a/n I'm sorry that I haven't wrote much lately. I was on a vacation in Taiwan and I haven't been able to write. But now that I'm back I will try to write more.
Sora woke up the next morning feeling a chill pass through her body. Sora saw that Tai was already up and was working at his desk, which was near the window.
"Good morning Taichi" Sora greeted him.
"Good morning my little angel" he smiled at her.
Don't you mean ugly angel? Sora thought to herself.
"Tai, my friend Ashley and Josh are getting married in a few months do you think you can come?" Sora asked.
"I'm not so sure, but I'll try. I'd do anything for you"
"Thanks" Sora got out of bed and stared at herself in the mirror. Great my ugly old self again. My eyes look dull, my skin is too pale, I'm not thin enough, and my hair has no color. What is wrong with me?
Sora turned around, still staring at herself in the mirror. Tai turned around and noticed her.
"You love looking at yourself?" Tai asked.
"No, what makes you think that?" Sora walked over to Tai.
"Because these days if your not looking at anything. It's usually the mirror at you." He kissed Sora lightly on the lips.
"Tai I'm going to take a walk around the palace. I need to walk a little instead being stuffed up in a room. I'll see you at lunch" Sora went to her closet and got out her usual dress and went to the bathroom to put it on.
Sora walked out and sighed. I'm not fit to be a Queen. No part of me spells out Queen.
Sora strolled down the stairs passing many maids and butlers on the way. They all bowed and smiled respectfully at her.
She sat down by the fountain just in front of the grand staircase. She stared into the crystal blue waters. Just then another reflection appeared besides hers in the water. Sora looked up and Saw Asako.
"Hello Asako, did you sleep well last night?" Sora asked.
"It was fine. Do you feel well today?" Asako asked.
"Pardon?' Sora quirked an eyebrow.
"Last night at dinner you left early because you felt tired, remember?" Asako sat down besides Sora.
"Oh I remember. The heat had gotten to me, that's all" Sora stared down at her hands.
"Yes, that happens to me to sometimes" Asako brushed a strand of hair out of her face.
"So, how do you like your stay so far" Sora smiled at the quest?
"It's pleasant enough" she replied curtly.
"If, you need anything, just come to me or Kari" Sora offered.
"Thank you, so how did you meet the King? I heard you were a peasant" Asako fixed her ring on her finger.
"Yes I was. It's a rather long story. I don't care to talk about it much" Sora started to feel uncomfortable.
"I'm just curious of how a peasant won a King's heart? After all there is many more beautiful princess's' and maiden's then you. How did you make the handsome King fall for you?" Asako stared at Sora.
"I don't know, will you excuse me. I have to be somewhere" Sora got up and left.
"As you wish. My, my, aren't you a weak Queen" Asako whispered when Sora was gone.
Sora stormed out of the palace, she stopped by the last stair at the bottom and cried. Even Asako words had shot straight into her heart, and it hurt.
"Baka!"
***********Lunch time***********
"Krista, I've got something to tell you" a kitchen servant rushed the other one over.
"What is it?" Krista set the newly washed dishes down on the wooden table.
"This morning while I was setting the table for breakfast I overheard Asako talking to her servant about Sora" Lorie said
"Continue" Krista grinned
"Asako was talking about how unusual it was for a peasant such as Sora to win Tai's heart. Then she said that Sora was a witch who set a spell on Tai to make him fall in love with her so she could be queen, once his parents die"
"Oh my!" Krista gasped.
"I think it's true. That could be a reason why her step mom hated her so much" Lorie sighed.
"Well, I've got to go tell Audrey about this" Krista rushed to the dining room where Audrey was serving the King his meal. As soon as Audrey was done she walked over to Krista.
"What do you want, Krista" Audrey asked.
"I've got the most interesting rumor to tell you" Krista spoke softly to make sure others would not hear her.
"What?" Audrey's face lit up. Audrey always had a thing for a good gossip.
"Queen Sora is a witch who cast a love spell on Tai. Asako said so"
"Why would she?" Audrey asked.
"Trust me, any peasant as low as she was would want to be a Queen and so she used her powers to get the title" Krista spoke some sense to her.
"Oh dear!" Audrey shouted as everything sunk in. Of course everyone turned and stared at her.
"Is anything wrong?" Kari asked.
"No, your highness. Sorry, please pardon my rudeness" Audrey bowed respectfully and hurriedly rushed into the kitchen to get more detail from Krista. Soon every kitchen staff member was informed of the situation.
Meanwhile Sora had lost her appetite, and decided to write a letter to Mimi who is recently staying in Matt's manor with his parents.
Mimi,
I miss you. I wish you were here. I know I'll see you at the wedding. Anyways, Aunt Jane invited her friend's daughter over. She is Asako Takahashi. She hasn't been the nicest guest. Anyways all day I've been getting strange looks from the servants in the palace. Am I paranoid? Write back as soon as possible.
You're friend, Sora
Sora smiled at the letter and sealed with the royal seal and handed it to Maddie who was at her side.
"By the way Maddie do you know why everyone keeps looking at me weirdly?" Sora asked.
"No, my Queen, but if I do find out. I'll inform you within a minute" Maddie patted Sora's head and went off to deliver the letter to the coach men who was waiting outside.
Sora quickly locked the door and stripped all her clothes off and stared at the mirror.
"Great" she sighed. Her hair was limp and dry. Her face was pale and her eyes sunk in. Her body looked deathly fragile. And if there was a strong wind she would toppled over. Her health was deteriorating by the day. Her body ached for nourishment but she denied herself of it. You could clearly see the bones of her ribs as her skin begins to stick more to her bones.
But to her, she was ugly. Everything about her was. She wasn't thin enough, her eyes were too big, her hair was dry, her stomach wasn't flat enough and her chest was too small.
"I wish I were beautiful" Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. Sora quickly dressed and lay on Maddie's bed.
Lunch had passed and Tai saw no sign of his little Sora. Lately he'd been too busy with business and hadn't paid much attention to her. He was beginning to regret it and started to find her.
"Where the devil is that woman?" Tai sighed. "She's not in her room, nor is she outside wandering around, she's certainly not in the library or the study. Where is that woman when I need her?" Tai sighed. The though of Sora always made him happy.
Just as he turned the corner he bumped into Asako.
"Pardon me milady. I was not watching where I was going" Tai quickly apologized.
"It's certainty all right. My mind was just wandering and I didn't see you as I walked into you" She smiled sweetly at him.
"Asako, may I ask you a question?" Tai asked.
"You may" she smiled seductively. Tai felt a little uneasy for a moment, he shrugged it off as nothing.
"Have you seen the Queen?" Tai walked down the hall with her.
"I saw her this morning by the fountain, but besides that no I haven't. Why?"
"Well, I have been a bad husband lately. I was caught in my work that I barely had time for her and I decided to take this time to spend with her, but I can't seem to find that women" Tai sighed.
"Women are like that you know, they like to wonder around a bit and keep their men waiting" Asako walked closer to him and held his arm.
"Yes," he replied nervously.
"Since you can't fin her would you like to spend the afternoon with me instead? I would have had Kari with me, but I'm afraid she's out with TK. And I'm left all by me lonesome" She gave him a sad face that he couldn't say no to.
"All, right I guess I could spare the afternoon with you. Is there anywhere in particular that you'd want to go?" He asked. Asako smiled at her success and led Tai outside to the stables.
"I would like to go riding horse's with you. I'm not so good at it so could you stay near and make sure I'm doing it right?" she asked.
"Sure," he smiled.
Please R&R!!!