Yawning as she opened her balcony doors, Minako blinked up to the sun as the birds chirped loudly in the morning rays. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes she called her went to her servant for dressing. Brushing her golden locks she pulled out a ruby hair clip out of her drawers and clipped it in her hair, then after securing it she put on her gold moon and ruby tear drop earrings and her tear drop ruby necklace on as she twirled around in orange and white dress for the morning. Finishing her morning routine with her gold tiara upon her head, she went out to greet her staff and family.
"Good morning mother and father!" Minako came in as she sat down for breakfast. Following her was her two sisters, "Good morning Minako!" They said as they too sat down. After the first morning course was served Serenity began teasing Ami about her knight. "So Ami how did you sleep hmm?" she grinned when she saw a light blush forming in her sisters cheeks. "Oh please Serenity not you too!" Ami cried as she looked from her parents and her sisters for any other comments before sinking in her seat.
Tired of being questioned from her sisters Ami quickly changed the topic. "Minako aren't you supposed to be training to be a queen? I mean after all you are the oldest of us and I'm sure mother and father wouldn't mind if you acted more lady like.' Ami stated as she watched the plates being cleared by the servants for dessert. Sighing at the unavoidable question, "Yes Ami I am taking extra lessons with my etiquette teachers, and yes I am making sure that I am behaving like a delicate piece of china.' she said flatly as she stood to leave the table. "Serenity, which reminds me, you have classes today with Mme. Dubois for your etiquette classes and Ami… your lessons, began 15 minutes ago," Minako smirked as she saw both of her sisters rising with a gasp and practically ran for the doors. "Good day mother and father, we'll be back at dinner!" They both said in a hurry as they fought their way out of the doors. Looking over to her parents she nodded to them as they smiled, "As you can see I am more than capable of ruling if ever I need to," she smiled and left for the doors.
"Lady Serenity you are late!" Mme. Dubois stated as she looked crossly at the young princess. "Mme, I beg forgiveness, I will not be late again," she bowed with a sigh then straightening she saw that her teacher was smiling. "Very good my lady, your response was natural and exactly as I hoped." She said then guiding the princess into her study they continued her lessons all the while in her mind she felt like saying, 'Damn this is so boooring,' while she listened and took notes on how to become a lady.
About 4 hour later… "My god that is too much for a girl to take!" she mumbled to herself as she headed for the gardens for a bit of fresh air. Seeing that her favorite roses were blooming she walked over to the new roses and sniffed them. 'Mmm so nice, too bad they have thorns,' she thought as she went to sit next to the fountain, while she recited her verses for her speech lessons for later. Reading her notes she made from her last class she began to practice them. "Good day to you gentlemen and lady. Welcome to the Kingdom of Earth, I hope that you may find yourself at home." she recited while she gestured her imaginary company the proper greetings.
"I will indeed your Highness thank you for your hospitality," Seiya bowed as he made himself known. "Sir Kou Seiya!" She blushed in embarrassment as she quickly composed herself. Good day to you, I hope your day is pleasing," she said sweetly as she held her head up high." Seiya only grinned. "I see that they are making you do etiquette lessons at last princess," he bowed as he quickly rose to hear his charge sigh in boredom. 'Yes Sir Kou…" he begin to chuckle. "No need for such formalities my lady, I am your guard and so Seiya or if you wish Sir Seiya is fine by me," he flashed a smile as he saw her smile. "Yes then Sir Seiya, and I do wish that I can be free of all the formalities but it is unheard of for a princess to speak with brashness. So to my misfortune, I must speak so." She sighed smiling a little at her hopeless state.
Frowning at her unhappiness, "Well then princess, why don't you just be yourself when you have no classes?" he suggested with a smile. "I know I don't deserve such formalities so speak up Odango atama!" He said as he playfully tugged her hair. "Ouch! You will stop that Sir!" Serenity ordered as she adjusted her hair and pouted. Seiya laughed again, "Com'on Odango! Loosen up! You look so adorable being you!" He teased as he took one of her hair ornaments and ran away laughing. "Please give… Oh to hell with it! Come back with that Seiya!" She yelled as she grabbed her skirts and ran after him.
