The Visit (My King series) (Part 1)
I know that it's been awhile. I have been working on this for at least
two months. I am posting the first part now. I have to rewrite the
second part. It is not coming together like how I want it to be. :(
Title: The Visit
Author: skybirdday
Challenge: Chocolate #17 - Freedom, #18 - confinement
Summary: Athena visits Daisuke to meet his whole family.
It was the multicolored banners that hung from the parapets that first came into view for Athena as she rode her horse on the long winding road towards the grey stone castle that lurked in the far distance. Soon, as the castle came closer, Athena found herself in a village surrounded by people old and young who stared up at her and whispered as she rode past.
“Lady Athena?” said a voice.
“I am Lady Athena,” she said as she looked down and found a tall thin man dressed in what looked like a long blue robe.
“I am Hideo, Lord Daisuke’s manservant. I have come to take you to the castle. I will mount my horse and we shall head to the castle.”
Athena nodded as the thin mounted a black horse and began to go further down the road. Quietly, Athena followed him. Soon the long narrow road gave way to a large
Field where the grey stone castle stood before her and in front of it stood a man. He was tall and thin with short black hair and dressed in blue armor.
“Daisuke!” said Athena, as she dismounted from her horse.
“Welcome, beloved,” he said with a smile as he began to walk towards her. Soon,
they stood before one another as Daisuke pulled her into an embrace.
A loud cough pulled them away from each other. “My lord, may I take the horses to the stables now?”
Daisuke smiled. “Of course, Hideo,” he said as the thin man gently took the horses by the reins and led them away, leaving the couple alone. “We have been waiting for you.”
“We?”
“My family. I yearn for you to meet them and they you.”
“How many?”
Daisuke laughed. “So many that I have never felt unloved and to help keep me out of trouble when I was a child.” He took her by the hand. “Come with me, my love.”
He said as the two of them walked towards the castle and into it.
No sooner had they crossed the threshold that a voice called out, “Dai!”
Daisuke looked and saw a young man in a long green robe coming towards them. “This is Aki, one of my family. Aki, does your mother know that you are running in the
Halls?”
“Hai, it was she that asked me to get you. So, is this your woman?”
“Aki!” said a sharp voice as the three turned to see a short thin woman coming towards them. “Have you no manners? You do not speak that way to any lady!”
“I am sorry, Mother,” said Aki, bowing his head.
“Lady Kyo, this is Lady Athena,” said Daisuke, turning towards the short woman.
“Welcome, Lady. . .or it is Princess Athena?”
“I am Princess Athena as well, my lady.”
“It is an honor to meet you. Now, if you would excuse me, I must scold my son. Perhaps, Daisuke, you can show Princess Athena the garden.”
“Hai,” said Daisuke as he took Athena down a couple of halls until the last hall ended in a arch and suddenly it gave away to the outside.
“Such a lovely garden with big lush trees and bushes full of flowers and fruit! Flowers of every color and type. Who started all this?” said Athena.
“Legend is that a king had ten daughters. Upon each birth, he would plant a tree to honor them. He lost many to illness before they had lived one year. Only four lived to be women - two went to war and died in service to the kingdom, a third died by her husband’s hand, and the fourth and last, Ayume, became Queen, ruling wisely becoming a wife and mother and lived long, dying along with her loving husband of old age.”
“After the old king abdicated the throne in favor of Ayume, he lived in the castle with her, her husband, and their family. Every day he would touch each of the ten trees, remembering the nine who had passed to their ancestors and the one who ruled our kingdom until he died. All the other plants have been given to honor our kingdom from other lords or kings or queens. Many consider this place sacred and can be used to pray or gather thoughts. Only peace is allowed here.”
Athena nodded. “I can feel it. Love is here in everything.”
At that, Daisuke took her in his arms, bent down, and kissed her softly before parting. “It is here. I love you, Athena. And if you will have me, I would be honored if you would become my wife.”
“Oh, Daisuke. . .yes! I will, my love.” Athena said as she kissed him again and again.
