He doesn't look anything like I imagined he would, was Kaoru's first
thought. But what did I think he'd look like? She chided herself. Did I
picture a giant of a man who frothed at the mouth and wore animal skins?
Certainly not at all like he actually did look - he couldn't' have been taller than she herself was and she wasn't tall to begin with. He moved lithely like a stalking cat and had a delicate air to him. Like a light and finely tooled blade. His hair was as long as her own; tied back by a strip of leather, bangs falling free to hang about his face.
His face was delicately structured. How old _was_ he exactly? He didn't appear to be much older than a boy! A cross shaped scar was evident on his left cheek.
As delicate as he might look, his eyes told another story. Bright gold, they were as watchful and wary as a hawk's. Savage, merciless, Kaoru could believe the tales told about him just by looking in his eyes.
He wore a simple hakama and gi. Kaoru could see why her relatives considered him a barbarian. They wore elaborate, finely made clothes out of the highest quality (and most expensive) cloth.
He was as different from her family as night was to day. Oh the clothes he wore were finely made, but they were functional as well and void of any loose hanging tassels or gaudy jewels sewn into the cloth. He wore no gold or silver or other jewels, the sheath of the sword that hung at his hip was the most elaborate thing about him.
But, he had something... he gave off an aura. Dress him in rags and cover him in mud all you want. he was a king. It showed in the way he moved, his very presence. There was no doubt who ruled here.
"My lord," the leader of the group of riders bent in the saddle until his nose touched his horse's mane.
The Kings golden eyes flickered towards him, granting attention.
"In agreement of the treaty the Kasshin Royal Family has sent the daughter you asked for." He made a gesturing motion in Kaoru's direction and she sat straighter in the saddle.
How was she supposed to act? She wasn't a princess! She didn't know how to act like a princess! The last moon's worth of lessons and tutoring she had been given had been jumbled at best. How to curtsey properly (she already knew how to due that from years of serving), how to hold a cup of tea, how to walk right.
It was all useless information.
What good did a few weeks of rushed training do you when you were faced with a man who could behead you without sparing a thought? Kaoru wondered that in a perverse way her family might have planned for this to happen.
No, she dismissed the thought. Her family wanted this treaty, this alliance too badly (but not badly enough to send a true Royal), they wouldn't be sending her intentionally toward her death.
"Sire," she murmured. She mimicked the leaders bowing in the saddle hoping desperately her dress would decide to cooperate.
It did.
Good dress.
The King's mouth quirked slightly upward in what she thought was an approving smile. Kaoru did her best to meet his eyes without flinching (I will not show fear; I will not show fear became a mantra she chanted).
"Come. Katsu," he directed his words first to her and then to the leader, "bring her things to her rooms."
Her rooms.
Kaoru's rooms.
Perhaps it meant she wouldn't be forced against her will. Sharing a bed with a man she did not even know was not something that was at the top of Kaoru's favorite things list.
Things were looking up.
One of the riders dismounted and lifted her from the saddle obviously not trusting her to get out of it herself without ripping her dress. His hands lingered on her waist to help steady her as her feet touched ground and Kaoru didn't know whether to be offended or grateful.
She felt a touch at her elbow and turned to see Misao and Yahiko standing behind her looking decidedly uncomfortable. "What do we do?" Misao asked her usually bubbly voice void of its ever present enthusiasm.
Kaoru shook her head." I don't know. Go with Katsu and wait for me in my rooms."
"Good luck," Yahiko's eyes were solemn and it was a testament to his worry that he did not offer some sarcastic remark on her appearance or attitude.
Kaoru ruffled his hair an action that was guaranteed to be received with a scowl and a mutter of 'ugly.' It worked as it was supposed to and Kaoru smiled at the boy who she considered her younger brother. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."
Yahiko rolled his eyes in annoyance at her display of affection and jerked his head away from her touch," who would worry about any ugly old hag like you anyway?" He muttered, doing his best to smooth his already mussed up hair.
Kaoru tapped him on the nose with her finger, "mind your mouth." She reprimanded sternly.
Yahiko glowered in reply.
"Come on," Misao grabbed his sleeve and proceeded to haul him off with him yowling to let go.
"If you would please follow me," the words were accompanied by a polite touch of her shoulder and Kaoru turned to see a red liveried rider standing stiffly at attention. Kaoru wondered if the King's riders were given lessons in manners. They certainly didn't look or act like a bunch of bloodthirsty savages.
