It was amazing what one could do with so much to do and the small time frame of which to do it in was a special incentive, thought Minako. But still that didn't keep some of the stuffier, etiquette driven nobles from sniffling in disdain of her wardrobe as she walked through the Palace's "Upper Court" where the throne sat to greet visiting royals and where meetings of business was held.
She thought she had pulled off a rather good appearance for having a whole of fifteen minutes to ready herself-she wore a silver blouse that stopped a good three inches above her navel and showed off her arms through filmy gauze like sleeves. Her trouser were silver blue that were bound at the knees and stuck to the bottom parts of her legs like a glove. She wore a thin veil of silver to cover her body but her mouth was doubled veiled by a mouth veil of the same color but one could see her rogue red lips twisted in a grin. Her hair was bound tight in a knot at the base of her head.
Really she was grinning at upsetting the pompous old nobles and she knew that her attire was mostly only the first of many faults they would find in her-she knew for a fact her thin veils revealed too much of her body that what was acceptable. She could hear some of the concubines, the little wives as they were called, hiss and cluck their tongues in distaste. She didn't doubt that at least one of the Skeit's head wives was probably doing the same.
"The Lady Aphrodite Minako the Third of the Aino Line." announced the herald. Minako drew up to her full height, drew on all of her grace, and seemed to glide past everyone and up to the Skeit.
Minako had heard tales of the Skeit's great beauty was not disappointed-but that didn't please her either. He was undoubtly handsome with his chin length white hair and violet eyes-what displeased her so the look in the eyes. There was a haughty, arrogant look in his eyes-and his spider looks at her bared skin held ill contained wanting. Pervert. hissed something in her mind and she whole heartedly thought it so.
"Milady." purred Diamond. Minako wished she had tossed more clothes on-she'd sooner please the stuffy nobles than that disturbing look in his eyes. Damnit, he wasn't supposed to like her. He was supposed to look at his displeased nobles, catch the hint, and send her away. She didn't know why he had sent for her-no, actually she knew so. She was a beauty-as had her mother before and her mother before her.
"Your holiness." she murmured bobbing in a bow.
---------------
Ami looked at the young fidgeting woman at Zoisite's side. "This, Ami," he started, "is Usagi-help show her around a bit and explain to her if she has any questions-Sorry, guys, but I have to leave." Before either girl could say a word he had slipped back out of the room. He is always doing that. silently fumed Ami as she frowned at the door.
She turned back to Usagi and was suddenly at a loss for words. Usagi had apparently the same problem and for nearly a minute they stared at each other in an awkward silence. "So...what am I to do here?" asked Usagi suddenly breaking the silence.
"Well, you'll be working with me here-mainly we take care of the workrooms, libraries, and hallways-the little and head wives have their own servants, as does the Skeit. Nearly everyone is pulled into cleaning the kitchens later tonight." listed Ami until Usagi's eyes had glazed over somewhere in between her talking. She sighed and tugged on Usagi's sleeve to catch her attention. "This place is big, but usually there's someone around you not too far away in case you get lost. If you have any questions just ask me."
"Um, well...where do we sleep?" asked Usagi after a moment.
"We'll down in the servant's quarters, all women servant's bunk together except for the royal's personal servants." she explained. "Now, just to tell you, no men are allowed in the women's quarters. I-if you have a suitor and ...well, you'll just to find some other..." she trailed so flustered and red in the face that she couldn't continue. Usagi blushed a little herself and smiled to try and ease the tensed maid.
"One last question!"
Ami nodded. "Alright, what is it?"
"When do we eat? I'm starving!"
Suddenly, Ami's day looked a lot more interesting than before.
---------------
Kunzite sipped from his wine goblet as he stared out in the burning sky as the sunset, leaning against a pillar as the shadow stretched out behind him. His grey eyes were contemplative as he thought to earlier that day. Behind him, there was a celebration in full swing roaring.
He had been present to the presentation of the Lady Aphrodite Minako earlier that day. He had remained quietly in the shadows slightly behind the crowd of nobles and less than a stone's through away from the jalis were the wives of the Skeit watched. He could hear the hiss and growls from both the wives and the nobles as the Lady had entered the Throne Room.
He, himself hadn't caught a good look at the new prospective Head wife. The other nobles and wives did though-they had seen what he hadn't; the young woman under the silver blue veil. The Lady was well known for her beauty-hair of bleached gold, eyes of rain washed skies and whatnot-the rumors spread far of her beauty that she had inherited from her mother was striking. He was half sorry for not catching a good glance at the beauty.
