Former Queen
"Kaoru have told me everything and that he also told me that he took the role of telling me. But what I don't understand is why the hell did you get yourself provoked by her?" Akihiro sternly said to Osamu and Daiki.
"She..."
"In the first place, why were you provoking her in the end?"
"I..."
"*sigh* Sometimes you really are just..." Akihiro don't even know how to get mad at them. They were far older than her but they just have to act this way.
"You were holding back, but she wasn't even serious as well," it was Yukimura who finally spoke.
"Let's go to the meeting hall, to continue the discussion. We were diverted so much," Akihiro commanded.
*****
"Sir Dai you're here right?" Eureka said just as she was out of the castle.
"What is it?" Dai replied from the side.
"You should watch these people closer," Eureka replied handing him a piece of paper.
"Did you?"
"If you'll excuse me then," Eureka instead said before walking away.
Dai kept the paper looked at her one last time before hiding in the dark once again.
*****
"What do you mean she wasn't serious?" Jin asked Yukimura after they settled down.
"Isn't obvious, these two only coughed up blood but they have no external wounds. But that girl had," Yukimura sighed as he replied.
"Come to think of it she didn't use the blade of her sword while attacking. She only used the hilt," Kunihiko replied.
"So she noticed your wounds from the very beginning," Anna, squad 6, general commented.
"No wonder her last words were like that," another official commented.
"Don't belittle her, you do know she is strong enough to stop a war that is already beginning," Akihiro then said.
All of them were quiet. The talk about marriage became the talk about Eureka.
"She really did become a big part of your world, didn't she, your highness?" Takako commented.
"She did," Akihiro looked him in the eye and said.
All of them once again fell silent.
"Then are you planning to marry her?" another official asked.
Yukimura was dumbfounded, just how much does this people want Akihiro to marry?
"All of you, truly are just.... *sigh* This talk about marriage really caused your intelligence to lower," Akihiro didn't bat an eye saying this.
"That's not it, your highness. But the kingdom really needs a new queen," one official commented.
"I'll think about it. I will really think deeply of it, so can me end this meeting now?" Akihuro replied seriously.
No one dared to speak any further and the meeting ended just like that.
*****
"Your highness," Dai called out just as Akihiro and Yukimura was left alone.
"Did she ask you to do something?" Akihiro asked.
"She had given me a list, your highness," Dai replied.
"And is it the same as yours?" Akihiro asked once again referring to what he had tasked Dai to look into regarding the conspirators.
"Some of them your highness, but there's one that is completely different."
"She found out something different I see."
"But she really is reckless, she had used her own body, knowing entirely that she wouldn't be able to fight seriously. What if all of them didn't follow?" Yukimura commented.
"She must have said something else to make all of them come, still she should have told us that she was planning something," Akihiro replied.
"Well, we had caught on a few moments after they started fighting, so I guess it's fine," Yukimura answered back.
"Where is she?" Akihiro asked Dai.
"I didn't dare follow her ylur highness, I must apologize," Dai replied as he lowered his head.
"It's fine, she must have stopped you if you tried anyway, but what direction did she walk to?"
"To where their house was, your highness."
*****
"And what are you doing here?" Eureka asked after she opened the door.
"*sigh* I was tasked to," Raven replied.
(Flashback)
"Are you alone?" Yukimura after finding Raven asked.
"I am, all of them are on duties," Raven answered wondering why his father is asking.
"Then go and check on that girl on her house, if she's not there, look for her," Yukimura said pushing a small box on his hand.
"Huh? Why would I do that?" Raven couldn't help but ask.
"This is an order. Your headknight is ordering you to look for that girl. She is so hardheaded that she would not go to any clinic for her wounds. She currently has no one with her at home. So no one will help her," Yukimura replied sternly.
"What happened?" Raven asked seriously.
"Her hardheadedness never change, that's what happened," Yukimura replied after pushing the box to Raven and turned his back.
