"Well?"
"Well what?" Sora asked as she walked in to the kitchens, placing a small bottle of warm sake on the counter by an ornate tray.
"Did you see them?" Reijun, one of the head cooks at the palace, asked, his blue eyes aglow with curiosity. He had been in the kitchens all morning, preparing for the feast that would take place in the evening. Sora smiled deviously at him.
"Yes I did." She said smugly as she busied herself around him, ladling some rich broth and hot vegetables into a bowl and placing it on the small tray. She made it a point to stay tight-lipped, torturing the young cook with her silence.
"Sora, I have a feeling you're toying with me." He whispered in her ear with a smile as she leaned past him to grab a hot loaf of spiced bread from the ovens.
"And what if I am?" Sora ignored Reijun's advances, although not without a blush, placing the bread on the tray beside the broth. She was now looking for the bottle of sake she knew she had placed on the counter earlier when she had arrived. Turning, she found Reijun, holding it high out of her reach with a ridiculous smirk on his face.
"Uh uh, not until you at least tell me who they are." Reijun taunted. Sora scowled and jumped up, trying despite her minuscule height to reach the bottle without saying a word. She bumped hard into Reijun in her efforts, setting him slightly off balance and causing him to fall back against another table, Sora pressed firmly to his chest as he instinctively wrapped his arms around her to catch her. Reijun blushed furiously as he realized the unusual position they had ended up in.
"Sorry." Sora whispered breathily, a blush staining her cheeks.
"It's all right. I-" Reijun leaned in closer to Sora, closing his eyes slightly as he drew closer. Sora leaned closer to him, snaking her arms along his. Closing his eyes, Reijun prepared to steal a kiss from the small woman in his arms, only to find himself face down on the table moments later. Sora held his arm behind his back, twisting it until he dropped the sake bottle into her waiting hand.
"Thank you." Sora piped smugly as she returned to the tray, placing the sake bottle and two small cups on its lavish surface before lifting it up into her arms and walking towards the door.
"You cold hearted serving wench." Reijun said with a smile, trying to ward off the embarrassment he felt. Sora wrinkled her nose cutely at him before winking and leaving the room. Reijun groaned and placed his head back on the table with a loud smack.
"Aniki!" Reijun looked up as a cry came from the doorway. His sister Reika, along with Ying and Meilan, stood in the doorway, ridiculous grins on their faces. "Aniki, They're finally here!"
"And they're adorable too!" Ying sighed softly. Meilan, the third girl, nodded enthusiastically.
Reijun laughed at them. Despite the maturity the girls had been forced into at such a young age, they still cherished the idle gossip and giggling they were supposed to have left behind.
"Reijun, you would not believe it!" Reika gushed, stars in her eyes. "They all came walking in, all stately and important. I mean, it took all my will power not to run up to them and ask them a million questions."
"And you would not believe how handsome they all were!" Meilan said shyly. "Especially the one with the flute."
"So do these guys have names or what?" Reijun laughed.
All three of them gave a small blush at his question, realizing they had all gotten carried away.
"I'm in charge of the care of Lord Chiriko. He looks our age, about fifteen years or so. He was wearing some strange clothing, and I think he's from somewhere really far away, because I couldn't recognize the cut." She stopped abruptly, wanting to say more, but holding her tongue. Reijun smiled at her nervousness.
"So, what does he look like?" Reijun asked.
"He's so cute! I think he's my age. He has this sandy hair, and these big blue eyes, and he looks so amazing." Meilan went on and on, oblivious to those around her. Ying pouted at her, feeling her story had been stolen.
"Well, you should see the guy Meilan's got. He's really old, but not as old as you, Reijun." Ying's brown eyes showed that she was only teasing. Reijun gave a playful pout at her before she continued. "He's handsome in a kind of way. Really stoic, you know? He's got this short hair tied up in scarves and dark eyes. He seemed really sad." Ying trailed off thoughtfully.
"And he has a cat too!" Meilan chirped. "A little cat named Tama. He let me pat him, and-OH NO!"
"What?" Reijun started at her little outburst.
"I was supposed to get Lord Mitsukake some tea and Tama a fish! I completely forgot!" She began to run around the kitchen, looking for an empty tray somewhere. By the time she found one, Reijun had already prepared a small pot of tea and a plate of cleaned fish for the small cat.
"Thanks Reijun!" She breathed as she grabbed the tray and scurried out of the kitchens to go see to Mitsukake and Tama.
"How about you Ying? Forget anything for Lord Chiriko?" Reijun raised an eyebrow.
