The one true love in your dream

[redblood]

Picture

"I won't do it." The princess told her advisers in a strict manner. How could they ever believe that she would marry a man whom she had never met? Not to speak of all the things she had heard of him. Of course it could just have been rumors, her father was a king and had horrible rumors of being unforgiving and murdering anyone that came in his way. Sure he was strict, and there had been times when he didn't have a choice, but he also did good. There would always be rumors about people in power, but even if what had been said about the man they wanted her to marry wasn't true, she still couldn't make herself go through with such insane arrangements.

"Please princess, think about your people. They need you." Akhile told her.

"What nonsense are you speaking of? This has nothing to do with them." She told him, a bit perplexed by his comment.

"This union could help the kingdom, help the people. We are already in danger of war, and if it were to actually break out we might not have the ability to protect them. This marriage will give us a strong ally." He explained to her.

It took her many days of thinking before she decided what should be done. She surrendered to her fathers, her advisers, and her kingdoms will. It was for the best. A couple of month's later she prepared herself to travel to the neighboring kingdom to persuade the king of the other country.

"Farewell my lady" Akhile bowed to her as he said goodbye. She only gave him a nod before entering the carriage that would take her to her new home, if the king accepted the arrangements. But why wouldn't he? There were benefits for his kingdom too, and his advisers had probably been bombing him with all the reasons he should accept the marriage, if he hadn't already.

It was a long journey, and most of it she spent being told how to act and what to do when arriving. Two weeks after the journey began, it finally ended. Now she would finally see what kind of man they wanted to force her together with. She threw away everything she expected him to be, and went to meet him with a blank slate in her mind.



"Moira Cerencia, the princess of Aldonia has arrived my king." A messenger humbly bowed as he came with the news to the king.

 

[Elle]

King Rokoyi Kang-ka of Tawen had no interest in the thought of marriage, nor was he about to bend to the will of his advisers. That had never been his style, to simply submit to the bidding of another. No, that was why he was king. He was above such things and he basked in it. He sat slouched on his throne, one hand supporting his chin as he stared blankly at the messenger before giving a swift nod. It seemed that the princess had arrived.

"Send her in," His voice rang out, the tone in his voice betraying his boredom. He would humor his advisers this once, if only to see what kind of person the princess was. If she captured his attention, he would consider wedding her. But for now, he had no intention on marrying.

He straightened on his throne, looking just as regal and kingly as he should for the leader of his country. His long hair was unbound, his eyes half lidded as he stared at the entrance to the throne room, waiting for the princess to be shown in.

To outsiders, he may appear half dressed but that was the custom of his people. His people preferred loose fitting robes that showed elegance and beauty, instead of those tight and uncomfortable looking clothes that most of the more Western countries chose to wear. He showed no shame in the fact that part of his chest was exposed for all to see, his hand once again supporting his chin as he leaned to the side some. He was at least wearing pants, fitted to go with his robe like top.

Not much was known about the king, other than he had inherited the throne when he was sixteen. His father had been slain in war and in grief, his mother had committed suicide. He had been the only heir, so there was no choice but to elect him as the next king. He was still relatively young for a king, being in his mid twenties. It was no wonder his advisers were throwing such a fit about him having no queen, leaving him with no heirs.

Ro had no intention of dying anytime soon, though he doubted the simpleton men who did their best to guide and advise him would know that. His personality was a bit of a mystery, shifting from a somewhat kind, but distant king to a ruthless and unforgiving man. Despite this, many in his kingdom adored him while only a few feared him. Many looked up to him and some didn't even know what he looked like.

 

[redblood]

Moira was shown to the throne room, where the king was waiting. The first thing she noticed was his unusual clothes that showed more skin than even a child would dare to show in her own kingdom. She could only guess what kind of person he could be when he barely cared about how he presented himself. It was shameful. Was this truly the man they wanted her to marry?

