[unfinished girl!troika snippet, 'Yukimura-hime', Prince of Tennis]
characters/pairings: girl!Yanagi/girl!Yukimura, girl!Yanagi/girl!Sanada, girl!Sanada/girl!Yukimura, (eventual) girl!Yukimura/girl!Yanagi/girl!Sanada
genre: femmeslash, genderswap, au, threesome,
wordcount: 4469
prompt: From Cyn - Yukimura, the princess and her maids/friends/whatever; "But won't the prince suspect something?"
notes: Unfinished WIP, posting because I don't think it'll get finished! I wrote this whole section in one night (sometime in December last year) and then I lost the thread of where it was going and never went back to it.
-
Sanada isn't going to be at all helpful, Yanagi decides very swiftly. She stands awkwardly with her feet turned outwards, she doesn't know where to put her hands while she is at liberty, she looks petrified to even go into Yukimura-hime's room.
"Sanada-chan," Yanagi says calmly, "you do realise what my, and now your, duties entail, do you not?"
"Yes," Sanada replies, looking down at the floor. She is new and yet Yanagi cannot allow her any leeway, this is Yukimura-hime after all. Nothing less than the best is allowed for the princess. Yanagi bites her lip; she has no faith at all that this is going to work out.
"You understand," she continues, as if Sanada hasn't replied, "that we must aid Yukimura-hime in dressing, placing the clothes onto her body, fastening buttons and tying laces and bows? We must be there when she bathes, and lather her skin and wash her hair for her, trim her nails and massage lotion into her skin?"
Sanada's cheeks go pinker and pinker the more Yanagi says. Yanagi sighs.
"You realise that we must fetch and carry for her, go on errands for her, and entertain her if she so wishes? We must taste her food for her, and compliment her, and attempt to fulfil her needs before she even has to ask?"
"...I'm pretty sure my parents purposely didn't tell me this much, because I never would have agreed to it," Sanada mutters. She looks about ready to march right out of there. Yanagi takes a single step sideways to block her way.
"You can't go back on the decision now," she says ominously. "Nobody just walks away from Yukimura-hime-sama."
"She hasn't even met me yet!"
"Precisely," Yanagi replies, tight-lipped. "She may dismiss you out of hand; she may not find you suitable at all. But I promise you, you do not want that to happen. You'll never find a job again if she makes her displeasure known."
"That's not fair!" Sanada says much louder than she intended, and Yanagi motions to her to lower her voice.
"You could make this job incredibly easy for yourself, or incredibly difficult," Yanagi says. "I know which I've always preferred. Do you want my help?"
"Why do you even do it?" Sanada asks. Yanagi's smile stretches across her face slowly.
"You've never actually seen the princess, have you?"
-
Yanagi manages to buy them an afternoon's worth of time, claiming a need to show Sanada-chan her way around and other important things she simply must know before they even think to impose on Yukimura-hime. The Princess has other attendants but she only deigns to put up with them when Yanagi requires time off, for sickness or to visit her family or any other acceptable reason. Yukimura-hime will pout initially, where no-one will see her, but she will make do. There will be one or two unusual accidents or minor injuries, but that is just the princess making her displeasure known in small ways so that she does not have to lose her temper. It's unseemly for a princess to lose her temper.
"Most things you will be able to handle," Yanagi says diplomatically. "Fetching and carrying are simple chores. You just have to be efficient and aware of how you carry yourself in front of others. As Yukimura-hime's maidservants we are her property and therefore everything we do reflect upon her. You must not shuffle along like you do now."
Sanada frowns, and there is another thing Yanagi must chastise her about. "You must always have a smiling and pleasant countenance. You must ensure those around you can tell with a single look that to do Yukimura-hime's bidding is the highest honour, and the most fulfilling job in your opinion. Those around us could be reporting back to her parents, to the princess herself, to outsiders looking to ruin the royal family. You must never reveal negative feelings in anyone's hearing but mine. In fact, even I don't wish to hear about it."
Before they even get to the difficult things Yanagi must show Sanada how to walk, how and when to speak, how to keep the smile plastered across her face even when it hurts. Once she is happy - Sanada is a fast learner and determined if nothing else - they move on to more difficult things.
"Dressing," Yanagi says, pulling out a different dress to the one she has on and laying it on the bed. "I will stand here and guide you, but you must help me out of this dress and into the other."
Sanada freezes up momentarily. Yanagi turns to look her way and sighs, but before she has to move Sanada swallows and steps behind her.
"It's correct to unzip the back first?" She asks, voice wobbling a little.
"Otherwise you'll have trouble getting it off at all," Yanagi replies with a smile evident in her tone. Sanada's fingers fumble, and that will have to be taken care of, but she is efficient regardless. "Slide the sleeves down my arms and don't let the dress crumple on the floor, keep hold of it."
Sanada's hands slide down the skin of Yanagi's arms as she pushes her fingers beneath the fabric of the sleeves to ease them off Yanagi's shoulders. Yanagi bites her lip and shuts her eyes and tries not to remember how long it's been since somebody touched her so intimately. She forgets to pay attention to how Sanada is doing, and before she knows it she is in her underwear with the skirt held up around her hips to keep it from hitting the floor.
"What do I do with it?" Sanada asks, her breath carressing Yanagi's neck as she whispers near Yanagi's ear.
"You kneel down, holding it as neatly as you can, and inform the princess very politely that she may step out of it now."
"Princess, you may step out of the dress now," Sanada says obediently, and Yanagi's chest tightens. So this is how it feels. She steps backwards out of her dress and wraps her arms around herself against the non-existent chill in the room. It is perfectly heated and yet Yanagi feels like shivering. the second dress she has picked out buttons all down the front, purposely, so that Sanada may get used to any possibility.
What she realises belatedly is that Sanada's hands are going to end up fastening the buttons across her chest.
