"My lady, it is time for you to wake up now. You have an audience with The Lord in an hour." And then she drew the curtains, letting the sunlight stream inside.
I got up slowly and waited for Gumi to get my morning tea. So, father wanted to talk to me? I couldn't help but sigh dejectedly. I suppressed a slight yawn as Gumi entered with the tea.
"Today we have Darjeeling tea imported from India with honey and a hint of lemon accompanied with scones and clotted cream." She informed me and left the room.
I sipped the aromatic tea, enjoying the peace and quiet, knowing it won't last. I had a basic idea why my fatherwanted to talk to me. I had guessed the contents of the letters being sent and received by my parents for some days now.
I finished my tea and let myself be escorted by Gumi. Bracing myself, I entered my father's study where my father was. I saw salmon hair and realised that my mother was also present. "Good morning, mother and father."
"Ah Miku, we had been waiting for you. Please, make yourself comfortable." My mother replied, signifying that we are about to have a long conversation. Possibly one sided.
"So, I think it is time for you to know that new competition has arose for our company in the form of Kagen Industries. They are new, and thus popular. But we have something they crave, and we are planning to use it to the maximum." Said father. I already knew about Kagen Industries. I like to stay in touch with everything that keeps happening, especially if it affects our company. Because, unknown to my parents, I wanted to inherit and run the company. In almost fifty years, this was the first time Shino Corporation had competition. And with our contract with East India Company coming to an end, we were in a very weak position. But I still didn't condone what my parents were planning to salvage the company.
"What they want more that anything else is status. And while the Kagen's are nobodies, I am the Earl of England. And we will use that to our advantage. Since it is 31st of August tomorrow, you will be of a marriageable age. The heir of Kagen Industries is coming to visit you tomorrow and you will be married to him by the end of this month." How could he just sell off his daughter so calmly? I started trembling with rage. But before I could object, my mother intervend.
"As the daughter of the Earl, it is your duty to obey your father, Miku. You will be married to Rei Kagen. Now, Meiko is coming to drop off some dresses for you to wear when Rei visits. She will also take measurements for your wedding dress." I turned my head towards my father, meaning to object to the marriage.
"This agreement will let the Kagen name get the title of Earl and in return, Kagen Industries will be merged into Shino Corporation." He said with finality. I got it.
My audience was over.
I was fuming the whole time Gumi helped me get dressed before Meiko came to take my measurements. I didn't see the point of 'getting ready' to see Meiko, because the first thing she made me do when she came was to undress.
"Miku is very excited about this! She cannot wait to try the new dresses!"
"Well then it is a good thing that I brought plenty. I didn't know how many would be needed."
I could hear my mother from the end of the corridor. So Meiko was here and my mother had already started feeding her lies.
I plastered a smile on my face and mentally prepared myself for the next few hours. There was a knock on my door. I answered it myself, knowing it would make my mother irritated. She believed we were above menial tasks like opening doors.
"Welcome, Meiko. I have been expecting you." I spoke as I opened the door. And then I saw who else was there apart from my mother and Meiko. It was Len.
Len was Meiko's apprentice, and a good one at that. He was extremely skilled with the needle, even though he was my age. When we were young he used to accompany Meiko every time she came here. He was the only person I knew who was my age and we were great friends.
Well, until the day he stopped coming. It had been two years since I had last seen him.
I had harboured romantic feelings for him by the end, and had planned to tell him one of those days. But he had disappeared before I could tell him. Maybe I'll tell him today, so that I don't have any regrets.
It will be too late once I got married.
Meiko and my mother waltz inside, slowly followed by Len. I was instantly made to undress to my inner gown. Then I was dressed and undressed many times, trying on all the gowns brought over my Meiko. I didn't even notice what I was wearing half the time. My attention was focused solely on him.
His blonde hair grown so much that he had to tie it up. I also noticed that underneath the loose sleeves of his shirt, his arms had become extremely muscular. But the one feature which I was itching to see he wouldn't show me. His eyes.
He was aware of my piercing stare, for he kept shifting uncomfortably. When I had successfully tried all the dresses, Len was given the task of taking my measurements for the dress of honour while my mother whisked Meiko away to try the dresses brought for her. Once they left we were submerged into an awkward silence, which was finally broken by Len
"May I take your measurements, my lady?" He said stiffly and coldly.
"No, you may not. Will that change anything?" I replied coolly.
Len looked a little startled by my reply. But he still didn't look in my eye.
