Chapter Thirteen: Shinka (Progress/Deepening)
Yumi didn't come out of her room for the rest of the night. Odd was mysteriously quiet and meek as though the incident had humbled him greatly. In truth, Yumi's wrath was a scary thing and was not something one survived without scars on some level. Even Ulrich had a healthy respect for her temper now, and was even more amazed at her level of self-control. He would have done far worse if Odd had unceremoniously disrobed him. He would have at least hit Odd.
Ulrich found himself admiring the other's guard's gall though. He had taken a stand for what he thought was right, even if he had gone about it the wrong way. He knew he had to do something to prevent the wedding, but was at a loss as to what.
But the morning broke into sunshine and with it came Yumi, wearing a pale green gown as she emerged from the chambers. She didn't seem angry so it was pretty safe to assume she wasn't, as Yumi didn't hide emotions well.
Minutes earlier a vassel had scampered up and entered the chambers with a message for Yumi. Now she had come out with a warm smile.
"I am going to the library," she announced to Ulrich and Odd.
Odd still couldn't manage to speak to her, so Ulrich articulated what they were both thinking. "Why?"
"I have to do research on Western-style weddings," the Princess explained.
"Your wedding isn't going to be Japanese?" Apparently Odd could speak, and his voice was incredulous.
Yumi blinked. "Of course. In case you have forgotten, Odd, we are in France. Ulrich, would you please accompany me to the library?"
Ulrich nodded. "Of course." He followed her off down the hallway.
The pair had made it down the grand staircase when they found themselves surrounded by the ladies of the court. The group consisted mostly of the ladies-in-waiting of the various female guests and the attendants of the King. They were flighty, fickle creatures that were only concerned with the latest gossip, and Yumi had forbidden both Aelita and Naomi to associate with the lot of them to prevent her own servants from becoming similar.
The group's resident leader, a maid of the King's named Josie, stepped forward and pressed her face uncomfortably close to Yumi's own. "Are you really marrying the Prince?"
The Princess drew herself back slightly and stared in annoyance at the presumtous girl. "Yes I am, and you would do well to address me by my title."
The group gave a collective gasp as though Yumi had just sworn at them. They looked at Josie to provide an explanation for this.
She did, almost shrieking at the shocked Princess. "How dare you! You are not fit to be his wife! We know about your trist into the village!" At this point the other girls nodded in agreement, each looking properly scandalized. "We heard all about it, all the boyfriends, the inappropriate behavior! You don't belong here!"
Ulrich waited for Yumi to snap that nothing had happened in the village. To defend herself. To do something. But there she stood, looking suddenly very small. As everyone watched, a single tear charted a course down her cheek.
Then she was back. "How dare you! You have overstepped your stations, every single one of you! His Majesty will hear of this!" The pack of girls paled and started mumbling excuses, but Yumi was past listening. She stalked straight through the thick of the ladies and moved on, leaving Ulrich little choice but to follow.
Several corridors and an almost unearthly silence later, the tension was shattered by Millie and Tamiya. The younger girls skipped up and gazed at Yumi with a mix of awe and affection.
"Will you play with us," Millie asked inncently.
"Please," Tamiya added for good affect.
Yumi managed a kind smile for them, but shook her head. "Sorry, girls. I have to go and start planning my wedding."
"To Jeremie," they squealed in unison with smiles on their faces. When Yumi nodded they threw their arms around her in glee. "Yay!" They scampered off down the hall, thrilled ta the prospect of a big sister.
"They're good kids," Yumi said to Ulrich as she watched the girls run off. She didn't get a response.
"I have to have a white dress," Yumi mused aloud as she traced her finger over a line in the book.
"That is ridiculous," Ulrich said without looking up from his own book. "Why does it have to be white?" They were sitting across from each other at a narrow table in the castle's library. It was so narrow the books were nearly overlapping each other, but the duo made do with the space they had.
"I don't know," the irate princess responded. "Why must you nit-pick every Western tradition?"
"Because it's their tradition that got you into this marriage mess," he snapped back.
"Betrothal is an Eastern tradition as well," she argued, slamming the book shut with a bang.
"Only among close families," Ulrich retorted. "Not among complete strangers that live halfway across the world!"
"Oh, who asked you anyway," Yumi said sourly. She re-opened the book and glared down at it, pretending to read.
"You did, if I'm not mistaken, Princess." Yumi looked up.
"I did, didn't I," she said in a quiet voice. "Since I'm asking you things anyway, what is your opinion of my marrying Jeremie?"
There was a pause a beat long while Ulrich considered. Neither of them noticed at the library door creeped open. In a spur-of-the-moment move, he leaned across the table and touched his lips to Yumi's. When they parted, the Princess looked shocked.
"I knew it." The couple jumped and turned towards the doorway. There stood Jeremie, looking as smug as possible for him.
