Chapter Seven: Lost Home Again
Shigure walked briskly to the King's quarters that evening. He was in an exceptionally good mood when he handed the report over to Akito who flipped through the notes carefully.
"I see the monster has returned home" he replied.
"Yes Akito, he left this morning. The carriage has also returned. They informed me that it was a wonderful trip."
"Shigure can you tone down the enthusiasm just a tad" Akito said cynically.
"Yes sir" Shigure replied sheepishly.
"Let's see. Kagura has a new handmaiden, blah blah blah, wait what's this?"
"What?" Shigure said nervously.
"This bit about an upper servant doing a lower servants job, quite interesting."
"Yes, she did it out of the goodness of her heart and.."
"Shigure I don't need the details" Akito stood up, "I would like to see the entire staff in the throne room tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"Yes promptly at noon. And make sure that this Tohru Honda is there."
"Tohru sir?"
"Yes, first she discovers about the family curse now this, I must simply meet this angel of mercy."
****************
That night Tohru helped Yuki in his garden. Since she had found out about the secret he was much more outgoing and friendly. They were planting the turnips and leeks that night.
"You know Yuki for a prince you know an awful lot about gardening" she giggled.
"Yes" he grinned, "I guess you could say it is my hobby."
"Will some of these be ready to pick soon?"
"Uh huh. The strawberries should be done very soon."
"What there are strawberries in here?"
"Mhm. I planted them when you first arrived here."
"You planted them just for me?" she asked.
"Yep."
"Oh Yuki, how thoughtful."
"Well we had better get inside, it's starting to get chilly and we both have big days ahead of us tomorrow." He stood up and brushed the dirt from his pants.
"You're right about that" she replied standing up after him.
"Miss Honda it doesn't bother you does it? About the curse I mean?"
"No not at all. In fact I have gotten to see some of the other's transform as well."
"You have?" he said surprised.
"Yep. I bumped into Hatsuharu a week ago and found out that he was the cow, and Momiji forgot yesterday and hugged me and I found out that he was the rabbit, and as for Shigure we bumped into each other this morning and he's the dog."
"And Kagura?"
"She told me that she was the boar."
"That's correct, oh my we have been talking so long that I didn't realize that we were already at your door."
"Oh so we are."
"Goodnight Miss Honda" he bowed.
"Goodnight your Highness" she bowed back.
She walked into her room, sighed, and took off a pendant that was around her neck. It was in the shape of a moon. Yuki walked into his room and threw off his shoes. He too took off a pendant, shaped like a moon.
*****************
The next afternoon Tohru gathered along with the other servants in the throne room per the King's request. Shigure was there, notepad in hand. Akito walked lazily through the throne room door and sat down on his throne. He gazed around at them all, his deep blue eyes scanning for the mysterious girl he had heard so much about. He cleared his throat and began to speak.
"First of all I would like to say how pleased I am with the work effort around here. I am very pleased. You all have been doing marvelous work. I would also like to extend a welcome to those new faces around here. I hope that you will also continue your good work."
He paused.
"Now as I understand it we have a few problems in the upper servants quarters. A despuit has been going around about a certain incident that happened two days ago. Is Miss Tohru Honda here?"
Tohru stepped forward ever so cautiously. Akito eyed her. She wasn't much to look at he thought.
"It has come to my attention that you helped a fellow lower servant by taking over her chores the other day?"
"Yes your majesty" Tohru replied.
"May I ask why?"
"The young girl" Tohru began careful not to reveal Hanako, "Was injured. I helped her so she could visit the doctor to get it checked it out. Besides I was on my break I was doing as I wanted."
"I see" Akito said placing a finger to his lips, "Are you aware of the policy for a upper servant and a lower servant."
"I know it is not customary for an upper servant to assist a lower servant your highness, but I couldn't leave her there to suffer."
"All right" Akito replied, "Since you are new, I will not hold it against you this time. It was a noble thing you did I am told, so you are forgiven, but only if you promise not to disobey the policy again."
Tohru looked Akito directly in the eye.
"You mean you want me to promise never to help another person who is a lower servant then me, no matter what?"
