Mizura: Ugh...three months to update _ WE ARE SOOO SORRY IT TOOK FOREVER
TO UPDATE!!! but we are both very busy. So here is the second chapter
written mostly by me; so all you people who are looking forward to Cel's
beautiful descriptions will be sorely disappointed in this chapter ^_^;;;
Cel: *weeps* We're so terrible. It was my fault for taking for EVER with my part. ~.~ School's really much harder than it was last year. Plus I have about ten times more homework and less free time to write on top of that. I vote we go back to summer. Anyway, like Mizura was saying we get to see her great writing! Yay Mizura!
Mizura: Uhh...since when did I say my writing was great? Anyway, school is a vampire, it sucks all the energy out of you and expects you to become more intelligent...since when do people become more intelligent when they only get 4-6 hours of sleep? Falling sleep in class is much more easier than "learning." Um, I'll shut up about school now.
Cel: I said it, and for once I'm right. ^_^ Anyways, we're very sorry for
the wait. In return we have a bit of fluff in this chapter! (Even though we
are not the best at fluff in general) ^_^
Mizura: Enjoy, and for the next chapter you can look forward to Cel's
beautiful descriptions ^_^ As you already know, we don't own Spirited Away.
A Gilded Lie Chapter 2
Chihiro wasn't sure which one was more uncomfortable, riding on a horse for hours or sitting in a carriage while it jerked and stumbled on an uneven road. It would have been more comfortable to walk, but that would take too much time, and worse of all it would have been absolutely un- princess-like. Since princesses weren't allowed to walk on the road, and they weren't allowed to ride on the real horses (the delicate princess could not handle one of those vicious beasts, only a small riding pony was gentle enough with her) they were reduced to sitting in a carriage for hours. And that was what Chihiro had been doing for the past week.
Chihiro stared out the window of her carriage. Winter was arriving, the air was chilly and frost appeared on the plants. Brown meadows and bare trees rolled by, but she did not see them. Her mind was somewhere else. "Chihiro, it is time for you to be married." To her, that was the beginning of the end. Marriage, she hated that word. Being married, as in the way her parents wanted her to be married, meant that she was the doll of some fat, perverted, faithless noble; destined to live her life in luxury, but without any freedom.
She closed her eyes. She didn't want to think about it anymore, but now that she was on her way to her fiancé, how could she not? Think of something pleasant; think of something happy.she commanded herself. It didn't work; her mind still went back to that conversation.
"Chihiro, it is time for you to be married," her father started.
"But father, I haven't found-"
"Now, I know you're going to protest, but first hear me out." Chihiro felt despair rising within her. She did not like the way this conversation was going. Did her parents just accept a suitor's proposal? She knew there were two basic ways suitors tried to win her hand. One was by courting her, and the other was by going to her parents and winning them over.
"This evening, you mother and I had a meeting with Prince Haku," her father paused here for a dramatic effect. "He has made a very generous offer. Three times as much as any other suitor." Blood drained from Chihiro's face. Goodbye freedom, she thought. They accepted the offer.
"After a long discussion, we accepted." Her parents looked at her expectantly. They had been expecting an argument with their daughter, but she remained silent. Chihiro felt numb. She had been expecting those words, but when her father spoke them, she still felt shocked. A part of her had a suspicion that her parents did not have "a long discussion" they needed the money, and they were willing to sell their daughter to the highest bidder.
"The prince is very rich," her mother added, slightly unnerved by her daughter's silence.
"You will be very well taken care of," her father joined in.
"I-I.Do you.? When?" Chihiro stumbled over the words. She forced herself to remain calm on the outside, but inside she was screaming. I don't want to get married! I don't want to be stuck in a palace for the rest of my life! I don't want a husband who only married me for power!
"You will be leaving for Prince Haku's kingdom in a week. It should take a little over a week to get there. Afterwards, you will stay in his palace for a while in order to become familiar with that country's nobles and to wait until your wedding plans are finished. Then you will be married."
Chihiro remembered feeling numb and lost for the remainder of the evening. Somehow the week sped by, and the next thing she knew, she was sitting in the velvet seats of a glittering carriage taking her to her new home and her future husband, Prince Haku.
She could just imagine the prince. An old red faced man at least twice her age with graying hair and a huge stomach. Oh, of course he would be dressed richly in silk and velvet with gaudy embroidery all over his clothes. That fat old butterball would sit on his golden throne, a giant throne he had made especially for him since he was so fat, with an ugly jeweled crown on his head. His sausage-like fingers would be covered in huge jewel rings. Beautiful ladies in tight-fitting low-cut dresses that showed too much cleavage would always surround the prince. Being and old pervert, the prince would chase after all the pretty girls.no.he was too lazy to chase after them, he would command the girls to come to him. In addition the prince would be gluttonous and a drunk; stuffing himself with all the food he could get his hands on. And what is food without a little or, in the prince's case, a lot of wine to wash it down? Chihiro shuddered. I'm going to be married to a fat perverted pig! She thought. How was she going to live with that as a husband?
~~
By noon, the carriage stopped in a small town. At the sight of the small settlement, Chihiro immediately drew the silk curtains over the windows. Usually, she left them open allowing air to flow into the small carriage, but she had learned over the week that townspeople would gawk at her. She didn't hate people, but being stared at unnerved her; Chihiro would rather deal with a stuffy carriage than a street full of people gawking and pointing at her and the carriage.
