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Sumire POV
"I want one thing to be clear," Akechi said, walking in front of her, his hand resting on the pommel of his sword.
"I'm not here to coddle you. I expect you to be competent and useful." He had turned to look at her, his dark red eyes burning into her.
Sumire nodded and kept following behind him, a pleasant but nervous smile on her face. "Of course, Knight Captain."
"None of that crap. Just call me by my name," he sighed, turning back to the path ahead of them. "If we're going to be embarking on this quest together there's no room for formalities."
"Right… Akechi," she said, pulling at her cloak as a breeze came through the valley they were traveling through.
She watched him walk ahead of her, his armor glinting softly in the early morning sun. His red half cape covered his right shoulder with the insignia of her family's crest: violets intertwined with a saber.
"When I asked for the assistance of a mage, I didn't expect the princess herself to assist me," he said over his shoulder.
"I wanted to help," she smiled, walking faster to match his gait.
"You wanted to leave the castle," he scoffed. "I'd prefer you didn't lie to me."
She huffed and kept her gaze straight. "Fine, I was sick of being stuck in the castle." Part of her wanted to stick her tongue out but she had a feeling Akechi wouldn't appreciate the immature gesture.
"I used to remember that you and your sister enjoyed wreaking havoc upon the occupants," he hummed, pulling out the map to consult it.
Her heart clenched a bit at the mention of Kasumi. It had been almost a decade but the grief was still there. Sometimes, she felt like she was still around.
A gloved hand squeezed her shoulder. "I didn't mean to bring her up, Yoshizawa," he said uncharacteristically soft.
"It's fine," she laughed nervously. "It's been years."
"Just because years pass doesn't mean the grief does." Akechi was looking ahead again.
Sumire took the time to observe the man she hadn't seen in years. He certainly looked older than when she had last seen him as a teen. His face had sharper features, a large scar went up his throat, through his lips and stopped just at the top of his nose. She had been curious about the scar but he still intimidated her too much to ask.
Even though he was hardened by going off to fight, he was still the boy she had fallen in love with years ago.
"Do you think we should make camp soon? I know it's the morning but it's been hours since we left the castle. If you're hungry I packed some provisions and I can use my magic to make a campfire," Sumire said, fiddling with the bag over her hip.
"Let's press on a little longer," he said, keeping his gaze forward.
"Oh, okay," she mumbled, deflating slightly.
They continued to say nothing to one another for almost a few hours. Sumire kept herself busy by occasionally picking flowers and making a flower crown. The colors she picked would compliment Akechi and the knight's armor he wore with the reds, golds, and whites. Once she completed it she debated on placing it on his head but decided against it at the last moment. Instead, she stuck it into her bag. Perhaps later she could give it to him.
"Let's make camp," he said, finding them a clearing to rest in.
Sumire nodded and followed after him. He didn't waste time finding wood and making a campfire. Sumire used her magic to spark the wood and create a flame, albeit a tiny one. When Akechi wasn't looking she fanned it to make it grow taller.
Together they sat on opposite sides of the fire. He was busy reading as Sumire went about making their meal. She kept sneaking glances at him, admiring him again. The want to confess her feelings was there but she lacked the confidence to do so. Besides she-
"Are you going to keep staring at me?" He asked, looking up from his book with a raised brow.
"S-sorry!" She added the last herbs of their stew and served their bowls.
He didn't further comment on her antics and took his serving, humming as he ate. "I forgot how good of a cook you were."
Sumire blushed at his compliment and dug into her own food. "Our concoctions weren't the greatest yet you still ate them."
Akechi chuckled at that. "Well someone had to. I wasn't going to let you two poison the staff."
Sumire pouted. "It wouldn't have been that bad," she mumbled. Kasumi had always been the better cook out of the two of them. Sumire could follow a recipe but she wasn't the best and improvising or creating new flavor combinations on the spot.
"I seem to remember things differently such as when I was on bedrest for a week with food poisoning," he said almost fondly.