"Lay the dress on the bed; when there are two of us sometimes there is the opportunity to hang it right away in the laundry closet-" laundry closet, Sanada thinks to herself in wonder, "but often two people are required to dress the princess and therefore it can wait until afterwards. Then pick up the other and bring it over."
"Princess, if you could extend your arm for me," Sanada murmurs without a cue. Yanagi smiles proudly; it hasn't been long, and though Sanada is quiet and awkward she understands what is required. Yukimura-hime might even find her amusing and novel. This could work. She holds out one arm after the other as Sanada slips the dress on and then walks around to the front to button it up.
"So, she never does anything but stand and let other people dress her?" Sanada asks idly as she reaches for the top button at the throat.
"Middle first," Yanagi says. "Top to bottom and bottom to top are crude. You must always be able to find the centre and never button it up incorrectly, it wastes time and would anger the princess."
Sanada retracts her hands like she's been bitten and looks to try and gauge the centre of the dress. Her eyes focus on Yanagi's middle, her stomach, which she can handle. She lets out a breath.
"Use the waist to guide you," she says, using her hands and coming round her waist to find the nearest button. "And yes, all that is required of Yukimura-hime is that she stands and allows us to do our jobs. A princess does not need to be doing anything strenuous."
"It sounds awful," Sanada replies. She quickly buttons the first button, and glances at Yanagi for further instruction.
"Bottom to centre," Yanagi says, and Sanada has to kneel down to accomplish this. She remembers to centre herself so that her maidservant's dress pools around her rather than gets caught under a leg and creases. Yanagi tries not to look down. "And then centre to top."
Sanada stands again and begins to button the rest of the buttons quickly but carefully. She concentrates so hard on her task she seems to forget to be embarrassed. Until her hand brushes Yanagi's breast accicentally, and then she flushes crimson and jumps back.
"I'm sorry!" She gasps, and Yanagi tries to ignore the prickling sensation in her nipple.
"Don't be silly," she says eventually, beckoning Sanada forward again. "You think that's never going to happen? As maidservants to the princess her body may as well be our own. We will touch it more than she does herself, when bathing her and dressing her. You must act as though it is the same as touching her arm, for example."
Sanada just nods silently, biting her lip, and returns to her task. Yanagi is aware of every breath she inhales and exhales and the way it sets her chest to heaving. She feels the brush of Sanada's knuckles over the top of her breast as she fastens the higher buttons and tries to breathe through it.
"God," Sanada says when she is finished, stepping back and letting out a deep breath. "I don't know... I mean, you've been doing your best to make me fit for this job, so it isn't so bad. With you. But to do this for a princess?"
"You'll have to meet her soon," Yanagi says, glancing at the time. "It's okay to be nervous, she's used to that. Just please keep your eyes lowered unless she specifically orders you otherwise, stay curtsied unless she releases you from it, and answer her honestly... but not too honestly."
"What does that mean?" Sanada asks, mouth gone dry.
"Don't outright lie," Yanagi says, "because Yukimura-hime-sama will be able to tell. But don't feel you need to tell the whole truth, either, if it might get you into trouble."
-
"Rie-chan," Yukimura-hime says as Yanagi walks through the door. "You took your time."
"Hime-sama," Yanagi replies, bowing at the waist and staying there until Yukimura sighs.
"That's enough," she says dismissively. "Where is the reason for all this commotion?"
"Sanada-chan is just outside, princess, if you wish I will bring her before you."
Yukimura doesn't reply. She knows she has made herself perfectly clear, and Yanagi is already heading to the door before the sentence is fully out of her mouth. Yanagi opens both doors at once, revealing Sanada who catches her first glance of Yukimura-hime and stares, forgetting everything.
"Lower your eyes," Yanagi hisses insistently, and Sanada's large eyes fix on her instead, blinking once and then she nods. She drops her chin and practically shuffles into the room ruining all of Yanagi's hard work that afternoon. Yanagi resists the urge to slap her palm against her forehead. Sanada stops and stands with her hands twisted together in front of her, forgetting to curtsy. Yanagi closes the doors to the room again and acts as though nothing is wrong, walking over to stand at the side of Yukimura-hime's bed where she sits inspecting the sight in front of her with a tight mouth.
And then her tongue peeks out of her mouth and runs along her bottom lip. Yanagi sees it out of the corner of her eye and can't quite believe it. She follows Yukimura hime's line of sight, and understands. With her hands clasped in front Sanada-chan has managed to emphasize her already ample bust and Yukimura-hime has a great eyefull of cleavage to admire. Which she certainly is.
Yanagi bites back a smile. She had no idea Yukimura-hime's tastes ran in such a direction, but now she knows it does not matter what Sanada-chan does wrong from here on in. Yukimura-hime will forgive her if it means more time to run eyes over Sanada's body.
"Sanada... what?" Yukimura asks suddenly. This isn't her usual method of questioning.
"Sanada Gen, Yukimura-hime-sama," Sanada says, lifting her head to answer. Yanagi closes her eyes instinctively, but smiles to herself as she remembers it won't matter.
"Gen-chan," Yukimura-hime replies, testing the name on her tongue. She smiles, slow and wide. Sanada doesn't even recognise it for what it is, but Yanagi sees a predator sizing up her prey. "Well, I'm sure Rie-chan has taught you well, she's the very best at what she does. I should like to bathe; you may begin your duties immediately."
"At once, Yukimura-hime-sama," Yanagi says. "If you would give me a moment to prepare a bath for you. I shall take Gen-chan with me to explain the requirements."
"...Of course," Yukimura agrees reluctantly, realising she has no valid excuse to keep Sanada with her in order to ogle her body.
Yanagi takes Sanada's arm and steers her quickly into the adjoining bath chamber, closing the door.
"What the-?" Sanada begins to ask, and Yanagi shushes her.
