The early evening begins to darken as the brown horse and it's rider go further in towards Waking Woods. Feeling tears start to form in her eyes she quickly wiped them as she cried for her horse to run faster. Riding deeper and deeper until the forest covered the evening sky with their long branches she rode on.
Throughout the whole day she was with her people helping them and keeping them happy while she suffocated while her real self was crying out for freedom of her duties. Sometimes to her, it felt like she was bound by rules, restricting her room to breathe, restricting her to laugh, and restricting her to run wildly like her sisters. Being the oldest meant absolute isolation from her child self, forcing her to grow up into a calm, responsible and powerful Queen of her kingdom for her people one day. But as she sat in isolation among the business of her surroundings she felt incased, and trapped. The worst was when her own knight accused her of being cold and heartless for the masses that her walls crumbled into nothingness. Unable to hold back the tears, she let them flow as she rode wildly into the heart of the woods. The wind sweeping past her golden flowing hair she felt the cold air sting her moist eyes. Sighing in gratitude that the clearing was up ahead she slowed her steed to a trot as she entered the now bright secluded lake of Waking Woods. Halting to a stop, she hopped off her horse and held on to the reins as she guided the horse to a grassy spot and tethered it to the nearby trees. Securing the horse, she walked over to the crystal clear lake that reflected the sky. 'I want freedom of this life!'
Feeling the surroundings grow darker as he rode further into the dark woods, he felt a pang of panic as he begin worrying for the princess's safety. As he looked ahead there was nothing but the dim silhouettes of the trees, lining all in a row that made a sort of cave like atmosphere that worried Yaten. 'Where did she go?' He thought as he whipped his horse to rider faster and harder, begging for an exit from his steady path to darkness. Squinting ahead he was thankful that there was light at the end of the path. Coming closer to the clearing he saw a small water fall filling the lake beneath. As he slowed his steed to a trot, he saw the princess's steed in some grassy area and felt himself sigh in relief that she was in no immediate danger. Getting off his horse, he tethered the horse beside hers and walked over to the now visible lake. Taking in its mysterious beauty, he noticed a flash of gold at the opposite end of the lake. Widening his eyes in surprise, he saw the princess dipping her foot in the water next to the falls. Her hair was now up in a red bow and her dress mussed from sitting on the rough looking rock, he saw her slumped figure.
Walking carefully over to her he could hear her soft sobs of sadness and pain. From this angle, without her crown, her mask like smile, and her straight posture she looked like a small child. Feeling her pain within his chest, he approached her.
"I didn't ask to be born with royal blood…I didn't ask to…" she let her tears fall into the lake as she moved her foot in the water. "I pray that someday I can have my freedom…" she whimpered as she played with the tiara in her hand. "This… thing that weighs so heavily atop my head… the very thing that controls by very being!" She cried as she threw it into the depth of the lake. Hearing the satisfying splash of the tiara hitting the water she gave a small smile of triumph as she stared at the vibrations of the lake.
"You shouldn't throw away your family heirloom your Highness…" she heard a voice say behind her. Not caring to turn around she continued to stare at the lake. "I neither care for your company or the object that rules my existence," she sighed as she pulled her foot out of the water, standing up she begins walking past the intruder that disturbed her solitude. Keeping her head down she continued walking ahead, but stopped when she heard a giant splash behind her. Turning around quickly she found no one behind her, beginning to wonder if she was hallucinating things, she turned back around.
Kicking his feet harder as he continued to dive to the bottom of the lake he saw a glint of gold. Smiling he fell to the floor of the lake and kicked up towards the surface, his parcel safely tucked in his shirt. Breaking the surface he took in a deep breath of air, he looked up at the sky, holding his fist in the air in triumph. Wading towards the shallow end of the lake and onto land, soaking wet he ran towards the princess.
Shocked at what she was seeing in front of her, she could only stare and gasp at the sight of the drenched state that her knight was in as she took in his silver hair matted to his head, as his bright green eyes looked at her then widening her eyes in surprise she saw that he was smiling genuinely at her. Forgetting her misery she continued to stare in surprise at the knight who kept smiling and walked towards her. Watching him now kneel in front of her, she saw the object in his hand. Fighting a blush rising to her cheeks she took the tiara and held it in her hand. Taking a quick look at her tiara then back towards the knight, she felt dumbstruck.
Rising from where he knelt he continued to smile as he gave a short bow to her as he turned towards the rocks where he left his armor. Picking them up he began to pat himself dry, as he shook his wet hair like a dog. Wringing his long hair dry, he heard the soft patter of heels, looking up to see his princess blushing. "Thank you… Sir Kou Yaten…" she blushed and looked at the ground she continued, "For for… retrieving my tiara from the depths of the lake…" she said quietly keeping her eyes glued to the ground. Hearing his deep voice she blushed further, "It was my pleasure and it is my duty to serve you… Princess…" he replied lowering his eyes to the ground he took a deep breath. "Forgive me your Highness for my brashness and my hurtful words that caused you such pain and grief," he said in shame. "No, it is alright Sir…"
"Yaten. Just Yaten is fine enough for me your Highness…" he said immediately raising his eyes to meet her blue ones. "I have given you the wrong impression of myself on our first meeting Princess…Forgive me." He said as he felt himself drown in their depths as he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Yaten… I am happy that we may start over," she smiled curtsying in front of him. "Allow me to reintroduce myself…" she said closing her eyes. "I am Aino Minako, also known as Princess Aino…" she said looking into his eyes. "But for you dear knight you may call upon me as Minako," she smiled as she stood up and waited for his response.
Feeling his heart pound wildly in his chest he looked into her blue sapphire eyes, his blush deepened as he sunk to the ground and knelt in front of his princess. "It is… an honor to meet you Princess Ai..Minako." he paused as he corrected himself. "I am Sir Kou Yaten…but for you my lady... just Yaten will be fine." he said holding her hand in front of him, he kissed it lightly forgetting about his wet clothes and damp hair.