The Princess and the Paige
By: The Dreaming Fangirl
Chapter Ten: The Capital
After a long journey of two nights and three days, both members of the royal family, as well as the members of their entourage, managed to arrive at the capital city of Shunbun. The princess sat as she stared through the screen door leading to the outside world. Over the course of the past few days, she had heard many things about the capital from the servants, from those charged with carrying her and even from Miyuki himself, though he spoke far less often than when he had arrived at the castle. Most of these things were positive, telling of the advancements made by the many academies her father had started, and how Shunbun was a leader in both the industrial and the medical fields, but Wamiya's warning still managed to echo inside of her mind.
She remembered the dark figures she had seen in her childhood. No, no, no, she thought to herself as she shook her head. Those were but figments of the imagination of a child. She tried to think back to the good things that she had heard so much about.
She looked outside the doors and she could see the shops, each one setting up large advertising boards for the festival and eager to welcome in the floods of foot-traffic heading their way come the next day. The river, though it certainly had its fair share of murkiness, teemed with life as the fishermen returned home to sell their wares, shouting words that the princess didn't fully recognize. The streets were lined with fir trees and plums, but her face truly lit up when she saw the cherry trees. Each one was covered in tiny buds, and judging from the flowers' size, she guessed that they would bloom in a few days. Yet another thing for her to be looking forward to during the festival.
"Isn't this great, princess?"
The princess didn't answer, still staring intently at the screen door.
"Princess…"
Still no answer.
"Hello, your grace!"
The princess snapped her attention away from the gap and turned her head towards Haruna who stared at her quizzically. "I'm sorry, Haruna. You were saying?"
"Isn't this great, princess?"
"The capital, the festival or the chance to see my mother again?"
"All of them, of course!"
"Yes, I suppose so. There certainly will be plenty of things to look forward to over the course of the next few days. So, what do you plan on doing during the Floral Festival?"
"I'm going to go shopping down at the markets, maybe buy a souvenir for my parents. What about you, Ayumi?"
"Same thing as you."
It was at this point that the girls heard a cough come out of Yohei's mouth.
"Is something the matter, Yohei? Catching a cold?"
"No, nothing like that, Haruna," Yohei paused for a moment before saying, "Um, Ayumi…"
"What is it, Yohei?"
"Would you be willing to let me accompany you to the Floral Festival? You know, just you and me?"
"Yohei, are you asking me out on a date?"
Yohei's face reddened to the shade of a fresh cherry and he glanced down before answering, "Yes."
"Sure."
"Wait. What?" Yohei looked up, his eyes widening by the second.
"I'd love to go to the Floral Festival with you. We'll meet up tomorrow after our shifts are over. Sound good?"
"Wonderful. Yes, that sounds wonderful. I'll see you then." Somehow, the young attendant managed to lay his full body onto the palanquin, and had the princess not known any better, she would've sworn he was suffering from a heart attack.
"You get a date for the Floral Festival, Ayumi?! No fair, No fair!"
"Honestly, Haruna, I'm surprised that he hasn't asked me out sooner. I'm not that scary, am I, princess?"
"No, I think he was just afraid of rejection. After all, when we were younger, you two used to be fighting neck and neck about everything. Maybe, he was worried that you would not see him that way."
"Well, I'm still really happy that he asked me in the first place, so I suppose that's all I need to know now."
"Oh great, and who's supposed to be taking me to the Floral Festival? I don't want to be going all by myself. What about you, princess? Are you going to the Floral Festival with anyone?"
"To my knowledge, I'm going to be enjoying the Floral Festival with my mother."
Haruna let out a sigh like the puff of a child, her head hung low upon the rejection.
"Oh, but don't worry, Haruna. I'm sure you'll be able to find someone to go with you. After all, you're one of the prettiest girls I know."
"You think so, princess? Really, you do?"
"Absolutely. I've been jealous of your hair for years. You always seem to know what the best styles are and what pieces go with which outfit. Really, you are quite amazing."
"Thank you. That makes me feel a lot better."
