Crossfire

Chapter 8 |The Meeting in the Garden|

(A/N) I plan on doing a Christmas special, since Christmas is coming! I apologize if things seem rushed, I just have a lot going on

As I met with the prince, I noticed something.

Something was different.

He has this welcoming presence, unlike the intimidating one before. A warm aura surrounds him and the garden. As I walked into the garden, the air smelled of freshly-picked roses, and there were vibrant colors all around. Daisies, roses, irises, dahlias, azaleas, you name it. They covered the garden. Thin vines latched onto anything they could touch as if their life depended on it.

In the middle of the beautiful sight, the ground was paved with stone. On top of the stone lied a white table for two. Designs were etched into it, though most were faded. Same with the two white seats. I sat there in awe.

"Well Princess Yuichira, are you going to have a seat?"

I looked over to the prince and nodded, still seeming out of it. As I made it to my chair and sat down, to my surprise, the prince let out a small chuckle. I don't know if I like how odd he is acting.

"Pretty, isn't it? The garden, I mean."

His eyes looked as though winter had changed into spring, warmth entering his eyes and replacing the coldness there before. He looked much better like this, causing me to smile a little.

"Yes, it is."

I watched him as he got up from his chair and walked over to the flowers. I didn't want to ask questions and spoil his good mood, but I was curious.

"So, do you like plants?"

He paused and turned around, studying me. He seemed to like doing that, judging by our last not-so-pleasant encounter. The prince looked back up at me and smiled.

"Why of course I do. After all, I am the one who planted everything in this garden."

"Woah, really?"

I know I didn't sound very princess-like, but I can't help it. For some reason, being here puts me at ease. He nodded.

"My mother loved to grow flowers."

Loved. I looked down.

"I-I'm sorry for you loss."

Wait, but doesn't that-

"But isn't the queen your mother?"

He sighed. Prince Tepes muttered something under his breath. I hope I didn't ruin the mood. I stood there waiting, hoping I'd get a response.

"No, the queen is not my real mother. My family died in a fire when I was younger, though I can't remember exactly when. I was going to die, but Queen Krul offered her blood and turned me into a vampire. I am now under her wing and soon-to-become king."

It still surprises me that anyone can say that with a straight face. I would be at least angry, or show some sadness, when saying that. Then again, vampires don't really show any emotion, do they? But if he was going to die and the queen offered her blood to him...

"So you used to be human."

He nodded. After that we sat back down, only to find a meal already waiting. Which was weird, because I didn't hear any footsteps behind us. My mouth watered at the dish I was given. Guess they know the type of stuff I like, huh? In front of me was a delicious plate of wagyu* and a small side of onigiri*.
Looking over to the prince's plate, he also had a small dish of onigiri, and then he had a bowl of taco rice*.

"Feel free to dig in," he said, already taking his chopsticks.

With a pause, he added "and don't worry about it, eat it however you'd like. Shove all of it in your mouth for all I care."

Man, it's like he read my mind. I quickly grabbed my chopsticks and took a piece of steak from my wagyu. The steak warmed and melted into my mouth as I let out a sigh. Once I finished chewing, I found Prince Tepes staring at me.

"Something wrong, Prince?"

He put down his chopsticks and rested his chin on his hand, looking at me. His eyes sparkled with... amusement?

"You eat like a child. It's adorable really."

I felt my cheeks warm and I grab some onigiri, shoving the rice into my mouth. I closed my eyes and let out another sigh.

"Seriously, why is this food so good?!"

A light melody filled my ears. The prince was laughing. I find it odd he is showing this much emotion for a vampire. A question popping into my head, I couldn't help but let it out.

"Prince Tepes, why are you acting so different from when we were in the castle?"

He seemed to give it a little thought and opened his arms.

"Because, I feel so trapped inside of the castle! It's so cold and lonely in there, and everyone refers to me as 'prince'. I'm always being told what to do and what not. That cold act is what they want me to be, I guess you could say. Outside of the castle, everyone calls me by name, the air is fresher. I can drop the prince act and be myself, you know? Outside I'm free."

I let out a small laugh, looking up to the sky.

"I know the feeling."

We sat there in a comfortable silence.

"So...Prince-"

"Call me Mikaela while we're out here, will you?"

My eyes widened. This is definitely going well for me, if I do say so myself. First day and I already have the privilege to call him by name. If I can just get closer, closer than the other princesses, then I can win.

Then we can take over this kingdom. After all, that's what I'm here for, right? I can't loose sight of the objective.

Pulling a big smile on my face, I nodded.

"Alright then, call me Yuichira."

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So anything marked with a "*" will have a definition/explanation here!

Wagyu- It's like butter, meltingly tender and decadent. Once you've had wagyu, other steaks seem downright stingy in their leanness.
At first, those fine white veins of fat may seem shocking, but compared to regular beef, wagyu actually contains higher levels of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Onigiri- Tasty, filling and cheaper than a cup of coffee at Doutor, these usually triangular rice balls are the ultimate fast food. The fact they're available at every convenience store means you're never far from a snack.
Onigiri come stuffed with anything from spicy cod roe and pickled greens to grilled slices of beef with mayonnaise.
In depachika department store basement food courts, you can find them filled with seasonal ingredients such as fresh takenoko bamboo shoots in the spring or matsutake mushrooms in the fall. Onigiri can be found anywhere and everywhere, but we're partial to the rice balls at ampm

Taco rice- This American-Japanese hybrid originated in sunny Okinawa, where the meat, cheese, lettuce and tomato sauce of tacos somehow ended up on a bed of white rice.
The result is surprisingly great. Even without the crunch of the taco shell, the flavor blends perfectly with the Japanese rice to create a hearty meal perfect for summer days.

Source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnn.com/travel/amp/japan-25-foods/index.html