The Floating World

One.

Prelude

The birds were chirping merrily, flowers were being watered, a smile was seen on the young girl. All of these stopped when the sky turned dark, Neru swore that the sun rays had just hit her a few minutes ago before she entered her room. The kid took a peek at the sky as her father entered her room, the moon was covering the sun and what took her by surprise was a bright star shining beside the moon.

"Father, why is the sky dark in the morning?", the little girl's eyes widened when she questioned her dad. Upon hearing that, her father scooped her up into his arms reminding her about that one particular bedtime story he had told her before, about the heavens sending a king down to merge the kingdoms after Lord Hayama defeats the dark phoenix who had destroyed and split the Sakamichi land into three due to an unfortunate event. Together with his three other guardians, the turtle (water), dragon (air) and tiger (earth), Lord Hayama had made them drown the sea of fire which creates a huge ocean separating the land into three.

"1000 years later when the heavens send a star down to merge and to bring peace, the Sakamichi land shall be reunited as brothers and sisters. The four guardians will protect their king and the phoenix will be free from her dark powers." These are the words written on the Zelkova tree before Lord Hayama returned to heaven. Neru nods as she remembers the story then furrows her brows when she realizes that she might not be able to meet the king her father has told her about.

"Will Neru be able to meet the king in future?"

"Of course silly, your time will come when the king needs you", her father gave her a gentle smile as he pokes her nose. Neru hugs her father, neither did she know what her father had just told her was more than what she had expected nor it will eventually put her in danger but the girl was determined that she would meet the king in future.

16 Years Later

Hirate Yurina, the daughter of the second prince who is currently living in a rural village in the Keyaki Kingdom. The kid earns her nickname "Zombie" as she was always seen dragging her legs around the village with her signature poker face. Unlike any other beautiful ladies in the village, Hirate had her hair cropped by her father and she was dressed like a boy.

When the girl was born, her mother held her in her arms and whispered a few words before leaving her alone with her father for paradise.

"Yurina, please end the pain of the people and bring them together. I will be watching over you. Thank you."

Her dad was never the kindest to her, he has always been blaming her for her mother's death yet there are times where he would spend the entire day teaching the girl how to ride a horse without falling off and some swordsmanship. Hirate wonders why she had to learn those skills since boys are the ones who are required to fight for the kingdom during her time.

When the sunrises, Hirate was asked by her father to fetch him some paper and ink from the market. She was heading back when someone called out to her.

"Techi!"

"Oh Mon, why are you here?"

"I was heading towards the river when I saw an army of royal Guards outside your house"

"E-eh ? Royal guards??" Hirate said as she sprinted home only to find out her house was surrounded by a herd of horses.

....

"Is he the one?"

"Yes, she's my daughter"

"It's a pleasure meeting you, your majesty I'm general Nagahama", the man bowed as he greets a confused Hirate. Her father has never told her about him being the prince of the kingdom, yet he shuts her down whenever she asks about the King and his family as they were often featured on the papers.

"What is this all about, why are they here father?"

"Yurina, it's about time you should know my true identity", he pulls out a green pendant and hands it over to the girl. The pendant itself had the imperial crest "欅", Keyaki carved from jade with black and gold beads surrounding the gemstone." I am the second prince of the kingdom", as much as her father acknowledged that it must be hard for his daughter to digest the piece of information he had just dropped there was no time to waste, he dragged the girl who was still confused and dazed into the carriage.

Hirate was fiddling with her yukata the entire time, unsure about the reality still wishing that it was all a lie, she only wanted to continue her river adventures with her best friend Miyu and would rather receive a scolding from her father every day than to be a princess. The thought of having to meet new people or having stricter rules grounding her from her freedom is making her stomach churn.

"We are here, everyone is waiting for your appearance in the imperial hall", the general announced and he lifted the curtains of the carriage allowing both Yurina and her father to exit.

....

The hall was silent with only footsteps and heavily breathing mammals, there were multiple glares with emotionless expressions the ones Hirate always put on. "Yeah I know, I don't wish to be here either", Hirate let out a sigh immediately after stepping into the hall. They stopped before the throne when she felt her father pushing her left arm down, lowering her to her knees and he proceeded to greet the man on the throne.

"Good afternoon your majesty, I've come upon your request"

"You have suffered for years, thank you for coming. Please come closer, I've got something to say to the child."

Hirate was ushered to the king with her father by her side when the king grabbed her hand she could feel his hands shaking, they were cold but Hirate didn't mind any of it. To her the king was sincere and she never thought someone she had just met would treat her this way.

"Look at me child, my days may have numbered but I'm happy that there will be someone to replace my position and to mend the holes that I was supposed to fix"

"I-l can't and I don't know how to..."

"You will find them and I'm counting on you. Promise me you will end all of the sufferings and bring them to peace. I know you are uncertain about the future but it's all in here, trust yourself, you are the chosen one after all." The king now pointing to where her heart is located as he puts on a smile before standing up, staggering when Yurina hurried to his support. "The second prince of Keyaki Kingdom Hirate Kosuke will be the crown prince the next in line for the throne."

Just like that, whispers could be heard coming from different directions, officials and nobles furious with the king's decision but they couldn't object and retaliate as grief came knocking when the King took his last breath with Yurina by his side clinging on to his body when he collapsed.  

A/N: Wanted to publish this as a one shot but I ended up building chapters in my mind. Paradon me for my grammar and sentence structure, haven't been writing ff for a long time and I might have committed a sin since school starts in sept (･д･);;