Author's notes: This is just a creation of a crazy mind. None of the medieval castle time descriptions are pertaining to a specific time or place, it's all made up in my mind so it will probably be a combination of European and Japanese medievel times. This will be a Kyou/Tohru but I'll throw in some Yuki and Hatsuharu romance. Oh, and Hatsuharu will not be in love with Yuki in this one, though he will be very protective of him like in the anime. And Kagura won't be a part of the Sohma family or its curse. And I apologize if some of my characters are not in character, I've only watched a few of the episodes.
Happily Ever After
Chapter 1: Maid or Queen?
~The person who tries to live alone will not succeed as a human being. Her heart withers if it does not answer another heart. Her mind shrinks away if she hears only the echoes of her own thoughts and finds no other inspiration-Pearl S. Buck
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She never asked for it, any of it. She never asked for grand palaces that were richly furnished and decorated inside and out, splendid for any eye to behold. She never asked to be gowned in the softest silks and velvets with jewels that overshined even the sun itself. And she never asked for the heavy responsibility of ruling over a kingdom. Truth to be told, she rarely ever requested or ordered for anything. Everything was given to her without her consent, and though she felt grateful, she did not feel happy. Possessions had never given her any sort of pleasure, it only left her with a strange emptiness inside. Palaces, jewels, gold, praises, and so many other insignificant things piled higher but still the emptiness stayed along with that undeniable knowledge that it could never stop.
Which was why she was in one of her palace's many fittings rooms with nearly a dozen middle aged women hovering about her with hawk like eyes that took in every detail of her new dress. Maybe, now that her mother had passed away, the new queen would be just a doll to show off. She knew she would never be able to surpass her mother in ruling, life had been near perfect under the rule of Queen Kyoko. And the people looked to her, depending on her like she was their lifeline in the fervent hope that the kingdom would still stay peaceful. A barely audible sigh escaped delicately rose painted lips as she followed the seamstress's directions and turned her body slightly to the left. Four large mirrors imported from a foreign country graced half the room with their perfect reality, reflecting the image of Honda Tohru, recently made ruler of the powerful and spacious Honda Kingdom.
Hugging the shore of Japan, the kingdom boasted numerous ship ports that brought in trade from everywhere around the world. Merchants speaking in nearly every dialect of the world clustered around the ports with the eager hopes in selling strange artifacts from their own country. Its sprawling forestland packed with precious woods gave it a kind of natural beauty that most kingdoms loose after their third century.
And the Honda Kingdom's most prominent feature? Surprisingly enough, it's not a massive and well equipped army but its ingenious ability to create solid and amiable treaties with the kingdoms surrounding it. Their pacifism in times of distrust and killing was unshakable and they proved to be a mediator time and time again between warring kingdoms. They were often called cowards and weaklings in hushed voices but nobody could deny that the treaties kept Honda Kingdom safely away from bloodshed.
And it was with this burden of expectations that Honda Tohru stood in front of her mirrors, trying to avoid looking at the glass as much as possible. She didn't like looking at herself in the garb of such finery. It used to be that she would have only one dress to wear but the contentment that came with the dress had been fulfilling. Everything was content because she knew that the one dress gave her the freedom to run in fields of grass, to tumble down hills, and best of all, to hug her mother without worrying that she was messing up a priceless fabric. And the emptiness pushed further as she caught a single glance of herself in that cursed mirror.
"Your majesty, if you could puff out your chest a little more-" The seamstress mumbled from a mouth full of sharp pins. Tohru obediently did so as the woman plucked a pin from her mouth and tucked a piece of fabric higher on the bodice. She viewed the bodice for a few seconds then nodded her head with pride. "The dress should be fully done by the time of the diplomat ball, your majesty."
"Thank you so much." Tohru said politely to the other woman and she stepped down from the raised platform. "Kagura, my dress please." Tohru went behind the folding screen as the chatter of the other women filing out of the room filled the air. A youthful looking maid with hopeful grey eyes passed a sky blue afternoon dress to Tohru. A few minutes later the queen stepped out in a short sleeved dress that had a flowing skirt going to the calves.