Her parents didn't want to be discreet about their daughter traveling to her husband. They wanted to show everyone their supposed wealth. This included having a two hundred men escort, three wagons loaded with the princess's clothes and furniture, ten servants for the princess, and several more wagons loaded with food and supplies.
The part that Chihiro hated the most was her carriage. It was bad enough being stuck in a carriage for a week, but this carriage was "special". It was a creamy white color, with mother-of-pearl designs set in the sides. The windows were lined with gold in the shape of swirls, and gold beads fringed the top of the carriage. Inside, the seats were covered with deep red velvet, and the curtains were made of rose pink silk. Chihiro hated it. Others might have thought it was "charming" or "lovely"; Chihiro thought it was ugly and gaudy. The carriage drew to much attention to itself, which meant that after people stared at the carriage, they would want to look at its occupant.
"Princess?" The guard looked at her curiously. "Would you like to come down?" The guard's voice brought Chihiro back to the present. She silently stepped down from the carriage. She found herself at the entrance to a small inn; her guards stood by the door and held it open while she walked in.
Four guards escorted Chihiro inside the inn. Right inside then entrance, the cubby innkeeper greeted them, bowing low to the foreign princess and her armed escort.
"This way please," the innkeeper motioned for the princess to follow him. Chihiro was led to a small table in a darkened corner of the large dinning room. She found the inn to be unusually pleasant. It was very clean, unlike the other inns she stayed in. The wooden table had been scrubbed clean and sanded so not a splinter could be found. A cheerful fire crackled in the fireplace, and scents of baked bread and roasted meat hung in the room. The plate, cup, and utensils set in front of her were clean and neat, but her guards still made a fuss about it. They gathered up the dinnerware and replaced it with Chihiro's personal set. Chihiro sighed. Her guards insisted that she eat off her own plate since the plates in the inn were "dirty".
"Sera, my granddaughter, will have your food out in moment, your highness," the innkeeper said pleasantly, he didn't seem to mind that Chihiro's guards found his plates and utensils unfit for their princess. "If there is anything you want, just tell me." The innkeeper bowed again and left.
Chihiro's eyes swept the room. It's so clean! She thought. It was typical for an inn to a dirty, loud place, but this was far from it. The few people who sat at the tables talked quietly. Chihiro could tell they were purposely avoiding looking in her direction. After all, it was impolite to stare at a princess. Why do I have to be princess? she thought suddenly. There were people who dreamed of living in a rich palace surrounded by servants, they would have been glad to be in her position. However, she was not. She wasn't fooled by the gold, jewels, and silk that came along with her title. Chihiro knew that, in truth, she was nothing by a tool, a way for her parents to gain allies in other kingdoms. She envied the "commoners" and their freedom. They could choose whom they would marry; they could marry out of love.
Her marriage was strange. Usually, parents would include a dowry as a part of the marriage agreement. Chihiro saw it more along the lines of paying a man to take their daughter away. That was what usually happened, but she did not have a dowry. From the way suitors seemed to flock to her, people would think she had a huge dowry. Chihiro only had a promise. As the sole daughter of the king and queen of Sairen she stood to inherit the entire kingdom upon her parent's death - provided that a son is not born into the family. She guessed that her suitors' thought once her parents died, they would be able to control the kingdom through her. Chihiro was not about to let that happen.
"Y-your majesty," A young girl stood in front of Chihiro, she held a tray laden with food. "Y-your meal.I-I brought it for you." the girl stuttered. Chihiro notice she trembled, her eyes darted from the guards to the princess.
"Thank you," Chihiro replied in her nicest voice. It was obvious that this girl was scared; Chihiro didn't want people thinking that she was some evil spoiled princess who would have a person executed for making a small mistake. The girl stepped forward, and began to set out the dishes in front of her. Chihiro politely looked away, and pretend not to notice the girl's fumbling.
CRASH!
Chihiro jumped at the sound. She saw one of the dishes broken on the floor.
"I'm sorry!" the girl exclaimed. "Please forgive me you majesty! I-I'll clean it up right now!" She quickly bent down to pick up the shards, forgetting she still held a tray with several more dishes in her hand. Chihiro jumped up and quickly grabbed the tray before it crashed to the ground. She heard the girl gasp.
"Oh god." she squeaked. The princess must be furious with me now! I told grandpa Ira should have served not me! The girl jumped up and snatched the tray from the princess's hand. She realized too late that that was a rude gesture. No one grabs things from a princess's hand. "Your Highness, please forgive me! I didn't mean to.I'm sorr-!"
"What's wrong?!" The innkeeper suddenly appeared. His eyes quickly took in the scene. A shattered dish on the floor, the surprised expression on the princess's face, and his granddaughter completely red with humiliation and trembling with fear. "Princess, please excuse my granddaughter. Sera is new at this job." He braced himself for shouting, and demands for Sera to be punished.
"It's okay, I understand." The innkeeper heard Princess Chihiro say. He blinked in surprise, not quite sure he had heard right. He had served nobles in his inn before, of something like this had happened to them, they would have demanded punishment for Sera and a free meal.
