Chapter Text
A soft rain filled the sounds of the room; it was dim except for a few candles on the vanity in front of her. Tamayo was kneeling on a pillow, having just woken up not too long ago. She hummed to herself under her breath, taking in the sounds of the rain outside, candles flickering ever so slightly, and the warm atmosphere that filled the room.
“Excuse me, my lady,” A voice called out from outside before her door slid open slowly.
“Would you care to eat now?” Yushiro asked, kneeling outside the room, bowing his head respectfully.
“I'd like to wait a while longer if that's alright…” Tamayo replied, putting her comb down as she turned to face Yushiro head-on. His head was still bowed, not daring to look up at her.
“Yushiro… I've told you not to bow.” Tamayo smiled, turning back to her vanity and picking her comb back up.
“It would be unheard of for me not to show my respect…” Yushiro responded, moving his head and torso up, not all the way but just enough to look at her
“You look like you're groveling… You know I'm not fond of it.” Tamayo said with a small sigh, finishing combing her hair before she put it up in a bun with her hairpin, which had a large purple sphere at the end, and a white flower close by it.
“I apologize, my lady…” Yushiro said as he sat up fully, looking at her apologetically.
“Is there anything else I can do for you at the moment?” Yushiro said softly, looking at her carefully, as he saw only a touch of her face in the mirror, but it was enough to make him go soft immediately; her presence often did that to him.
“Would you be so kind as to accompany me through the garden?” Tamayo requested shifting back to face Yushiro.
“Of course…” Yushiro nodded; he practically melted at the request, now barely being able to look back towards her. “I'll let you get ready first… please pardon me,” Yushiro said as he bowed his head once more, sliding the door to her room shut carefully, standing up once it was shut fully.
He walked to the kitchen at a moderate pace, making sure his posture and stance were correct. He was lucky to work this close to the princess…
He opened the door to the kitchen as he walked up to one of the cooks who was working.
“Lady Fujiwara requested it to be later than usual, I'd say an hour at most,” He spoke seriously, colder and more formal than beforehand.
He quickly walked to a small storage room in the house, where he walked to some umbrellas that were kept neatly together. He looked over them, inspecting the tops for holes of any sort. He carefully looked at his options and chose one after it passed his inspection. It was quite larger than the rest and would do nicely.
He made his way down the hall, waiting in front of her room.
After a little while longer of waiting. Tamayo gently slid the door open, revealing herself behind the door, fully dressed in proper attire.
…
Yushiro walked a step or two behind her, holding the umbrella out so she would not get wet. He put a lot of effort into making sure she stayed completely dry… probably a lot more than he needed to.
“It's rather nice outside, wouldn't you say?” Tamayo commented, looking at the assorted flowers and bushes all around
“It's raining… but it seems like it should stop soon,” Yushiro replied with a soft nod.
Tamayo squatted down carefully as she looked at the flowers. One that was deep red seemed to catch her eye.
“Be careful, Lady Fujiwara… it could have thorns,” Yushiro spoke with wide eyes, debating stopping her entirely.
“Settle down, Yushiro, these are harmless,” She said, plucking just a few off the bush. “I requested you not to be so formal… please don't forget.”
“I apologize… Lady Tamayo…” He spoke again, bowing his head slightly. He looked upset at his own forgetfulness.
Tamayo stood back up with a few flowers in her hands, “Your shoulder is drenched…” She said with a concerned frown.
“It'll dry fast, I’d hardly noticed,” Yushiro argued, keeping the umbrella firmly over her. “If you don't mind telling… what are you collecting the flowers for…” He spoke cautiously, rubbing his thumb gently on the handle of the umbrella
“They look lovely pressed,” Tamayo smiled.
“I’ll bring a bag next time to hold them,” Yushiro looked at the flowers in her hands. She held the red one she was staring at earlier, a yellow, a white, and a purple… all of them were rather small.
“No need, I can supply my own,” Tamayo continued walking, her shoes clicking against the rocks underneath her.
…
Lady Tamayo sat silently in the library, book in hand… Reading was a common hobby of hers; she was lucky to have been born of a high status, so she could read and write perfectly… the scent of the book she was reading filled her nose, a subtle but calming smell of the ink and parchment.
A quiet knock was then heard, before the only sound she could hear was her own breathing and the sounds of nature making its way through the walls.
“Do come in…” She called out to the noise, seeing Yushiro as the door slid open.
“Lady Tamayo,” Yushiro said, bowing his head for a moment with a tray in hand, “I made some tea for you.” He said, walking in the room and setting the tray down on the desk, she was sitting at.
“How kind, thank you, Yushiro.” She said, smiling as he picked up the fine teapot, pouring the hot liquid into a teacup.
“Please do join me.”
Yushiro hesitated when a flower vase caught his eye; his expression quickly soured seeing the decaying plants.
“This is unacceptable- I apologize! I will personally take care of this issue,” Yushiro said quickly, picking up the ceramic vase, practically bolting as he angrily walked off.
“Yushiro.” Her voice called, she sounded rather serious.”
Yushiro stopped dead in his tracks as his grip tightened slightly around the vase, but he quickly turned around in a flash.
“Don't get so worked up over such a small thing,” Tamayo lectured, blowing softly on the steaming cup in her hand.
Yushiro quickly slipped the vase back to where it was before quickly bowing.
“I apologize, my lady…” His hands gripped the fabric around his thighs, squeezing his eyes shut as much as possible
Lady Tamayo simply patted the chair beside her. The sound of her hand patting it made Yushiro flinch.
He looked up at her soft expression, glancing over to her hand for just a second before returning to her eyes, slowly standing up straight instead of bowing, waiting just a minute before hesitantly walking to the chair she gestured to, sitting down in it nervously.
Tamayo took the teapot into her hands, pouring another cup of tea for him slowly. She looked like a work of art, delicately lifting the teapot and letting a steady stream pour out. Yushiro stared, watching the princess intently, eyes wide but somehow so much softer than before.
“Thank you, Yushiro…” Tamayo hummed, handing him the fine ceramic teacup, feeling his fingertips barely glide across her own as he carefully took the cup.
Yushiro stared at his own reflection in the tea, baffled by her kindness to him before he met her face again, looking at her longingly with a soft smile.
“You look just as beautiful as always…”
Tamayo simply smiled at his compliment, shifting her gaze back to the decaying flowers, putting her cup down, and gently skimming over the wrinkled petals.
“What a shame these flowers got put in a vase… they would have been much happier living outside…” Tamayo sighed, looking at the flowers almost empathetically.
“They'll start to smell terrible soon… but in the end they're just plants.” Yushiro shrugged, taking a sip of his tea. He was only able to have such nice quality teas when Tamayo invited him; he enjoyed them, but never dared ask to have any.
“They never had the choice to get cut; they would have still smelled beautiful if they could only continue growing.”