"Fujiwara-taichou, there's a messenger for you," Hinamori-fukutaichou called.
"Oh, come in, please," I called from behind my desk. I was behind three towers of paperwork, and there was a box of chocolates open beside me. Momo opened the screen doors and a messenger came in.
"Fujiwara Mayumi?" the messenger inquired. I nodded impatiently.
"Yes, that's me," I said, looking down at my paperwork again and resting my head on my hand. I had a short fuse when I was doing work; I couldn't help it.
"The Noble clan Fujiwara has a message for you," the messenger said. I froze and looked up.
"Yomitte kudasai," I said. "Please read it." The messenger cleared his throat and began.
"'The head of the Noble house Fujiwara, Fujiwara Hideaki, requests the presence of Fujiwara Mayumi, Captain of the Fifth Court Guard Company and his honored daughter, on the Fujiwara estate for a meeting in the afternoon of today,'" the messenger read. "End message."
"Alright," I said.
"Do you wish to send them a response?" the messenger asked. I sighed and thought for a second.
"Tell them I'll be there. But say it politely when you tell them," I said, chuckling a little bit. The messenger nodded and bowed then left the room.
"Do you need me to do anything?" Hinamori asked. I shook my head and smiled.
"No, thank you very much, Hinamori-fukutaichou. You're excused," I said. She bowed and left.
That left me alone in my office. It was still the morning, so I would finish some more paperwork then go to my barracks and get ready to meet my parents. Would it be more appropriate to wear a nice kimono or my captain's cloak and shihakushou? I sighed again and put down my pen to massage my temples. I closed my eyes. I hadn't visited my parents in years. What did they want? My father knew that Court Guard captains had a lot of work. He was one. Hundreds and hundreds of years ago, anyway. Maybe things were different.
But in the end I still had to see my parents today. And I had no idea why they needed to see me so suddenly, which didn't make me any less nervous for sure.
At half past noon I left my office and decided to just go straight to my parent's house. I arrived at the front gates in a few minutes (the Noble's properties were just on the outskirts of where the shinigami lived). I stood in front of the huge gate and knocked. It opened and I walked down a dirt path lined neatly with smooth pebbles and rocks and beautifully kept flowers and shrubs; my mother delighted in growing the flowers and shrubs in strange shapes.
I continued up the path and came across a fountain. I looked at it admiringly, a flood of memories swamping me.
The fountain was a wide, shallow bowl made of ice and inscribed with the family motto, Chikara to chisiki to bi arimasu. Strength, intelligence, and beauty.
The bowl was sitting on a crystal pedestal that was also inscribed with images of birds and other animals. The light reflected through the bowl and pedestal to make dancing rainbows on the ground.
I remembered playing with my sisters by this fountain, learning how to sculpt and preserve ice from our kidou tutor. And I remembered not being allowed on the path outside for months after my brother's body was brought home. We were still allowed to play in the garden on the side of our house. There was a koi pond in the side garden and I used to try to pet the fish.
I shook myself out of my short reverie and continued past the fountain, a pillar of water twirling up as I twirled my hand and settling back into the bowl tamely as I continued on to the house. The rainbows on the ground spun wildly on the path.
The dust revolved in small circles around my feet as I stopped in front of the door to my parent's mansion. The screen door slid open before me and a servant bowed. I nodded back and smiled, and they showed me in. I leaned over and took my sandals off before continuing into the house. The servant was a young man in a white uniform. He turned around from me and I saw that out family crest, a red Lion, symbolizing strength, fighting with a royal blue peacock, symbolizing beauty and intelligence. I smiled a little bit.
The servant stopped in front of another screen door. He kneeled on the ground and announced us. I heard my father's voice call, "Come in, please." I kneeled behind the servant and he opened the door. My father was sitting in front of a table and my mother was standing behind him. I bowed, then stood up to go into the room.
"Mayumi-chan," my father said, smiling. I nodded and smiled back. I sat down in front of him at the table.
"You summoned me," I said shortly.
"Yes, we did," he said. "It's to discuss an… arrangement." I felt myself tense up.
"What kind of arrangement, Otou-san?" I asked carefully.
"You remember who Kuchiki Byakuya is, and his relevance to you?" he asked me. I nodded.
I don't like where this is going.
"Yes, I do. He married Lady Hisana. She passed away a while ago," I said.
"Indeed. Unfortunate," my mother chimed in, not sounding at all sorry.
"Kuchiki Ginrei has renewed the offer of your arranged marriage to Kuchiki Byakuya. We accepted," my father said. My mother beamed at me.
"What?" I asked numbly.
"You're getting married to someone in one of the four Noble families!" my mother said happily.
"You accepted it without asking me?" I asked.
"Of course. You should've been married to him anyway, years and years ago." My father frowned at my lack of interest.
"But I have my own life now, you can't force me to marry someone anymore!" I said, voice rising.
"I am still the head of this family, and yes, I can. You are my daughter!" he said, leaning forward, eyes blazing. I closed my eyes, trying to compose myself.
"This will be an embarrassment to our family. A captain being forced against her will by her parents to marry someone? People will laugh," I reasoned. "And as a captain of the fifth Court Guard company, I should be able to make my own choices."
"We have already accepted the renewed offer; you have no choice anymore," my father said, voice low.
He was right. I had to obey my parents, always.
The man with the fox face stood at our door, smile unnaturally wide, the bloody and mangled corpse of my dead brother behind him.
"You should always do as you're told, little girl," he said, tousling my hair.
"You must obey us!" my mother said shrilly.
"If you do as you're told, you won't get hurt," he said in a sing-song voice. I nodded, trembling.
"I know, Okaa-san," I mumbled.
My parents smiled radiantly at me and I started feeling dizzy.
"You're excused. Come back tomorrow at the same time, we have to start planning the wedding," my mother said. I nodded and stood up, bowed, and left the room.
What's happening to my perfect life?
A/N: Thanks for reading! I really hoped you liked it :P Please please review if you didn't or if you did, I really love getting critique! (=