"This meal is on the house," the innkeeper said.
Chihiro shook her head. "You don't have to do that."
"But I insist, to make up for my granddaughter's clumsiness." Chihiro was about the protest, but she noticed a subtle shake of the head from one of her guards, so she merely nodded to the innkeeper and his granddaughter. Suddenly, Chihiro was aware that the room was completely silent. Everyone was looking in her direction. Some of the other guests were nodding in approval, others looked surprised. "I told yah, 'em Sairenite Princesses are nicer 'an our nobles." Chihiro heard someone say in a loud stage whisper. She blushed at the compliment.
I am a klutz also, she thought. Even after years of training, there were sometimes when she would simply trip over her skirts, or an object would randomly slip out of her hand. She knew what it was like to be in Sera's position.
Immediately, the mess was cleaned up and Chihiro was left alone to eat her meal. Halfway thought the meal, she realized that her guards had not interfered when Sera dropped the plate. They had chosen to stay out of the event, and let Chihiro handle it herself. From the pleased nods of the spectators, she knew her guards purposely stayed out of the incident in order for her to win the approval of the other guests.
After dinner, a cloaked old woman approached Chihiro's table. The guards looked at her suspiciously, but Chihiro shook her head and they allowed the old woman to pass. The old woman obviously wanted to talk to her, and she didn't look like she wanted to assassinate her, so Chihiro let her come. She didn't know what the old lady wanted, but it was probably wish her luck in her marriage, like so many other people have done.
"Princess Chihiro," the old lady inclined her head. She looked like someone's grandmother with her gray hair up in a bun, and an old fashioned blue dress underneath her gray-black cloak. "You do not want to be married to Prince Haku." It was a statement, not a question. How did she know that? Chihiro thought. She had never spoken out loud against her marriage to Prince Haku.
Chihiro motioned for a guard to bring a chair for the old lady. Her blunt statement had caught Chihiro off guard, and now she was truly interested in what this old granny had to say.
"Who are you?" Chihiro blurted out. The old woman smiled.
"Someone who wants to help you," she replied.
"Why?"
The old woman shook her head. "Listen princess, do not think ill about our prince, for he is a good man." Chihiro felt blood rush to her face, the image of Prince Haku as a fat old gluttonous pervert came to mind. "With a good heart," the old woman continued. "Although, he can be foolish at times. You are a kind person; I know this since I saw how you forgave the serving girl. Give him a chance before you judge him. I want to warn you, in the palace, things are not what they seem."
"Warn?" Chihiro's eyes widened. "What's wrong in the palace?"
The old lady chuckled. "No, don't look so fearful. There isn't some man- eating monster living in the palace. It is not deadly or dangerous." Chihiro nodded silently, but the old lady's warning still sounded strange and ominous. She said there is not danger, but why is she warning me? What's wrong in the palace?
"I must be going," the old woman rose from her seat, and gave Chihiro a respectful nod.
"Granny wait! Can you at least tell me your name?"
"My name is Zeniba," the old woman smiled and left the room.
~~
It was early evening and the sun was beginning to sink below the horizon. Fluffy white clouds lit up like they were on fire from the sun's rays. The sky blazed with all shades of red, orange, and gold. The air outside was crisp and chilly. Chihiro wouldn't be surprised if it started snowing tomorrow. Haku's kingdom of Elanthia was to the north of Sairen, and winters in Elanthia lasted longer and were harsher than Sairenite winters.
~~ Haku knew that he should act more dignified than waiting at the window, but his heart wouldn't let him. For a moment part of his mind said that he was like a child, waiting for a friend to arrive, though he quickly shoved this out of his mind. He moved away from the window, though he wished to stay there. He walked down towards the gates of his castle, trying to remain stately in manner. Quickly Haku informed the guard that he was going to go for a stroll. He walked until he could no longer see the figures in the windows of the castle, then speed up into a run.
His feet echoed all too loudly in his ears as he drew towards the gates. He went as far as he could, eyes scanning the empty streets for any sign of the princess, his princess. He shook his head, he needed to make the best impression he could and standing by the gates was hardly it. Haku walked back to his castle to think. How would he greet her? What would she like most? By now the sun was beginning to set and all Haku could think of was seeing her. Why wasn't she here yet? Had something happened? He walked out to the front doors and stood seeing the snow lightly start to drift, cleansing his kingdom, if it could be called that.
He slumped to floor, dark hair hiding his porcelain face and jade eyes. The talk with Chihiro's wretched parents had been in vain, he would never see her again, not that she knew who he was. His heart twisted with this. She never even had seen him and probably never would. His breathing became shallow as he clenched his shirt near his heart in pain. If she was only alive and ok he would just tell her everything if he could. Silent drops of crystal liquid fell from cool green orbs as he begged any being that was listening that she would still be on the road and would be with him soon.
~~
Chihiro felt her heartbeat quicken as the carriage drew nearer to the palace gates. Her throat felt sticky, her stomach churned. He's in there; he's waiting in the palace. Immediately after she saw the palace gates, Chihiro quickly drew the curtains over the window. It was a futile attempt to delay meeting face to face with her husband, but she felt safer. Inside the stuffy carriage, Chihiro took deep breaths to calm herself; she smoothed her blue skirt, checked to see if her cloak was properly tied, and pulled out a small mirror to check if her hair wasn't messed up. My hands are trembling.she thought as the mirror shook in her hands. Apprehension and despair fought inside of her.
