Disclaimer: Yu-gi-Oh, regretfully, isn't mine.
Princess Training Camp
By: Yume Silvershadow
Chapter 2-The meeting First round
Her dainty hand knocked on the huge, luxurious gates of the Kaiba dwelling. It wasn't really the biggest of all castles she had ever seen, neither was it the most beautiful, but it was definitely the most alive. You had to give it that.
On second thought, maybe that was just because hundreds of foot men were rushing to the gate while another hundred were escorting various ladies in a long, long, long single line. Serenity's forehead twitched.
One of the men, opened the gates for her and inside was noisier. Another grabbed her hand and led her to the back of the line.
"Boy, how many people are there?" She tilted her head sidewards. From the entrance door, throughout the whole garden, the line almost reached the walls.
"Milady," The foot man replied. "I was informed this came at a first come, first serve basis. Only 200 shall be accepted and you happen to be the 199th."
Oh…"
"And the last one has just arrived." The footman gestured to a lady clad in a yellow gown with a matching yellow ribbon that was tied around her neck in a scarf. She had hair of chocolate and warm, blue eyes that spoke of kindness and a hearty smile.
Serenity gazed down at her own attire, a simple brown cloak on top of a simple green dress that Bakura said matched her eyes. She didn't bother to tie her hair at all. She felt like a simpleton.
"Hey there." The girl said.
"…Hi," Serenity smiled. "I'm Serenity."
"I'm Lady Tea, Countess of Faunfaeth. Nice to meet you."
Serenity blinked. "A nobility?"
"Hmm…? Uh, yeah. I'm an only child and my father was earl of Faunfaeth…"
"Then…the pleasure's mine to have, Lady Tea."
The girl smiled. "Thank you, Serenity. I'm glad I've found a companion."
"Your welcome."
Tea's lips parted to respond, but a loud bell interrupted them, and at once, 200 faces jerked to the source, at their right, where two noblemen stood, accompanied by two footmen at either side.
The smaller of the nobles, the one in a blue waistcoat, spoke first. "Ladies. I am Prince Mokuba, and I hereby announce the start of the princess training camp.
"We will start right away, and let me explain briefly the purpose of this event: This training will be in various fields and on each some would be eliminated, and you have our apologies. The final five will have chances of being a princess, and will be chosen from by Prince Seto hisself.
"The first round will eliminate 100, or half, of you. It is the simplest round where you line up in front of Prince Seto and he will choose the half of you that go in."
Murmurs rouse from the crowd but Serenity's gaze was transfixed on the Prince. Or rather, at his hand. In one pale finger. The signet ring rested. That was it! The one she had to get!
The line's movement changed, the ones in the front rushing to Kaiba, forming a sidewards 'L'. The first round had begun.
Serenity lifted her gaze, observing the prince for the first time. He had dark-brown hair, like Lady Tea's, except darker, and piercing cerulean eyes. He held a frown against his pale features. He dressed in shades of red from head to toe, which was even more in contrast with the rest of him.
"What do you think?" Lady Tea's voice beside her asked.
"Think of what?"
"The round, whatever else? Looks like Prince Seto, as rumored, is picky."
Serenity glanced at the women and felt sudden pity. It was true. Currently, only around ten had passed while at least twenty-five were leaving already.
"At least, we're on the end of the line, so if he picks so less, we're bound to get in by too less candidates." Serenity joked.
Lady Tea laughed. "Could be."
The picking went on for hours of time, until the last ten were left, and unlike what Serenity predicted, only six of them could go in. Instead of the one-by-one procedure that was used earlier, Prince Seto moved to the side, examining them all at the same time as the footmen announced,
"From right, Lady Sarah, Lady Genna, Miss Charise, Lady…"
For each name, those cerulean eyes snapped to the lady, who all stood poised. Quickly, he gestured to three ladies, who silently but ecstatically joined the crowd of picked candidates. However, to Serenity's disappointment, she wasn't part of those three. So seven were left.
"You—Lady Tea." Prince Seto muttered.
Lady Tea smiled in response, and walked away, but not before handing an encouraging smile to Serenity.
