Chapter Text
"Suisei samaaaaaaa!"
The daily tumult within the palace walls. A princess's mischief and the mad pursuit of her maids, a commonplace activity that has become a tolerated aspect of palace life. The princess's laughter sounds ringing through the corridors, a sound that equally charms and enrages those who witness it. Her limitless energy and curiosity seem never to cease. The maids, ever vigilant, try their best to keep up with the princess's unpredictable movements, but their efforts are generally for nothing. The princess's laughter recalls the innocence of joy and tumult that come with childhood and recalls the uncertainty of life within the royal court.
Hoshimachi Suisei is the second princess of the Hoshimachi Kingdom and an interesting character with a lively personality and unique powers. Liked by her people colloquially to be the 'Troublemaker Princess' for regularly escaping from palace life, Suisei possesses an enthralling charm that attracts individuals towards her. Suisei, who is a playful one, possesses fighting skills at an early age and can create new magic tools, so she deserves the title of being the 'Star Princess.'
She is being pursued by her maids, commanding her to wear a dress to receive guests arriving at the palace for some specific purpose. Suisei also strongly dislikes dresses. They weigh her down and encumber her movement. Her heart yearns for the ease of her trusty adventurer clothing, which lends light comfort and unchecked mobility, allowing her to move freely in her surroundings.
Suisei schemes a daring escape plan from inside the walls of the palace. She intends to make a run for the gardens of the palace, a green space filled with great trees. She schemes on the basis that her servants, having looked at her as a delicate princess, would never dream of seeing her climb. Suisei is stronger than they think. She relies on her climbing skill and agility to give her the advantage she requires to get away.
In order to further increase her likelihood of success, Suisei takes advantage of the welcome absence of her arch nemesis, Towa. The leader of the Royal Elite Force is currently deployed outside the kingdom with the dangerous task of ridding the land of monstrous threats. Suisei finds that this welcome respite from the watchful eye of Towa serves as the ideal opportunity for her daring escape attempt.
Suisei's heart pounding in her chest, she ran out the back door of the palace, her footsteps echoing on the stone path. There is a tea pavilion there, its dainty roof visible above the leafy greenery of the palace gardens. The scent of honeysuckle and jasmine filled the air, a sweet contrast to the swiftness of her flight. Her pursuers, palace servants, were far behind, giving her some relief.
As she runs through the garden path, a chatty stopping flash of pink, unexpected and enticing, catches Suisei's eye. The description is discreet, a whispered color against the familiar backdrop of the garden. The shocking color creates a ripple of surprise, a gentle nudge that makes her turn her attention in that direction. Suisei, intrigued by the possibilities of the unknown, refocuses her attention, her eyes captivated by the mystery in the works.
Suisei's blue sapphire eyes, pools of shining depth, held the emerald eyed girl's gaze captive. The air was filled with words not spoken, understanding that flowed silently between the two girls. The pink-haired girl had chosen this oak to rest under, branches like a protective arm spread out over her. The emerald eyes, wide and watchful, seemed to hold a world of stories, but in that moment, there was nothing else but the connection that existed between these two souls. The gentle shift in the light, the wind that whispered against the leaves—all were frozen, arrested by the wordless conversation that flowed between them. The instant, so brief and so delicate, was brimming with promise of a tale yet to be written, a chronicle woven of strands of friendship, mystery, and perhaps even magic.
"Wait for us, Suisei sama!"
Palace attendants' shouts resound through the back door, their voices crammed with alarm and urgency. Suisei, responding instinctively, sprints toward the pink haired girl. The girl dodges aside when Suisei rushes at her. Suisei promptly runs up a nearby tree, finding refuge within its protecting branches. She scrambles up to a warm branch hurriedly, sheltered among the rustling leaves. Undeterred by all the drama that is playing out, the girl quietly resumes her book, engrossed within the pages while turbulence erupts around her.
