The Prince's Princess (23/?)
Title: The Prince's Princess
Author: ai_ai_gasa2
Pairing: Lots! Takanoo and some Hikabu, a bit of Ariokamoto, and Chiitaro~
Rating: Probably, overall, PG-13. But they're all individually really safe. Like PG or something.
Genre: Romance, Fluff, very AU.
Summary: The Queen of the South Kingdom died of a sickness quite early on in life. The King never remarried, but did adopt 5 sons. Many years later, it is time now for his children to begin looking for wives, and the King also decides to adopt a daughter, planning a matchmaking ball for her in advance. But the adoption process is delayed... And Prince Inoo has no choice but to step in and play the princes in his to-be-sister's place.
A/N: Hey guys. I don't really have much to say... They're in the North castle now, yay~ Hope you like it!
mso-bidi-font-family:Kartika;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “So… what, do I just knock on the door or something?” Yamada asked hopelessly to them, looking up. Hikaru nodded urgently, Inoo hissing “Yes. And now!”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> They had snuck up to the door between the night guards leaving and the day guards arriving. Inoo didn’t know exactly how much time they had, but was positive it wasn’t much.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> Yamada looked from the wood of the door to his fist to the door again. Tching in annoyance, and before he lost his nerve, Inoo sent 3 sharp taps to the door with his knuckles. Almost immediately the door was opened by one of the maids of the house that was too interested in eating her breakfast biscuit to look up at them.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Yes?” She asked, admiring her shoes. “Who’re you here to see?”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “The royal family, please. It would be best if we could speak with the King directly.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> Hikaru’s business-like tone probably alerted her more than anything else that her guests were important people. Looking up, she gave them wide-eyed stares.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> They tried at introductions, Hikaru extending his hand to maybe shake hers, but she screamed and ran off.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Um… Well.” Yamada seemed awkward. “That went over well.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Totally.” Inoo agreed sarcastically. “Maybe we should’ve smiled and said hi.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> They were glancing amongst themselves, wondering what exactly what they should do when a voice made them look up.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Hikaru.” It was Yabu, followed by Takaki and Ryutaro, Shin trailing somewhere behind. Hikaru gave him a huge smile, Yabu walking forward and immersing Hikaru in his arms.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Chinen?” was the second thing spoken. Ryu had stopped glancing around and was just looking at them questioningly.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Only three of us came, to try to make it here fast.” Yamada explained briefly. Ryutaro nodded in understanding, stepping back a bit, and Inoo tried a glance at Takaki. He wasn’t being glared at, at least.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “We have so much to tell you…” Hikaru was murmuring. That caught everyone’s attention, Shintaro about to ask “What?” when a light cough from behind the Northerners stole everyone’s attention. It was Yabu’s father and the King. Yabu released Hikaru and stepped away, embarrassed and pink faced. Hikaru however only looked put out, disappointed that Yabu was no longer in his arms.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Whatever you have to say, you tell to me first.” The King said, and Hikaru, Inoo, and Yamada quickly bowed to him. Yabu’s father was looking at them with suspicious resentment, and the King, though it was considerably watered down, was looking wary as well. Hikaru opened his mouth, then closed it again, and there was a voice from inside.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “At least invite them in and offer some food.” It was the Queen. Inoo liked her already.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “What on Earth are you doing here?” Supposed to be a question, it sounded like a statement. The demand had come from Takaki. The Southern princes were in their dining hall, eating some breakfast hungrily. The food was amazing (he would have to thank Mr. Hashimoto later) but his tone of voice made Inoo look up warily.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “What do you mean?” Hikaru asked. “We’re going to help. We have information about the-”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> Inoo quickly silenced his brother with a look, standing up. He walked over to he and Takaki’s faces were a foot apart, then asked
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Do you really, truly think that we had anything to do with your brother’s disappearance?” The question was straight to the point, Takaki staring at him for a long time. Inoo just looked back, unblinking, into his eyes. Finally, Takaki broke his gaze, looking at his feet before glancing back up at Inoo, a desperate honesty in his eyes, and saying
