HnH: Me again! Back with a new story. YAY for me! Hmmm...I've really got nothing to say...except check out my other stories/oneshots. And, uh...I love to use the cast of Kingdom Hearts to do my disclaimers for me!
Roxas: HnH does not own anything in this story...
Naminé: But she thinks she owns the plot. If she doesn't, please tell her and she'll credit you, because she doesn't want to get sued!
HnH: Oh...most of this story will be in first-person POV, but it'll change around, I guess. Really, it's what you guys prefer, but I'll remind you again at the end of the chapter...happy reading! I'll alert you when the POV switches, don't worry...
Angels in Flight: Towa no Shirube
Chapter 1: Another Day
(Naminé's POV)
"Princess!" I wasn't really paying attention to anything at that moment in time. I was looking out at the town that served as the Tsugare Kingdom's Capital- Elle Ciel. I, myself, have never really been out into town before, but my twin sister, Umiri, has. Me? I was the princess of the Tsugare Kingdom, the one who would inherit the throne when my parents would eventually die.
"Princess Naminé!" It's not like I was so hideous I was like Medusa and would petrify everyone who would look at me or anything. My parents, King Tidus and Queen Yuna, say that I inherited a gene that was supposed to be passed down in the royal family every one hundred years. I had the ability to change, rearrange, and remove people's memories. I guess they're afraid I don't know how to use my power. I do, but I don't let them know that. It's not like anything I could say would change their minds. They're so overprotective, even though I'm the younger twin. My father says it doesn't matter, because I will inherit the throne because of my power...
"Siiiiister!" I was so into my thoughts, I guess I didn't realize that our personal maid and my sister were starting to shake me by the shoulders. Finally, the maid got the nerve to pour cold water over my head. That, needless to say, snapped me right out of my thoughts.
"Yes?" I asked politely, trying to hide the fact that I had been startled. I looked at my sister. We were fraternal twins, we looked nothing alike. She had indigo eyes, and I had bright blue eyes, she had long, auburn hair, and my hair was golden like the bright sun. She, and the female maid, named Lucille, started to squeal.
"Today's the annual parade! Queen Yuna said that you could join this year! She says that you're old enough to do it this year!" Lucille yelled, taking my left hand while Umiri took my right, and they both started to jump up and down. I bet my eyes bulged out. For 15 years I have watched the parade from this very spot, but now I was actually going to partake in it? This was going to be so much fun!
"Yes! We can do your hair and make-up! This'll be so much fun, Lucille!" Umiri yelled, her smile so large it looked like a sunrise. I backed away, I liked to be plain. Most of the time I just wore a simple white dress, but I knew that I was going to have to wear an elegant gown and have tons of blush put on me and everything. Lucille grabbed me, and Umiri began to get out dresses and they wondered which ones would match and fit and whatever else.
The parade was where the royal family(and the duke's family) would ride in a float behind the whole parade. The parade itself is where groups of circuses from all over the world, only the best of the best, would perform for the whole capital. You see, everyone loved my father and mother, because they were a benevolent king and queen that did their best for the people and the land's prosperity. So it was an honor to be able to take part in the Arcenciel Parade. Maybe not the other, un-friendly Kingdoms like the Kuzu Kingdom, but, anyway...
The real fun was that every year we decided to invite one common person abroad the float with us! Since the Duke lives in a mansion near our castle, he and his family go on the float, too. Last time the Duke's family picked out a commoner...so I bet it's our turn to pick out one! It's just a little tradition I see them do every year, we usually take turns...or so I think. I don't actually know what goes on, since I just watch from the sidelines.
"Hey, Nami, I saw a really cute boy in the crowd last year! Do you think you could pick him up for me?" Umiri asked me, I wasn't really paying attention, but the words 'you' and 'pick' stung in my head.
"Huh? I'm choosing someone to ride with us this year?" I asked. Umiri nodded happily, starting to jump up and down again, when a piece of hair Lucille and her were doing fell in front of my face. Lucille gasped.
