-Authors note: My attempt at the second chapter of "The Unfortunate Painter". My editor lives in Pennsylvania, however he will be visiting soon so in the meantime I'll do my best to make this a good one without mistakes. ._.
The chirping of birds filled the silent summer day as I added a small tint of red to my almost complete painting. It had been three days since I had agreed to the arranged marriage of Akane Tendo, Princess of Jusenkyo and myself, a poor unfortunate painter. Since then things fell into a downward spiral rather than lightening up like I had hoped.
Akane was not at all pleased with the situation. Neither was I of course but she was so much more against this than I ever was. She fumed the night I had knelt in front of King Tendo and fell prey to his devious and dastardly plans. She stood from her chair, her face hidden by her long luscious black hair, and removed herself from the room without a word. Slamming the door so hard the door was wounded with a long crack down the middle.
I had not seen her since that night and part of me kind of does not want to. She might kill me if we were left alone. Which is a pity… before this ridiculously dramatic situation occurred, Akane and I had made very good friends. When I had first arrived to the castle I knew no one and did not fit in as well as intended to. I did not blend with the servants, maids, and chefs. I did not blend with the lords, the lesser lords, hell even the knights. I fit no category inside the palace and was half tempted to return to my small cabin but the king had won me over with very 'special attention'. I was given a room bigger than any living arrangement I've ever had, a nonstop buffet of every kind of food imaginable, and a peaceful place used to do my work.
Sometime after my first few days in the palace I had already met Kasumi, the kings' eldest daughter. She was not only beautiful on the outside with her long brown hair and bright hazel eyes, her fair pale skin and adorable smile but she was kind, innocent and pure. She helped everyone any way she could. She cooked with the chefs, cleaned with the maids, and went out on errands with the servants. I was very rare to find someone doing something for her and it was even rarer to find her in a foul mood or saying negative things. She was simply picture perfect.
The second daughter, Nabiki, was practically the exact opposite from Kasumi however. She was cunning and devious, obsessed with money and blackmail. The most selfish person I've ever met in all of Jusenkyo and I've met men who have sold their children to slavery just to get an ale fix. Why Kami blessed her with such a beautiful face and seductive smile I will never know.
These two girls kept me company and a feeling of being not so lonely through my first few weeks at the castle. I had not met Akane until the month after my arrival. She had been traveling with her mother, to the kingdom miles and miles away belonging to family friends, King Kuno, Prince Tatewaki, and Princess Kodachi. I've heard that the Prince has had his eyes on Akane for quite some time and had demanded Akane come for a visit. King Tendo and Queen Tendo, being the hopless romantics that they are, agreed hoping Akane would stop being so stubborn and give the Prince a chance. She never did and after an incident were Kuno made a move and Akane creamed him in the face the two women returned a month earlier than planned.
When I had first lain my eyes on Akane I found her simply breathe taking. Long black hair, clear sky blue eyes, flawless pale skin… She stood tall and proud making her seem so much stronger in that small frail body. I was both intimidated and intrigued. When she spoke her words were clear and confident and when she walked it was with purpose and grace. She was kind and caring like Kasumi and she was incredibly seductive when she smiled, like Nabiki. Granted, she was clumsy and a bit hot headed but other than that she was a very well put together sixteen year old.
We enjoyed each other's company, we could talk about nothing for hours, we could see each other in the worst of moods without getting irritated or annoyed and we could just sit together and not be bored. We were fine, and now… Now that were to be married, she hates me? Unacceptable.
So there I had sat, for three days, and painted a picture of what we would be like married and to be completely and utterly honest… It doesn't seem like that bad an idea but of course I would not ever admit that in a lifetime.
"HYA! HA!" The single piece of wood split into millions as my left fist pierced it perfectly. Panting, I kicked the air with my foot a few times, sweat drops falling from my face at a slow pace. Punch, kick, punch, kick, punch, kick… and endless cycle of martial arts always puts my head at ease; I call it my 'Special therapy'.
"AH!" I swung my foot around and was surprised to see Akane standing right in my foot's pathway; I pulled back and luckily, missed her by a few centimeters. She didn't even flinch, just stood there with her arms crossed looking at me with a bored expression. "Are you crazy?" I spat at her. She dropped her hands and placed them on her hips creasing her white gown. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, bangs falling in front of her eyes, and she walked barefoot along the forest floor, not even bothered by the twigs and leaves that would have irritated anyone else's feet.
"You're the crazy one, Ramna." She shot back, "Do you really expect me to marry you?"
"I expect nothing! I just didn't want to be locked in that blasted prison any longer. I mean seriously who would want to marry such an uncute, immature, child like yourself?"
She gasped in disbelief at my sudden burst of insults and with a small shout of anger round house kicked me into a tree. She knows martial arts? I stared at her in confusion and curiosity.
"Wh-what?" She whispered. A slight tint of pink gradually appeared on her cheeks as she averted her baby blue eyes to the ground, "You're not the only martial artist in this palace…"
"Look," I breathed, pulling myself up out of the dirt. Her kick actually kind of hurt, "You don't want this marriage and I sure as hell don't want this marriage. So if we just stopped bickering for a moment and devised a plan to get out of this wouldn't that be better than beating me senseless? I mean, not like you can anyway. You're nothing but a small gril. I, however, am a man whose study this for survival. It's my life!"
She punched me in the face and I fell on my ass.
"You're so full of it Ranma." She said dryly. I watched her walk away as I once again pulled myself up off the ground all the while rubbing my cheek. She sure is an interesting catch, I thought to myself.