By this time, the royal palanquin had managed to move towards the more crowded area of the capital.
"Watch your head!"
Within a few seconds of these words, the princess heard the sound of liquid hitting the ground beside her palanquin and, with it, the nauseating stench of excrement wafted up to her nose. It took all Izumiko's willpower not to throw up right there and then as she asked Miyuki, who had been riding on horseback next to her, "Do you think this carriage can move any faster?"
"Unfortunately, princess, with the amount of traffic, I'm afraid this won't be an easy task. I can try to make some noise and get them to make a path, but until then, we're both going to have to live with close calls from chamber-pots. At least you have a palanquin to hide under, I'm stuck out here in the open, and some people won't warn you before they decide to dump their shit;" he stifled a chuckle as he continued, "literally, in this case."
He continued to stifle his chuckling, raising a hand to his mouth. Izumiko stared at him for a moment before she asked, "Is something funny?"
"It's nothing, princess. Let's make sure that neither of us gets hit by any wandering chamber-pots anymore." Miyuki rode up to the front of the palanquin and began to speak, "Make way for members of the royal family!"
The populace stopped for a moment, staring as if to look for clues to validate his claim. For a moment, it seemed as if someone was going to speak up before Yukimasa piped in, "Inside this carriage rides the former emperor and the current princess. Now then, let us pass."
Upon gazing at Yukimasa's armor and family crest, the crowd parted like the oil in a dirty sink after some soap had been mixed in. Those that could bowed, while those that couldn't stood in awe at the sight that lay before their eyes. The two palanquins continued moving towards the imperial palace at their usual pace, wasting no further time as they advanced along.
Miyuki smiled at the effects of his handiwork, but, when he turned towards his father, he saw irritation seeping into his voice and tone.
"And what are you so angry about, Yukimasa?"
"I was hoping that we would maintain a low profile while we made our way towards the palace, but you just had to announce who we were transporting, didn't you?"
"They moved out of our way, didn't they? I call that a victory and, besides, I won't have to worry about dodging chamber-pots for a little while at least."
"Our jobs are to protect the royal family. No one has seen the princess for years, so they wouldn't know what she would look like, but since you have blatantly announced to the world who she is, congratulations, you have successfully managed to place a target on the princess's back."
"Technically, I only said, 'members of the royal family'. You were the one who said she was the princess."
"There are no other members of the royal family."
"What? Certainly, they must have other relatives."
"Of the ten children that the former emperor and empress had together, his royal highness was the only one who survived. The rest of the children were either assassinated by political rivals or died during the last war with Adjacentia. Now, I imagine that we could've mentioned those cousins related to the royal family, but they belong to their own separate houses, thus leaving only the former emperor and the princess. Now, keep your mouth shut and keep moving."
The paige huffed as he moved back to his position next to the royal palanquin. He kept his eyes towards the road ahead of him, but within a few moments, he heard a whisper.
"Hey."
He turned towards the voice to see the princess looking at him. She smiled at him as she said, "Thank you, Miyuki."
He nodded and smiled as he turned his head back to the road. Maybe this job wasn't so bad after all…
Chapter Eleven: Walking Along the Shale Path
It took all of thirty minutes for the palanquins to arrive into the imperial palace. Much like Tamakura Castle, the palace was situated on a mountain; albeit a much smaller mountain than what the princess was accustomed to, and presented itself with a grand air of majesty.
"Well, Izumiko, what do you think?"
"Grandfather, you are certain that this is where I was born?"
"Not here exactly, but, yes, this castle was indeed the place of your birth."
"I see. Well, Father certainly wasn't lying about the trees here. There are so many of them."
"Wait until you see the inner quarter. The orchards there grow some of the world's most exquisite fruit that you will ever taste. Not to mention all of the flower gardens."
It was at this point that Haruna piped in, "Ooh! That sounds wonderful! Princess, we should go and see it. We should go and see it!"
"At some point during our trip, yes, we should."
Within a moment, Ser Sagara chimed in, "If it pleases you, your highness, I would be more than happy to give you and your friends a tour around the castle."