"That is not how it usually goes," she assures Sanada. She rolls up the sleeves of her dress and starts the water running, thrusting a hand beneath to test the temperature. "Yukimura-hime-sama clearly sees something special in you. Don't lose that advantage."
Yanagi decides it is pointless, counterproductive even, to tell Sanada the truth. It may be what does cause her to walk away, something she will regret forever. There isn't a single person, male or female, who has yet to be awed Yukimura-hime's beauty and grace. Even worse when Yukimura-hime is the one who feels the attraction first and thinks to persue. There have been instances where even highly illustrious guests have been thrown out of the palace within mere hours to keep Yukimura's chastity in tact, whether she likes it or not.
"Roll up your sleeves as I have done, and go into the closet there. Place the towels on the chair, bring out the chest and place it down beside me and then tell me which scents for the water are left."
"Rose, cherry-blossom and vanilla," Sanada tells her as she places the wooden chest on the floor.
"Perfect," Yanagi replies. "Bring the rose scent here."
When Sanada turns back Yanagi has opened the wooden chest, which is full of flower petals. Rose petals to be exact, deep pink ones. it looks like a writing chest, or a treasure chest, and yet it is being used for rose petals to decompose in.
"Once the water is at the required level," Yanagi says, ignoring Sanada's look of disbelief, "and only then, once the ripples have stopped, you may put in the scent. For this amount of water three caps-full is sufficient. And once that has mingled with the water and spread throughout the petals may be sprinkled across the surface of the water, otherwise they would sink immediately. I will return these things to the closet, go and escort Yukimura-hime-sama to the bathroom."
"What?" Sanada squeaks. Yanagi gives her a look that tells her to just do it, no arguments.
-
"Yukimura-hime-sama," Sanada says, stepping back into the bedroom. "Your bath is drawn, if you would like to come with me, I..."
"Come and help me off of the bed, would you please?" Yukimura asks, smiling brightly. Sanada's head feels light all of a sudden. She walks foward as though in a dream, reaching out her hand and offering it to Yukimura-hime to take in order to get herself up from the bed. Yukimura places her hand into Sanada's and lowers her eyes. "How courteous of you to offer to kiss my hand before you truly begin your duties. How could I possibly deny you?"
Sanada's eyes widen again. That wasn't what she had meant to do at all, but now she is stuck. With trembling legs she leans over Yukimura-hime's hand and places her lips to it briefly. Yukimura smiles brilliantly at her again in response and then allows herself to be helped up off the bed.
"I shall take your arm for support," she says, slipping it through Sanada's. If she purposely presses her arm against Sanada's breast as they walk Sanada doesn't notice. Yukimura will tire of this obliviousness soon enough, but for now it is fun to be behaving clandestinely, sneaking contact with Sanada where she can.
"Gen-chan," she says as they enter the bathroom and find Yanagi waiting in preparation. "If you would help me disrobe."
Well, Yanagi thinks to herself with a smirk, that effectively dismisses her for now. Yukimura stands as patiently as a lamb as Sanada moves to release the zip on the back of her dress. She handles the dress exactly as Yanagi has taught her, and Yanagi takes it from her to hang up in the bathroom closet until it can be moved to the laundry one. Sanada falters for a moment when she turns back to Yukimura-hime in her underwear. Her dresses tend to down-play her true age, late teens, with their flat cuts and sometimes excessive bows, but her underwear is made to measure, all in silks and lace. Her breasts are pert, not small but not too oversized for her frame. She knows full well the effect a woman in lingerie can have on both men and other women and so she is always dressed to impress.
Sanada knows intellectually what comes next, she just can't bring herself to do it. Bad enough to have such a view enticing her, now she is supposed to remove the bra and panties for the princess and try to ignore what will be no doubt amazingly stunning nakedness.
"Gen-chan," Yanagi says quietly. "We mustn't leave Yukimura-hime-sama standing in the cool air, she might catch a chill."
"No, of course," Sanada manages to say without thinking. She takes a step forward and then a breath. She can handle this. If she walks around to the back to unclasp the bra she won't even have to look at the princess or her naked breasts. Sanada manages this all perfectly well, glancing over Yukimura-hime's shoulder to look at Yanagi stood opposite, who watches on with no expression on her face to betray emotion. Sanada tells herself that after seeing Yukimua-hime naked everyday Yanagi must be used to it, there must be a way to condition yourself to such a thing. She places her hands on Yukimura-hime's hips and slides her underwear down her legs and encourages her to step out.
"Gen-chan, you have such soft hands," she says approvingly, and offers out a hand to Yanagi who helps her into the bath. Sanada keeps her eyes squeezed shut until Yukimura-hime is submerged and breathing in the sweet scent of roses.
"Gen-chan," Yanagi says, sitting down at the side of the tub on a stool ready prepared for such a purpose, "wash Yukimura-hime-sama's hair for her. Once with the shampoo in the white bottle, once with the blue, and once with the yellow. And then the white bottle with the gold edging for conditioning. They're all specially developed products just for Yukimura-hime-sama's hair."
"...Okay," Sanada replies, squeezing out a little of the shampoo at a time and glancing up repeatedly until she sees Yanagi's barely perceptible nod when she has enough. Sanada threads her fingers into Yukimura-hime's hair and tries not to snag her fingers on the wet strands or hurt her as she massages the shampoo into her scalp.
Yanagi has a bottle of milk and honey lotion beside her and she begins with a generous amount in her palm, spreading it across both hands and then picking up Yukimura-hime's hand and massaging the lotion into her skin. She moves her way up Yukimura-hime's arm right to the shoulder and then walks around to the other side of the bath to begin again with the other arm. As Sanada works her way through each hair product she watches Yanagi move from arm to the bottom half of one leg, to the other leg.