"We told you that that venison wasn't cleaned properly. The only one to blame is yourself," she huffed, sticking her nose in the air.
"Ah, well, still. Better me than a servant," he laughed before finishing his bowl and setting it aside.
He pulled out the map and set it on the ground. "The chalice is said to reside in the forest just below the mountain ridge to the north. We should make it there in a week's time. As you know, the reason I needed a mage to assist me is because of the strong magical properties of the forest."
Sumire nodded and finished her meal to lean over the map along with him. "It's said that without the protection of a mage, it's easy to get turned around and stuck in the woods forever," she noted, her finger tracing the area in the forest she was referencing.
"Which is specifically why I need you because my sources tell me that the chalice is in the middle of this area," he said, his gloved finger right alongside hers pointing to the area they needed to go to.
"I'll do what I can to…" she said as she looked up, not realizing just how close they were. The sun was starting to set behind Akechi, making his auburn hair look honey golden, forming a halo behind his head. She noticed the little ribbon of black woven into his hair and wondered where that came from. Besides the scar, his face was beautifully symmetrical with freckles dusting his nose and cheekbones.
They stayed like that for a while until Akechi pulled back like his hand had been burnt. "Just make sure you don't fuck up," he mumbled, looking away from her as he rolled up the map.
"Right," she said, sitting back and cleaning the area.
Perhaps during this quest she could finally tell him how she felt.
"We just need to pass through his ravine," Akechi explained from behind, securing a rope to her waist.
"That doesn't explain why we need to walk along his very high ledge above the ravine," she pouted, her arms crossed as the Knight secured the rope between them.
"This is the fastest way unless you want to add another two days of traveling," he raised his brow as he knotted the rope, satisfied with how tight it was.
"Please tell me we don't have to do this on the way back," she whined.
"No, we'll be passing on the other side of the mountain which is not nearly as treacherous."
"That's not convincing," she grumbled, eyeing the large space to their left.
"Doesn't matter. Suck it up. Now get moving we need to cross this ravine before it gets dark," he said, gently nudging her to start walking.
It was their second day of travel and Sumire was in awe at the way that Akechi knew how to navigate the land. In his time during the war he had to endure the wilderness along with a group of other knights and he seemed to be the most competent, hence the reason he was picked for this quest.
"You said we'll make camp at the end of this ravine, right?" She asked, keeping hand on the wall of rock beside them. Sumire never thought she was afraid of heights but suddenly after seeing a very deep ravine and having to walk beside it certainly changed her tune.
"Yes, granted we arrive before sundown," he said, ushering her at a brisk pace.
"And how long is it gonna take to cross?" She asked, whimpering a little as a small rock fell on her hand.
"Only an hour, but only if you keep walking ," he sighed, exasperated.
Sumire nodded and kept walking, keeping her gaze forwards. Akechi's gloved hand rested on the small of her back to keep her moving forwards but it sent shivers down her spine each time he flexed his fingers.
The only reason she walked in front of him was so that if she fell he could pull her up. If she walked behind him and fell, they would have both fallen into the ravine. Some part of her liked the fact that they were tied together. It felt symbolic in a way, like the way couples would bind their hands during marriage ceremonies or the way children wove bracelets for each other.
"You need to keep walking ," he urged behind her, slightly pushing her.
"I am!" She turned to glare at him. "I'm walking at a perfectly-" Her words cut short as her foot slipped on a loose rock. Before she could scream, Akechi pulled her close, nearly pinning her to the wall.
Her eyes had closed immediately as she felt herself fall but when she looked up she was face to face with the Knight, his face merely a hair breadth away.
"Are you okay?" He asked, keeping a hand at her waist where he had grabbed her.
Sumire blinked and nodded. She was okay. She was okay. She was okay .
"Don't you dare scare me like that again," he sighed, leaning his head down and resting his forehead on top of her head.
"S-sorry," she squeaked out, her arms hanging at her sides, unsure of what to do.
"Think you're okay to keep walking?" He asked, pulling away and searching her face with his wine red eyes.
