towards where the wall separates her from the garden. For anyone else, this route would have been impossible. Any other servant would have had to turn back and use the drawbridge to cross the moat before cutting through the castle to reach the garden. Without a ladder, it would have been impossible to scale the wall, and even then, that would risk being shot full of arrows.

Maki, meanwhile, causes neither of those options. She walks up to the base of the wall looking up at the towering stone as she rests the palm of her hand on the cold, smooth stone. Maki hears the voices again and quickly finds the wall's whispers, causing a small ledge to be formed at the wall's base. The ledge glows green, and the energy admitting from the stone as Maki steps on it causes her hair to start fluffing. Maki wills the stone to move and rides the small ledge all the way to the top of the wall fast enough that none of the nearby guards could spot her. Once at the top, Maki steps onto the wall, willing her stone ledge to melt through the wall and appear on the other side. Stepping onto the platform again, Maki rides the stone back down, realising her magic once she is safely down and returning the wall to its natural state.

Maki must hug the wall as she moves along the small path. Maki has little room to breathe with a thorn bush to her right and the wall to her left as she slowly inches her way towards the garden. The scent from the flowerbeds fills her nostrils while trigs begin to dig into the soles of her feet, but Maki pays it little mind. After walking around barefoot for years, Maki has grown used to the feeling of thrones piecing her feet. The narrow channel soon opened out to the garden, near the covered walkway Yukina had commanded her to sweep. As soon as she emerged in view of the keep's rear wall, she spotted Suzuka perched in one of the eight arches, her back against a column.

An overwhelming sense of happiness fills Maki at the sight of her friend after not seeing her in what feels like a lifetime ago, but Mika must hold herself back. Maki fights the urge to run over to the princess, knowing all too well the trouble she would be in if she fails to complete her chores. Bad enough, the princess wore one of her more complicated gowns. Not being there to lace it up lit a flame of worry that she had let her friend down. Maki just lowers her head and gets to work, hoping that if she cannot see Suzuka, she will no longer feel the urge to rush over to her.

Unfortunately, Maki cannot help but look up in the princess direction meeting her friend's eyes as the first scratch of broom bristle on the stone attracts Suzuka's attention. The gloomy look in Suzuka's eyes nearly makes Maki cry as she worries about what could have made her friend so sad. Thankful as soon as their eyes meet, a broad smile takes over Suzuka's lips as the princess's face lights up. Maki smiles back but keeps working despite how much she longs to get out of her dreadful task.

Maki knows that if she put down her broom and went over to her friend's side, she would only get yelled at. Unlike the other servants, Maki does not work for pay. Not once has anyone offered to pay her for her work, and countless times Maki has wondered how Yukina would punish her. On the one hand, Maki thinks Yukina will just endlessly lecture her, but on the other, she fears it could be much worst. She doubts she would be dismissed since she does not get paid. But some nights, Maki finds herself having nightmares that Yukina might resort to something more corporal. More nights than she would have liked, Maki has woken up after being whipped, beaten or even killed in some nightmares by the she-demon.

She never used to think about it much. Maki was fed, clothed and given a room of her own. She never cared for much else. Maki was simply happy to play with Suzuka. Her place at the castle almost felt like she was adopted by the queen and did chores around the house. Now though, things have changed. With her workload increasing by the day, giving her barely any time with herself, Maki has started to question her place at the castle. There are times that are becoming more frequent when Maki wonders if she is nothing more than a slave.

"It is not like I would have anything to spend my pay on if they did pay me," Maki thinks to herself. There is little she wants, and her every need is already provided for. "Maybe I should ask Iroha about it?" Maki had thought about it before but never went through with asking that question. Suzuka has often asked her about her pay, but Maki never care much about getting paid in the first place.

Winching as she steps on a seedpod, Maki tries to ignore the pain. "Seedpods are the worse," Maki groans as she feels another one dig into her heel. Out of all the things Maki has not gotten used to, the feeling of the seedpods hard pointy outer shells must be the top of Maki's list of things she wished did not bother her. The fact that they have sharp thorns as well only makes Maki hate the little things all the more. Maki swipes the broom with aggression taking out her hatred of the seedpods on the little critters themselves. "Why are there so many of them under the roof?" Maki questions as she does her best to sweep the seedpods into a single pile. "It's not like fairies magical appeared to put them here."