After a few attempts in retrieving her hair ornament, Seiya laughed heartily and finally gave it back to her. "See, now that's the odango atama that I like to see, flustered but herself!" he grinned as he watched her give him a glare and a pout. "That was not funny Sir Seiya! That is unacceptable!" She stated as she clipped her ornament back in her hair. "Aww com'on Odango! You looked so cute back there!" Seiya cooed as he gave her a dazzling smile. Looking at her knight with an odd look then smiling, "Well as much as that was not fun… it was refreshing to talk… like this." she laughed. As she threw her arms up into the air and breathed in deeply the fresh air.
"It actually feels so good to talk like this again! I thought I was gonna go insane!" She chirped as she smiled at Seiya. "I'm glad I got to help you Odango," he answered tugging here long hair playfully. "Hey, you know I have a name you know. It's Serenity!" she whined. "Whatever you say Odango," Seiya smiled. "Seiya! I'm not kidding quit it!" Serenity said as she stalked away fuming. "See you around Odango!" Seiya called as he chuckled to himself. 'Yeah she is a real beauty that way…"
"Princess your assistance is needed in the medical facilities!" A servant cried as he barged into Ami's lessons. "Very well Avery, I shall be down." Ami said as she gathered her books back to the shelves of the library and swiftly exited the room to the medical chambers. "Yes Dr. How shall I offer my services?" Ami said immediately checking the injured person. "Ah yes, my lady we are in need of your knowledge. This man has been hit by a slow acting poisonous arrow, and we are afraid that we don't know where or how to obtain the herb to stop the poison from spreading!" he said gravely as he wiped his brow. Ami gave a quick nod as she took out her glasses and examined the wound on the person. After closely examining the wound she gave a sigh and smiled, 'Thank goodness it is a curable poison.' She thought as she took off her glasses and slid them into her pocket. "Dr. There is nothing to worry, I will be back shortly with the antidote in tow. For the mean time please keep the wounded person warm, and give him some water to dull the poisons affects." Then with a quick bow, Ami fled to the stables where the horses were kept.
Getting on her white mare, she sped away from the castle and headed north. Having no time to check behind her, Ami was unaware of someone following her until, "Heya!" she heard a man yell behind her as she turned around to look behind her. "Sir Kou Taiki!" Ami gasped as she pulled her horse to a stop, letting her knight catch up to her.
Catching up to her he slowed his horse to a stop, all the while asking himself, 'Where is she going at this time of day in such a hurry?' But before voicing his thoughts, "Sir Kou Taiki, I must hurry! Please come with me…" Giving her horse the command to go Taiki followed behind trying to catch up to her pace, he whipped his horse for speed. About half an hour of riding, Ami gave the command for Taiki to slow down. When both riders came to a stop, Ami lead Taiki to a cliff wall with vines climbing up towards a crack in the wall. Looking up to where the vines ended, Ami could vaguely see the many medicine plants that moved with the wind. Hardening her stature, she went to climb up the wall putting her hand on the cracks for leverage, she began to step up until a hand grabbed her from going further. "Please my lady, allow me to retrieve the plants," Taiki requested as he stared into her determined eyes. Smiling at the kindness of her knight she agreed, bidding him be careful. Relieved that she agreed to stay put, he began climbing to vine covered walls. Ami
Ami watched Taiki slowly climb up the wall and over the side. Smiling that he safely got up in one peace, she waved at him enthusiastically and blushed when he waved back to her. Standing on top of the cliff, Taiki took out his medical herb pouch he carried with him and quickly picked some of the bright purple plants that his charge needed for her antidote. Closing the pouch with a smile, he waved to her again before heading back down to his waiting princess. Climbing down slowly as he retraced each crack, half way down he suddenly felt great pain coming from his right arm. Looking over he saw a coiled up snake hissing wildly as it stared at him. Feeling his right arm go numb, he accidentally slipped and fell to the ground. With a gasp Ami ran over to his side. Thankfully Taiki was almost to the ground when he fell he only had a few cuts and bruises, but when she checked over him to for any other injuries, she noticed a purple bite mark on his right arm. "Sir Kou Taiki! What happened to your arm?" she asked worry crossing her face. Smiling at her concern, he struggled to get up, not to worry my lady you are safe that is all that matters and I have retrieved your plants for the antidote." He said weakly as he lost consciousness. Ami feeling his pulse stood up and quickly set to work on her antidote every now and then checking on his pulse for time. After some stewing of her antidote she quickly knelt to his side, tipped his head up and gave him the antidote. Laying him back down, she waited while she prayed.
