Princess - Chapter One: Nocturne of Love and Sorrow
Chapter title: Nocturne of Love and Sorrow
Author: creative_kiss
Characters: Teru, Yuki, Hizaki, OC
Chapter summary: Introduction to Teru and his grief, as well as Princess Yozora, her mute cousin, Hizaki, and personal knight, Yuki. Also, the birth of a friendship that Teru is less than satisfied with.
Table of Contents
Inspired by "Ai to Kanashimi no Nocturne". Italicized lines preceding are excerpt from lyrics.
~One~
Nocturne of Love and Sorrow
The fingertips I yearn to meet
Are already beyond the sky where I cannot reach.
With his flute to his lips, he played his nocturne into the black sky. The moon’s argent rays shined down on him in the darkness of the garden, reminding him of her glittering smile. He could hear the lyrics to his song in his mind, but his voice wasn’t good enough to speak the sweet words out loud. They were too precious, and would rot on his tongue. The wind carried his flute’s melody up into the sky, and he prayed that she could feel his love in the bed where she slept, and that she could also feel his sorrow as the wind flowed through her bedchambers. Leagues beneath her in social status, it was as if he were drowning leagues beneath her crashing waves.
The king had presented him to her as a gift almost three years ago. He was now her property by law. In his heart however, he was completely devoted to her, and in the fantasy world he had created, it was she who belonged to him. His love was pure, not lustful, though he longed to press his lips to her soft, pale skin, to feel her lips against his. In these dreams, he could even feel the warm glow of the moonlight on his back, and her body beneath his. He had not always loved her; he hadn’t known love. The day it had first swelled his heart, a year before, he knew that he always would.
But poor Teru... was only a joker.
Princess Yozora was untouchable, sacred, a member of the highest royal family. Teru was royal property, nearly enslaved, but his passion would not wane, not even in reality. Comparable to the fabled depths of hell, his perpetual punishment lay in her bosom.
He relished in the sensation of her eyes intent upon him, whether he was juggling, or playing his flute, or simply making a fool of himself. It was his occupation and greatest passion.
Giving her bedroom window one last look, Teru climbed to his feet, dusted off his clothing, and sighed, following the marble path back to the castle. Teru was fortunate. Yozora found so much favor in him that he was gifted a tiny room inside the castle as opposed to staying in the one-room servants’ estate a mile from the main. The room was incredibly small, lacking many furnishings, but it was warmer, and it was a gift from his princess. He could never complain. As Teru climbed into bed, the moon continued its path across the sky.
-------
“I wish we had brought Teru-kun with us,” Yozora muttered to Hizaki, biting her lip. Her father, the king, and his royal court had taken a picnic in the grassy fields, a mile’s distance from the castle. The king and his court had much to talk about in regards to politics and castle affairs, things that a lady was not to concern herself with. “This is all dreadfully boring.” Hizaki said nothing.
Hizaki was something like a lady in waiting, but much more like a best friend. She was a cousin whose parents had lost favor and position in the castle. When they were executed, Yozora’s plea moved her father to adopt Hizaki, and she was adorned almost as finely as Princess Yozora. She had become mute the day her parents died, but she and Yozora grew to be closer than ever before.
Hizaki nitpicked at Yozora’s hair, tucking away tendrils that broke free with the wind. She then kissed her lady’s shoulder lovingly, silently agreeing with her.
Suddenly, Yozora yelped, nearly falling back on top of Hizaki. She then cupped her hand over her mouth and burst into sweet, melodious laughter, shaking free the silken, black tendrils Hizaki had so meticulously pinned.
“Here I am!” Teru shouted. He had leapt out of a bush, startling Yozora in the way he knew she’d like; he knew exactly how to make her laugh. Teru laughed with her, beaming at his handiwork until he felt something dull and powerful impact with the back of his head. Yozora and Hizaki both started as Teru fell, and looked up to see Yuki, Yozora’s personal knight, snarling at him. Yozora had no particular fondness for him, though she trusted him greatly.
“Be quiet!” Yuki hissed, glancing back at the king, who appeared both angry for the interruption and content with Yozora’s pleasure. “You’ve disturbed him.” Yozora sat up on her knees and reached for Teru’s three-pronged joker’s cap, placing it on his head lovingly. She helped brush him off, then fixed her gaze at Yuki.