"Maki,"

Maki has only made it halfway along the garden path when Suzuka calls out to her. Looking up and over to her friend once again, she finds the princess has not moved. Suzuka is still watching her from the arch with her leg dangling off the edge swaying back a fourth.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you dress," Maki tells her as she continues to sweep. "Since you managed to put your arms through the right sleeves, I take it someone helped you."

"I'm not that helpless," Suzuka huffs. "And yes, Sawano assisted me in getting into this dress."

"She hates me," Maki comments.

"Yes, she does," Suzuka agrees. "It' s a shame that Sawano and the others can't see what a wonderful person you are."

"I don't really care what they think of me," Maki grunts as she harshly pushes the broom, sending seedpods flying in multiple directions.

"Well, I do," Suzuka declares. "Why do you let them treat you the way they do? You are supposed to be my handmaid, and yet here you are doing the work of a groundskeeper."

"Because you are the only one that seems to remember that" Maki replies, sending more seedpods flying. "And none of them want me to be you handmaid."

"I agree with them on that part," Maki stops sweeping and looks over to her friend. Feeling shocked and hurt that the princess would say that. "I would much rather have you be my lady-in-waiting than my handmaid."

Maki did not know what to say. She would love to be Suzuka's lady-in-waiting spending her days doing nothing but waiting on her friend. It would be a dream come true for her. Out of everyone in the castle, Suzuka is the only person Maki would happily serve without complaint. Although Maki does find it strange how she can talk so freely with her friend when even some of the servants make her feel like she is unworthy of breathing the same air as them. Suzuka, meanwhile, Maki, cannot help but feel like an equal to despite the drastic difference in their social status.

"I'm sorry," Maki lowers her head and resumes her work. "It is not my place to question how things are, princess."

"Stop that," Suzuka snaps. "You know I hate it when you talk to me like that."

"Sorry," Maki looks back up. "We are not kids anymore. I will get punished if anyone were to overhear us."

Maki feels like the breath Suzuka just stole from her will never return. Suzuka looks so beautiful sitting on the wall bathed in what sunlight can get through the leaves and branches overhead. The princess red hair blows in the breeze while her smile and soft gaze threaten to leave Maki speechless.

"Those people need to learn their place," Suzuka scowls, hopping off the wall. "If I want my handmaid to not be so formal with me, then you can be. If they do not like it, they can wash dishes in the kitchen for the rest of their lives."

"Well, I think they want me to go away," Maki says leaning on the broom as Suzuka steps closer. "I think it is clear they don't want me anywhere near you."

"No! I won't allow you to be replaced," Suzuka tells her. Placing a hand on Maki's shoulder, she looks scared for a split second before wiping her face clean of emotion. "I can talk to Iroha. If she knows how much the treatment you receive displeases me, then maybe she will do something."

"So, you are unhappy with this too," Maki lets out a sigh before she resumes her sweeping.

"Yes, I cannot tolerate my handmaid being unavailable when I need her," Suzuka says. "You shouldn't be doing all this filthy work. Oh, I know I will just ask my mother to make you my lady-in-waiting. Perhaps then everyone will learn you are to spend the day at my side."

"Oh, that will go down well," Maki laughs think of the looks on everyone's face if she becomes Suzuka's lady-in-waiting. "They already can't stand me stepping into your room to change your linens. I fairly sure many would die from the shock of hearing my new title. A girl with no status assigned such a role is unheard of."

Suzuka joins in the laughing with her giggles sounding like light music on the wind. Maki cannot help but stare at the princess, trying to cover her mouth with her hand. The idea of spending all day with her, not having to work herself sore, was like a dream come true. If Maki thought it would happen, then she would be feeling overjoyed. Unfortunately, Maki has learned long ago that her dreams will never be fulfilled, no matter how small they may be.

"I can imagine the look on Yukina's face," Suzuka continues to giggle.

Suzuka collapses on the ground clutching her heart, doing her best to impersonate a man having a fatal seizure. Laying on the floor while twitching like a fish out of water, Suzuka even starts pulling some funny and cute also cute in Maki's opinion faces. After a few minutes, Suzuka goes still, but Maki can still hear that soft angelic laughter leaving her the princess's lips.

