"The man she marries is destined to become a hero."
They were words that had haunted her since she was a child. Words that she was convinced were ruining her life, reflected the Lady Ameko Satoka, daughter of the Duke Akito Satoka of the duchy of Rahiro in the land of Omamine, as she stared at herself in the mirror. The dress was a magnificent piece of work, a pure white affair that was lined with careful embroidery and tasteful but not overdone lace, leaving her arms bare and slimming her figure which was not terribly curvy to begin with. Her long black hair was pinned up expertly, the jewelry flattering against her tan skin, but even all that couldn't fix the gloomy expression she wore on her face.
"My lady, are you in there?" a maid's timid voice came from outside the door. "The duke would like to see you."
"Please let him in." Ameko turned around as the door opened, the maid bowing as Akito entered the room. Like his daughter, he was dressed in the finest the duchy had to offer, and like his daughter, his expression was none too happy about it.
"How do you feel?" he questioned softly, placing a gloved hand to her forehead, then scowling at the glove, as if he had forgotten how useless it was to attempt to check someone's temperature with one on.
"The same as before. I do not like this idea," she sighed, "but I suppose we cannot avoid it."
"I'm afraid not," he told her with a slight smile. "Your hand has become one of the most valuable things in this world, I think. They would only clamor all the louder for another chance to woo you. And you are of the appropriate age--more, actually. Had the nobility had their way, your sixteenth birthday party would have been a wedding reception."
"How can I possibly expected to agree to any of these buffoons," she snorted, folding her arms and looking out the window, considering a possible escape route. No, it wouldn't work with the dress on, she conceded. "It's embarrassing what they'll do to gain a presumably favorable prophecy."
"I know. I will never force you to say yes," her father promised as he had done before, putting an arm around her shoulders and holding her briefly. "Just entertain them for a while and I'll see what we can do."
She gave him a bow in return, looking back at the mirror. It would be nice to find one nice man out there, she reflected. What *would* she like? A commoner or a noble, it didn't matter. Someone who was not preoccupied with being a hero, for one. A kind man, one that could make her smile, but someone who was at least as strong as she was. There would be no tolerance for men who could not compete with her on an equal footing, she smirked to herself as she looked in the mirror one more time. As if a man like that exists. I am one of the strongest people in this kingdom. I will have no lesser for my partner.
Making a brief check of her shoes, she stepped out of her room at last, making her way to the castle's grand hall. Guests from around the world had once again been invited for an evening of festivity. She wasn't really sure whose pocket it was out of this time--there were plenty of nobles ready to attempt to impress with their wealth, after Akito had made it clear he wasn't going to waste his duchy's treasury on parties for seducing his daughter.
The wells are going dry again in the southern farmlands, she thought to herself, pausing by a window. And we're hearing reports of strange beasts in the foothills. Small wonder why some may want a hero in unsettling times, but how many of them are really thinking of their people instead of themselves?
What would she change, if she had the power? If I could change the world...Perhaps this thing called 'nobility' is becoming obsolete. They say it was established to preserve the bloodlines of noble magic, but no other magical bloodline has had a problem with sustaining itself. In what world do purification magic and the ability to lead go hand in hand? If I could change things....
"My Lady," a voice greeted as she approached the door, a younger gentleman bowing to her. "It's good to see you again."
"Lord Minano Keinori, isn't it?" she replied smoothly, bringing what she knew of him to mind. A younger son of the duke of Iriuka, nice enough but not much backbone, particularly in the company of his older brothers. A consideration as an ally, but certainly not her type. "I'm glad to see you are doing well. Has your wound healed?"
"It was just a careless hunting accident," he deferred. "It's actually quite embarrassing. But it's doing fine now. Ah...your dress is very nice tonight, my lady."
She tried not to giggle at watching him work up the nerve to ask her to dance. "Thank you. If you'll excuse me, I must go greet our guests." She heard him stammer a bit as she breezed by, examining the hall. She didn't have any real aversion to dancing with him, but if she actually invited someone to dance instead of the other way around, she'd never hear the end of it.
"Announcing the Lady Ameko Satoka, of the duchy of Rahiro," a page announced as he saw her, and instantly all eyes in the room were on here. Unintimidated, she walked down the few stairs onto the floor gracefully, folding her hands in front of her.
"Welcome to Rahiro," she said to the crowd, her voice carrying over the hall easily. "I trust that you will enjoy yourself tonight."
She had barely finished her short speech when a few men already began making their way toward her. "Lady Ameko," a man greeted as someone tried to take her hand.
"Lord Haname Yamaruta," she greeted coolly, stealing her hand back gracefully. He thought way more of himself than he should--all boasting, little skill. "What a surprise to see you."
"You grow lovelier with each passing day," he murmured, leaning in far too much to her personal space. "Might I have a dance?"
Turning her head, she slipped away from in front of him with the same casual grace. "Ah, what a wonderful spread we have been provided tonight! I must go thank the chef," she said pleasantly, walking away from him.