"Princess Umiri! Please don't mess with Her Highness' hair! It probably messed up some of her make-up, too! But it's alright, Your Highnesses, you don't need to have a heart-attack." Lucille said, although she herself could've been suffering from a heart-attack. It looked like it. I felt sorry for our personal maid. I was always told I was the 'nice, obedient and quiet' daughter and Umiri was the one who loved to rebel, we were complete opposites.
I didn't realize how lost I could become in thought. In the vanity mirror, I didn't see my normal, plain self I usually did. I saw a girl who really looked beautiful and suited enough to become the next Queen. I didn't like it, but I didn't say anything about it.
"Umiri...you know that you're engaged to the Duke's son, Seifer." I said, slightly shaking my head so my hair wouldn't get messed up. "It doesn't matter if you think someone is cute or not." The Duke was actually our father's best friend. When he and the Duke, Wakka, were kids, they promised each other that if they had children of opposite genders they'd make them marry, so they would finally be able to be brothers. Since I have to marry some stuck-up, greedy Prince, it couldn't be me. I feel sorry for Umiri, Seifer has the biggest ego I've ever seen in my life. She doesn't like him, but for all our parents do for us, Umiri can't complain.
"I don't care!" She whined, stomping her foot. "I don't even like him! He's the biggest jerk ever, and he's two years older than me! I'd rather go out with that cute boy I saw last year..." She said, swaying a little.
"You know you can't get romantically involved with a commoner. Mother and Father would never allow it. They'd allow you to be friends with him, sure, but that's it." I said. Such is the life of a Princess. We can associate with commoners, of course, but we can never get into a relationship with them. It's one of the only things our parents can be a stickler about.
"But he had the most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen! Oh, Naminé, please? He has this hair that's so brown it's like chocolate and it's so unusual because it spikes out in so many ways! He's so much different than any other commoner! I've seen him around the blacksmith, Cid, multiple times and whenever I do I feel like I can fly!" Umiri said, and Lucille was so shocked by this confession that she dropped all the bobby pins she was holding.
"Princess Umiri! You're not supposed to have those feelings about anyone, especially not Cid's son!" Lucille said. I kept quiet, I figured Lucille knew who this Cid guy was. She was ten or five years older than us, and she went out a lot with Umiri or to do an errand so I bet she knew a lot of people.
"Lucille, don't tell Mother or Father, okay? If you think you might, Nami could erase your memory of this." I froze. I had never really used my unique power, but now that I really thought about it, it was so wrong to erase someone's memory of something.
"No, no! I won't, I won't! I promise I won't tell Their Majesties Tidus and Yuna!" She said, her red hair bouncing on her shoulders. Lucille had a really pretty hair color. I was envious of. She had brighter red hair than Umiri's with two natural blonde streaks in it. I was so plain, I was just a regular blonde with blue eyes. I bet if I didn't eventually become betrothed no one could ever love me...I wasn't pretty like Umiri or Lucille.
"Alright, Princess Naminé! You are all ready! Before I forget, King Tidus Queen Yuna wanted to talk to you. They'll be in the throne room. I'll be in here doing Princess Umiri's hair and make-up, if you need me." Lucille said, and I walked out the door. I bet Umiri was just saying that to get Lucille riled up. She loved to do that to our poor maid. I reached the throne room, and the guard bowed and opened the door for me. I thanked him and walked the distance it took to reach my mother and father, both sitting in their thrones.
They always had to sit there, because inbetween their thrones was a pedestal with a glass case holding the Tsugare Kingdom's most prized relic of all time-the Keyblade signifying Promises, the Keyblade of Light, the Oathkeeper. Only a select few could use Keyblades. Not even I could handle Oathkeeper. Neither could Umiri.
"Naminé, honey, are you ready for the parade today?" Mother asked me. I nodded my head eagerly. I was more than ready! I just couldn't wait to get out of this stupid castle! After all, I bet I was more pale than most girls, since I barely get any sun in the balcony all day. You couldn't really tell now because of the make-up I was wearing.