"No, he said he just wanted some rest. I'm going to go and see to the preparations in the dining hall now." She sighed. "Bye Reijun!" She piped as she left, wishing she could spend more time lurking in the guest wing to see the warriors.
"And you?" Reijun asked his sister.
"Just sake and bread. But I passed Sora, and she said she took the last loaf and that you were baking some more." Reijun smiled at his sister as she plopped down in a chair and tried to look like she was impatiently waiting. Reijun looked at the oven. The loaves were done, but they were still inside to be kept warm. Sora had known this before she left. Reijun decided he'd keep this secret for the moment.
"So who do you have in your service?" Reijun asked casually, turning back to his cooking.
"Just some guy." Reika said, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Does Mr. Just Some Guy have another name?" Reijun prodded gently
"Yeah. Lord Tasuki." Reika sounded far away as she said his name.
"That nice, huh?" Reijun chuckled. Reika had enough, and exploded into giggles.
"He's incredible! He has this flaming red hair, and I mean flaming! It looks like it would burn if you touch it. And the loveliest honey colored eyes. And fangs! He actually has fangs! He was wearing this long black coat, and the most beautiful earrings I have ever seen." Reika sighed, touching her earlobes wistfully. Reijun hid his worried expression from his sister. It wasn't proper for her to be feeling this was about one in her service. Reika had been working in the palace her entire life and was familiar with serving important figures. She knew full well that she would be required to serve this Lord Tasuki's every whim, save a few, and that if anything developed between them, it could mean her job, or even her life.
"Just be careful, all right Reika?" Reijun warned gently. Reika looked startled for a moment, before giving him a small nod. She rode from her seat, locating a tray and placing a bottle of sake on it with a few cups. She strode to the oven and paused, before opening it and removing a loaf of cooked bread from the cooling tray. Reijun smiled, realizing she had known the entire time that they were finished baking. Reika turned to leave, giving him a small kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks Aniki." She smiled as she left, leaving him alone in the kitchens once again.
Notes: Hey, I thought a round of notes would be fun, seeing as everyone does it and I feel left out. ^_^ To everyone reading, sorry for the space between updates. I'm in school and have a really erratic schedule. Chapters 3 and 4 are written, but I have to send them to my wonderful "editor" so I can be humbled greatly before I post them.
In the meantime, leave me some reviews, good or bad, if you wish and enjoy the story.
"Well what?" Sora asked as she walked in to the kitchens, placing a small bottle of warm sake on the counter by an ornate tray.
"Did you see them?" Reijun, one of the head cooks at the palace, asked, his blue eyes aglow with curiosity. He had been in the kitchens all morning, preparing for the feast that would take place in the evening. Sora smiled deviously at him.
"Yes I did." She said smugly as she busied herself around him, ladling some rich broth and hot vegetables into a bowl and placing it on the small tray. She made it a point to stay tight-lipped, torturing the young cook with her silence.
"Sora, I have a feeling you're toying with me." He whispered in her ear with a smile as she leaned past him to grab a hot loaf of spiced bread from the ovens.
"And what if I am?" Sora ignored Reijun's advances, although not without a blush, placing the bread on the tray beside the broth. She was now looking for the bottle of sake she knew she had placed on the counter earlier when she had arrived. Turning, she found Reijun, holding it high out of her reach with a ridiculous smirk on his face.
"Uh uh, not until you at least tell me who they are." Reijun taunted. Sora scowled and jumped up, trying despite her minuscule height to reach the bottle without saying a word. She bumped hard into Reijun in her efforts, setting him slightly off balance and causing him to fall back against another table, Sora pressed firmly to his chest as he instinctively wrapped his arms around her to catch her. Reijun blushed furiously as he realized the unusual position they had ended up in.
"Sorry." Sora whispered breathily, a blush staining her cheeks.
"It's all right. I-" Reijun leaned in closer to Sora, closing his eyes slightly as he drew closer. Sora leaned closer to him, snaking her arms along his. Closing his eyes, Reijun prepared to steal a kiss from the small woman in his arms, only to find himself face down on the table moments later. Sora held his arm behind his back, twisting it until he dropped the sake bottle into her waiting hand.
"Thank you." Sora piped smugly as she returned to the tray, placing the sake bottle and two small cups on its lavish surface before lifting it up into her arms and walking towards the door.
"You cold hearted serving wench." Reijun said with a smile, trying to ward off the embarrassment he felt. Sora wrinkled her nose cutely at him before winking and leaving the room. Reijun groaned and placed his head back on the table with a loud smack.
"Aniki!" Reijun looked up as a cry came from the doorway. His sister Reika, along with Ying and Meilan, stood in the doorway, ridiculous grins on their faces. "Aniki, They're finally here!"
