Chapter 2:
Second Chapter! Yay! This one is a bit longer than the first one, so I hope it doesn't sound too choppy. But let me know what ya'll think!
Kyoko's nerves were back in full force as she approached the arching castle gates. Even though the sun was moving lower on the horizon and the heat of the day had already begun to subside, she still felt uncomfortably warm as she waited for the guards to clear her for entry. She'd dropped off her bags earlier that morning when she first arrived in the capital, and they were supposedly waiting for her in an assigned room. Anyone who was staying at the castle for the clinical exams was required to undergo a security search to guarantee they hadn't attempted to smuggle anything malicious that could potentially harm the royal family, or wrongfully assist them during the tests. After Kyoko had handed over her travel pack and satchel, she'd been directed towards a short wooden table operated by 3 of the palace guards. They'd seemed suspicious of her as she'd first approached, but refrained from any comments as they gave her a clinical student pin to wear on her collar that would verify her purpose for staying at the castle, as well as a small ID card with the specific test times and locations on it. One of the guards informed her she was free to roam around the palace and capitol city as she wished, but that she was advised to return before sundown in order to receive her room assignment and be escorted to her temporary quarters. Kyoko had decided to spend her day out of the palace, eager to roam around the marketplace and explore the capital's inner cities. She of course never imagined that her day would have been as draining as it turned out to be.
Now, as she stood in a short line waiting to reenter the palace, she could feel the heavy pressure of unwanted gazes burning holes into her back. No doubt most of the men surrounding her had noticed the shining pin strapped onto her collar. Despite changing public opinion and no limitation laws in place, it was still rare for a woman to pursue a professional career in medicinal practices. The southern region Kyoko lived in growing up had always been more open minded, but even then there were difficulties she had needed to deal with on a daily basis. She'd grown used to people's stares over the years, unbothered by whispers or rumors that often involved her. However, after the strain of the day's events, her nerves were worn thin and she wanted nothing more than to be escorted to her room so she could isolate herself with a good night's sleep.
In an attempt to distract herself from the judgmental looks that continued to be cast in her direction, Kyoko instead decided to focus on the beautiful greenery that surrounded her. Tall curving bushes that twisted around one another lined the palace walls, and she assumed they likely continued on for the entire perimeter. Smaller bushes adorned with vibrant flowers skirted beneath the twisting shrubs, varying from stunning oranges to delicate pinks. Their sweet scent was becoming more and more potent as the sun continued to set, and Kyoko briefly wondered if they were night blooming.
With a sharp push and zero warning, Kyoko was ripped out of her thoughts for the second time that day. Exasperated, she turned to snap at whichever man had decided to shove her so harshly. To her surprise, it wasn't a man that faced her, but a woman. Long black hair draped like a curtain along the sides of the stranger's face, framing beautiful features that Kyoko took a second too long to realize were glaring at her.
"Stop daydreaming and start walking. You're holding up the line." The woman wasn't even trying to sound remotely friendly, but too worn to start another argument Kyoko waved it off, turning back around and moving up in the line.
"Yeah yeah, my bad. I'll pay more attention next time."
Thankfully Kyoko didn't need to wait much longer before she reached the guards. A burly man wearing the royal insignia on his breastplate nodded to her, holding an almost comically long parchment in his hands.
"State your name and business," he ordered, voice painfully monotonous.
"Kyoko Mogami, sir. I'm here to take the clinical exams scheduled for the week," Kyoko flashed him her pin that rested on her collar and pulled out her ID card, verifying that she was indeed supposed to be there.
The guard looked down at his list, looked back to her, and signaled that she was clear to enter. Kyoko smiled as some of the nerves left her body, relieved that the interaction went smoothly. She was quickly led through by another guard, finally walking past the iron bars and onto the palace grounds.
She honestly shouldn't have been surprised. Of course the palace would be beautiful. But nothing could have prepared her for the breathtaking gardens that wrapped around the towering structures of chiseled stone. Trimmed hedges that grew taller than most of the buildings back home loomed over Kyoko, making her feel small as she followed the guard past countless plants and flowers that she couldn't even begin to name. Where she came from, the southern region was well known for its diverse ecosystems and plant life. But nothing even came close to what must have been hundreds of different species of plants that now surrounded her.
