♦⊱ Chapter 16 - A Gift ⊰♦

This chapter is dedicated to akatsuki_tsukiyomi! Happy reading :)

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Ruka pov:

I was very careful while adding the spice and salt to the dish I was cooking. It was a very basic dish – nothing that could compare to the quality or presentation of what the royal chefs made – but I was confident that I could make it delicious. Lady Kana had taught me well and I intended to not let her efforts go to waste.

While the broth simmered over the medium flame, I chopped some vegetables. I popped a few raw slices of carrots into my mouth as I worked and added the rest to the broth. I then checked the rice that was getting cooked. It was almost done so I left it with the lid open.

I reached out for a fresh cabbage so I could make some seasoned side dish. As I was cutting it, some short, loose strands of my hair fell out of place to get in the way of my eyes. I pushed it back with the back of my hand but it didn't help. In fact, some more came loose and bothered me more.

"Ah, seriously, my hair's all over my face," I muttered and blew a few strands out of the way.

I nearly jumped out of my skin the next moment though when a hand gently brushed the nape of my neck. Turning around, I looked up into Kichiro sama's scarlet eyes. I gave a chaste bow in greeting. I tensed when he reached out to comb the loose strands of my hair with his fingers before gathering all of my hair together in his hands. He tied a ribbon to hold all of it in place, out of the way while I worked.

The shorter stands were pushed behind my ears and I couldn't resist leaning into his touch that was so tender. I blushed and averted my eyes at my reaction. After tucking my hair behind my ears, he surprised me more by touching my cheeks softly with the back of his fingers. I met his eyes shyly, my blush darkening.

When I softly thanked him for his help, he looked into my eyes. We maintained eye contact for several moments making my heart begin to race. Thankfully, we were interrupted by the messenger who walked into the kitchen and got down on one knee to report to Kichiro sama.

"Your Majesty, the ministers are waiting for you," he said.

Kichiro sama nodded at that and walked out of the kitchen after a brief glance at me. Clearing my throat to regain composure, I went back to cooking. I was done in about an hour following which I set up the table. I placed the hot pot, sweet buns and two side dishes on the table along with the crockery and cutlery. I served rice into the two bowls and had one of the attendants place a vase of flowers for decoration.

I had become the spotlight of attention for the attendants and chefs – it made me a little awkward but I had ignored it and concentrated on cooking in an attempt to impress Kichiro sama with whatever I had cooked, even if it wasn't as good as what he usually ate.

Just as I was done setting the table, the doors of the dining hall opened and Kichiro sama walked in. I smiled while I greeting him with a bow. He scrutinized the set table for a moment, obviously noticing how different it was compared to usual.

"I cooked and set the table today," I said, fiddling with my fingers. "I'm not as good a cook as the person who taught me but I think what I've made tastes good."

I noticed him nod slowly before taking his seat. Instead of sitting in his lap, I took a seat on his right. He didn't seem pleased about that and asked, "Why are you sitting there?"

"I'll be serving your meal today," I said with a small smile.

I pushed the bowl of rice towards him and then reached for the side dishes. I mixed two of them in a separate bowl and then scattered them over the rice. I picked up Kichiro sama's chopsticks and held them out for him to take. He narrowed his eyes ever so slightly but took the chopsticks from my hands. He hesitated a moment before taking the first bite of rice and side dishes.

"Is it good?" I asked, leaning towards him a little involuntarily.

He gave a barely noticeable nod that brought a bright smile onto my face. When he met my eyes, having swallowed his first bite, I could see many emotions swirling in them. I couldn't tell what they were though and I felt mildly awkward. I averted my eyes, tucking a few strands of hair behind my ears.

"I guess I should eat too," I mumbled and served the mixed side dishes for myself too. I had barely finished half of my food when Kichiro sama put down his chopsticks, having finished his meal without leaving a single grain of rice behind. I momentarily paused eating and place two sweet buns on his plate as I said, "I made sweet buns for dessert. You should try them too."

He silently picked up one and ate it. He didn't say anything but both of the buns were gone in less than a minute so I assumed that they tasted good.

He waited until I was done eating before he stood. He didn't leave immediately and looked at me instead. "I do not have anything important to do for the rest of the day. Do you wish to go horse-riding?"

"Oh, um, well..." I mumbled, surprised by his offer.

However, before I answered, another thought went through my mind and I excused myself to hurry to our room. I rummaged through the drawers of the study table there and pulled out a sheet of paper on which I had drawn a guitar. I hurried back to the dining hall to find Kichiro sama sitting with his eyes closed and his arms crossed over his chest. When I approached him, he opened his eyes to look at me. I held the drawing out for him to see.

"Would it be possible to have this made by someone? It's a musical instrument that I learnt to play since I was a child. I know it's something unusual but I could guide the craftsman on how to make it if...oh, we'd have to leave the palace and go to the market for that, wouldn't we? But maybe if the craftsman could be summoned here and-"

"We will go to the market to have it made," he interrupted. He summoned several soldiers and Kijima san immediately before holding out his hand to me.

Smiling, I placed my hand in his so he could guide me to the entrance courtyard. Onyx had already been brought and I was helped onto him sitting sideways and Kichiro sama got on behind me. He tugged at the reins and we galloped out of the palace with Kijima san and the soldiers following close behind.

I considered this as an exciting tour because this was the second time in three months that I had left the palace walls. I looked around like a tourist while holding onto Kichiro sama's arm for support until we reached the main settlement around the palace, which was several feet lower in altitude and reached by a winding path. It wasn't much later that we reached the central marketplace and came to a stop.