"A letter from the Sohma kingdom came today." Kagura took out a vellum envelope that had been hidden inside a small pocket in her cream and blue uniform.
The envelope had her name written in gold, the flowery writing perfect in every slash and curve. She handed it to Tohru as they stepped out of the fitting room and out towards the garden. The archway of the garden opening was covered with creeping vines that held stunning morning glories that bloomed into beautiful purples and blues. A path worn down with different colored pebbles weaved around the extensive garden that Tohru had started constructing when she had first moved into the castle. Tall green trees towered here and there to offer shade to those going on a promenade. The garden held the promising beginnings of a beautiful eden of color and fragrance. The sky showed an even greater promise than the garden as it stretched far up to the heavens in a breathtaking blue that made the eye go dizzy with elation. Not a white cloud was in sight and a bird would soar by every now and then, singing the sweet song of satisfaction. It was Honda Kingdom at its best.
"They changed their mind and decided that they will be sending the princes two weeks earlier. I think something is being planned Tohru-chan, why are they sending the princes so early before the diplomat ball?" Kagura voiced out anxiously.
"That tyrant, Akito, is up to something, I'm sure of it. He's practically sending the whole royal family here, minus the most important man himself." Her hopeful grey eyes darkened into the same color as storm clouds, lightning flickering in their depths. She plucked a blood red rose from a thriving bush and tucked it in her strands of dark brown hair as they sedately walked down the gravel path.
"Well?" The maid looked expectantly at the queen who gave away nothing in her cheerful mask. Tohru held a thoughtful look on her face as her maid talked on. "Aren't you worried at all?"
"I'll be worried when the time comes, Kagura-chan. Why don't we start planning which suite we'll give to each prince? There will be four princes and a personal advisor coming, right?" Tohru asked Kagura, smiling as they started talking about her favorite subject, chores. Kagura gave a small frown as Tohru began to chatter on which suite would go best with each prince, but she didn't stop the girl. The maid was well aware that Tohru was worried, but it would take only torture to get her to admit it.
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The four princes and the advisor lined up against the ship's wooden balcony, the five males gazing almost apprehensively at the ship port looming near. The advisor shited his weight onto one foot and gave a heartfelt sigh so fake that the others rolled their eyes in annoyance.
"Well boys," the advisor said loudly, though they could hear him perfectly over the crashing waves. "This is it, everything I have toiled so much in putting together, laboriously working throughout the night with only a mug of coffee in my hand." He rubbed his chin as if he was thinking of those so called 'hard working' nights. The orange haired man gave a snort but the purpled eyed man next to him jabbed him at the side with an elbow. The advisor gave them one nasty glare then continued on with his speech. "As I was saying, laboriously working throughout the night with only a mug of tea in my hand-"
"Coffee." The blond haired teenager spoke up with a knowing grin lighting up a mischievous face. "You said you had a mug of coffee in your hand."
The advisor slammed his hand down on the balcony and the princes rolled their eyes again, preparing themselves as he launched into his 'you princes don't appreciate me' speech.
"You princes just don't appreciate me! All I ask is just some time for you four to hear me out as I clue you in on the rules, and what do I get?! A snort from catboy and an impulsive comment from the rabbit!" The advisor threw his hands up in dismay and stormed back to his cabin below. The four princes each let out a breath and kept their gaze at the ship port.
"Nice going Momiji." The redhead sneered. "You know he'll find some way to torture us. He'll probably make us spend hours with some airheaded girls."
The purple eyed man ran his fingers through his mussed dark grey hair as the wind continued to play with it. "Weren't you the one who snorted?" He said coolly as the orange haired prince shot an indignant look at him. "And try not to lose your temper while we're here Kyou."
Kyou made an angry move towards the man but was blocked by the arm of the last prince who looked more like a prince of midnight than the Sohma's. His moonlight hair brought attention to eyes that were mellow and relaxed. "Listen to Yuki, he's right in this." He gently pushed Kyou back and the man backed off with a feral growl.
"This is stupid, why are we here at this stupid country for three weeks anyway?" He complained as sailors began to throw heavy ropes towards men awaiting at the dock.
"Shigure was going to tell us, before you two interrupted." Yuki pointed out. "And stop complaining, there's the greeting committee."
