Godo- Requiem Of Love- Chapter 1: Traditional Mourning
Title: Requiem Of Love- Chapter 1: Traditional Mourning
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1430
Characters Included: Godo, Toki, Yasou, Mio, Kiara Takarai, Naoko Takarai, Kuniko, mentions of Godo's parents
Warnings: None
Author's Notes: Takes place in the world of ffvii_tng. All accept Godo are OC's.
Summary: No one in the royal family has ever chosen to have the power, but it has been thrust upon each of them. Now, the responsibility Godo never asked for may just destory the one thing he ever hoped for. And the kingdom of Wutai will never be the same.
Chapter Index
He didn't want to get up. He was all too aware of the sun shinning through his windows, but he just wanted to continue sleeping. He knew what today was, but that only made him want to stay in bed even more. If only he could sleep a little longer he would be left alone. They wouldn't wait too long for him, he was sure of it. It wouldn't matter what that day was, they would leave him there.
"Young Master Godo?"
The young man groaned, throwing his arm over his face. Just a little bit longer. Pretend you're asleep just a little bit longer.
"Young Master Godo, you must get up. Now."
He cracked one eyes opened, blinking several times as it adjusted to the light. "Toki?"
The older woman smiled. "Who else?"
Godo yawned, throwing his hand over his mouth as he sat up in his bed, sheets pooling in his lap. He watched the woman who had practically raised him bustle around his room, grabbing bits and pieces of clothing for him to wear. Toki had been, for all technical purposes, more of a mother to him than his real mother. True, Toki hadn't given birth to him, but that mattered little. Toki had been the only one to have anything to do with raising him. She was the only person who was there whenever he needed some advice or a tender word. When he had hit puberty he had even briefly developed a crush on the older woman. She was rather beautiful in his opinion. She had aged rather beautifully, hair barely streaked with gray. She had actually aged much better than his own mother.
The woman returned to his bed, sitting on the edge and brushing his dark hair from his face. "You seem rather tired as of late."
Godo shrugged, pushing some of his hair behind his ears. "I suppose."
Toki searched his face with unusually pale eyes. "Something is troubling you."
"No, nothing."
"You do not lie very well."
The edge of the young prince's mouth twitched. "You know me far too well."
"Did you expect anything less?"
"I suppose not." He stretched, falling back on his bed. "I don't understand the point of today."
"Do you not want to pay respects to your elder brother?"
Godo propped himself up on his elbows to survey her. "It has been a long time, Toki."
"For some, Young Master, the pain does not ebb so easily."
Toki stood and instantly Godo felt bad.
Godo once had an older brother, Keitaro. Keitaro was three years Godo's senior, and for sometime when they were younger they were rather close, but when Godo was fourteen, Keitaro had fallen ill and had died only two months later. Now, every year on the anniversary of his death, the entire kingdom would gather and pay their respects, mourning for their dead prince. And though Godo dearly missed his brother, he thought eight years of mourning was more than enough. Surely Keitaro would have wanted them all to move on with their lives, wouldn't he?
"I just don't see the point in all this, Toki."
The woman turned back towards him, eyes full of disappointment. "Young Master, your brother was a good person, and his death was tragic, was it not?"
"Yes."
"And you miss him, am I correct?"
"Yes, but-"
"Then do not fight this." She took her seat again on the edge of his bed, reaching out to stroke his cheek with her palm. "Your parents will not accept any reason for you not to be there. You must get up, get dressed and go pay your respects to your elder brother. If you do not do it now, Mio will make sure you do."
That was incentive enough. There was no way he wanted his father's advisor to come in and start barking orders to him.
Godo nodded slightly. "Very well, Toki. I will get dressed."
She smiled. "Thank you." She leaned forward and kissed his forehead like she had done so many times since he was born and turned, leaving him alone in his room.
It took a couple of minutes before the young prince finally stood and began to dress, listening to the voices outside his door. He could recognize one as Toki's clearly, but the other two he couldn't place. All he knew is they were clearly male.
"I must protest!"
Godo froze, chest half covered, and made his way to the door, opening it.
Toki turned briefly to look at him, then back to Mio with a satisfied smirk on her face. "See? I told you he would be ready shortly. Had you not been insistent on going in, I have no doubt he would already be done."
Mio looked down his oversized nose at the nursemaid, sniffing in an annoyed fashion. "Indeed." His eyes flickered to the young prince, sniffing again. "Your father requests you meet with him and your mother on your way to the temple."
The prince merely nodded. "Very well."
"I am to escort you."
"No, I don't-"
"I'll do it."
For the first time Godo noticed that Yasou, the head of the royal guard and his closest friend, was the other voice in the hall.
"I must protest-"
Toki cut Mio off with a raised hand. "Surely a royal guard can be trusted with keeping the prince safe."
Mio sniffed at her again. "Fine." He growled low in his throat, turning to storm down the hall, official robes billowing around him.