Kaoru picked up the hem of her dress delicately in one hand as she had been shown in her lessons and walked up the steps. Ahead of her was a vast hallway, glowing golden lamps hung from the ceiling and lined the walls.
The walls were bear of any ornaments except for a scrolling at the top and bottom and were made of some ivory gold veined rock that glittered whenever the light touched them. Kaoru found she liked them it was certainly a welcome change from the various sternly glowering portraits of this king and that one and that second-cousin-twice-removed-through-marriage.
The hallway lead through an arched opening and before was a dining room as large as any she had ever seen in the castle. It was packed from end to end with people, they mingled around the round small dining tables talking and laughing. At the back on a raised platform was a crescent shaped much larger table. That would be where Kaoru would dine, she guessed.
At her appearance all the eyes turned to her and Kaoru suddenly felt shy. Years of serving, learning to be invisible and unseen warred within her. She hated being stared at. But they didn't just stare they gawked openly.
A few women she noticed looked at her with barely concealed dislike. Obviously she had gotten in their way of marrying the King.
They could have him for all she cared.
Raising her head in a haughty manner (as she had seen the older princesses do) Kaoru walked down the steps.
Float, she commanded herself as the lessons she had been taught. Head up, shoulders back, and simply float, the voice of her tutor echoed in her mind.
The toe of her shoe caught the hem of her dress and Kaoru gritted her teeth. Forget floating, just walk normally she decided.
Following the rider she ignored everyone else. She was acutely aware of them and she had a peculiar itch between her shoulder blades as if someone would stab her in the back.
The King (what was his name exactly? It had never been found out - what a good show of diplomacy on her family's part), stood at the center of the table, beside him his riders and some other men she had not seen before stood as well. The chair on his left was empty she noticed and Kaoru figured that would be where she would be sitting.
He ignored her and Kaoru as she slipped into place beside him and Kaoru had a feeling that was a good thing. If he didn't notice her now, he wouldn't notice her later, was her reasoning.
Suddenly he raised his right arm and barked out something in a language Kaoru did not know. On top of everything else she'd have to learn to speak a new language, curse her relatives.
The people let out a high wailing cheer in response and Kaoru felt her ears ring. What was it exactly that he had said? Obviously seeing her confusion the man standing next to her bent over, "he's introducing you to the court." He told her.
And what should she do now? Kaoru opted for smiling and inclining her head. She felt like such a fool but it worked. They cheered again and Kaoru felt a soft throb settle against her temples. She was getting a headache from all the noise.
Food was brought in by red clad servants as the people sat. Platters of roast meat swimming in their juices, vegetables an fruits of kinds Kaoru had never seen before, a soft subtle tasting soup flavored by herbs.
Kaoru found their dining habits were as civilized as any she had seen in the Court (albeit they used far less cutlery). None spoke as they ate and so accustomed to the loud grating chatter of her relatives and their flunkies, to Kaoru, the silence seemed unnaturally loud. The King ignored her as if she did not exist and Kaoru was too hungry to engage him in any type of conversation. So she ate and ignored him in turn.
Food was cleared away as they finished and desert and skins of wine were brought in. Kaoru took an experimental sip of her wine and set it down, blinking back tears at the burning sensation it left in her throat. The desert - a honey, nut and fruit filled pastry she found much more agreeable.
Someone started playing music and as if responding to an invisible cues all the people of the lower tables got up to dance. The music was boisterous, wild and erratic, an utter contrast to the smooth sedate kind the Kasshin Court danced to.
The way of dancing here was different as well: at home the people danced in orderly sets and pairs. Here they danced alone, in pairs or at the most in a trio, exchanging partners on whim. They spun and twirled and leapt, arms flailing and tracing patterns in the air with quick precise gestures. Kaoru found it fascinating to watch and wondered why no one at the Upper table participated.
All too soon she found herself dozing, a long day and nerves had sapped her strength and she struggled to keep her eyes open and stay awake.
A hand touched her shoulder and she turned her head to the see the man sitting next to her, the seat on her other side where the King sat was empty, and Kaoru wondered when he had left and where he had gone (she made a mental note to ask his name the next time she saw him).
"You are tired milady. Would you like me to take you back to your rooms?"
Kaoru nodded, too tired to talk.
