The Pink Harlequin
Betrothal
Author's note: OKAY LEMME MAKE IT CLEAR TO YOU THAT THIS IS NOT A SORATO!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT WAS JUST A PLOT TWIST!!!!!!!! (oops, I gave something away again - oh well it was obvious anyway) Okay, back to the story... ^_^
"But... Father..." Yamato choked through his words. The whole court knew that the Countess Sora Takenouchi and the Marquis Taichi Yagami were lovers. It would break Taichi's heart if he knew just what Yamato's father was planning.
"Yes, son, I know that you were originally betrothed to the Crown Princess of Spain, Princess Mimi Taichikawa, but a slight problem arose," Yamato's father said dourly. "Too bad, as well; Princess Mimi could have brought much power to us. Countess Sora would be all right, I suppose..."
Yamato stood his ground, speechless for a minute or two, and immediately stomped out the door. There was absolutely no use in complaining about the whole matter; his father would simply give him a tongue-lashing and holler about for twenty minutes until Yamato's head rung. And, Yamato had no intentions of having such a thing happen. Thus, he decided to consult his fellow friend who was living in the royal palace at the time, the young scholar Koushirou Izumi.
However, once he approached at Koushirou's guest room door, he heard hushed voices from inside. He could tell right away that it was Koushirou's voice with a lady's. Immediately breaking out in a smile, Yamato shook his head and walked away. I should have known, he thought. Of course! Koushirou and Miyako Inoue, his lady from home!
As Yamato turned away down the hall, down and dismayed, he heard a door open and close behind him. A giggle escaped from the open doorway before it was quickly shut. The nineteen-year old blond duke turned around to see his blushing childhood friend.
"Sorry about that, Yamato," Koushirou murmured an apology. He was one among the few people who did not need to call Yamato "Your Grace" or bow to him deeply, even in public, due to friendship, of course.
"Don't worry about it," Yamato kept his eyes down on his black leather boots.
"I, er, heard about the betrothal."
"You WHAT?"
"The betrothal... your father announced it to the half of the court that was awake while you were gone for the morning."
Yamato said nothing for a minute, clenching and opening his fists again and again. Sometimes he just plain hated his father. Finally, he managed to croak out, "How're Sora and Taichi?"
"Sora... is angry. At both you and your father. She tries not to believe that you were the one who suggested it, but all her servants tell her it was. And Taichi... he stormed out of the Throne Room in a fit of fury upon hearing the news. Let's just say that he hasn't been taking it well." Grudgingly and anxiously Koushirou relayed the news. "I'm sorry, Yamato."
"Ugh... I can't believe this!" Letting his breath out in an infuriated hiss, Yamato kicked the ground with his foot. "Can ANYBODY persuade him? Doesn't everyone disapprove? Except for Sora's father, that is?"
"Her father was seen singing and skipping through the halls just a few minutes ago, in an extremely un-count-like manner. He must be glad that his daughter is betrothed to a wealthy duke."
"WHAT is Taichi going to do? Weren't the two of them engaged a while back?"
"Countess Sora's father broke the arrangement. A duke DOES have more power than a marquis."
"Damn!!!! ARGH!!!" Koushirou stayed silent while Yamato kicked the floor and punched the wall. Suddenly he stopped, standing straight and tall again. Koushirou laughed in spite of the situation, saying, "Trying to quell that rebellious nature from all those years ago, eh, Yamato?"
Yamato himself gave a chuckle as he clapped Koushirou on the back and walked away. As he disappeared down the hall, Koushirou muttered, "He must REALLY be in a confused situation and a bad mood... I'm supposed to be the one clapping his back earnestly..."
Once he reached the bottom of the stairs, Yamato decided to do something he had never dreamed of doing in his life, something that he would only do in a sick, repulsive nightmare: consult Pierre for help.
After all, Pierre was most likely the spirit of gossip himself in human form. So who else was better than this fop to start a new rumor about?
"Oh Piiiiieeeeeeerrrrrrrrreeeeee!" Yamato hollered after secretly letting himself in Pierre's gaudy courtier guest room. He looked around the place and shook his head in dismay. The other courtiers had arrived from their own estates and homes because of the new spring ball, but Pierre had made himself at home. Oversweet perfume and potpourri wafted into everything, from the pink silk cushions Pierre brought from home, to the flowery handkerchiefs that were littered on the floor. Stepping around all the silk cloths and expensive velvet cushions imported from Manor Delacroix, Yamato tried to find his frivolous admirer.