"Yes," she said, determined to keep going.
He pulled away fully from her getting back behind her to walk. "Then lead the way, Kasumi."
Goro POV
When Goro was tasked with retrieving artifact he didn't expect the fucking princess of the Yoshizawa family to come with him. He had nothing against Kasumi, in fact he was indifferent towards her which spoke volumes considering he disliked most people. The two people who he did have affection for were longer of this world, therefore, he was relatively hostile towards most.
Annoyingly enough, once they returned from this quest, they would be getting married. Kasumi was a lovely girl but he didn't hold any romantic feelings for her. She didn't have long crimson hair or a smile that could radiate a room. She didn't have a soft voice that Goro could spend hours listening to.
Simply put, she wasn't Sumire.
He had been away at the war when he learned that she died. She had died protecting Kasumi from an assassination attempt. If he had just been there he could have stopped the attacker before Sumire died.
Because his father had sent him off to war he lost the only girl he had ever loved and he never got the chance to tell her.
He looked up across the fire at Kasumi who was busy braiding her hair as she read a book in her lap. It felt like the universe was playing a cruel trick on him by making him travel with the sister of the love of his life. It felt ironic that they had similar faces and mannerisms but their smiles were off, Kasumi's eyes were more brown, and her sunny disposition made it hard to stand her before noon.
But if these were the scraps that the universe was throwing him, he should at least be thankful.
His armor was stripped off and he only wore his tunic and pants as he polished his sword. "What are you reading?" He asked, not looking up from his work.
"It's a story about a princess and a crow," she said.
Goro halted for a moment. "That was Sumire's favorite story, right?" He knew it was a touchy subject to bring up her sister but he couldn't help it; he missed her immensely.
"It… was," she said after much reluctance. "She read it almost every night."
He nodded and stared at the fire solemnly. "I remember that. Sometimes she'd fall asleep in the gardens and I'd find her there, asleep among the violets and the roses. It was amazing how she never woke up when I carried her back to your quarters."
Everytime she fell asleep in the garden he would sit next to her and guard her body and eventually he was the one to bring her back to her room. Kasumi always scolded her sleeping form as Goro set her on her bed.
Kasumi stayed silent for a long while, her face pointed downwards. When she did look up, she looked sad and perhaps regretful. "She… never did thank you for that."
"She never knew I did it," he said immediately before she even finished her sentence. "I didn't want her to get cold or have spiders crawl into her hair."
"Nevertheless, it was kind of you," she smiled, a blush forming on her cheeks.
"I did it because-" he paused and listened, his hand tightening on his sword. "Kill the fire. Now."
Kasumi immediately extinguished it with her magic, thus cloaking their camp in black.
"Ake-"
"Just stay where you are. I need to-" An arrow whizzed by his ear, notching itself into the tree behind him. Quickly he threw his shield towards Kasumi. "Cover yourself with this!" He whispered urgently before standing.
It was too dark to make out what was happening. But he could hear three men in the general vicinity. Another arrow fired but it bounced off the shield. So it seemed they were after Kasumi. They were clearly at a disadvantage since they couldn't see the enemy but they could see them.
Goro closed his eyes and focused. As long as Kasumi stayed under the shield she'd be okay. They purposely made camp under an overhang to endure the weather and to protect themselves in case of an attack, much like this.
A snap of a twig made Goro direct his attention and off he went like a bolt of lightning. He struck the assailant, making sure to not hit anything vital. "Who sent you?" He hissed, bringing his blade closer against his neck, nearly drawing blood.
The man's eyes widened. "Oh shit, it's the majesty's Crow."
He narrowed his eyes and traded his blade for his hand, keeping the man's neck pinned to the tree. "Then you know exactly what I'm capable of. I ask again," he paused to squeeze the man's throat, "who sent you?"
"It was-" His words died from his throat as an arrow lodged itself through his mouth.
Goro dropped the lifeless body and focused on listening for the others. It was then that he heard a struggle. Quickly he ran back to the camp where Kasumi was fending off her attacker with fire spells and doing her best to scorch him.