She had to force herself to stop thinking like that. His country had a different culture than hers, so of course their sense of fashion would differ extremely. It was nothing she should base his personality on. And even though she thought his choice of clothing was questionable, he was still an quite attractive man. Even though that was not her criteria for marriage, it was still a plus if he had no other redeeming quality.

As she had closed the distance between them, but still standing a respectful length away, she curtsied and smiled. "I am Moira, the third child of king Sefurus of Aldonia. As I hope you have been informed, I have been sent here to offer an union between our two kingdoms." She said, hoping her nervousness didn't shine through. Usually it wasn't an issue, because she believed in what she was doing. But even though this marriage would be good for both the kingdoms, her heart still didn't think of it as completely justified. Though so far she were able to hold herself together.

"I do hope you have been considering the proposal, as both our countries would gain from it." She continued. Though the statement might not have been the most important one. She hadn't been rejected yet, so he must have considered it. Why else would he have let her travel such a long way? Just to say no just as she arrived?

 

[Elle]

Purple eyes took in the form of the princess, gaze studying every inch of her that he could see from his seated perch. She was beautiful, that he would admit; however, there was more to things than just mere beauty. He straightened and tilted his head some, his hair shifting and spilling over his shoulders as he stared at her with a hooded gaze.

"I am Rokoyi Kang-ka, king of Tawen. It is a pleasure to meet you in person, princess," He murmured in that bored, but silky tone of his before he stood from his throne and stretched a little.

"I have considered this offer, but I am still in indecision." Of course, he wasn't going to just come out and tell her he had no interest. No, that would ruin the fun and he wanted to milk this experience for all of its worth. It was just how the calculating king was.

"Come, let us move to a more comfortable setting. I am certain you are weary from your travels, so I'll send for some refreshments. Do you enjoy tea?" He turned, gesturing with a hand as he strolled to a nearby sliding door, a servant rushing forward to open it for his king who then stepped into the connected sitting room.

It had chairs of sorts, but they were low to the floor and not many. They were plenty of cushions of all kinds, though, with a low table that seemed to be their custom.

 

[redblood]

Moira wasn't sure if the king was completely uninterested or if that simply was how his voice sounded. Either way, she weren't about to begin an argument over his lack of excitement, as she pretty much felt the same way on the inside. She had to constantly remind herself that it was for her kingdoms sake, it was for the best.

As he told her he was still in indecision she almost were about to sigh in relief. Though she did stop herself in the last second. One part told her that it was good, he might still accept. While another part told her how good it was, he might decline. It was such a wrong thought, to think she would wish such misfortune for her kingdom just to escape an arranged marriage. But she couldn't help but wish for him to say no at the same time as she would do her duty if he said yes.

"I do enjoy it quite a lot actually." She replied to his question, happy that they had something in common even if it was something so simple as tea. She followed him to the other room. The table was low, almost on the floor. What a weird custom, she thought. How could you work and eat at such a low table, it didn't seem practical nor comfortable. Especially not in the clothes her people wore.

"Your kingdom is quite beautiful to travel through at this time of the year I noticed." She complimented. The trees had been in full bloom with colors she had never seen in nature in her own country.

 

[Elle]

Ro nodded and waved a hand towards a female servant who immediately bowed and swept away to the kitchens to have tea and such prepared as per the orders of her king. He moved to sit down on the cushions, seemingly relaxed as he sat cross legged on the floor and peered at her. "I apologize that our seating comforts are different than yours. I can imagine that in your current clothing, you would be uncomfortable to sit as we normally do. I will have something more comfortable brought in for you, unless you would wish to try and adjust. I can have one of servants fetch you some of our clothing to make you more comfortable, if you would like."

It wasn't long until the servant girl from before returned, a tray of tea and treats on plates as she made sure not to trip or spill a single drop of the liquid. She knelt with the tray, placing on of the glasses in front of her king, along with a plate of what seemed like onigiri and some kind of other sweet treat. She then sat the other one down and stood with a bow, backing away with the tray held to her chest.