"I'm sorry he is that way to you, Toki."
The woman merely smiled at her former charge. "Never you mind that old grouch. I can more than handle him. Now, finish dressing and I will see you at the temple."
His parents were busy doing their usual mingling with the high standing families of Wutai after the ceremony to pay respect to Keitaro. As soon as the ceremony was done, Toki had bid her goodbye, waving at the king and queen and heading back to the mingle with the crowd while Godo was forced to stand there while his parents played their roles.
His mother, he had to admit, looked rather beautiful today in her deep purple clothes and her tight bun. She looked ever the regal queen.
"Quite a sight, isn't it?"
The edge of Godo's mouth curled as he turned his attention towards Yasuo. "That is one way to put it."
"It's hard to believe it has been eight years since your brother passed."
"But it has been."
"I am aware."
The prince's eyes scanned the crowd, landing from time to time on different people and things.
"Kuniko!"
The prince's head snapped in the direction of that voice in time to see a young woman with long dark hair lean down and scoop up a child who could be no more than five. The girl smiled as she lifted the girl up and spun her in a circle, laughing.
"Yasuo?"
"Yes?"
"Who is that girl?"
"Which girl?"
"The one with the little girl."
Yasuo shifted his dark eyes to the girl in question. "Oh, her. Kiara Takarai. Her parents own a fabric store in town."
Godo smiled. "You know everything."
"Duty of the royal guards."
"How old is she?"
"Eighteen, almost nineteen I believe."
"She's beautiful."
Yasuo turned his attention to his friend, who seemed all but enamored with the young girl.
"What have I missed?"
Godo held his hand out to Toki, drawing her towards him and kissing her cheek. "Toki, do you see that girl there?"
Toki looked where Godo motioned, spotting Kiara as she dipped the child down towards the ground, smiling. "Yes. What of her?"
"Don't you think she's beautiful?"
Toki blinked at the young prince. "Well, she does have a certain charm."
"Kiara!"
The girl spun in the direction of her mother, craddling the little girl close to her.
"Kiara, come! We have to go back to the store!"
"Coming, Mother!" Kiara whispered something to the child, then holding her closely she jogged over to her mother, walking with her back to their shop.
Godo turned a smile towards Toki and Yasuo. "I'm going to go....mingle."
As the young prince disappeared into the crowd, Toki turned wise eyes to the head of the guard. "He is enamored with her."
"Clearly."
The older woman sighed. "This, I am afraid can only lead to no good."
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1430
Characters Included: Godo, Toki, Yasou, Mio, Kiara Takarai, Naoko Takarai, Kuniko, mentions of Godo's parents
Warnings: None
Author's Notes: Takes place in the world of ffvii_tng. All accept Godo are OC's.
Summary: No one in the royal family has ever chosen to have the power, but it has been thrust upon each of them. Now, the responsibility Godo never asked for may just destory the one thing he ever hoped for. And the kingdom of Wutai will never be the same.
Chapter Index
He didn't want to get up. He was all too aware of the sun shinning through his windows, but he just wanted to continue sleeping. He knew what today was, but that only made him want to stay in bed even more. If only he could sleep a little longer he would be left alone. They wouldn't wait too long for him, he was sure of it. It wouldn't matter what that day was, they would leave him there.
"Young Master Godo?"
The young man groaned, throwing his arm over his face. Just a little bit longer. Pretend you're asleep just a little bit longer.
"Young Master Godo, you must get up. Now."
He cracked one eyes opened, blinking several times as it adjusted to the light. "Toki?"
The older woman smiled. "Who else?"
Godo yawned, throwing his hand over his mouth as he sat up in his bed, sheets pooling in his lap. He watched the woman who had practically raised him bustle around his room, grabbing bits and pieces of clothing for him to wear. Toki had been, for all technical purposes, more of a mother to him than his real mother. True, Toki hadn't given birth to him, but that mattered little. Toki had been the only one to have anything to do with raising him. She was the only person who was there whenever he needed some advice or a tender word. When he had hit puberty he had even briefly developed a crush on the older woman. She was rather beautiful in his opinion. She had aged rather beautifully, hair barely streaked with gray. She had actually aged much better than his own mother.
The woman returned to his bed, sitting on the edge and brushing his dark hair from his face. "You seem rather tired as of late."
Godo shrugged, pushing some of his hair behind his ears. "I suppose."
Toki searched his face with unusually pale eyes. "Something is troubling you."
"No, nothing."
"You do not lie very well."
The edge of the young prince's mouth twitched. "You know me far too well."
"Did you expect anything less?"
"I suppose not." He stretched, falling back on his bed. "I don't understand the point of today."
"Do you not want to pay respects to your elder brother?"
Godo propped himself up on his elbows to survey her. "It has been a long time, Toki."
"For some, Young Master, the pain does not ebb so easily."