"Let go of me!" She howled as the man grabbed her ankle. She finally managed to connect a shot with his body and suddenly he let go of her, running off into the woods.
"Kasumi, are you okay?" He asked, going over to her and checking her over.
She nodded, her hair out of sorts and her clothing torn in places. "I… I think so. Who were they?" She asked, covering her scratched up arms.
Goro retrieved his cape and set it over her shoulders. "I don't know but they were after you. We need to be more vigilant."
"You'll protect me, right?" She asked, looking up at him with her eyes that were the wrong shade of red.
"Of course, Kasumi. It's my duty to," he said. It was also my duty to save your sister. And I can't let you get hurt. I can't fail her again.
"We need to pass through this cave since it's faster. It's going to be dark but as long as we have our torches it will be fine," he said to Kasumi at the mouth of the cave.
Kasumi nodded, her fingers clutching the cape around her shoulders. It was Goro's but she seemed to need it more.
"This is going to take almost an entire day of travel. Are you going to be okay?" He asked softly. Since their attack the other night Kasumi had been finding it hard to feel comfortable in dark areas. Last night she had cuddled up to Goro because the area around them was too dark for her liking.
He wasn't sure how he felt about the ordeal. On one hand, he was glad she felt safe enough to seek out his comfort but it still felt wrong to like how she felt pressed up against him.
It felt wrong to like Kasumi as he still harbored love for Sumire, even though she was gone. He felt like he was betraying her by blushing when Kasumi complimented him or when she would stick close as they traveled. Part of him felt like he was forsaking her memory entirely by developing budding feelings for the other twin.
"As long as you're with me, I'll be okay," she smiled at him, making his heart beat quickly in his chest.
"Right," he said, holding out the torch towards Kasumi. The young mage conjured a small flame and let it travel onto the torch thus illuminating it.
He turned to walk into the cave and no sooner that he did, he felt a delicate hand grasp his gloved one. Looking over he saw Kasumi staring straight ahead as she clutched his hand.
She was afraid and for good reason. He squeezed her hand and led her into the cave. "Let's play a game," he said, hoping to distract her.
"What are the rules?" She asked, nearly pressing into his side.
"We take turns asking each other questions," he said, pausing to gauge which tunnel to go through before choosing the one on the far right.
"Is it really a game?" She huffed.
"Yes. Now go first," he said, making sure they kept a brisk pace as they walked and keeping his ears peeled.
"Fine," she sighed. "Favorite food."
"Sweet rolls," he said, pausing to listen to something but kept going as he deemed it not a threat. "Favorite activity?"
Kasumi hummed as she went over her response. "Dancing," she finally settled on. Kasumi adored dancing, much more than her sister. Sumire was a beautiful dancer but painfully shy and to Goro that's what made her so radiant. "What token did you take with you to the war?"
"A ribbon," he said, leading them into a large cavern filled with luminescent stones and flora.
"A ribbon?" She asked, tugging him to stop moving. "You mean the one woven into your hair?"
"Yes. It was a gift," he said, stopping along with her, slightly annoyed that she wanted them to stop.
"She never meant to give that to you. It was a joke. It-"
"Was a gift. And it's my final memory of her," he said, keeping his mouth in a firm line as he looked down at her. "What do you regret?"
Kasumi stared up at him, the most perplexed expression on her face. "Not saving my sister properly," she said, staring down. "What about you, any regrets?"
"Not being able to save her either," he admitted quietly, barely over the crackling of the torch.
"I want to ask another question," she asked, stepping closer to him, nearly chest to chest.
"What is it?" He asked, his hand moving to hold her waist as her free hand rested on the front of his armor.
"Do you have someone you currently love?" She asked, her eyes almost glittering red in the flames of the torch.
"No," he said, flexing his hand. It wasn't a lie because how could he love a corpse, a memory, a mere echo of a person? Goro didn't think he'd love anyone ever again. But Kasumi looked beautiful in a cave with low light because she looked just like Sumire.
