ⓞⓝⓔ:

875 A.D.
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MAY 14TH;
Sunrise.

--

The blonde beauty beams with content, the gaze of her honey brown orbs following the young children of the small village, who rambunctiously frolicked around in the emerald green blades of grass, during the delightful weather of such a beautiful morning.

A soft smile plasters her face and she sighs beatifically, her eyes growing gentle.

"Nee-sama! Nee-sama! Watashitachi to issho ni asobi ni kite kudasai!
(Older sister! Older sister! Come play with us!"

Tayori Hanaka shouts over at the woman, catching her attention.

"Kyōde wa naku, watashi wa hōmon-sha no tame ni junbi suru hitsuyō ga arimasu.
(Not today, I have to prepare for our visitor.)"

She explains to them, only causing the group of disappointed children to frown in their crestfallen state.

"Shikashi, wareware wa itsumo ashita purē dekiru. Yakusoku shimasu.
(But, we can always play tomorrow. I promise.)"

She reassures them, making them all grin ecstatically again.

They scamper off to the opposite side of the shoin-zukuri, their giggles resonating throughout the air.

The blonde woman feels a tug at the fringes of her yukata.

Glancing down, she realizes that the person was only her mother, who was genuinely concerned about the abiding of her, to the set dress code.

"Kore ga amarini mo furukunai to kakushin shite imasu ka? Kekkyoku anata no o bāchandatta.
(Are you sure that this doesn't look too old? It is your grandmother's after all.)"

Her mother whispers, pressing the pad of her thumb to her lip.

"Īe, haha. Sore wa kanpekidesu.
(No, mother. It is perfect.)"

The young girl replies, patiently standing still as her mother arranged her long, golden cuilium, into a gorgeous up-do.

"Watashi wa chōdo anata ga sugu ni anata no konomi ni kōsoku-sha o mitsukeru koto o negatte imasu. Anata wa sugu ni kono mura no shihai-sha ni narudeshou.
(I just hope that you find a suitor to your liking. You will be the ruler of this village soon enough.)"

She sighs in worry, delicately placing a sakura hairpin inside of her daughter's hair.

"Haha, watashi o shinpaishinaide kudasai. Sutoresu wa anata no shinri-tekina reberu ni wa yoku arimasen.
(Do not worth about me, mother. Stress is not good for your psychological levels.)

She informs, turning around to face her.

"Anata wa migoto ni miemasu.
(You look stunning, dear)"

The older blonde wipes her beautiful chocolate brown orbs, caressing her daughter's face.

"Arigatou gozaimasu, mama-
(Thank you very much, mom-)"

She replies politely, bowing in respect.

"--Watashi wa dekirudakehayaku fianse o mitsukeru tame ni saizen o tsukushimasu.
(- I will try my best to find a suitor as quickly as possible.)"

She grins happily, causing her to as well.

"Watashi wa anata ga negatte imasu
(I hope you do.)"

She nods in agreement, before strolling away to the back of the shoin-zukuri, probably to lecture the children about instead, using their free-time to train.

Sighing, the dolled up blonde walks through the transparent panels that served as doors, making her way into the dining room.

The house in it's entirety was already spotless, yet, she still felt that she'd contribute the the matter somehow.

She began to get to work.

Heading into the kitchen, she grabbed a set of six plates, then strolling back into the dining room.

Arraying out the dishes, she counted off each plate for each person.

"Papa, mama, watashi ni, Gesuto 3-ri.
(Papa, mom, and three for the guests.)"

She grins, dusting the plates off with a conveinet hankercheif.

"Kore ga umaku iku koto o negatte imasu.
(I hope this goes well)"

She nibbles on the crevice of her index finger, heading to the bathroom to wash her hands again.

--

It was anything but silent.

Voices chorused throughout the atmosphere, it was enough to drive someone to the brink of insanity.

Yet, the Heartfilia daughter, kept up her sheer sheet of calmness.

Even though inside her head, she was pleading to get some peace and quiet.

"Watashi o yurushitekudasai, min'na.
(Please forgive me, everyone.)"

She gets up from the mat on the floorboards, heading out of the room.

"Ojōsan o chekku shite mimasen ka?
(Go check up on the lady, will you?)"

The father of her suitor asked him, making him nod in response.

He exited from the shoin-zukuri, his gaze wandering all over the place for his possible fiancée.

His eyes caught a few locks of golden blonde hair, and he jogged over in that direction.

-

There she was, resting her head on the bark of the oak tree atop of the hill.