"Yes, Your Majesty." I nodded my head. It felt wrong to call my parents 'Mother' and 'Father' when everyone else had to refer to them as 'Your Majesties'. So, I followed suit and did the same thing, but Umiri called them 'Mom' and 'Dad', even while other people were in the room. "I'm just wondering what I should do."
"Oh, it's very easy. All you need to do is just pick out a little girl or boy or something. Whoever you want to chose, it's up to you." My Father said, nodding his head. "No one should be working today, and I bet a lot of people will come from all over to see it."
"You gave a break to everyone in Tsugare? That's noble of you, Your Majesties." I said, nodding my head. I knew what I was going to do. I was going to pick out a little girl with these lonely eyes to ride with us. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
"I think it's time to go. Where's Umiri?" Mother asked, and I opened my mouth to answer when Umiri suddenly appeared beside me.
"Present and accounted for!" She yelled. I shook my head and sighed. Umiri was always so happy. She looked at me and gave me a look like she was saying 'So, you gonna pick him out for me?' in response I just shrugged. I bet Seifer wouldn't appreciate it when he found his to-be wife flirting with some blacksmith's son.
"Lucille, you're going to ride with us this year. Just in appreciation for taking care of our daughters." Said our Father. I looked behind my shoulders to see a flustered Lucille nod her head and say her gratitude and bow. "Let's go then, the float is outside." We walked outside to see the Duke's family already on the float. You see, the float was just a big platform covered in carpet on about fifty or so wheels. The only thing to boast about if you got picked was to stand there with the royal family. That's all.
Seifer jumped off the float, bowed to me and took my hand and kissed it. "Princess Naminé." He said, bowing before going over to my sister and repeating what he did to me. Then he helped Umiri on, and me after. I heard my parents and his parents whisper 'what a gentleman!' but I knew it was all for show. I've been around him when he doesn't have anyone to show off to, and he is a real jerk. Anyway, soon we all got on and the performers started to perform and the float started to move.
I scanned over the crowd, hoping to find someone who fit my description. Instead, above all the blaring noise, I heard a very sweet melody coming from the back of the crowd. I looked to see who might possess such a beautiful voice. I saw a boy carrying a bag of coal to somewhere.
'No one should be working today...' Was what I thought, and I frowned. I knew this was not my place, but I felt I had to do it. I jumped down from the float, making sure to keep my dress down, and ran through the crowd, who immediately moved out of my way and bowed to the floor before me. "Excuse me, sir?" I asked the boy.
'Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time
I hope you had the time of your life.' He sang, and after I tapped his shoulder he noticed me and spun around. I swear my jaw dropped. I really hope it didn't, though, and I thanked Lucille and Umiri for putting so much blush on me, because I really was blushing. He had the most beautiful azure eyes I have ever seen in my entire life, and his hair was a sandy color and it spiked up. Over his face there were scratches and over his clothes there were black stains, I figured it was from the coal.
Once he realized who I was, he kneeled before me, not looking at me. He looked kind of funny, because he hadn't dropped the bag of coal. "Your Highness." He said. Everyone was looking at us, even the parade had momentarily stopped because everyone was wondering what I was doing. But I heard Umiri whisper 'Go, Nami, go!'
"You can stand. I have a question for you: Why are you working today?" I asked, the boy standing up. He looked to be about my age. He was a couple of inches taller than me, so I didn't exactly get the feeling that I was inferior.
"My father, a local blacksmith named Cid, wanted me to work today." He said, then grumbling something afterwards. I don't know why, but I felt my heart sink when he said that his father was Cid. Was this the boy that made Umiri feel like flying? No, it couldn't be...he didn't match her description...
"Do you have a brother?" I asked, knowing that I probably sounded like an idiot in front of my people, but I didn't care. He nodded.
"Yes, I do, Your Highness...a twin brother." He replied, looking a bit flustered. I knew he was wondering why I asked about his brother.
