HER IMPERIAL SECRET
by savanaugh
A/N: Hiya guys! This is the first time in years that I've actually consistently updated a fan fiction. Please enjoy this while it lasts!
Disclaimer: Homestuck and all related characters, entities, etc. are property of Andrew Hussie.
CHAPTER FOUR: THE BEACH TRIP
"Ew. You kissed him?" Aradia shuddered. "Did he have stank fish breath? No offense, but you had that a little when you came to us."
"I didn't 'come' to you, silly. You know how it went- and I didn't kiss him! It was life saving CPR!" protested Feferi indignantly.
Aradia rolled her eyes, but she had the shadow of a smile on her red-painted lips, which were a stark contrast to her pale skin. "Okay, okay, whatever."
Feferi bit her lip thoughtfully. "His breath wasn't bad at all." He actually tasted pretty sweet, she thought, and blushed hard. She had the privilege of doing that at home, where everyone already knew of the tyrian purple blood that flowed beneath her skin.
Aradia's dark eyebrows raised. "Oh, gods, you totally have a flush crush on him. Ewwwww."
This made Feferi blush harder. "Shut up! I just- he's just pretty handsome, and doesn't have bad breath, that's all I'm saying! He's a total douchecanoe, I know that, so I wouldn't ever bother to even THINK of him in that way, and-"
"Woah, calm yourself, Fef. I was just messing with you. It's okay." laughed Aradia. Feferi smiled. Her laugh was a rarity, and even more rare was the teasing. She didn't mind one bit.
"Okay, yes, I overreacted a little."
"You think?" giggled her 'sister.'
"それは夕食のための時間です。" came a familiar voice from the kitchen. Feferi struggled to understand; East Beforan was a very difficult language to master. She did catch the word 'dinner,' however, and rose up. Aradia followed her into the dining room, which consisted of a modest bamboo table and four mats with cushions to kneel on on the floor.
Damara was at the stove, and turned around with a bowl of piping hot noodles. "Noodle with soy sauce?" she asked Feferi in broken English. Feferi smiled and nodded, holding out her bowl for Damara to spoon a generous helping of the food into. "Arigato gozaimasu." Damara nodded in approval at Feferi's use of her mother tongue.
She had mastered chopsticks in the first month of moving in, and was semi familiar with the customs of eating in the East Beforan tradition. After all, she was a guest in their home, and when in Rome…
She waited patiently while Damara scooped Aradia food. When everyone was served and sitting at the table, they all put their hands together as if in prayer, and said, "Itadakimasu!" It was time to dig in.
Feferi loved Damara's cooking; the recipes were all passed down from Handmaid, who had on occasion snuck some of her native food to a young and curious Feferi many years ago. The foreign taste had done wonders, and Feferi was grateful she got to experience it every day.
As they ate in comfortable silence, Feferi's eye caught a bright pamphlet underneath the table. Curiously, she leaned down to pick it up, slurping down a noodle with the other hand.
"SKAIA HIGH JUNIOR FIELD TRIP: BEACH TRIP! ONLY $15 BOONBUCKS. PARENTAL SIGNATURE REQUIRED."
Feferi gasped. "OH MY GLUB! THERE'S A BEACH FIELD TRIP!" she squealed in delight. She hadn't been to the beach in- oh, she didn't even know how long!
Aradia nodded and leaned over to see the pamphlet. "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. They handed these out in advisory today. I had Mr. Sassacre."
"Do you know what this MEANS, Ara?" demanded Fef. Aradia shook her head no. "It means I get to go to the BEACH, that's what!"
"You don't say." mused Aradia. Feferi laughed.
"I'm so EXCITED! YAY BEACH! Oh, Damara, can't I go?" she begged. Damara swallowed her last noodle in the bowl and shrugged. "I don't care," she said with her thick accent. Feferi figured she probably had no idea what was being asked, and that she truly did not care one single bit. She would have to wait until Handmaid came home.
"You'll have to wait until Mama comes home," said Aradia.
"I knooowww… ugh. That could be hours!" she whined, clutching the pamphlet to her chest. On it were little smiling crabs and fish, and a picture of the Empress in a purple bikini, modeling. She had a cunning smile on her face, and the words "SUBMIT. OBEY. CONSUME." were hemotyped in bright, glittery lettering at the bottom, just like they were on every other empire-mandated pamphlet, but Feferi chose to ignore it in favor of looking at the other beachy scenery.
"Don't complain," said Aradia, a little harshly. "You know she has important work to be done."
Fef sighed. "I know. I'm sorry. I'm just reely excited! It's been so long since I've sean the sea! Oh, and the water will be warm this time of year!"
Aradia and Damara, the latter of whom did not know or care what they were talking about, couldn't help but smile at Feferi's excitement and joy. Damara thought to herself, "Thank you, Feferi-chan. You have brought smiles into our home."
IN THE AMPORA HOUSEHOLD/CASTLE, MANY MILES AWAY.
"Father," whined Eridan, pushing aside lowblood servants who tried to dress him in his sleep robes. He headed towards the grand study, where Dualscar liked to do whatever it was that Orphaners of the Empress did when they weren't orphaning young people. The doors flew open with the theatrics typical of Eridan. He stamped his foot to get the attention of the snoring man with the two scars on his face. "Wwake up!" Dualscar opened his eyes blearily.
"Wwha? Eridan, wwhat is it? It's too early for this. Go back to sleep." he grumbled, irritated at having been disturbed. His cape lay in a crumpled ball on the floor, tossed aside. This ticked Eridan off, but he held his tongue because there was something he wanted.
"There's this filthy lowwblooded girl at my school, an' I want you to orphan her! She's a skanky, indulgent brat who dared insult me!"
Dualscar rolled his eyes and groaned. "I'vve orphaned a hundred today, givve me a break. She'll be punished eventually, just like all the lowwbloods. No go the fuck back to sleep, before I smack ya."
Eridan huffed indignantly and turned around, sulking and muttering to himself. "Ugh… lazy."
"I heard that!"
"Wwhatevver, dad."