Chapter Seventeen: I Hear Wedding Bells (Warning: Severe OCCness ahead...)

How far do I have to go

To make you understand?

I want to make this work

So much it hurts

But I just can't

Keep on giving

Go on living

With the way things are.

So I'm gonna walk away

And it's up to you to say

How far
Martina McBride 'How Far'

Yumi and Sissy both jumped as the doors swung open. Jeremie led Aelita in, hand-in-hand. Behind them, Odd and Ulrich were grinning childishly, caught up in the moment and obviously in full knowledge of what was going on.

Yumi rose from her chair to greet him. Naomi poked her head out of the ajacent room to catch the action in silent amusement. Sissy was also watching with intrest, eager to see the scene play itself out. She and Yumi had come to terms on the idea of not marrying the Prince, but his response was worth watching.

Eyesbrows rose all around at the sight of Aelita holding hands with Jeremie, causing both of them to blush. Yumi put on a bemused smile, but waited for a explanation before concluding anything aloud. If she had learned anyhting it was not to assume things about others, a lesson learned in the village and reinforced in that very palace.

"I would like to discuss the terms of our engagement," Jeremie said to the princess.

"You want to break our engagement," Yumi clarified for him.

He looked startled at her guess, but nodded. "Indeed. As you can see..." Jeremie trailed off, his eyes flitting towards hid right hand clasped in Aelita's left.

Yumi smiled fully. "I'm happy for you two. Have you told your father? I'm sure he'll want a say in this."

"Yes, well," Jeremie looked at Aelita for support. She offered none, and he hung his head. "We were going to wait a bit to tell him." The prince shifted his weight back and forth slightly like a naughty child who knew he was about to be admonished (Vocab word! My English teacher would be proud, lol) for a wrong deed.

"I don't blame you. But what about honor?"

The question was greeted with silence for a moment, but Jeremie eventually responded. "Some things are more important."

Yumi nodded. "I agree. Some things are."

Sissy broke the ensueing silence with a sharp clap of her hands. "I hate to interrupt, but Yumi has some serious thinking to do." She gestured towards the window. "I suggest we all retire to our own chambers for the night."

There was a general murmmer of concensus and good-nights were said all around. Yumi tried to catch Ulrich's eye, but he avoided her skillfully.

Naomi showed Sissy to her own room just down the hall. Yumi flopped down onto the four-poster with a dramatic sigh of exaustion. "Happy endings all around," she said to Aelita.

The maidservant looked at her, confused. "What about you?"

"I'll probably be packed back off to Japan with Naomi and Sissy. I will recieve a severe scolding from Father after this little escapade, and be locked up in some remote tower until I die."

Aelita looked at her, horrified. "The last part was a joke," Yumi assured her, though Aelita was obviously not amused.

"What about marrraige? Ruling your kingdom?" Aelita sat down beside her. "Your life isn't over, Yumi."

"I never said it was," Yumi admitted. "But if I do marry, I want it to be for love."

"And who do you love," the maidservant pressed.

Yumi rolled over onto her stomach. "I don't know."
"Follow your heart," she advised.

Yumi looked up at her, startled. "That's exactly what Sissy said!"

Aelita laughed. "I'm not surprised. She only wants what's best for you, you know that, right?"

"Yes, I do. I just wish it was easier to take that advice."

-----

Yumi awoke to a sunny morning and the sound of Aelita and Naomi shuffling around preparing for the day. She rose and found her dress laid out for her. Yumi dressed wordlessly and informed the girls that she was going down for breakfast. She had come to a decision, but acting on it would be the hard part.

Slipping out the chamber door she found Ulrich alone standing at attention. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"I need to talk to you. Where's Odd?"

He didn't move. He did blink, which she took as a good sign. "Down getting breakfast."

"Good. This is important," she assured him.

"What about," he asked, still not making eye contact.

"You. Me. Us. Jeremie. Aelita."

"You are a Japanese princess. I am your guard. I am here to protect you, though it's not always an easy job. The prince is your fiance. Aelita is your maidservant who is in love with your fiance. Does that cover it?"

"No, that doesn't not cover it!" Tears sprang to her eyes. Ulrich was still not looking at her directly, but Yumi could see the concern flash across his face. "What happened between us?"

"I overstepped my boundaries." It was said simply and quickly, as though he had been prepared to say it all along.
"I crossed the line."

"There was no line! Now there is a line, because you can't even have a simple conversationw ith me anymore! You put this wall up, Ulrich! This is your chance to tear it back down."

"How do we know the wall isn't a good thing?"

"Do you trust me? I think that if Jeremie and Aelita can do it, so can we. I like you Ulrich, I realized last night that I don't care what my family thinks."

"Are you sure you're ready to deal with the consequences of that statement?"

The question caught yumi off guard, but she nodded. "Yes."

Ulrich looked at her for the first time. He took her cheek in one hand and kissed her gently. (Twitch. Twitch. Too much waff....brain can't handle.....)

Yumi appeared shocked when they parted. "How are we going to tell my father," she asked numbly.

"I say we don't."

"What?!" Yumi's eyes went wide and she gaped in shock.

"Let's not tell him. Let's just get married. It's not like anyone can stop us."

"He'll have it annuled faster than we can blink," Yumi objected.

"And sacrifice the family honor? Never."

Yumi gazed at him. "You're really serious about this, aren't you?" It wasn't really a question.

"Of course. Why wait? Let's go, right now!" Ulroch grabbed Yumi's hand and they ran off down the corridor.