บท 43: Side Chapter: Cecilia and Kazari.

Side Chapter: Cecilia and Kazari.

Narrator's POV

A maid scurries off carrying some bandages and a letter in her hands held tightly.

Her features were different from all these European-like figures of maids she has always seen in the palace.

Instead of vibrant colored hair, hers was raven black, slanted eyes, in deep black color. Her skin was pale, face was beautiful.

If she was back on earth, with that level of beauty she could've become a really admired idol in Japan.

The maid stops at a certain room where she been visiting countless of times, where the music went on for hours

Where she could hear the voices of the strict instructor yelling, "Again, that form was horrible- your highness. What has gotten into you?"

The maid peaked through the door seeing no one was guarding it at this time of night.

It was almost close to dinner and the maid was worried that the first princess had still not eaten anything since this morning.

Princess Cecilia looked so tired as she tried to meet the instructor's eyes.

"I apologize, instructor. I was just... a little worried about something these days." The first princess was running out of breath, her feet were swollen but still she fixed her form. "Please, start the music once again."

Princess Cecilia stubbornly declared. The instructor could only sigh seeing the confidence of her student she started the magic vinyl once again tuning it up as waltz music played.

One, two, three.

Her steps were elegant as she dipped herself, bending her back and then standing up.

The first princess practiced the offering dance to the light goddess to be perfected for the sake of her people, she is the crown princess after all.

The heir to the throne.

She must not waver, hesitate, nor create even one millimeter of mistake-

"Ow!"

Princess Cecilia yelped as she fell into the ground, her feet pounding.

The instructor clicked her tongue as she helped the princess up to sit on a nearby cushion. "Your highness, your feet will be swollen by the time you even perfect the offering dance. I suggest you stop and rest for at least a week."

"But instructor you don't understand I can go on-" (Princess Cecilia) tried standing up again but amidst that she fell back into the cushion due to the pain. "I-I can heal it. It'll be fine, again. I must perfect this dance."

The instructor now losing patience for her student decides to take the magic vinyl and stores it into her [Storage Ring]. "You will not dance until you've rested. Do not be foolish. Magic must only be used when it is necessary. How much have you healed your swollen feet over this past month?"

Princess Cecilia looks down at her white lace dress and grips it as she replies. "More than twenty... times, instructor."

The instructor sighed, not surprised but she had been careless of her foolish student to just do whatever she wanted.

Her eyes now filled with worry for the young stubborn princess that loved to dance. She kneels down, holding Princess Cecilia's shoulder. "Dancing will not go anywhere. I assure you, if you use magic too much on your body it will become accustomed to it lessening the effect."

Princess Cecilia looks away a little ashamed, "I-I understand."

The instructor, satisfied with her highness's answer, smiled faintly. "I know you're watching, get in here and fix her highness up. It's better if she doesn't use magic to heal her wounds this time."

The maid yelped a little on her hiding spot as she sighed in defeat revealing herself. "Good evening, Instructor Montgomery and to her highness as well."

Princess Cecilia looked over to her personal maid and smiled, "Kazari. I see you still waited for me it seems."

Sato Kazari was her personal maid's name. "She always does, yes. However, at least she'll be here to help you tidy up. If you'll excuse me I'm late for my performance at a private club." (Instructor Montgomery)

Instructor Montgomery leaves out of the music room as the maid walks closer to her ever stubborn, her highness. "Your highness, how many times have you been scolded by the instructor?" (Kazari) asked the princess who sighs at the reminder of all the embarrassing moments of it.

Princess Cecilia looked away as she crossed her hands ever so elegantly, "I just wanted to dance again to perfect my skill for the offering. Is that ever so hard to understand?"

The maid listened intently to her highness who vented all of her problems to her personal maid. Kazari, took off the princess's shoe and it was indeed swollen.