“You mustn’t be so cruel to him,” she scolded. “Now, I would like to take a walk.” Yuki nodded obediently.
“Yes, my princess.” He followed ten feet behind Yozora and Hizaki, and Teru skipped ahead, doing cartwheels and clapping and quite exciting Yozora beyond appropriate behavior. The king watched after them briefly, embarrassed by his daughter’s wild behavior, then returned to his discussion with his subjects.
“Teru-kun, come back!” Yozora shouted, darting after him. Hizaki quietly followed, bearing far less energy. Teru spun around to watch his princess race towards him, his happiness swelling his heart to near-bursting. In his display of cartwheels, he had lost his hat. Yozora now wore it on her head in place of her sparkling crown, which she carried in her hands. And yet, Teru could hardly stand to see her in such a lowly, patchwork cap.
“Your crown,” Teru insisted, taking his cap off of her head. Yozora pouted, handing it to Hizaki as she approached. With her crown back on, Teru could marvel at her properly. Or perhaps improperly. He was not suppose to even look at her directly. Yuki promptly reminded him of this.
“Eyes down,” he muttered from behind, forcing Teru to bend his head. Yuki then stepped back to allow them all to continue. Their forest frolicking did not continue much longer. The king’s horn sounded, hailing their return. Yuki blew his horn to assure the king that they were safe, and they returned to their party.
Inside the castle, Yozora managed to get Teru aside, out of Yuki’s earshot. “Tonight, when the castle is asleep, and all of its eyes are closed - not a minute before - bring your flute to my chambers,” Yozora whispered. Teru frowned. They stood side by side, Hizaki in front of them. Every word that left the princess’s lips appeared as though they were directed toward her cousin. But her invitation, despite how much he desired it, terrified him. “Teru-kun, don’t let anybody see you.” With that, Yozora and Hizaki continued down the corridor toward Yozora’s private chambers.
No man was allowed there. Not even Yuki. And Yuki would be guarding the door, wouldn’t he? How could he possibly get past him? Teru thought about being alone, in the dark with his princess, the intimacy of the moments he would share with her, and it burned his blood. He had to be there. She had requested it. It was now his law. It was also the most delicious yearning to wet his tongue. He watched Yozora’s pale green dress fade into the dimly lit corridor, Hizaki’s pink one blending with it, until they were completely out of sight. He then hurried to his own room to contemplate his late-night visit.
--------
That night, Teru did not wear his bright joker’s costume. He wanted to be as inconspicuous as possible, so he came dressed in his nightclothes, all dark brown. He told himself that if Yuki was at the door to her bedchambers, he would tell the truth: that Yozora had requested his visit. Yuki would not be able to argue after a confirmation with the princess herself. Teru took a deep breath as he approached her chambers. He had always imagined that the whole wing would be blocked off with guards, but that wasn’t the case at all.
Yuki was at the door. But he said nothing to Teru, only opened the door and pushed Teru inside quickly, closing it behind him. Teru looked back at the closed door; he was at the point of no return. Further inside, Teru realized that he was in heaven.
Both Yozora and Hizaki were underdressed for company, but still as lovely as ever. Yozora was wearing a white nightgown and sheer housecoat with a lace hem. Her curves were better defined in the thin material, and her shadowy black hair cascaded down her back in soft waves. Teru had never been blessed to see her hair without pins. Hizaki was dressed similarly in peach, her unnaturally blonde hair also down. Still, Teru could not take his eyes off of Yozora.
“Yuki didn’t give you trouble, did he?” Yozora asked, leaping off of her bed and darting across the room.
“Not at all, Yozora-hime,” Teru replied, bowing. Yozora beamed.
“Very good,” she said. She took Teru’s hand and led him over to the bed she shared with Hizaki. She sat down, but had Teru remain standing. “Play something for me.”
“Which... song?” Teru asked, nervous. He thought someone might hear them.
“Make one up for me,” Yozora pleaded. Teru bit his lip. “Teru-kun?”