The hallways seemed to blur together as she trailed behind him to her rooms. At the door she murmured a thank you before going inside. She stripped off her dress to her under garments and crawled into the bed where she was promptly asleep.
Certainly not at all like he actually did look - he couldn't' have been taller than she herself was and she wasn't tall to begin with. He moved lithely like a stalking cat and had a delicate air to him. Like a light and finely tooled blade. His hair was as long as her own; tied back by a strip of leather, bangs falling free to hang about his face.
His face was delicately structured. How old _was_ he exactly? He didn't appear to be much older than a boy! A cross shaped scar was evident on his left cheek.
As delicate as he might look, his eyes told another story. Bright gold, they were as watchful and wary as a hawk's. Savage, merciless, Kaoru could believe the tales told about him just by looking in his eyes.
He wore a simple hakama and gi. Kaoru could see why her relatives considered him a barbarian. They wore elaborate, finely made clothes out of the highest quality (and most expensive) cloth.
He was as different from her family as night was to day. Oh the clothes he wore were finely made, but they were functional as well and void of any loose hanging tassels or gaudy jewels sewn into the cloth. He wore no gold or silver or other jewels, the sheath of the sword that hung at his hip was the most elaborate thing about him.
But, he had something... he gave off an aura. Dress him in rags and cover him in mud all you want. he was a king. It showed in the way he moved, his very presence. There was no doubt who ruled here.
"My lord," the leader of the group of riders bent in the saddle until his nose touched his horse's mane.
The Kings golden eyes flickered towards him, granting attention.
"In agreement of the treaty the Kasshin Royal Family has sent the daughter you asked for." He made a gesturing motion in Kaoru's direction and she sat straighter in the saddle.
How was she supposed to act? She wasn't a princess! She didn't know how to act like a princess! The last moon's worth of lessons and tutoring she had been given had been jumbled at best. How to curtsey properly (she already knew how to due that from years of serving), how to hold a cup of tea, how to walk right.
It was all useless information.
What good did a few weeks of rushed training do you when you were faced with a man who could behead you without sparing a thought? Kaoru wondered that in a perverse way her family might have planned for this to happen.
No, she dismissed the thought. Her family wanted this treaty, this alliance too badly (but not badly enough to send a true Royal), they wouldn't be sending her intentionally toward her death.
"Sire," she murmured. She mimicked the leaders bowing in the saddle hoping desperately her dress would decide to cooperate.
It did.
Good dress.
The King's mouth quirked slightly upward in what she thought was an approving smile. Kaoru did her best to meet his eyes without flinching (I will not show fear; I will not show fear became a mantra she chanted).
"Come. Katsu," he directed his words first to her and then to the leader, "bring her things to her rooms."
Her rooms.
Kaoru's rooms.
Perhaps it meant she wouldn't be forced against her will. Sharing a bed with a man she did not even know was not something that was at the top of Kaoru's favorite things list.
Things were looking up.
One of the riders dismounted and lifted her from the saddle obviously not trusting her to get out of it herself without ripping her dress. His hands lingered on her waist to help steady her as her feet touched ground and Kaoru didn't know whether to be offended or grateful.
She felt a touch at her elbow and turned to see Misao and Yahiko standing behind her looking decidedly uncomfortable. "What do we do?" Misao asked her usually bubbly voice void of its ever present enthusiasm.
Kaoru shook her head." I don't know. Go with Katsu and wait for me in my rooms."
"Good luck," Yahiko's eyes were solemn and it was a testament to his worry that he did not offer some sarcastic remark on her appearance or attitude.
Kaoru ruffled his hair an action that was guaranteed to be received with a scowl and a mutter of 'ugly.' It worked as it was supposed to and Kaoru smiled at the boy who she considered her younger brother. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."
Yahiko rolled his eyes in annoyance at her display of affection and jerked his head away from her touch," who would worry about any ugly old hag like you anyway?" He muttered, doing his best to smooth his already mussed up hair.
Kaoru tapped him on the nose with her finger, "mind your mouth." She reprimanded sternly.
Yahiko glowered in reply.
"Come on," Misao grabbed his sleeve and proceeded to haul him off with him yowling to let go.
"If you would please follow me," the words were accompanied by a polite touch of her shoulder and Kaoru turned to see a red liveried rider standing stiffly at attention. Kaoru wondered if the King's riders were given lessons in manners. They certainly didn't look or act like a bunch of bloodthirsty savages.
