The Laws Of Love

Chapter 4

"Make no mistake in the fact that I'd leave it all for you, and some."

"Takumi..." He leaned closer.

"You can stop me if you want to. I'll give you three seconds. One," Her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed pink. "Two," He inched closer so that his lips were right above hers. "One." And he kissed her, slowly and luxuriously. And she kissed him back.

Misaki pulled back, face flushed and eyes wide.

"You didn't stop me." Takumi murmured, looking her dead in the eyes. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Instead, she sat there awkwardly twiddling her thumbs, her head bowed. "You're thinking that this was a mistake, aren't you?" Her head snapped up suddenly and she opened her mouth again, her eyes scared.

"I... I don't know... I don't want it to be a mistake... but what if it is, Takumi? What if I should've never gotten close to you in the first place? What if-!?" He kissed her lightly, a gentle brush of the lips, to silence her.

"I don't think it was a mistake, Misaki, and I'd gladly do it all again. But if you want me to leave, I will." She was silent for a long time. "Do you want me to leave, Misaki?" He asked her quietly. Her eyes filled with tears and she blinked them back furiously, shaking her head as she went.

"I just don't want you to leave me like my dad did." She managed to choke out. She wouldn't cry, she was stronger than that. He tucked a piece of her hair back behind her ear and made her eyes meet his.

"I'm not going to. I promise... And, Misaki? It's okay to cry, y'know. Even if you feel like it's out of character for you to cry, it's human nature. I'm not going to judge you for it." She shook her head and then buried her face in his shirt, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I don't cry. I'm not allowed to...," She went silent for a moment. "Is it okay if I just stay like this for a while?" He wrapped his arms around her and rested his nose in her hair.

"Hmm. Take as much time as you need." She let out a breath and began to revel in his warmth, comforting embrace and his scent. So this is what love feels like? Misaki thought to herself, But I know that I'm still waiting for it to all come tumbling down. When that time comes, I'll be prepared. But for now, I'll just keep him close.

"Is everything going to change between us now?" Misaki murmured after a few minutes of silence. He let out a chuckle and closed his eyes, his nose still buried in her hair.

"Are you going to change your entire being just to make a change in our relationship? Because I think it's perfect just the way it is." He inhaled deeply. "But you do realize that there are going to be many obstacles that will try and separate us?" She nodded, finding no will to pull back and look at him.

"I've already prepared myself for that."

"You're strong enough to get through it without preparation anyway, I hope you know that. And, look, I'm going to be here the entire time, on your side above all, okay?" She nodded again and pulled back, her hand coming up to cup his cheek, her thumb running along his cheekbone.

"We're in this together now." And with such fondness in her eyes, Misaki leaned forward and gently placed her lips over his.

~o~

"Where are you going?" Takumi asked as Misaki appeared at the bottom of the staircase, laundry basket in hand.

"I'm doing the laundry."

"Oh yeah, it's friday, isn't it? I forgot, you like your routines." He said, coming down the stairs. "Mind if I tag along?"

"Not at all," She smiled, heading towards the door. "Oh, can you grab that apron on the bench there on your way out?" He grabbed the flowery apron and followed her out of the shop where she stood holding the door open for him. He placed the apron in the basket and took her hand as they walked. She blinked at him but said nothing.

"Is there something wrong?" She turned her head away from him and smiled gently to herself, shaking her head.

"Not at all." The back path to the hill, as it always was, was empty, which made up for why no one had seen her and Takumi together because that was the only path they had walked together, and no one ever used it since the new gravel path had been cut out of the earth to be more convenient for those in the middle of the village. They reached the river and Misaki kneeled down in front of it, dunking a white blouse into the crystal water. "Are you helping me, or are you relaxing?" She asked, rolling her eyes as Takumi laid back at the base of the hill and basked in the sun.

"I said I'd tag along..." He trailed off and grinned, though his eyes were closed. Misaki hummed to herself and continued washing her and Suzuna's clothes. She couldn't help thinking that it was so nice and peaceful being together just like this... and then the image of Takumi's father standing on top of the hill filled her mind and all she could see was his face shrouded with rage... "Misaki? Are you okay?" She realized then that she had frozen in the process of taking a long skirt out of the basket and was staring into space. She looked across at Takumi, bit the inside of her cheek, and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine... guess I just spaced out for a little bit-,"

"I can tell when you're lying, Misaki, believe it or not." He had caught her off guard with that statement, her eyes briefly going wide before she ducked her head and returned to washing the skirt. Takumi chuckled, sighed, and draped his arm over his face, blocking the sun from his eyes. "You know what's funny? My mother is practically on her death bed and yet all she wants to do is meet you."

"Me?" Misaki asked, continuing to soak her skirt. "Why would she want to meet me?"

"She's nothing like my father if that's what you're thinking. She wants what's best for me, not what's best for the kingdom...," He took a breath. "My father, however, got caught up in the fact that he's the king and we pretty much lost him to greed. The father I know used to lift me up high and tell me that true love was all I could ever wish for... But now, the man that everyone thinks is that same father tells me that love is fake, that I'd be much better off marrying into the neighbouring palace instead of aimlessly wandering around spouseless for the entirety of my life."