Walking by the tables set out for the guests to partake of, she scanned the room, looking for any new or unfamiliar faces. There were a few, and she felt mildly surprised that she didn't know all the nobles in the world yet. Here's hoping some of them might be more interesting than wet wood, she thought to herself, taking a small glass and drinking from it daintily.
"Ameko," her father's voice greeted her again, and this time she could catch some sort of chill in his tone. "I'd like to introduce you to someone."
She turned with a bow, taking in the stranger in a quick look over. He was an older gentleman that seemed familiar somehow, but she couldn't quite place the man's appearance. Although he was smiling, there was a cold light in his eyes, and her first instinct was to immediately add him to the 'reject' list in her mind. "Good evening."
"We are very honored to have King Shiou among our guests tonight, Ameko," Akito told her in that same tone. "I am hoping you will honor him with a dance."
She didn't like the sound of this, but there wasn't much refusing the only position of power in the world above her father's. "I am flattered that you would seek to dance with such a novice as myself," she said modestly, giving him another bow.
He smiled at her, and something in his expression was chilling. She smiled back, and accepted the hand he held out, letting him lead her out and onto the floor to dance. Letting her body go through the movements automatically, she tried to remember what she knew of the king personally. He'd been married before, and he had...one child? Yes, a son. His old wife, the Queen, had died in childbirth, she thought. Well, not according to rumor--they said she had been murdered--but no one was bold enough to follow up on them. A powerful man despite his age, both physically and magically; the position of king gave him access to many more magics that kept the world in line. "You are certainly as beautiful as they say," he told her in a low tone, leading her along. "I see my effort to determine if those words were true was not wasted."
"Thank you for your kind words, my liege," she murmured, looking up at him through her eyelashes. Somehow, she didn't want to offer this man any more conversation than she had to.
"You must find it troublesome," he continued, "having so many men seeking so eagerly to become your husband."
"I consider myself very lucky," she lied. "I have the choice of every fine man in the world. What more could one ask?"
He looked at her again with those chilling eyes. "There is a way, you know. A way to make them stop asking."
"My liege?"
His hand tightened around her fingers with enough pressure to hurt. "Lady Satoka, you are going to be my wife. I will make you the queen of this world. No one will dare question your choice. I will give you everything you desire, Satoka."
"My liege...I don't know what to say," and for once, that was true. Ameko felt her chest tighten in panic. How did one say no to a king?
The look in his eyes told her she didn't. "Just say yes. I will announce it here and now to the world. You will be my wife."
"My lord, to think that you are...to me...." Placing a hand to her forehead, she did the only thing she could in the situation: drop to the floor in a dramatic and ladylike faint.
"The Lady has fainted!" she could hear servants calling. "Get her some air, bring her water! Fetch the Duke!"
As she felt herself being lifted and carried, she had some time to think. She had no intention of giving that man any further power, let alone setting herself up to be a potential murder victim somewhere down the line. Well, it would kill any further proposals, she thought to herself with a touch of irony. No man would dare compete directly with the king. Think, Ameko, she scolded herself as she counted the steps of the men carrying her out. If the king said yes, there would be little to dissuade him. What was something that even the king could not argue with? What was a higher power than the king?
A higher power? She snorted to herself at the dramatic phrase, the words bringing to mind the religious folks along the outskirts of civilization who prayed to their god to save them.
A god to save them? That was the one thing he would have to respect, she realized slowly. The small groups of women, who locked themselves inside their convents and only left to inflict their prophecies on the world, who swore themselves to their god above man. That would be something he would have to respect.
The movement stopped, and she felt her back being placed against her bed--she was pretty sure it was hers, judging by the number of steps. Waiting for the door to shut, she opened one eye before sitting up, checking to make sure the room was empty. It had to be tonight, she thought, swiftly going to the door and locking it, and it had to be now.
First, clothing. Ameko slipped out of the dress swiftly, digging out some plain-colored hunting clothes from her closet. Her noblewoman's sword would be far too obvious, but the backup sword she had would work well enough. There should also be some emergency rations left over from her last excursion. Would it be enough to last her until she got out of the duchy, she wondered as she eyed them. From there she'd have to hunt her food, or find a place to work for food where no one would know her.
The mirror caught her eye again as she paused in front of it, shirt held to her chest. It was goodbye, she realized. Unless she married him, she would never be able to return to the duchy, to see her father again. There would be no falling in love or marrying in the convent.
What are the options? she asked herself bitterly. I will never allow myself to become his puppet. I have my pride. This...is the only way I can survive, for now.
Throwing the food and a few other useful things into a pouch, she looked around the room again. After a short pause, she seized a locket from her jewelry box, stuffing it in the bottom of the bag. It was hopefully unidentifiable, but she just couldn't bring herself to leave without something to remember her father by. Clamping down on any further sentimentality, she jumped down from the window, already considering the best route to get out that would not be followed easily.
Her hair, she thought to herself, swiftly pulling it down from the pins. Too identifiable. She'd have to cut it as soon as she was far enough away to hide the long locks from discovery. She'd do it later, when it would be easier to come to terms with leaving the name Ameko Satoka behind.
All because of that damned prophecy.