“Yes, my princess,” Teru muttered, bringing his flute up to his lips. His fingers trembled at first, but at last he managed to get the first notes out, and soon his precious nocturne for her filled the room. He had never played it for anyone, and only to Yozora while she slept from beneath her window in the garden. Her awed expression thrilled him, and he continued on eagerly. When he finished, both Hizaki and Yozora clapped eagerly. Their night had only just begun. Teru’s whole face lit up like a beacon. But still, one small thing bothered him.
“Won’t the king find out that I am here?” Teru asked. “Yozora-hime,” he added apprehensively.
“Don’t worry, Teru-kun,” Yozora said, climbing across her bed and standing up tall in front of him. “You are precious to me, and I will protect you.” She cupped his face in her hands lovingly, staring into his blue eyes. Teru could feel the words building up in his throat, but he wasn’t sure he had the courage to utter them.
“I... You... are precious to me... too,” Teru whispered hesitantly.
“I knew you’d say it,” Yozora said, kissing Teru on the cheek. “Let us be the best of friends, Hizaki and us two.” Teru felt such a sharp pain in his heart. For a brief moment he had deluded himself into believing Yozora loved him too. How could he have been so foolish? Why had he let himself become so affected? And as if he could not have humiliated himself further, Teru felt as though he wanted to cry.
“Teru-kun?” Yozora questioned, puzzled. “Are you alright?” Teru quickly pressed his hand to his forehead.
“I have a headache, Yozora-hime,” he muttered, squeezing his eyes shut to stop the flow. “It will pass.”
“Come lie down for a moment then,” Yozora insisted. Could he resist such a lovely offer? To lie on Yozora’s soft bed? He knew it would hurt him more. “Come, Teru-kun, come.” Teru at last relented and threw himself down on Yozora’s bed. He had never felt anything so soft, so warm, so pleasing. Allowing all of his inhibitions to melt away, he soon drifted off to sleep, dreaming only of his precious princess and the melody of his nocturne soaring though the sky.
Notes: "kun" - the suffix of familiarity for males (often younger males).
"hime" - princess; as a suffix, the title (Princess Yozora).
"Yozora" - night sky (symbolic connection to Teru's nocturne)
Author: creative_kiss
Characters: Teru, Yuki, Hizaki, OC
Chapter summary: Introduction to Teru and his grief, as well as Princess Yozora, her mute cousin, Hizaki, and personal knight, Yuki. Also, the birth of a friendship that Teru is less than satisfied with.
Table of Contents
Inspired by "Ai to Kanashimi no Nocturne". Italicized lines preceding are excerpt from lyrics.
~One~
Nocturne of Love and Sorrow
The fingertips I yearn to meet
Are already beyond the sky where I cannot reach.
With his flute to his lips, he played his nocturne into the black sky. The moon’s argent rays shined down on him in the darkness of the garden, reminding him of her glittering smile. He could hear the lyrics to his song in his mind, but his voice wasn’t good enough to speak the sweet words out loud. They were too precious, and would rot on his tongue. The wind carried his flute’s melody up into the sky, and he prayed that she could feel his love in the bed where she slept, and that she could also feel his sorrow as the wind flowed through her bedchambers. Leagues beneath her in social status, it was as if he were drowning leagues beneath her crashing waves.
The king had presented him to her as a gift almost three years ago. He was now her property by law. In his heart however, he was completely devoted to her, and in the fantasy world he had created, it was she who belonged to him. His love was pure, not lustful, though he longed to press his lips to her soft, pale skin, to feel her lips against his. In these dreams, he could even feel the warm glow of the moonlight on his back, and her body beneath his. He had not always loved her; he hadn’t known love. The day it had first swelled his heart, a year before, he knew that he always would.
But poor Teru... was only a joker.
Princess Yozora was untouchable, sacred, a member of the highest royal family. Teru was royal property, nearly enslaved, but his passion would not wane, not even in reality. Comparable to the fabled depths of hell, his perpetual punishment lay in her bosom.
He relished in the sensation of her eyes intent upon him, whether he was juggling, or playing his flute, or simply making a fool of himself. It was his occupation and greatest passion.
