Chapter Text
“Princess?” “Aughhh…what is it, Mami?”
“Your father would like you to begin getting ready for tonights dinner.” The Princess kicked her thin legs up, pushing them forward with force as a means to sit up. She longingly looked down at her crimson-silk bedsheets, as if they were a lover gone too soon.
She slipped her feet into a pair of pale yellow slippers, frantically walking towards her door.
“Princess Kyoko.”
Kyoko Sakura found herself staring down at her dear lady in waiting, Mami Tomoe.
She felt a smirk creep up on her mouth. Mami had always been this way, ever since she was assigned as her lady in waiting. The Princess had told her several times there was no need to bow to her, as they were only a year apart.
The girl, however, insisted it was a part of her job.
A stubborn girl, she was.
“You know, Mami, you look really dumb down on your knee like that.”
“I knew you’d say that.”
Kyoko turned back into her room, Tomoe right behind her.
“What’s this dinner for again?”
“Ah..you aren’t aware?”
The moody Princess slouched into her vanity's pearly white chair, noting how disheveled her appearance currently was.
“Well, maybe I was at one point, but everythin’ kinda blends together, ya know?”
Mami laughed softly, reaching for a red hair brush and tending Kyoko's untamed mess of a maine. The royal grunted, reminding Tomoe to be more gentle.
“Well, as far as I know, it's an official introduction to the Sakura family’s new staff!”
“New staff?”
“Princess…please tell me you were at least aware of that much?”
Kyoko laughed nervously. Well..she was supposed to be, but it's not like she listened to her fathers business stuff often, unless it was for an unlimited snack deal.
“S-Sure I was..”
“Specifically, we’re getting 2 new knights!”
“Knights..?”
“Body guards for you and Princess Momo.”
The Princess scoffed, stepping out of her chair as she followed Mami to her wardrobe.
“Body guards? Really, Mami?”
“Yes, yes. Since you and the young Princess will be going outside more often soon, King Akurashi and Queen Mei want you to have more protection.”
“That's so dumb! I can protect Momo and I just fine! I don't need some old men doing the job for me!”
Mami shook her head slowly, taking out a brilliant red dress from the wardrobe.
“Princess, you're next in line for the throne. You need to understand the importance of your safety before your mother and father pass away.”
Sakura looked down at her feet, Mami's words reminding her of a depressing truth.
She wasn't going to be able to mess around forever, huh?
Her responsibilities had been stacking up already, and she was only a princess.
So what would things be like when she was a Queen?
It's not like she could say no or anything.
In the Scarlet Kingdom, the rule was determined by blood and birth order.
Her father, King Akurashi, had been born before his sister, making him heir to the throne.
His mother had been older than her sister, making her the queen.
It stretched back for generations.
That was Monarchy for you.
Kyoko gazed at her Lady in waiting, digging into her wardrobe and grabbing an undershirt and pantyhose.
Couldn't it just be her, Mami, and Momo, young forever?
The Princess jumped on Mami’s back, eliciting a gasp out of the demure girl.
“Princess!”
“Say, Mami. Can you promise me something?”
“W-What is it, dear?”
“Be my lady in waiting even after I become queen.”
“I-I mean…you may get a more special lady in w-”
“Special? Dude, you’ve been by my side forever. What's not special ‘bout that?”
“I-”
“So are ya gonna promise me or what?”
“Well…princess…if you insis-”
“Good! Glad to have ya, Mami!”
Kyoko tightly hugged a still crouched down Mami, giggling into her hair.
Tomoe smiled gently, her yellow eyes beaming as she tried to pry her Princess off of her.
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kyoko cringed as her dainty white heels clicked at the marble stairs of her palace, echoing as she continued. She looked down at the outfit Mami picked out for her, not having gotten a great look at it earlier.
