Foreign Sakura (Various x Reader)

Page #9

Everyone in the palace treated you like a fragile child, you couldn't help but wonder why. Despite proving your strength time and time again, they continued to treat you, as if you were incapable of handling yourself.

But Ryuichi was different. Unlike the others, he saw you for who you truly were a princess, yes, one who didn't conform to the norms of royalty. But he treated you with respect nonetheless, never looking down on you or patronizing you. In his eyes, you were more than just a delicate flower to be protected; you were a person capable of holding your own. It was a relief to have someone who saw you as an equal, someone you could call a friend, even if he denied it and deemed it improper.

⊱*: .｡. ‧₊˚❀‧₊˚. .｡.:*⊰

The courtyard resounded with the harsh clashing of metal against metal, the echo reverberating through the air like a solemn drumbeat. Each strike of your sword against the training dummies seemed to carry the weight of your thoughts, a heavy vexation pressing down on your shoulders.

Sneaking into the city and confronting those thieves had landed you in trouble once again, yet you found it impossible to muster any regret for your actions.

If you were properly allowed outside the palace you wouldn't have done it!

Though that wasn't good enough for your father.

Your frustration simmered beneath the surface, fueled by the knowledge that your father has confined you to the palace indefinitely as punishment. He wouldn't let you leave his sight until you were shriveled up and old.

You loved your father. You knew he was truly like no other.

You've talked to other princesses before you were shunned. They told you stories how they were already being married off at their teen ages because of their father. You were lucky beyond all means that your father is protective of his family and staff. Anyone he grew close to in the palace was held within arms reach to him and they were happy to be treated that way.

But not you.

Despite your love for him, his overprotective nature stifled you, suffocating your spirit with every passing day.

The palace walls, once a sanctuary, felt like a prison, and the suffocating judgment of those within only added to your turmoil.

You didn't want to be here, not like this.

As you swung your sword with a scowl etched upon your features, each strike seemed to chip away at the bamboo dummies in your fury. With each blow, your anger grew, until you ultimately destroyed the dummy.

You huff and puff as you wipe your head, glaring at the broken dummy before looking back to see it had revealed behind it Ryuichi. He sat far away from you on the other side of the courtyard, alone and meddling with his injuries.

Injuries you never saw before.

One of his eyes was swathed in bandages, an arm and leg encased in a plaster cast, and he leaned heavily upon a cane for support as he moved to sit down.

Dropping your sword, you ran over to him before cautiously walking the rest of the way, concern etched across your features.

"Ichi, what happened?!" you inquired.

"Don't call me that." he grumbled, his gaze fixed upon the ground in silent contemplation. "And it's none of your business."

You pout, "Oh, please tell me! Please, please, PLEASE!!" you persisted.

He glared at you with one golden eye before turning away.

Undeterred, you settled beside him, your persistence unwavering as you peppered him with questions. "Did you get into a fight? Does it still hurt? Can I see what happened? Can you tell me? Can you? Can you?" you prodded, your curiosity driving you forward.