Kano exited the carriage first, he turns and extends his hand out, and a small pale and delicate hand places it on top of his. The girl held an aristocratic and noble appearance, even in the plain style of dressing.
Her back was straight, not even one did she slouched when exiting that carriage. Her other free hand held the dress so she doesn't step on it by accident, her eyes sparkled and her upturned lips held a noble and haughty image.
The servants who exited the mansion to welcome her kept their heads low, not a noise was made until the head butler spoke.
"Welcome your highness. The future ruler of our dear empire. The most beautiful flower of our empire."
The man bowed and all the servants, as if trained to follow along: and maybe they have; all smoothly rose their voices.
"Welcome your highness!"
"No need to be so reserved Maximus. I came as a family friend, so no need to show such formalities."
Sakura smiles calmly to the display. Not a hint of anything that can be used against her with her words nor her posture. She was the image of noble young lady, except for the dress.
"Understood. Then her highness, the young miss is just finishing a few things for the ride. I'll lead you to the small garden to wait. Madam should be there having a bit of tea."
"A marvelous idea, then do lead the way."
Sakura already stepped inside and Kano follows behind with a stoic expression, yet it is shown he is alert when a small sound can be heard a mile away, his eyes become sharp and quickly looks to that area. When he doesn't notice anything else after a moment, he quickly goes back to his stoic expression.
'A truly good knight. All his stats are high. High strength, endurance, defense, alertness and his five senses. He always was the one who got to her first when she was in danger. Leading to a petty jealousy tantrum from the capture targets and all in all cannon fodder for getting the relationship between Rose and the capture targets to strengthen and feel closer together.
"How pitiful..."
Sakura ended up mumbling her thoughts of Kano and he just glanced to her but kept following behind.
'He had a dangerous and intimidating look, but none the less gave him a sexy and devilish vibe. However he wasn't to become one of her targets. It seems that whom ever was the capture target tragically had to be Sakura's fiancee. It is quite a fucked up situation that always leads to Sakura losing her fiance.'
Grimacing, Sakura slowed her steps and turn her head to look up at Kano. Surprised by her actions, Kano raises an eyebrow in question.
'A devilish sexy man all right.... even when she had such a tool secretly but not really, loving and fawning over her why did she always have to go for my fiance!? Its fucking annoying I tell ya! Even more so when I see it from Sakura's perspective. There were so many men who loved her, even out of the capture target circle, yet that annoying white flower always goes for Sakura's future husband, like, what the hell!?'
"Tch!"
Sakura turn back to the front and quicken her steps while Kano follows quite casually but confused of what just happened.
'Heh.... now that I have one of her strongest and foolish tools, I wonder how she'll go on doing stupid stuff without his protection. I even bet those idiots when they get older and fall for her will have even more of a harder time protecting her. Hmm, talking about idiots, there are two here. Hope they won't show up where I'll be waiting.'
"Madam, her highness has arrived."
In a guarden filled with different flowers, all blooming in different colors and different shapes made it seem like it was wild, yet for some reason, it appeared didn't appear out of sorts. A women sat in a small table with a few snacks here and there and a tea cup setting that didn't look out of place.
A women with smooth peacock blue hair turns to Maximus. Her eyes held a noble and prideful gaze that showed her noble lineage. The shamrock green in her eyes mix with the peacock blue in them too, giving her the feeling of a prideful peacock when they would walk around slow and majestically. Her posture was straight and held no faults, the very image of a perfect lady.
"There is nothing else for now Maximus, just help her highness to her seat and go and check if Adaline is prepared or needs a few more minutes."
"Understood Madam."
Maximus bows to the lady who was sitting down and turns to guide Sakura to her seat. He pulls a chair right across from the women and waited for Sakura to sit in it.
Sakura very professionally sat with no mishaps and felt how Maximus smoothly pushed the chair in. Sakura thanked him and turn to look at the women. The madam had a maid who waited to the side pour a cup of tea for Sakura and give her a slice of delicious pecan pie.
"It has been a long time since we have last seen each other, has it not Sakura dear?"
The women smiled in a kind and proud way. It gave off the classic lady image that Sakura saw in movies of noble women who had the puffy dresses and the haughty air of someone who knows their position of being a nobleman.
Most people will find this image to be too prideful or feel like she was looking down at them, however, this was a women who grew with pride as a noble but knew that she was a women of respect and that her position of power meant she would protect those under her as they would look up to her.