"Takumi, why are you telling me this?" Misaki asked, putting the last article of clothing into the basket and turning to face him.

"I want to try that equivalent law theory that you were talking about on one of our first meetings." She raised her eyebrows. "You told me that your father had run off and that your mother had died, so I decided it was time to tell you about the kind of people my parents are."

"But I didn't give you nearly that amount of information!" She protested.

"If you don't find it fair, you can share, if it pleases you." Misaki paused and watched him. For a moment or two their eyes met and they said nothing, and then Misaki grabbed the heaving laundry basket and came to sit by him, her knee bumping against his as she laid back.

"My mother was a really hard working woman," She began quietly. "She did all the housework, made all the lunches, served in the bakery, helped the villagers with whatever they needed and, on top of that, she loved all of us unconditionally. My father wasn't always a bad guy, you know? He was really loving and funny and kind... He would help mum out whenever he could and he would bake all the food for the bakery." She rested her head against his shoulder unconciously. "But when my mother passed away, he lost his temper... He punched the wall repeatedly above their bed each night and screamed. But whenever he was around us, he tried to be positive. He still loves us, that I'm sure of, but his anger and grief got the best of him. One morning, about a week after my mother's death, I found this lying on my pillow when I woke." She popped open the golden locket that hung around her neck and pulled out a small scrap of folded paper. Misaki handed the paper to Takumi and he opened it gently. His eyes scanned the piece of paper and he turned to watch Misaki. I still love you. "Suzuna got one too..." She trailed off. "But I was the only one who got a necklace." She twirled the locket around and slid the piece of paper back into its place. "It was meant to be my mother's twenty-fifth wedding anniversary present..."

"Come back to the palace with me," He murmured.

"What?"

"I want you to meet my mother... If she dies before knowing that I'm happy then I don't think I'd be able to live with myself. Please come, Misaki. I know it's sudden, but I don't know how much time she has left-,"

"Okay, okay, I'll come. Just- let's go back first and then we can figure out what we're doing from there." He nodded and pushed up off the base of the hill, extending his hand to her. She took it and he pulled her up a bit too fast, causing her to stumble into his chest. She looked up at him and smiled shyly.

"Maybe we should both take a deep breath and calm ourselves down." He suggested, letting her hand go and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Agreed." He watched her for a moment before slowly leaning forwards. Misaki pressed up on the balls of her feet and wound her arms around his neck, kissing him with more force than he had expected.

"I'm glad you're here, Misaki."

~o~

Misaki took her time in folding the washing that afternoon, staring into space every so often. They'd agreed to go at eight to visit Takumi's mother, as his father would be in court deciding what to do with his current prisoner at the time. She had told Suzuna that she'd be back before morning arose and, as Suzuna was Suzuna, she had simply nodded and trailed into her bedroom. There was no need to make any sweets since the shop was closed on weekends, so Suzuna had all this time to herself. Misaki was worried to meet his mother. Though she knew him well enough to love him, it was another matter all together to let another being know that she felt that way; his mother especially. Personally, she would've liked a few more months to spend getting to know him better... but she didn't have that time... Once she took this step, there was no going back. Not to save herself from hurt, or Takumi.

"Misaki, you're refolding what you've already folded." A large hand set upon her own caused her to startle out of her reverie and she looked up to find Takumi watching her, frowning. She looked down at the washing pile and found that, indeed, she had been refolding those articles of clothing of which she had already folded. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking is all." He sat himself upon the table in the laundry room and watched her load the clothes into neat piles before setting them back in the basket. She glanced out at the darkening sky and checked her watch. "We should probably go."

"And you're sure you still want to go?" She looked at him, took in everything she had fallen in love with, and nodded, smiling softly.

"I'm sure. Do you want me to change into something more... I don't know, proper?" Takumi laughed and ruffled her hair gently as he shook his head.

"I wouldn't want you any other way." She leaned her head into his hand and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Promise me you won't lose you temper if you happen to see my father?" Misaki's eyes snapped open. She'd been calming herself to stop exactly that.

"How did you...?" He smiled gently at her and ran his fingers through her long black hair.

"Intuiton." He replied simply as he slid off the table. "Just... try to take it down a notch if you do snap. He is the king after all. He would have your head on a silver platter." Misaki laughed at the thought.

"Let him try."

~o~

The road up to the castle was surprisingly straight. Through the centre of the capital, a cobblestone path lead directly to the palace gates, the other streets simply branching off of that. The palace was grand and stuningly white against the black of the night and Misaki suddenly felt sort of intimidated by it. Compared to her bakery...well, it was an understatement to say that there was a bit of difference. Change wasn't necessarily something that Misaki liked, or handled well for that matter. In her white blouse, brown ankle-length skirt and boots, Misaki started to feel the stares of those late-night goers burning into her back and every inch of her existance. Takumi squeezed her hand as it lay clasped in his.

"Nervous?" He teased. Misaki rolled her eyes.