Giving her bedroom window one last look, Teru climbed to his feet, dusted off his clothing, and sighed, following the marble path back to the castle. Teru was fortunate. Yozora found so much favor in him that he was gifted a tiny room inside the castle as opposed to staying in the one-room servants’ estate a mile from the main. The room was incredibly small, lacking many furnishings, but it was warmer, and it was a gift from his princess. He could never complain. As Teru climbed into bed, the moon continued its path across the sky.
-------
“I wish we had brought Teru-kun with us,” Yozora muttered to Hizaki, biting her lip. Her father, the king, and his royal court had taken a picnic in the grassy fields, a mile’s distance from the castle. The king and his court had much to talk about in regards to politics and castle affairs, things that a lady was not to concern herself with. “This is all dreadfully boring.” Hizaki said nothing.
Hizaki was something like a lady in waiting, but much more like a best friend. She was a cousin whose parents had lost favor and position in the castle. When they were executed, Yozora’s plea moved her father to adopt Hizaki, and she was adorned almost as finely as Princess Yozora. She had become mute the day her parents died, but she and Yozora grew to be closer than ever before.
Hizaki nitpicked at Yozora’s hair, tucking away tendrils that broke free with the wind. She then kissed her lady’s shoulder lovingly, silently agreeing with her.
Suddenly, Yozora yelped, nearly falling back on top of Hizaki. She then cupped her hand over her mouth and burst into sweet, melodious laughter, shaking free the silken, black tendrils Hizaki had so meticulously pinned.
“Here I am!” Teru shouted. He had leapt out of a bush, startling Yozora in the way he knew she’d like; he knew exactly how to make her laugh. Teru laughed with her, beaming at his handiwork until he felt something dull and powerful impact with the back of his head. Yozora and Hizaki both started as Teru fell, and looked up to see Yuki, Yozora’s personal knight, snarling at him. Yozora had no particular fondness for him, though she trusted him greatly.
“Be quiet!” Yuki hissed, glancing back at the king, who appeared both angry for the interruption and content with Yozora’s pleasure. “You’ve disturbed him.” Yozora sat up on her knees and reached for Teru’s three-pronged joker’s cap, placing it on his head lovingly. She helped brush him off, then fixed her gaze at Yuki.
“You mustn’t be so cruel to him,” she scolded. “Now, I would like to take a walk.” Yuki nodded obediently.
“Yes, my princess.” He followed ten feet behind Yozora and Hizaki, and Teru skipped ahead, doing cartwheels and clapping and quite exciting Yozora beyond appropriate behavior. The king watched after them briefly, embarrassed by his daughter’s wild behavior, then returned to his discussion with his subjects.
“Teru-kun, come back!” Yozora shouted, darting after him. Hizaki quietly followed, bearing far less energy. Teru spun around to watch his princess race towards him, his happiness swelling his heart to near-bursting. In his display of cartwheels, he had lost his hat. Yozora now wore it on her head in place of her sparkling crown, which she carried in her hands. And yet, Teru could hardly stand to see her in such a lowly, patchwork cap.
“Your crown,” Teru insisted, taking his cap off of her head. Yozora pouted, handing it to Hizaki as she approached. With her crown back on, Teru could marvel at her properly. Or perhaps improperly. He was not suppose to even look at her directly. Yuki promptly reminded him of this.
“Eyes down,” he muttered from behind, forcing Teru to bend his head. Yuki then stepped back to allow them all to continue. Their forest frolicking did not continue much longer. The king’s horn sounded, hailing their return. Yuki blew his horn to assure the king that they were safe, and they returned to their party.
Inside the castle, Yozora managed to get Teru aside, out of Yuki’s earshot. “Tonight, when the castle is asleep, and all of its eyes are closed - not a minute before - bring your flute to my chambers,” Yozora whispered. Teru frowned. They stood side by side, Hizaki in front of them. Every word that left the princess’s lips appeared as though they were directed toward her cousin. But her invitation, despite how much he desired it, terrified him. “Teru-kun, don’t let anybody see you.” With that, Yozora and Hizaki continued down the corridor toward Yozora’s private chambers.
