Chapter 2- The Prince and the Knight.

“Tie it a bit tighter please?” Ayane directed the maid who tugged at the laces of her boots a bit harder. “Yeah that’s better. Thank you.” She said and stood up. She was ready for her sparring practice with Meiko.

“Bring it on.” She said and walked towards the sparring room with Kiyoteru.

“Ayane!!” the boisterous voice could only belong to Meiko. Ayane saw a brunette walk towards her with one of her arms in bandages.

“What happened; Meiko Sensei??” Ayane asked, feigning concern.

“Oh it’s just a few stitches. It’s just occupational hazard you see. That guy, Nazo Shi accepted a really dangerous mission with only a few subordinates assigned to him. This was inevitable.” She said patting her bandages.

“Oh. I've heard he is famous for being ruthless. He never leaves my brother’s side.” Ayane said. “So I don’t have class today?” She asked in a hopeful tone.

“Don’t get all starry eyed and hopeful.” Meiko snapped at her. “I nagged Nazo into accepting to take classes for you today.” she said proudly.

“Whaaattt???.. Noo waaaaay!!!” Ayane protested.

“He will also monitor your Horse Riding practice today,” Meiko said with a big mischievous smile.

“You evil WOMAN!!!” Ayane said with disdain. “What’s with my wretched luck today!!” she complained.

“Ahem Miss Ayane.” Kioteru interrupted. “We don’t have time to waste. We are already 5 minutes behind schedule.”

“Have a nice day my lady.” Meiko said waving her goodbye. Her smile seemed to have widened further.

Ayane cursed her under her breath and walked to the garden where Meiko had said Nazo would be waiting for her. She was nervous. It had already been five years since he had been made the crown prince’s personal body guard, but she had never seen him smile even once. He looked as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulder. She had hardly heard him speak much either. He commanded the other royal knights. Meiko was one of them.

“Ne, Kiyoteru Sensei,” she said, “have you spoken to Nazo san before??”

“There is no need to be nervous Miss Ayane, you are the princess after all. No matter what happens he will have to treat you wi….” Kiyoteru realized that Ayane was no longer listening to him. She was staring right ahead of her with a mixed expression of awe and worry.

Two young men were sparring almost with an intent that looked like they were going to kill each other. One of them was her brother with long white hair, wearing a white long coat with golden and red thread work. The other was the man she knew as Nazo. His long dark purple hair was tied in a high pony, he had tied his purple and black overcoat around his waist revealing a black sleeveless inner. He made swift and confident moves, never taking his eyes off his opponent. They looked like a haze of purple and white in the flurry of their actions.

Her brother seemed to have broken into a sweat but Nazo looked calm as he dodged the frantic sword of his opponent. Ayane gasped as she watched her brother lose balance, the next second her brother was on the ground staring at the tip of Nazo’s sword which was inches away from his throat. 

“Onichan!!!” Ayane shouted as she ran towards the two of them.

Both the winner and the defeated looked in her direction.

“Ah Ayane!!” her brother exclaimed, he looked flustered. “Such a pity, that you have to see me in this condition.” He said with a broad embarrassed smile. Ayane could see herself reflected in his emerald green eyes. She knew that she was over reacting, no harm could befall him. But, she didn’t like this, one bit.  

“Should I have let you win??” Nazo asked him, his voice was deep and void of emotion. There was no soul whatsoever in his sky blue eyes. It reminded her of Akane. “So, he is another one of them. The ones who wear a mask,” she thought.

“Hahaha… Well, I think I will have to at least let her watch a match in which I beat you the next time.” Her brother replied between taking gasps of breath in. Unlike him who looked pale – something like a dead tuna fish, Nazo looked like he just had a warm up session.

“I assume that today I will be the one to take your sparring lesson.” he said looking at Ayane.

“Hai!” She replied, nodding her head and helping her brother to stand up.

“Aren’t you supposed to be getting ready for the party brother??” She asked him. “Akane is already ready. The red dress you brought me the other day suits her very well.” She said.

“Ahh, but you didn’t even try it on once.” He said with disappointment in his voice.

“I have told you never to buy those frilly dresses for me. They are sooo not my type.” She shouted back at him. She didn’t know why she was agitated.

She felt his broad hand land on her head. “Well, then how about we go out for shopping on the eve of your birthday and buy you the kind of dress that is ‘sooo your type’,” he said with a smile. “Big brother is arranging a big surprise for you on your birthday.”

Ayane turned red. He seemed to have seen right through her. She was embarrassed. Why was it that she could never wear an opaque mask like the others?

“Alright then, I must leave now. I leave her in your care Nazo kun. Please be gentle with her.” He said looking from Ayane to Nazo. 

“Kiyoteru, I want to have a word with you.” He called out to Kiyoteru who looked a bit apprehensive of the idea of brutal and meaningless slashing of swords, and was standing away from all the commotion. “Your father is in the head of the department of internal affairs and public relations right?? I have a job for you.” He said as he beckoned Kiyoteru to follow him.

Ayane watched the two of them leave, deep in conversation. She realized that she was left alone to deal with this purple monochromatic character who had just sent her ‘almighty’ brother flying to the ground.

She looked up at the tall man, he looked right into her eyes and it seemed to pierce right through her.  Suddenly she felt the need to be opaque again.

“…” There was a long awkward silence.

“Are you just going to stand around” The silence was broken by his voice which seemed to chisel through the ice that seemed to have frozen her.

“Um yeah.. I mean no..” She fumbled..

“Here take this sword.” He said handing the other sword which was fastened inside his belt.

Ayane took the sword, her hands seemed to be shivering. “Ok, calm down Ayane, think of something that would make him seem less intimidating.” She thought, tightening her grip on the sword.

She unsheathed her sword and looked up at him. He seemed to look a bit unsure. “Purple,” she thought. 

“what is purple and is less daunting than this monstrous sword-wielding sadist.” Ayane was trying hard to find a way to make him look less daunting.

“Cummon!! Meiko taught you better than that, didn’t she?” the words fell on deaf ears as Ayane was still trying hard to find her answer to making him look less tall. “Ok, what is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think purple??” She asked herself.

Nazo’s patience was wearing off. He sighed and started walking towards her. What he saw next, he had never expected.

“Hahahahaha” Ayane broke off in a fit of laughter. She held her stomach and knelt down on the ground.

Nazo was so shocked by her abrupt behavior that he stopped in his path. She was laughing so hard that she was unable to catch her breath.

“And what may I ask you, is so funny Miss Ayane??” He said, anger seeping through his voice. He was being humiliated by this insignificant girl who didn’t even know her stance.

“Eggplant!!”

Nazo shook his head. He must have heard it wrong but did she just say “Eggplant?”

“You…” she said trying to catch her breath back.. “You are an…” … “Eggplant!!.” She said and broke off into another fit of laughter “Hahahahaha”

Nazo didn’t know how to react to this. He was angry but at the same time he found it vaguely amusing to have been compared to an eggplant. He just watched her laugh it out.

“Are you done??” he asked. “Can we start now??”

Ayane realized that he no longer wore the mask. She smiled. “Hai.” She said happily.