"Tell your father that Princess Naminé is letting you take a break today." I said, hearing a little tiny bit of cheering. My parents said that they ordered everyone to take a break today, and it wasn't right that this boy had to work!
"In all due respect, Your Highness, my father won't let me take off today." He said, bowing his head. It looked like he was afraid that if he worded his sentences wrong he'd be thrown into the dungeon. We don't even have a dungeon, mother and father just say that because they don't want rebellions to start up. I just 'hmphed' and grabbed the bag of coal from him.
"Well, let's just see what your father says when he sees the crown princess walk in doing his son's work! Now, could you please lead me to his workshop?" I asked, not letting on the fact that this bag of coal was extremely heavy. In fact, if I wasn't determined to tell this boy's father off, I don't think I would've been able to do this. I heard everyone gasp, as a Princess is never supposed to do a commoner's work. I don't care if I surprised them. If this boy had to work, then I felt I had to, too.
"Your Highness, you don't need to do that, really. I-I'm sure my father'll let me-" He started, but I shook my head, and let him lead me to Cid's workshop. He opened the door for me and I stepped in. I saw a blonde hammering away on something, and there was a chocolate-haired boy, that must've been this boy's twin, hanging up something on the wall.
"Roxas, about time you got in here!" I heard a gruff voice say. I glanced at him. So...his name was Roxas... Roxas was standing in front of me, because I bet he didn't want his father to see me and get even more mad. "Where's the coal, boy? Don't tell me I need to get Utsuho to do all the work!" Utsuho? That must've been his brother.
"You may step aside." I said, and Roxas did so. Cid looked like he was about to have a seizure and die.
"P-Princess...Your Highness, what brings you here?" He spluttered, he and Utsuho going on their knees before me. I couldn't help but smile.
"I command all of you to take today off and watch the parade." I said, dropping the bag of coal because I couldn't really carry it anymore. "Our family will cover all of the expenses for whatever taking a day off of work could cost." Cid, Utsuho and Roxas all exchanged glances, then they bowed and mumbled their gratitude. I smiled and took Roxas' hand. "Come on, it looks like you haven't taken a break in a long while."
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, I didn't quite understand you." I heard him say, but he had no choice but to be dragged along onto the float with me. I didn't know why, but I looked back at him and I felt really happy. I don't know why I said what I said next, but I just said it.
"You can call me Naminé. Just Naminé." I said, and I saw my family look at me with shock. Only people with high statuses didn't have to add the 'Princess' in front of it, or not call me 'Your Highness'. It was a sign of respect, but I didn't want to act as a superior around Roxas. I don't know why...Then it hit me like a brick. I never used to believe in love at first sight, but now I did because I...I was experiencing.
And that right there was the worst mistake of my life.
HnH:YAY my line's working! I know that it's kind of fast that she's in love already! Don't worry...there'll be a whole lot more complications before the story ends.
Roxas: Hi people! -waves-
HnH: Now, don't flame me with how Wakka could never have Seifer or anything like that. I know. It's also the reason why I couldn't use Sora or Kairi. I can't tell you the reason why, but keep in mind that Umiri and Utsuho look exactly like Kairi and Sora respectively.
Roxas: HnH wants to thank everyone for reading this far, and she hopes you'll leave a review!
HnH: The first chapter, I have to admit it, was boring, but it'll get more interesting. Now, I have to watch my WWE. So, I'm gonna go now, and if I get at least a review, I'll write the next chapter.
Sora: Hi guys! I'm not in this story, but I'm acting as a disclaimer along with everyone else! Anyway...HnH, if you don't get a review, you'll never ever write out the rest?
HnH: -nod- That's right! I don't care if it's a nasty flame, either! Although, I hope it's not...-shifty eyes- So don't send me reviews on how this is boring or the characters are all messed up or Sora and Kairi aren't in this. I KNOW all of that already!
Sora: Haha. You're messed up, Roxas. -eats buttered popcorn-
Roxas: Yeah, I appreciate that a whole lot, HnH. -mumble-
HnH: Thanks for reading this far, and please leave a review! Thanks so much!