Maki cover her mouth with one hand, trying to stifle her own laughter while reaching for Suzuka with the other. The broom bounces up off the floor with a loud bang as the princess gently grasps her hand. Maki feels a feeling similar to that of what she feels when using her magic. An energy spreads through her body. Only this one leaves Maki feeling butterflies in her stomach and warmth in her cheeks. Maki looks away, afraid she might do something to ruin their friendship as her body continues to heat up.

"Uhh, I should finish." Maki quickly says, dropping her friend's hand and picking up the broom.

"What are you doing?" Sawano calls out from the west door. "Princess…"

Turning their heads, the two girls spot Sawano rushing out of the door, followed by Wakako, who quickly starts glaring at Maki. Both Sawano and Wakako look displeased with what they see, and Wakako's gazes are turning more hostile towards Maki by the second. Never of the two arrivals speak at first as they take in Maki and Suzuka. Finally, after a few awkward seconds, Sawano clears her throat.

"It's unbecoming of a lady of your station, Highness," Sawano states.

"I have had enough of this," In an instant, Suzuka's friendly smile turns deadly. Before Maki could even react, Suzuka snatches the broom from her hands and throws it at Sawano. "There are seedpods over half the garden walk still. See that they are cleaned up."

Sawano gasps while Wakako stares with her mouth wide open. Meanwhile, Maki tries her best to go unnoticed, hoping to quietly slip away. Maki knows she will lose as caught between the princess and two higher-ranked maids no matter what happens. She knows she will bear all the blame for this. But before Maki can even take a step, Suzuka grabs her hand.

"Come with me," The princess commands leaving the other two maids stunned.

"But, Highness, this chore is hers." Sawano stammered. "It's… it's ben…"

"Beneath you?" Suzuka whirled on her. "And sweeping the garden walk is not beneath my handmaiden? Explain to me how that is so?"

Sawano was lost for words. Her mouth opened and repeatedly closed for a few seconds, but she could not bring herself to speak.

"Remember your station, Highness," Wakako warns with one eyebrow raised.

"I am all too aware of my station," Suzuka glares at Wakako forcing her to lower her head before she turns her attention back to Sawano. "I am living under the threat of assassination. I am treated as if I am made of glass by everyone, and well, I am also the princess of the Holy Empire of Japan. And you both are servants." Suzuka pauses to point at the garden path. "You're to clear this place of seedpods, and maybe I will not have you reduced to a scullery maid."

Wakako gasps while Sawano looks like she is about to burst into tears. Maki, meanwhile, is feeling more worried about tomorrow with every passing second. She knows she will pay for this in the morning.

"Suzuka, it's okay," Maki says, reaching for the broom. "I'll do it."

"Touch that broom, and she'll spend the rest of her time here washing dishes," Suzuka hiss's slapping Maki's hand away. "Everyone is quick of reminding me of my station. It is about time they reminded themselves of yours."

Maki was helpless to stop her. She can only pray that her punishment in the morning will be light because of this. Sawano manages to hold her head up and keep in her tears, but her eyes are still red. Wakako, meanwhile, looks worried about the turn of events.

"Your highness, please think…" Wakako starts, but Suzuka does not let her finish.

"Think about what?" Suzuka cuts her off. "That I might require a new stable girl?"

Wakako's skin turns several shades paler as she looks defeated. Despite the pleading look for assistance from Sawano, Wakako lowers her head, unable to intervene. Before now, Maki never thought Suzuka would punish someone, but there was something about her tone that makes Maki believe her friend will go through with the threat. Sawano and Wakako seem to think the princess is serious as well. The princess grasped Maki by the hand and pulled her out into the grass between the garden and keep, heading for the mouth in the hedgerow where the dirt path led deeper into their childhood retreat. Amid the sea of green, she plopped to sit.

"I should thank you for that, but…" Maki looks over her shoulder as she sits down beside the princess, making sure they were not followed. "They'll only be worse to me now."

Suzuka glances back in the direction of the garden path just as the sound of a broom sweeping begins to play. As much as Maki fears what awaits her, she cannot help but feel happy knowing one of her bullies is being taught a lesson.

