The Beauty, The Beast, and The Angel

II

Word count: 3,000 words
Song recommendations - Cherry by Harry Styles, and Bad Guy by Billie Eilish
Please tell me if there are any songs that would better fit this chapter!

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Chapter 2

I woke up at around seven in the afternoon, just as the sun was beginning to set, the final golden rays of sunlight falling through my window. I heard a quiet knock on my door, and as I opened it, the same servant who had shown me where my room was, came in.

"I'm supposed to give you a tour around the grounds before taking you to the dining room to eat," he said, his hand behind his back.

I slipped my geta on, then followed the young man outside. We walked along stone pathways as I was introduced to the showers, the bathhouse, and many other rooms, all of which were beautiful in their own way. He pushed a door open, whispering, "This is the garden."

It was filled with flowers of every shade, as we walked amongst them, the young man explaining to me the names and meanings of each flower. Entranced by the colours, I wandered along the paths, until we finally settled down on a bench under a large magnolia tree.

"What is your name?" I asked, startling the young man beside me.

"My name is Yuki, but why would you like to know, if I may ask, my lord, as I am only a servant, a working class citizen?"

I ignored his first question, which was puzzling me as well, why was I interacting with a commoner, one as quiet and meek as this one, at least. Why wasn't I trying to find the prince and talk to him?

"Are you the gardener?"

He blushed, "I tend to the plants, but I mainly do whatever the royal family asks me to, whether it be cooking, mending, or cleaning."

I nodded, my eyes focusing on my surroundings, until Yuki tugged on my sleeve.

"Come," he said, pulling me up, "You still need to see the rest of the palace, then you need to change and go to dinner. The garden will be here all spring, summer, and fall, I'll ensure that."

We walked along the halls, as I saw the doctor's room, the metalworker's room, and a room filled with paper and pigments. Finally, we were in front of a door with the letter alpha on it, as I reached for the doorknob, when firm fingers wrapped around my wrist.

"This is the prince's room," Yuki explained, still holding onto my wrist, "but you cannot go inside. The prince is very serious about privacy, always knock if you're going to come in, and do not enter if the door is not opened for you."

He released my hand, as I stared at the door that I was not allowed to open. We heard a deep ringing come from the north, as Yuki explained the bell system.

"There are certain bells for every occasion, such as emergencies or celebrations, but the only two you'll need to know are the one one you just heard, which is the one that's rung half an hour before every meal, and a higher pitched one, which is when the meal is beginning. Now that the first bell has rung, go change into your formal clothing," he instructed, guiding me to my room.

When we arrived, he left without a goodbye, and I rushed to change into my three-crest hinata kamon kimono. I brushed my hair afterwards, then rushed to the dining hall.

There, I flung open the doors, only to find that it was empty. I looked around, only to find a few servants sweeping the floor. I spent a few minutes searching the area, until my eyes widened. The dining ROOM, not the dining HALL, I'M AN IDIOT!

I sped walked to the dining room, opening the doors and sitting in my seat seconds before a piercing chime rang throughout the room. I was sitting next to a girl my age wearing a rose coloured hanbok, with the empress diagonal from me, and the emperor at the head of the table. The seat parallel to me was empty, so I assumed that the prince would sit there.