3.
A young man can be seen standing on the small bridge over the small pond, watching the
blooming water lilies, appreciating it's beauty. It is already evening and the surrounding was
very peaceful. The young mans' attire were bluish green in colour, with embroidered
patterns made by the best tailors in the country. His brown eyes were shining and full of
warmth for he was waiting for the return on his younger brother. He is, the one and only,
the elder of the royal prince.Tonight, the royal family will be having dinner together as to
celebrate the homecoming of the younger prince, his brother.
"Prince Kogure, Prince Rukawa has arrived and he is waiting for you in his room now." A
palace worker that he assigned to tell him the arrival of his brother finally came in for
report.
"Thank you, you may go now. I will see my brother by myself." The young prince sent the
worker away. After that, he went to his brother's room, whose he hadn't seen in a few
months time. When he arrived in front of his brother's room, he can see all the maids and
workers standing outside his brother's room. He smiled to himself. When the maids saw him,
they bowed to him and he makes a gesture, asking them to leave. After they left, he
knocked on his brother's door.
"Kaede-chan, it's me. May I enter?" he asked. Suddenly, the door opened and he saw his
little brother. Not exactly little but, over the years, Prince Rukawa Kaede has grown taller
than his elder brother.
"Onisan, please enter." Kogure smiled at his brother who doesn't seem too enthusiastic
about having a visitor. But, he knew truly that Rukawa Kaede, loved him very much as a
brother. And he is the closest person to Rukawa. When they were finally inside the room,
Kogure hugs his little brother tight before sitting at the table and start conversing.
"Kaede, I heard you graduated from the Royal Academy with excellent result.
Congratulations." Kogure praised his brother for he has heard that Rukawa is an excellent
student. He is one of the best at the Royal Academy. The Royal Academy is an elite academy
for young man like Prince Rukawa Kaede. Only high officers send their children there or rich
people or the royal prince. But their identity and true ranks is kept secret for safety. "I
heard you are elected as the best student of the academy. Congratulations."
"Thank you." The younger of the prince answered. Kogure eyed his brother carefully.
"You don't seem to be very happy, Kaede. What's wrong?" Kogure asked. He is the one who
truly understands Rukawa. Only he could see through his brother's stony feature. Kogure
smiled to his brother. "It is okay, Kaede. I know you must be tired but we will be having
dinner with the rest of the royal family tonight. All the kings will be coming tonight."
"Yes, onichan. You will come too tonight?" Rukawa asked his brother. Rukawa knew that
Kogure is always absent during dinner. But, he cannot understand why. Besides that, Kogure
is the only member of the royal family that does not go out much.
He did not manage to say much when the arrival of the Empress was announced and the
stood up, as a sign of respect before greeting the Empress with their tradition gesture.
"Welcome back, Kaede." the Empress said, before taking a seat at on of the chairs. "You
may get up now." continued the Empress. Then, she asked Rukawa to sit at the seat beside
her.
"How are you now Kaede?" asked the Empress.
"I am fine. Thank you Your Highness." Rukawa answered. The Empress smiled at him and
patted his head.
"Kaede, formalities is no the priority in a family. I am your grandmother." The Empress
explained.
"Yes, grandmother."
"Kogure Kiminobu, have you checked the preparations for the banquet tonight.?
"Yes, Your Highness. I have sent someone to take care of the matter. I believe all the
preparations are ready." Kogure answered to the Empress. Hearing Kogure's answer, the
Empress nods her head.
"Good.Kaede, I think I shall leave you alone for the time being. I will see you later." With
that, the Empress and her escorts left Rukawa's room. Kogure left afterwards, after
excusing himself. Rukawa watched his brother's retreating figure into the night. How much
he missed his brother. The brother that he thought his only family when they were young
children. He would never forget each childhood memory that they shared. In the huge villa
where they grew up, where he felt so lonely, his brother is always trying to cheer him up.
They played together, by the river accompanied by their governor, Gohiki and Kogure is the
only one who can persuade him to pay attention during Gohiki's boring lessons.
When they both got home, to the Imperial City reunited with their family Rukawa didn't
feel very excited as he was feeling when he just knows about his family. He was just seven
during the time they return to the palace. And Kogure was nine. He remembered Kogure
doing perfectly what Gohiki taught them to do before, but he was too nervous and scared.
He saw the Empress nodding to Kogure and turned her attention towards him, perhaps
expecting him to bow and greet her. He had expected the rest of the family would receive
them both with hugs, like in the story books that Gohiki red to them. The protocols are
making him nervous. But he was relieved when the Empress smiled and gestured him towards
her. When he got near her, she hugs him and smiled at him. He was happy, and he spend that
night with his grandmother, or the Empress.
It happened many years ago but to Rukawa, the event was still fresh in his mind.
Something about that day. Not long after that, he was sent to the Royal Academy, while his
brother is still under Gohiki's care, in the palace. Rukawa sighed. It's been so long. He wants
the night to end quickly. He was very tired and he needs a very good night sleep. He dressed
himself, and headed towards the banquet hall.