"Do you think you could love me?"
He didn't answer her question and Goro didn't even care if he was being selfish as he leaned in and kissed her. He could fool himself until he couldn't no longer. He'd fool himself until the guilt was unbearable. But now, now he wanted to feel any sort of fleeting happiness.
And if he could trick himself by thinking Kasumi was the one he loved, then so be it.
Sumire POV
The past few days were… interesting to say the least. After their magical kiss in the cave, Sumire felt like everything was falling into place and simultaneously falling apart.
Goro didn't love her. But he had kissed her until she was breathless and then some. She almost didn't care if it meant she could have him if only for a little bit.
"Kasumi?" He asked, running his bare knuckles along her cheek.
She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. She laid against his chest as they rested. Goro seemed fine with her cuddling up to him after that attack. At first she had been doing it after a need to feel safe but after the first night when she had curled up next to him she was hooked on sleeping next to him and near him.
"Sorry, just thinking," she said, turning and kissing his knuckles before slowly opening her eyes.
They rested in a field of wildflowers just before they were to reach the forest. It was Goro's idea to rest after seeing how tired Sumire was from travel.
He poked her forehead with a small grin. "And what could you possibly be thinking about so hard that it's causing lines on your face?"
"I do not have lines on my face!" She huffed, sitting up and crossing her arms.
He laughed and sat up with her, his voice was rich and deep and Sumire forgot how much she loved his laughter. "You do. You both had little lines right between your eyes when you were both in thought." He leaned forward and kissed her right between the eyes.
Sumire hummed at the way his lips felt on her skin. Ever since the cave he had been openly showing her more affection. It was wrong to bask in it because she was lying to him. She wasn't Kasumi and that was who he was developing feelings for. He didn't love Sumire, how could he? Kasumi was better in every conceivable way. That's why she assumed her place after she died. She didn't want to be Sumire anymore. Sumire was dead as far as she was concerned.
"We should head off soon," she said, looking towards the forest next to them. She could feel the magic radiating off of it in waves. It was strong. And now Sumire doubted if she'd be able to protect them both from the wild magic.
"And we will," he said, kissing her cheek before getting up and starting to put his armor back on.
Her eyes noticed the black ribbon in his hair again. Now that she remembered it had been hers a long time ago, she felt a series of conflicted emotions. Had that meant that Goro had cared for her? And if he did, how? Or did he wear it out of guilt of an obligation he failed to meet?
"The magic isn't very strong on the outskirts but it will get stronger as we go in," she said, standing and smoothing out her skirts. "Do you think we could find a spring of some kind? I reek," she pouted, running her fingers through her hair.
"According to the map there should be one inside of the forest. I do agree in needing a bath. We're both overdue for one. It's been days since we've left the castle." He said, putting on his gloves.
Sumie blushed furiously. “You don’t mean to say we both bathe together, right?”
Goro rolled his eyes and softly brought his hand down on top of her head. “I’m not a depraved pervert,” he scolded her lightly.
“I just wanted to make sure,” she pouted as she pulled his cape closer around her body. It’s not like she would have minded if he had been. Part of her wanted him to look at her with hunger but that wasn’t the most appropriate course of action. She couldn’t help looking at him and not fantasize about his arms or how it felt when he kissed her.
“I’ll make sure you can bathe first,” he snorted, taking her hand and walking them to the edge of the forest. It was there at the edge that she could feel the magic more heavily. It was almost suffocating. No wonder Goro needed a mage to come with him. “Are you ready?”
She nodded and took a deep breath, drawing forth her own magic. She wasn’t as skilled as Kasumi when it came to protection and warding. Her specialty came from enchantments and illusions like the one she constantly wore to impersonate Kasumi.
She brought her magic out and covered them in a layer of it, so that it could lessen the effects of the strong magic they were going to walk into. From this moment on she needed to focus on keeping the two spells going otherwise they’d succumb to madness or Goro would see through her disguise. “Ready,” she said.