Shockingly enough, instead of an extremely large crowd of watching commoners and such, there was just a large uncovered carriage with a young girl sitting in the pristine white seats. There were other carriages as well, but only ones used to hold trunks and luggages. A gangplank was connected to the ship and porters immediately began to run up and down with the group's various boxes and suitcases. Shigure made his appearance, giving the princes a huffed look before gracefully walking down the gangplank and towards the large carriage waiting for them. The other four followed his example and stepped down towards the dock, none of them swaying or stumbling despite being on sea for several days.
The young girl had already gotten out and was standing by the carriage with an elated smile on her face. She was wearing a simple dress of lavender that hugged her tiny waist with long sleeves that were cut at an angle at the end. Purple ribbons were placed on both sides of her hair, holding the chestnut locks away from a lovely face. She gave a smooth curtsy that radiated innocence and sincerety.
"Welcome to my kingdom, I hope your stay here will be comfortable and pleasant. If you'll get into this carriage, we can begin to head towards the castle." Her voice was lulling and musical and she accompanied her words with a welcoming smile. Shigure saw bait.
"My dear lady, I must say that you are a fine specimen of femininity and I shall dearly hope that all other women in this kingdom take after you." He took her hand while saying this and dropped a lingering kiss on the flawless skin. A blush stained her pale cheeks and she tried to pry her hand out of his grip with as calmly as she could. This man's manners were alarming, did all Sohma citizens act like this?
"Ah...um....excuse me..could you-" She stammered as Shigure didn't release his hold or stop his kisses. The advisor's lips were torn away as his head was jerked back by a hand on his hair.
"Please ignore him, he is too sexually restless for his own good." Yuki said dryly, his tapered fingers still holding on to Shigure's dark hair hair. The advisor flung off Yuki's hand with a dignified air and straightened his clothes.
"I was just paying my respects to the most loveliest maiden in Honda Kingdom." He shot his second nasty glare of the day at the four princes standing around.
"You were just trying to score again." Kyou spoke up and frowned at the flustered girl who was blushing even more. "Come on, let's get to the castle and meet the queen before 'loveliest maiden' here turns into a tomato." The prince hopped into the carriage and slouched in his seat, turning his head the other way.
"Kyou, watch your manners." Hatsuharu growled under his breath as he stepped in next. Momiji bounced in and kneeled on his seat as he looked at the view all around with eager eyes. Shigure, slightly embarassed at being reprimanded by Yuki, silently took his place next to the energetic Momiji. Yuki gave a reassuring smile to the girl as he helped her in.
"I apologize for their behavior, they're usually better when they have to act polite." He climbed in and pulled the door shut.
The driver in the front seat gave a light crack of his whip and the four midnight black horses began a steady trot. Crowds of people pushed and moved to get a closer look as the carriage was pulled down a busy marketstreet. Surprisingly, the girl began to wave at the people along with the five men in the carriage. Shigure gave her a questioning look as she smiled and caught a few bouquets of fresh flowers. It was times like these that brought her spirits down even more, knowing that the happiness of thousands all depended on how she ruled. She would never let them down but the nudging feeling that she could made the edges of her smile pull down just the tiniest bit. She was sniffing a cluster of peach roses when she caught Shigure's look.
"Ano, is there something wrong?" She asked him tentatively. "You don't like the crowds? I could have the driver move the horses quicker if it's displeasing you, I really did mean what I said when I wanted you to have a pleasant time in my kingdom."
Shigure shook himself of his look. "I'm sorry, I was just entranced by such beauty that I couldn't help but stare." He returned to his waving but decided he wouldn't report about a common maid waving like she was nobility. Were all Honda servants so bold? Hm, this could be optimistic for him. Maybe she never received this kind of attention before, maybe if he was kind enough to her, she might meet him later on at nighttime. He allowed himself a sly smile before waving to a particular young girl in the crowd.
"Thinking nasty thoughts again, Shigure-san?" Momiji giggled in the advisor's ear. "I hope it's not about the maid, she's nice."
