Chapter Text
“I can’t believe this is finally happening!” Totoko giggled dreamily. “After so long of looking at countless unworthy prospects I found the prince I truly deserve.”
“That’s great Totoko.” You congratulated half heartedly, already a little worn out from from how much the young princess had been boasting about her fiancé the last couple of days. You were happy for your older sister, but you could only tolerate it for a limited amount time until it got on your nerves.
Well, that’s how Totoko had always been anyways. As the direct heir to the throne of Akatsuka she quickly realized how valuable her hand in marriage would be, so when she came of age and prospects started showing up she hadn’t hesitated to be mercilessly picky. One would think that any duke or prince was already a great catch, but Totoko wouldn’t settle for anyone that she didn’t consider good enough.
He couldn’t only be rich, he had to be insanely rich. His kingdom couldn’t just be prosperous, it had to be prosperous, big and powerful. His allies couldn’t just be reliable, they had to be reliable, numerous and of influence.
Surprisingly Totoko didn’t care at all for looks or age, and after years of searching and rejecting she finally found the man of her dreams. Not only did he fulfill every single one of Totoko’s requirements, but he was also young and good looking, so it was definitely expected when she accepted on the spot.
That had been only but a few days ago, and to celebrate the engagement there was going to be a ball held at Totoko’s fiancé’s kingdom: Matsubara. Your parents, the King and Queen, as flattered as they were to be invited couldn’t afford to embark on such a trip and leave the kingdom unattended. That’s why they had personally asked you to go in their place.
“I can’t wait ‘till you meet him.” Totoko continued, finally turning to look at you as you both continued to walk side by side. “Kamimatsu is literally perfect! So try to not be too jealous okay~?”
“I won’t be.” You assured her with an amused roll of your eyes. “I haven’t even started thinking about getting married in the first place.”
“Just making sure!”
Upon reaching the entrance the grand doors were opened for the both of you, and in the brief moment the sunlight blinded you Totoko rushed out in a hurried sprint. When your eyes got used to the brightness you immediately noticed the elegant carriage parked right outside with horses and rider ready to go.
This wasn’t the first time Totoko got to leave the kingdom in a carriage, but this was the first time she’d be taken in your parents’ carriage, so her excitement was understandable. Not only was it bigger, but much more luxurious, with a golden color palette and proudly bearing the emblem and flags of Akatsuka.
Well it was only appropriate that the soon-to-be wife of prince Kamimatsu arrived to her engagement party in a ridiculously flashy and over-the-top ride.
Too entranced by her transportation Totoko failed to notice -or chose to blatantly ignore- the six royal guards that stood quietly nearby watching the princess’s movements, each one of them having a horse waiting idly right behind them.
They were definitely quite a colorful bunch. Besides their armor royal guards tended to use their default white capes, but for some reason these six guards each wore a different color. Was it to differentiate them from each other? They were sextuplets, so it wasn’t too far fetched to think so, but you vaguely recalled that the most outstanding of knights wore different uniform.
Were they the royal guards your parents said would be escorting you?
The one in red fidgeted nervously, his cheeks pink and his lips quivering as if he was dying to say something. He resisted the urge however, and gently elbowed his brother in yellow while nudging in Totoko’s direction. The guard in yellow aggressively nodded in agreement before his smile widened and his cheeks turned bright red.
It was awfully obvious they were anxiously waiting for Totoko to notice them, but as she went to pet the white horses the guard in green awkwardly stepped forward and cleared his throat.
“Y-Your royal highnesses,” He started, and Totoko finally turned to look at him with a curious blink. “We’ve… we’ve been informed by the King and Queen themselves that you’ll be embarking on a journey to Matsubara and need to be safely escorted. I, Choromatsu, and my brothers,”
Choromatsu turned behind him and pointed at each one of his brothers as he spoke.
“Osomatsu, Karamatsu, Ichimatsu, Jyushimatsu and Todomatsu, have been given the honor to carry that duty.” All six brothers knelt in one knee and bowed their heads respectfully. “So until you return back home safely we’ll be at your service.”
“Great!” Totoko chirped with approval and stepped closer to the sextuplets, prompting them to stand back up with timid smiles. “Six guards should be enough to keep me safe.”
“We will your highness!” Osomatsu nodded enthusiastically, his eyes gleaming with joy. “I’ll be more than happy to give my life for the cutest princess in the world!”
“Yes, you can count on us!” Todomatsu agreed and Ichimatsu nodded hastily in agreement.
“Now that’s what I wanted to hear~” Totoko giggled and briefly patted Choromatsu’s head, failing to notice how the guard in green froze in place and the entirety of his face turned pink.
