Chapter 11
Nakano rushes out due to the commotion, The servants have gather blocking the spectacle. She makes her way through the crowd and see's mizuki as she wipes her tears away, takeo smiling but alright and another woman holding a vial looking dumbfounded. She immediately steps foward and bows doing a deep waist bend.
" This lowly one sincerely offers her honest greetings the princess." She says formally, immense respect in her voice.
All the workers immediately bows also doing a deep waist bend simultaneously yelling.
" We offer our sincere greetings to her highness the princess." They yell in unison.
Don't tell me they rehearsed the greetings, takeo thinks to himself.
" Ohh, miss nakano l....when." She says breaking mid sentence immense happiness present in her voice, still wiping her eyes.
" Young master i think it's better if we had this conversation inside." She says while raising up, this time around facing the prince.
" Ohh right." Takeo reacts finally becoming aware of the crowd around them.
He tactifully guides mizuki into the main house leaving th crowd of servants behind, her cheeks now slightly flushed.
" And how do i address you." She turns towards marguerite who has been quiet and confused this whole time.
" Ahh!! I'm the lady's new personal guard, the name is marguerite." She awkwardly replies doing a fist salute, a close fist covered by her open left palm.
" It's nice to meet you, anyone of the princess vassals is highly welcomed here." She responds bowing by nodding her head slightly.
She leads marguerite into the main house before gesturing her to go on without. She steps out and disperses the crowd of curious workers telling them get back to work, now isn't the time to gossip. She goes back in but they're no were to be found.
She walks around a bit and finds them in the dining hall, she's shocked by the sight that awaits her takeo casually feeding the princess roasted shrimps with a pair of black chopsticks and her tamely accepting them savoring each bite.
Marguerite is also left dumbfounded by the change in her lady's demeanor. This isn't the lady that hired me, she screams internally. Her body stiffening to the sight. All the other handmaids are here all equally dumbfounded by the spectacle they are beholding. be as she chuckles to a joke he just told.
" Everyone if you could excuse us please." She announces catching everyone offguard.
They all bow before taking their leave, miss nakano gestures for marguerite to follow her.
Didn't know aki could be so obedient chiki thinks to himself.
" I'm so glad you're awake." She says smiling brightly.
" I know you are." He replies slightly entranced my her smile.
Good lord this girl is perfect, takeo howls internally.
" And you don't have to be worried about me anymore, I'm back and healthy." He says mockingly flexing his frail arm
She chuckles before her face gets moody sadness slowly creeping in, her gaze falling down.
" What's wrong?." He asks slightly lifting up her chin.
" I want you to do me a favour?." She says keeping eye contact with him.
" And what might that be to sour your mood to this point?." He ask out.
" Don't go back." She replied before snatching her face and turning away.
" Go back where?." He asks trying to play dumb.
" They won't stop till you're dead this time and if anything happens to you I won't be able to forgive myself." She says, her hands tightening around the hemp of her haori till her knuckles go white.
" I can't." He blurts out.
" I know you can't but you must." She replies without looking at him.
" I want you to live to enjoy your life to the fullest." She continues before tears start falling from her eyes.
The drops landing on the table. He stretches his arms to wipe her tears but she shoves his hands away and cleans it herself.
" Promise me you would." She looks at him her eyes filled with compassion.
" I think i've lost my appetite." He replies before pushing his chair back and standing up.
She grabs the sleeve of his kimono.
" Please do it for me." She says gloomily.
" Please let me go princess." He replies without looking at her.
She let's him go and starts walking away but stops right before the exist and turns around.
" Excuse me for being rude princess but I'd like to take my leave." He says before bowing his head and walking out.
She burst into tears and burries her face in her arms folded together on the table.
" It's for the best, it's for his own good...But why am i so sad." She mumurs to herself inbetween tears.
Princess...he only calls me that when he is really angry at me. Atleast he hasn't changed one bit, she thinks to herself.
Lady tamayo pokes her head from behind a pillar before disappearing into the hallway.
Takeo angrily walks out of the compound without notifying anyone and heads into the forest mumuring and grunting to himself in frustration about the situation. But immediately remembers her pitiful appearance and the fact that she's only worried because of him.
" No i must not be persuaded, i must hold my ground." He declares slapping himself on the cheeks.
Then punching a tree, He yelps in pain as his knuckles kisses the hard tree trunk. He blows his swollen knuckes red with pain till it abeits, he then tries to lift a rock he sports nearby but it's to heavy and he gives up. He carries a fallen twigs and tries to break it in half but gets a splinter instead. He howls in pain then drops on the floor his back on the grass.
" Curse you nature, you win this one. Why the hell is this body so fragile." He murmurs to hinself.
Her pitiful appearance resurfaces in his mind, his hearts sinks then start to ache a little immediately quenching the flames of bitterness in his heart.
" Damn it." He yells begrudgingly shaking his fists.
He sighs in frustration then sits up simultaneously scratching the back of his neck.
" I better go back and apologize to her." He murmurs.
" She might really slip into depression if things don't get settled." He sighs.