The slam of a door bursting open with a very loud bang echoed through the air, as they went about the garden. Suisei's gaze fell as she heard the voice. It was Towa's, a voice that was never supposed to echo through the palace gardens. Shock and bewilderment washed over her. Towa was not supposed to be here, working on her own task. How did she end up here? Suisei's mind was wandering, trying to grasp the situation. "Good afternoon, Miko sama."
So her name is Miko. Within the depths of her mind, Suisei's inner voice spoke quietly. The words were uttered only to herself.
"Good afternoon." Miko looked up to find Towa's eyes.
"Did you see Suisei sama around here?" Towa asks softly yet respectfully. Towa's face is calm and patient, her eyes working their way across the space for a sight of Suisei.
Suisei, taken aback by the question, is at once in a dither. She attempts not to breathe, tension causing the stillness to make her anxious as she waits to hear Miko's answer.
Miko, however, remains calm. "No, I haven't seen anyone here before the servants came in." Her voice is laced with firmness, hiding her deception with a mask of serenity. The contrast of Suisei's seeming distress and Miko's calm presence is palpable.
"Thank you for the information, excuse me, sorry to intrude." Bowing politely, Towa leaves Miko to herself in the garden.
The once occupied garden is still, the only noises being the gentle chirping of birds. With the leaving of the servants, who set out to look for Suisei elsewhere, a wave of relief sweeps through her. Suisei breathes in deeply, closing her eyes as she savors the silence.
"They have left."
Miko's gentle voice, a gentle tone within the quiet surroundings, wakes Suisei from daydreaming. Her voice is low, like a wind bearing a whisper, and it catches Suisei's attention. She rises, her eyes slowly opening in the direction of the sound, the girl deep in a book.
"Yeah, thank you for helping me get out of that situation," Suisei says, her voice laced with sincere appreciation. The words carry a weight of gratitude, reflecting the relief she feels.
Miko's gaze still fixed on the book, simply replies, "No problem, it's nothing big."
She descends the tree carefully. The branches are a safe route, but she moves with deliberate grace, taking note of where she places her feet. Now on stable ground, she sits beside Miko, utilizing the strong trunk of the tree for balance as she sits.
"What do you read?" Suisei probed, her gaze moving to the book resting tranquilly in Miko's lap. The question, innocent though it was, had a hint of curiosity within it, requiring Miko to share a glimpse into the realm of what she read.
"Just a random book I took from the palace library." Miko replied, her gaze still fixed on something just beyond Suisei's reach.
Suisei's gaze then ascended, her eyes scanning the vast expanse of sky above. "So, what do you come here for?" Suisei asked as she took a deep breath. The question hung in the air, beneath secret curiosity seething.
"I don't know, my parents are the ones who come here." Miko lifted her head and saw a sparrow some distance away from them.
She mimics the gesture of Miko. "Your parents not tell you about their reason for coming to this place?" Her curiosity is not just to know. There is a secret wish that this visit may be significant, that it may change something in her life.
"You think I heard them?" Miko's comeback, delivered with a trace of teasing sarcasm. "I'm just like you, who's running away." The teasing banter.
Suisei, smiling teasingly, utters, "I thought you were a 'Disciplined Princess', Miko sama." Her sentence, infused with teasing pitch, her eyes now set on Miko.
Miko responds, imitating Suisei's teasing demeanor in the same teasing tone, "Oh, I thought the 'Star Princess' was an excellent example too." Her eyes now set on Suisei's eyes too, infusing their banter with seriousness.
The air was erupting in laughter as Suisei and Miko found themselves caught up in a whirlwind of it.
The back and forth that went on between them, light and witty, had struck a chord of shared amusement, and both found themselves laughing. Suisei, swept up in the infectious laughter, found herself dashing away tears that had appeared in the corners of her eyes. She struggled to get calm, her breast heaving with deep, breathy, guffawing laughter. Miko, similarly immersed in the moment, mirrored Suisei's struggle, her laughter echoing through the gardens. A moment of pure joy and connection that was filled with and warm with happiness.