Goro squeezed her hand and led them inside. Immediately she could feel the magic washing over them like they had been doused in water. It felt invigorating, clarifying, freeing. The feel of it was intoxicating and already she could feel herself slipping but quickly she fortified her spell as they walked.
“The magic here is… strong,” he commented as they walked, his other hand on his sword. “You said many creatures don’t reside here, right?”
She shook her head. “No, they don’t. But the ones who do are formidable. We’ll encounter a dragon the closer we get to the chalice. I will do my best to support you from a distance as you fight it since I’m not sure what kind of dragon it is.”
“I’m confident that we can defeat it. It’s not the first one I’ve slain,” he smirked down at her.
“I’m sure it isn’t,” she smiled up at him. She heard rushing water and immediately brought them towards the source. She found a waterfall and broke his grasp to run towards it. Her boots were off in an instant as she waded just a bit to get her feet wet.
“Well, this looks like a suitable place to bathe and camp. Go ahead and get washed, I’ll make camp and I promise not to look,” he chuckled as he set his sword and shield onto the ground.
Once he was gone Sumire was quick to shed her layers and waded into the water until it covered her chest. The cool water felt heavenly on her skin. The magic coming from the water felt serene and calming like she would stay there forever. Dipping below the surface, she observed how clear the water was and the flowers that grew beneath her.
“Enjoying yourself?” Goro called from the shore, his armor off as he watched her with a smile.
Her form was obscured by the water but the fact that she was bare before him made her blush and it gave her a small boost of confidence. “Come join me.”
Goro blinked at her. “I don’t think-”
“Come join me. Please?” She asked. “I’ll even turn around so that I can’t see you.”
Goro looked like he was deep in thought before he hung his head and sighed, already moving to take off his shirt. “You make it difficult to say no to.”
Sumire grinned and turned around in the water. Eventually she felt the water ripple and move and she felt Goro behind her. She turned and looked at him. Because he stood taller than her she saw the scars that littered his body. Gently, she reached a hand out and traced the jagged but faded white lines. “You have so many,” she murmured, her fingers tracing a particularly long one across his sternum.
“It was a long war, Kasumi. I’m one of the lucky ones,” he whispered.
“I’m glad you came home.”
He stared down at her, cradling her cheek with his hand, bringing her face to meet his. “I am too,” he mumbled before bringing her into a kiss. Sumire gasped softly into the kiss as Goro brought them closer together. His other hand had slid down to the small of her back, keeping them pressed together.
The proximity was making her head swim but she was adamant on keeping her spells from being disrupted. Goro broke their kiss to kiss along her jaw and to her ear. The action made her weak in the knees but Goro kept her firmly pressed against his strong body.
“You’re beautiful, Sumi,” he whispered so quietly as he nibbled along her ear. She had no words as he kissed down her throat, kissing and sucking at her skin. All she could do was sigh and gasp as he kissed her skin. “Can I-”
“Please,” she moaned, the sound was so embarrassing to her ears but Goro sound rectified that.
“Do you trust me?” He asked, gripping her hip with his hand.
“That was never even a question,” she sighed, shutting her eyes as Goro kept touching and kissing her, making Sumire’s head swim more than the water around them.
Some time later Sumire rested on his chest, the two of them wrapped in a blanket from their bedrolls. They were still bare from their “bath” earlier and the activity that followed that led to them continuing on the shore. She was elated and at peace and Goro looked like he felt the same but she swore she could see a trace of sadness in his eyes.
“Was I alright?” Sumire asked quietly. “Am I supposed to feel this sore?”
“Plenty,” he said, kissing her nose. “And yes but it will fade over time.”
“Rest and then go and find the chalice?” She asked, resting her head on his chest, nuzzling into his neck.
“Sounds like a plan,” he yawned, wrapping her more tightly in his arms before shutting his eyes.
Part of her felt… dirty. Not from their activities but from the idea that she was lying to him. He wasn’t in love with her. He was in love with Kasumi, the corpse she was masquerading as.