"Thank you, this time of the year is a favorite of mine," Rokoyi murmured softly, gracefully picking up the cup of tea and sipping carefully at the hot liquid. "Tell me, what of your kingdom?"

 

[redblood]

"I'm fine like this, but thank you for your concern." She told him as he mentioned her clothing not being compatible with their way of living. Moira was used to uncomfortable clothes, so this was just another everyday obstacle she had to face. She sat down, which resulted in her heavy dress almost strangling her around the waist. Maybe she should take on his offer after all, at least if she were going to stay for a longer period of time.

The servant girl came back with the tea and some peculiar food, or snack. What a strange country, she thought. She tasted the tea as the king started to speak. It was delicious. Much better than what she got in her own home. She was so astonished over the taste of their tea so she almost missed his question. "My kingdom?... I couldn't tell. I only know what my teachers have taught me or what my books have told me. But I haven't really seen it for myself. Except for our political affairs and our history, there is nothing I actually know of it." She confessed. In difference from her older brother, whom had traveled all over the kingdom and outside to help his father as the crown prince, she was just a princess waiting to be married away. She was supposed to have knowledge that could help her future husband, and she should be able to give him an heir. There was no reason for her to ever leave the palace, and thus she had never left the palace before now.

 

[Elle]

Ro lowered the glass of tea, placing it carefully on the low table as he focused his purple gaze upon her form. Despite what she said, she looked rather uncomfortable and he had half a mind to send for her a change of clothes to help her feel better. It wasn't that he particularly cared, it was the right thing to do as a host. He may have been uninterested in the marriage, but that did not mean he had to be rude.

"That is a pity, I would have liked to hear of your kingdom but I suppose it cannot be helped." He paused, his head tilting to the side by a fraction. "Is the tea to your liking? I would imagine it must be quite different than the kind you are used to."

Everything was about him was graceful, just as it would be expected from a king such as himself. "Perhaps after you have rested, I will personally give you a tour around the palace. Your rooms will be prepared and anything you have brought with you, will be placed in there to wait for you. Does this sound acceptable to you, your highness?"

 

[redblood]

"It is very different from my usual tea indeed." She agreed. "And I have to say that this is much better. I wish my country would be a bit more daring with flavors, our tea is pretty dry in comparison." There was nothing wrong with admitting that their country was bad at certain things, even though her father probably would have told her to never say anything bad of the land you came from.

"That sounds perfectly fine." She then told him, accepting his proposal. The king might be young, but he still acted with the dignity of a man whom had fought a thousand battles. Moira felt like a child in comparison. Was her nervousness shining through? Was she saying anything strange? Did she move in the right ways? She tried hard to remember her training, and tried not to make a fool of herself. She couldn't disappoint her kingdom, even though the exact opposite also was her wish. But duty always came before desires.

"I must confess that I am quite amazed. Ruling a kingdom all on your own from such a young age with great success. Not many kings have succeeded with such a task. Either someone taught you very well, or you're a very talented man."

 

[Elle]

The princess was certainly more amusing than he had thought she would be, that much was certain. In fact, he found himself somewhat enjoying her company, even though he would still decline the marriage proposal. But for now, he was more than content to string her along and learn more about her. He finally picked up one of the onigiri, raising it to his lips and chewed thoughtfully on it before swallowing it and lowering it, focusing his gaze upon her once more.

"I took over the throne when my father was slain in battle at the age of sixteen. My mother, had she not committed suicide, would have helped me rule until I had gotten older. I had no one but myself to rely and fortune smiled upon me thus far. It's much different when you're only a prince or princess and then become a king or queen. It can be challenging and it helps to have someone at your side. I was unfortunate to have no one but myself, but I managed."

He lowered the rice ball and took up his tea again, carefully sipping at the still hot liquid. He wasn't one to talk about himself much, but he felt strangely talkative around her for some reason.