"Baka rabbit, I'm not so coarse to be desperate enough to chase a commoner." He said as the marketplace quieted down to a long road that had tall sakura trees lining the sides. A warm and friendly wind gently shook the trees so that sakura blossoms floated down like soft pink snow. The girl gave an amiable laugh and pointed at Kyou who was sitting across from her. The grumpy prince had several pink petals stuck in his hair and the contrast between the lovely blossoms and his scowling face was amusing.
"You have sakura blossoms in your hair, they both compliment each other perfectly." She reached over and picked them out from between his strands of hair. He slapped her hand away angrily and fumbled through his hair with his own hands, shaking out the remaining blossoms.
"Where's the damn castle?" He demanded as Yuki shot him a warning look. The girl looked at her hand as if she had been stung and sat back in her seat.
"Gomen, I just wanted to get the sakura out of your hair for you." She said quietly. "I won't do it again if you don't want me to." Her voice was apologetic, sounding as if it was all her fault. Kyou turned red at his outburst and swerved his head away from her, his scowl darkening.
Suddenly, the shadiness from the trees disappeared as the carriage rode out into open air and the castle. It had been built several hundred years ago but recently redecorated and rebuilt by some of the finest architects and designers in Japan. The walls were made of a smooth creamy stone and surrounded the inner castle for protection. Flags of a riceball, the Honda Kingdom's symbol, were whipping in the air on the parapets as the iron gate opened to let the carriage in.
Once inside, the real beauty was shown in gardens and forests that surrounded the castle, which was built in several different wings. The north wing was the largest and specially reserved for the reigning monarch, Queen Honda Tohru. The east wing was the second largest and was for visiting ambassadors, royalty, and other prominent nobility. The south wing was for relatives and was smaller and more private, though no less resplendent than the other wings. The last wing was strictly for balls and exquisite formal dining rooms that were used on important nights.
All of these wings were connected by covered walkways that allowed people to walk back and forth without having to go all the way through the center building. The center building was the place for everything else: meeting rooms, weapon rooms, fittings rooms, tea rooms, libraries, sitting rooms, art rooms, etc. And interweaving around the wings were thriving forests of trees and gardens that made it appear that it wasn't a castle wing you were living in but a splendid mansion in the middle of a valley.
The carriages went to the east wing and stopped in front of two tall double doors that had several servants in livery waiting patiently for them. The uniforms were all well made and were in tones of blues. One of them ran up and opened the door, holding out a hand for the girl who stepped out first. The servant gave a low bow as the others filed out of the carriage.
"Each of these servants will take you to the suite that has been chosen for you, they will show you where the dining room is when it's time to eat. You could explore around, if you wish. And anything you need, within my resources, will be given. See you at dinner then!" She gave them all a cheerful wave and walked through a walkway going towards the north wing with a maid that had a different livery than the rest. Their heads were bent together in friendship and they soon disappeared as the forest swallowed them up.
"Odd girl." Hatsuharu remarked as a servant opened the doors and showed them in.
The inside was just as refined as the outside, a large entryway had a stunning mosaic of the night sky, complete with planets and stars, all surrounding the radiating sun in the middle. There were stained glass windows that shone in with colorful glowing light, illuminating the room brighter than the already sunny sky outside.
"I don't think she's a maid." Momiji commented before the servant led them down a long hall of suites. The servant pointed at the gold plates in front of each pair of doors, signifying that their names were on the plates then left them where they were after a bow. "Her behavior isn't that of a normal maid." Momiji's voice was lower and calmer.
"Hey, my room has my name on it!" His voice immediately switched back to normal as he happily pointed at the first pair of doors before pushing them open.
Peeks in all their rooms showed richly but wonderfully done rooms that consisted of a parlor, bedroom, and a dressing room. Each room was done in a shade that seemed to almost match their personalities. Momiji's was in yellows and soft greens, Hatsuharu's was in contrasting whites and blacks like his hair, Shigure's was in all shades of purple, Kyou's in a warmth of reds and oranges, and Yuki's was in a combination of blues and greys.
"It's quiet here." Hatsuharu stated to Momiji as they walked towards the center building for some exploring. "Not the strained quiet at Sohma castle, but a tranquil kind of quiet."
