"I'm sorry, Haru dear, but the estate of a lord is under his own jurisdiction. We cannot interfere with his property," the queen said, looking across the game table at her daughter with mild distress. The princess had been recounting her visit with von Gikkingken the day before. The activities and Haru's passion that something should be done worried her. "As long as the lord himself breaks no laws, then the crown has no place to interfere."
Haru nearly did a very childish thing by pouting, as it was, she barely stifled a frustrated sigh.
"It's politics, isn't it Mother? I detest that the commoners and servants are treated as property," she said, the furious anger in her heart barely present in her voice. Haru sounded only mildly peeved rather than burningly irate.
"It's always politics my dear. Just be glad that you don't have to deal with it, and that it's your brother's duty to rule."
Haru still rebelled against the injustice of it all, and a part of her willed the common people to all elevate themselves in the world as the Baron and his mother had done.
That thought made her sit up straight again, a spark catching light in her mind.
"Mother, the lower classes are on the rise, some of them are wealthy land owners in their own right now. Shouldn't perhaps the laws be revised if there are to be commoners who are in that position and not bound by any noble obligation to the crown?" she asked, rolling the dice for her move.
Queen Naoko smiled at her daughter.
"You have your father's cunning mind, my dear. It won't be easy though. Changing laws, traditions, the way things are done, is a long and very painful process. I can start it though. Will that do for now?"
"Thank you, Mother," Haru said.
The queen nodded and rolled the dice, smiling as she moved her pieces appropriately and won the game. It had been close though.
"Now go and tend to your good Baron. Take the carriage this time though my dear. I'm sure you must be beginning to get sore from the saddle."
With a kiss on her mother's cheek, the princess was gone.
Naoko resolutely refused to cry. She wanted her daughter to fall in love; she just hadn't expected that letting her do it would tug at her heartstrings like this.
Haru went to the palace physician, and left his office with a basket full of bandages, balms, herbs, poultices, and medicines in general. She just hoped that Baron would forgive her for being the cause of his pain.
"It wasn't your fault," Yuki insisted as she took the basket from Haru, the princess climbing down from the carriage herself.
"It feels like it's my fault," Haru countered gently. "Please, just… I want to see him, to know that he's all right. Even if there is a screen between us so that I cannot see him, I just need to hear his voice."
Yuki nodded her understanding and lead the way into the house. A few twists, turns, and a flight of stairs later, Yuki stopped.
"I'll just check to see if he is awake to receive you, highness," the white-haired girl said.
"If he is, don't wake him," Haru answered. Though she dearly wanted to make certain with her own eyes that he would be well, she would not impose.
Yuki nodded and ducked into the room. Murmured words barely came through the door, and Haru couldn't make out a single syllable, but the door soon opened and Haru was invited in.
The room was light, but there was a screen up around the bed, preventing Haru from seeing her friend still.
"How do you feel?" she asked gently.
"I got off easy, with just a beating," Baron answered through the screen.
Haru could hear the strain in his voice, and her fury burned again at the ones who had beaten him so unjustly.
"It is shameful, what they did to you. You shouldn't have to suffer such treatment, no one should."
"You have such noble ideals, highness," Baron said, a chuckle in his voice despite the pain he felt. Strangely, it seemed to lessen in the company of the princess.