The lighthearted and shallow laughter of a man and a woman, coming from the bedroom, signaled where Pierre was and what he was doing. Yamato reddened. Why did Pierre have to do... THAT... during daylight hours?! There was nighttime!!!
Immediately a scantily clad, redheaded young woman burst out of the room, with Pierre chasing after her. Yamato widened his eyes at the odd spectacle and backed away. As soon as Pierre caught sight of the duke, he stopped short, turned crimson, and bowed. The young woman saw him right after Pierre did, and she curtsied, trying to find skirts to hold onto but failing. Hurriedly she wrapped a cape around herself and ran out the door, sprinting in an unfeminine manner.
"For what reason did you come to visit me, your humble admirer?" Pierre asked, acting as if Yamato had not caught him with a woman in the bedroom. After taking a deep breath, Yamato admitted reluctantly, "I need a bit of help."
"REALLY? FROM ME?" Pierre was ecstatic. He jumped up and down, punched the open air with his fist, and sang a song. "OH BY GOLLY GEE WHIZ! WOW!!" Yamato made a face and backed off, threatening, "Don't do that or else I'll... leave this room!!!"
Immediately Pierre shut up. He bowed his head in a humble manner and sighed, "Yes, Your Grace, oh Gentleman of Gentleness. Handsome One of..." A glare from Yamato caused him to clamp his mouth closed.
A moment later, after Yamato had described his crisis, he sat back casually and replied, "In fact, I really wish that Countess Sora was engaged to Marquis Taichi."
Immediately Pierre jumped up and gasped, "OH really?! Wow!!!" And rapidly he ran out of the room in a frenzied manner. Yamato shook his head for the third or fourth time that day and laughed, "Fool."
By the time evening had come, rumors were all around the palace, ranging from mild ones such as "Duke Yamato's in love with someone else" to crazy ones such as "Our Duke Yamato has a murderous desire to kill the one he loves". In fact, Yamato wasn't even in love with Sora. They were childhood friends, but it stopped at that. Yamato knew that Sora might end up angry at him, but he knew that he had to risk her anger for everyone's happiness.
The gossip that Pierre had spread flamed throughout the court like wildfire.
Exactly what Yamato had planned.
Betrothal
Author's note: OKAY LEMME MAKE IT CLEAR TO YOU THAT THIS IS NOT A SORATO!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT WAS JUST A PLOT TWIST!!!!!!!! (oops, I gave something away again - oh well it was obvious anyway) Okay, back to the story... ^_^
"But... Father..." Yamato choked through his words. The whole court knew that the Countess Sora Takenouchi and the Marquis Taichi Yagami were lovers. It would break Taichi's heart if he knew just what Yamato's father was planning.
"Yes, son, I know that you were originally betrothed to the Crown Princess of Spain, Princess Mimi Taichikawa, but a slight problem arose," Yamato's father said dourly. "Too bad, as well; Princess Mimi could have brought much power to us. Countess Sora would be all right, I suppose..."
Yamato stood his ground, speechless for a minute or two, and immediately stomped out the door. There was absolutely no use in complaining about the whole matter; his father would simply give him a tongue-lashing and holler about for twenty minutes until Yamato's head rung. And, Yamato had no intentions of having such a thing happen. Thus, he decided to consult his fellow friend who was living in the royal palace at the time, the young scholar Koushirou Izumi.
However, once he approached at Koushirou's guest room door, he heard hushed voices from inside. He could tell right away that it was Koushirou's voice with a lady's. Immediately breaking out in a smile, Yamato shook his head and walked away. I should have known, he thought. Of course! Koushirou and Miyako Inoue, his lady from home!
As Yamato turned away down the hall, down and dismayed, he heard a door open and close behind him. A giggle escaped from the open doorway before it was quickly shut. The nineteen-year old blond duke turned around to see his blushing childhood friend.
"Sorry about that, Yamato," Koushirou murmured an apology. He was one among the few people who did not need to call Yamato "Your Grace" or bow to him deeply, even in public, due to friendship, of course.
"Don't worry about it," Yamato kept his eyes down on his black leather boots.
"I, er, heard about the betrothal."
"You WHAT?"
"The betrothal... your father announced it to the half of the court that was awake while you were gone for the morning."
Yamato said nothing for a minute, clenching and opening his fists again and again. Sometimes he just plain hated his father. Finally, he managed to croak out, "How're Sora and Taichi?"