A young man can be seen standing on the small bridge over the small pond, watching the
blooming water lilies, appreciating it's beauty. It is already evening and the surrounding was
very peaceful. The young mans' attire were bluish green in colour, with embroidered
patterns made by the best tailors in the country. His brown eyes were shining and full of
warmth for he was waiting for the return on his younger brother. He is, the one and only,
the elder of the royal prince.Tonight, the royal family will be having dinner together as to
celebrate the homecoming of the younger prince, his brother.
"Prince Kogure, Prince Rukawa has arrived and he is waiting for you in his room now." A
palace worker that he assigned to tell him the arrival of his brother finally came in for
report.
"Thank you, you may go now. I will see my brother by myself." The young prince sent the
worker away. After that, he went to his brother's room, whose he hadn't seen in a few
months time. When he arrived in front of his brother's room, he can see all the maids and
workers standing outside his brother's room. He smiled to himself. When the maids saw him,
they bowed to him and he makes a gesture, asking them to leave. After they left, he
knocked on his brother's door.
"Kaede-chan, it's me. May I enter?" he asked. Suddenly, the door opened and he saw his
little brother. Not exactly little but, over the years, Prince Rukawa Kaede has grown taller
than his elder brother.
"Onisan, please enter." Kogure smiled at his brother who doesn't seem too enthusiastic
about having a visitor. But, he knew truly that Rukawa Kaede, loved him very much as a
brother. And he is the closest person to Rukawa. When they were finally inside the room,
Kogure hugs his little brother tight before sitting at the table and start conversing.
"Kaede, I heard you graduated from the Royal Academy with excellent result.
Congratulations." Kogure praised his brother for he has heard that Rukawa is an excellent
student. He is one of the best at the Royal Academy. The Royal Academy is an elite academy
for young man like Prince Rukawa Kaede. Only high officers send their children there or rich
people or the royal prince. But their identity and true ranks is kept secret for safety. "I
heard you are elected as the best student of the academy. Congratulations."
"Thank you." The younger of the prince answered. Kogure eyed his brother carefully.
"You don't seem to be very happy, Kaede. What's wrong?" Kogure asked. He is the one who
truly understands Rukawa. Only he could see through his brother's stony feature. Kogure
smiled to his brother. "It is okay, Kaede. I know you must be tired but we will be having
dinner with the rest of the royal family tonight. All the kings will be coming tonight."
"Yes, onichan. You will come too tonight?" Rukawa asked his brother. Rukawa knew that
Kogure is always absent during dinner. But, he cannot understand why. Besides that, Kogure
is the only member of the royal family that does not go out much.
He did not manage to say much when the arrival of the Empress was announced and the
stood up, as a sign of respect before greeting the Empress with their tradition gesture.
"Welcome back, Kaede." the Empress said, before taking a seat at on of the chairs. "You
may get up now." continued the Empress. Then, she asked Rukawa to sit at the seat beside
her.
"How are you now Kaede?" asked the Empress.
"I am fine. Thank you Your Highness." Rukawa answered. The Empress smiled at him and
patted his head.
"Kaede, formalities is no the priority in a family. I am your grandmother." The Empress
explained.
"Yes, grandmother."
"Kogure Kiminobu, have you checked the preparations for the banquet tonight.?
"Yes, Your Highness. I have sent someone to take care of the matter. I believe all the
preparations are ready." Kogure answered to the Empress. Hearing Kogure's answer, the
Empress nods her head.
"Good.Kaede, I think I shall leave you alone for the time being. I will see you later." With
that, the Empress and her escorts left Rukawa's room. Kogure left afterwards, after
excusing himself. Rukawa watched his brother's retreating figure into the night. How much
he missed his brother. The brother that he thought his only family when they were young
children. He would never forget each childhood memory that they shared. In the huge villa
where they grew up, where he felt so lonely, his brother is always trying to cheer him up.
They played together, by the river accompanied by their governor, Gohiki and Kogure is the
only one who can persuade him to pay attention during Gohiki's boring lessons.
When they both got home, to the Imperial City reunited with their family Rukawa didn't
feel very excited as he was feeling when he just knows about his family. He was just seven
during the time they return to the palace. And Kogure was nine. He remembered Kogure
doing perfectly what Gohiki taught them to do before, but he was too nervous and scared.
He saw the Empress nodding to Kogure and turned her attention towards him, perhaps
expecting him to bow and greet her. He had expected the rest of the family would receive
them both with hugs, like in the story books that Gohiki red to them. The protocols are
making him nervous. But he was relieved when the Empress smiled and gestured him towards
her. When he got near her, she hugs him and smiled at him. He was happy, and he spend that
night with his grandmother, or the Empress.
It happened many years ago but to Rukawa, the event was still fresh in his mind.
Something about that day. Not long after that, he was sent to the Royal Academy, while his
brother is still under Gohiki's care, in the palace. Rukawa sighed. It's been so long. He wants
the night to end quickly. He was very tired and he needs a very good night sleep. He dressed
himself, and headed towards the banquet hall.