Imperial Decree

It’s been a week since the Crown Prince hinted that he knows what I am doing in secret. It’s been a week too that I stayed inside my chamber and did not go out or take a stroll in the palace. I know that my mother and grandfather are worried about me because I did not allow any visitors. I wanted to be alone and stay silent in the meantime.

The sun is already low on the horizon and it’s almost dusk. I am now in the garden at the back of my chamber, sitting in front of the flowers, entertained watching it slowly dancing to the wind. I turned around when I heard someone calling me in a low voice, disturbing my rest. I saw Shuji and Yoshie in the distance. Based on their expression, they are bringing bad news. I slowly stand up and walk towards the small bridge. Enough distance for the other maids not to hear what they want to tell me. I did not mind looking back at them as I know that they will follow me. I fixed my eyes at the small man-made pond and silently watched the water.

“It’s not good news, right? What is it?” I ask in a quiet tone when they come near me.

“Princess, ---” were the only words that came out from Yoshie, her voice laced with worry.

“Just tell me what it is. You don’t have to hesitate.” I said, still not looking at them.

“We received the news, Princess,” Shuji whispered, “the Imperial envoy is coming. Based on what information came through, they departed from the Imperial Palace yesterday.”

I closed my eyes tightly with what I heard. I held back any emotions, maintaining a poker face despite the cover. I don’t want to add to the worries of the two. “How many days until they arrive?” I ask in an equal voice.

“Three days, Princess, and they will be here,” Yoshie answered while looking at her feet.

I nodded my head, “Is that all you want to report or is there anything else?”

“That’s all, Your Highness,” the two answered at the same time.

“If so, then start preparing, we might have to leave from this place after a week or two,” I ordered. I become silent for a second before turning to face them, “Thank you for telling me. You both can leave now.”

They both bow to me simultaneously even though I am no longer looking at them, and leave. I hold on to the bridge I am about to fall down. I clasp my palm tightly. Three days, that’s the days I have before my duty and responsibilities become official.

“Chase!” I murmured. With all the emotions that come rushing through me, I incidentally mentioned his name.

It’s starting, the responsibilities and the things that gave way to increase the distance between me and the guy I love are being laid down. I look up at the starry sky and silently give in to the true desire from the bottom of my heart. Hopefully, I can still go back to the place where I was supposed to be, inside Chase’s embrace.

Three Days Later

Colorful banners, noisy drums, and trumpets, and the townspeople huddled beside the streets. That’s what happens in the kingdom right now, everyone is smiling while watching the arrival of the Imperial envoy.

I am here in the high place in town where I can see the parade of the envoy’s arrival in our Kingdom. I watch their arrival in silence while also observing. I tactfully slip away from the palace so that I will not be there when they welcome the visitors. I will face them later when it is the right time. The next day, for the gathering that will happen to celebrate my birthday. That time will be the right time to show up and will also be the time that they will reveal the reason why they are here.

“Your Highness, you are included in the people that will welcome the envoys, right?” Shuji asks, like me he is busy observing what happened below.

“Shuji, we slip off from the palace because the Princess doesn’t want to at the welcome ceremony. You’re acting as if you don't know that the Princess doesn’t like to be around the officials,” Yoshie answered on behalf of me, slightly smacking Shuji in the head.

Shuji did not answer, instead, he’s looking at Yoshie blankly. I smiled at what Yoshie said, she’s right, I don’t like mingling with greedy officials and ministers of our kingdom. I will make sure to clean up and fix the order of the officials before I leave the palace. If I won’t be able to do it, there should be someone that will continue what I started.

“I feel disturbed with the arrival of the envoys, Your Highness. I’ll be watching discreetly at the chamber they were using. We need to be extra careful. We don't know if there is an enemy spy included in their group,” Shuji explained with a knotted forehead.

I tap him on the shoulder, “I understand, Shuji. Do what you think is right,” I give him my approval. “Just be careful that no one notices on their end."

“How about you, Your Highness? People might wonder if I am not on your side,” he hesitantly said.