"That's exactly what I mean."
"Then I'm sorry your majesty I can't do that."
The servants stared at one another in shock. No one had ever defied the king before.
"What did you say?" Akito replied looking directly at her.
"If I have to ignore the lower servants when they need help just because I am an upper servant then I'm sorry that is something I won't do."
"You will if you want to remain in this castle!" Akito's voice began to rise.
Shigure just stood dumbfounded.
"Then I won't remain here," Tohru stated.
Everyone gasped.
"Are you saying that you would rather be out on the streets then in the warmth of this castle?" Akito replied cynically.
"Not at all your majesty. I'm saying that I would rather be somewhere else then under the rule of such a ruler as yourself."
More gasps.
"Anyone who judges someone by their station is not someone I will serve."
Tohru turned on her heel and walked out of the room. The Throne room was silent for a few moments and then..
"Shigure!" Akito yelled, "Bring that girl back in here!"
****************
Shigure nodded fast then ran out the door. Tohru was already at the stables when he caught up to her. She had packed her bag in a rush and said goodbye to Kagura, who sadly understood.
"Ah Tohru you haven't left yet. Please come back, the king wishes to speak to you."
"I'm sorry Shigure" Tohru said throwing her bags onto the horse that the palace had given her, "I can't, besides he's not my king."
"What do you mean?"
"Don't worry about it" Tohru replied getting on the horse, "It's not something I can explain to you."
Shigure being the kind of man he was just couldn't find it in his heart to stop her. She led the horse towards the gate and then galloped out of the palace grounds.
"SHIGURE, I'M WAITING!" Akito's voice rang.
"Oh boy" Shigure thought to himself, "Now what am I to do?"
Yuki watched sadly as he saw her figure disappear. He was sure that he would never see Miss Tohru Honda again.
**********************************************************
Authors Note: Hey guys I'm back! First chapter of the night. I hope to get done two more.
Next Chapter: The Princess is Found
Akito is not happy with the disappearance of Tohru. Where will she go now? Next time, Tohru meets up again with Kyo and we find out that she has a secret of her own.
Shigure walked briskly to the King's quarters that evening. He was in an exceptionally good mood when he handed the report over to Akito who flipped through the notes carefully.
"I see the monster has returned home" he replied.
"Yes Akito, he left this morning. The carriage has also returned. They informed me that it was a wonderful trip."
"Shigure can you tone down the enthusiasm just a tad" Akito said cynically.
"Yes sir" Shigure replied sheepishly.
"Let's see. Kagura has a new handmaiden, blah blah blah, wait what's this?"
"What?" Shigure said nervously.
"This bit about an upper servant doing a lower servants job, quite interesting."
"Yes, she did it out of the goodness of her heart and.."
"Shigure I don't need the details" Akito stood up, "I would like to see the entire staff in the throne room tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"Yes promptly at noon. And make sure that this Tohru Honda is there."
"Tohru sir?"
"Yes, first she discovers about the family curse now this, I must simply meet this angel of mercy."
****************
That night Tohru helped Yuki in his garden. Since she had found out about the secret he was much more outgoing and friendly. They were planting the turnips and leeks that night.
"You know Yuki for a prince you know an awful lot about gardening" she giggled.
"Yes" he grinned, "I guess you could say it is my hobby."
"Will some of these be ready to pick soon?"
"Uh huh. The strawberries should be done very soon."
"What there are strawberries in here?"
"Mhm. I planted them when you first arrived here."
"You planted them just for me?" she asked.
"Yep."
"Oh Yuki, how thoughtful."
"Well we had better get inside, it's starting to get chilly and we both have big days ahead of us tomorrow." He stood up and brushed the dirt from his pants.
"You're right about that" she replied standing up after him.
"Miss Honda it doesn't bother you does it? About the curse I mean?"
"No not at all. In fact I have gotten to see some of the other's transform as well."
"You have?" he said surprised.
"Yep. I bumped into Hatsuharu a week ago and found out that he was the cow, and Momiji forgot yesterday and hugged me and I found out that he was the rabbit, and as for Shigure we bumped into each other this morning and he's the dog."
