Karmagisa: Our Fate Upon The Crown

79 | Trailing Elegance

<Nagisa>
With a blink of an eye, our birthdays were being celebrated across the kingdom. Days before, Perennial Rose, and the towns and villages decorated themselves. Celebratory items like banners and charms for good luck and fortune. Success and a long reign.

This was the first time Karma and I had such an extravagant day, pooling gifts, and letters from thousands, possibly more.

Before the sun popped his heads over the horizon, the palace was bustling with excitement and noise. Butlers, maids, and other servants were on demand like no other. There was at least five more maids than usual who tended to my room, and a line of butlers waiting in the hall to greet me with a spiriting happy birthday.

But before I could even head out into the world, the pureness of the white royal uniform that I'm supposed to wear all day laid on the bed. The gold crescent sash across my shoulder to waist, along with matching epaulettes. On the breast were medals and ropes of sorts, colors hanging with the ones from our houses, for instance mine is green while Karma is red.

"Happy birthday my Queen."

The maid who was helping button up my uniform smiled and continued to finish her work, "very handsome attire don't you think?

"Thank you." I acknowledged, "quite flamboyant if I do say so myself." I agreed, " do you know if Karma is ready yet?" I asked.

She looked up and tilted her head.

"Sorry, of course you don't if you're here. Never mind that question." I said.

"Why, the King is already outside waiting." She giggled, trying to cover her mouth from smiling, "he's been waiting for awhile now." She answered.

"Is that so?" I hid my face from embarrassment. "Such a busy body he is." I sighed.

When I thought getting dressed was the end of it, they continued to pamper me left and right. Using hair-gel to rearrange my hair, some light make up to make me cleaner, and sprayed body mist around like my skin was cracking from dehydration. A light aroma of clean cotton and youth, if you were to describe it in such a way.

I finally opened the door and saw Karma gleaming brilliantly with that expression of his.

"Happy birthday." He said while presenting me with a bouquet of pinkish-red Camellias, wrapped with white paper, finished with a burgundy ribbon.

"How thoughtful." I took them into my hands and took a whiff, "pleasantly calms the mind." I replied, happy birthday Karma. Unfortunately, I did not get you anything."

"Just spending the day with you is a gift itself. Showing you off to the Kingdom is a gift. The fact that we're together is the greatest gift that can never be compared to diamonds or gold."

Karma with his charismatic personality wooed the maids eavesdropping. Even the butlers waiting in the hall were nodding heir heads with content.

"Now, shall we head to the carriage?" He offered.

I nodded my head.

"If I may, I'll take the flowers and put them in one of the vases in the room." A maid snuck up behind me and bowed her head, "it will complement the room nicely."

"Thank you." I handed her the flowers and the others behind her surely got worked up by such an act. Why are they so...delighted?
••••••
Town through town, and even the villages, we made our appearance. Instead of walking about, Karasuma advised us to stay in the royal carriages, obviously waving out from the open windows.

The top of the carriage was beautifully made with a golden gallery and crown at the center peak. It's nothing like the other carriages were used to traveling in. Well, the other one is just as grande and overwhelming, but this is made for the special occasion.
We finally entered Mellow Orchard, the second village out of the four.

"Happy birthday your grace!"

"Many happy returns!"

Calls and shouts clouded the skies as Karma and I waved out. So many people wore flower crowns and necklaces and the little ones wearing there finest gowns and suits.

Behind our carriage was Irina and Karasuma, followed by at least forty palace knights, then a dozen horses groomed like battle trophies.

"Happy birthday my Queen!" A little girl waved hysterically while throwing flower petals towards the carriage.

"Thank you." I waved back and she lit up with utter happiness.

"Momma, she saw me!" She laughed while holding onto her mother's gown. "The Queen saw me!"

The fact that I could make such a child happy with a simple acknowledgement grew wearily over. I wish I could shake her hand, hug her, instead of confined in this mobile space.

"Feels nice doesn't it? Treated like mere gods, just because we were born this way." Karma said.

"More depressing if I say so myself." I replied while continuing to keep focus on the citizens so close yet so far from us.

"You need not to worry about it. Once we take the thrown ourselves, we'll have to change many things. Make the kingdom prosper, happy, and lively through our course of actions. Then they'll love us for what we did, not for who we are." Karma spoke while reaching for my hand, "I promise you that we'll transform the kingdom like no other."

"Coming from you, it sounds too idealistic." I rolled my eyes with a sarcastic intent, "I shouldn't be joking about it anyways." I caught myself before falling into my mind's traps again.

"It's far alright. It seems to good to be true, doing something like that. Either way, no matter how much good we can do, it comes with a price. Not everyone can be happy." Karma added.

Once we finished our trip in Mellow Orchard, our next destination was Garden of Names, then back to Perennial Rose.

As a child, we used call it Golden Floor due to the fact that at the center of the town, there's a golden plate with the Original King and Queen's birthdates inscribed. Though, for name sake it's always been called Perennial Rose, where the palace stands as well.

"I don't want to think that we'll face much more difficult enemies in the future, something far worst than what happened to us last year." Karma spoke, "but I can't shake off the fears."

I looked over,
"Fears?" I lightly chuckled, "it's not like you to be scared." I pointed out, "but I don't doubt the idea that we'll be challenged by the course of life again." I replied.

Karma leaned in and kissed me on the lips. When he pulled back, I grabbed him by the collar and yanked him forward.

"Who said you could stop?"

I brought my lips to him and he grew surprised by the revelation of my actions.

"If there's a correlation with your age and your lewdness, then we may have a busy future Nagisa." He teased. "You know that I don't have much patience." He continued to kiss me gently.

"Your grace, we'll be arriving at Garden of Names in the next thirty minutes." The chauffeur said.

Startled as I was, I shoved Karma back and he accidentally hit his head against the wall of carriage.

"Ouch..." He rubbed the back of his head.

"Sorry." I whispered trying to hold in my laughter.

Karma laughed himself and sighed, "I'll get back at you tonight."