IV
Yamato had never been this happy in her entire life. From the time that Lord Kamiya's sister, whom she had been told to just call Hikari, had decided to help her, she had been busy every day. From tailors to hats to new boots, not to mention the number of people she is now able to call 'friend', something she had never had before. Though Hikari's friends all seem to be married to Lord Kamiya's friends, Yamato is not complaining. Sora and Mimi have both been really nice to her and had accepted her immediately into their circle. She knew that she would soon be able to go to balls and parties with them, after this Kido party. Lady Kamiya have also been incredibly wonderful, treating her as if she was another daughter and not some stranger that had intruded upon their household, which was how Yamato had first felt like.
A knock and a "Yamato!" sounded, to which she replied "Come in."
Hikari walked into the room.
"Well, I was just talking to Taichi and he had told Jyou about you going to their dinner party. All is set, I am so excited!"
Yamato brightened at that. "That is so wonderful!" then a look of wonder. "You are on first-name basis with Lord Kamiya's friends too?"
Hikari looked reproachfully at Yamato. "How many times do I have to tell you, call him Taichi. He would not mind, trust me, and of course, after all they are the friends of my brother and the husbands of my friends. We are a very closed circle and have known each other practically since birth." at the look on Yamato's face, she continued. "and it does not mean we would not accept anybody else. Sora and Mimi have accepted you, as have Taichi. Everybody else will accept you as well!"
Yamato smiled. "As you have told me. However, I refuse to call Lord Kamiya by his first name unless he asks me to."
"Fine, do as you will." With that, Hikari rushed out of the room, minutes later returning with her brother in tow.
"Sister dear, why have you brought me here?"
"Tell Yamato that you don't mind her calling you Taichi. She would not believe me."
Turning to Yamato, he said "Miss Ishida, I would be honoured if you would call me Taichi. I am supposedly your cousin and cousins refer to each other by first names."
"Oh, then you must call me Yamato, instead of Miss Ishida."
"With pleasure." And with a smile, he turned and left the room, as Yamato watched him leave, when Hikari brought her attention back to her.
"There, you see." said Hikari. "I told you. Now about your dress for the dinner party."
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Takeru looked out of the carriage window at the passing scenery. After spending two months in Bath, she was glad to be returning to London, she just wished she could see her sister again. The last she had heard of Yamato was that she was engaged to a horrible man, by general knowledge. Takeru felt sorry for her sister and wished that she could help her, but on her departure, Yamato had firmly told her that under no circumstances was she to return, now that she has escaped. She promised, and she could not break her last promise to her sister.
"We should be arriving at London by nightfall, Takeru. Tomorrow evening, we will go to the Kido's party. I am sorry for the rush of events but at least we have a night of rest."
Takeru turned to her aunt, the lady that was so formidable that her father had allowed her to bring Takeru out, a feat worthy of the highest praise.
"That is fine, aunt. I am happy enough for you to take care of me, you did not need to organise so many events for me, as I have told you."
"Nonsense, Takeru. I do not organise these events. It is others in the city who wish for you to grace their gathering. However, I believe this is the first time you have been to a party of the Kido's, am I correct?"
"Yes, aunt. I have not met these people before."
"Well, the Kido's are a respectable family. I am not sure why they are inviting you, for neither side has brothers whom they might wish you to meet, though I know that there are at least three eligible male friends of theirs who would definitely be there. I must warn you however, the circle of friends which the Kidos keep company with is very closed and might not appreciate outsiders."
"That is alright. I do not mind. May I ask about these friends of theirs?"
"The single ones?"
"All of them. I wish to know at least a little about these people before I meet them."
"Well, I do not know much, as I have not been to many party of theirs. This is not a private, informal party, so this circle of friends would not be the only ones there, however, I shall tell you all I know of them. I know Lady Kamiya, who is the mother of two in the circle. She has a son and a daughter. The son would be older than Yamato, and the daughter would be around your age. Lord Kamiya is the most eligible bachelor in London at the moment, and of course it would be wonderful if you were to marry him, but it is incredibly unlikely to happen. So, - "
"Aunt, you know it does not matter. Pray continue."
"Well, his sister, Hikari Yagami, is a pretty little thing. She is one of those eternally nice people, kind hearted. Then there are Lord and Lady Kido. Lord Kido is a worrier. In my opinion, anyway. His lady is an incredibly beautiful woman. She is also very kind hearted and everybody thought that she would end up marrying Lord Kamiya. Then there is Lord Izumi. He is a very closed person, so nobody knows much about him at all, though I heard that he was kind once you get to know him, but cold otherwise. His lady is the daughter of one of the big families of Bath. Apparently, Lady Kido and herself are best friends now. Lady Izumi is one of the only ones in the circle from 'outside'. Next is Lord Ichijouji. He is another one of the single ones, however, I have heard that he was engaged. Takeru, do not take my word for gospel here as Lord Ichijouji is one person who one is forever hearing rumours that he is engaged. Last but not least is Lord Motomiya. He is also a bachelor and also considered a very good catch. However, everyone knows that he wants to wed Hikari Yagami. Who knows, they could be engaged by now. Anyway, that is all I know about the circle of friends, I hope you are not too disappointed."
Constantly amused by how great her aunt's 'little knowledge of people' really is, Takeru answered "As always, it is more than sufficient. They seem like interesting people to meet."
And they did, thought Takeru, I would like to meet them indeed.
