Unending - a Sword Art Online Fanfic (being rewritten)

Chapter 32: The Deal

And now for something new I'm trying, as suggested to me by one of my readers. POV's of side characters.

Utsumi's POV:

Utsumi was dashing through the castle corridors at full speed. A messenger had visited her early this morning in the prisoner tent and had told her that princess Akari had requested her presence in her chambers immediately. So here she was, running madly through the halls looking for Akari's new room.

<Timeskip>

It took her a lot longer that she had thought it would, but here she was at last, standing in front of two very well decorated doors that, she had been told, were to the prince and princesses new chambers. She quietly knocked on the door, then knocked again a little louder when he didn't receive an answer. Finally, she simply pushed one of the doors slowly open and peeked inside. There was Akari, asleep, in the prince's arms!

Utsumi rubbed her eyes to make sure what she saw was true, and indeed it was. Akari was peacefully sleeping in a massive bed while pressed against the prince's body behind her. His arms were around her waist and his head tucked against her neck. A smile was on Akari's face and there was a slight blush on her cheeks.

Utsumi didn't know what to think, surely the prince hadn't seduced her best friend so quickly, but then again, Akari looked very comfortable right now. Utsumi was just about to turn and leave, when she heard Akari's voice.

"Utsumi, you came?"

"Of course, I figured it was important if you had gone to the trouble of sending a messenger to come and find me. But you look busy at the moment, so why don't I just leave you two love birds alone awhile longer."

"No Utsumi, this isn't what you think." Akari said, pulling herself out of the prince's arms. Utsumi noticed that Akari took care not to disturb him as she extracted herself from his hold.

"Says the girl sleeping with her captor."

"Utsumi, like it or not, he is my husband now, and there is only one bed and he wasn't going to sleep on the floor just for me. I had no choice if I didn't want to sleep on the floor myself."

"You could've." Utsumi said. "So... are you going to tell me why after only one day you seem so taken with your new husband?"

Akari sighed. "Utsumi... it's because he cares. He knew that I didn't want to marry him, he knew that I would be made to anyway, and that there was nothing he could do to stop it. He knew that there were things expected of us as newly weds that I wouldn't even dream of doing with him that he willing said didn't have to happen, ever, if I so chose. To be honest Utsumi, I don't know that I really like him or anything about him much. Heck, I think I still hate his guts, but he didn't take advantage of me simply because we were married, of try to force me to do things I didn't want to. He didn't push, and that's enough for me for the moment, and if I looked like I was enjoying being pressed against like that, then you have forgotten what happened to the last boy who got close to me like that."

Utsumi looked into Akari's eyes. She could see the determination in them, and the annoyance, and the anger, and the bashful blush that she was desperately trying to hide.

"Very well Akari, I believe you, but don't think this is over." Utsumi sighed.  "He is pretty good looking for a guy if you think about it, and I think that before this is over you will have a much different answer for me, but anyway, what did you want to talk about?"

Akari leaned close. "I need you and Nagano to escape and bring news of my capture back to my father."

Utsumi couldn't believe her ears. "Are you nuts? If I get caught trying to escape-"