No man was allowed there. Not even Yuki. And Yuki would be guarding the door, wouldn’t he? How could he possibly get past him? Teru thought about being alone, in the dark with his princess, the intimacy of the moments he would share with her, and it burned his blood. He had to be there. She had requested it. It was now his law. It was also the most delicious yearning to wet his tongue. He watched Yozora’s pale green dress fade into the dimly lit corridor, Hizaki’s pink one blending with it, until they were completely out of sight. He then hurried to his own room to contemplate his late-night visit.
--------
That night, Teru did not wear his bright joker’s costume. He wanted to be as inconspicuous as possible, so he came dressed in his nightclothes, all dark brown. He told himself that if Yuki was at the door to her bedchambers, he would tell the truth: that Yozora had requested his visit. Yuki would not be able to argue after a confirmation with the princess herself. Teru took a deep breath as he approached her chambers. He had always imagined that the whole wing would be blocked off with guards, but that wasn’t the case at all.
Yuki was at the door. But he said nothing to Teru, only opened the door and pushed Teru inside quickly, closing it behind him. Teru looked back at the closed door; he was at the point of no return. Further inside, Teru realized that he was in heaven.
Both Yozora and Hizaki were underdressed for company, but still as lovely as ever. Yozora was wearing a white nightgown and sheer housecoat with a lace hem. Her curves were better defined in the thin material, and her shadowy black hair cascaded down her back in soft waves. Teru had never been blessed to see her hair without pins. Hizaki was dressed similarly in peach, her unnaturally blonde hair also down. Still, Teru could not take his eyes off of Yozora.
“Yuki didn’t give you trouble, did he?” Yozora asked, leaping off of her bed and darting across the room.
“Not at all, Yozora-hime,” Teru replied, bowing. Yozora beamed.
“Very good,” she said. She took Teru’s hand and led him over to the bed she shared with Hizaki. She sat down, but had Teru remain standing. “Play something for me.”
“Which... song?” Teru asked, nervous. He thought someone might hear them.
“Make one up for me,” Yozora pleaded. Teru bit his lip. “Teru-kun?”
“Yes, my princess,” Teru muttered, bringing his flute up to his lips. His fingers trembled at first, but at last he managed to get the first notes out, and soon his precious nocturne for her filled the room. He had never played it for anyone, and only to Yozora while she slept from beneath her window in the garden. Her awed expression thrilled him, and he continued on eagerly. When he finished, both Hizaki and Yozora clapped eagerly. Their night had only just begun. Teru’s whole face lit up like a beacon. But still, one small thing bothered him.
“Won’t the king find out that I am here?” Teru asked. “Yozora-hime,” he added apprehensively.
“Don’t worry, Teru-kun,” Yozora said, climbing across her bed and standing up tall in front of him. “You are precious to me, and I will protect you.” She cupped his face in her hands lovingly, staring into his blue eyes. Teru could feel the words building up in his throat, but he wasn’t sure he had the courage to utter them.
“I... You... are precious to me... too,” Teru whispered hesitantly.
“I knew you’d say it,” Yozora said, kissing Teru on the cheek. “Let us be the best of friends, Hizaki and us two.” Teru felt such a sharp pain in his heart. For a brief moment he had deluded himself into believing Yozora loved him too. How could he have been so foolish? Why had he let himself become so affected? And as if he could not have humiliated himself further, Teru felt as though he wanted to cry.
“Teru-kun?” Yozora questioned, puzzled. “Are you alright?” Teru quickly pressed his hand to his forehead.
“I have a headache, Yozora-hime,” he muttered, squeezing his eyes shut to stop the flow. “It will pass.”
“Come lie down for a moment then,” Yozora insisted. Could he resist such a lovely offer? To lie on Yozora’s soft bed? He knew it would hurt him more. “Come, Teru-kun, come.” Teru at last relented and threw himself down on Yozora’s bed. He had never felt anything so soft, so warm, so pleasing. Allowing all of his inhibitions to melt away, he soon drifted off to sleep, dreaming only of his precious princess and the melody of his nocturne soaring though the sky.
Notes: "kun" - the suffix of familiarity for males (often younger males).
"hime" - princess; as a suffix, the title (Princess Yozora).
"Yozora" - night sky (symbolic connection to Teru's nocturne)