The sun had started to rise when Mirai opened her eyes. When she did not recognize the room, she woke up hastily. For seconds her mind assessing her surroundings. She clicked her tongue once the comprehension came. She needed to convince herself that the marriage she had been through the day before was not a mere dream before realizing that it was real. Once the marriage thinking was over, another question appeared.

Why am I on the bed? Didn’t I sleep on the couch?

She thought for several possibilities, but in the end she shrugged them, thought that it was not that important. What she had to think right now was how she would survive the palace life. Sure, Prince Ryosuke had made it looked easier by his offer last night, but she could not be careless. She did not want to risk anything again by easily trusting people. No, I won’t be betrayed anymore.

Someone knocked the door and called, “My Lady, it is Miru. May I come in?”

Mirai rose, making sure her attires was decent. “Come in.”

Miru entered, followed by some other maids. While Miru walking closer to Mirai, the other maids lined up in front of the door.

“We came to help preparing your first day, My Lady,” Miru bowed.

“Oh, okay.” Mirai could not think other answer.

Miru signed to some of the maids. One of them came to front holding a tray, containing Mirai’s usual starter for the days. The other two approaching the bed, collecting the bed sheet and changed it with the clean one. Once the bed had been set, three other maids laid on it some clothes and accessories. Miru checked the bed sheet, before sending the maid to do her next task.

“We have prepared a special potion for your bath, My Lady. It sure will lessen your sore,” Miru gave her a knowing smiled, the other maids followed immediately.

Mirai could not help but to blush. Even though she knew that it was just a lie, knowing what people thinking of what she and Prince Ryosuke might have done, made her very embarrassed.

After two long hours, they made Mirai stood in front of a mirror. Mirai could see how different her look now. She wore a light make up and a simple-yet-beautiful sky-blue dress. The color blue, as one of the maid said, was Prince Ryosuke’s favorite. Aware of their teasing, Mirai blushed more. But then seeing her own appearance, she thanked them. Growing as a boyish girl, Mirai never mastered how to use cosmetics or to dress up though she had learned them in Royal Academy and even it was much to her mother insistence. It was Miru that always did the work to doll her up. And Miru knew how much Mirai did not like a heavy make-up or fancy dress.

Reaching some point in her memories, Mirai turned a bit tense. It was because during all those doll-up times, Miru always talked about a certain thing. And it was all about Prince Ryosuke. She felt a pang in her heart. If Miru believed the lie Mirai created, Miru might be hurt now. And the thought of her betrayed her friend squeezed her heart in pain.

“Miru…”

Miru heard her. As Miru saw Mirai hesitated, she shunned the maids out from the room. After they were left alone, Mirai looked up to Miru, eyes teary.

“Now, now, why are you crying dear?” Miru cupped Mirai’s face as a big sister would do.

Blinking her tears away, Mirai asked, “Do you hate me now?”

“Why should I?”

“Because now I and… Prince Ryosuke…are…,” Mirai trailed. Miru stared at her with confused look.

“Don’t you…have a feeling for him?”

And by that, Miru’s eyes widened, caught where Mirai’s mind went.

“You think I do?”

Mirai hesitated, “You used to talk about him…”

Miru giggled, “My lady, you have misunderstood. Yes, I had talked about him a lot, but it was an admiration, not something you called…a feeling.” I have my reason, Mirai.

Mirai gave Miru a disbelief look ad seeing that, Miru added, “Believe me, Mirai. I don’t have special feeling for him, so don’t worry. And don’t ever feel guilty about this marriage.”

“But…”

Their conversation interrupted by a maid informed, “My lady, His Highness has sent his man to get you.”

Miru told the maid to tell the messenger that Lady Mirai would be ready soon, then she turned to Mirai. “No buts!” Miru reprimanded. “Now, hurry up. The Prince has been waiting to have a breakfast with you.”

**********

“Are women always this slow?” Ryosuke complained. He had been waiting for almost a half hour for Mirai and he had felt so hungry since he did not eat enough the day before, due to his stress.

“Be patient, my prince. It is a very important day, so it’s understandable for the lady to prepare well,” Yuto from the seat beside the table said.

“More important,” Yuto added. “Is it alright to have me sitting here, having breakfast with you?”

“It’s fine. You always have breakfast with me and I don’t want it the other way.”

“But it’s your first meal as an official newlywed. Won’t I just be the third wheel?”

“Just sit and don’t complain!” Ryosuke finalized. Yuto sighed. As weird as it seemed, he had always been grateful that Ryosuke treated him as his equal, not someone lower.

After a quarter hour more, the lady arrived with her companion. Ryosuke never met the maid before so he was sure that she must be Mirai’s own maid from Shida house.

“Forgive me to make you wait, my lord,” Mirai greeted him.

He observed her briefly. The overcoat she wore had deep blue color and after she put it off, he could see the dress she wore. The color of her dress caught his attention first. Sky-blue, his favorite. The dress itself was simple, he noted, almost plain with only embroideries on its sleeves and waist, layered by sparkling crystals on its half top and flower ornaments on some parts of the skirt. It was decent for a princess, though, since she looked not bad on it.