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “No. I don’t.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> Inoo reached forward, wrapping his arms tightly around Takaki in relief. He could feel everyone’s surprise, but at that moment he really didn’t care. What he hadn’t been expecting was for Takaki to lean in, closer, and hug him back.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Um, Inoo… You gonna finish eating or what?” Hikaru asked awkwardly after a while. Embarrassed, Inoo nodded and let go and sat back down, pink faced. Takaki gave a little laugh at his blush, which if anything made him blush more. After a bit of awkward silence, the King and Queen walked in.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Is the food to your liking?” The Queen asked.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Oh yes, it’s delicious.” Yamada said. “Please tell the chef that we love it.” Hikaru and Inoo nodded in agreement. They both looked quite flattered.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Well, whenever you’re ready, we’ll hear whatever you have to say.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> Inoo was about to open his mouth and say something when Hikaru stood.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “We can tell you now, if you’d like.” He said. The North King nodded, leading them into a large, yet somehow more private room. The Advisor was already there and seated. The King took the seat next to him, with Yabu on the other side. Soon they were all sitting, looking at Hikaru expectantly. He had to clear his throat before he began.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “As we all know, Rensuke has been kidnapped, and that you’re blaming us. For good reason.” The last bit was added grudgingly. “But we’re innocent, and have evidence to prove it. Our sister Princess Ayaki has, honestly, been a bit suspicious since she came to live with us. At first, she had a strange attachment to jewelry-she would hoard it, but then it disappeared. We let it slide, figuring she was enjoying going from poverty to riches. But then we found that she had given each of us a different version of her past, and all of them were wrong. That made us suspect there was something weird-what would she have to hide? Stranger things kept happening, within our castle and outside it” They were all thinking death threats, though nobody said it “And finally, Inoo had gone into her room to get something for her and came across this.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> On cue, Yamada bent into his travel bag, digging around to get the letter out. All of the guards around them immediately trained their weapons on him, Hikaru and Inoo tensing.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “At ease.” The King declared, and though still wary, the guards lowered their weapons. Yamada pulled the paper out, unfolding it slightly.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Bring that to me.” The King said, immediately obeyed.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “This is how our stuff got to your castle without us knowing, and why one of Ayaki’s things weren’t there; that was odd, whether you noticed it or not. That and the fact that I would never break my equipment.” Inoo knew he was talking about the broken off practice sword hilt. “It explains where all of her jewelry disappeared to, and all the lies surrounding her past.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> The letter was passed on from one person to the next, making its way to each person.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “It explained everything. Ayaki was part of a terrorist group.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “What else are you referring to?” The Queen asked. “All I’m hearing is ‘other happenings’, with no real examples.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Well…” Inoo said, sending an awkward glance at Takaki. It would be the Prince’s choice to tell his mother. He did.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Ayaki said that I had to marry her. I didn’t know why-I couldn’t make her queen, that would be Rensuke, and I knew it would be impossible for her to already love me that much-but she was insistent. Too insistent. She said that if I didn’t say I would marry her, she would kill Shintaro. And if I backed out at a time that Shin was safe, she would kill Inoo instead. But now that Rensuke’s gone…”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> Shintaro, Ryutaro, and Yabu looked plenty shocked, Inoo not even trying to fake surprise, just acknowledging a fact he already knew. Thanks to that shocking example, the tables had turned. They were more sure in believing them now.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Ha.” The slight sarcastic laugh came from the King’s right side, Yabu’s father. “We’re not supposed to believe the evidence placed before our eyes, but instead rely on this note alone? You got this forged or faked. They’re lying.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> Yabu was giving his father a look, one the man didn’t notice.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “What on Earth would be our motive?” Inoo asked in an almost pleading voice. “We can’t even afford a war; this army completely outnumbers ours. And it’s not like we have a grudge… I’ve only met Rensuke face to face once in my life! We’ve even come up with a plan to save him!”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> That seemed not to matter to Yabu’s dad, Shintaro’s high voice interrupting.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Inoo-kun, I have one question before I can be sure of your innocence.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> Inoo turned his attention to the boy.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “You say you don’t have a grudge… Did Rensuke find out your secret?” Shintaro was talking about him cross-dressing at the first ball. Inoo shook his head.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “You’re the only one that knows.” He said, and Shintaro nodded. “Not that…” Inoo send a small glance in Takaki’s direction. “Not that I really need to hide it anymore.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “They’re innocent.” Shintaro said simply. The King was nodding slowly.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “That’s what I believe as well.” The man said. “Are we agreed?”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> Yabu’s father stood up. “You are making a horrible mistake!” he exclaimed. The King’s face grew stony, and the man said in a sharp voice