The carriage jerked to a stop; the door opened and a hand was offered to her. Chihiro could easily get in and out of a carriage without help, but etiquette demanded that a servant help the "lady" down from her carriage. Chihiro prayed that she wouldn't make a fool of herself in front of everyone, and then she took the hand. As she stepped out of the carriage, she made the mistake of looking at the servant who was helping her down. It wasn't a servant. It was the prince!
She tripped. Luckily, the prince caught her and set her down on the ground.
"Welcome to Elanthia, Princess Chihiro," Prince Haku bowed. Chihiro managed a clumsy curtsy, but she said nothing. Her face burned, and she didn't quite trust her voice.
Chihiro hadn't expected it. According to court etiquette she was suppose to be greeted by the prince inside the palace. Instead, the prince chose to greet her in the courtyard from the moment she stepped out of the carriage. But that wasn't the most shocking discovery. Prince Haku looked nothing like the fat greasy husband she imagined. The prince looked around two years older than her, with neat dark green hair, jade eyes, and flawless skin. Haku was resplendent in cream and emerald green silk with a heavy dark forest green cloak around his shoulders. Only the gold circlet around his forehead marked him as royalty. He's cute. Chihiro thought suddenly, then she mentally kicked herself for thinking such a thing. You don't even know this guy! But secretly she was relieved, he didn't look like some overindulgent pig who only wanted her for her body.
~~
Cel: You know the drill, read and review so that we feel special! Anyway, please take the time to review the story, we really do read your comments and listen to them. I know that at least I can't be sure whether a story's good without someone else's opinion. Also feel free to leave us any advice you have. Now on to our beloved reviews, we love you!
Carmela-chan - Mizura: You like English version Spirited Away? I really hated it, I thought the dubbed voices completely slaughtered all of the characters, especially Chihiro's English voice. (PS sorry I was a bit harsh when it came to reviewing your fic) Cel: I really like the movie too, the dubbing was great for an anime in the US. ^_^
M0M - Mizura: Thank you! I'm not sure when we will finish.at this rate I think it might take a few years ^_^;;; Cel: Hmm. finishing interesting question. Maybe it will be an Energizer Bunny story. (It keeps going and going so far)
dragontiger96 - Mizura: Thanks! Of course the first chapter is perfect, after all Cel wrote most of it. I can't say the same for this chapter though T_T Cel: I'm really glad you liked it. I think it's good to make some suspense though. Sorry the update took so long, but I hope you enjoyed it. ^_^
YueMichiruNaragisawaMiko - Mizura: Thank you! And sorry again for the months it took to update. Cel: I'm glad you like it so far. Again, I'm so sorry for the wait, my fault entirely!
lynnie6 - Mizura: I almost cried when I read the first chapter also ^_^ I love Cel's descriptions Cel: Thank you so much! I try to set a mood, though in all honesty I don't know how well I do. ^_^ If you like FB you might want to look at my one fic, though it's pretty sad too. Sorry about the shameless advertising. -_-
QM - Mizura: Thanks for the advice, and the compliment ^_^ Cel: Thank you very much! I'll go edit that chapter. ^_^
Amyrisa Night - Mizura: Do I look like a rodent exterminator to you? *sticks out tongue* Serves you right for going NW! J/K, well your back now so it doesn't matter, and you shouldn't be asking for updates when you have a certain fic *cough cough* that you should be working on. Cel: Thanks. Erm. a rat? I think I'll leave that to just Mizura. ^^;
Raven - Mizura: Thank you! And sorry for the slow update. Cel: I'm really glad you like the story!
Setsu-sama - Mizura: Thank you very much (I consider originality a very high compliment) Cel: Thank you very much! I think I do some weird fics myself, but Mizura most definitely helped me to get off the tradition stories.
animeangel - Mizura: Yay! Finally an update! Aren't you ecstatic? I know you are ^_^ And I agree with you, Cel's descriptions are beautiful. *jealous of Cel's talent* Cel: Thanks, I think that descriptions are my only talent sometimes. (Definitely not time management. ^_____^)
Luna Moon - Mizura: We will ^_^ Cel: Righteo!
TomMalfoy - Mizura: Thanks! So when are you going to update your fics? Hmm? Cel: Thank you very much! Don't worry about taking a while to review, we take a long time to update. ^^;
Kintora - Mizura: Sorry this update took forever Cel: Eep! Sorry about that!
Destiny's_Fate - Mizura: Yeah, it does seem like Haku has already fallen for her. I didn't even notice that until you point it out ^_^ and thanks! Cel: Yep, little Haku is in love! Aww! First actual meeting soon, I promise!
sexy_girl - Mizura: Thank you! I'm glad you like it ^_^ Cel: Thank you very much!
moira2 - Mizura: I like that term "slimebag suitors" For some odd reason I find it highly amusing O_o Cel: Sorry about that. *blames Mizura*
Silver Draggon - Mizura: T_T I know, it has been an eternity since we've updated this fic. Wouldn't it just be cruel if we just post the first chapter and never updated the fic? (I have a feeling you are not amused by this idea ^_^") Anyway, thanks for reviewing! Cel: See! We did! We were waiting for your review. *nods* Plus, you forgot gummy bears!