"When you've finished," Yanagi says, breaking into Sanada's thoughts. "I would like to use your seat."
Sanada scrambles up out of it as soon as she has finished washing the conditioner out of Yukimura-hime's hair, and Yanagi sits down. She begins massaging lotion into Yukimura-hime's back, and Yukimura tilts her chin down and closes her eyes, sighing contentedly. Sanada, thrown from the safety of being behind Yukimura-hime, doesn't know where to look. Luckily Yukimura-hime's hair obscures the best part of her breasts.
"Gen-chan," Yanagi says, and Sanada realises belately that she became 'Gen-chan' to Yanagi when Yukimura-hime deemed her as such. She will have to remember to say 'Rie-chan' in response from now on. "Yukimura-hime's nightwear for tonight is hanging in the fourth closet from the door. It is labeled. Would you please lay it out on the bed, for when she is ready to put it on?"
Sanada is more than happy to make her escape, darting out of the bathroom immediately. Yukimura-hime sighs and leans back against the bathtub as Yanagi finishes massaging her back, coming in closer proximity to give Yanagi access to her front.
"Rie-chan, you let her go," Yukimura says with a pout. Yanagi places a hand on each of her breasts and runs each nipple through her thumb and forefinger to make Yukimura sigh with pleasure instead.
"Be patient with her," Yanagi murmurs in response. "Everyone gives in eventually. You're irresistable."
"Am I?" Yukimura-hime asks idly as Yanagi's hands continue to massage her breasts, every so often brushing thumbs over her nipples. She is so used to people telling her what they think she wants to hear she honestly doesn't know if it true or not. And yet Yanagi doesn't lie to her.
"I'm going to start draining the water now," Yanagi says, pulling the plug. Yukimura-hime stays in the bath as the water level begins to drop. It reveals more of her body slowly, and Yanagi squirts more lotion into her hands and strokes down Yukimura-hime's belly and over both of her thighs. Yukimura-hime spreads her legs and as the last of the water drains away Yanagi slips fingers inside her and strokes just as methodically as she has been everywhere else in order to complete her duties.
Yukimura-hime's cheeks flush, but she makes no noise to betray them. This is a usual occurance, but-
"Gen-chan would never have done this," Yanagi says, looking at Yukimura-hime and forcing her to accept it.
"It's part of the job," Yukimura replies. "If you don't prepare her in advance I will be most displeased."
"Of course, hime-sama," Yanagi says quickly. She speeds up the movement of her fingers and presses more firmly until Yukimura-hime is bucking her hips and unable to say any more.
-
Yukimura-hime comes out of the bathroom wrapped in a thick, fluffy dressing gown with a towel wrapping her hair. Gen doesn't know what to do until Yanagi - Rie-chan - hands her a towel and helps Yukimura-hime back out of the wet dressing gown. Sanada soon works out that she has to pat Yukimura-hime down to rid her of whatever drops of water are still left clinging to her body. Yanagi does one half of her body and Gen does the other. When she reaches Yukimura-hime's leg, Sanada kneels down and because she doesn't look up she doesn't see the approving smile on Yukimura-hime's face. She catches the fleeting smell of... something, and then it's gone. Sanada decides to blame it on the rose petals.
Yukimura-hime's nightwear is the finest silk, a short nightdress with a lace insert to cover the breasts.
"Nothing too warm," Yanagi says as she picks it up and gathers it. She leaves the armholes free and Yukimura-hime obediently puts her arms through, allowing Yanagi to get the nightdress over her head and covering her body once again. Sanada lets out a breath she hadn't known she was holding.
The nightdress is a deep purple and it flares out at the hip, swishing when Yukimura-hime moves. It seems better to have her covered rather than naked, but Sanada knows now what lies beneath the fabric, and being able to only see tiny hints of it in the swell of breasts and the points of Yukimura-hime's nipples through the silk is a torture just the same. She turns away. Yukimura-hime looks at her through lowered lashes and smiles.
"I'm ready for my bed," she announces, although that doesn't mean she is ready for sleep. Yanagi obediently turns down the covers and she slides in, wriggling around until she is comfortable. And coincidentally her nightdress rides up in the process. "Gen-chan, thank you. I think you've done well for your first day, don't you think, Rei-chan?"
"No doubt," Yanagi agrees quietly. No doubt if Sanada had dropped something on Yukimura-hime's toes this evening Yukimura-hime would have just found it a good excuse to make Sanada kiss her feet in apology. It's dangerous to be wanted by someone with so much power. "Are you releasing Gen-chan from her duties for today?"
"Ah," Yukimura-hime says, as if the thought hadn't occured to her. "Yes, of course. Gen-chan, get some sleep and be here bright and early in the morning to help me again!"
Sanada is tired and confused, and finding it hard to remember why she should continue to put up with so much nonsense when Yukimura-hime smiles at her again from the bed. The words are cheerful and innocent, but that smile is not at all. The smile is sexy and inviting, and Sanada finds herself backing away from it as she says her goodnights.
"She wants me?" Yukimura asks.
"She's frightened by just how much she wants you," Yanagi replies, patting down the covers again. Yukimura-hime reaches an arm out of the bed and stops her.
"Get in," she says. "I want you to stay here tonight."
"I'm not dressed for-"
"Take your clothes off," Yukimura-hime replies. Yanagi complies and slides under the covers quickly to avoid the chill in the night air. Yukimura-hime's hands come up immediately to touch her breasts.
"Mine," she says, humming happily. She touches in a detached manner, curious to see what each action will bring in reaction, but little more. She is so used to having everything bestowed on her that giving back is alien. Yanagi knows and understands this, and allows herself to be subjected to a gentle fondling until Yukimura-hime is fully satisfied.
"You'll make sure that Gen-chan understands the full scope of her duties before anything like this can happen again?" Yukimura-hime asks into the darkness. That no matter what it is Yukimura-hime demands, she will receive and receive it from a willing participant.
