Author's notes: I'm actually getting this plot off of a Georgette Heyer's
book 'Instead of the Thorn.' It's a really good book! If you get the time,
do read it.
Disclaimers: Go away, you weird policeman! I say, I don't own anything! Leave me alone!!!
*** The Prim Rose ***
Chapter 1: The Barrier
"Oh, dear Auntie, won't you allow me to go play with those boys? They look so happy!" Tomoe pleaded.
Miss Yukishiro looked down at her little niece. Nothing in her gaze expressed disapproval, yet if one knew her well, they would most definitely feel her displeasure. Tomoe certainly did, and felt terribly ashamed of her question.
"Tomoe, little darling, a young lady like yourself really shouldn't spend time playing with boys. Of course, all these modern views throw aside our thousands of years of tradition, yet I find it quite inappropriate. Girls just shouldn't associate with boys other than their close relations or their husbands. I am quite sure you comprehend me, little dear."
Tomoe looked puzzled, and she was certain she didn't comprehend it. Why is it that other girls her age were allowed to go play with the boys, and she was not? It seemed quite unfair. However, she had been taught by her aunt that there were a great many things you were expected to comprehend without question, and so, she did not ask.
She could still remember the time she had asked her Mr. Sagara to help her chose new dresses. To a girl of five, that didn't seem at all amiss, but to her aunt, it had sounded grossly inappropriate. In her opinion, men just do not help girls pick out dresses. She had been most unhappy.
And then there was the time Tomoe had told Mr. Sagara she had learned an easier way to cut her toenails. No need to say, that had been very unpleasant for Miss Yukishiro to hear. Things such as tripping one's toenails were not to be discussed in public. It just wasn't right!
So from then on, Tomoe had learned a great many things were not to be talked about with people other than her aunt. Whenever the conversation turned that way, she was always told to go play with her doll.
Of course, to a child of ten, a doll does not hold quite as much appeal as to one of five. Tomoe would have much rather gone to read a book, but Aunt Haruko wouldn't hear of it. What did she mean, she was tired of her doll? It was Aunt Haruko's belief that young girls like Tomoe would always love her doll. It was the natural thing to do. Being taught all her life by her aunt, the belief grew on Tomoe, and so, instead of mentioning about the book again, she did what her aunt supposed was normal for little girls to do, like playing dolls.
And it wasn't that Miss Yukishiro was ever unkind to Tomoe about her mistakes. She loved Tomoe so very much, as Tomoe was really the only thing in the world that was all to herself. Yes, she knew that Tomoe wasn't her daughter, as she was her brother's daughter, but Tomoe was never really his. Of course, they did all the things that was expected of father and daughter, such as Mr. Yukishiro kissing her on the cheek before going off to work, and kissing her again when returning home. However, there just wasn't that deep a feeling in between them. It made Miss Yukishiro extremely happy, even though she didn't realize it and would have it that she would never realize it. It would be unseemly for her to be happy about this. In fact, she told herself that Tomoe loved her father dearly, as was expected of a daughter. This was how Haruko Yukishiro viewed life. Everything was as she believed it to be, not as they really are.
Because this was how Aunt Haruko viewed life, Tomoe did likewise. She would never again tell herself that dolls were silly and she disliked them. Instead, she told herself that because she was a ten-year-old little girl, she liked them very much and was expected to be thankful of every new doll she gets.
Mr. Sagara disapproved of this very much. He was Mr. Yukishiro's best friend and had seen Tomoe grow up. He hated it. He hated the way Tomoe said she loved her dolls, he hated the way Tomoe said the cake was delicious when it was really dirt, and he hated the way Tomoe agreed to whatever her aunt thought right. He told Mr. Yukishiro thus.
"My dear boy! You really musn't let your sister influence Tomoe this much! It ain't right! For god's sake, the girl ain't got a brain of her own. Are you just forever going to let her view the world through rose- colored glasses?"
Of course, Mr. Yukishiro was quite taken aback by this. Whatever was Sanosuke talking about? However, he replied with a smile.
"Don't worry, don't worry. Haruko knows Tomoe best, she'll know what to do."
"The hell she does. I'll be damned if she doesn't want to change your little girl into some Meiji-era-ish lady! I mean, it's all very well that Miss. Yukishiro herself is, but she needn't overdo it and turn Tomoe into one too. It ain't good for her, you know!"
Mr. Yukishiro scoffed at this.
"Nonsense! I don't see Haruko doing anything wrong at all, really I don't. And I'm her father, I would know."
"The hell you would! What's Tomoe's favorite color?"
At this, Mr. Yukishiro pondered for a moment.
"Blue."
"No, lavender. Even I know that, and I ain't her god-damn father who doesn't know anything about her."
Mr. Yukishiro growled. This was not how he had wanted the conversation to turn out to be.
"See her, Sano, old boy, is it really that bad that Haruko's teaching my little girl some manners? After all, it would be rather impolite if you told Cook that her cakes tasted like dirt, like you do. Cook quite despises you, I think."
"That is impolite, but that is the truth. That's the problem with you Yukishiros! You don't like seeing the truth, and you're going to Tomoe into someone like yourself too!"
The smile returned to Mr. Yukishiro's face. He didn't want to stay on the subject much longer.
"As I said before, I think Haruko knows Tomoe best, and she'll know what to do."
*** End of Chapter 1 ***
There's really not much for me to say here. NOT EVEN THANK YOU! *ahem* Well actually, yeah, thanks for reading this and remember to review! You HAVE to review! ^_^
P.S. I promise it will turn into a fluffy romance, so if you don't like fluffy romance, you probably won't like later chapters. -_-;;
Disclaimers: Go away, you weird policeman! I say, I don't own anything! Leave me alone!!!