Feeling the softness of the ground, Taiki slowly opened his eyes. Still blurry from his fight with the poison he felt himself breathe normally again, sighing with relief he felt his head as he slowly rose from where he laid. Feeling someone holding him back down he focused his eyes to see what or who held him down. Looking up to ocean blue eyes his vision cleared little by little till he saw the beautiful face of his charge. Feeling his strength coming back to him he slowly raised his hand up towards her smiling face as he felt his hand connect with her blue hair.
Relieved that her knight is conscious again, she helped him up on his feet taking great care not to stress his wounded arm. "Are you alright Sir Taiki?" She asked her eyes full of concern as she checked on his bandages to see if he needed them changed. "If you are strong enough dear knight, we must hurry back to the castle," she said calmly as she helped her knight onto her steed. Seeing that he's not fully recovered she tied his horse to hers as she sat Taiki in front of her and sped off on her horse.
Feeling her antidote slowly begin to cure the poison, his vision became clearer as he turned to see the determined blue haired princess, holding him steady on her steed, staring straight ahead towards the now visible castle.
Running up towards her horse the servants waited anxiously for their return. Slowing her steed to a stop in front of them, Ami gave them orders to carry Taiki to the medical chambers. "He will be alright, though he needs plenty of rest and fresh bandages," she ordered as she rushed towards the Dr. "Dr. Here is the antidote, please give this to the injured." She took the glass vile from her pouch and gave it to him. "Oh bless you my lady!" He cried as he hurried towards the door holding the patient.
After her task was finished she gave the rest of the medicine plant to the servant, ordering her to save it in their cabinets. Nodding to her servant she swept her robes away towards the resting area. Opening the doors she was glad when she found him sitting up comfortably in bed, smiling at her. Closing the doors, she went up to her knight. "How are you feeling Sir Kou…" he held her hand and smiled. "Taiki, is fine your highness." He smiled as he looked into her blue eyes. "My lady I thank you for saving my life," he started when he felt her finger on his lips. "It is my pleasure and duty Sir Knight, to help the sick and wounded," she smiled as she felt a blush coloring her cheeks. 'Beautiful Princess… you are amazing…' Taiki thought as he watched her blush prettily while she continued to smile at him.
The late afternoon slowly turned to the early evenings as Minako arrived home from her royal duties to her people. 'I am so glad that the day is ending! I am so beat!' she sighed as she arrived at the archway. Thanking her carriage men, she stepped onto the ground as she held her skirts close to her. Finally getting out of the carriage she let the ends of her dress fall to ground, she bid the carriage goodbye as she approached the court yard.
Now being away from public eyes, she let her arms reach the sky as she stretched and yawned like a cat. "I am so glad to be back home!" She said to no one in particular as she looked up towards the sunset sky.
Watching his princess stretch like a cat and talking to herself, Yaten had to hold a chuckle as he approached his charge. "Good evening Princess Aino," he bowed.
"How has the day treated you today? Were you bored listening to the commoners problems and acted like you give a damn? He watched his princess's face. Surprisingly, she only smiled. "Yes Sir Kou Yaten, I had a pleasant time helping and serving my people," she said as she turned to leave. "I didn't think you were good at lying," He said mockingly as he watched his charge turn. Her face changed from normal to fury red in a matter of seconds. Not being able to stand his words she raised her voice, "How dare you mock my duties when you yourself do nothing for the day such as a cat lying lazily in the sun!" She replied hotly as she swept her hair out of her eyes. "What do you know of me Sir Kou! You know nothing of me yet you think it is fair for you to judge me as an uncaring, snobbish brat when it is in fact yourself that you speak of!"
Shocked at her words he felt anger rise in him. "You tell me I speak unjustly when all I am to judge is your cold, pain in the ass royal stuck up attitude! You are a cold, hypocritical princess!" he practically said with a growl as he stared at her back.
Suddenly feeling like he said too much, his heart stopped when he heard her statement.
"You… know nothing of me…" he heard her say before seeing her walk off towards the stables. Relaxing his hands to his sides he felt ashamed and guilty about his words. As he turned towards the court yard, he heard a whinny of a horse. Turning over to the source of the noise, he saw his charge fled from the stables heading towards the woods. Concerned for her safety and curiosity getting the best of him, he quickly ran to the stables, grabbed his horse and went after her.