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Yamato had never been this happy in her entire life. From the time that Lord Kamiya's sister, whom she had been told to just call Hikari, had decided to help her, she had been busy every day. From tailors to hats to new boots, not to mention the number of people she is now able to call 'friend', something she had never had before. Though Hikari's friends all seem to be married to Lord Kamiya's friends, Yamato is not complaining. Sora and Mimi have both been really nice to her and had accepted her immediately into their circle. She knew that she would soon be able to go to balls and parties with them, after this Kido party. Lady Kamiya have also been incredibly wonderful, treating her as if she was another daughter and not some stranger that had intruded upon their household, which was how Yamato had first felt like.
A knock and a "Yamato!" sounded, to which she replied "Come in."
Hikari walked into the room.
"Well, I was just talking to Taichi and he had told Jyou about you going to their dinner party. All is set, I am so excited!"
Yamato brightened at that. "That is so wonderful!" then a look of wonder. "You are on first-name basis with Lord Kamiya's friends too?"
Hikari looked reproachfully at Yamato. "How many times do I have to tell you, call him Taichi. He would not mind, trust me, and of course, after all they are the friends of my brother and the husbands of my friends. We are a very closed circle and have known each other practically since birth." at the look on Yamato's face, she continued. "and it does not mean we would not accept anybody else. Sora and Mimi have accepted you, as have Taichi. Everybody else will accept you as well!"
Yamato smiled. "As you have told me. However, I refuse to call Lord Kamiya by his first name unless he asks me to."
"Fine, do as you will." With that, Hikari rushed out of the room, minutes later returning with her brother in tow.
"Sister dear, why have you brought me here?"
"Tell Yamato that you don't mind her calling you Taichi. She would not believe me."
Turning to Yamato, he said "Miss Ishida, I would be honoured if you would call me Taichi. I am supposedly your cousin and cousins refer to each other by first names."
"Oh, then you must call me Yamato, instead of Miss Ishida."
"With pleasure." And with a smile, he turned and left the room, as Yamato watched him leave, when Hikari brought her attention back to her.
"There, you see." said Hikari. "I told you. Now about your dress for the dinner party."
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Takeru looked out of the carriage window at the passing scenery. After spending two months in Bath, she was glad to be returning to London, she just wished she could see her sister again. The last she had heard of Yamato was that she was engaged to a horrible man, by general knowledge. Takeru felt sorry for her sister and wished that she could help her, but on her departure, Yamato had firmly told her that under no circumstances was she to return, now that she has escaped. She promised, and she could not break her last promise to her sister.
"We should be arriving at London by nightfall, Takeru. Tomorrow evening, we will go to the Kido's party. I am sorry for the rush of events but at least we have a night of rest."
Takeru turned to her aunt, the lady that was so formidable that her father had allowed her to bring Takeru out, a feat worthy of the highest praise.
"That is fine, aunt. I am happy enough for you to take care of me, you did not need to organise so many events for me, as I have told you."
"Nonsense, Takeru. I do not organise these events. It is others in the city who wish for you to grace their gathering. However, I believe this is the first time you have been to a party of the Kido's, am I correct?"
"Yes, aunt. I have not met these people before."
"Well, the Kido's are a respectable family. I am not sure why they are inviting you, for neither side has brothers whom they might wish you to meet, though I know that there are at least three eligible male friends of theirs who would definitely be there. I must warn you however, the circle of friends which the Kidos keep company with is very closed and might not appreciate outsiders."
"That is alright. I do not mind. May I ask about these friends of theirs?"
"The single ones?"
"All of them. I wish to know at least a little about these people before I meet them."
"Well, I do not know much, as I have not been to many party of theirs. This is not a private, informal party, so this circle of friends would not be the only ones there, however, I shall tell you all I know of them. I know Lady Kamiya, who is the mother of two in the circle. She has a son and a daughter. The son would be older than Yamato, and the daughter would be around your age. Lord Kamiya is the most eligible bachelor in London at the moment, and of course it would be wonderful if you were to marry him, but it is incredibly unlikely to happen. So, - "
"Aunt, you know it does not matter. Pray continue."
"Well, his sister, Hikari Yagami, is a pretty little thing. She is one of those eternally nice people, kind hearted. Then there are Lord and Lady Kido. Lord Kido is a worrier. In my opinion, anyway. His lady is an incredibly beautiful woman. She is also very kind hearted and everybody thought that she would end up marrying Lord Kamiya. Then there is Lord Izumi. He is a very closed person, so nobody knows much about him at all, though I heard that he was kind once you get to know him, but cold otherwise. His lady is the daughter of one of the big families of Bath. Apparently, Lady Kido and herself are best friends now. Lady Izumi is one of the only ones in the circle from 'outside'. Next is Lord Ichijouji. He is another one of the single ones, however, I have heard that he was engaged. Takeru, do not take my word for gospel here as Lord Ichijouji is one person who one is forever hearing rumours that he is engaged. Last but not least is Lord Motomiya. He is also a bachelor and also considered a very good catch. However, everyone knows that he wants to wed Hikari Yagami. Who knows, they could be engaged by now. Anyway, that is all I know about the circle of friends, I hope you are not too disappointed."
Constantly amused by how great her aunt's 'little knowledge of people' really is, Takeru answered "As always, it is more than sufficient. They seem like interesting people to meet."
And they did, thought Takeru, I would like to meet them indeed.
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