Traveling over there, the man sat down next to her, accidentally making her awaken.

Her cheeks heat up and she proceeds to continuously apologize.

"Watashi wa hidoku sumimasen. Watashi wa anata ga taikutsuda to itte iru tsumori wa arimasendeshita.
(I am terribly sorry. I was not trying to say that you are boring.)"

She waves her hands out dismissively, covering her cheeks with her palms.

"Sore wa mondaide wa arimasen. Anata wa kodoku no shunkan o nozonde ita, tadashī?
(It does not matter. You just wanted a moment of solitude, am I correct?"

He shrugged it off, leaning his back against the tree.

"...Hai, ōkina oto ga suruto atama ga okashiku narimasu.
(...Yes, I get terrible headaches from loud noises.)"

She whispers, scratching behind her ear.

He looked down to her soft, smooth hand, and smiled happily.

Gripping onto her hand, he once again, leaned back against the tree.

She tensed up and glanced at their palms, their fingers intertwined like strings of yarn.

Then, she glanced over to him, tugging a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Kono koto wa kōzen no aijō to minasa remasu ka?
(Does this count as public affection?)"

She asks, leaning in closer to his face.

"Baai ni yorimasu.
(It depends)"

He states, their breathing mixing in with one another's.

"Nani no ue ni?
(On what?)"

She inquires, their lips only centimeters apart.

"Moshi darekaga watashitachi o mitara.
(On if anyone sees us)"

He replies, brushing against her lips with his.

She cupped his cheeks and pulled his face closer to hers, tears brimming in her eyelids.

After a few seconds, they were both breathless and panting for oxygen.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Hontōni.. Anata o aishiteimasu.
(I think..I might actually love you)"

He whispers, holding her closer.

"Watashi wa... Sore o shinjimasu... Watashi mo anata o aishite iru kamo shiremasen.
(I...believe that..I may love you, also.)"

She breathes, resting her head on his chest.

"Sorekara watashi wa kōtei-tekidesu
(Then I am positive)."

He grins joyously, kissing her again.

-

Fire circled around them like a python, nipping and pricking at their flesh.

The whole town had been set ablaze, the only thing standing; being the bride's family's shoin-zukuri.

The two lovers were feet apart, their hands barely able to touch.

The blonde proceeded to hold her breath for as long as she could, knowing that, if she inhaled the smoke, she would die.

"Lucy! Hōrudo shite, tada kokyū shinaide kudasai!
(Lucy! Hold on, just don't breathe!"

He yells through his hand over his mouth, his face tear-streaked at the fact that he couldn't save his fiancée from afar.

"Watashi wa sore no tame ni watashi no iki o hoji suru koto wa dekimasen!
(I can't hold my breath for that long!)"

She cries, dropping to the gravel.

The make turned back around, only to notice that his partner wasn't in his sight anymore.

"LUCY!"

He calls, hoping that nothing bad had happened to the woman he loves.

"N-Natsu..."

She chokes out, the air escaping from her lungs.

"LUCY!!"

He yells once again, searching for the hidden female.

He calls for her a few more times, before dropping to his knees in front a gelid, indigo-tinted body, which only by the hair, he recognized as his lover.

Her chocolate brown eyes were void of life, yet, her heart was still beating, slowly, methodically.

"N-Natsu.."

She whimpers, wrapping her arms around him.

"Shōrai, watashitachi ga mōichido au toki, anata ga watashi to kekkon suru koto o oshietekudasai. (In future's time...when we meet again...say you will marry me.)"

She coughs harshly, her face pressed to his chest.

"Lucy, son'na ko to ittehaikenai. Watashi wa nantoka tasuke o mitsukerudeshou.
(Lucy, do not talk like that. I will get help, somehow)."

He cries, burying his face in her hair.

"Onegai, Tonikaku watashi wa sudeni oso sugiru.
(Please, it is already too late for me anyway)."

Her heart tightens in her chest.

"Onegai! Shōrai, watashitachi ga mōichido au to, watashi wa yurs ni naru koto o watashi ni yakusoku shimasu
(Please! In future's time, when we meet once again, promise to me, that I will be yours.)

A single tear slips from her eye as her body goes limp in his arms.

His eyes widen and he sniffles a bit, holding her body closer to his chest.

"Watashi wa yakusoku shimasu, watashi wa itsumo anata o aishimasu.
( I promise, I will always love you.)"

He states, pressing his lips to hers, before his eyes contort into slits.

Soon enough, he realizes his goal,

Make everyone sure of the inevitable peril they have to face for taking his lovers life.
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