As cliché as it was, I wished that it was all a dream. That everything will fade away once I open my eyes. That I would hear my mother calling me for breakfast. Or my sister shouting in my ear to wake up from my peaceful slumber. I wanted to wake up smelling the aroma of pandesal(1). But, I'm scared.
I'm scared to open my eyes to see myself lying on the streets. I'm scared to see myself behind bars in a dungeon.
Or worse.
But, I gathered all those fears and threw them away.
Please be a dream.
Please be a dream.
Please be a dream.
I opened my eyes.
Is this a dream?
Where am I?
This wasn't home. No scent of pandesal permeated the atmosphere, nor the shouts of my older sister that jerk me to wake up.
This certainly wasn't the street where I laid half-dead either. This wasn't the cold concrete where I was left. This wasn't the atmosphere that hung when I was beaten up mercilessly.
No, this was different. Different that what I have expected.
Heavy, blue curtains adorned the gleaming windows that show a golden radiance and a vast ceiling splashed with the hues of the ocean and splattered with ivory puffs decorated the outside. Emerald foliage added to its stunning beauty, a wonderful view the glass pane gave me.
Fluffy amber pillows cushioned my sore head, a cloth of ebony and tangerine fastened to the mahogany bedposts served as a canopy above me, a soft mattress under my small, aching frame, and warm blankets gave me a small sense of protection and care.
I smiled as I looked around the spotless room, walls covered with artistic monochrome wallpaper and decorated with intricately created paintings made by well-known artists around the country.
What is this place? Why does it give me a welcoming atmosphere? Why does it make me feel so... secure?
"You're awake."
My ears caught a rich baritone sound forming words directed to me. Then, my eyes caught sight of him.
His vibrant azure eyes were familiar, so was his crisp suit, crimson velvet cape and that crown perched at a precarious angle on his raven-colored hair, which I saw on numerous posters and newspapers.
My heart was caught in my throat, my palms secreted sweat, my body trembled, and my breaths came out in irregular patterns.
He, too, was in the same shock as I am, as he caught sight of my eyes, in the hue that I despised.
"You're a--" he began, as if realizing something was wrong...
Me.
"And, you're the--" I started to say, as I sat up abruptly, one hand hidden behind my back. This is preposterous... I was saved by a—
"You're a Maharlika... you're the King." I said firmly, keeping my composure as I faced him.
"And, you're a Mahika." he answered me, as he unsheathed his gleaming sword and pointed it at the scum that I am.
Ah, what wonderful wake-up call. You find out your savior is from a caste you despise, and then he comes and points a sword at you.
Brilliant. I thought these things only happen in novels.
"I thought you were an—" he began, but I continued his sentence with a menacing tone.
"An Ordinario? So, you saved because you thought I was an Ordinario. You disgust me."
I clicked my tongue. Racist fool.
He thinks he made a mistake of saving me because of my race.
Oh, was he wrong.
"Don't say such words to a King, you lowly imp." he spat, his sword inches away from me.
I was ready to cast a spell at any given moment, in protection to the threat he was giving me.
Well, swords don't scare me, Maharlika.
"Don't say such words to a being who has supernatural powers, King. I know a spell that could overthrow you with a snap of a finger," I threatened.
With his sword ready to pierce me, and my fingers ready to cast a spell, we were anything but ready to start a duel in this room.
But, the door slammed open, breaking the tension that hung in the air, and a ebony-haired man with thin-rimmed glasses strode in, looking rather nervous.
"Your Highness, if I may intrude.." he muttered.
The King sighed, and looked at the man. He ran his hands through his hair, pinched the bridge of his nose and shut his eyes in frustration. He sheathed his sword and averted his gaze from me to look at the newcomer.
"What is it, Takeda?" he grumbled.
The man wrung his hands, evidently nervous, and cleared his throat before he could say anything.
"Your.... cousin is requesting of your presence." he said.
There was something new in the King's expression. His mood seemingly became grim, his expression darkened visibly. There was something about this "cousin" of his that made him change his expression from furious to irritated in approximately 2.08 seconds.
The King heaved a long sigh, before he spoke again.
"Very well. Yachi! Hinata!" he called.
