A Rough Beginning

Getting to know you better

Welcome to chapter five, I hope you enjoy it! Also special thanks to all my followers and my commenters that have been encouraging me to keep writing!

So Thank You: Secret, and sailorstar9

Chapter 5

It had been a week since Karin married Torshiro, they hadn't talked much and Karin tended to stay away from everyone in the castle barely talking to the servants. She would talk to Torshiro sometimes when they were at dinner. Karin rarely joined him for breakfast and almost never joined him for lunch. She disappeared somewhere in the evening, but he still didn't know where. His servants would lose her as she walked around the town, but she always return right after the kids got out of school.

Torshiro woke up early every morning to begin his duties as king. He walked out of his room heading to his office. He hadn't done any work on his wedding day, so he was still trying to catch up. As he sat down at the desk a servant brought him a cup of tea to calm his nerves. Starting on the paperwork he came upon a letter from Momo, reading it. He became quiet,

Dear Torshiro

I am sorry for not being able to attend your wedding as Aizen is too busy and doesn't want me to leave alone. I am sorry for this. Be careful with the wolfden kingdom for I hear they are tyrants.

Sincerely Momo

"Tyrants? No it's more like scared of their surrounding and being worried" Torshiro said to himself thinking about his new wife Karin. "Gossip gets to you too much Momo" he mumbled. He heard a knock at his office door and stood up brushing off the dust from his jacket. "Come in" he said loudly so they could hear him outside the office. To Torshiro's surprise the door opened revealing a nicely dressed Karin, her long black hair was as it normal was. He discovered by watching her day to day that she preferred her hair down. Hanging down her back just like the night that they had met in the night flower fields.

"Sorry to intrude..." she said Torshiro watched as she shyly hung out by the door.

"You're not intruding it's fine, I was only doing some paperwork" he told her, "You can come in if you want" he invited, but still leaving her room to decline. Karin accepted the offer and stepped into the room shutting the door behind her quietly. She had a gentle touch to everything she was doing. Much different than the days before. She stood before him and his desk before Curtseying lowly almost as if she was going to kneel, it took Torshiro by surprise.

"I am sorry for punching you at the wedding, it was uncalled for and you were only doing what was expected." Karin said. Torshiro was surprised, why would she apologize after about a week, but came out from behind his desk and towards her, putting a gentle hand on her back and kneeling down with her.

"Karin there is no need to apologize, it's okay. We are two strangers and I shouldn't of expected you to be okay with it, I wasn't even okay with kissing, like you said it was just expected of us. I do not take any harm out of it, so please stand up. Your the queen not a servant, no matter what you do. You never have to kneel to me. I am not your master, we are equal partners in this marriage and in this kingdom." Torshiro said gentle his voice smooth and calming. Karin looked up at him, he put a hand out for her hand and she accepted. Helping her up they stood straight up together. As if they were actually close. It was as if they were in a picture.

"Thank you, Torshiro" she said.

"Now that, that is done, what about we go eat breakfast and I can show you around the castle. You've been keeping to yourself, so I am almost positive the only places you know are the dining room, front door, my office, and where both of our bedrooms are." he asked. Karin nodded in response telling the truth. Torshiro lead Karin out of the room towards the dining room sitting her on his right side. Torshiro sat down next to her as the cooks brought out some food. They had light conversation as they talked through the meal. When they were done with their meal, they went around the mansion. Torshiro showed her everything in the castle. They even walked around the garden. Karin looked the happiest there, Torshiro noticed. She stopped by some type of blue flower that matched her eyes and hair. Torshiro picked one and placed it in her hair.

"I think these match you extremely well" he said.

"Why thank you, I enjoy flowers very much me and my mom uses to plant the flowers in our garden, back at my family's castle" Karin said looking at him. Torshiro was about to say something when a servant interrupted them.

"Excuses me sir, a letter has come for you" she said handing him the letter. Karin watched as he took it and said thank you,. The servant left, letting Torshiro open the letter he looked through the letter before looking at Karin. His heart sank he had finally started to get along with his wife and now he had to leave her alone.

"Karin, I'm sorry but I'm going to have to leave you for a few days, I have to go and visit a allied kingdom called the seriti, they have been to make a deal with some of the supplies we have here" Torshiro said to her.

"Why do you have to leave me, when you can take me" Karin asked playfully. She was surprised at her own words, but didn't correct herself. Torshiro looked at her surprised.

"Would you like to come? It's a long journey, and it probably be uncomfortable" Torshiro told her, but hoped that it wouldn't change her mind, as he wanted her to go.

"I would like to come, plus I need to learn more about this kingdom's ruling if I am ever going to help you rule it" Karin replied.

"Okay, come on we need to get things ready than" he said heading back to the castle. He had servants go to both of their rooms and get clothes for their trip. A carriage was prepared. As the servants did this Torshiro took Karin to his office and pulled a box out of his desk. Opening it he pulled out a necklace out. "Karin I need you to promise me something, that you won't wander off, that you won't take this necklace off." Torshiro asked karin. Karin nodded before allowing Torshiro to put the necklace around her neck.

"I promise." she answered.

"Good, now here," Torshiro handed Karin a few folders before piling himself with papers. "We have short time so we need to go through theses papers and find out what would be worth our material here that they could offer and plane a deal, a draft." Torshiro explained. Karin nodded. Torshiro lead her to the library where a massive table was. They sat them down and started reading each paper.

By around 10 Torshiro was getting frustrated reading everything. Karin had found a comfortable chair in a corner to read the files. They had been reading the files since about 1 so they had been sitting and reading for 9 hours already.

"Torshiro, what are the peoples most used substance, besides food, water, metal?" Karin asked

"Wood, I guess but we already have plenty of that." he answered.

"What about the substance of knowledge, we need more informed people, science labs, etc.. I mean what if we traded them for what they wanted and in return we would be allowed to send people to their city, to study at their facilities, or even partner up with them in advances of the sciences, and math. Joints labs!" Karin suggested. Torshiro thought about it before nodding.

"I guess that would work, put out a scholarship for people who want the chance, it would help both kingdoms" Torshiro agreed. "Now we have to write up a draft" getting out a scroll Torshiro began the draft. Karin yawned watching Torshiro work. She eventually fell asleep in the chair. Torshiro finished the draft when it was about midnight. Yawning he sat up and held the scroll up to see how he did. Setting it down he smiled, before turning to talk to Karin.

"Okay Karin I am all done" he said to see a sleeping Karin. Smiling he walked over to her and brushed a piece of hair out of her face. Carefully he lifted her up bridal style and carried her upstairs to her room. Opening the door he put her on her bed and covered her with her sheets. "Night Karin, thanks for all your help" he said. Kissing her forehead and then leaving the room. He went to his room and got some supplies that he knew his servants would forget about, before going to bed. Torshiro and Karin would have a very long trip to come the next day. He just hoped Karin was prepared for what was to come. He was very grateful to her though because she was the one to say something that wasn't an object, but something more valuable than that, knowledge. In spending the day with Karin he became more interested in who Karin was as a person. For what he had already seen he was impressed by and curious what else she was hiding from him. Going to bed theses thought continued to circle in his head. Until darkness took him to his sleep.

Chapter 5 done! I hope you enjoyed it!

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Until next Time!

~ FoxFlame864 ~