Cel: *weeps* We're so terrible. It was my fault for taking for EVER with my part. ~.~ School's really much harder than it was last year. Plus I have about ten times more homework and less free time to write on top of that. I vote we go back to summer. Anyway, like Mizura was saying we get to see her great writing! Yay Mizura!
Mizura: Uhh...since when did I say my writing was great? Anyway, school is a vampire, it sucks all the energy out of you and expects you to become more intelligent...since when do people become more intelligent when they only get 4-6 hours of sleep? Falling sleep in class is much more easier than "learning." Um, I'll shut up about school now.
Cel: I said it, and for once I'm right. ^_^ Anyways, we're very sorry for
the wait. In return we have a bit of fluff in this chapter! (Even though we
are not the best at fluff in general) ^_^
Mizura: Enjoy, and for the next chapter you can look forward to Cel's
beautiful descriptions ^_^ As you already know, we don't own Spirited Away.
A Gilded Lie Chapter 2
Chihiro wasn't sure which one was more uncomfortable, riding on a horse for hours or sitting in a carriage while it jerked and stumbled on an uneven road. It would have been more comfortable to walk, but that would take too much time, and worse of all it would have been absolutely un- princess-like. Since princesses weren't allowed to walk on the road, and they weren't allowed to ride on the real horses (the delicate princess could not handle one of those vicious beasts, only a small riding pony was gentle enough with her) they were reduced to sitting in a carriage for hours. And that was what Chihiro had been doing for the past week.
Chihiro stared out the window of her carriage. Winter was arriving, the air was chilly and frost appeared on the plants. Brown meadows and bare trees rolled by, but she did not see them. Her mind was somewhere else. "Chihiro, it is time for you to be married." To her, that was the beginning of the end. Marriage, she hated that word. Being married, as in the way her parents wanted her to be married, meant that she was the doll of some fat, perverted, faithless noble; destined to live her life in luxury, but without any freedom.
She closed her eyes. She didn't want to think about it anymore, but now that she was on her way to her fiancé, how could she not? Think of something pleasant; think of something happy.she commanded herself. It didn't work; her mind still went back to that conversation.
"Chihiro, it is time for you to be married," her father started.
"But father, I haven't found-"
"Now, I know you're going to protest, but first hear me out." Chihiro felt despair rising within her. She did not like the way this conversation was going. Did her parents just accept a suitor's proposal? She knew there were two basic ways suitors tried to win her hand. One was by courting her, and the other was by going to her parents and winning them over.
"This evening, you mother and I had a meeting with Prince Haku," her father paused here for a dramatic effect. "He has made a very generous offer. Three times as much as any other suitor." Blood drained from Chihiro's face. Goodbye freedom, she thought. They accepted the offer.
"After a long discussion, we accepted." Her parents looked at her expectantly. They had been expecting an argument with their daughter, but she remained silent. Chihiro felt numb. She had been expecting those words, but when her father spoke them, she still felt shocked. A part of her had a suspicion that her parents did not have "a long discussion" they needed the money, and they were willing to sell their daughter to the highest bidder.
"The prince is very rich," her mother added, slightly unnerved by her daughter's silence.
"You will be very well taken care of," her father joined in.
"I-I.Do you.? When?" Chihiro stumbled over the words. She forced herself to remain calm on the outside, but inside she was screaming. I don't want to get married! I don't want to be stuck in a palace for the rest of my life! I don't want a husband who only married me for power!
"You will be leaving for Prince Haku's kingdom in a week. It should take a little over a week to get there. Afterwards, you will stay in his palace for a while in order to become familiar with that country's nobles and to wait until your wedding plans are finished. Then you will be married."
Chihiro remembered feeling numb and lost for the remainder of the evening. Somehow the week sped by, and the next thing she knew, she was sitting in the velvet seats of a glittering carriage taking her to her new home and her future husband, Prince Haku.
She could just imagine the prince. An old red faced man at least twice her age with graying hair and a huge stomach. Oh, of course he would be dressed richly in silk and velvet with gaudy embroidery all over his clothes. That fat old butterball would sit on his golden throne, a giant throne he had made especially for him since he was so fat, with an ugly jeweled crown on his head. His sausage-like fingers would be covered in huge jewel rings. Beautiful ladies in tight-fitting low-cut dresses that showed too much cleavage would always surround the prince. Being and old pervert, the prince would chase after all the pretty girls.no.he was too lazy to chase after them, he would command the girls to come to him. In addition the prince would be gluttonous and a drunk; stuffing himself with all the food he could get his hands on. And what is food without a little or, in the prince's case, a lot of wine to wash it down? Chihiro shuddered. I'm going to be married to a fat perverted pig! She thought. How was she going to live with that as a husband?
~~
By noon, the carriage stopped in a small town. At the sight of the small settlement, Chihiro immediately drew the silk curtains over the windows. Usually, she left them open allowing air to flow into the small carriage, but she had learned over the week that townspeople would gawk at her. She didn't hate people, but being stared at unnerved her; Chihiro would rather deal with a stuffy carriage than a street full of people gawking and pointing at her and the carriage.