A maid, with short blonde hair, and a butler, with shining eyes and vibrant tangerine hair were now standing in front of the King in mere seconds. after the call.
"Yes, Your Highness?" they said simultaneously, in obvious obedience to the Maharlika.
He pointed to me and mumbled some hasty instructions to the two before shooting a glare at me and walking out the door, with the nervous man in glasses, who I assumed to be his adviser.
Something about his words made the two Ordinario tremble in fear.
I didn't hear everything, but I caught some words that came out of his mouth.
"If she wasn't downstairs in fifteen minutes, you'll see that Mahika's head on a silver platter."
Cliché remark there, King. Read that in every novel I own.
Well, two can play in that game.
"Let's see whose head will be a much better display on a silver platter," I mumbled, annoyed as I climbed out of bed.
The butler and maid left with me looked at me with a horrified look on their faces. They were trembling, holding each other for dear life, afraid to speak to me.
Of course they couldn't speak to me properly. I'm a Mahika.
A Mahika is feared by many.
"M-Miss, w-we shall p-prepare you f-for breakfast with the king," said the maid, as she hesitantly came closer to me.
I touched her sleeve, and that's where she tensed up and looked so pale. The poor thing looked like she was ready to faint.
"Relax, I won't hurt the both of you. I'm Jiyuu, what are your names?" I asked, trying to bring back color to her cheeks with my assurance.
The maid relaxed at my statement, and, so did the butler, but the way they spoke was still shaky.
"Y-yachi Hitoka, at your s-service," the maid said and curtsied.
"H-Hinata Shoyo, pleased t-to meet y-you," the butler bowed.
I was surprised at the sudden formality, seeing two Ordinario bow before me like I was a Maharlika.
"Ah! Yachi, Hinata, you have no need to bow to me," I said to the both of them, bowing slightly to respect their authority over me.
They smiled nervously, making me brighten up my morning. My generalization on Ordinario being such jerks were changed by these two persons.
"Well then Mi--, I mean Jiyuu, let's get you ready before the King gets impatient." said Hinata, pulling me by the hand to get me ready for the impatient Mahika.
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Kageyama's POV
"Cousin. Nice to see you again. What brings you here?"
My devilish cousin smirked, and put his chin in his hand as he picked up a glass of wine. The liquid swirled as he played with the glass, before he spoke again.
"Oh, well, I want to propose a little game." he said.
I tried my best to keep my composure to stop myself from screaming at him. Or dragging him out of my palace by the collar of his suit.
"Hmm? Your games do nothing more than trouble." I answered.
I clicked my tongue. This cousin of mine is getting into my nerves. He does nothing more than compete with me, and his little games lead to something drastic.
Like war.
"Dear cousin, I would like to declare war."
My hands slammed on the table, my eyes swirling with rage.
War?! Another war after a year?
Is he crazy or sadistic, for goodness' sake!
The scenes rushed back into my memories, mingled with screams and explosions. Buildings crumbled to dust, people screaming for salvation, bodies littered across the asphalt.
No, not another war.
"WHAT?! Aren't you content that Karasuno lost last year's war? We are still recovering and yet you want another war?!" I thundered.
My cousin's eyes were filled with rage, yet he still mustered enough strength to smile. Or, rather, smirk.
"Dear cousin, I am still not content with your loss. I want you to suffer. To fall. To lose hope. After what you did--" he began.
"That was four years ago, dammit!" I cut him off.
This. This started it all. Events from four years ago fueled the conflict between our Kingdoms. It fueled the first war between our kingdoms, that left us in ruins.
His fingers tightened around the crystalline surface of the glass, obviously irritated. He bit his lip and his eyebrows twitched in rage.
"Oh, but four years aren't enough to heal the pain you caused me."
He stood up, with a smirk on his face, as he set down the glass of wine and strode away.
"Kageyama Tobio. You will pay." he said and I heard the slam of the door.
I found the glass of wine on the floor, crimson staining the monochrome carpet, fractals of glass shimmering on the floor.
"Oikawa Tooru. This is war."
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author's note:
woah that was full of tension.
and that was act 2 everybody :)
-starlight