"Yes, hime-sama."
-
This entry was originally posted here on Dreamwidth. Comment there if you'd prefer!
genre: femmeslash, genderswap, au, threesome,
wordcount: 4469
prompt: From Cyn - Yukimura, the princess and her maids/friends/whatever; "But won't the prince suspect something?"
notes: Unfinished WIP, posting because I don't think it'll get finished! I wrote this whole section in one night (sometime in December last year) and then I lost the thread of where it was going and never went back to it.
-
Sanada isn't going to be at all helpful, Yanagi decides very swiftly. She stands awkwardly with her feet turned outwards, she doesn't know where to put her hands while she is at liberty, she looks petrified to even go into Yukimura-hime's room.
"Sanada-chan," Yanagi says calmly, "you do realise what my, and now your, duties entail, do you not?"
"Yes," Sanada replies, looking down at the floor. She is new and yet Yanagi cannot allow her any leeway, this is Yukimura-hime after all. Nothing less than the best is allowed for the princess. Yanagi bites her lip; she has no faith at all that this is going to work out.
"You understand," she continues, as if Sanada hasn't replied, "that we must aid Yukimura-hime in dressing, placing the clothes onto her body, fastening buttons and tying laces and bows? We must be there when she bathes, and lather her skin and wash her hair for her, trim her nails and massage lotion into her skin?"
Sanada's cheeks go pinker and pinker the more Yanagi says. Yanagi sighs.
"You realise that we must fetch and carry for her, go on errands for her, and entertain her if she so wishes? We must taste her food for her, and compliment her, and attempt to fulfil her needs before she even has to ask?"
"...I'm pretty sure my parents purposely didn't tell me this much, because I never would have agreed to it," Sanada mutters. She looks about ready to march right out of there. Yanagi takes a single step sideways to block her way.
"You can't go back on the decision now," she says ominously. "Nobody just walks away from Yukimura-hime-sama."
"She hasn't even met me yet!"
"Precisely," Yanagi replies, tight-lipped. "She may dismiss you out of hand; she may not find you suitable at all. But I promise you, you do not want that to happen. You'll never find a job again if she makes her displeasure known."
"That's not fair!" Sanada says much louder than she intended, and Yanagi motions to her to lower her voice.
"You could make this job incredibly easy for yourself, or incredibly difficult," Yanagi says. "I know which I've always preferred. Do you want my help?"
"Why do you even do it?" Sanada asks. Yanagi's smile stretches across her face slowly.
"You've never actually seen the princess, have you?"
-
Yanagi manages to buy them an afternoon's worth of time, claiming a need to show Sanada-chan her way around and other important things she simply must know before they even think to impose on Yukimura-hime. The Princess has other attendants but she only deigns to put up with them when Yanagi requires time off, for sickness or to visit her family or any other acceptable reason. Yukimura-hime will pout initially, where no-one will see her, but she will make do. There will be one or two unusual accidents or minor injuries, but that is just the princess making her displeasure known in small ways so that she does not have to lose her temper. It's unseemly for a princess to lose her temper.
"Most things you will be able to handle," Yanagi says diplomatically. "Fetching and carrying are simple chores. You just have to be efficient and aware of how you carry yourself in front of others. As Yukimura-hime's maidservants we are her property and therefore everything we do reflect upon her. You must not shuffle along like you do now."
Sanada frowns, and there is another thing Yanagi must chastise her about. "You must always have a smiling and pleasant countenance. You must ensure those around you can tell with a single look that to do Yukimura-hime's bidding is the highest honour, and the most fulfilling job in your opinion. Those around us could be reporting back to her parents, to the princess herself, to outsiders looking to ruin the royal family. You must never reveal negative feelings in anyone's hearing but mine. In fact, even I don't wish to hear about it."
Before they even get to the difficult things Yanagi must show Sanada how to walk, how and when to speak, how to keep the smile plastered across her face even when it hurts. Once she is happy - Sanada is a fast learner and determined if nothing else - they move on to more difficult things.
"Dressing," Yanagi says, pulling out a different dress to the one she has on and laying it on the bed. "I will stand here and guide you, but you must help me out of this dress and into the other."
Sanada freezes up momentarily. Yanagi turns to look her way and sighs, but before she has to move Sanada swallows and steps behind her.
"It's correct to unzip the back first?" She asks, voice wobbling a little.
"Otherwise you'll have trouble getting it off at all," Yanagi replies with a smile evident in her tone. Sanada's fingers fumble, and that will have to be taken care of, but she is efficient regardless. "Slide the sleeves down my arms and don't let the dress crumple on the floor, keep hold of it."
Sanada's hands slide down the skin of Yanagi's arms as she pushes her fingers beneath the fabric of the sleeves to ease them off Yanagi's shoulders. Yanagi bites her lip and shuts her eyes and tries not to remember how long it's been since somebody touched her so intimately. She forgets to pay attention to how Sanada is doing, and before she knows it she is in her underwear with the skirt held up around her hips to keep it from hitting the floor.
"What do I do with it?" Sanada asks, her breath carressing Yanagi's neck as she whispers near Yanagi's ear.
"You kneel down, holding it as neatly as you can, and inform the princess very politely that she may step out of it now."
"Princess, you may step out of the dress now," Sanada says obediently, and Yanagi's chest tightens. So this is how it feels. She steps backwards out of her dress and wraps her arms around herself against the non-existent chill in the room. It is perfectly heated and yet Yanagi feels like shivering. the second dress she has picked out buttons all down the front, purposely, so that Sanada may get used to any possibility.
What she realises belatedly is that Sanada's hands are going to end up fastening the buttons across her chest.