"But my lady, don't you WANT your dress?" He asked me, puzzled. Oh, he must not know for which dress he was taking my measurements. Feeling bitter, I decided to inform him.
"No, I do not want that dress. For that piece of cloth will be my chain of imprisonment." I paused to see his expression. He was extremely puzzled. "Oh, you really don't know. What you are measuring for right now is the dress I will wear to the wedding of one Rei Kagen. It is my wedding gown, Len"
His head jerked up at the news. And I finally saw his eyes as they met mine. His icy blue eyes were filled with shock. But underneath the shock there was grief and a hint of anger.
"Miku" he said softly, almost lovingly. My heart skipped a beat and my stomach lurched. He could do so much to me just by uttering my name. Before I could so much as bat an eyelid, his arms were around me, hugging me. "Miku," he whispered in my ear,"I am sorry. I truly am, even if you don't believe me. I am sorry for staying away from you for so long. I only did it for my peace of mind." His peace of mind? How was meeting me affecting his sanity? If anything, not seeing him was affecting mine.
It was as though a dam of bitterness and anger suddenly broke inside me. I shoved him away.
"How dare you? How dare you touch me Len? Have you forgotten who I am? But of course, you know that I would allow you to touch me. I don't believe in social standards. And you know this because you know me. How dare you abandon me Len? This is the question I should be asking. How could you abandon me? You were the only source of comfort in my life. Why did you abandon me? I thought you were my friend! Why did you leave? How could you leave? How dare you leave? I gave you my heart, I loved you Len. And you left me alone like the rest of the world." I heard a sharp intake of breath at my words and then I realised what I had just said. My hands instantly clamped on my mouth, as though that would bring back what I had said. Slowly, I let my gaze rest on his face.
His eyes were wide in shock, and his hands balled in fists. It was as though he was stopping himself from doing something.
Suddenly, Meiko burst into the room. My hands reached my sides and my face turned impassive. I couldn't let the fact that I loved someone like Len leak out. It would destroy the reputation of my family. I saw Len sported a bored expression, and saw the facade immediately.
"Len, have you taken the measurements yet?" the master asked the apprentice. He simply shook his head in reply. "Well, don't take too long, I am going to be done with Lady Shino soon." She picked up her bag and left the room again.
"You should just take the measurements and leave." I advised him. He quickly set about it and was done in fifteen minutes. But a tense silence surrounded the room, a silence no one was willing to break.
Finally, as Len was wrapping up, he said, "Miku, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for what I am about to do." Before I could comprehend his words, he cupped my face in his hands and kissed me. My body acted on its own and kissed him back, my hand in his hair. The kiss was deep and left both of them panting for air. I quickly untangled myself from him, in fear for someone walking in on them. Once again, I was startled as the door banged open and in came my mother with Meiko tailing behind her. It was time for Len to go.
"Miku, leave your window open tonight. And make sure nobody is around." He whispered to me as my mother bade a loud and distracting goodbye to Meiko. And so they left.
I heard a gentle tap on the window, and instantly opened it. In climbed Len, and landed on the floor. Once he got up, he suddenly grabbed my hand and pressed himself to me. My face grew warm as his hands slipped down from my neck to my lower back. But they didn't stop there.
I broke free from him and stared to him, my face hot. I suddenly realised that I was in a very revealing night gown. Crossing my hands over my chest, I asked him, "Why did you want to meet me?"
"I still have to answer you, you know." he said. I blushed even more. Great, now I have to be even more humiliated. "So, I think I should start from why I stopped meeting you. We live different lives, and I realised that. I realised that the day I lost myself." His eyes were extremely serious. "You know I don-" he cut me off mid sentence. "I know you don't care about the fact that I am poor. But I care. I care about the fact that my sister is working herself to the bone and so am I, but we still cannot even dream to compete with your wealth. And I care because I can never even dream of marrying you, Miku." My eyes were wide open in surprise. Marry?
"I love you Miku. I have loved you for a long time." He inched closer to me, his eyes intense with a foreign emotion. What was it? But it was this intense gaze which awoke something in me, something I didn't even know existed.
"Then let me give you something no one else will be able to take if you do." I said. "What could that be?" he asked, confused.
"Me" I replied, as I sat down on the bed.
I still couldn't understand the fiery emotion in his usual icy eyes as he hungrily started kissing me.
Was it passion?
This kinda reminds me of Black Butler...Ah well, damn. Nothing I can do about it.Hope you guys liked it. And really hope it matches the lemon.Please review!~Effy