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“Is my eyeliner alright, Mizuki ?” The prince put down his red pencil and turned around, so the knight could exhamine.
“It’s a bit thinner than the one on your left eye. Wait, let me fix it.” And she was already grabbing the eyeliner.
“Thank you Mizuki. Sorry for bothering you.” The only response he received was a glare.
Few seconds later, said knight, dressed in the elegant version of her knight armour - black knee-lenght dress lined with shining silver details, a belt to hold her sword and a dagger stripped to her leg - stepped back, her high boots tapping on the floor. She scanned his face, then nodded, seemingly proud of her work.
“So, when are you planning to pack up and leave the ball ?” Mizuki smirked, but her question was meant seriously.
Rui chuckled. “We’re not even there yet and you’re already doubting me ? I’m hurt…” A fake pout followed by a dramatic maneuvre of his hand.
“I’m not doubting you, I’m just mentally preparing.” She truly knew him well. After all, they’ve been friends since they were little, and after the king assigned Mizuki as Rui’s personal guard, they became even closer.
And during all that time, Rui had never lasted on a ball for the entire night. It’s not like he was planning to stay this night either.
“Maybe until the midnight. I’m not sure I’ll survive any longer than necessary.”
------
“Just. Until. Midnight. Then you’ll sneak me out no matter what it takes, okay Tsukasa ?”
The brunette fixed her earring and continued walking around the room. The sound of her heels was echoing throughout the room.
“Why are you like this ?” The knight exhaled tiredly. “It’s just a ball. It’s not that bad, really.”
The princess’ glare could pierce a wall. “Oh ! It’s just another night spent in the presence of annoying snobs that will agree with anything that other annoying snobs say ! Just another night I can’t spend peacefully in my room, instead having to listen to how Princess Evelyn Emilia from Flowerland has a daughter that paints better than Claude Monet. She’s THREE ! I’m nineteen and never received such a compliment from anyone, no matter how hard I work ! I’m tired of this, Tsukasa.”
She stopped walking and looked at her canvas. It was mostly blank, but in bottom right corner stood a cherry blossom tree. Underneath it she painted a bench, but left it empty. She never painted people. She would always say that the beauty of nature is the purest and that no human being can be as pure. Or be shown anywhere near that purity.
She was raised near people she hated, and she never met anyone that would fix her notion.
Sure, Tsukasa was a nice guy and they went along really well. But just being friends with someone didn’t change her mind like nothing.
“Fine, I’ll prepare a carriage for midnight.” The blonde surrendered. “But we should get going now.” He stood up and walked to the door.
Ena sighed one last time, then fixed her white, golden lined ball gown and followed her guard.
-----
“Prince Kamishiro, it’s an honor to finally meet you in person.”
“Prince Kamishiro, may I have a dance with you ?”
“Rui, son, you should go dance with that princess. It’s important for the family.”
One after another, Rui walked from person to person, smiling to everyone, acting like he’s so happy to be here.
‘Maybe in another universe, he’s an actor. He’s really good at acting.’ Mizuki thought.
What even is the job of a knight at a highly secured gala ? She can’t be near him when he’s dancing, she can’t open her mouth when others talk to him and she can’t leave, because it’s her job to look after him.
Mizuki often made fun of Rui’s hatred towards balls, but deep in her heart, she was glad. Standing next to the stage was getting extremly boring.
“Get me out of here.” The prince mimicked when he noticef Mizuki from the stage. The knight giggled and Rui continued to suffer through another dance.
“Rui, please, can you stay atleast until midnight ?” His mother begged the day before. She knew her son well enough to not even try to ask him to stay for the entire night.
He just shrugged in response.
Mizuki grabbed a cup to get a drink. Bored, may she at least not be thirsty.
The song ended, another one began, once again ended and started. The clock hands were moving slowly, but steadily. Half past eleven. Fifteen before midnight. Twelve.
Walking around the room, her eyes wandered, looking for the purple haired prince. If it weren’t for a loud gasp, she would have bumped into a princess.
“Ah, my apologies your highness.” Mizuki bowed down, but the girl didn’t pay attention. Her eyes were locked to somewhere on the stage.
Following the line of her sight, Mizuki noticed what she was looking at. Her eyebrow shot up at the sight.
“Why is my knight dancing with-“
“my prince ?”
The brunette finally noticed the girl and their eyes locked for a second.
Not only Rui was dancing after the time he could go home, he looked like he was…enjoying it ? What in the world was happening ??
“Im going to kill him.” The princess whispered through gritted teeth.
“Why is that so ?” The words escaped the knight’s mouth before she realized who she was asking it.
“Hey, who even are you ?!” The subject of the girl’s hatred was shifted and now Mizuki felt the target on her head.
“I’m the knight of the prince that your, assuming knight, is dancing with.” She put her hands up in a surrendering way.
“Ah, I see.” The girl calmed down and looked back to the two guys.
“So…why exactly you want to kill him ?” Mizuki couldn’t help herself.
“That is none of your bussiness.”
“Ooooh you like him.”
“WHAT ?!? NO EW. SHUT UP.”
Mizuki jumped back from the sudden turn the girl made. Sheesh, she was an interesting one.
“My name is Ena. Shinonome Ena. My apologies.” Ena exhaled to calm herself down again.
“Akiyama Mizuki. It’s an honor to meet you, your royal highness.” The knight bowed down again, this time not ignored.
“Don’t call me that. Please.” The grumpy face Ena was wearing fell down for a moment. Mizuki felt the need to change the subject.
“Uhm, why aren’t you dancing ?”
The princess looked back up. “Because i wasn’t meant to be here anymore !”