The perfectionist princess sighed once more as she tried to fix her composure and looked at her maid. "Kazari, you know you need not to wait for me, every time I have to practice." (Princess Cecilia)

Kazari shakes her head at the princess's reply, "It is a maid's duty to always be there for her master. To be by your side is my purpose, your highness."

Princess Cecilia could only feel grateful for Kazari, her childhood friend that never left her by her side and not even once treated her indifferently to others. "Carefully place your feet into my lap, your highness. I have to bandage them properly."

The first princess could only nod, her personal maid was thorough, careful, and gentle to the way she handled her. Taking the princess's swollen feet up Kazari wrapped the bandages around the princess's feet carefully.

"All done, your highness. They'll be better as new when they're healed in a few days so please take it easy and rest." (Kazari) reminded the stubborn perfectionist as a princess as she stands up.

"Please hold onto my hand as I lead you back to your quarters." (Kazari) offers her hands to the princess and the princess takes it but for a different reason instead.

Princess Cecilia stands up from the comfort of the cushion taking in her personal maid's hand. "May I have this dance instead?"

Kazari giggles, shaking her head, her face a little flustered but immediately hides it with a cough, "You'll merely use me for practice, your highness and as your caretaker I cannot oblige."

Princess Cecilia didn't listen as she really wanted to dance but there was no music. "Kazari you sing right?"

Kazari blinks for a moment before understanding what her highness would want, "Yes, but like I said. I would like for you to take rest first before partaking in any kind of dancing for a few days."

The first princess couldn't take no for an answer so she sat back on the cushion, "Perhaps I won't move from this spot then."

"Her highness, is really childish when it comes to dancing. I will not sing and you will only dance once." (Kazari) sighs, giving up to convince the first princess to rest.

Whatever the first princess wants, she gets after all but she proved her wrong on the first bit. Ain't no way in hell she was singing that late at night. "Who says I'm going to only dance once?" (Princess Cecilia)

Kazari raised her eyebrows gently at the first princess but she continued, "We're going to dance once- if you're not going to sing. I believe I'm in need of a partner so shall we?" (Princess Cecelia) asked boldly as Kazari merely sighs.

"The things I do for you, your highness." (Kazari) offers her hand to the first princess again who smiles widely. Her personal maid was her only friend in the palace, every day she always had her maid by her side.

Sometimes it was tiring, but at the same time she misses her dearly when her friend is away to go visit back her tribe in [Sprivanto].

Princess Cecilia and her personal maid have known each other for years.

Kazari was just seven when she became one of the envoys of her tribe to be sent as some sort of alliance offering.

Princess Cecilia was just three years old at that time.

As the both of the two grew the princess was soon turning thirteen and Kazari was already sixteen at her age now.

They have certainly become close friends and acquaintances.

They both danced holding each other into a slow waltz, "I see your form still needs some work." (Princess Cecilia) commented on Kazari's footwork who was trying hard not to step on the first princess.

"Apologies to her highness, I still lack the skill for dancing it seems." (Kazari) replied honestly as she tried her best focusing on how to not step on the first princess because of her swollen feet.

Kazari was looking down the whole time they danced making sure she doesn't do anything she'll regret and that really intrigued Princess Cecilia a lot. "I will be fine. Just dance with me." (Princess Cecilia) thought her childhood friend had a severe case of anxiety but still she didn't mind.

"I-If her highness says so." (Kazari) decided to look at the first princess's gray eyes instead, following the sway of her body as they danced together in silence.

Kazari smiles, noticing that her highness is getting taller everyday. Maybe one day she'll be the same height or even taller than her once she reaches into adulthood. "What's that smile for?"

"Remember how you always complain that I was always taller than you, your highness. You were such an adorable little toddler back then. You would always ask me to carry you up and lead you to the gardens with her second highness." (Kazari)

Princess Cecilia looks away as she hums, "My, I've already forgotten about it."

"Your highness, it's not wise to lie, you know." (Kazari)

"That was years ago, Kazari. I'm already grown up now, why can't you see that?"