'My chances are dropping…' Serenity thought.
Just then, Serenity could melt under the Prince's gaze. She felt self-conscious as his eyes flickered from her normal, messy brown hair, to the ugly cloak and a trace of a simple green dress and her simple green slippers. But there was one thing Serenity noticed.
He never looked at any of their eyes. That was quite rude, and she wondered if he did it on purpose.
"Miss…Miss Serenity." His voice interrupted her thoughts and she immediately blinked, and looked at the Prince, and for a moment, his blue orbs held her green ones before jerking away.
With a satisfied smile, Serenity joined Lady Tea, happy that at least she wasn't the last to be chosen.
Still smiling, Serenity chose to go to the garden.
After the preliminary round, the hundred princess candidates were given free time to do whatever they want, and most opted to buy frivolous gowns and excessive jewelry, for all the expenses would be paid by the Kingdom.
However, to Serenity, gowns and jewelries were a waste of time. She had left her cloak in the Princess' Lounge, a huge room that had the size of four rooms. She felt contented in the flat green dress that had average square neckline, short sleeves and didn't show any cleavage. It fell shortly pass her knee and hung at her slim waist.
The gardens were beautifully tended, she noticed. Flowers bloomed everywhere and the hedges were specially cut evenly.
Beside her, Lady Tea Gardner chattered easily.
"So, how long have you been in Domino Kingdom, Serenity?"
Serenity smiled. "I arrived here yesterday."
"Yesterday? So you came here just to join this princess camp thing?"
"What? Oh, no, I didn't. I didn't even know about it before I came. You see, my mast—friend, Bakura, encouraged me to go in. How about you?"
Tea sighed. "I've been to Domino numerous times, but do not actually live here. I live in the Faunfaeth manor with my uncle. He is the one who wished me to join here."
Serenity heard it, the faint bitterness that edged her voice. "You didn't want to?"
"Honestly, I can't say so. But a guardian's will comes before a daughter's. And my uncle is my guardian, as both my parents have passed away. He wanted me to be wed, to Prince Seto, so he sent me here a fortnight ago."
"Oh, that's terrible, almost like an arranged marriage!"
"Something like that, I guess. Rumor is, Prince Seto's looking for wife, and as son as possible too. This Princess Camp thing was made to single out girls who were most fit."
At this, Serenity laughed, then bent down to pick a single flower, a small orchid. "Well, he must be in such a hurry."
"Of course. The King isn't in his best health anymore."
"You mean—he's dying?" She asked in surprise, taking the hint.
"Oh, bluntly said! Yes, his health is failing him, and they say he only has a six months, or a year at max. Seems he's off to see the Crowned Prince married before he dies. I reckon he has less time, though."
"But why would you say that?"
Tea shook her head, taking the flower from Serenity's hand. "Because this is his third heart-attack this year, and it's highly likely. Personally though, it's rather good that Prince Seto's rising up to the throne."
Serenity choked, hearing the words, and turned to her friend in a mixture of disbelief. "I beg your pardon?"
"King Gozaburo Kaiba, is a harsh man, and an intimidating king. Wonders, because he actually made the kingdom prosper under his iron rule. I hope Prince Seto would not end up like him."
It wasn't until they reached the front doors of the castle before Tea spoke again. "I'll see you later, my friend. You better get some rest anyways, you look pale."
Serenity only nodded. Her face had turn ashen when she heard about the King, and for once, she felt slight anger for Tea. To wish a King dead, indeed!
No matter how cruel he turned out to be, it was just…disloyal and disrespectful. Still, she dreaded the King and the inevitable meeting they would probably have if she went on with this training Camp.
Against Tea's advice, she spent the rest of the day still at the garden, wondering what kind of strange situation she got herself into. She hasn't even seen the signet ring again.
Silently, she cursed Prince Seto and his stupid ring.
Authoress' Notes: You might have noticed, this chapter has been re-written, because I had to take something out. Okay, so I got tangled up with the plot.
About Gozaburo being King, Seto being his blood son, Tea's family and all the stuff I changed, well, let's just leave it at that.
Love to hear any comments and/or suggestions, via review!