“The dragon is just up here,” he said quietly as they approached the area of the forest that looked destroyed. “I will try and sneak up on it to look through its horde for the chalice.”
Sumire nodded and squeezed his hand. After all of this travel they were finally at their goal. It felt surreal that this adventure of theirs would be coming to an end. Upon her return home she would be married off so for now she could enjoy a phantom love. Maybe eventually she’d find a way to tell Goro the truth and hope he wouldn’t be angry. She couldn't bear the thought of him being angry with her.
The dragon looked to be asleep next to a cave, its face pointed right at the entrance of it. Sumire had been going over solutions to best avoid killing the magical beast but Goro reminded her that this dragon was responsible for the massacre in a nearby town. It saddened her that they'd need to slay it but Goro was adamant on telling her that she wouldn't be the one slaying her so she could keep a clear conscience.
"I'll stay here and make sure it doesn't wake until you bring me the chalice. Then after that I will find a way to bind it so you can-" she whispered.
"-finish the job," he said, finishing her train of thought. "It shouldn't be too hard so long as we catch it off guard."
Goro squeezed her hand and went off towards the cave. Sumire stayed in the thickets watching him and the dragon. He made it into the cave successfully and as he came out of the cave with the chalice in hand and a huge grin on his face, Sumire saw the dragon begin to move.
"Goro!" Sumire ran out and blasted a spell towards it, catching the dragon off guard. Goro threw the chalice towards Sumire who caught it and placed it into her bag. Goro struck the dragon with his sword but not before it breathed a spell at Sumire, knocking her across the clearing.
"Sumi!" She could barely make out Goro’s voice. Everything hurt. When she blinked her eyes open, she saw millions of emotions on Goro’s face ranging from worry to relief but the most prominent emotions were confusion and anger.
"Goro, what-"
He dropped her body and stood, pointing his sword at her. "Who are you and why are you impersonating the princess?"
"What are you-"
"Why do you look like Princess Sumire?" He asked with a growl.
She gasped and looked at her hair to find that instead of Kasumi's brown locks they were crimson red. Her spell wore off. She lost concentration when she was knocked to the ground.
There was no love in Goro’s eyes, only hate and anguish.
Goro POV
Goro was staring at the face of the woman he loved and he knew it was an illusion. Sumire was dead. There was no way she could be there in front of her.
Someone was impersonating her as a way to lower his guard. They had to have kidnapped her when they were attacked days prior. This was an assassin who he had let seduce him. There's no way this was Sumire.
It couldn't be.
"It's me, Goro. Please, please, believe me," the spy pleaded.
It was a good illusion. Sumire's beauty only grew with age. Left behind was the fullness in her face and she had elegant features but it wasn't his Sumire. It was a cheap trick.
Sumire was dead and she was never coming back.
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't run you through with my blade," he growled, pointing it at her throat.
Her big ruby red eyes watered as she scrambled backwards towards a tree until her back hit it. "The ribbon. I gave it to you after we snuck away from the ball my father threw."
His grip faltered for a moment. "Where did we go?"
"The tower, my father's study because the stars looked better up there," she gulped, her hands balling her skirts. "I was going to confess to you but before I could I tripped on my dress and fell on my face. You laughed at me. I took out my ribbon and threw it at you because I was angry," she said, her eyes watering. "You made a joke that it'd look better in your hair so I braided it into your hair. You left the next day and then I didn't see you again until you returned from the war."
He was conflicted. He didn't know what to believe. All that she said was correct. He had meant to confess to her before he left with the promise that he'd return for her but he never got the chance to because he was afraid that she wouldn't want him.
He dropped his sword to the ground next to her, hanging his head. "Why did you lie?"
"Because I thought it would be best," she whispered, the tears rolling down her cheeks.
"So you took Kasumi's identity because you thought you deserved to die?!" He yelled at her. "You lived your life as your sister because you thought she deserved to live? How could you be so fucking selfish?!"
