Chapter Text
Yuu‘s day started like any other ever since the war broke out.
Wake up.
Protect Princess Shinoa.
Go to sleep.
If he wanted to train, which was a necessity given his position as Shinoa‘s personal knight, he had to do so at night.
The conflicts between the Higari and the Tepes Kingdom had persisted ever since Yuu could recall, though the war had only broken out two years ago.
The Princess‘s Knight had fought at the front lines when war was first declared. Due to his outstanding performance on the battlefield he was summoned into the palace to watch over the Princess. Half a year had passed since then.
And Yuu still despised the people of that Tepes Kingdom with all his heart.
If he could, he would still be putting his sword to use at the front lines. Slashing every soldier the enemy send with his own hands. But he couldn't. His duty lay elsewhere now.
"Lieutenant Yuu."
Two lower ranking knights slightly lowered their head as he passed through the hallway.
"Yoichi, Kimizuki." He greeted, shooting the later a glare.
Kimizuki. He had disliked him ever since he first joined the palace knights. And he could tell the feeling was mutual. Yoichi on the other hand, though a little too cheery for Yuu's liking, was easy to get along with.
Finally stepping into the throne hall Yuu kneeled down, his head low.
"Good morning your Majesty, your Highnesses." His tone was respectful.
"You may rise." A voice called from above. King Kureto Higari.
The Knight got up, keeping his gaze cast down until he was adressed.
"Lieutenant. I have requested your presence to inform you of a meeting with the Royal family of the Tepes Kingdom that will be taking place tomorrow."
Yuu's eyes widened.
What?!
How was that even possible?!
His deep rooted hatred rose and threatened to spill.
He tried to keep his composure, but his hands formed fists.
"First attempts of peace negotiations will be made. The Princess will attend, so naturally you will too."
His eyes darkened and he clenched his teeth.
Peace?? They should kill every last one of those scumbags!
"Understood." His voice was calm, successfully concealing the raging anger he felt.
"Shinoa, Shinya you may go. Lieutenant, you're dismissed."
Yuu bowed before he followed the Princess out of the room.
He wasn't able to shake his emotions off and it seemed like the Princess caught onto this.
They came to a halt.
"Are you alright Yuu? You seem a bit different than usual." She asked, looking at him with a hint of worry.
"Everything is alright your Highness, thank you for your concearn." His tone was neutral.
"If you say so." She turned forward again.
"Let's go for a walk, I'm tired of all that sitting." Her voice joyful again. Like it always was.
Yuu thought she was alright. Maybe a bit to much sometimes, but okay.
They made their way towards the royal garden. It was the middle of summer, yet it wasn't too warm as it was still morning. The moment they stepped out, the smell of roses hit Yuu. The whole garden was filled with rose and white blossoms. It looked nice. Even if he saw the garden almost everday, he never got bored of the sight and somehow it calmed him a little.
"How are Kimizuki and Yoichi?" Shinoa asked, smiling.
Yuu's eyebrow twitched at the mention of the first name.
She had grown up with those knights in the palace so of course she knew them rather well.
"They are doing fine." He responded plainly.
"That's good."
"Oh, Mitsuba!" She exclaimed as she spotted a girl with blonde hair who talked to some guards.
The other girl turned around upon hearing her name. Her expression turned complicated as she saw the Princess quickly making her way towards her.
Amidst reaching her, Shinoa jumped to hug her.
"Please get off your Highness." Mitsuba asked, lightly tapping against the Princess's arm.
"Huhhh you're always being like that Mitsuba." She pretended to be hurt. She always did that. That‘s what Yuu meant when he described her as to much. She was deliberately dramatic.
"Good morning Lieutenant."
"Hey!" The Princess pounded.
Mitsuba had also been a palace guard since she was young. The Princess seemed to really like her and Mitsuba probably liked spending time with her as well. But she had a duty to fulfill so, she had a hard time showing it.
Though she and Yuu had a bit of a rough start, they were getting along fine now.
"Morning."
After conversing with Mitsuba for a while, the two of them continued their stroll through the garden.
Here, everything seemed quiet and peaceful, a stern contrast to what was happening outside of these walls.
It was the Tepes Kingdom that had first declared war. Apparently, they felt like some land owned by the Higari‘s was their property. Or that‘s what they had fought over a couple of years at least. Surely it also involved the supply shortage of the Tepes Kingdom. Yuu didn‘t know the details. And honestly, he didn‘t really care either. All that mattered was that they all got what they deserved.
That night, Yuu lay in his bed thinking about what the King had said.
Peace huh?
His mind brought him back to his youth in the Tepes Kingdom. His parents abandoned him and left him to rot in the streets. Luckily, he wasn’t the only child to roam the kingdom without a home. Soon, he was taken into a group of a few other kids. A new family.
He must've been about twelve when he lost them.
Akane, Kota, Chichiro, Ako, Fumie, Taichi, all children who faced death on the heartless streets of the Tepes kingdom.
An then, there was Mika, captured and killed when they tried to escape that shit hole.
His heart hurt thinking about them.
He had lived all this years for revenge.
And now that peace was to be made, how would he be able to avange them?!