"And they're adorable too!" Ying sighed softly. Meilan, the third girl, nodded enthusiastically.
Reijun laughed at them. Despite the maturity the girls had been forced into at such a young age, they still cherished the idle gossip and giggling they were supposed to have left behind.
"Reijun, you would not believe it!" Reika gushed, stars in her eyes. "They all came walking in, all stately and important. I mean, it took all my will power not to run up to them and ask them a million questions."
"And you would not believe how handsome they all were!" Meilan said shyly. "Especially the one with the flute."
"So do these guys have names or what?" Reijun laughed.
All three of them gave a small blush at his question, realizing they had all gotten carried away.
"I'm in charge of the care of Lord Chiriko. He looks our age, about fifteen years or so. He was wearing some strange clothing, and I think he's from somewhere really far away, because I couldn't recognize the cut." She stopped abruptly, wanting to say more, but holding her tongue. Reijun smiled at her nervousness.
"So, what does he look like?" Reijun asked.
"He's so cute! I think he's my age. He has this sandy hair, and these big blue eyes, and he looks so amazing." Meilan went on and on, oblivious to those around her. Ying pouted at her, feeling her story had been stolen.
"Well, you should see the guy Meilan's got. He's really old, but not as old as you, Reijun." Ying's brown eyes showed that she was only teasing. Reijun gave a playful pout at her before she continued. "He's handsome in a kind of way. Really stoic, you know? He's got this short hair tied up in scarves and dark eyes. He seemed really sad." Ying trailed off thoughtfully.
"And he has a cat too!" Meilan chirped. "A little cat named Tama. He let me pat him, and-OH NO!"
"What?" Reijun started at her little outburst.
"I was supposed to get Lord Mitsukake some tea and Tama a fish! I completely forgot!" She began to run around the kitchen, looking for an empty tray somewhere. By the time she found one, Reijun had already prepared a small pot of tea and a plate of cleaned fish for the small cat.
"Thanks Reijun!" She breathed as she grabbed the tray and scurried out of the kitchens to go see to Mitsukake and Tama.
"How about you Ying? Forget anything for Lord Chiriko?" Reijun raised an eyebrow.
"No, he said he just wanted some rest. I'm going to go and see to the preparations in the dining hall now." She sighed. "Bye Reijun!" She piped as she left, wishing she could spend more time lurking in the guest wing to see the warriors.
"And you?" Reijun asked his sister.
"Just sake and bread. But I passed Sora, and she said she took the last loaf and that you were baking some more." Reijun smiled at his sister as she plopped down in a chair and tried to look like she was impatiently waiting. Reijun looked at the oven. The loaves were done, but they were still inside to be kept warm. Sora had known this before she left. Reijun decided he'd keep this secret for the moment.
"So who do you have in your service?" Reijun asked casually, turning back to his cooking.
"Just some guy." Reika said, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Does Mr. Just Some Guy have another name?" Reijun prodded gently
"Yeah. Lord Tasuki." Reika sounded far away as she said his name.
"That nice, huh?" Reijun chuckled. Reika had enough, and exploded into giggles.
"He's incredible! He has this flaming red hair, and I mean flaming! It looks like it would burn if you touch it. And the loveliest honey colored eyes. And fangs! He actually has fangs! He was wearing this long black coat, and the most beautiful earrings I have ever seen." Reika sighed, touching her earlobes wistfully. Reijun hid his worried expression from his sister. It wasn't proper for her to be feeling this was about one in her service. Reika had been working in the palace her entire life and was familiar with serving important figures. She knew full well that she would be required to serve this Lord Tasuki's every whim, save a few, and that if anything developed between them, it could mean her job, or even her life.
"Just be careful, all right Reika?" Reijun warned gently. Reika looked startled for a moment, before giving him a small nod. She rode from her seat, locating a tray and placing a bottle of sake on it with a few cups. She strode to the oven and paused, before opening it and removing a loaf of cooked bread from the cooling tray. Reijun smiled, realizing she had known the entire time that they were finished baking. Reika turned to leave, giving him a small kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks Aniki." She smiled as she left, leaving him alone in the kitchens once again.
Notes: Hey, I thought a round of notes would be fun, seeing as everyone does it and I feel left out. ^_^ To everyone reading, sorry for the space between updates. I'm in school and have a really erratic schedule. Chapters 3 and 4 are written, but I have to send them to my wonderful "editor" so I can be humbled greatly before I post them.
In the meantime, leave me some reviews, good or bad, if you wish and enjoy the story.