The Return Of The Empress

Chapter One

Ryuuzaki Sumire sighed loudly, impatiently checking her watch for what seemed to be the thousandth time. The sensible digital watch strapped on her wrist read '12:50 a.m.' when she checked a few minutes ago. They were late by almost an hour. Could-could something have happened? Sumire squashed down her worry relentlessly and looked to the young lady beside her. Meino Nanako was the Echizen's remaining blood relative, she was a pale and slender thing, and she bore an uncanny resemblance to Meino Miharu, the Echizens' mother. 

Nanako shifted uneasily, eyes scanning the bustling crowd hopefully, butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she gripped the strap of her light pink leather tote bag. If she was to be confessing the truth, Nanako could easily admit that she had no clue of her cousins' existence until a six months ago when the Echizen's lawyer had seen fit to inform her of the very recently orphaned siblings' plight when he sensed something off about Echizen Mai, Echizen Nanjiro's younger sister. He hadn't been off about his suspicion that Nanako's sister, his intuition proved right by the information he had received from private investigators he had hired. Echizen Mai had planned to adopt the two children, all right, Aigasaki Daichirou had stated wryly, just not for the reasons one would think she might have.

Echizen Mai had planned to use the Echizen's vast inheritance to pay off her sizable debt, successfully landing herself in jail when the New York Police Department's investigation proved her guilty of her crime. Nanako had been astonished by what her brother-in-law's sister had planned to do, filing for custody as soon as she learned of the staggering news. The battle for the siblings' custody had been long and tedious, but she had won in the end. Nanako mentally thanked that she was of legal age to take the guardianship of the two. Hence, the reason for Nanako's presence at the Narita Airport, waiting for both the Echizens' arrival from America.

"You don't have to be that antsy, Nanako, just remember that they don't like receiving help from anyone, eldest one, especially. Trust issues, understandable regarding their circumstances." Nanako smiled shakily, if not genuinely at Sumire's reassurance, reaching down to rummage through her tote bag for her car keys.

The two women turned to the soft sound of light footsteps. "Meino-san? Kon'nichiwa, it's nice to meet you." A young girl in a white crew-neck and navy blue pleated skirt stood before them, a sleeping toddler in her arms and a grey duffel bag slung over one shoulder. Her expressionless mask faltered, softening slightly in gratitude as she offered a pale hand. Sumire grasped the offered hand firmly, noting that although the amber-eyed teen looked just about as delicate as a flower, with bird-like bones and doe-like topaz eyes, her palms held calluses that betrayed how much the slim girl could actually endure. After all, you don't get calluses like these without hours and hours of training. Sumire acknowledged affectionately, impressed with the young girl's dedication.

"It's nice to meet you as well, I take that you are fluent in Japanese." Sumire quirked her lips as the young lady smiled somewhat stiffly, showing no other reaction except to nod her head and gently rock the sleeping bundle of blue in her arms. "Alrighty, let's get you two to the shrine, then." Nanako announced cheerily, deciding not to mention the distinct Kansai drawl the emerald-haired girl sported, figuring that bringing up the topic would eventually lead to her cousins' mother. Nanako was unwilling to bring up the all-too-fresh death of Echizen Miharu, who had been born and raised in Kyoto.

--

Echizen Rei cooed softly to her brother as he slipped into a hopefully deep sleep, thankful that she had finally lulled him into a peaceful sleep. In the middle of the ride back to the shrine, Ryoma had awakened in a very bad mood, wailing loudly despite everything that Rei had done to try to appease him. Slipping quietly out of the room, Rei made her way down the stairs, joining Ryuuzaki-san and Meino-san at the porch that faced the immaculate courtyard for tea. As she settled down on the plush sitting cushion opposite the two, Rei observed the impeccable make-shift tennis court with a passive gaze, even as she fingers itched for the familiar feel of a racquet beneath her hand. Her two guardians, who had been murmuring softly to each other in voices too soft for even Rei's sensitive ears to detect, turned to her.

Rei flinched slightly at the sudden scrutiny, smoothing down the non-existent wrinkles in her navy blue skirt subconsciously. "So, Rei-san, being an Echizen, I can assume that you play tennis, is that right?" Ryuuzaki-san stated clearly, smirking when Rei arched a brow. "Have you already enrolled to be a student of Seigaku Gakuen High School, then, Rei-san?" Meino-san inquired politely, pouring tea into Rei's cup. Rei pursed her lips, brushing the strands of dark green away from her eyes, and nodded hesitantly. The gears of her prodigious brain worked quickly as she envisioned the only scenario that had a high possibility of taking place based on the flow of questions. Wait, don't tell me-

"So, I can safely presume that you will be attending the Tennis Club, then." Yep. She predicted correctly. Rei smiled wryly, picking up a porcelain cup and taking a sip of the steaming tea, barely hiding her disappointment when she found an important loophole in the statement. "Actually, I'm afraid that I have no time for that, Ryuuzaki-san, as much as I would love to play tennis, I shall be far too busy with ballet to have any spare time for a club." It was very true, though, ballet required far more exertion on Rei's part. Not that she would ever give it up.

Ryuuzaki-san didn't seem taken aback by the news, so Rei deduced that Aigasaki-san must have told them both of Rei's second passion. If she had to choose between the two, tennis made the first place by a thin margin, as much as she'd hate to admit. Rei mused thoughtfully. Meino-san hummed quietly, pouring more tea into the cup Rei set down. "Oh yes, I've heard from Aigasaki-san that you are quite the accomplished dancer." Heat crept up Rei's face, suffusing alabaster skin with a rosy blush at the praise. "A-ah, Aigasaki-san was exaggerating, I can assure you, Meino-san."

Ryuuzaki-san nodded again, scratching her chin pensively as Meino-san chuckled at Rei playfully, asking Rei to call her Nanako-san. "What about this, then, because I know that your ballet lessons aren't that time-consuming, let's have a compromise, shall we, because I know, that as long as the Echizen blood runs in your veins, tennis can never be dropped so easily." Rei perked slightly, fiddling with the brown leather band clasped on her left wrist. "Sou da na, Ryuuzaki-san?" Rei drawled slowly, a smirk pulling up one side of her mouth. Ryuuzaki-san seemed amused by the first sign that Rei really was the daughter of the Samurai Nanjiro, citing amusedly that his smirk always had a way of riling his opponents up, a smirk which was eerily similar to Rei's.

"Right then, daily morning practise starts at 7a.m. sharp, after-school tennis practice takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from 3p.m. to 5.p.m. And when you become a regular, there will be practise on Sundays, too." Rei bit the inside of her cheek contemplatively, nodding eagerly as she thought over the agreement. Even if Rei was eager to play tennis again, a prickling sensation stabbing her heart ruthlessly. "You don't have to be a regular, I just want to witness your growth," Ryuuzaki-san added kindly when she caught sight of Rei's face, mistaking it for grudging acceptance.

"Kamahen, Ryuuzaki-san, thank you very much for your offer," Rei smiled shakily as she realised what she was feeling, "I think that this is what Chichiue would have wanted, and that's for me to not dwell on his death and move on. On that note, may I take a look at the registration form?"

It's also because of that, huh?