“Please sit,” he gestured. “You too, Captain Nakajima,” he noticed that Yuto had stood when Mirai came.

Mirai seemed to not notice Yuto’s presence before as she blinked, though in subtle way, when Ryosuke mentioned his name.

“You’re here Captain Nakajima,” she said as a greeting.

“Good morning, my lady,” Yuto bowed.

“I hope you don’t mind if Captain Nakajima eats with us,” Ryosuke half asked.

Mirai shook her head a little, “No, I don’t mind. The more the merrier.”

Ryosuke shifted his gaze to the maid stood behind Mirai. “What’s your name?”

His sudden question caught the maid off guard as she stuttered, “Ta-Takano Miru on your service, Your Highness.”

“Honor wife,” he called Mirai, the sound of it made him flinched inside actually, “Do you mind if your lady-in-waiting joins us?”

Mirai was surprised, moreover the maid herself.

“Your Highness, please forgive this humble servant, but it’s not proper,” Miru bowed low.

“Do you mind?” Ryosuke instead asked Mirai one more time.

He saw the look Mirai sent him, as if said ‘Are you serious?’ When his gaze did not wavered, Mirai gulped and answered, “No, I don’t mind.”

 He gestured Miru to sit, but the maids seemed hesitated.

“Just sit, lady. I don’t like people watching me while I’m eating.”

The maid bowed then took a seat beside the table, across Yuto’s seat, still seemed reluctant. The atmosphere became awkward; he felt it but shrugged it off. No matter what others would say, he would not have people standing while he himself eating. It was just not right for him. The breakfast was spent in silence, though he knew Mirai’s eyes had been on him for some time.

**********

When I heard Miru’s stories long time ago, the only part I remembered was the one she said that Prince Ryosuke was handsome and had plenty skill in swords and martial arts. The first time I met him in person, I had wondered and questioned him why he had been willing to do an action that would only caused him trouble, but he shrugged it off and said that he did not do it for nothing.

My second encounter with him was on our wedding. I could saw him clearly. Yes, he was indeed extremely good looking. No, it was an understatement. He would be the death of many women with that look he had. Yet, that day I had no space for him in my mind since I was more engrossed in my grieving.

The third encounter was the wedding night. He had literally given me a heart attack. When he, once more, offered me my freedom, the question I had before resurfaced, why was he willing to do that far?

Then during the first meal we had, he had made Miru sat and had a meal with us. A prince and a servant eating on the same table; it was not only improper in our custom, but even a shame to be sight. I watched him while he was eating. The question lingered: What kind of person is he actually? For most of the times, he seemed impassive, but the way he acted in front of me was too kind to belong to a cold hearted person.

Just what kind of person are you, Ryosuke?

“Today will be the first greeting to the King and Queen, and the first visit to the crown prince, Your Highness,” Miru explained their schedule for the day.

They had done their winter coats and ready to start walking toward Inner Area when Ryosuke instructed, “We’re going to visit someone first before that.” And he started to walk away, toward the other side of the main building of Outer Palace. Mirai walked a step behind him, followed by Yuto and Miru.

They stopped at a place which Mirai guessed might be the palace garden since there were cherry trees and some other plants she could not recognized and a freezing pond in the center. Ryosuke stood before a certain cherry tree, but when Mirai came closer, she could saw a tombstone.

“Whose grave is it?” She asked.

Ryosuke’s gaze focused on the certain line crafted on the tombstone. Suzuki Umi, the First Royal Consort of King Yamada Shohei.

“My mother,” his voice was cold.

Ryosuke crouched down and pulled up the weeds that somehow survive the cold. Mirai stood still. She did not know what to do. As she looked to Miru and Yuto for a clue, they gave her encouraging smiles. When she returned her gaze to Ryosuke, he had stood and bowed to the grave.

Just be normal. As a wife should be.

So Mirai stood beside him and bowed with him, paying her respect to her supposed-to-be mother in-law. Ryosuke went silent for some time. Knew nothing else to do, Mirai engaged herself in silent conversation with the grave.

‘Suzuki-san, how do you do? I’m Shida Mirai. You know, it is supposed to be the first greeting your son and his wife do, so for doing it as an act, I’m sorry. But in the future, I hope he will get the chance to do it properly with his real wife.’

“Let’s go,” Ryosuke’s voice pulled her out.

They resumed their walk toward Inner Palace. During the walk, Mirai reminisced the things she had learned about the palace building. The Royal Palace was surrounded by stone wall. The wall that separated the palace and the world outside, and surrounded the palace on all four sides, was called Outer Wall. It served as the first defense of the palace. Then there was also Inner Wall, which divided the palace into two parts: Inner Area and Outer Area. Inner Area was consisted of Inner Palace, where only the King, Queen, and crown prince were allowed to stay there; the Governmental Building where the throne room and the court were located, and the King’s guardian’s station. The Outer Area was consisted of Outer Palace, where the common princes lived, Royal Palace Forced station and training ground, the main royal kitchen, the servant mess, and the ware houses. Along the way from Outer Wall to Inner Palace, there were several check points whe