"And Kagura?"
"She told me that she was the boar."
"That's correct, oh my we have been talking so long that I didn't realize that we were already at your door."
"Oh so we are."
"Goodnight Miss Honda" he bowed.
"Goodnight your Highness" she bowed back.
She walked into her room, sighed, and took off a pendant that was around her neck. It was in the shape of a moon. Yuki walked into his room and threw off his shoes. He too took off a pendant, shaped like a moon.
*****************
The next afternoon Tohru gathered along with the other servants in the throne room per the King's request. Shigure was there, notepad in hand. Akito walked lazily through the throne room door and sat down on his throne. He gazed around at them all, his deep blue eyes scanning for the mysterious girl he had heard so much about. He cleared his throat and began to speak.
"First of all I would like to say how pleased I am with the work effort around here. I am very pleased. You all have been doing marvelous work. I would also like to extend a welcome to those new faces around here. I hope that you will also continue your good work."
He paused.
"Now as I understand it we have a few problems in the upper servants quarters. A despuit has been going around about a certain incident that happened two days ago. Is Miss Tohru Honda here?"
Tohru stepped forward ever so cautiously. Akito eyed her. She wasn't much to look at he thought.
"It has come to my attention that you helped a fellow lower servant by taking over her chores the other day?"
"Yes your majesty" Tohru replied.
"May I ask why?"
"The young girl" Tohru began careful not to reveal Hanako, "Was injured. I helped her so she could visit the doctor to get it checked it out. Besides I was on my break I was doing as I wanted."
"I see" Akito said placing a finger to his lips, "Are you aware of the policy for a upper servant and a lower servant."
"I know it is not customary for an upper servant to assist a lower servant your highness, but I couldn't leave her there to suffer."
"All right" Akito replied, "Since you are new, I will not hold it against you this time. It was a noble thing you did I am told, so you are forgiven, but only if you promise not to disobey the policy again."
Tohru looked Akito directly in the eye.
"You mean you want me to promise never to help another person who is a lower servant then me, no matter what?"
"That's exactly what I mean."
"Then I'm sorry your majesty I can't do that."
The servants stared at one another in shock. No one had ever defied the king before.
"What did you say?" Akito replied looking directly at her.
"If I have to ignore the lower servants when they need help just because I am an upper servant then I'm sorry that is something I won't do."
"You will if you want to remain in this castle!" Akito's voice began to rise.
Shigure just stood dumbfounded.
"Then I won't remain here," Tohru stated.
Everyone gasped.
"Are you saying that you would rather be out on the streets then in the warmth of this castle?" Akito replied cynically.
"Not at all your majesty. I'm saying that I would rather be somewhere else then under the rule of such a ruler as yourself."
More gasps.
"Anyone who judges someone by their station is not someone I will serve."
Tohru turned on her heel and walked out of the room. The Throne room was silent for a few moments and then..
"Shigure!" Akito yelled, "Bring that girl back in here!"
****************
Shigure nodded fast then ran out the door. Tohru was already at the stables when he caught up to her. She had packed her bag in a rush and said goodbye to Kagura, who sadly understood.
"Ah Tohru you haven't left yet. Please come back, the king wishes to speak to you."
"I'm sorry Shigure" Tohru said throwing her bags onto the horse that the palace had given her, "I can't, besides he's not my king."
"What do you mean?"
"Don't worry about it" Tohru replied getting on the horse, "It's not something I can explain to you."
Shigure being the kind of man he was just couldn't find it in his heart to stop her. She led the horse towards the gate and then galloped out of the palace grounds.
"SHIGURE, I'M WAITING!" Akito's voice rang.
"Oh boy" Shigure thought to himself, "Now what am I to do?"
Yuki watched sadly as he saw her figure disappear. He was sure that he would never see Miss Tohru Honda again.
**********************************************************
Authors Note: Hey guys I'm back! First chapter of the night. I hope to get done two more.
Next Chapter: The Princess is Found
Akito is not happy with the disappearance of Tohru. Where will she go now? Next time, Tohru meets up again with Kyo and we find out that she has a secret of her own.