Her parents didn't want to be discreet about their daughter traveling to her husband. They wanted to show everyone their supposed wealth. This included having a two hundred men escort, three wagons loaded with the princess's clothes and furniture, ten servants for the princess, and several more wagons loaded with food and supplies.
The part that Chihiro hated the most was her carriage. It was bad enough being stuck in a carriage for a week, but this carriage was "special". It was a creamy white color, with mother-of-pearl designs set in the sides. The windows were lined with gold in the shape of swirls, and gold beads fringed the top of the carriage. Inside, the seats were covered with deep red velvet, and the curtains were made of rose pink silk. Chihiro hated it. Others might have thought it was "charming" or "lovely"; Chihiro thought it was ugly and gaudy. The carriage drew to much attention to itself, which meant that after people stared at the carriage, they would want to look at its occupant.
"Princess?" The guard looked at her curiously. "Would you like to come down?" The guard's voice brought Chihiro back to the present. She silently stepped down from the carriage. She found herself at the entrance to a small inn; her guards stood by the door and held it open while she walked in.
Four guards escorted Chihiro inside the inn. Right inside then entrance, the cubby innkeeper greeted them, bowing low to the foreign princess and her armed escort.
"This way please," the innkeeper motioned for the princess to follow him. Chihiro was led to a small table in a darkened corner of the large dinning room. She found the inn to be unusually pleasant. It was very clean, unlike the other inns she stayed in. The wooden table had been scrubbed clean and sanded so not a splinter could be found. A cheerful fire crackled in the fireplace, and scents of baked bread and roasted meat hung in the room. The plate, cup, and utensils set in front of her were clean and neat, but her guards still made a fuss about it. They gathered up the dinnerware and replaced it with Chihiro's personal set. Chihiro sighed. Her guards insisted that she eat off her own plate since the plates in the inn were "dirty".
"Sera, my granddaughter, will have your food out in moment, your highness," the innkeeper said pleasantly, he didn't seem to mind that Chihiro's guards found his plates and utensils unfit for their princess. "If there is anything you want, just tell me." The innkeeper bowed again and left.
Chihiro's eyes swept the room. It's so clean! She thought. It was typical for an inn to a dirty, loud place, but this was far from it. The few people who sat at the tables talked quietly. Chihiro could tell they were purposely avoiding looking in her direction. After all, it was impolite to stare at a princess. Why do I have to be princess? she thought suddenly. There were people who dreamed of living in a rich palace surrounded by servants, they would have been glad to be in her position. However, she was not. She wasn't fooled by the gold, jewels, and silk that came along with her title. Chihiro knew that, in truth, she was nothing by a tool, a way for her parents to gain allies in other kingdoms. She envied the "commoners" and their freedom. They could choose whom they would marry; they could marry out of love.
Her marriage was strange. Usually, parents would include a dowry as a part of the marriage agreement. Chihiro saw it more along the lines of paying a man to take their daughter away. That was what usually happened, but she did not have a dowry. From the way suitors seemed to flock to her, people would think she had a huge dowry. Chihiro only had a promise. As the sole daughter of the king and queen of Sairen she stood to inherit the entire kingdom upon her parent's death - provided that a son is not born into the family. She guessed that her suitors' thought once her parents died, they would be able to control the kingdom through her. Chihiro was not about to let that happen.
"Y-your majesty," A young girl stood in front of Chihiro, she held a tray laden with food. "Y-your meal.I-I brought it for you." the girl stuttered. Chihiro notice she trembled, her eyes darted from the guards to the princess.
"Thank you," Chihiro replied in her nicest voice. It was obvious that this girl was scared; Chihiro didn't want people thinking that she was some evil spoiled princess who would have a person executed for making a small mistake. The girl stepped forward, and began to set out the dishes in front of her. Chihiro politely looked away, and pretend not to notice the girl's fumbling.
CRASH!
Chihiro jumped at the sound. She saw one of the dishes broken on the floor.
"I'm sorry!" the girl exclaimed. "Please forgive me you majesty! I-I'll clean it up right now!" She quickly bent down to pick up the shards, forgetting she still held a tray with several more dishes in her hand. Chihiro jumped up and quickly grabbed the tray before it crashed to the ground. She heard the girl gasp.
"Oh god." she squeaked. The princess must be furious with me now! I told grandpa Ira should have served not me! The girl jumped up and snatched the tray from the princess's hand. She realized too late that that was a rude gesture. No one grabs things from a princess's hand. "Your Highness, please forgive me! I didn't mean to.I'm sorr-!"
"What's wrong?!" The innkeeper suddenly appeared. His eyes quickly took in the scene. A shattered dish on the floor, the surprised expression on the princess's face, and his granddaughter completely red with humiliation and trembling with fear. "Princess, please excuse my granddaughter. Sera is new at this job." He braced himself for shouting, and demands for Sera to be punished.
"It's okay, I understand." The innkeeper heard Princess Chihiro say. He blinked in surprise, not quite sure he had heard right. He had served nobles in his inn before, of something like this had happened to them, they would have demanded punishment for Sera and a free meal.
"This meal is on the house," the innkeeper said.
Chihiro shook her head. "You don't have to do that."