She probably shouldn’t have said that to a complete stranger, but she couldn’t help it.
“You hate balls as well ?”
“What do you mean by ‘as well’?”
“Rui also hates it here. I’m surprised he’s still dancing when he could leave at midnight.”
“Rui ?”
“The purple haired prince.”
“Ah. Wait a moment.”
Mizuki glanced at her. They were standing alone, even though the room was full of people. “What is it ?”
“You’re telling me, that my knight that was meant to get me out of here the moment the clock striked twelve is dancing with a prince that didn’t want to be here any longer than that ?”
The girl giggled, to which she received another glare. “Precisely.”
“And what am I meant to do now ?! Nice to see them having fun. Really.” From the sideye she shot at them, one could very easily read her thoughts.
“Come with me.” Ignoring the part in which Mizuki was not allowed to talk to other people, she felt the need to help this girl.
Or maybe she just wanted to keep talking to her.
“What ?!?”
“I’ll get you out.” The knight twirled around the princess, grabbed her hand and lead her to the door.
“HEY ?!? You can’t just-“ Ena pulled away from the grasp. “take me somewhere randomly !”
“Trust me.”
“Why would I trust you ?!?”
“Pleaaaaase.” Mizuki gave her her most puppy eyes stare.
“I’m not stupid ! I don’t trust strangers !”
“Fine. Don’t trust me then. Keep staring at your knight flirting with a prince and completly forgetting about you for as long as you want to.” Mizuki shrugged.
Ena fought her demons for few seconds, then gave up. “Ugh, fine FINE TAKE ME ANYWHERE I CAN’T DO THIS.”
The pink haired girl smirked and grabbed Ena’s hand again, this time sucesfully.
Somehow, Mizuki managed to get them both out of the dancing hall without anyone twitching an eye.
“You often sneak out ?”
“I told you, prince Kamishiro isn’t exactly known for his lasting presence.”
They were walking down the dark hall, Ena blindly following the girl.
“Do you know where to go ?”
“I know this palace like my own sword.”
“Oh right. You work for the Kamishiro's.”
And currently, they were inside the main castle of said rulers.
After a few more steps in silence, the knight spoke again. “We’re taking a circle around the ground floor. We’ll get back to the dancing hall, but from behind the stage. I can’t take you somewhere outside now, but I can help you at least like this.”
A smile creeped it’s way to the brunette’s face. “Couldn’t we just go straight there ?”
Mizuki shook her head. “There’s no way to get here unnoticed from down there.” She pushed one wall, opened a secret passage and walked towards a curtain.
Ena felt like she saw something an outsider shouldn’t be allowed to see.
But she placed her trust in this girl, so she trusted her back.
“Woah….” the view from the backstage was something else. Ena has been to lots of stages, but never got behind one. The way the lights shone on everyone, the way the world felt when she was hidden, but present…it was something she never felt before.
Mizuki giggled. “Pretty, isn’t it ?”
“How even…”
“Most of the light comes from these reflectors. It looks otherworldly when you’re just a spectator from the shadow, not under the light’s cape. And we’re bit higher than they are, so the angle of view is different as well.”
Ena has painted many things in her life. She had painted many types of light in her life. but this…this just felt magical.
For the first time in a long time, she didn’t feel overhelmed on a social event.
“Shh !” Mizuki grabbed her and quickly shoved her behind a curtain. When the steps disappeared, she started laughing.
The princess stepped back. “What’s so funny to you ?”
“I just never thought I would be hiding such a pretty girl from the eyes of others.”
She was looking into her eyes, holding the curtain with one hand and her companion with the other. She slowly put down the other hand as she spoke.
When her touch disappeared from Ena’s skin, said girl’s heart ached a bit. Her cheeks tinted with a soft pink, she felt like she was dreaming.
“You really shouldn’t be hiding neither.” Without realizing, her hand reached up to the knight’s cheek, slowly and carefully caressing it.
The soft smile that those words painted on Mizuki’s face could be framed and put into a museum.
“Shinonome ?? ENA ?!??” Someone started whisper-shouting. Or was just trying to whisper while he was really just shouting.
Ena’s eyes widened in realization and she quickly stepped back. Away from her.
The girl glanced behind the courtain, and when her eyes found the owner of her caller, she unobtrusively walked out, her features shining under the spotlight.
Truly a sight for Mizuki’s eyes.
“Tsukasa !” She hissed at the blonde.
Her knight turned around and in 3 fast steps stood next to her. “I’m so sorry your highness I-“
“Shush it !” She shut him up, but it didn’t sound harsh.
They exchnaged few more words and the blonde started taking her to the door.
Mizuki stepped away from the curtain, her eyes flashing for a moment before getting used to the sharp light.
As the two sneaked through the main door, the brunette princess, dressed in a gorgeous white gown, her golden jewerly and details glowing almost as brightly as she was, slightly turned her head to look back. Their eyes met for another moment, and Mizuki took that as an opportunity to bow down one last time. In return, she obtained another blinding smile, before she disappeared into the night.
“Maybe this night wasn’t as bad.” Rui appeared next to Mizuki, smiling like a little kid.
Mizuki smirked at him, then smiled for herself.
“Yeah. It truly wasn’t.”
-----
Tsukasa opened the door to Ena’s room the next morning.
The girl was sleeping peacefully on her bed, one could think she’s dead if she wasn’t smiling.
The sun was already shining from up in the sky, but Kasa wasn’t giving himself hope on successfully waking her up.
His eyes wandered to the canvas next to her window. The same half-empty white, with a cherry blossom tree in one corner.
But on the bench was sitting a girl, dressed in pure black with silver shining details, her hair tied up in a ponytail.