Toki stood and instantly Godo felt bad.
Godo once had an older brother, Keitaro. Keitaro was three years Godo's senior, and for sometime when they were younger they were rather close, but when Godo was fourteen, Keitaro had fallen ill and had died only two months later. Now, every year on the anniversary of his death, the entire kingdom would gather and pay their respects, mourning for their dead prince. And though Godo dearly missed his brother, he thought eight years of mourning was more than enough. Surely Keitaro would have wanted them all to move on with their lives, wouldn't he?
"I just don't see the point in all this, Toki."
The woman turned back towards him, eyes full of disappointment. "Young Master, your brother was a good person, and his death was tragic, was it not?"
"Yes."
"And you miss him, am I correct?"
"Yes, but-"
"Then do not fight this." She took her seat again on the edge of his bed, reaching out to stroke his cheek with her palm. "Your parents will not accept any reason for you not to be there. You must get up, get dressed and go pay your respects to your elder brother. If you do not do it now, Mio will make sure you do."
That was incentive enough. There was no way he wanted his father's advisor to come in and start barking orders to him.
Godo nodded slightly. "Very well, Toki. I will get dressed."
She smiled. "Thank you." She leaned forward and kissed his forehead like she had done so many times since he was born and turned, leaving him alone in his room.
It took a couple of minutes before the young prince finally stood and began to dress, listening to the voices outside his door. He could recognize one as Toki's clearly, but the other two he couldn't place. All he knew is they were clearly male.
"I must protest!"
Godo froze, chest half covered, and made his way to the door, opening it.
Toki turned briefly to look at him, then back to Mio with a satisfied smirk on her face. "See? I told you he would be ready shortly. Had you not been insistent on going in, I have no doubt he would already be done."
Mio looked down his oversized nose at the nursemaid, sniffing in an annoyed fashion. "Indeed." His eyes flickered to the young prince, sniffing again. "Your father requests you meet with him and your mother on your way to the temple."
The prince merely nodded. "Very well."
"I am to escort you."
"No, I don't-"
"I'll do it."
For the first time Godo noticed that Yasou, the head of the royal guard and his closest friend, was the other voice in the hall.
"I must protest-"
Toki cut Mio off with a raised hand. "Surely a royal guard can be trusted with keeping the prince safe."
Mio sniffed at her again. "Fine." He growled low in his throat, turning to storm down the hall, official robes billowing around him.
"I'm sorry he is that way to you, Toki."
The woman merely smiled at her former charge. "Never you mind that old grouch. I can more than handle him. Now, finish dressing and I will see you at the temple."
His parents were busy doing their usual mingling with the high standing families of Wutai after the ceremony to pay respect to Keitaro. As soon as the ceremony was done, Toki had bid her goodbye, waving at the king and queen and heading back to the mingle with the crowd while Godo was forced to stand there while his parents played their roles.
His mother, he had to admit, looked rather beautiful today in her deep purple clothes and her tight bun. She looked ever the regal queen.
"Quite a sight, isn't it?"
The edge of Godo's mouth curled as he turned his attention towards Yasuo. "That is one way to put it."
"It's hard to believe it has been eight years since your brother passed."
"But it has been."
"I am aware."
The prince's eyes scanned the crowd, landing from time to time on different people and things.
"Kuniko!"
The prince's head snapped in the direction of that voice in time to see a young woman with long dark hair lean down and scoop up a child who could be no more than five. The girl smiled as she lifted the girl up and spun her in a circle, laughing.
"Yasuo?"
"Yes?"
"Who is that girl?"
"Which girl?"
"The one with the little girl."
Yasuo shifted his dark eyes to the girl in question. "Oh, her. Kiara Takarai. Her parents own a fabric store in town."
Godo smiled. "You know everything."
"Duty of the royal guards."
"How old is she?"
"Eighteen, almost nineteen I believe."
"She's beautiful."
Yasuo turned his attention to his friend, who seemed all but enamored with the young girl.
"What have I missed?"
Godo held his hand out to Toki, drawing her towards him and kissing her cheek. "Toki, do you see that girl there?"
Toki looked where Godo motioned, spotting Kiara as she dipped the child down towards the ground, smiling. "Yes. What of her?"
"Don't you think she's beautiful?"
Toki blinked at the young prince. "Well, she does have a certain charm."
"Kiara!"
The girl spun in the direction of her mother, craddling the little girl close to her.
"Kiara, come! We have to go back to the store!"
"Coming, Mother!" Kiara whispered something to the child, then holding her closely she jogged over to her mother, walking with her back to their shop.
Godo turned a smile towards Toki and Yasuo. "I'm going to go....mingle."
As the young prince disappeared into the crowd, Toki turned wise eyes to the head of the guard. "He is enamored with her."
"Clearly."
The older woman sighed. "This, I am afraid can only lead to no good."