"But I insist, to make up for my granddaughter's clumsiness." Chihiro was about the protest, but she noticed a subtle shake of the head from one of her guards, so she merely nodded to the innkeeper and his granddaughter. Suddenly, Chihiro was aware that the room was completely silent. Everyone was looking in her direction. Some of the other guests were nodding in approval, others looked surprised. "I told yah, 'em Sairenite Princesses are nicer 'an our nobles." Chihiro heard someone say in a loud stage whisper. She blushed at the compliment.
I am a klutz also, she thought. Even after years of training, there were sometimes when she would simply trip over her skirts, or an object would randomly slip out of her hand. She knew what it was like to be in Sera's position.
Immediately, the mess was cleaned up and Chihiro was left alone to eat her meal. Halfway thought the meal, she realized that her guards had not interfered when Sera dropped the plate. They had chosen to stay out of the event, and let Chihiro handle it herself. From the pleased nods of the spectators, she knew her guards purposely stayed out of the incident in order for her to win the approval of the other guests.
After dinner, a cloaked old woman approached Chihiro's table. The guards looked at her suspiciously, but Chihiro shook her head and they allowed the old woman to pass. The old woman obviously wanted to talk to her, and she didn't look like she wanted to assassinate her, so Chihiro let her come. She didn't know what the old lady wanted, but it was probably wish her luck in her marriage, like so many other people have done.
"Princess Chihiro," the old lady inclined her head. She looked like someone's grandmother with her gray hair up in a bun, and an old fashioned blue dress underneath her gray-black cloak. "You do not want to be married to Prince Haku." It was a statement, not a question. How did she know that? Chihiro thought. She had never spoken out loud against her marriage to Prince Haku.
Chihiro motioned for a guard to bring a chair for the old lady. Her blunt statement had caught Chihiro off guard, and now she was truly interested in what this old granny had to say.
"Who are you?" Chihiro blurted out. The old woman smiled.
"Someone who wants to help you," she replied.
"Why?"
The old woman shook her head. "Listen princess, do not think ill about our prince, for he is a good man." Chihiro felt blood rush to her face, the image of Prince Haku as a fat old gluttonous pervert came to mind. "With a good heart," the old woman continued. "Although, he can be foolish at times. You are a kind person; I know this since I saw how you forgave the serving girl. Give him a chance before you judge him. I want to warn you, in the palace, things are not what they seem."
"Warn?" Chihiro's eyes widened. "What's wrong in the palace?"
The old lady chuckled. "No, don't look so fearful. There isn't some man- eating monster living in the palace. It is not deadly or dangerous." Chihiro nodded silently, but the old lady's warning still sounded strange and ominous. She said there is not danger, but why is she warning me? What's wrong in the palace?
"I must be going," the old woman rose from her seat, and gave Chihiro a respectful nod.
"Granny wait! Can you at least tell me your name?"
"My name is Zeniba," the old woman smiled and left the room.
~~
It was early evening and the sun was beginning to sink below the horizon. Fluffy white clouds lit up like they were on fire from the sun's rays. The sky blazed with all shades of red, orange, and gold. The air outside was crisp and chilly. Chihiro wouldn't be surprised if it started snowing tomorrow. Haku's kingdom of Elanthia was to the north of Sairen, and winters in Elanthia lasted longer and were harsher than Sairenite winters.
~~ Haku knew that he should act more dignified than waiting at the window, but his heart wouldn't let him. For a moment part of his mind said that he was like a child, waiting for a friend to arrive, though he quickly shoved this out of his mind. He moved away from the window, though he wished to stay there. He walked down towards the gates of his castle, trying to remain stately in manner. Quickly Haku informed the guard that he was going to go for a stroll. He walked until he could no longer see the figures in the windows of the castle, then speed up into a run.
His feet echoed all too loudly in his ears as he drew towards the gates. He went as far as he could, eyes scanning the empty streets for any sign of the princess, his princess. He shook his head, he needed to make the best impression he could and standing by the gates was hardly it. Haku walked back to his castle to think. How would he greet her? What would she like most? By now the sun was beginning to set and all Haku could think of was seeing her. Why wasn't she here yet? Had something happened? He walked out to the front doors and stood seeing the snow lightly start to drift, cleansing his kingdom, if it could be called that.
He slumped to floor, dark hair hiding his porcelain face and jade eyes. The talk with Chihiro's wretched parents had been in vain, he would never see her again, not that she knew who he was. His heart twisted with this. She never even had seen him and probably never would. His breathing became shallow as he clenched his shirt near his heart in pain. If she was only alive and ok he would just tell her everything if he could. Silent drops of crystal liquid fell from cool green orbs as he begged any being that was listening that she would still be on the road and would be with him soon.
~~
Chihiro felt her heartbeat quicken as the carriage drew nearer to the palace gates. Her throat felt sticky, her stomach churned. He's in there; he's waiting in the palace. Immediately after she saw the palace gates, Chihiro quickly drew the curtains over the window. It was a futile attempt to delay meeting face to face with her husband, but she felt safer. Inside the stuffy carriage, Chihiro took deep breaths to calm herself; she smoothed her blue skirt, checked to see if her cloak was properly tied, and pulled out a small mirror to check if her hair wasn't messed up. My hands are trembling.she thought as the mirror shook in her hands. Apprehension and despair fought inside of her.