"I guess it's true what they say, the Honda kingdom really is harmonious." Yuki eyed a vase of fresh flowers before plucking a orchid from the bunch. "But they must have some disturbance in their kingdom, it's just not possible for the land to be so peaceful."
"Akito is up to something, kami knows how long he's been eyeing Honda's land." Shigure popped out of nowhere. He gave a pout. "How could you guys leave your personal advisor? I'm suppose to be chaperoning and Akito will have my head if he finds out you screwed something up."
"I thought this was just a normal diplomatic mission." Yuki asked carefully as they passed under the archway that led them into the center building. "Akito seemed more...anxious than usual when he briefed us about it."
"This is a normal diplomatic mission, which is what I'm worried about." Shigure gave a wink to a few maids dusting some paintings. He put his arms around Yuki and Hatsuharu shoulders and tightened his arms so that he had them both in a sort of brotherly headlock. "Cheer up, I'm sure it can't be too bad staying here for three weeks."
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"They're all handsome!" Kagura shrilled as she helped Tohru into her evening gown. She wounded a long blue ribbon around Tohru's waist several times before tying it in a large bow in the back. "But that tall man with dark hair, he looks like a lech."
"He seemed nice enough, they were all quite pleasant in the carriage ride. I think they were a little shocked to see that it was just me greeting them instead of dozens of nobles and servants." Tohru fingered the small white pearls sewn around the dress's neck.
The dark haired man had to be the advisor, he had his own air of authority but it wasn't as commanding as the other four, even that young blonde haired boy had his own aura of strength and power. The only person who really nagged at her feelings was the orange haired prince, he looked so angry at the world. And his outburst earlier hadn't really been aimed at her but she felt his animosity nonetheless.
"I guess the Sohma kingdom spoils diplomats then." Kagura smoothed a wrinkle on the train of Tohru's pale pink dress before giving the queen a thumb's up for approval. "You look great, want me to walk you to the west wing? Maybe I can catch another look at those scrumptious men."
Tohru nodded her head with a giggle as a servant opened the door of the dressing room to let them out. "Kagura-chan! Remember that they are visiting princes!"
"The blond one looks too young for me, the lech too hentai, the black and white haired one too strange, but the last two, especially the orange haired man, are perfect." Kagura went on till they reached the doors of the west wing.
"I'll see you later tonight, and tell me everything that happens!" The maid said while she skipped back to the north wing, leaving Tohru to look at the ornate doors. Normally, she didn't dread dinner with nobles but she felt nervous having dinner with five handsome men. She wasn't too self conscious, but she was aware of her own looks and the fact that nearly all of the Sohma's held a look of beauty... she shook herself gently. She shouldn't be thinking such negative thoughts, mother always thought she was perfect the way she was. She straightened her posture and gracefully lifted her neck, trying to force herself to believe she was more than she really was.
She reached out her gloved hand and pulled the doors open to reveal an entryway similiar to the east wing but with a mosaic of butterflies on jewel-like flowers. A servant near two double doors on the left bowed deeply before opening the door to the dining room. The five men were seated and waiting and they all looked up when she walked into the room. Every one of them except the blonde haired prince wore an expression of pure surprise.
"I told you so!" Momiji chirped as Shigure winced at his behavior when he first met her. The advisor swiftly stood up, the four princes following his example.
"Erm, my apologies for my rather deplorable behavior when we first met." He took Tohru's hand again but only brushed his lips against the satin gloves before helping her into her chair.
"He thought you were a maid." Kyou said bluntly, narrowingly missing Yuki's hand hitting his head. His voice grew angry like before and his red eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Why didn't you tell us who you were and save everybody the trouble and humiliation?"
Tohru gave a confused look at the annoyed Kyou. "I-I thought you knew who I was."
"How were we suppose to know when you weren't acting like a queen?" Kyou shot back without thinking. This time Yuki managed to smack him on the back of the head, causing Kyou to fight back. Shigure muffled a small groan as he covered his face with his hands, Kyou had done it again.
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*Nothing too exciting as of the moment, I just wanted to be able to introduce everybody and describe where they were staying. Some interesting stuff will happen in the next chapter and don't forget to review!!!!