'A women who has a sense of responsibility, but different from Kano's. She knows she has power from her position of being married to a man whose position of nobility is that of a marques. So she has a sense of nobility obligation. Rule their land for their empire and for the people who live in it. She learn that from her father who is a righteous man.'
Sakura tries to remember a bit from what she knew from the other Sakura's memories and that of the "game". She would as well ask questions that would give her context clues from their answers. She got away with a lot a things and recieved quite the amount of information because people didn't think they have to watch their words with a child who hasn't learn much of the world.
"Yes it has been Auntie Sapphire. I heard we would not be going with you to today's outing? I'm quite sad really. I thought we can have that "a girls day only' type outing, I was really hoping for it."
Sakura pouted and frown with a dissatisfied and disappointed look. Her lashes almost hiding her eyes when she looks down and her small rosy lips sticking out in frustration.
"Kyaaa!"
A womens high pitched voice filled the small garden, the Marchioness was holding her chest as if she was hit and normally a guard or knight of the family would be running there to see what was happening, however when they heard her highness was here, they turn around and return to their positions.
"Madam had another cuteness attack?"
"Aye."
"Then just return to your posts.'"
"Aye."
Everyone who have been here a long time understood how the madam loved to gush over small and adorable things, so when they only heard their madam scream of adoration, they quickly ignored it and went to continue their guarding in their areas.
"Cough couch! Excuse me, I had a bit of something in my throat."
Sapphire quickly composed herself and sat in the dignified and composed posture she was in moment before the "cuteness attack".
'I see that I'm still considered adorable at the age of 7. I should use it as much as I can.'
"Oh I'm truly sad too that I couldn't go out shopping with you girls. But a great big surprise happened and it was discovered just today. Did your uncle Gabriel tell you?"
She looked like a young girl who was given a big gift for her birthday, her eyes blistered like gems and her full red lips smiled so sweetly that Sakura felt like scrunching up and had to stop herself from looking away without gagging.
'Geh! Sweet and pure love. How disgusting!'
Sakura smiled but it twitched a bit, she never knew what love was in her other life and from watching Sakura's love life, she can say that love is a thing that makes one pathetic and stupid. Yeah she would congratulate someone she cares about and wish them happiness with their love, however when it comes to herself, she doesn't really believe in it and finds it to be filled with disappointment and full of falsehood.
"Yeah, I heard you have a baby in your tummy. I'm so happy for you auntie Auntie Sapphire! I bet the baby will be as cute as Ada."
"Hohohoho. Why of course. Both my sons and daughter are quite the beautiful children, aren't they?"
"Yup! Ade is really adorable."
Sakura smiled and purposely ignore the other two boys.
Sapphire noticed this and can only smile warily. She noticed when it comes to the boys, Sakura showed a distant, maybe even a hint of contempt when she is around the boys, especially Adonis.
'I was hoping to engage one of my sons to sweet and adorable Sakura, but throughout the years, I have noticed the way she looked at them, even the other sons of Seraph and the toddler of Ariel. Even Azrael and Uriel's adopted older son. The only one she has bothered getting close to was Nolan and Leon, and the children of Daisy and Ivy. So it shows she doesn't hate boys, just the specific ones.'
Sapphire was a bit disappointed but learn to not bring up the boys in front of Sakura too much, because then she would even give her a cold front and wouldn't visit for months until she relents to Adeline's begging.
"But I'm a bit mad at the baby."
Sakura again pouts and humph in fake anger.
"Hohoho, and why is that dear Sakura?"
"Because now the baby took auntie Sapphire away, so now you won't be able to go with us."
Sapphire giggles an bit and looks at Sakura warmly. She gestures for Sakura to come sit in her lap, which she complys bit hesitantly with her steps and she was scared to sit on her lap, worried if the baby would be ok if she does.
Sapphire knew a bit what Sakura was worried about and smiled even more motherly. She reaches out and lifts Sakura to sit in her lap, then she gently placed her head in her chest and cradled her as if she was a baby.
'Hohoho even if Sakura said she was mad at the baby she still worried that by sitting in my lap it would end up causing harm to the child. Such a sweet and lovable child.'
Sakura was stiff and awkward. Even if she was brought here to act as Sakura and knew from her other life the love of a mother and father. However, after staying as Sakura for 4 years, bit by bit those slices and pieces of all the past Sakura's lives started to feel like her own.
She sometimes even forgets her other life, so those feeling of being loved in such a motherly way feels foreign to her.
Those unexplainable feeling of being held in the arms of a women who treats her with true motherly love and care creates a sense of longing and pain to her whole body and soul.
