Chapter Text
So who was this mysterious princess at the ball? Why, it was none other than Maki, a blood-born Zenin girl who was forced into servitude, a fate thrusted upon all girls born within the family. From a young age, she was aware that once she was of proper marriage age, she would be forced into an arrangement with a terrible man who would exhaust her until the day she died. And with that day fast approaching, she needed a night of stress relief before her life took a turn for the worst.
That night came when the prince of the Gojo Clan was announced to have a ball for every beautiful maiden in the country. Maki wanted to attend, but she knew her cruel father would never accept it, especially after he tore up a kimono she was making in secret. So she kept her feelings to herself with only her twin sister Mai knowing the truth. But once her father was away, she was visited by a lovely song fairy who could use magic to make her wish come true. Both sisters were given the offer, but Mai turned it down, feeling more comfortable living in servitude.
The fairy summoned a horse-drawn carriage and transformed Maki into an elegant princess with robes of gold and silver, along with a pair of sandals made of actual crystals. And with the magic vanishing at midnight, Maki was able to enjoy her one night of freedom, yet there was still the concern of being spotted by her father. Luckily the Gojo Clan's prince stayed by her side the entire time, offering a caring ear as she discreetly vented about her woes.
When Maki did have to return, the carriage and robes disappeared in an instant once the final chime struck. But to her dismay, losing a crystal sandal meant the one that stayed on her foot didn't vanish. Left with no other option, she forced herself to shatter it so no one knew about her presence at the ball. And thus, the only thing she had were her memories. Now she could carry on her servant duties with ease.
Which brings us to the next day, when something rather unfortunate happened...
"Yuta Okkotsu of the Gojo Clan shall marry the beautiful princess who wore crystal sandals!"
That was the proclamation that spread throughout the country. And when word reached the Zenin Clan, Maki was in a panic. But she had to stay calm and act as if nothing happened last night, for she knew things could take a turn for the worse if she showed any sign of suspicion. Besides, with the young prince focusing on footwear, he would surely visit every girl throughout Japan. And with the Zenin Clan keeping all women locked away, no one would know about her existence, so he was bound to marry some other girl who wasn't her.
Too bad life wasn't that simple.
While Maki was hard at work with scrubbing the manor floors, she could hear a conversation coming from the clan head's chambers. It was probably a potential bride for one of the Zenin family heirs, a common occurrence among the clan. It certainly wasn't the Gojo Clan's prince going door-to-door to find the mysterious princess from the ball. No way he was going to find her, then whisk her away to a better life of luxury and glamour. She was going to live and die as a servant. That was her ultimate fate.
But then she heard a familiar voice.
"Enough stalling. I must ask. Are there any women living in this home?"
Clan head Naobito Zenin proceeded to dismiss the question as Maki attempted to drown out the conversation. She scrubbed and scrubbed with all her might, wanting to ensure the ball was nothing more than a distant memory no matter how much she longed for otherwise. But voice felt louder even as she tried to continue her work. It all felt too much for her to handle.
And then, the scrub brush in her hands slipped.
More voices.
Followed by the sound of footsteps.
Maki grabbed the scrub brush just as she heard the door slide open.
"So I was right," the young prince Yuta Okkotsu spoke. "There are girls living among these halls. Who is that?"
"Pay no attention to her," Naobito dismissed. "She's nothing more than a servant born from my brother's seed."
"Is that so?" Yuta questioned. "What if I were to tell you she's the princess I met at the ball?"
Silence.
Maki resumed scrubbing the floors, not wanting to draw unwanted attention to herself. She knew she would be punished if the clan head knew about her careless fantasy. Would he actually kill her on the spot for disobeying?
Then a laugh broke out, easing her fears.
"Nonsense!" Naobito boomed in a hearty tone. "Servant girls are forbidden to leave this very house. Only the strong Zenin men are allowed to thrive."
"You fail to realize your position," Yuta warned, his tone changing into a frightening stance. "While the clans of Zenin and Kamo have great power, they pale in comparison to the Gojo Clan, which is favored by the great emperor himself. That is, unless your family is directly related to royalty."
That got Naobito to shut up, but Maki was still afraid to look up. She was trained since birth to never look at someone unless she was granted permission. She continued her work as always, failing to hear the footsteps of someone approaching her. So out of panic, she halted her work and tightly closed her eyes. She refused to look at the prince, not matter how much he would try to ask. But instead, she felt a hand on her chin nudging her upwards.
That gesture made her eyes open.
She saw soft black hair framing calm dark blue eyes and a gentle smile.
"It is you," Yuta sighed in relief. He revealed a familiar crystal sandal. "The mystery princess from the ball."
Before Maki could protest, Yuta gently grasped her hand and forced her to stand. Then it all happened too fast. He knelt down and carefully positioned her foot into the crystal sandal. And as he stood to his full height, somehow the shattered fragments of the magical footwear's twin reassembled and materialized onto the other foot.
It was a perfect fit.
Maki felt the scrub brush loosen from her grasp and fall onto the floor.
Just like that, her servant life was over.
"What is this fairy magic?!" Naobito angrily demanded.
"I already told you," Yuta warned, latching onto Maki's hand. "The Zenin Clan has no say in what the Gojo Clan can do. This girl will be my bride."
And then, both the prince and former servant broke out into a run, leaving the flabbergasted clan head behind. As the two ran towards the entrance, Maki could see Mai sweeping near the doorway. She did stop momentarily to smile as if to wish her sister luck with her new life, but now was not the time for proper farewells. There was a horse-drawn carriage waiting outside and the two had to keep moving.
Once in the safety of the carriage as it headed towards the Gojo Clan, Maki's composure fell and she started crying, relieved she was finally free from her terrible family. She attempted to express her gratitude, but her words were muddled by sobs. Yuta seemed to understand what she was trying to say, so he leaned towards her and kissed her face, probably to dry her tears.
"From now on, you're officially part of the Gojo Clan," Yuta said. "I won't let anyone from your family hurt you. And if they did, I will have them obliterated in an instant."
"What about Mai?" Maki asked once she regained her voice. "I know she chose to stay, but she'll..." She couldn't finish that sentence, for she knew what fate will fall upon her.
"Is she your sister?" Yuta checked, to which a nod answered his question. "Then I'll ask Emperor Tengen to make sure she has suitable marriage arrangements."
"Just like that?" Maki wondered. She looked a little uncomfortable. "This all feels unreal." But then a simple hand squeeze eased her woes.
"But it is," Yuta reassured. "I promise to love, respect, console, and help you until my dying breath. I will never let you feel pain and sorrow ever again."
Those words proved to be true. For once Yuta brought Maki to the Gojo Clan, she was dressed in pure white robes with a wataboshi adorned on her head. And once Yuta was also dressed in appropriate attire, a grand wedding was held with Emperor Tengen overseeing the ceremony. When the former Zenin was crowned as the Gojo Clan's newest princess, she felt her hand tighten around Yuta's once more. But this time, he squeezed back, giving her a kind smile as silent reassurance. Yes, this was actually happening. No, this wasn't a fleeting dream. She was officially cutting ties from her toxic family.
And for the first time in her entire life, Maki Okkotsu genuinely smiled.