Kazari just smiled faintly as the time passed by dancing, they intertwined their fingers. Counting the steps, never looking away. "Her highness is indeed growing well. I cannot wait for you to find your own love but I know you must've already found it in a certain traveling artist I presume?"

She hit the right spot as Princess Cecilia stopped dancing and covered her mouth.

Kazari was enjoying teaching the perfectionist princess, she rarely never gets flustered after all ever since the Queen has gotten sick, Princess Cecilia rarely smiled but nowadays she often found the first princess smiling for now reason.

Kazari knew it was because of the traveling artist recently, she was [Sprivanto] she has a sixth sense from these certain feelings.

Princess Cecilia was tongue tied- she wanted to deny but everything she did was already so obvious- she cannot deny her feelings to the person who knew her the most! "W-What of it?"

She stuttered, coughing, letting go of Kazari's hands as she crossed her arms. Kazari replies indifferently hoping that she has not offended the princess in any way. "Nothing, your highness, it was rather... adorable of you to act that way. Never in my years with you have I ever seen you like that."

The princess shook her head casually as they decided to talk it all out, "Kazari, I don't understand what feelings I bear. It scares me. I have never been this flustered, nor has my body experienced some sort of dying mechanism that makes me want to refuse every ounce of my teaching-"

Princess Cecilia stopped all her rumbling as she ended her sentence with a sigh, "It's silly isn't it? For a princess who'll one day be Queen- to stutter and be clumsy at something like this."

"I believe that is called a 'crush' or 'admiration' or even perhaps 'puppy love'. It is not silly, your highness. The traveling artist must've touched your heart where it was really vulnerable and she made you feel comforted." (Kazari)

"More than I ever could." the personal maid whispered this to herself, the princess had failed to hear because her mind was suddenly occupied with all the sudden realization of yes, it was obvious she liked the traveling artist!

Kazari smiles sadly while taking out the letter with the royal stamp that has just arrived this morning, "I meant to give this to her highness earlier after we've arrived at your chambers but after this talk I believe you'll want this letter now."

Princess Cecilia leaned over to see the letter her personal maid offered to her and looked at the back. "From Kein Rosenguard- oh! From the traveling artist!"

Princess Cecilia has never smiled so widely. Sato Kazari watched as the first princess excitedly almost tore the letter apart but managed to control herself gracefully taking out the folded letter.

"Here look at what it's written! To the first princess, Cecilia Goldheart. I hope you have received my letter of thanks as of last time at the garden. It was fun spending the hours with you, I now reside temporarily in a Baron's house if you'd like to send a reply." The princess's eyes were shining as she continued to read the letter in front of her maid.

"I hope you are well. As you can see my handwriting is a little stiff because this is actually my fifth letter writing to you. I have no words but if you'd like to hang out again tell me first beforehand so I can prepare something special for her highness. The traveling artist, Kein Rosenguard." (Princess Cecilia) holds the letter deeply as she hugs Kazari happily, still minding her swollen feet.

"Thank you, Kazari. This truly made my day."

Kazari nods, fulfilling her duties as her maid. After all this time the princess has not smiled, even if she wasn't the reason as long as she was happy.

Even this maid will give up her enviousness.

Just for her to smile.

"I'm glad you are happy, but now you must rest. We have danced once so let me accompany her highness." (Kazari)

Princess Cecilia obeyed this time as Kazari offered her arm for her to lean on as she didn't refuse.

They walked back unscathed at the princess's quarters. Kazari sighs as she closes the door to the first princess's room. "Another successful day being her highness's personal maid."

She walks back to the maid's quarters, getting inside her room as she takes out a book, inside of it was an ironed flower charm she has received from her highness.

She fondles it lightly remembering the memories that came with it. However, a yawn has escaped her mouth and she stretches her arms.

Kazari places back the charm inside the book before going to her bed slowly closing her eyes wishing for something different to happen, "Tomorrow will be another day."