'In all those lives.... Sakura never met her mother, never got to speak to her or be spoiled by her, even scolded with care... all that I used to take for granted or even felt embarrassed about was something Sakura yearned for and even when I don't feel like her emotion takes so much control of me like it did in the beginning; I can feel the envy of watching Adeline being pampered by Sapphire, but as well as the pure bliss of being treated the same way when I come to visit.'
Sakura lets Sapphire pat her back and hum her a small song to appease her small, but fake tantrum.
'Even when I haven't been able to see those Sakuras after seeing them in that dream, I can say I pity them. I feel for them who only can experience what they always wanted but only by looking from the sidelines. Having me experience this for them seem to be enough for those girls who just wanted to be cared for with sincerity. They felt like they had a dad through Raphael, but they always noticed it when it was too late, and for a mother, all those maids by her side only had ulterior motives, they never truly cared for her.'
Sakura can only sigh and relaxed in Sapphire's embrace, she gently rests her head on her and lets herself be cared for in such a spoiled way.
Kano who was witnessing such a thing truly took notice how small Sakura seemed. In the arms of a women who is considered petite and fragile, Sakura appears even more delicate and breakable. It made Kano feel more the need to protect her, to keep her far from harm's way. He undoubtedly felt the choice of giving his all to protect her was fully the right choice, and he would care of nothing else but do just that.
"Aunt Sapphire... I'm not mad at the baby anymore.... I'm fine by going just me amd Ade. Oh! And I got a really really loyal knight because of it! He is my and only my personal knight!"
Sakura quickly but gently go off of Sapphire's hold and ran beside Kano. She went and grabbed his arm and dragged him to stand beside Sapphire. He was stiff but still complied and didn't shake Sakura off.
Sapphire who was watching them two noticed how the young man was stiff and rigid in the hold of Sakura, but he didn't show a moment of discontent or disapproval from being dragged around by a seven year old.
"This is..?"
The women looks at the young man with a raised eyebrow. He stood beside Sakura, but he didn't make one move to answer. Sakura noticed this and smiled in amusement but quickly changed it to a childish giggle.
"Go on. You can tell auntie Sapphire who you are, no need to be such a statue."
Hearing her command, Kano does a light bow.
"My name is Kano Kizuki. A royal knight from squadron 7. I from now on shall be Sakura Serenity personal knight. My life and my full devotion shall belong to her amd her only."
He spoke of nothing else and held no other expression other than that of stating facts. Sakura nodded in approval as if she didn't truly understand the underlining meaning in his words.
Sapphire however, caught on quickly to what Kano's words meant. Her eyes wavered in astonishment and disbelief.
'Did he... A oath of devotion!!? That is unquestionable loyalty to ones master, no.... there was never a human who swore such devotion and faith to another human being, it is considered something unheard of!!'
She looked at Sakura and fully took a good look at her.
'.... what has she done to recieve such a oath like this? Do the others know that the oath that she recieved isn't that of a common personal knight, but that of one treating the other as their belief and faith like those who do to the gods or sacred beasts and fairies?'
"... I see. You got a really loyal knight your highness."
"Yup! He is my own personal knight in shining armour, I'm gonna show him off and recieve all the envy from those rude girls!"
Sakura puffed her chest out in a proud bratty way to display her ignorance to the hidden facts of his words. Sapphire gave a steady gaze to Sakura but didn't notice any peculiar emotion from Sakuras actions.
'Is she really that ignorant of what Kano said, or...'
Sapphire took a long look but can only sigh, she felt that she was getting too old to notice the hidden secrets of a child, or better yet, especially those of Sakura's. She would note a few peculiar moments but can never get any deeper since they are hidden away just as quickly as they appear.
'Sometimes I would think I'm imagining things.'
Before Sapphire can ask. Small steps can be heard running through the gardens bath, just behind the bush that acts like a cover of this hidden tea area a girl with long and yet curly hair that appear like waves pop out. Her hair being the same as her mothers gives it the image. Her eyes held the mix of blue of her mother, but as well as the green of her father. She gave the image of a forest nymph who is walking among humans because of her curiosity to mortal lives.
The dress she had on was a deeper blue than Sakura's own dress. It gave the image of the blue dress that Belle from beauty and the beast wore, but in a darker shade of blue and short sleeved.
Sakura nodded in approval of this look and put a thumbs up in her mind. But seeing the one person she was waiting so they can begin today's battle. Sakura's eyes held her own resolution, and her hands clenched just like her heart.
'All the game pieces are together and are placed in their positions in the board, now we just have to see who wins in the end of this game.'