Haruna was the first of the girls to answer, "Ooh! That would be wonderful! And would your son be joining us?"
"I doubt it. No doubt my son will have other matters to attend to."
"Oh. That's too bad."
A cough erupted from the former emperor's mouth as he began to speak, "Actually, Ser Sagara, I was hoping that you would be willing to escort me while I check the castle defenses. That wouldn't be a problem, would it?"
"Of course not, Lord Takaeyomi."
"Splendid. How long then before we reach the inner courtyard?"
"We should be arriving there in approximately ten minutes."
"Excellent! No need to fear, Ser Sagara. We will call on you when we need you."
"I will take my leave then." The princess then heard a horse trotting away, and, had the princess's vision not been obscured by her grandfather's now closed screen door, she would've seen the venom that emanated from the knight's eyes.
The inner courtyard was as barren as a wasteland. Among those who had arrived to greet their guests, there stood a small group of servants, each one of them neatly lined up in their own rows, and those among the royal court who had come to gaze upon the princess. The palanquins were laid upon the ground, and with a few groans, those transported began to rise from their seats.
"Oh, my legs are stiff. What about you, Ayumi?"
"Just give me a minute to clear all the pins and needles, Haruna. Do you need any help getting up, Ms. Sawa?"
"I think I'll manage. Thank you dear. What about you, Mr. Nonomura?"
"I could use a little help. I guess my body just isn't used to sitting down this much. Yohei, stop laying on the floor and get up!"
"Yes sir!"
"Grandfather, I don't see my mother around anywhere. Do you think something happened?"
"I'm not sure. For now, just move as if everything is fine."
With those words, Lord Takaeyomi emerged out of the palanquin, followed by the princess and the rest of the servants. Those that rode on horseback dismounted, and shortly after the royal palanquin cleared out, the passengers of the second palanquin left the vehicle and arranged themselves into their own respective lines.
They bowed towards the servant at the head of the group who began to speak, "Your highnesses, the empress apologizes for being unable to come and greet you both personally; however, the crown keeps her extremely busy, and she is currently in the middle of a meeting right now. Rest assured, your things will be taken care of."
The servant clapped his hands, and those behind him moved towards the luggage, and within a matter of moments, the luggage was moved out of sight.
"If everyone will just follow me."
The servant moved his body towards a small house surrounded by what looked to be a wall of bamboo. He walked along a path made of shale, and as they got closer, the bamboo gave way to a beautiful river that ran as clear as the most ornate crystal. Within a matter of seconds, the shale pathway gave way to a stocky wooden bridge. The princess looked down to the river and the water flowed as fast and as freely as a bird finally released from captivity, but just as quickly as she had gotten onto the bridge, she left it to discover a beautiful rock garden. The shale pathway resumed once again, and at long last, the servant stopped.
"This is the guest house. Ser Sagara, this is where you and your son will be staying. Any questions?"
"None, thank you. These accommodations are more than acceptable. What about you, Miyuki? Got any questions for the man?"
"None."
The two gentlemen stepped onto the wooden porch of the guest house, and as the rest of the group continued to follow the servant, they bowed their heads again before heading inside. The servant continued along the shale path, and within a few moments, the group crossed the river again and left the perimeter wall of bamboo.
As they continued along the path, the somewhat sandy area gave way to a fertile orchard filled with blossoming cherry trees. The smell of the fruit rushed to the princess's nose as the wind blew throughout the trees. Those of the younger servants rushed to the ground, grabbing handfuls of the fallen petals and throwing them at one another, screaming and laughing hysterically as they did so.
The servant paused for a moment and turned his body to the group before he spoke again, "I suppose it is a little late to say this, but, princess, welcome to the inner quarter. This is where we grow some of the world's finest fruits and vegetables, and if your grace would continue to follow me, you will see the exquisite floral gardens."
"Aren't you going to join them, Izumiko, dear? Your friends seem to be having a lot of fun."
"No thank you, Sawa. Just watching them having fun is enough for me. Maybe some other time."