*** The Prim Rose ***
Chapter 1: The Barrier
"Oh, dear Auntie, won't you allow me to go play with those boys? They look so happy!" Tomoe pleaded.
Miss Yukishiro looked down at her little niece. Nothing in her gaze expressed disapproval, yet if one knew her well, they would most definitely feel her displeasure. Tomoe certainly did, and felt terribly ashamed of her question.
"Tomoe, little darling, a young lady like yourself really shouldn't spend time playing with boys. Of course, all these modern views throw aside our thousands of years of tradition, yet I find it quite inappropriate. Girls just shouldn't associate with boys other than their close relations or their husbands. I am quite sure you comprehend me, little dear."
Tomoe looked puzzled, and she was certain she didn't comprehend it. Why is it that other girls her age were allowed to go play with the boys, and she was not? It seemed quite unfair. However, she had been taught by her aunt that there were a great many things you were expected to comprehend without question, and so, she did not ask.
She could still remember the time she had asked her Mr. Sagara to help her chose new dresses. To a girl of five, that didn't seem at all amiss, but to her aunt, it had sounded grossly inappropriate. In her opinion, men just do not help girls pick out dresses. She had been most unhappy.
And then there was the time Tomoe had told Mr. Sagara she had learned an easier way to cut her toenails. No need to say, that had been very unpleasant for Miss Yukishiro to hear. Things such as tripping one's toenails were not to be discussed in public. It just wasn't right!
So from then on, Tomoe had learned a great many things were not to be talked about with people other than her aunt. Whenever the conversation turned that way, she was always told to go play with her doll.
Of course, to a child of ten, a doll does not hold quite as much appeal as to one of five. Tomoe would have much rather gone to read a book, but Aunt Haruko wouldn't hear of it. What did she mean, she was tired of her doll? It was Aunt Haruko's belief that young girls like Tomoe would always love her doll. It was the natural thing to do. Being taught all her life by her aunt, the belief grew on Tomoe, and so, instead of mentioning about the book again, she did what her aunt supposed was normal for little girls to do, like playing dolls.
And it wasn't that Miss Yukishiro was ever unkind to Tomoe about her mistakes. She loved Tomoe so very much, as Tomoe was really the only thing in the world that was all to herself. Yes, she knew that Tomoe wasn't her daughter, as she was her brother's daughter, but Tomoe was never really his. Of course, they did all the things that was expected of father and daughter, such as Mr. Yukishiro kissing her on the cheek before going off to work, and kissing her again when returning home. However, there just wasn't that deep a feeling in between them. It made Miss Yukishiro extremely happy, even though she didn't realize it and would have it that she would never realize it. It would be unseemly for her to be happy about this. In fact, she told herself that Tomoe loved her father dearly, as was expected of a daughter. This was how Haruko Yukishiro viewed life. Everything was as she believed it to be, not as they really are.
Because this was how Aunt Haruko viewed life, Tomoe did likewise. She would never again tell herself that dolls were silly and she disliked them. Instead, she told herself that because she was a ten-year-old little girl, she liked them very much and was expected to be thankful of every new doll she gets.
Mr. Sagara disapproved of this very much. He was Mr. Yukishiro's best friend and had seen Tomoe grow up. He hated it. He hated the way Tomoe said she loved her dolls, he hated the way Tomoe said the cake was delicious when it was really dirt, and he hated the way Tomoe agreed to whatever her aunt thought right. He told Mr. Yukishiro thus.
"My dear boy! You really musn't let your sister influence Tomoe this much! It ain't right! For god's sake, the girl ain't got a brain of her own. Are you just forever going to let her view the world through rose- colored glasses?"
Of course, Mr. Yukishiro was quite taken aback by this. Whatever was Sanosuke talking about? However, he replied with a smile.
"Don't worry, don't worry. Haruko knows Tomoe best, she'll know what to do."
"The hell she does. I'll be damned if she doesn't want to change your little girl into some Meiji-era-ish lady! I mean, it's all very well that Miss. Yukishiro herself is, but she needn't overdo it and turn Tomoe into one too. It ain't good for her, you know!"
Mr. Yukishiro scoffed at this.
"Nonsense! I don't see Haruko doing anything wrong at all, really I don't. And I'm her father, I would know."
"The hell you would! What's Tomoe's favorite color?"
At this, Mr. Yukishiro pondered for a moment.
"Blue."
"No, lavender. Even I know that, and I ain't her god-damn father who doesn't know anything about her."
Mr. Yukishiro growled. This was not how he had wanted the conversation to turn out to be.
"See her, Sano, old boy, is it really that bad that Haruko's teaching my little girl some manners? After all, it would be rather impolite if you told Cook that her cakes tasted like dirt, like you do. Cook quite despises you, I think."
"That is impolite, but that is the truth. That's the problem with you Yukishiros! You don't like seeing the truth, and you're going to Tomoe into someone like yourself too!"
The smile returned to Mr. Yukishiro's face. He didn't want to stay on the subject much longer.
"As I said before, I think Haruko knows Tomoe best, and she'll know what to do."
*** End of Chapter 1 ***
There's really not much for me to say here. NOT EVEN THANK YOU! *ahem* Well actually, yeah, thanks for reading this and remember to review! You HAVE to review! ^_^
P.S. I promise it will turn into a fluffy romance, so if you don't like fluffy romance, you probably won't like later chapters. -_-;;