"Miss Mogami, this way please," The voice of the guard escorting her drew her attention back to reality, realizing she had lagged behind to appreciate a particularly beautiful blue orchid.
"Yes, of course! My apologies!" Kyoko cursed at herself for zoning out yet again, quickly catching back up to the guard. Soon enough they made it to the broad steps that led into the entryway of the palace, curving up and around each side of an unusually large wisteria tree. Kyoko had to stop herself from staring at the purple flowers that hung off of its branches for too long, refusing to fall behind yet again. They passed various people as they walked up the elegant stairs, none of which Kyoko knew. From the looks of their expensive clothing and reserved mannerisms, she assumed they were likely different noblemen or wealthy mages. She noticed several servants as well, dressed in more modest clothing as they rushed past to finish whatever duties they'd been assigned.
Reaching the top of the steps, Kyoko came to a stop as the guard turned to face her, gesturing towards a young servant boy waiting nearby.
"He will be showing you to the room you'll be staying in for the next few days. Please try to refrain from wandering past the main halls after sundown. There should be a basic supply of food in your room when you arrive, but if you find it is not to your satisfaction there will be periods of time between your tests that you can visit the market to shop for anything else you may need."
"I'm sure everything will be more than satisfactory, thank you very much," Kyoko bowed to the guard, making sure to show him her thanks before turning towards the servant she had been handed off to. He smiled widely at her, making his face look even younger than it already did.
"Good Evening Miss Mogami, my name is Piers. If you would please follow me, I will be escorting you to your room assignment."
Kyoko smiled back, more than happy to finally meet someone who appeared to be a friendly face. She followed Piers through the entryway, trying not to stare too openly at the marvelous carvings in the stone that seemed to be everywhere she looked.
If Kyoko thought the outside of the Palace was stunning, then nothing could have ever prepared her for the inside.
Decorated tiles lined with soft warm colors laid underneath her feet, stretching out along the many hallways and corridors. Lofty walls embellished in intricate designs and mosaics framed several large curving windows, causing scattered light to reflect in the panes and creating the illusion of sparkling crystals. A grand staircase rested in the center of it all, looming above her and decorated to match the marvelous room it resided in.
"It's beautiful," Kyoko whispered, stunned at the idea that there were people who actually lived like this.
Piers laughed, obviously amused by her sudden stupor.
"It sure is. I've been a servant here for almost 5 years and I'm still not sure I'm quite used to it yet."
Laughing lightly at Piers' comment, Kyoko managed to break her trance long enough to follow him down one of the smaller corridors to their left, leaving the grand staircase and glittering windows behind them.
It wasn't long before they ended up in a hallway lined with wooden doors that seemed to continue on for quite a ways. Piers stopped in front of a door on their right, pulling out a key to unlock it. Though not as lavish as the entrance, Kyoko could still tell that a great deal of craftsmanship had gone into carving the complicated designs that framed themselves along the stained wood.
"This is where you'll be staying for the week. Like the guard earlier said, there should be enough food in there for you, but you can of course supply yourself with more if you need to. I'll be back here in the morning around midrise to give you a quick tour of the castle grounds before you have to check in for the first test. Oh! And if you need anything before morning, there's usually a few guards and servants that pass down this hall throughout the night, so you can always ask them for help as well. Any questions?" Piers finished his spiel with an enthusiastic grin, handing her the key he had just used to unlock the door.
Despite the tired feeling that had been growing inside of her muscles, Kyoko couldn't help but smile back. "Nope, I think I should be able to figure it out from here. Thank you for escorting me, Piers."
"Of course, Miss Mogami. I'll see you in the morning then."
Waving as he walked away, Kyoko waved back before she turned the handle of the wooden door and stepped inside.
The first thing she saw as she closed the door behind her were her bags resting on the floor. The second thing she saw was a bed dressed in layers of thick padded sheets. Exhausted, Kyoko practically flung herself the remaining distance onto her bed, sighing in relief as she melted into a pile of soft blankets.
Finally, she thought to herself, feeling a bit of the tension start to leave her body. The bed was incredibly comfortable, far more luxurious than anything she had ever used before. Kyoko allowed herself a few more moments of bliss before forcing herself to sit up on the edge of the bed. Looking around the narrow room, she noticed a small sink and counter attached to the opposite wall underneath a set of wide wooden cabinets. Standing up, she walked over to open one of them, finding a decent amount of dried food and some ceramic dishes. Realizing she hadn't managed to eat a proper meal since the morning, Kyoko grabbed a small loaf of bread out of the pile, placing it on the counter as she continued to search through the rest of the food she had been given.