"Lay the dress on the bed; when there are two of us sometimes there is the opportunity to hang it right away in the laundry closet-" laundry closet, Sanada thinks to herself in wonder, "but often two people are required to dress the princess and therefore it can wait until afterwards. Then pick up the other and bring it over."
"Princess, if you could extend your arm for me," Sanada murmurs without a cue. Yanagi smiles proudly; it hasn't been long, and though Sanada is quiet and awkward she understands what is required. Yukimura-hime might even find her amusing and novel. This could work. She holds out one arm after the other as Sanada slips the dress on and then walks around to the front to button it up.
"So, she never does anything but stand and let other people dress her?" Sanada asks idly as she reaches for the top button at the throat.
"Middle first," Yanagi says. "Top to bottom and bottom to top are crude. You must always be able to find the centre and never button it up incorrectly, it wastes time and would anger the princess."
Sanada retracts her hands like she's been bitten and looks to try and gauge the centre of the dress. Her eyes focus on Yanagi's middle, her stomach, which she can handle. She lets out a breath.
"Use the waist to guide you," she says, using her hands and coming round her waist to find the nearest button. "And yes, all that is required of Yukimura-hime is that she stands and allows us to do our jobs. A princess does not need to be doing anything strenuous."
"It sounds awful," Sanada replies. She quickly buttons the first button, and glances at Yanagi for further instruction.
"Bottom to centre," Yanagi says, and Sanada has to kneel down to accomplish this. She remembers to centre herself so that her maidservant's dress pools around her rather than gets caught under a leg and creases. Yanagi tries not to look down. "And then centre to top."
Sanada stands again and begins to button the rest of the buttons quickly but carefully. She concentrates so hard on her task she seems to forget to be embarrassed. Until her hand brushes Yanagi's breast accicentally, and then she flushes crimson and jumps back.
"I'm sorry!" She gasps, and Yanagi tries to ignore the prickling sensation in her nipple.
"Don't be silly," she says eventually, beckoning Sanada forward again. "You think that's never going to happen? As maidservants to the princess her body may as well be our own. We will touch it more than she does herself, when bathing her and dressing her. You must act as though it is the same as touching her arm, for example."
Sanada just nods silently, biting her lip, and returns to her task. Yanagi is aware of every breath she inhales and exhales and the way it sets her chest to heaving. She feels the brush of Sanada's knuckles over the top of her breast as she fastens the higher buttons and tries to breathe through it.
"God," Sanada says when she is finished, stepping back and letting out a deep breath. "I don't know... I mean, you've been doing your best to make me fit for this job, so it isn't so bad. With you. But to do this for a princess?"
"You'll have to meet her soon," Yanagi says, glancing at the time. "It's okay to be nervous, she's used to that. Just please keep your eyes lowered unless she specifically orders you otherwise, stay curtsied unless she releases you from it, and answer her honestly... but not too honestly."
"What does that mean?" Sanada asks, mouth gone dry.
"Don't outright lie," Yanagi says, "because Yukimura-hime-sama will be able to tell. But don't feel you need to tell the whole truth, either, if it might get you into trouble."
-
"Rie-chan," Yukimura-hime says as Yanagi walks through the door. "You took your time."
"Hime-sama," Yanagi replies, bowing at the waist and staying there until Yukimura sighs.
"That's enough," she says dismissively. "Where is the reason for all this commotion?"
"Sanada-chan is just outside, princess, if you wish I will bring her before you."
Yukimura doesn't reply. She knows she has made herself perfectly clear, and Yanagi is already heading to the door before the sentence is fully out of her mouth. Yanagi opens both doors at once, revealing Sanada who catches her first glance of Yukimura-hime and stares, forgetting everything.
"Lower your eyes," Yanagi hisses insistently, and Sanada's large eyes fix on her instead, blinking once and then she nods. She drops her chin and practically shuffles into the room ruining all of Yanagi's hard work that afternoon. Yanagi resists the urge to slap her palm against her forehead. Sanada stops and stands with her hands twisted together in front of her, forgetting to curtsy. Yanagi closes the doors to the room again and acts as though nothing is wrong, walking over to stand at the side of Yukimura-hime's bed where she sits inspecting the sight in front of her with a tight mouth.
And then her tongue peeks out of her mouth and runs along her bottom lip. Yanagi sees it out of the corner of her eye and can't quite believe it. She follows Yukimura hime's line of sight, and understands. With her hands clasped in front Sanada-chan has managed to emphasize her already ample bust and Yukimura-hime has a great eyefull of cleavage to admire. Which she certainly is.
Yanagi bites back a smile. She had no idea Yukimura-hime's tastes ran in such a direction, but now she knows it does not matter what Sanada-chan does wrong from here on in. Yukimura-hime will forgive her if it means more time to run eyes over Sanada's body.
"Sanada... what?" Yukimura asks suddenly. This isn't her usual method of questioning.
"Sanada Gen, Yukimura-hime-sama," Sanada says, lifting her head to answer. Yanagi closes her eyes instinctively, but smiles to herself as she remembers it won't matter.
"Gen-chan," Yukimura-hime replies, testing the name on her tongue. She smiles, slow and wide. Sanada doesn't even recognise it for what it is, but Yanagi sees a predator sizing up her prey. "Well, I'm sure Rie-chan has taught you well, she's the very best at what she does. I should like to bathe; you may begin your duties immediately."
"At once, Yukimura-hime-sama," Yanagi says. "If you would give me a moment to prepare a bath for you. I shall take Gen-chan with me to explain the requirements."
"...Of course," Yukimura agrees reluctantly, realising she has no valid excuse to keep Sanada with her in order to ogle her body.
Yanagi takes Sanada's arm and steers her quickly into the adjoining bath chamber, closing the door.
"What the-?" Sanada begins to ask, and Yanagi shushes her.