 

[redblood]

Moira had to hold back the tears as she listened to him. Even though he didn't seem too emotional about it she could still imagine how he must have felt on the inside. She had already known about his father, the former king, dying in battle. But that his mother had committed suicide was completely unknown to her.

"I'm sorry. It must have been hard to loose your parents in such awful manners. I can only imagine how it would feel like if my own father suddenly passed away." As much as she felt sorry for the king, she also could not help but feel very lucky. She had never lost anyone to death, except for her mother. But she had been too small to remember that event and thus never thought about it.

 

[Elle]

He sipped at his tea, finishing it as he stared down at the onigiri in thought. It had been such a long time since his parents had died and he almost didn't remember how he had felt. At the time, there was no time to mourn because he had a country to lead. He had to think of the people and not himself, which made it easier for him to deal with the grief. He had never been one to allow emotions to totally consume him, though.

"It was a long time ago, but cherish the time you have with your parents." He pushed the plate away, not in the mood to eat as he gracefully stood and stretched. "Are you ready for the tour or would you prefer to leave that for another day and retire to your rooms? I imagine the journey was long and exhausting."

 

[redblood]

She smiled at his comment. That was easier said than done. In the royal family, parents and children rarely saw each other, and when they did it was mainly for work, sometimes studies. But it was nothing that bothered her, she was used to that kind of family. Her father might not be in her life as most fathers would be, but he was still an important person to her.

Moira rose with him, even though she found it difficult to get up from such a low position. "I would love a tour. I have been sitting down for far too long. If I rest any longer I'm afraid I might not be able to use my legs again." She replied. She had indeed traveled a long way, and during the first days it had made her incredibly tired. But now she felt like she had move around and take back the lost time.

 

[Elle]

"Very well, we shall begin the tour at once since you seem willing and ready to start," He murmured softly, the corners of his lips curling upwards slightly in a faint smile as he turned to lead the way. He knew his palace would seem quite odd in her eyes, as was much the case when visitors came to visit who were from other areas. He had seen other cultures and their buildings and still, he favored his own country's.

The tour passed in relative ease, the king making sure to give her a detailed but brief description of each area they passed. They were the gardens, the court yard, and the training grounds. Not all of the buildings were completely together but were linked together through adjourning porches that lead from the main house to the royal sleeping chambers, to the kitchens and dining, to the servants' quarters and bathing areas. Of course a private spring was attached near his quarters and she would be staying in his part of the palace, as it was reserved for himself and the important guests.

Eventually, the tour ended as they wound up in front of a pair of sliding doors, a servant stepping forward to slide the doors open for the king and bowed as he stepped away, allowing the king entrance. He merely nodded and offered his hand to the princess, purple eyes focused upon her own fair eyes.

"These will be your quarters. If you like, I can have meals delivered here if you do not wish to join me in the dining area. I understand if you wish to get some rest. Inside you'll find your things along with a closet filled with robes and other such things of my culture. They would most likely be more fitting than your... current choice of clothes."

 

[redblood]

The king showed her around, telling her about everything she might not know. And if there was something he did not mention, she took the initiative to ask him about it. The palace was strange compared to her own home. Doors weren't opened by pushing or pulling, instead they slid to the side. They grew flowers in the garden she had never seen before, and decorated their gardens in a style that was unknown to her. The palace wasn't built high up in the sky, so that the servants lived beneath earth and the royals lived closer to the heavens. Instead it was many houses, short to the height, but long to the length, that was connected to each other. She felt slightly disoriented, hopefully she wouldn't loose her way. That would be an embarrassment.

As the tour ended and they walked to what soon would be her quarters, the king reached out a hand to Moira and led her in. At least their cultures were somewhat the same when it came to courtesy.

"I would be delighted to dine with you, your majesty." She told him. If her father had gotten words of her eating in her room he would probably fly into the roof. Though that wasn't the only reason she declined that offer. She simply loved to have company while eating, even if everyone sat in silence.

