Disclaimer : I don't own GS/GSD or any of the characters. I love Asucaga too much to make them fall apart.
This is my first attempt on AU. The background story had been on my mind lately. I was so in love with Minerva Cradle's ASUCAGA fic : Crusade and I recently read so many web-novels with this kind of background. So I really want to try one. I know I have bad grammar since English is not my first language, but I hope you can bear with my work. Thank you! Please enjoy it, I hope you like it. Happy Birthday Kira Cagalli!
Chapter 1 : The Birthday Blast
Today was a grand day for people in the east. The capital city of Eastern Kingdom, Onogoro, was celebrating their prince and princess' 25th birthday. Every high officials from all over the country were invited to celebrate the birthday party at the palace. Not only the high officials who would enjoy the celebration, but also the people of the eastern kingdom would have their own celebration, because every year on that day, the King would provide them fancy food free of charge for a feast on their own home. So, most of the people in the east were always looking forward to this day.
That evening, the birthday party at the palace started elegantly. The high ranking officials sat together on their assigned seat and talked a lot about matters from their own regions. The chattering was not too loud, but enough to lift up the spirit of celebration. Luxurious food was available on the tables around the room, also helping to enliven the atmosphere. The guests seemed so happy to attend the party.
From his seat, the eastern king was pleased to see that many of the officials had made it to the party, only one or two people had notified their absence. The reason why he had been so pleased was because today's celebration would be different from the past years. He was going to announce something so important and it would be a blast to enjoy it with as many people as possible.
"Kira, happy birthday." A blonde girl with her exquisite red dress approached her brother and sat beside him.
"Happy birthday to you too, Cagalli." He gave her a wan smile as he glanced at her. The two sat on a special round table assigned for VIPs, not far from the King's seat. The table was ample for 5 or 6 people, but no one has yet to join them.
"You know, I wonder why father had stopped nagging me about marriage. It has been a month now." She looked at her brother intensely, she was certain that her brother would know something she didn't know.
"Maybe he was just tired." He said it a bit too fast from his casual tone, he was trying to hide any hint of anxiousness.
"I don't know, I feel like something is coming, and I won't like it." She continued, now she was squinting her eyes toward her brother.
"Alright, don't do that." He finally gave in," I guess he did have a plan for you, actually I've heard about it, but not entirely. So don't ask me the details."
"What is it?"
"Erm, about an arranged marriage?"
Her eyes widened in shock. If she could scream, she would scream right now, but she held it back, she remembered that she was at a party. Her own birthday party to add. Not long after that, her shock turned into a frown.
"Why didn't you tell me anything?"
Kira paused for a moment, he didn't know what to say. Actually, he just heard a little, so he wasn't really sure about the validity of this news. He looked back at Cagalli, she was looking away now, it was clear that she felt disappointed, he could see it.
Since last year, the king had always nagged at Cagalli to get married ahead of Kira, just because she is a woman. He reasoned that he didn't want his lovely daughter, become an old maiden. Still, Cagalli thought the reason was a bit ridiculous. She was just 25 for god's sake. Despite her rejection, her father had set her blind dates several times. She was not too fond of blind dates, because the King was the one that had arranged it, the men she met at the blind dates never really cared about her. They were just a bunch of men who wanted power or seeking wealth from marrying her. Cagalli felt so disgusted every time she met them. So, she decided to make a hard time for the men she met at the blind dates. She would be very clingy and demanding on their dates. Sometimes she would throw in her 'anger issue', so they had to solve it immediately. She didn't really care about the rumors they spread about her after the dates, she just didn't want to get married that way.
"I might be wrong, Cagalli." He squeezed Cagalli's shoulder.
She looked at him again and tried to think positively. 'Yes, maybe Kira just heard it wrong.', and she flashed a thin smile at him. Unfortunately, after she decided to ignore the new piece of information Kira had just shared with her, the King stood up from his seat to announce something.
"Attention please, today I'm so happy and very thankful to see almost all of you can make it to the party. This wonderful day has to be shared with all of you." The king looked at the crowds and when his eyes reached his daughter, he gave her a very big smile. It made her feel insecure somehow.