(End Part 1)
two months. I am posting the first part now. I have to rewrite the
second part. It is not coming together like how I want it to be. :(
Title: The Visit
Author: skybirdday
Challenge: Chocolate #17 - Freedom, #18 - confinement
Summary: Athena visits Daisuke to meet his whole family.
It was the multicolored banners that hung from the parapets that first came into view for Athena as she rode her horse on the long winding road towards the grey stone castle that lurked in the far distance. Soon, as the castle came closer, Athena found herself in a village surrounded by people old and young who stared up at her and whispered as she rode past.
“Lady Athena?” said a voice.
“I am Lady Athena,” she said as she looked down and found a tall thin man dressed in what looked like a long blue robe.
“I am Hideo, Lord Daisuke’s manservant. I have come to take you to the castle. I will mount my horse and we shall head to the castle.”
Athena nodded as the thin mounted a black horse and began to go further down the road. Quietly, Athena followed him. Soon the long narrow road gave way to a large
Field where the grey stone castle stood before her and in front of it stood a man. He was tall and thin with short black hair and dressed in blue armor.
“Daisuke!” said Athena, as she dismounted from her horse.
“Welcome, beloved,” he said with a smile as he began to walk towards her. Soon,
they stood before one another as Daisuke pulled her into an embrace.
A loud cough pulled them away from each other. “My lord, may I take the horses to the stables now?”
Daisuke smiled. “Of course, Hideo,” he said as the thin man gently took the horses by the reins and led them away, leaving the couple alone. “We have been waiting for you.”
“We?”
“My family. I yearn for you to meet them and they you.”
“How many?”
Daisuke laughed. “So many that I have never felt unloved and to help keep me out of trouble when I was a child.” He took her by the hand. “Come with me, my love.”
He said as the two of them walked towards the castle and into it.
No sooner had they crossed the threshold that a voice called out, “Dai!”
Daisuke looked and saw a young man in a long green robe coming towards them. “This is Aki, one of my family. Aki, does your mother know that you are running in the
Halls?”
“Hai, it was she that asked me to get you. So, is this your woman?”
“Aki!” said a sharp voice as the three turned to see a short thin woman coming towards them. “Have you no manners? You do not speak that way to any lady!”
“I am sorry, Mother,” said Aki, bowing his head.
“Lady Kyo, this is Lady Athena,” said Daisuke, turning towards the short woman.
“Welcome, Lady. . .or it is Princess Athena?”
“I am Princess Athena as well, my lady.”
“It is an honor to meet you. Now, if you would excuse me, I must scold my son. Perhaps, Daisuke, you can show Princess Athena the garden.”
“Hai,” said Daisuke as he took Athena down a couple of halls until the last hall ended in a arch and suddenly it gave away to the outside.
“Such a lovely garden with big lush trees and bushes full of flowers and fruit! Flowers of every color and type. Who started all this?” said Athena.
“Legend is that a king had ten daughters. Upon each birth, he would plant a tree to honor them. He lost many to illness before they had lived one year. Only four lived to be women - two went to war and died in service to the kingdom, a third died by her husband’s hand, and the fourth and last, Ayume, became Queen, ruling wisely becoming a wife and mother and lived long, dying along with her loving husband of old age.”
“After the old king abdicated the throne in favor of Ayume, he lived in the castle with her, her husband, and their family. Every day he would touch each of the ten trees, remembering the nine who had passed to their ancestors and the one who ruled our kingdom until he died. All the other plants have been given to honor our kingdom from other lords or kings or queens. Many consider this place sacred and can be used to pray or gather thoughts. Only peace is allowed here.”
Athena nodded. “I can feel it. Love is here in everything.”
At that, Daisuke took her in his arms, bent down, and kissed her softly before parting. “It is here. I love you, Athena. And if you will have me, I would be honored if you would become my wife.”
“Oh, Daisuke. . .yes! I will, my love.” Athena said as she kissed him again and again.
(End Part 1)