"That is not how it usually goes," she assures Sanada. She rolls up the sleeves of her dress and starts the water running, thrusting a hand beneath to test the temperature. "Yukimura-hime-sama clearly sees something special in you. Don't lose that advantage."
Yanagi decides it is pointless, counterproductive even, to tell Sanada the truth. It may be what does cause her to walk away, something she will regret forever. There isn't a single person, male or female, who has yet to be awed Yukimura-hime's beauty and grace. Even worse when Yukimura-hime is the one who feels the attraction first and thinks to persue. There have been instances where even highly illustrious guests have been thrown out of the palace within mere hours to keep Yukimura's chastity in tact, whether she likes it or not.
"Roll up your sleeves as I have done, and go into the closet there. Place the towels on the chair, bring out the chest and place it down beside me and then tell me which scents for the water are left."
"Rose, cherry-blossom and vanilla," Sanada tells her as she places the wooden chest on the floor.
"Perfect," Yanagi replies. "Bring the rose scent here."
When Sanada turns back Yanagi has opened the wooden chest, which is full of flower petals. Rose petals to be exact, deep pink ones. it looks like a writing chest, or a treasure chest, and yet it is being used for rose petals to decompose in.
"Once the water is at the required level," Yanagi says, ignoring Sanada's look of disbelief, "and only then, once the ripples have stopped, you may put in the scent. For this amount of water three caps-full is sufficient. And once that has mingled with the water and spread throughout the petals may be sprinkled across the surface of the water, otherwise they would sink immediately. I will return these things to the closet, go and escort Yukimura-hime-sama to the bathroom."
"What?" Sanada squeaks. Yanagi gives her a look that tells her to just do it, no arguments.
-
"Yukimura-hime-sama," Sanada says, stepping back into the bedroom. "Your bath is drawn, if you would like to come with me, I..."
"Come and help me off of the bed, would you please?" Yukimura asks, smiling brightly. Sanada's head feels light all of a sudden. She walks foward as though in a dream, reaching out her hand and offering it to Yukimura-hime to take in order to get herself up from the bed. Yukimura places her hand into Sanada's and lowers her eyes. "How courteous of you to offer to kiss my hand before you truly begin your duties. How could I possibly deny you?"
Sanada's eyes widen again. That wasn't what she had meant to do at all, but now she is stuck. With trembling legs she leans over Yukimura-hime's hand and places her lips to it briefly. Yukimura smiles brilliantly at her again in response and then allows herself to be helped up off the bed.
"I shall take your arm for support," she says, slipping it through Sanada's. If she purposely presses her arm against Sanada's breast as they walk Sanada doesn't notice. Yukimura will tire of this obliviousness soon enough, but for now it is fun to be behaving clandestinely, sneaking contact with Sanada where she can.
"Gen-chan," she says as they enter the bathroom and find Yanagi waiting in preparation. "If you would help me disrobe."
Well, Yanagi thinks to herself with a smirk, that effectively dismisses her for now. Yukimura stands as patiently as a lamb as Sanada moves to release the zip on the back of her dress. She handles the dress exactly as Yanagi has taught her, and Yanagi takes it from her to hang up in the bathroom closet until it can be moved to the laundry one. Sanada falters for a moment when she turns back to Yukimura-hime in her underwear. Her dresses tend to down-play her true age, late teens, with their flat cuts and sometimes excessive bows, but her underwear is made to measure, all in silks and lace. Her breasts are pert, not small but not too oversized for her frame. She knows full well the effect a woman in lingerie can have on both men and other women and so she is always dressed to impress.
Sanada knows intellectually what comes next, she just can't bring herself to do it. Bad enough to have such a view enticing her, now she is supposed to remove the bra and panties for the princess and try to ignore what will be no doubt amazingly stunning nakedness.
"Gen-chan," Yanagi says quietly. "We mustn't leave Yukimura-hime-sama standing in the cool air, she might catch a chill."
"No, of course," Sanada manages to say without thinking. She takes a step forward and then a breath. She can handle this. If she walks around to the back to unclasp the bra she won't even have to look at the princess or her naked breasts. Sanada manages this all perfectly well, glancing over Yukimura-hime's shoulder to look at Yanagi stood opposite, who watches on with no expression on her face to betray emotion. Sanada tells herself that after seeing Yukimua-hime naked everyday Yanagi must be used to it, there must be a way to condition yourself to such a thing. She places her hands on Yukimura-hime's hips and slides her underwear down her legs and encourages her to step out.
"Gen-chan, you have such soft hands," she says approvingly, and offers out a hand to Yanagi who helps her into the bath. Sanada keeps her eyes squeezed shut until Yukimura-hime is submerged and breathing in the sweet scent of roses.
"Gen-chan," Yanagi says, sitting down at the side of the tub on a stool ready prepared for such a purpose, "wash Yukimura-hime-sama's hair for her. Once with the shampoo in the white bottle, once with the blue, and once with the yellow. And then the white bottle with the gold edging for conditioning. They're all specially developed products just for Yukimura-hime-sama's hair."
"...Okay," Sanada replies, squeezing out a little of the shampoo at a time and glancing up repeatedly until she sees Yanagi's barely perceptible nod when she has enough. Sanada threads her fingers into Yukimura-hime's hair and tries not to snag her fingers on the wet strands or hurt her as she massages the shampoo into her scalp.
Yanagi has a bottle of milk and honey lotion beside her and she begins with a generous amount in her palm, spreading it across both hands and then picking up Yukimura-hime's hand and massaging the lotion into her skin. She moves her way up Yukimura-hime's arm right to the shoulder and then walks around to the other side of the bath to begin again with the other arm. As Sanada works her way through each hair product she watches Yanagi move from arm to the bottom half of one leg, to the other leg.
"When you've finished," Yanagi says, breaking into Sanada's thoughts. "I would like to use your seat."