It only took a few minutes for Kyoko to whip up a small plate of bread, berries and cheese. Before she could take her dinner over to the dining table by the window, she noticed a tin tea set sitting to the left of the sink. Glass jars filled with various loose teas lined the wall behind it, their labels describing the lists of various ingredients inside. Curious, Kyoko searched the bottles, finding a calming kava lavender tea near the end. Reaching for the tin pot so Kyoko could fill it with water from the sink, she thumbed over the edges as she tried to find the small magic circle that would help to heat the water. Finding it near the top, she pressed her thumb on top of it, pouring some of her energy into the carving to activate the spell. She finished adding the water and tea, resting the pot on the side of the counter to steep while she ate. Picking her plate back up, Kyoko went to settle into one of the chairs facing out her window.
The sun had almost finished setting by now, only the faint remains of a pretty pink lingering in the sky. She bit into a slice of bread, appreciating the view of the garden that her room gave her. She knew she was still only on the first floor of the palace, yet the elevated view told her otherwise. Watching the darkening sky as she ate her meal, Kyoko's thoughts drifted to mull over the events of the last few days that had brought her here.
She thought about the nice couple she had been staying with on the outskirts of the capitol that encouraged her to come to the palace and take the clinical exams. Kyoko had been searching for a clinic that would take her in as an apprentice, but it was nearly impossible to convince anywhere to accept her since she was a woman. Although she worked in the shop with the couple she lived with, they only stocked the clinics with the potions, herbs, and salves that were needed. Kyoko had learned a lot from them over the last few months she had spent working there, but her passion was to work with patients, not spell books. She had been ready to give up when the landlady told her that her husband heard the palace was preparing to host their yearly clinical exams, saying it was Kyoko's chance to get her healers license and find a steady place of work. Kyoko tried to convince them that her talents simply weren't at the level of a palace physician's but the landlady wouldn't listen, insisting that Kyoko was far more talented than she realized. They'd given her the next few days off from the shop, saying she should spend the short time leading up to the exam studying, not working. The landlady had even been nice enough to help Kyoko pack her things for the week she would be gone, telling her that she would pass with flying colors and had nothing to worry about.
Now, as Kyoko sat eating her dinner while looking out at the palace grounds, she couldn't help the bubbles of anxiety that sloshed around with her food inside of her stomach.
Hearing a whistle from the teapot, Kyoko stood from her seat to put her now empty plate in the sink. She found a mug in one of the cabinets, pouring the tea and setting it on the counter to cool while she changed into her sleepwear for the evening.
She still couldn't believe she was doing this, her nerves and excitement at war with themselves inside of her mind. Pulling a nightgown out of her travel bag, Kyoko tried to calm her emotions.
For all I know, I'll be the only woman taking the test. Kyoko couldn't help the unease that threatened to seep into her chest at the thought. It was more than likely that that would be the case after all. Pulling the nightgown over her head, she thought briefly about the girl that shoved her while she had been waiting in line to enter the palace. Kyoko hadn't taken the time to check if she had also been wearing a clinical student pin. Besides, her bratty attitude was more aligned with some rich mage's daughter, not someone that wanted to help people for a living.
Sighing, Kyoko grabbed her cup of tea, setting it on the bedside table as she climbed back into the warm comfort of freshly washed sheets. She fluffed the pillows behind her, settling in before she picked up her tea again, taking a long sip. The lavender and kava root coated her tongue, instantly calming her nerves as she inhaled the pleasant scent.
Speaking of bratty attitudes… Kyoko's thoughts drifted to the blonde man she had argued with in the city earlier that day. She briefly recalled his green eyes, wondering how someone so rude could have something in common with someone Kyoko admired so much.
"Even if he has Corn's eyes, he could never have Corn's beautiful dark hair," Kyoko mumbled to herself, taking another long sip from her cup. She could feel her eyelids drooping now, the effects of the tea quickly taking their course. Stifling a yawn, she only just managed to place the cup back on her nightstand before easily slipping into a comfortable sleep.