Kaoru picked up the hem of her dress delicately in one hand as she had been shown in her lessons and walked up the steps. Ahead of her was a vast hallway, glowing golden lamps hung from the ceiling and lined the walls.
The walls were bear of any ornaments except for a scrolling at the top and bottom and were made of some ivory gold veined rock that glittered whenever the light touched them. Kaoru found she liked them it was certainly a welcome change from the various sternly glowering portraits of this king and that one and that second-cousin-twice-removed-through-marriage.
The hallway lead through an arched opening and before was a dining room as large as any she had ever seen in the castle. It was packed from end to end with people, they mingled around the round small dining tables talking and laughing. At the back on a raised platform was a crescent shaped much larger table. That would be where Kaoru would dine, she guessed.
At her appearance all the eyes turned to her and Kaoru suddenly felt shy. Years of serving, learning to be invisible and unseen warred within her. She hated being stared at. But they didn't just stare they gawked openly.
A few women she noticed looked at her with barely concealed dislike. Obviously she had gotten in their way of marrying the King.
They could have him for all she cared.
Raising her head in a haughty manner (as she had seen the older princesses do) Kaoru walked down the steps.
Float, she commanded herself as the lessons she had been taught. Head up, shoulders back, and simply float, the voice of her tutor echoed in her mind.
The toe of her shoe caught the hem of her dress and Kaoru gritted her teeth. Forget floating, just walk normally she decided.
Following the rider she ignored everyone else. She was acutely aware of them and she had a peculiar itch between her shoulder blades as if someone would stab her in the back.
The King (what was his name exactly? It had never been found out - what a good show of diplomacy on her family's part), stood at the center of the table, beside him his riders and some other men she had not seen before stood as well. The chair on his left was empty she noticed and Kaoru figured that would be where she would be sitting.
He ignored her and Kaoru as she slipped into place beside him and Kaoru had a feeling that was a good thing. If he didn't notice her now, he wouldn't notice her later, was her reasoning.
Suddenly he raised his right arm and barked out something in a language Kaoru did not know. On top of everything else she'd have to learn to speak a new language, curse her relatives.
The people let out a high wailing cheer in response and Kaoru felt her ears ring. What was it exactly that he had said? Obviously seeing her confusion the man standing next to her bent over, "he's introducing you to the court." He told her.
And what should she do now? Kaoru opted for smiling and inclining her head. She felt like such a fool but it worked. They cheered again and Kaoru felt a soft throb settle against her temples. She was getting a headache from all the noise.
Food was brought in by red clad servants as the people sat. Platters of roast meat swimming in their juices, vegetables an fruits of kinds Kaoru had never seen before, a soft subtle tasting soup flavored by herbs.
Kaoru found their dining habits were as civilized as any she had seen in the Court (albeit they used far less cutlery). None spoke as they ate and so accustomed to the loud grating chatter of her relatives and their flunkies, to Kaoru, the silence seemed unnaturally loud. The King ignored her as if she did not exist and Kaoru was too hungry to engage him in any type of conversation. So she ate and ignored him in turn.
Food was cleared away as they finished and desert and skins of wine were brought in. Kaoru took an experimental sip of her wine and set it down, blinking back tears at the burning sensation it left in her throat. The desert - a honey, nut and fruit filled pastry she found much more agreeable.
Someone started playing music and as if responding to an invisible cues all the people of the lower tables got up to dance. The music was boisterous, wild and erratic, an utter contrast to the smooth sedate kind the Kasshin Court danced to.
The way of dancing here was different as well: at home the people danced in orderly sets and pairs. Here they danced alone, in pairs or at the most in a trio, exchanging partners on whim. They spun and twirled and leapt, arms flailing and tracing patterns in the air with quick precise gestures. Kaoru found it fascinating to watch and wondered why no one at the Upper table participated.
All too soon she found herself dozing, a long day and nerves had sapped her strength and she struggled to keep her eyes open and stay awake.
A hand touched her shoulder and she turned her head to the see the man sitting next to her, the seat on her other side where the King sat was empty, and Kaoru wondered when he had left and where he had gone (she made a mental note to ask his name the next time she saw him).
"You are tired milady. Would you like me to take you back to your rooms?"
Kaoru nodded, too tired to talk.
The hallways seemed to blur together as she trailed behind him to her rooms. At the door she murmured a thank you before going inside. She stripped off her dress to her under garments and crawled into the bed where she was promptly asleep.