Suisei turns her head in the direction of the rear palace door, her eyes drawn to the opening sound of it. She observes as an unknown servant steps out, her arrival a dramatic contrast to the known workings of the palace. The servant's movement is intentional, and her gaze sweeps over the area with a professional flair. Suisei is quiet, her eyes locked on the incoming figure, her mind storming with questions regarding this sudden arrival.
The servant respectfully bows towards Suisei and then turns to glance at Miko, stating, "Miko sama, it's time for us to return. Your parents are waiting." The servant's statement is a courteous signal, indicating the conclusion of the visit.
"Sure, I'll be there soon, you can go." Miko states, adopting a polite yet assertive tone.
The servant, reading the unwritten message and entered the palace, continuing work.
"I have to go. I'll meet you later." Her words include a promise of a future meeting. Although parting with a scowl, she expresses an evident intention to see Suisei again.
"Yes, you run there, your parents are waiting." Suisei, now realizing that Miko has to go, exhibits a kind and supportive attitude. "If you want to borrow the book, you can just borrow it, you can return it when you've read it through."
"Until next time, Troublemaker Princess," she breathed, her tone with flirtatious undertones. Miko's expression changed from a scowl to teasing as she said it to the 'Troublemaker Princess.' A mischievous gleam appeared in her eyes as she stood up, dusting down her garments, and took the book she was reading. With a grand but teasing gesture, she brushed an imaginary fleck of dust from her gown.
She rolled her eyes so that she was staring at the other girl straight on, and her eyes rested on Suisei. The slight smile on Miko's face told her that she was anticipating another bout of mischief. Their interactions were far from over, and tension hung in the air. The air was electric with unspoken tension. Perhaps the 'Troublemaker Princess' would be a thorn of entertainment and curiosity for Miko for some time to come.
That left Suisei in a huff. She was unable to bear coming back with yet another snub. "Yeah, be careful on your way, Disciplined Princess."
Miko's short reply was characterized by nothing more than a tongue out gesture, a quaint old fashioned way of showing annoyance or indifference.
Suisei finds Miko's annoyance humorous. Suisei is somewhat of a naughty, playful type, perhaps not having a filter for when to make jokes. The reason Suisei couldn't even suppress her smile from Miko's discomfort is likely because she finds the whole experience very amusing, teasing her.
She doesn't want to indulge Suisei by allowing her another reaction and instead just turns around and walks inside the palace.
Suisei waves farewell, even though she knows Miko can't see her doing so, a smile on her lips, smiling warmly knowing they'll again be together. The feeling is one of loving leave taking, full of anticipation for times they'll reunite. The warm illumination imbues her face with a warm glow, the coziness surrounding herself.
"You are very familiar with her even though this is your first meeting."
The sudden emergence of the voice of Towa beside Suisei was shocking. In the palace, there was only Towa, as if she had the power to find the location of Suisei, having a natural instinct of the movement and position of Suisei.
"Hey, shouldn't you be on duty outside of the kingdom?" Suisei reluctantly uttered in discontent at the unexpected return of Towa, who was supposed to carry out a mission outside of the kingdom. Suisei was upset at this since Towa's return was never anticipated, spoiling the ambiance.
Towa, unfazed by Suisei's annoyance, responded, "The work was easier than I thought, so I was able to finish it quickly." Towa stood beside Suisei.
Suisei observed that there was no longer a need for the servants to chase after her anymore due to the return of Miko's family, their guests. Relief was present. Suisei calmed down chatting with Miko such that she remained unaware of the presence of Towa.
As the sun sets and casts long shadows across the countryside, "It's getting dark, you should get some rest. We have training early tomorrow morning." Towa's face is one of worry that Suisei get her rest, knowing she must get proper rest before a tough day of training.
Believing in the merits of Towa's words of wisdom, Suisei soon replies. "Okay," Suisei stands up and walks in the direction of the palace, with Towa following behind. When they reach the halls of the palace, the anticipation for tomorrow's training is palpable, but for now, everybody is eager to have a peaceful evening before going through the trials waiting for them.