“Don’t you trust, Princess Yuki?” Yoshie retorted.

“Don’t mind me, Shuji, I’ll be fine. I’ll find an excuse if ever someone will ask about you,” I glance at the parade for the last. “Let’s go, I want to look around the town before we go back to the palace.”

Birthday Celebration

It’s almost midnight, only a few minutes left and I’ll be eighteen years old. The palace prepared a banquet to celebrate my birthday. But it’s not just because of my birthday, there’s more, something more important. The thing that everyone has been waiting for, especially the ministers and palace officials.

I heave a deep sigh, stand up from my bed and fix myself. I silently came out of my room, and the chamber, making sure no one would notice. I walk to the back where my small garden is. I can’t sleep and decided to stay there for the time being until I become sleepy. A peaceful and pleasant garden welcomed me. I lie down in the middle of the flowers and look up at the sky. The sky is clear and full of bright shining stars. It is peaceful and cloudless unlike what I’m feeling.

I get and become alert when I notice footsteps approaching. Who is still awake at this hour aside from me? I murmured to myself.

Your Highness,” Shuji greeted.

I breathe a sigh of relief and sit up, “How did you know that I’m here?”

“My apologies, I know that you wanted to be alone but I followed you when you went out. I can’t ignore your safety, especially that we have other people here staying in the palace,” he explained.

“It’s alright, I know that you are just doing your task.” I tap the empty space beside me, “Come here and sit beside me, Shuji. Tell me if you discover something from your surveillance?”

He did sit beside me with a safe distance before answering, “There’s a person that is acting suspiciously. I saw him secretly meeting the Prime Minister.”

“The Prime Minister?” I dryly laugh. “Did you overhear what they are talking about?”

“No, Your Highness, but I won’t stop until I learn their secret, their deal,” he answered with assurance.

“You need to be on guard and cautious, Shuji. I don’t want you in danger.”

“You don’t have to worry about him, Princess Yuki. He won’t entrust your safety to others thus I am sure that he won’t allow something to happen to him,” Yoshie butt in while talking towards us. “He will answer General Rin if that happens. Right, Shuji?” She looks at him with a teasing smile.

I smiled hearing Zander’s name, he is called Rin in the Kingdom. I suddenly miss him. It’s a pity that he can’t come to celebrate my birthday. As well as my friends and Chase.

“Tsk! You’re talking nonsense, Yoshie,” Shuji turned to her.

“What? I’m just telling the truth. General Rin strictly ordered you to take care of Princess Yuki,” Yoshie replied.

“Will you two stop?” I stop them since they are about to start their usual bickering. “Let’s go back inside, there are only a few hours left for the banquet and we need to prepare.” I stood up and started to walk back to the chamber.

“Wait, Your Highness,” Shuji stopped me. They came to me smiling and they both handed me a small box at the same time.

“Happy Birthday, Princess Yuki!” They both greeted me.

I accepted their gift with a beaming smile. I am touched by their effort and thoughtfulness. This gift is the best that I received this year. “Thank you, Shuji and Yoshie. Thank you too for being by my side, for staying with me. You will accompany me, right?

“Yes, Princess. We will accompany you, we will not leave your side as long as you need us,” they both swear.

The Banquet

A few minutes before going to the hall, an unexpected visitor came to my chamber together with the Crown Prince. She runs to hug me that’s me laugh. With her actions, you will think that we haven’t seen each other for a long time.

“Happy birthday, my dearest sister,” she greeted me loudly without minding the maids and servants around that gasp. Who wouldn’t if she is not acting in a proper way that fits for a princess. While the Crown Prince just shook his head with our older sister’s behavior.

“My beautiful sister, I know that you don’t care about anything and you only follow your own rules. But I am asking you to please act properly for the sake of the people around you? They become restless, you know? Because you are inviting trouble,” I innocently smiled at her.

“You should not be surprised, Ayane. She’s always like that,” the Crown Prince added. “I was honestly relieved when she courteously greeted His Majesty in front of the ministers.”

