“YAHIKOOO!!!”

…sleep.

Merisma hugged her arms to herself and
looked up at the sky. It was going to be a lovely day. A lovely day YahiYahiko
and Rikai to get married. Prince Yahiko and Princess Rikai, her mind
chided her. Merisma shrugged carelessly at what her mind was telling her. She
had a tendency not to use the proper title sometimes.

With light footsteps, she ran through
the forest. Kaoru had ordered her to go and fetch Yahiko for his wedding. She
cursed inwardly. She was already late. Looking around in confusion, she
wondered which tree was theirs again. They all looked alike, and it’s not like
there was a name painted on them. She was already glad when she found her own
tree sometimes.

All of a sudden her sharp hearing
picked up a soft snoring. However still a little distant, she heard it very
clearly. Listening carefully, she followed the snoring and eventually she
arrived at that particular tree.

“YAHIKOOO!!” she hollered, not really
minding she woke half a forest with it.

Yahiko felt warm and happy inside. In
front of his eyes, he saw Tsubame and himself, giving the dog a bath. Tsubame’s
nose was covered with foam, and as he wiped it away, he only smeared it more
since his hands were also full of it.

Then a shrill shriek sneered through
his dream. He woke up and feis his happiness crashing down together with his
dream as he soon enough realized where he was. More precisely, what he had to He He would get married today with a girl he didn’t know and didn’t love. He
would have to swear to be loyal to her, in sickness and in health and all the
mumbo-jumbo. He would have to leave Tsubame on her own.

Tsubame. He looked aside. She was
still sleeping, a sweet smile on her lips.

Merisma’s head gingerly peeked inside,
blushing as she saw they were both naked. “I had to come and get you to prepare
you for the wedding.”

Yahiko reluctantly went sitting
upright, rubbing his drowsy eyes. “What? Already?” he moaned. He was still so
tired. It might not have been a wedding night, but all they had done was
getting down and dirty, that was for sure.

The young girl tilted her head and
crossed her arms in front of her chest, trying to look stern. “It’s almost
noon, Yahiko. Rikai’s already waiting for you, and you still have to wash
yourself and get dressed.”

With an annoyed growl, Yahiko dragged
his legs over the side of the bed and gave the black haired girl a significant
look for her to turn away while he would get his boxers. No, it had not been a
nightmare. He really would get married today. And Tsubame? She was still
sleeping.

**********

The luxury Yahiko was surrounded with
in the dressing room Merisma had brought him to didn’t have a name. He got the
most beautiful clothes for his wedding, clothes that really made him feel like
he was living in a fairy tale now. A long, red cape, crafted from the finest
silk, some kind of breast-plate from very solid material, gloves, boots,
everything to make him look like a young prince. It was completely different
from his ordinary jeans and T‑shirt. It was expensive, it was luxurious,
it was made especially for him, long awaited Crown Prince, saviour of them all,
with the greatest care. And still he would’ve given millions for his old jeans
and T‑shirt. He didn’t need luxury, he didn’t need a noble title. He
needed his life with Tsubame back. But he didn’t have millions. And he didn’t
have a choice either.

Tsubame’s heart felt heavy in her
chest. She had woken up when Yahiko was already dressed in his usual jeans and
T. it only took a glance at his crestfallen face to realize where she was
again. Since then it felt like her heart was pressed up against her lungs and
her stomach. It was hard to breathe and to eat. Yahiko’s face hadn’t cleared up
either. She kept on repeating in her head, it’s gonna be okay, he still
loves you, he didn’t choose for it to happen, you’re still gonna be able to see
him. It was like a mantra recorded on tape that kept on rewinding.

She didn’t speak while she helped him getting
dressed. Kaoru was there too, but a happy conversation was not in order now.
She seemed to understand that, though, and Tsubame was grateful for that.

When he was dressed, she finally broke
the pressing silence with a soft whisper. “Yahiko?” She stroked him lovingly
through his hair and smiled gently up at him. He honestly looked on the verge
of tears. “Don’t cry, honey,” she said softly.

So did Kaoru. “You won’t be *stuck* to
her for the rest of your life, as you so eloquently put it!” she snarled. “I
was about to propose to you to stay with Tsubame once Rikai’s pregnant, since
you obviously love her more then my daughter.”

“Mother!”

“But your crudeness towards her might
want to make me reconsider. Now, if you apologize tr anr and ask for
forgiveness really nice, then maybe I will think about it not to.”

“Mother, I need a word with you,”
Rikai growled. She grabbed Kaoru’s hand and strode away from the couple. “What
are you thinking to make him stay with her? He will be married to *me*!”

Kaoru remained relatively calm, not at
all fazed by the fuming of her daughter. “I think it’s quite obvious that he
doesn’t love you,” she stated soberly.

"Comic Sans MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>Tsubame clung to her boyfriend while
her eyes remained on the Queen and Crown Princess. “What are they talking
about, Yahiko?” she asked with a swift nod in their direction.

Yahiko chuckled. “Well, Rikai didn’t
seem all too happy with Kaoru’s proposal,” he smiled. “By the looks of it,
she’s giving her a piece of her impudent mind if you ask me.”

“But I thought it was a good idea.”
Tsubame turned her head to him and looked up with sad eyes. “You apologize to
her, okay?”

“What?” Yahiko said, his face twisting
in indignation. “Don’t you think I have the right to be a bit edgy? I didn’t
ask for this, you know.”

“Neither did I, but if that’s what it
takes to stay together, then it’s only a small effort to put your pride aside
for once, don’t you think?” Tsubame pleaded softly.