"Not in the slightest." She replied as they reached the palace gates. Two soldiers stood on night duty and blinked in awe at the strange girl who was not only observing them coldly but was holding the prince's hand, nonetheless. However, they valued their jobs and, quite frankly, their lives too much to comment. The gates swung open and they were admitted in. Takumi leaned closer to her, his lips at her ear.

"It was your death glare, I bet." Misaki scowled.

"I don't like to be stared at."

"I suppose my prying eyes are an exception in your books then, since you've never looked as though you were going to murder me in cold blood whenever I stared at you too long?" She elbowed him in the ribs.

"Did you even have to ask?" Misaki murmured as they reached the palace doors. They were double doors, made of smooth white marble with gold door knockers. Takumi, however, did not need to knock or gain any form consent to enter his own home. He led her quickly down the hall and up the left half of a great marble staricase. He then proceeded down the hallway and turned up at the end of it, leading her to the door at the end. He knocked three times and waited.

"Yu?" Patricia's voice asked. "No," She corrected herself, laughing gently. "Yu doesn't concern himself with trivial matters such as knocking. Which leaves my precious boy... Come in." Takumi smiled down at Misaki who was looking dead straight at the door and nowhere else. He bent down to kiss her cheek.

"You'll be fine." He whispered. He stepped in front of her and opened the door. "Hello, Mother." Patricia smiled and motioned for her son to step aside. He did so, leaving Misaki standing in the open doorway, her hands balled into fists at her sides. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out and she closed it immediately.

"Come closer dear," Patricia murmured, signalling with her hand for Misaki to move into the room. She did so without complaint and Takumi shut the door behind them. "Hmm." Patricia smiled to herself and Takumi chuckled.

"What is it that amuses you, Mother?" He came to sat at the end of her bed and smiled at Misaki. "She's very pretty, is she not?" Misaki felt her cheeks tint pink. She hated being the centre of attention, especially when he seemed so smug about it.

"Oh, for that I have no doubt, but have you not realized what amuses me, Takumi?" Takumi frowned and turned to his mother. Misaki didn't know what to do so she remained standing in the middle of the room.

"What do you mean?" Patricia turned to Misaki.

"Come and sit." Misaki did so gratefully, feeling the awkward feeling wash away. "You're Minako's daughter, aren't you?" Misaki's eyes widened.

"How... How did you know that?" She stammered. She was fairly certain that she'd never told Takumi her mother's name before, so how should the queen know? Patricia smiled, looking down at her bedsheets.

"Hmm," She murmured, a thoughtful look crossing over her features. "I thought so."

"What does my mother have to do with any of this?" Misaki asked. Patricia looked up at her.

"In the grand scheme of things, dear, everyone comes to play a part." Misaki didn't understand. "I take it from the look of confusion on both your faces that you simply do not remember meeting each other before all of this." Misaki blinked and so did Takumi.

"What are you on about, Mother?" Takumi asked. He was becoming more increasingly confused by the minute.

"It happened a long time ago, when you two were only three and four. You met each other in an open meadow on the outskirts of the capital. Minako was taking a shortcut to reach the back half of the capital to bargain with the tradesmen at the same time that Takumi and I were playing around in the meadow. Takumi loved that meadow as a child, you see, and back then I was well enough to wear him out entirely." Subconciously, Takumi had taken Misaki's hand and Patricia was very much aware of it. "Minako had stopped to get you a drink from the river, Misaki, and as you waited, Takumi became rather intrigued with you from afar. He had told me plenty a times that he wanted to get to know the people that he had been taught to call 'the common folk'." Patricia rearranged her bedsheets and continued.

"And so he did just that. I remember it clear as day; he came up next to you and told you how absurd it was to drink water from a river. You punched him in the face in reply and your mother got so very angry. I made to interfere, as did Minako, when Takumi took your hand, smiled, and told you that you were going to be different from the stories he'd heard. After all, you were the prettiest thing he'd ever seen, to quote him. You fell quite silent after that and turned to you mother," Patricia laughed. "And you said the funniest thing I think I've ever heard a three year-old say. You told your mother that, in order to teach the rich snob a lesson, she would have to leave you to deal with him yourself. Minako looked very confused, and it was at that time that she asked you if you were sure. You nodded far too eagerly to stay with someone you seemed to hate. Minako and I talked it through and I told her that I wouldn't mind looking after you. And by the end of that day, if I remember correctly, Takumi had handed you a purple flower and asked you to marry him one day. It was very sweet, you know." Patricia stared between the two who had remained entirely silent throughout. "I'll let that information sink in for a bit, shall I? I think I might have said too much." She picked up the teacup on her bedside table and sipped its contents, watching as the two processed everything she had just said. "Might I remind you, should you not think me rude for cutting your time short, that Yu will be coming out of court soon."

"Too late for that, Patricia," All three heads turned to the figure in the doorway. Yu stood there, his face angrier than Takumi had ever seen it. "Sorry to break up your little chat, but no one lets vermin into my castle."

A/N: Sorry that this took so long to get up, you guys! I've had massive writer's block and I've had to start this from scratch about three times, so hopefully it was enjoyable. As always, please R&R, it means the world to me.

Xx SweetsPrincess-Sama