Yumi didn't come out of her room for the rest of the night. Odd was mysteriously quiet and meek as though the incident had humbled him greatly. In truth, Yumi's wrath was a scary thing and was not something one survived without scars on some level. Even Ulrich had a healthy respect for her temper now, and was even more amazed at her level of self-control. He would have done far worse if Odd had unceremoniously disrobed him. He would have at least hit Odd.
Ulrich found himself admiring the other's guard's gall though. He had taken a stand for what he thought was right, even if he had gone about it the wrong way. He knew he had to do something to prevent the wedding, but was at a loss as to what.
But the morning broke into sunshine and with it came Yumi, wearing a pale green gown as she emerged from the chambers. She didn't seem angry so it was pretty safe to assume she wasn't, as Yumi didn't hide emotions well.
Minutes earlier a vassel had scampered up and entered the chambers with a message for Yumi. Now she had come out with a warm smile.
"I am going to the library," she announced to Ulrich and Odd.
Odd still couldn't manage to speak to her, so Ulrich articulated what they were both thinking. "Why?"
"I have to do research on Western-style weddings," the Princess explained.
"Your wedding isn't going to be Japanese?" Apparently Odd could speak, and his voice was incredulous.
Yumi blinked. "Of course. In case you have forgotten, Odd, we are in France. Ulrich, would you please accompany me to the library?"
Ulrich nodded. "Of course." He followed her off down the hallway.
The pair had made it down the grand staircase when they found themselves surrounded by the ladies of the court. The group consisted mostly of the ladies-in-waiting of the various female guests and the attendants of the King. They were flighty, fickle creatures that were only concerned with the latest gossip, and Yumi had forbidden both Aelita and Naomi to associate with the lot of them to prevent her own servants from becoming similar.
The group's resident leader, a maid of the King's named Josie, stepped forward and pressed her face uncomfortably close to Yumi's own. "Are you really marrying the Prince?"
The Princess drew herself back slightly and stared in annoyance at the presumtous girl. "Yes I am, and you would do well to address me by my title."
The group gave a collective gasp as though Yumi had just sworn at them. They looked at Josie to provide an explanation for this.
She did, almost shrieking at the shocked Princess. "How dare you! You are not fit to be his wife! We know about your trist into the village!" At this point the other girls nodded in agreement, each looking properly scandalized. "We heard all about it, all the boyfriends, the inappropriate behavior! You don't belong here!"
Ulrich waited for Yumi to snap that nothing had happened in the village. To defend herself. To do something. But there she stood, looking suddenly very small. As everyone watched, a single tear charted a course down her cheek.
Then she was back. "How dare you! You have overstepped your stations, every single one of you! His Majesty will hear of this!" The pack of girls paled and started mumbling excuses, but Yumi was past listening. She stalked straight through the thick of the ladies and moved on, leaving Ulrich little choice but to follow.
Several corridors and an almost unearthly silence later, the tension was shattered by Millie and Tamiya. The younger girls skipped up and gazed at Yumi with a mix of awe and affection.
"Will you play with us," Millie asked inncently.
"Please," Tamiya added for good affect.
Yumi managed a kind smile for them, but shook her head. "Sorry, girls. I have to go and start planning my wedding."
"To Jeremie," they squealed in unison with smiles on their faces. When Yumi nodded they threw their arms around her in glee. "Yay!" They scampered off down the hall, thrilled ta the prospect of a big sister.
"They're good kids," Yumi said to Ulrich as she watched the girls run off. She didn't get a response.
"I have to have a white dress," Yumi mused aloud as she traced her finger over a line in the book.
"That is ridiculous," Ulrich said without looking up from his own book. "Why does it have to be white?" They were sitting across from each other at a narrow table in the castle's library. It was so narrow the books were nearly overlapping each other, but the duo made do with the space they had.
"I don't know," the irate princess responded. "Why must you nit-pick every Western tradition?"
"Because it's their tradition that got you into this marriage mess," he snapped back.
"Betrothal is an Eastern tradition as well," she argued, slamming the book shut with a bang.
"Only among close families," Ulrich retorted. "Not among complete strangers that live halfway across the world!"
"Oh, who asked you anyway," Yumi said sourly. She re-opened the book and glared down at it, pretending to read.
"You did, if I'm not mistaken, Princess." Yumi looked up.
"I did, didn't I," she said in a quiet voice. "Since I'm asking you things anyway, what is your opinion of my marrying Jeremie?"
There was a pause a beat long while Ulrich considered. Neither of them noticed at the library door creeped open. In a spur-of-the-moment move, he leaned across the table and touched his lips to Yumi's. When they parted, the Princess looked shocked.
"I knew it." The couple jumped and turned towards the doorway. There stood Jeremie, looking as smug as possible for him.