"Not if they know what is good for them," Suzuka says, turning her attention back to Maki. "You already cleared half of the seedpods out, so I doubt the girl will struggle to finish the task." As she talks, Suzuka is looking her friend up and down. "By the gods, you are filthy."

Maki's eyes widen as she looks down at herself. For so long, the layers of dirt and grim has felt like a second skin she had not realised how dirty she was getting. Dirt was everywhere on her skin and worn-out clothing.

"Remember when we were nine and went exploring the garden?" Suzuka asks with a smile growing on her lips. "We found that overgrown trail and thought it would be a good idea to find out where it went."

"Yes!" Maki's mood quickly improves with the memory. "And we walked straight into that dried up pound."

"Not so dried up," Suzuka giggles. "We were completely covered in mud, and Iroha wouldn't let us back in the castle until we bathed."

"I remember they had to change the water twice," Maki laughs. "Our ghost hunting went better."

"Yes!" Suzuka snorts before covering her mouth with a blush. "But all we found, in the end, was that boar."

"Yeah, that little boar chased us around the garden for hours," Maki nearly chokes from laughing so hard. "I can't believe we thought it was a ghost."

"You screamed so loudly that night," Suzuka laughs harder, and Maki blushes.

"You were just as loud," Maki points out.

Unfortunately, Maki finds her laughter cut short by the feeling of imminent danger. She turns to see Sawano glaring at her. Just as Maki feared, Sawano blames her for the incident. For months now, Sawano has not had to clean anything herself. She only managed the other servants. If anyone saw her now with a broom in her hand, Maki knows they would never let Sawano hear the end of it. Maki has a feeling that Sawano thinks they are laughing at her from the killing intent in the other servant's eyes.

Before Sawano can say anything, a nearby door opens, creaking loud enough to draw everyone's attention. Everyone but Suzuka who is still rolling around on the ground giggling. Iroha steps out as casting a curious glance at the head maid and causing Maki to jump to her feet. Finally noticing something is happening, Suzuka stops laughing and looks up at Maki, confused until she sees the senior advisor walking towards them.

"It is good to see you are enjoying yourself, your Highness," Iroha smiles as the princess sits up. "Might I ask why the head maid is sweeping the garden path?"

"Because Maki was given tasks that interfered with her duties as my handmaid," Suzuka replies as she gets to her feet. "I must insist that everyone stops putting extra work on her. Maki is my handmaid, and I need her to be available when I need her."

Sawano watches closely, looking livid by the princess words and that she wants to scream. "But she is some lowborn wretch!" Maki could not help but feel ashamed and lower her head feeling like she does not belong by the princess side.

"You should not worry about it, your highness," Iroha assures her with a gentle smile. "We just thought it was best to put some distance between you two in case…"

"In case what?" Suzuka interrupts. "In case I am killed?"

"Killed…" Maki know there was always a chance of Suzuka being assassinated, but she tried to ignore it. Maki can feel her body shake and a sickening feeling take form in her stomach at the thought of her friend dying. She does not want to think about it. Whenever she does, Maki feels like she is going to have a panic attack.

"That wasn't what we had in mind," Iroha explains. "An assassin might not target you directly, your highness. If they thought you had a close relationship with anyone, they might use that person against you. We simply believe that it would be safer for everyone for you to appear aloof."

Suzuka signs and grumbles. "I hate this stupid war."

"You will bring it to an end, your highness," Iroha smiles, trying to cheer her up. "The Foretelling guarantees it."

"I hate the ramblings of old me too," Suzuka moans. "And that people actually believe them." Maki can see her friend's eyes starting to dampen and turn red as tears threaten to fall. Suzuka sits back down on the grass before looking up at Maki and patting the grass next to her. "Sit here."

Maki is frozen at the order. She nervously glanced at Iroha, looking for answers. As the princess ask again.

"Please sit," Suzuka asks in a weak, soft voice.

Maki could not deny her friend. Not when she sounds so vulnerable and not when she looks like she is about to burst into tears. She slowly sits down where the princess was patting, and less than a second later, Suzuka throws her arms around Maki's neck. Suzuka buries her face in her handmaid's shoulder, and Maki can feel the wetness of tears before she hears the sobbing. Hesitantly Maki holds her friend, gently rocking the princess as she cries while Maki casts a glance up at Iroha.