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “I trust you can show yourself out.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> With a growl, Yabu’s father left.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Now… Tell me about that plan of yours.” The King said. Both Yamada and Hikaru looked over at Inoo, who nodded. He wanted to be the one telling them.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “It involves the use of your soldiers, if that’s alright.” He began tentatively.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> The King nodded. “Are we using them to storm their hideout?” he asked.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “No.” Inoo began to explain. “We were going to use them to surround the camp and slowly get closer to the middle to surround the terrorists while I try to negotiate with them.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> That got some confused looks.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Oh, sorry-I’ll be dressed up as Ayaki, so I can walk into the camp without suspicion.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Do you think you can pull that off, acting as a girl?” Takaki asked, skeptical. Shintaro, Hikaru, and Yamada burst into a fit of giggles, Inoo nodding and trying hard not to laugh as well.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Positive.” He answered confidently.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “It’ll probably work. I mean, you probably won’t be able to negotiate with them, but we should be able to get Rensuke back, as long as nobody acts stupid.” Ryutaro said thoughtfully. Yabu looked over at Inoo, asking “You brought clothes to change into, right?”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> Inoo froze, then facepalmed, unable to believe his own stupidity. “Um… About that…”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> Hikaru facepalmed as well, but Takaki shrugged and said “We can just buy you some, right? I mean, they’re just clothes.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “They are most definitely not just clothes.” The Queen said immediately. “Ayaki is a girl, and a princess at that. They would have to be made of fine fabric, and would have to fit just right, and look good… We’d have to get them specially made.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “We don’t have the time.” Inoo shook his head. “We’ll need to act either tomorrow morning or later today.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “You aren’t going today.” The King said seriously. “That would be too much to ask.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Tomorrow then?” Yamada confirmed. Everyone nodded. Then the Queen’s eyes lit up.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “I have an idea. I know what Inoo-kun could wear!” She sent him a smile, walking over. “Come with me. You’ll have to try them on just to make sure.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> Inoo just nodded, slightly confused-he was crossdressing a lot sooner than he had expected-and followed her out of the room, feeling awkward when he entered the bedroom, of the King and Queen. Soon, he was in her closet.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “It should be in here somewhere… Maybe in the back…” Inoo was looking around in awe-he’d thought Ayaki’s closet was big… This place was huge! It was like it’s own separate room, a tiny window on one wall, very high up, giving in enough light to be able to change by. There was even a long mirror on the door.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Here we go… I have to say, I’ve gotten a bit… Taller in the past few years, so this is the only dress I have that I think’ll fit you.” She showed it for review. It was beautiful, white, giving off a “look at me” vibe, only worn once, on a special occasion. He soon understood what it was.
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “No.” He shook his head quickly. “I can’t possibly… I mean, it isn’t that I don’t want to, but… I couldn’t wear your wedding dress.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “But it’ll fit you, I’m positive.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “It’s not that…” There was only one wedding dress in their house-their Dad’s wife’s (Chinen called her Mom, Hikaru didn’t… Inoo didn’t know what to think). It was amazingly special, still hanging in her closet, and very few people were allowed to even touch it, only their father and the few people that looked it over for tears, dirt, and other impurities, then fix them. Though Inoo had often tried imagine the lady that had worn it, he’d never even considered himself in one. It was too special for him to…
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “It’ll fit perfectly. Just try it on.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “I couldn’t-”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> “Rensuke is more important than this dress, Inoo-kun. Just try it on. When you’re done, knock, and I’ll do your hair.”
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> He didn’t even have time to answer, the dress being shoved into his arms, the Queen leaving. He looked at it for a few moments. It was beautiful. Quickly, he began to change.