(End of Flashback)
"I don't-"
"I don't care if you need it or not, I was ordered to do this, so just get in and let me check your arms," Raven interrupted her, he was already annoyed at the fact that he has to be the one to do this. This person is still a woman, why would he, a man, be the one tending to her wounds?
Eureka was unable to react as she was pushed inside and made to sit at the high chair in the kitchen.
"They are doing something unnecessary," Eureka said after she sat down and Raven started tending to her right arm.
"That's right, *sigh* but you on the other hand is doing something over necessary, if there is such a word. The headknight told me to tell you, that you shouldn't have used your body in order to gain information. That they could have found out on a different way," Raven replied as he started bandaging her hand.
"I already told you, it's better to finish this quick than to wait and have more enemies than necessary," Eureka replied.
"I'm just passing their message, you can do whatever you want," Raven answered closing the box.
"I shall be going now then," he then said ready to leave.
"Thank you. I wanted to say that I don't need it, but since you've already done it, I still thank you," Eureka said following him to the door.
"And I already told you that I was just ordered. But still, you should take more care of yourself, you're still a woman, others would be shopping and having tea parties, even Feena, Karen and Azusa were doing that. You really should relax once in a while, even if the enemy is just around the corner," Raven replied before finally leaving.
*****
"I'm sorry, it seems that it was my fault that all of you were suddenly thrown into chaos," Haruka, after hearing what had happened, apoligized to Yukimura.
"Please, it was not a big deal. We were able to handle it and wrapped it up peacefully," Yukimura replied.
"And are they giving him a bride?" Mutsumi asked.
"They might be, Akihiro said it as well, they won't stop with just him saying that he will think about it. They would surely send someone to get his attention," Yukimura replied, remembering the bitter look on Akihiro's face while sying so.
Haruka clenched her dress,
Seeing this action, "Don't worry, I don't think he would be thinking about marrying anytime soon," Yukimura said.
"Eh? Ah eh? Wha- Why would you be saying that to me sir Yukimura?" Haruka became flustered.
"*giggles* You eyes says that you really would get mad if someone else approach him though," Mutsumi commented as she too noticed Haruka's action.
Haruka could only bow her head, she has no answer to their comments.
"I feel very at ease while I'm with you, so even though we all just met you, and despite you hiding your face, if I'm going to choose someone Akihiro should marry, I would choose you. My instinct tells me so," Mutsumi said as she hold Haruka's hands.
"You all really are close, to be able to say each others name without the hindrance of titles," Haruka commented.
"Titles are nothing but decorations, we all grew up aspiring to be knights, we met at the academy and we were able to overcome so many battles together. Some of us might have decided to stick to office works and household chores, but the bond we created overcoming all those won't lose to titles we all gained," Mutsumi replied.
"Was Haruka that way as well?" finally after a long while staying here, Haruka had the courage to ask about the past her. She had no idea what the past her was doing here, or how she lived but when they arrived she was also scared to ask. It's a good thing that Mutsumi never spoke about it.
Mutsumi was a bit shocked upon hearing her question, Yukimura already told her, that Lady Kara seems to have fallen in live to Akihiro so if she started telling stories of the person Akihiro had loved then it might discourage her. They also want Akihiro to finally found new love, so she had followed Yukimura's suggestion of not saying anything unti Kara herself asks.
She looked at Yukimura who nodded at her.
"I've heard that she was once one of your close friends and that she was the only one missing from your group today," Haruka added, she actually only heard about that piece of information.
"She was like that, and was the one who taught us about it as well. She was strong both in heart and in mind, she was a zero that conquered the academy with pure archery skills. She was a great support in the backlines. And she is also a very good friend, that anyone wouldn't ask anything anymore," Mutsumi replied as she smiled warmly at Haruka.
"Then who is she.... to Akihiro?" this was the question she really wanted to ask.
Mutsumi once again looked at Yukimura.
"She was... our former queen."