"Do not fear honouring whatever the princess asks of you," Iroha tells her.

With less hesitation, Maki starts to rub Suzuka's back. Holding her friend close Maki does what she can to comfort the princess. Iroha walked back inside after observing the two girls for a while. A few minutes later, Maki notices Sawano has finished her task. With one last push, she sends the seedpods flying onto the grass. Before she disappears, Sawano sends Maki a death glare. The two of them are alone with no one in sight and not a sound apart from Suzuka's sobs. It takes her a few moments, but Suzuka slowly regains her composer.

"I wish we could be kids again," Suzuka mutters, resting her head on Maki's shoulder.

"Things were simpler then," Maki agrees. She, too, wishes to go back to those days.

"It's been a long time since I've seen how you look in proper clothes. Perhaps we can spend the evening trying on dresses together," Suzuka suggests giving Maki's tunic a gentle tug.

"Together? Like… in the same room?" Warmth spreads through her checks, colouring them a faint red.

"Of course!" Suzuka giggles, poking Maki in her cheek. "You're blushing?"

"I… umm."

"Oh, come now." The princess gave her a playful shove. "You attend to my baths and wash my hair every day."

Maki could not help but giggle despite how nervous and embarrassed Suzuka's suggestion makes her feel. She tried to think of anything other than Suzuka in the bath with water running over her naked flesh and the way her skin feels so soft as she dries her off. It never used to be like this. When they were younger, Maki would often share the bath with Suzuka but back then, it seemed so innocent while now… "I can't think about it," Maki tells herself as she feels her cheeks burn hotter. Now, whenever Maki thinks of sharing a bath with the princess with only the water separating their bare bodies caused Maki's body to heat up. Maki did not even notice when things changed, but lately, it has been getting worse. Thankfully Iroha returns to take Maki's mind of sharing a bath with her friend.

"I almost forgot I had something to give you two," Iroha smiles as she reaches into her pocket. "A merchant came through town this morning selling these."

"Thank you," Suzuka wastes little time taking the berry from Iroha's outstretched hand while Maki hesitates.

"Those are expensive," Maki comments staring at the berry. "Are you sure I can have it?"

"Of course," Iroha says, pressing the berry into Maki's hand. "It's my treat."

"Thank you," Maki weakly smiles, still unsure whether she should eat the berry or not.

Ivenberry's have become so rare since the war started that they are worth twice, sometimes even three times their weight in gold. Suzuka held the red, pointy berry up to her face, wide-eyed at the treat almost as big as Pim's head. After marvelling at it for a few seconds, she grasped the tuft of green at the top and twisted it back and forth until it came loose.

"Mistress Gojou, do you have a knife on you I can borrow?" Suzuka asks.

Iroha quickly retrieves a dagger from her robes and wipes it on her clothing before handing it to Suzuka. Suzuka happily accepts the small weapon. After flicking the coating of fingernail-sized seeds from the outside, she held the knife over the ivenberry. With on clean-cut, she has the berry cut clean in half, exposing the soft juicy insides of the berry before handing the knife over to Maki.

"Can I really have all of this?" Maki asks as she holds the knife in one hand and the ivenberry in the other.

"Of course, you can," Iroha smiles. "I told you it was my treat."

Still hesitant, Maki copies the princess actions to prepare her own berry. Red juices coat the blade and Maki's fingers as she slices through the berry. The smell of fresh ivenberry fills her nostrils. The dagger slices effortlessly through the berry, and in no time at all, Maki has the berry sliced clean in half. By the time Maki hands Iroha back her knife Suzuka is already halfway through eating hers. Maki smiles, watching the princess happily devour the ivenberry. "She really loves them," Maki thinks as she takes a small bite. It is no secret in the castle that the quickest way to get on princess Suzuka's good side is to give her an ivenberry.

"Where did you find one of these? Merchants hadn't traded with Mokusa since before I was born," Suzuka asks.

"Oh, they sneak across the border here and there," Iroha waved dismissively at her as though discussing a triviality.

"Smuggled," Maki mutters. "They only grow near Osafune. Almost a silver crescent per berry."

