Stay Until Spring

Chapter 1

"I am supposed to what?"
I stared at my mother, with polite astonishment.

"Marry the Shogun's son. And again, Yui: This is not a negotiation".
She replied, her voice firm and steady.

---

Ten hours earlier.

I slowly opened my eyes, the soft morning sun filtering through the shoji doors¹.

As my ladies-in-waiting arrived to dress me as usual, I noticed that their voices, usually cheerful and full of energy, were hushed and subdued.

"Have you heard the news?" One said to another, fixing the garment's trim.

"The shogun's son has arrived at the gates before dawn this morning. I heard he has a terrible temper if things don't go his way."

The older woman answered with a whisper. "My, my, our poor princess. Do they not say, behind closed doors he is nothing like what he shows in public?"

I tried to ignore their conversations, but I still overheard some of it. The shogun's son? Why was he inside the palace? Was their some kind of political situation?
I shook my head, trying not to overthink his arrival.

The day progressed unusually quiet and eventless. I was slowly wondering if my parents were planning some sort of party for another one of their silly occasions.

I was probably just overthinking it again. Hopefully.

I was walking down the corridor to not miss my six o'clock literature study, when I spaced outside. My eyes wandered over the garden.

"What are you doing here, Noboru-dono²?"

I asked myself, aware of how spontaneous and unpredictable he can be.

As I rounded a corner, I saw what I less wanted to see.
"Noboru-dono..?" I muttered softly.
He was having a conversation with my father, the emperor. They looked quite farmiliar. I sighed.

The worst part was that I could not even slip past them.

"Princess, there you are."

He had noticed me. Walking towards me with an overconfident look, wearing the worst smirk planted on his face.

"I was hoping we would meet properly today."

I forced a smile.

"It is a pleasure meeting you."

"Same here. So, Princess, would you happen to give me the honor of taking to out for a stroll?" He smiled, charmingly.

"I would, but sadly I have literature now. And I am already late."

His smirk dissapeared slightly, and he cleared his throat.

"Of course. Study goes first, always. Then I will see you tonight, Princess."

I nodded, already stepping past him.

"Don't be a stranger, Princess."
He called after me, but I just continued on my way. What is it with him?

I quickly made my way to the study, servants and subordinates lowering their heads as I walked past. As I finally reached the study, my teacher was already waiting for me, a book ready in his hand.

"Hime-sama." He bowed. "Have you rested well? We will take the topic of the first descended to hand today."

I nodded once. "Again? Have I not learned enough about him yet?"

My teacher just smiled, gesturing for me to take my usual seat, as he opened the book.

The Era of the first descendant. I could tell you about him for hours.