In Your Good Graces {MomoJirou}

The Exiled Princess

Momo walked silently down the trail. She had been aimlessly walking for days. She was starving and exhausted. She was alone with only her sorrowful tears to accompany her. The former princess no longer owned a title or a home to call her own. She was exiled from her own kingdom that would have been promised to her when she became queen. That promise went into flames when she was forced to marry a man she didn't love. She was pushed out of her castle with nothing, but a necklace around her neck. It wasn't really a necklace, but a ring attached to a silver chain. She couldn't even remember who gave it to her, but she always knew it was something she was supposed to keep close to her heart.

She came upon a busy town. She was thinking about selling the ring for money. Maybe it was worth something she could use to buy some food or shelter for the night. As she walked through the town, she felt like she was entering an entirely new world, given she had barely seen anything but the four walls of her castle.

She noticed townsfolk started forming two lines on the side of the road, but was unable to come to a reason why. In the mist of her confusion, she was pushed over, tripping over the gravel beneath her. She heard horse's gait draw near her. She stood up, making sure the cloth hood on her head covered her face. She turned around, trying to piece together what was happening. Her face was flushed from embarrassment as she realized she was the the center of attention. A group of people on horses had stopped in front of her. She noticed the person leading the group was a female suited in armor. The unknown person dismounted her horse and walked up to her. Momo's chest tighten as she became aware that she might have been disrespecting a hierarchy of authority.

The woman took off her helmet, running her hands through her messy purple hair. She had beads of sweat rolling down the sides of her face. The young woman had just gotten out of battle and was returning home victorious.

"You must be new here. Look up at me, dear."

Momo titled her head up slightly, but not enough to make eye contact with the woman standing in front of her.

"Would you mine taking off your hood?"

Her heart rushed as she slowly removed the only thing protecting her identity. Her eyes slowly landed on the soft amethyst ones of the shorter girl. Terror flashed through her eyes as she realized where she was. She had accidentally wondered into the kingdom of her family's enemy. Now, she was standing face to face with the queen of this region. The young queen quickly recognized the princess and immediately drew her sword. Her once soft gaze hardened, and she pointed the tip of her blade at the throat of her opposition.

"I can't believe the banished princess thought she would be welcomed in my lands," she smirked.

Momo dropped to the feet of the queen in despair, begging for mercy.

"Being that you're a Yaoyorozu, I should behead you where you lie," she paused and looked around at the faces of her people, "But there are children around."

Tears began to leak from the princess's eyes as she stayed bowed down at the feet of the noblewoman.

"Bring her in for sentencing," she commanded to her men.

~

Momo was on her knees in shackles. Her hair was unkempt and her long, white gown was dirty. She looked up at the queen to which she assumed was near the same age as herself. The young royal was now dressed in a plain white shirt tucked into black pants with a dark mantle on her shoulders. A golden crown sat perfectly on top of her head. She wasn't wearing the traditional clothing of a queen, but this was the last thing on Momo's mind.

The purple-haired woman sat on her throne, with her legs crossed, examining the taller girl that stood before her. She put her hand underneath her chin as she resided within her thoughts. When she had finally finished thinking, she smiled to herself, looking through the misery hidden in the eyes of her adversary.