Yahiko knew she was right. He sighed
and nodded his head. “Okay.”

“That was very sweet, you know,”
Tsubame said after a little pause. “Your little stunt just now,” she explained
as Yahiko frowned at her. “That you wanted me as your wife and not Rikai.”

“But I do want you as my wife,
Tsubame,” he beamed enthusiastically. “Really, if not today, then one way or
another, I am going to make you my wife. And we will be happy, with kids and
maybe a pet. A beautiful house, with a swimming pool, and a sauna and all that
nifty stuff. Just like in this fucked up little fairy tale, we will live
happily ever after.”

Tsubame smiled as Yahiko painted out
their future in front of them. “We don’t have money for all that stuff,” she
said softly.

“Hey, I’m the Crown Prince. I’m bound
to roll in money,” he shrugged funnily.

Chuckling, Tsubame wrapped her arms
around his neck. “You’re so sweet, Yahiko,” she sighed.

“Yes, I am. And I’m all yours.”

“All mine?”

“Uhu. These arms are yours to be
wrapped in” – his arms closed around her waist and squeezed gently – “these
eyes are yours to be admired with” – he gave her his most penetrating and
earnest look – “these lips are yours to be kissed with” – he let his lips
softly brush against hers – “and my love” – he took her hand and lifted it to
the left part of his chest – “my love will always be yours to be loved with.
Always and forever, Tsu-chan. Do not doubt that for even a split second.”

Tsubame was on the verge of tears by
now, both of them actually.

Yahiko shook his head, shaking the
tears that threatened to spill from his eyes away. “Dammit, in a moment I’ll
start crying,” he mumbled clumsily.

Tsubame snivelled and managed to
squeeze out a weak smile. “And Crown Princes don’t cry, I assume?” she said.

“You said it.” He almost felt relieved
to hear Kaoru calling his name behind him as she stood there again with Rikai.
His heart felt a bit lighter at the knowledge of, in spite of his marriage,
staying together with Tsubame, thought the wedding night was still an issue
he’d have to work out, one way or another.

“Rikai, I want to apologize to you,”
he said, swivelling around. His face was impassive, though his voice gentle. “I
didn’t mean to be so rude to you. Please forgive me.”

Rikai was surprised at how easy that
went. “I eh… Apologies accepted,” she stuttered.

Yahiko looked at Kaoru with an
expression of “Am I a good boy now? Can I stay with Tsubame for the rest of my
life?”.

Kaoru’s response was a smile as she
gave him her silent approval. She wasn’t entirely sure he really meant it, but
he’d already suffered enough now, hadn’t he? Moving back behind the altar, she
threw a significant glance to the empty spot next to Rikai.

Good and obedient boy he was (yeah
right), Yahiko took his previous place beside her.

“Let’s try this again, okay?” Kaoru
sighed. “Rikai, repeat after me. I, Rikai Himura, take thee, Yahiko Himura, to
be my lawfully wedded husband.”

Rikai repeated.

“I, Yahiko Himura, take thee, Rikai
Himura, to be my lawfully wedded wife.”

Yahiko repeated. Without the
name-switching.

They proceeded with exchanging the
rings, Yahiko’s look distant as he did so. “There, it’s done,” he said when all
the solemn nonsense was over. “Can I go back to Tsubame now?” He rolled his
eyes as he saw the frustrated frown on Rikai’s forehead and the warning look
Kaoru threw his way. Oh please! Did he have to apologize like *all* the time?!
“I’m sorry.” It had almost become like an automatism by now. “*Now* can I go to
my girlfriend?” He caught Rikai looking at him with a smug smirk, as if saying
“She is *only* your girlfriend. But *I* am your *wife*”.

“What?” Yahiko asked, irritated.

Yahiko opened it. Inside lay a gold
necklace, snugly nestled amidst white satin. It was a little heart with a Y and
a T engraved in it. “Yahiko… and Tsubame?” Yahiko whispered, looking up.

“That’s right.” Tsubame took it out
and hung it around his neck. “This way I’ll always be with you, in your mind
and in your heart. Even tonight.”

Yahiko couldn’t resist the urge to
kiss her, long and gently, pouring his heart and the promise to come back to
her in the kiss. “I can’t say how much I admire you for this, Tsu‑chan. A
lot of girls would’ve turned theick ack and walked away.”

“I know that,” Tsubame smiled. “But
I’m not “a lot of girls”. I’m Tsubame. I’m your girlfriend. I love you and I’ll
keep on loving you for as long as I live, no matter what. Because I know,
Yahiko, that there is no-one on this whole planet who loves and trusts me as
much as you do. Now, I won’t say it won’t be hard for me to walk away within a
few moments with the knowledge that you’re gonna sleep with another girl
tonight, but the thought that you will sleep with her wearing this necklace
will comfort me. And tomorrow I will come back, and you will be waiting for me,
right Yahiko?”

Yahiko nodded. His eyes prickled and
he had to swallow a few times to get rid of the lump in his throat. “Right,” he
said.

“Then it will all be over, and we will
be together forever.”

“Yes,” Yahiko nodded again.

“I have to go back home now, Yahiko.”

“No. stay, Tsubame. I need you,”
Yahiko pleaded, taking hold of her hand.

Tsubame gave him an apologetic smile.
“I have to, Yahiko. We haven’t been home for the entire night. Do you have any
idea how worried our parents will be?”

Yahiko lowered his eyes. Good thing
there was at least one of them who had some common sense left in this twisted
fairy-tale. And used it. “That’s true,” he sighed. “What are you gonna tell
them?”

mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>To be continued…