"I didn't think you'd come back!" She screamed through her tears. "I didn't think you'd come back so what was the point? I was miserable. I was the nuisance. I was the failure. You were the only one who was kind to me, Goro. When I heard you left for the war I never thought I'd see you again. So yes, I pretended to be Kasumi because my life didn't have meaning anymore."
He stared down at her with his lips set in a straight line. "I have the chalice and the dragon is slain. We're leaving." He didn't give her a moment as he grabbed his sword and made his way back into the forest to leave.
"Goro, wait-" she began to call out.
"As my duty I will bring you back safely to the castle. No more and no less," he said, staring straight ahead.
"Goro, please-" she pleaded, grabbing his hand.
He wrestled it from her grasp and kept walking. "You will refer to me as Knight Captain, Princess."
"Goro, I didn't mean to-"
"Save your energy for the journey," he said, staring straight ahead.
He did everything he could to not break even when everything was falling apart in front of his eyes.
The journey was faster on the way back since Goro only allowed them to rest twice during the day. They slept on opposite sides of the camp and every night Sumire pleaded with him to forgive her and every night he listened to her sob herself to sleep as his own heart broke.
They delivered the chalice upon their return. Goro had expected Sumire to keep up her charade but he was surprised by the fact that she told the truth. People were surprised, people were sad, and some people were angry. Though it made sense. She had been masquerading as her sister, the perfect one to inherit the crown. Instead, the house was left with Sumire.
The wedding was one month away and Sumire still wasn't told who her betrothed was. Goro had debated on refusing the arrangement but in the end, he still agreed to it. He was conflicted but the time spent away from her made him reflect on his feelings for Sumire and at the end of the day he was still in love with her. He still hadn't forgiven her for lying to him but over time he could learn to forgive her.
She sent dozens of letters to him, pleading for her forgiveness. He never responded but he kept each letter and read them fondly. She was grief stricken and she proclaimed her love for him over and over again. She regretted many things in life but her two biggest regrets were not telling him how she felt before he left and that she lied to him for so long.
The wedding was on a snowy day. The grand hall was decorated in colors of silver, red, and purple. Goro stood at the altar in his uniform. After this marriage he would be king alongside Sumire as his queen.
All the guests waited and suddenly the grand wedding march played. The doors opened and out glided Sumire in a white gown adorned with gold. Her hair floated around her face as her eyes stayed glued to the floor. In her hands was a bouquet of lilacs, held at her waist.
When she approached the altar she didn't look up, her eyes were closed and she seemed to be crying. Goro didn't listen to the priest, keeping his focus on Sumire. She didn't even look up as their hands were bound together with magic.
"Sumi, please look at me," he whispered to her as the priest droned on about the sanctity of marriage and their new union.
Ruby red eyes slowly opened, wet with unscheduled tears as she stared up at Goro. "I don't understand," she said, her hand shaking in his.
"I was promised to marry you when we returned from the quest," he said, giving him an apologetic smile.
"You never told me," she said, her voice cracking as she smiled.
"You never asked," he squeezed her hand as the binding absorbed into their skin.
"You may now kiss and seal your commitment to one another," the priest announced.
Goro brought her close and kissed her just like he had kissed her in the cave. He kissed her like she was the only thing that mattered.
Hours later they danced in the gardens together after their party had died. Sumire clung to Goro and he didn't dare let go of his new wife.
"I'm sorry, for everything," she said, resting her head on his chest.
"I know, Sumi. I know," he sighed, kissing the top of her head.
"Think you could ever forgive me?" She asked, staring up at him with eyes more precious than any gem.
"It may take some years but you waited for me all these years, so what's a few more?" He smiled, cradling her cheek.
"I'd wait for you forever," she sighed, shutting her eyes.
"And I will love you for that long." He gave her a kiss on her forehead as he continued to dance with her.
Goro didn't expect to receive happiness when he came back from the war. But now that he had it, he would fight to keep it. Sumire was alive and she loved him and he would do everything in his power to make sure it was never torn from him.