The carriage jerked to a stop; the door opened and a hand was offered to her. Chihiro could easily get in and out of a carriage without help, but etiquette demanded that a servant help the "lady" down from her carriage. Chihiro prayed that she wouldn't make a fool of herself in front of everyone, and then she took the hand. As she stepped out of the carriage, she made the mistake of looking at the servant who was helping her down. It wasn't a servant. It was the prince!
She tripped. Luckily, the prince caught her and set her down on the ground.
"Welcome to Elanthia, Princess Chihiro," Prince Haku bowed. Chihiro managed a clumsy curtsy, but she said nothing. Her face burned, and she didn't quite trust her voice.
Chihiro hadn't expected it. According to court etiquette she was suppose to be greeted by the prince inside the palace. Instead, the prince chose to greet her in the courtyard from the moment she stepped out of the carriage. But that wasn't the most shocking discovery. Prince Haku looked nothing like the fat greasy husband she imagined. The prince looked around two years older than her, with neat dark green hair, jade eyes, and flawless skin. Haku was resplendent in cream and emerald green silk with a heavy dark forest green cloak around his shoulders. Only the gold circlet around his forehead marked him as royalty. He's cute. Chihiro thought suddenly, then she mentally kicked herself for thinking such a thing. You don't even know this guy! But secretly she was relieved, he didn't look like some overindulgent pig who only wanted her for her body.
~~
Cel: You know the drill, read and review so that we feel special! Anyway, please take the time to review the story, we really do read your comments and listen to them. I know that at least I can't be sure whether a story's good without someone else's opinion. Also feel free to leave us any advice you have. Now on to our beloved reviews, we love you!
Carmela-chan - Mizura: You like English version Spirited Away? I really hated it, I thought the dubbed voices completely slaughtered all of the characters, especially Chihiro's English voice. (PS sorry I was a bit harsh when it came to reviewing your fic) Cel: I really like the movie too, the dubbing was great for an anime in the US. ^_^
M0M - Mizura: Thank you! I'm not sure when we will finish.at this rate I think it might take a few years ^_^;;; Cel: Hmm. finishing interesting question. Maybe it will be an Energizer Bunny story. (It keeps going and going so far)
dragontiger96 - Mizura: Thanks! Of course the first chapter is perfect, after all Cel wrote most of it. I can't say the same for this chapter though T_T Cel: I'm really glad you liked it. I think it's good to make some suspense though. Sorry the update took so long, but I hope you enjoyed it. ^_^
YueMichiruNaragisawaMiko - Mizura: Thank you! And sorry again for the months it took to update. Cel: I'm glad you like it so far. Again, I'm so sorry for the wait, my fault entirely!
lynnie6 - Mizura: I almost cried when I read the first chapter also ^_^ I love Cel's descriptions Cel: Thank you so much! I try to set a mood, though in all honesty I don't know how well I do. ^_^ If you like FB you might want to look at my one fic, though it's pretty sad too. Sorry about the shameless advertising. -_-
QM - Mizura: Thanks for the advice, and the compliment ^_^ Cel: Thank you very much! I'll go edit that chapter. ^_^
Amyrisa Night - Mizura: Do I look like a rodent exterminator to you? *sticks out tongue* Serves you right for going NW! J/K, well your back now so it doesn't matter, and you shouldn't be asking for updates when you have a certain fic *cough cough* that you should be working on. Cel: Thanks. Erm. a rat? I think I'll leave that to just Mizura. ^^;
Raven - Mizura: Thank you! And sorry for the slow update. Cel: I'm really glad you like the story!
Setsu-sama - Mizura: Thank you very much (I consider originality a very high compliment) Cel: Thank you very much! I think I do some weird fics myself, but Mizura most definitely helped me to get off the tradition stories.
animeangel - Mizura: Yay! Finally an update! Aren't you ecstatic? I know you are ^_^ And I agree with you, Cel's descriptions are beautiful. *jealous of Cel's talent* Cel: Thanks, I think that descriptions are my only talent sometimes. (Definitely not time management. ^_____^)
Luna Moon - Mizura: We will ^_^ Cel: Righteo!
TomMalfoy - Mizura: Thanks! So when are you going to update your fics? Hmm? Cel: Thank you very much! Don't worry about taking a while to review, we take a long time to update. ^^;
Kintora - Mizura: Sorry this update took forever Cel: Eep! Sorry about that!
Destiny's_Fate - Mizura: Yeah, it does seem like Haku has already fallen for her. I didn't even notice that until you point it out ^_^ and thanks! Cel: Yep, little Haku is in love! Aww! First actual meeting soon, I promise!
sexy_girl - Mizura: Thank you! I'm glad you like it ^_^ Cel: Thank you very much!
moira2 - Mizura: I like that term "slimebag suitors" For some odd reason I find it highly amusing O_o Cel: Sorry about that. *blames Mizura*
Silver Draggon - Mizura: T_T I know, it has been an eternity since we've updated this fic. Wouldn't it just be cruel if we just post the first chapter and never updated the fic? (I have a feeling you are not amused by this idea ^_^") Anyway, thanks for reviewing! Cel: See! We did! We were waiting for your review. *nods* Plus, you forgot gummy bears!