"And I do agree, I could need some rest." She purposely didn't mention the clothes, as she still wasn't sure if she could throw away her own culture so easily, even for just some moments. It was something she would have to think about.

 

[Elle]

As his hand was accepted, he curled his fingers lightly around her much smaller hand as he led her into the room. It was only when she was safely within her room that he had finally released her hand and dropped his to his side. "Would you like to rest for awhile before dinner? I can have a servant fetch you when the process is completed and ready to be served."

If Rokoyi noticed her lack of comment at the clothes topic, he showed no sign of caring or acknowledgment. It wasn't as if he was trying to force his culture upon her, he could just imagine that his culture's clothes would be more comfortable than the atrocities that the Western females wore.

"I shall leave you to rest, just send for a servant if you need anything from me or otherwise. There are always servants around and if not, just wait a little while as they're most likely making rounds. If not, just contact a guard and he'll find you someone appropriate."

He turned to head towards the exit of the room, one hand resting on the sliding door as his back remained to her. He then slowly turned, glancing at her over his shoulder and flashed an almost mischievous smile. "Oh, and welcome to Tawen."

 

[redblood]

"Thank you." She replied as the man left her to rest. It was the first time she was completely alone since she left home. The exhaustion took over and she had to sit down for a moment. Finally she wouldn't have to show her best side, stand up straight or be polite. She could just let herself breath. Well, she would have been able to do so if her dress had allowed her to. Moira cursed the clothing she wore, and wished the fashion in her country would change before any of the children of today would have to grow up and get into those death traps. She had a love-hate relationship with her clothes. While she loved how they looked and how nicely decorated they were, she also hated how much they were tensed just to make the woman body look smaller. If only the corset part was taken away, then it might have been perfect.

As she laid down to rest she constantly looked over towards the closet. Maybe she should take his offer, just for the dinner. It would show respect towards his culture after all. And it would release her of some pain, though she pretended that the last thought never entered her mind.

Once the servant came to fetch her for dinner, she had both been able to rest and was feeling completely refreshed, and above that she had also changed clothes to one of the kimonos. Since she hadn't known how to wear them, she had asked a servant for help. While she were used to get helped getting dressed in her own home, in that new strange country it had felt very awkward. Maybe because she was used to her own servants.

The servant that had come for her showed her to the dining room where she met up with king Rokoyi. As she saw him she bowed her head to greet him. It felt slightly weird since she was used to making a curtsy, but the kimono was completely different from her normal dress, and doing a normal curtsy as she was used to would probably seem odd.

 

[Elle]

Ro left her room, the doors sliding shut behind him thanks to a servant doing so while he just kept on walking. He headed to his chambers, personally relieved that all that was over and he could finally have some time to himself. Though, he had to admit that the princess was a lot different than how he would have expected her to be, which made him almost want to rethink his decision. Almost.

After retiring to his rooms for some alone time, he opted to bathe in his hot springs. Once he had finished, he had changed into fresh clothing and had the servants pull some of his hair back. The clothes he was wearing were a little more casual than the ones from before, but they were still of similar design with the shirt's front parted to reveal some of his smooth chest.

Time passed swiftly and before he knew it, a tap on his sliding doors alerted him to the presence of a servant with news that dinner was ready. Rising from his chair, he tucked the papers he had been looking over away and exited his room, nodding to the servant as he walked lazily towards the dining area. Much like the sitting room he had been in with the princess, the furniture was similar and low to the ground, with cushions for the seats. He settled down at the head of the table, absently watching as the servants flitted about to finish preparing the table.

Movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention and he turned to see that the princess had arrived and much to his amusement, she had decided to take him up his offer and changed into some of his culture's clothing. He bowed his head in return, lifting a hand and gesturing her to come sit beside him as the table was finished being set.

"I trust that you'll find the kimono quite comfortable as I stated it would be? I sent word to the cooks beforehand to prepare a variety of foods, including some that might be more suitable to what you are used to. Please, feel free to try anything you would like."