The crowds murmured loudly as they moved their attention toward the King. Cagalli looked at her father with worry and anxiousness, what kind of announcement he was going to say. He didn't tell her or Kira about this. Maybe it was the announcement of the Official Crown Prince, Cagalli thought. She tried to calm her mind.
"My lovely daughter, princess Cagalli already met a very suitable suitor and plan to get married next month. Son of Duke Seiran, count Yuuna Roma Seiran. Please show yourself."
Cagalli froze at what her father said.
'He was joking, right? Not only an arranged marriage but with the Seiran. What?'
She still couldn't comprehend what she just heard. A man with a tall-build, purple head and seemed to be much older than her, smiled at the crowd as he owned them. There he was the most pompous man in the history of eastern kingdom. Cagalli hated his gut so much, she knew the Seiran were one of the most powerful families in the east, but still Cagalli didn't like them even one bit, they were the most arrogant and overbearing family she has ever met. They really like to brag a lot about their royal blood and high positions. They never cared about the people they lead, they just cared about their wealth. Her father, Uzumi, knew this well and yet he still made an arrangement with them.
'Is this because politics? Did father want to strengthen his power with a union with the Seiran?'
The crowd cheered loudly at the announcement, everybody seemed so happy to hear this news. Well, except the twins. Kira was shocked and Cagalli was so frustrated. After calming her mind a bit, Cagalli stood up from her seat and decided to leave the party. The crowds still cheered as she stormed out toward the exit without saying anything. Saw his sister had left, Kira followed her immediately. Kira never thought that the King would do this.
'An arranged marriage is kind of acceptable, but with the Seiran?'
His father should have a very good reason to do this. Kira followed her, but he kept his distance so Cagalli wouldn't be annoyed at his presence. After walking for a few minutes, she stopped at the garden's bench, she sat and sighed heavily.
"Come out, I know you're there."
"Can't keep hiding forever."
Kira revealed himself and took a seat beside her. She didn't say anything, but Kira knew better. Her sister was angry and sad at the same time. Called it a twin thing. Even though Cagalli tried to hide her feelings from him, he would always know what she felt.
"I never know it will be Seiran." Kira tried to start a conversation.
"..." she kept her silence.
"If I knew it, I would tell father that I was against it very much."
"It's alright Kira, it's not your fault. It's just, couldn't he pick someone better? The Seiran didn't even like me. Yuuna just aimed at the power he would gain from marrying me."
"I know, that's why I would do anything to cancel this marriage."
"You know you can't. It was King's order, in front of many high officials. It would be considered a treason."
"Cagalli.."
There was another silence. The reason why Cagalli just walked away from the crowd and didn't protest at her father there, was because it would be considered a treason for disobeying the king. She was not afraid of punishment, but she didn't want to be punished unjustly. If she really wanted to cancel this marriage, she had to do it right. In the midst of her thought an idea came through her mind.
"Kira, what do you think about travelling?"
"Eh? What do you mean?
"Hmm, just travelling, wouldn't it be fun?"
He didn't understand his sister sometimes. 'What is she talking about now? Travelling? Wait did she mean, she wants to go outside the eastern kingdom?'
"Well, it will be risky, as we never really wander outside the eastern border, but I guess it will be fun." He answered carefully.
"Yeah, it will be fun right?"
"Didn't you hear the risky word first? Let's go back, before dad sent a search party for you."
"Oh, I'm scared." She said that with a little sarcasm tone there.
"Come on." Kira didn't buy it.
"You go first. I'm staying a little bit." She said again. Kira thought maybe her sister really needed some time alone. So he decided to let her for a while.
"Alright, don't wander too long."
Kira stood up from his seat, ready to get back to the party, but before he took the first step, Cagalli called and hugged him tightly.
"Kira."
"Ye-yes?" He was startled, but eventually hugged her back, he guessed his sister needed this kind of support.
"Happy birthday and I love you."
"I love you too Cagalli, happy birthday."
He pulled away from her and gave her another reassuring smile.
"Remember, don't wander too long." Kira reminded her again. After that he went back to the party without looking back. Kira never knew that it would be the last time he met his twin for a while.
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In progress moving all my fic to wattpad.