But his true reason for being at her presentation was to greet the new candidate for another Head wife. No, he had come to see the other nobles reactions to the new girl. The hisses and mutterings of the little wives had meant little to him-court intrigues were vicious among them-besides, any allies among the little wives had already been made months ago. The nobles angry reproach to the young maybe-bride was exactly what he had not only expected but had hoped for-angry nobles meant prospective allies among the older noble houses. If the old noble houses were to support the cause for the rebellion then the power that the rebellion would have could only grow.
This Lady Aphrodite Minako's proposed marriage was working more to his advantage than he had thought-if just first presentation of the blonde haired beauty would evoke this kind of reaction in the old noble houses he could only imagine how upset they would truly be if the Skeit chose to marry the young woman. The Lady's background was enough to start a violent reaction of disapproval from the nobles-if she really was chosen to be a Head wife as the circulating rumors suggested then the Skeit would hell to pay possibly...
"Milord?" whispered a servant, upon bowed knee offering him a tray of fruits. He picked a sticky fig and shooed away the servant with a careless wave of his hand. He rolled the fig about his fingers thinking letting his fingers become sticky and sweet before eating the fig.
It was too bad that the Lady Aphrodite Minako was such a beauty-her own face had signed her death warrant. Well, perhaps she could survive the court intrigues and perhaps a poisoning-poisoning was a favorite way to kill a royal now a days. Suddenly, a sneer threatened to mar his face. He remembered the giant scandal just before the Skeit Diamond had come to the throne.
Well, even if the Lady survived all of that it was more than doubtable that she could survive the rebellion.
He wondered how many lives would be lost in the rebellion-tens? Hundreds? Thousands?
One death was for certain to happen-the Skeit or his own Prince Endymion. He quietly hoped the former and not the later.
And silently in the back of his head he hoped the Lady wouldn't die either-he knew what it meant to be a pawn in a much larger and far dangerous game.
---------------
Minako sighed as she reclined into her pillows. Her presentation had left her drained and wary. She wasn't a fool-she knew instantly that the nobles and wives had already taken a hatred towards her. She had thought that with over 300 little wives that at least some would welcome her. She hadn't been approached by one yet so she decided with quickly on one thing: Her life here was going to be hell.
She wanted to get back on her elephant and go home-well actually at the moment it would be fine if she could just walk back home. She wished she could go back to her kingdom-back to the royal city in the warm green valley and away from this cold hard palace with it's king that had too many wives and it's strict nobles.
She had tried to convince herself on the way here to the White Royal Palace that it would be an adventure-now that she was here her pleasant hopes were dashed. She had always tried to believe that she should look for the best in people-she had instantly dislike the Skeit and she couldn't get over her first impressions of him.
Minako grumbled and wretched herself up off her pillows and walked to her jalis-beyond it she could see a courtyard and on the opposite side of it from her a celebration raged exuberantly. She had been excused from the party by the Skeit himself-she probably tired, he had guessed. She looked out to the party and sighed. She looked behind the pillars to see the dancing figures inside-she had missed his nearly invisible form-it was his hair that had lead to her finding him amongst the pillars.
To her horror she had first thought it was the Skeit-the white hair was an unusual attribute. But after looking closely she realized this figure had smoky grey eyes and his white hair brushed his shoulders unlike the Skeit's chin length hair.
His face was handsome and his figure slim and tall with broad shoulders. A wine goblet dangled from his hand which rested against his hip and his left arm was folded across his waist. He leaned back against the white marble pillar and stared up at the blood sky.
She wondered what his name was.
XD Alright, we got M meeting D, A meeting U, K "meeting" M, and M finding K. That's quite a bit. You guys don't know how hard this chapter put a fight-bloody little bastard chapter... Ah... oops, forget I said that. Geez, I seem to forgotten my N/M and my R/J. Oh, well maybe next chapter...
Friends1004-Thank you, I appreciate it. What's your favorite part so far?
Serenathy-A/Z is a underrated coupling. I think they could be a lot more unique than how I've seen some fanfics portraying them as stiff/shy/...well just playing acting like each other. I think Zoi is fun like this. And don't worry about the U/E thing-it'll make sense and that's all I say on the subject. I'll explain it later. Otherwise than that-no comment on the name thing (wink wink). I'm glad she's working on it too.
Sapphire Midnight! If you're reading this than know we are waiting for you and your great stories! XD Later peoples...and review! I work faster with reviews!