"Sora... is angry. At both you and your father. She tries not to believe that you were the one who suggested it, but all her servants tell her it was. And Taichi... he stormed out of the Throne Room in a fit of fury upon hearing the news. Let's just say that he hasn't been taking it well." Grudgingly and anxiously Koushirou relayed the news. "I'm sorry, Yamato."
"Ugh... I can't believe this!" Letting his breath out in an infuriated hiss, Yamato kicked the ground with his foot. "Can ANYBODY persuade him? Doesn't everyone disapprove? Except for Sora's father, that is?"
"Her father was seen singing and skipping through the halls just a few minutes ago, in an extremely un-count-like manner. He must be glad that his daughter is betrothed to a wealthy duke."
"WHAT is Taichi going to do? Weren't the two of them engaged a while back?"
"Countess Sora's father broke the arrangement. A duke DOES have more power than a marquis."
"Damn!!!! ARGH!!!" Koushirou stayed silent while Yamato kicked the floor and punched the wall. Suddenly he stopped, standing straight and tall again. Koushirou laughed in spite of the situation, saying, "Trying to quell that rebellious nature from all those years ago, eh, Yamato?"
Yamato himself gave a chuckle as he clapped Koushirou on the back and walked away. As he disappeared down the hall, Koushirou muttered, "He must REALLY be in a confused situation and a bad mood... I'm supposed to be the one clapping his back earnestly..."
Once he reached the bottom of the stairs, Yamato decided to do something he had never dreamed of doing in his life, something that he would only do in a sick, repulsive nightmare: consult Pierre for help.
After all, Pierre was most likely the spirit of gossip himself in human form. So who else was better than this fop to start a new rumor about?
"Oh Piiiiieeeeeeerrrrrrrrreeeeee!" Yamato hollered after secretly letting himself in Pierre's gaudy courtier guest room. He looked around the place and shook his head in dismay. The other courtiers had arrived from their own estates and homes because of the new spring ball, but Pierre had made himself at home. Oversweet perfume and potpourri wafted into everything, from the pink silk cushions Pierre brought from home, to the flowery handkerchiefs that were littered on the floor. Stepping around all the silk cloths and expensive velvet cushions imported from Manor Delacroix, Yamato tried to find his frivolous admirer.
The lighthearted and shallow laughter of a man and a woman, coming from the bedroom, signaled where Pierre was and what he was doing. Yamato reddened. Why did Pierre have to do... THAT... during daylight hours?! There was nighttime!!!
Immediately a scantily clad, redheaded young woman burst out of the room, with Pierre chasing after her. Yamato widened his eyes at the odd spectacle and backed away. As soon as Pierre caught sight of the duke, he stopped short, turned crimson, and bowed. The young woman saw him right after Pierre did, and she curtsied, trying to find skirts to hold onto but failing. Hurriedly she wrapped a cape around herself and ran out the door, sprinting in an unfeminine manner.
"For what reason did you come to visit me, your humble admirer?" Pierre asked, acting as if Yamato had not caught him with a woman in the bedroom. After taking a deep breath, Yamato admitted reluctantly, "I need a bit of help."
"REALLY? FROM ME?" Pierre was ecstatic. He jumped up and down, punched the open air with his fist, and sang a song. "OH BY GOLLY GEE WHIZ! WOW!!" Yamato made a face and backed off, threatening, "Don't do that or else I'll... leave this room!!!"
Immediately Pierre shut up. He bowed his head in a humble manner and sighed, "Yes, Your Grace, oh Gentleman of Gentleness. Handsome One of..." A glare from Yamato caused him to clamp his mouth closed.
A moment later, after Yamato had described his crisis, he sat back casually and replied, "In fact, I really wish that Countess Sora was engaged to Marquis Taichi."
Immediately Pierre jumped up and gasped, "OH really?! Wow!!!" And rapidly he ran out of the room in a frenzied manner. Yamato shook his head for the third or fourth time that day and laughed, "Fool."
By the time evening had come, rumors were all around the palace, ranging from mild ones such as "Duke Yamato's in love with someone else" to crazy ones such as "Our Duke Yamato has a murderous desire to kill the one he loves". In fact, Yamato wasn't even in love with Sora. They were childhood friends, but it stopped at that. Yamato knew that Sora might end up angry at him, but he knew that he had to risk her anger for everyone's happiness.
The gossip that Pierre had spread flamed throughout the court like wildfire.
Exactly what Yamato had planned.