It was a mid-toned red, silk shining as the white lights of her palace beamed down on it. In the middle of her chest laid a red rose design of the same material–simple, yet pleasing to the eye. White Lace fabric above her breast cups, the only color of her actual dress that strayed from the red color. Thinking about it, couldn't they have added this lace to her off-the-shoulder sleeves? These royal designers and their one off colors.
A long braid trailed down her back, arguably taking the longest to finish applying out of her entire look. To top it all off, a white rose adorned her hair, along with a gold necklace.
She kind of looked like a red velvet cake, didn't she?
The pair reached the dining floor, walking towards the large, reflective table. Today, it had a bright red table cloth with golden embroidery down the middle. Her mothers idea, without a doubt.
Her father sat at the end of the table, her mother sitting his direct opposite.
“Hello, Kyoko. Take a seat next to me. Mami, sit two chairs away from the Princess.”
“Yes Sir.”
Two seats away? That didn't sound right. Normally, Mami was smack dab next to Kyoko when it came to everything!
Kyoko turned to Mami, raising a brow at her.
“Ah, don't fret, Princess! This is to allow your knight to sit next to you!”
Right. Knight this, knight that.
Kyoko stomped towards her father, slouchily sitting into her chair.
“Kyoko, check yourself.”
Said her father, beckoning a servant towards him to fill his water glass.
“Yeah, yeah old man.”
Kyoko's mother giggled softly, her father light heartedly sighing.
“Dear, give the girl a break! Our guests haven’t even arrived yet.”
“Yes, yes Mei. I just don’t want her to make a fool out of herself.”
“Too late for that, pops.”
“Enough, young lady. Do you know where your sister and Madoka are?”
“A-Ah…forgive me, my lord, but Madoka mentioned Princess Momo was being a bit difficult this evening.”
Said Mami, sitting down.
Right. Momo wasn’t here yet. This was not an unusual occurrence. Momo had been a bit stubborn lately and her lady in waiting, Madoka Kaname’s gentle and sensitive personality, didn’t exactly combat it well. Too soft on that brat!
“I see, thank you for mentioning that. If they don’t arrive soon, Mei or myself wi-”
“Speak of the devil.”
A tired looking Madoka and an upset Momo came speed walking down the stairs. Kyoko noticed her little sister wore a similar outfit to herself, the sleeves being closed off and a poppy in place of Kyokos rose. Except, her hair was in tight curls. Kyoko knew how her sister hated the process of those.
“Daddy! I don’t want to do this! Can we do it tomorrow?”
“Now now, Momo, This is an important event we cannot just reschedule.”
Momo grunted, her mother stroking her hair and picking her up.
“Madoka, take a seat next to me. I’ll hold Momo in my lap.”
Madoka nodded, a tear of sweat dripping down her forehead.
“My l-lord…forgive me for being late-”
“Dont worry, ‘Doka. The old man knows what a brat she is.”
Momo, hearing Kyoko's remark, stuck her tongue out at her.
In return, Kyoko posed her thumb and pointer finger in the shape of an L on her forehead.
“That's enough. Our guests will arrive soon.”
“Dear, you take youthful quarrels far too seriously!”
The quintet giggled, the King rolling his eyes.
Suddenly, one of King Akurashi’s knights approached the table.
“The knights have arrived, my king.”
“Wonderful, allow them in.”
Kyoko glanced over to Mami, rolling her eyes.
The gentle girl gave her a thumbs up, before facing the grand double doors.
Knights, huh?
Who needed ‘em anyways?
The Princess took a deep breath.
She’d have to deal with whatever bastard her dad picked out for her for a while, starting now.
Her fathers Knight along with another opened the doors.
Two girls, around Kyoko's age, appeared before them.
The two walked into the dining room, posture straight and faces serious.
“It’s an honour, king.”
Said the ravenette girl, bowing down to the King.
The blue haired girl, who Kyoko noticed was quite tall, followed suit.
“My King, may I present to you Homura Akemi of The Scarlet Kingdom, and Sayaka Miki of the Accelerando Kingdom.”