“Um, excuse me.” You decided to finally step up to Totoko, crossing your arms disapprovingly in front of your chest. “It sounds like you’re planning to take all six of them to escort you Totoko. Did you forget they are meant to protect both of us?”
You had hoped one of the guards would say something about it, especially because they explicitly had been given the order to escort the two of you, but from that brief exchange you quickly noticed those six were swooning over your sister’s beauty. It’s not like it was the first time this kind of thing happened, but since they’re royal guards they should at least try to be professional!
“Eh? Really?” Totoko pouted mildly annoyed. “No offense Y/N, but I’m more important than you! Did you forget I’m Kamimatsu’s fiancé?”
How could you when she wouldn’t stop talking about it? And yes, you took full offense to that unnecessary comment. You glared at Totoko.
“You don’t need all six of them.”
“You can never be too safe!” Totoko tried to reason, placing her hands on her hips and looking at all six guards with glistening eyes. “Isn’t that right?”
“Right!” They all replied obediently with dreamy smiles on their features.
You tapped your fingers impatiently against your arm. Totoko was being her spoiled selfish self just as always; normally three guards would be more than enough for travelling to other kingdoms -being the main reason why they had been assigned six of them to split evenly between the two of you- but it was quite obvious that Totoko wasn’t going to relent.
“You seriously think it’s reasonable to leave me by myself with no escort?” You questioned sternly and arched an eyebrow defiantly. At this comment the sextuplets visibly tensed up with concern while Totoko merely rolled her eyes with a sigh.
“Well...” Totoko brought a hand to her chin in thought, not entirely convinced but finally considering the implications.
“She… she’s right your highness.” Karamatsu suddenly stepped forward and you couldn’t help feeling surprised at how genuinely worried he looked. “Although it is true that as future wife of his highness Kamimatsu your safety is of utmost importance, her highness Y/N is just as important to Akatsuka and needs to be kept safe.”
The sextuplets looked like they all agreed and wanted to backup Karamatsu, but it was evident by their stiff postures and the fearful look in their eyes that they didn’t dare to try and oppose Totoko. Totoko herself seemed impressed that one of them actually had the guts to speak up against her but didn’t address it directly, instead quietly thinking it over.
“Fine.” Totoko finally conceded with a shrug of her shoulders. “Mom and Dad would probably get angry too if I left you alone so I’ll share them with you.”
You sighed relieved. At least the concern of being left alone by yourself was off your shoulders.
“So I’ll give you one of them!”
Only one?!
You widened your eyes incredulous at how ridiculously cheap Totoko was being with you. Five personal guards was still too much! She might actually end up getting more attention from how heavily guarded she was travelling!
“Are you serious?!”
“Of course!” Totoko giggled sweetly. “And look! We already have a volunteer~”
Her gloved finger pointed at Karamatsu and the young guard flinched in surprise, his five brothers gasping in disbelief behind him.
“M-Me?” Karamatsu stammered nervously.
“That’s right!” Totoko nodded and turned around to walk to the door of the carriage, smiling satisfied when Osomatsu and Ichimatsu practically jumped to open it for her and gingerly guide her inside by the hand.
Osomatsu closed the door and all five of them made their way to their respective horses and hopped on, quickly forming a protective circle around the carriage.
You could only but watch dumbfounded as Totoko peeked out the window with a giddy smile on her lips.
“Hope that’s okay because I don’t have much time for further negotiation, I have a lot to do for my engagement party!”
The rider spurred the horses to gallop forward and Totoko laughed merrily the further they got away from the castle.
“Bye bye Karamatsu-niisan!”
“We’ll miss you!”
“See you in a few more days!”
“Good luck!”
Karamatsu’s brothers hastily bid their goodbyes to the blue-clad sibling -whom silently watched with a confused frown how he was being left behind- as they took off, not bothering to hide their obvious excitement over the fact that they’d be accompanying Totoko the few following days.
When they were finally out of sight you sighed in defeat and turned to look at Karamatsu with a weary smile.
“Karamatsu was it?” You asked politely and Karamatsu only nodded, seemingly still in shock over what just happened. “You should probably take your horse back to the stable, I won’t be leaving until tomorrow.”
With no further necessary instructions you turned around and slowly started making your way back to the castle, struck with a rather bitter and defeated sensation inside your chest. You definitely didn’t feel like doing much for the rest of the day.
“Y-Your highness! Wait!” Karamatsu spoke up behind you, and although you momentarily stopped in your tracks you didn’t turn around to face him. “Where are you going?”
“To my chambers, but you are free to do whatever you want until we depart tomorrow morning.”
You didn’t need to be protected while being in the castle, so why start bothering the poor man when he could still spend what little time he had left doing something he could actually enjoy?
Karamatsu approached his horse and watched worriedly as you walked away on your own.