Sanada scrambles up out of it as soon as she has finished washing the conditioner out of Yukimura-hime's hair, and Yanagi sits down. She begins massaging lotion into Yukimura-hime's back, and Yukimura tilts her chin down and closes her eyes, sighing contentedly. Sanada, thrown from the safety of being behind Yukimura-hime, doesn't know where to look. Luckily Yukimura-hime's hair obscures the best part of her breasts.
"Gen-chan," Yanagi says, and Sanada realises belately that she became 'Gen-chan' to Yanagi when Yukimura-hime deemed her as such. She will have to remember to say 'Rie-chan' in response from now on. "Yukimura-hime's nightwear for tonight is hanging in the fourth closet from the door. It is labeled. Would you please lay it out on the bed, for when she is ready to put it on?"
Sanada is more than happy to make her escape, darting out of the bathroom immediately. Yukimura-hime sighs and leans back against the bathtub as Yanagi finishes massaging her back, coming in closer proximity to give Yanagi access to her front.
"Rie-chan, you let her go," Yukimura says with a pout. Yanagi places a hand on each of her breasts and runs each nipple through her thumb and forefinger to make Yukimura sigh with pleasure instead.
"Be patient with her," Yanagi murmurs in response. "Everyone gives in eventually. You're irresistable."
"Am I?" Yukimura-hime asks idly as Yanagi's hands continue to massage her breasts, every so often brushing thumbs over her nipples. She is so used to people telling her what they think she wants to hear she honestly doesn't know if it true or not. And yet Yanagi doesn't lie to her.
"I'm going to start draining the water now," Yanagi says, pulling the plug. Yukimura-hime stays in the bath as the water level begins to drop. It reveals more of her body slowly, and Yanagi squirts more lotion into her hands and strokes down Yukimura-hime's belly and over both of her thighs. Yukimura-hime spreads her legs and as the last of the water drains away Yanagi slips fingers inside her and strokes just as methodically as she has been everywhere else in order to complete her duties.
Yukimura-hime's cheeks flush, but she makes no noise to betray them. This is a usual occurance, but-
"Gen-chan would never have done this," Yanagi says, looking at Yukimura-hime and forcing her to accept it.
"It's part of the job," Yukimura replies. "If you don't prepare her in advance I will be most displeased."
"Of course, hime-sama," Yanagi says quickly. She speeds up the movement of her fingers and presses more firmly until Yukimura-hime is bucking her hips and unable to say any more.
-
Yukimura-hime comes out of the bathroom wrapped in a thick, fluffy dressing gown with a towel wrapping her hair. Gen doesn't know what to do until Yanagi - Rie-chan - hands her a towel and helps Yukimura-hime back out of the wet dressing gown. Sanada soon works out that she has to pat Yukimura-hime down to rid her of whatever drops of water are still left clinging to her body. Yanagi does one half of her body and Gen does the other. When she reaches Yukimura-hime's leg, Sanada kneels down and because she doesn't look up she doesn't see the approving smile on Yukimura-hime's face. She catches the fleeting smell of... something, and then it's gone. Sanada decides to blame it on the rose petals.
Yukimura-hime's nightwear is the finest silk, a short nightdress with a lace insert to cover the breasts.
"Nothing too warm," Yanagi says as she picks it up and gathers it. She leaves the armholes free and Yukimura-hime obediently puts her arms through, allowing Yanagi to get the nightdress over her head and covering her body once again. Sanada lets out a breath she hadn't known she was holding.
The nightdress is a deep purple and it flares out at the hip, swishing when Yukimura-hime moves. It seems better to have her covered rather than naked, but Sanada knows now what lies beneath the fabric, and being able to only see tiny hints of it in the swell of breasts and the points of Yukimura-hime's nipples through the silk is a torture just the same. She turns away. Yukimura-hime looks at her through lowered lashes and smiles.
"I'm ready for my bed," she announces, although that doesn't mean she is ready for sleep. Yanagi obediently turns down the covers and she slides in, wriggling around until she is comfortable. And coincidentally her nightdress rides up in the process. "Gen-chan, thank you. I think you've done well for your first day, don't you think, Rei-chan?"
"No doubt," Yanagi agrees quietly. No doubt if Sanada had dropped something on Yukimura-hime's toes this evening Yukimura-hime would have just found it a good excuse to make Sanada kiss her feet in apology. It's dangerous to be wanted by someone with so much power. "Are you releasing Gen-chan from her duties for today?"
"Ah," Yukimura-hime says, as if the thought hadn't occured to her. "Yes, of course. Gen-chan, get some sleep and be here bright and early in the morning to help me again!"
Sanada is tired and confused, and finding it hard to remember why she should continue to put up with so much nonsense when Yukimura-hime smiles at her again from the bed. The words are cheerful and innocent, but that smile is not at all. The smile is sexy and inviting, and Sanada finds herself backing away from it as she says her goodnights.
"She wants me?" Yukimura asks.
"She's frightened by just how much she wants you," Yanagi replies, patting down the covers again. Yukimura-hime reaches an arm out of the bed and stops her.
"Get in," she says. "I want you to stay here tonight."
"I'm not dressed for-"
"Take your clothes off," Yukimura-hime replies. Yanagi complies and slides under the covers quickly to avoid the chill in the night air. Yukimura-hime's hands come up immediately to touch her breasts.
"Mine," she says, humming happily. She touches in a detached manner, curious to see what each action will bring in reaction, but little more. She is so used to having everything bestowed on her that giving back is alien. Yanagi knows and understands this, and allows herself to be subjected to a gentle fondling until Yukimura-hime is fully satisfied.
"You'll make sure that Gen-chan understands the full scope of her duties before anything like this can happen again?" Yukimura-hime asks into the darkness. That no matter what it is Yukimura-hime demands, she will receive and receive it from a willing participant.
"Yes, hime-sama."
-
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