“Of course,” Princess Yuuna answered, giving a scary look to the Crown Prince. “I will never cause His Majesty to be looked down upon by his greedy ministers that are just waiting for something to tarnish our family.

She turned to the maids and servants, “You already dressed up my sister, you all can go now. Leave us alone,” she ordered. They all bowed and hurriedly left, scared with the older Princess.

“Shuji,” the Crown Prince called, “watch out for the surroundings. Yoshie, kindly prepare tea,” he commanded. The two followed.

“Ate Yen, is Zander with you? Did you come from the Philippines?” I asked when we were left alone.

“Nope, I came from China. Zander doesn’t want to see you accepting something that will not make you happy,” she sits beside me Kuya Shi while the latter is looking at me intently. “That's why he’s not here.”

“How are they?” I inquired in a hushed tone.

“If you are referring to your friends, they’re doing fine. But if you are asking about Chae,” she stared at me. “ When you left he became aloof and silent. Your friends are the only ones that can come close to him. My students are now afraid of him because he is too serious, they are walking on edge around him,” she whined.

I sat down and looked at nothing. I can imagine the possible happenings in the Philippines based on what Ate Yen said.

“Ate, stop it,” Kuya Shi growled. “You’re just messing up Ayane’s thoughts. Let’s just go to the banquet hall, it will start at any moment.

“My apologies, Your Highnesses,” Kuya Shi’s personal guard came in. “His Majesty wants you, Crown Prince, to accompany him to the banquet.”

Kuya Shi nodded to his guard, “Alright, wait for me outside for a bit and we will go to the King.” He stood up and came closer to me when his guard left. “You have to prepare yourself,” he whispered, kiss me on the head, and left to go to the King.

“Won’t you change your mind?” I turned to Ate Yen when she asked, worry is evident in her voice though her face bears no emotion.

I just shook my head. I don’t trust myself to speak otherwise I’ll cry. Ate Yen comes closer and envelopes me with a comforting embrace. “You know how much we love you, right?” she murmured and I nodded in response. “I swear that when you are inside the Imperial Palace, you can always count on me.” We stayed like that until Yoshie came and informed us that we needed to go to the hall.

Everyone was already in the hall when we came in, the King, the Crown Prince, my mother, and my father. We haven’t talked yet, he might come together with Ate Yen.

“Princess Yuuna and Princess Yuuki have arrived!” one of the staff announced.

Everyone except the royal family bowed while we were walking in the middle of the hall towards our assigned seat. Both Ate Yen and I have a cover on our faces. When we were seated, the Imperial envoy came in. The banquet won’t start until the envoy gives the decree from the Emperor.

The lead of the envoy stood up in the center and opened the golden box where the decree was sealed.

“To all my subjects, to all nobles and the Royal Family of Daichi. Through this Imperial decree, I humbly ask the King of Daichi to have one of your Princesses become part of the selection process to be the Crown Prince bride. If at the end of the selection will be chosen, she will become the Crown Princess, heir to the Empress throne.

This is my command, under the law of the Empire, Your Emperor.”

I stood up and walked towards the envoy. I kneel down on one knee as a sign to pay my respect towards the Emperor. I am glad that I have a cover on my face and no one saw what I really feel at the moment, as I am sure it is mirrored in my face. The torment that can be seen in my eyes.

“Princess Yuki, do you accept this Imperial Decree?”

“Yes,” I answered almost a whisper, controlling myself not to stutter.

“Do you accept the duty assigned to you?”

“Yes.”

“Are you ready and willing to devote yourself to the Imperial Crown Prince?”

“I am ready.”

“Then, accept this Imperial Decree as proof that you are now one of the selected ladies.”

I received the decree with my two hands. The moment it touches my hands, my tears fall. Nothing comes to mind except the sad face of Chase. I held back myself strongly, not to run away from the hall and cry myself out. But I have to finish the banquet, for the sake of the King.

I went back to my seat and the banquet started. I am there simply staring at the Imperial Decree in my hands.