"All right, princess. Just remember: Life is often far too short. The time will come when you won't be able to enjoy these kinds of simple pleasures anymore."
"Thank you, Sawa. I will try to keep that in mind."
The servant moved further along the shale path, seemingly unfazed by the antics of the young people before he paused. He turned around to the group and motioned them along, this time leading the group to another orchard.
"Grandfather, what kind of trees are these?"
"These are peach trees. I'm afraid it will take another few weeks before they start blooming though."
"I see."
The servant kept walking, and true to his word, they past a cornucopia of flower gardens, each one dedicated to a separate theme and littering the ground that surrounded them in a sea of color. He turned around again before saying, "Unfortunately, your graces, I do not have the time with which to give your majesties a proper tour, so if your graces would please hurry and follow me, that would be most appreciated."
"You certainly are quite rude. And for what reason might that be?" The former emperor tapped his right foot as he spoke.
"Apologies, my lord, but I'm afraid that things in the palace have changed drastically since your grace has left. As of late, tensions with our neighboring lands have left the entire palace on edge. I fear it is only a matter of time before war strikes."
"Certainly, we are more than capable to handle ourselves should war strike. If our neighbors would declare war on us, let them come. We will dispose of them as we have disposed of all those who would seek to destroy us."
"There are certainly those who agree with your line of thinking, my lord. That said, if we were to follow that philosophy, how many brothers would we lose before the fighting would be over?" the servant paused before adding, "How many sons would we lose?"
The former emperor's face twisted with pain as the servant said those words, and the princess thought back to the stories of her lost uncles and of the aunts who gave their lives tending to those on the front lines. Her grandfather never talked about his other children much, but, every now and again, she would see him stare into the distance, his eyes clouded with melancholy.
"That is what our empress is trying to prevent right now as we speak. I'm certain that, when her majesty has a moment, she will explain everything. Now then, please follow me. I promise that we will arrive at our destination shortly."
The servant continued down the pathway, and within a matter of minutes, the princess's eyes beheld another wall of bamboo. She looked around; She didn't remember taking any U-turns. She kept walking along the shale pathway, and yet again, it gave way to a bridge that was much longer than what was created for the guest house. The river below was as wide as three oxen and raged so loudly that it threatened to take any poor soul unlucky enough to fall in towards a watery grave. She touched the bridge lightly with her foot.
"It's alright, Izumiko. The bridge is perfectly safe. I've seen elephants cross this bridge over ten times without hesitation. Now then, come along."
"Of course, grandfather."
She crossed the bridge, and the bamboo wall parted to reveal a humongous house determined to reach infinity. The house was painted an ivory white and, as the princess gazed upon the tips of the tiled roofs, she could see pieces of ornate jade glittering in the sunlight.
"Amazing! Just wait until we get a look inside, princess. This place is huge!" Haruna's smile stretched from ear to ear, but before she could get the chance to grab the princess's hand, the servant interrupted her.
"Your majesties, welcome to the Inner Sanctum. This is where you will be staying. As for the rest of you, the servant's quarters will be located on your far left. Does anyone have any questions?"
Yohei slowly raised his hand as he said, "Yes, where are the toilets around here?"
"You'll find an outhouse towards the left side of the castle as well. Any other questions?"
The emperor was the one who spoke up this time. "Yes, what is your name?"
"Oh yes, forgive me, your grace, for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Ichirou. I serve as head steward here at the palace."
"I was under the impression that Saburuo was the current holder of that position."
"I am his son. I trained under him for most of my life; however, when he lost his sight, he asked that I take his place."
"Wait, you mean to tell you are that Ichirou! You've certainly grown since the last time I saw you."
"The years have a way of doing that, your grace, and let me be the first to say that it is good to have you back, your majesty. Now then, does anyone have any more questions?"
Satisfied when he received no answer, he stated, "I shall take my leave then." He then headed back from which he came, and within a matter of moments, he disappeared back along the shale path.
The princess looked back before heading inside the palace. That man, she thought to herself, is a strange one indeed.