Maki found it easier to eat, thinking they were only smuggled. "It was better than think they were taken off of a dead soldier," Maki concludes as she continues to nibble on her ivenberry. Maki does not speak the concern out loud either. She does not want to take away one of the few sources of happiness Suzuka has by saying such things.

Maki huddled around her berry, trying to keep anyone from seeing her with it. Most of the castle servants would have reacted to her having an Ivenberry with shock appropriate to catching someone feeding the king's steak to one of the huntsman's hounds. The sweet flesh of the fruit practically melted on her tongue and blotted out her worries for a while. Likely a day or two from being over-ripe, it had a tenuous grip on the perfect balance between soft and firm. Iroha left them once more, humming to herself as she hurried back to the castle. They nibbled in silence for a while, exchanging earnest looks while trying not to get juice everywhere.

"I wish…" I Suzuka sighs. "I wish we could go back to being friends again with no one judging us. I hate it when people start talking about us like I cannot hear them. I wish we could go back to how we were. With all this."

"I do to," Maki sighs as she admits it.

"Gossiping servants, a losing war and the Foretell," Suzuka moans. "I wish I could go back to the days when they were meaningless to us. Do you think my mother will like Sir Saito?"

Maki pictured the slender raven-haired noble from the southwestern city of Ayanokouji. Last time she saw the man his looked strong but lived in fear of his own shadow. Maki must fight not to laugh at the memory of him jumping on the table because a rat ran under his chair. But as far as Maki knows the man is still single, he is handsome and if he can get over his fear strong enough to protect the queen. Unfortunately for the princess Maki can also recall that Sir Saito rarely leaves his house living in constant fear of the world outside.

"If you are interested in setting them up then you will need to force him out of his house," Maki replies failing to hide a little giggle. "Why are you suddenly so interested in the queens love life?"

"Oh, I was just thinking it would be good if she had a son," Suzuka comments finishing off the last of her Ivenberry. "The Foretelling does not specify which heir will end the war, only that an heir will."

"So, you're trying to arrange a marriage?" Maki raises an eyebrow before swallowing the last of her berry.

"Why not?" Suzuka swished her feet side to side. "If she has a son, everyone will assume that's the heir who'll destroy Mokusa."

"Yes, but then the assassins will be going after a baby," Maki said barely above a whisper.

"Thanks for that," Suzuka lowers her head. "My mother already makes me feel guilty enough."

"Sorry."

"No, you're right. This is my burden. I cannot shirk it off, much less on a defenceless infant." Her gloom lasted only a second more. "For now, though, let us do something we haven't done in ages."

"Rearrange all the books in the library out of order?"

"We haven't done that since we were seven," Suzuka giggles.

"My bum still burns from that," Maki squirms. "They put your half on me as well."

"I'm sorry." Suzuka took her hand. "I had to watch you scream and cry… that hurt more."

"I doubt that. I couldn't sit proper for two days," Maki complained.

"Well, I never suggested we did anything like that again did I?"

"No,"

"So there." Suzuka gestured at her. "I couldn't bear to see them hurt you again."

"Are you sure it wasn't because of what the queen said?"

"What? What did he say?"

"You don't know?" Maki raised a brow.

"No!" Suzuka grabbed her arm, genuine confusion in her eyes. "Tell me!"

"I overheard her berating Miss Harper for giving me double. She dared not strike the princess, but the queen ordered her to punish us both in equal measure next time or whatever she did to me, she would revisit on her in triplicate," Suzuka gasped. "I thought you were afraid she'd paddle you." Maki grinned. "The woman was a witch."

"Oh, she wasn't that bad, and no… I had no idea," Suzuka squeezed her hand. "I really didn't want you to get punished again."

"Not that bad? Well… I suppose to you." Maki fidgeted. "At me, she always yelled, threatened to take away my meals, reminded me all the time how I was such a nobody."

"I'm sorry," Suzuka says pulling Maki into a hug. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"She was right. I am a nobody. No parents, no family, no possessions to my name," Maki answers.

"You're my friend," Suzuka tells her pushing Maki out to arms reach making Maki weakly smile hearing her words.

"So, what was that idea, again?" Maki asks feeling her heart race as she stares into the princess eyes.

"Help me get this bothersome mess off," Suzuka tells her pulling on her dress exposing the mass of frills.