Kichiro sama got off and then helped me off. I gasped, impressed by the bustle in the village even though most of the people who were around us were trembling under Kichiro sama's scrutinizing gaze. They had all got down on their knees and were bowing until their foreheads touched the ground. I did my best to ignore them and stepped forward, my interest having been piqued by a jewelry shop close by. I was stopped by a firm yet gentle grip on my wrist and we walked together with our so-called escorts to where I could have my guitar made.

The man in the carpentry shop too fell to his knees trembling when we approached his shop. "Y-Your Majesty," he stuttered, his trembling getting worse when we stopped barely a foot from him. "P-Please, spare me! I have not done anything wrong! M-my only desire is to serve you faithfully!"

I could only assume that Kichiro sama had never come down to these streets or to any shop unless he needed to punish someone for doing something wrong – it explained the frightened reaction of this man. I felt a little sorry for him for he was also receiving frightful and pitiful expressions from the others around us.

"Actually," I spoke and he flinched, "we're here to ask you to make this."

Still terrified, he lifted his gaze to look at the sheet of paper I held in my hands. Hesitantly, he took the sheet from my hands and looked over the drawing as he remained seated on his knees.

"I-I have never seen such an instrument before," he said softly.

"It's not a local instrument," I answered. "I can guide you on how to make. Could you make it for me, please?"

"O-Of course, My Lady!" he answered immediately, bowing his head once. "It is an honor to make anything for His Majesty's royal consort."

"Royal consort?" I mumbled more to myself. I cleared my throat, feeling awkward and said, "I'm not really his consort...I think."

He said nothing though and got busy making my guitar.

It was late evening by the time my guitar was ready. The craftsman had done a really good job, perfect and precise, and I had hugged the finished guitar to me when it was handed to me. I had thanked Kichiro sama several times and we had then returned to the palace but not before, on my request, the craftsman had been given a handsome amount of money for doing a good job.

We first went to our room to keep the guitar there though I couldn't resist the overwhelming desire to play something first. I took a seat on the bed and patted the space in front of me to coax Kichiro sama to take a seat. His expression turned curious.

"Shall I play something before dinner?" I asked.

He nodded and took a seat on the bed in front of me. I took a few minutes to fine-tune the strings and then contemplated on what song to play. Call it silly but the song I wished to hear the most at the moment was from Titanic, My Heart Will Go On by my favorite artist Celine Dion.

"This is one of my favorite songs and one that I learned to play when I was ten years old," I said to Kichiro sama and struck the first notes.

Kichiro pov:

"This is one of my favorite songs and one that I learned to play when I was ten years old," Ruka said, looking at me with a smile, one of many that she had been giving me off late.

She had become more open with me now, become comfortable around me, I suppose, and I quite like it. I was finally getting genuine attention from someone so why was I still not satisfied? What is it that I further desired?

I tensed, my thoughts interrupted when Ruka ran her fingers over the strings of the strange instrument she had had made with my permission, eliciting a melodic sound. She played a slow tune for a few moments before parting her lips to sing. It made my heart beat faster than normal, my chest constricted, and I felt very uncomfortable. Yet, I didn't stop her and could only watch her, her singing just as soothing and alluring as it was on the day I had seen her in her village despite not understanding the words.

"Every night in my dreams, I see you, I feel you

That is how you know you...go on

Far across the distance and spaces between us

You have come to show you...go on

Chorus:

Near, far, wherever you are

I believe that the heart does go on...

Once more, you open the door

And you're her in my heart and

My heart will go on and on..."

She closed her eyes every now and then while she sang, deeply involved. There was so much emotion in her voice.

"Love can touch us one time and last for a lifetime

And never let go till we're gone

Love was when I loved you, one true time I hold to

In my life we'll always go on...

[Chorus repeat]

You're here, there's nothing I fear

And I know that my heart will go on...

We'll stay forever this way...

You are safe in my heart and

My heart will go on and on...

Hmmm...hmmm..."

When she stopped after a slow hum, she opened her eyes to meet mine. I did my best to not show that I was finding it hard to breathe and narrowed my gaze when Ruka's eyes went wide. Her cheeks filled with color, dark and oddly alluring to me.

She averted her eyes clearing her throat but then asked while meeting my gaze again, "Did you enjoy it?"

Ruka pov:

Goodness, I had got so lost in the midst of singing. Only when I had opened my eyes to see Kichiro sama staring at me did I realize just how embarrassing I must have been. My face was hot with a blush though I had asked him if he had enjoyed what I had played. He gave a nod without breaking eye contact.

"It felt really good to play after so long," I said, running my fingers over the strings to elicit a silent hum.

I shifted to keep aside the guitar but blushed again at the rather loud protest my stomach gave. I placed my hand over my stomach and laughed sheepishly. I stood and so did Kichiro sama only to offer his hand for me to take. I put my hand in his, liking how nice it felt. His hold felt caring now that I wasn't afraid of him anymore. I almost felt like I was holding hands with a friend – it was comforting. Besides, he didn't seem to mind my outgoing personality so I was more confident about being more open around him off late.

"Have the chefs ready the table," Kichiro sama said to one of the passing attendants who scurried away after a word of acknowledgment.

Since we had at least ten minutes before the table had been set, I took the liberty to ask Kichiro sama if we could relax in the tea garden during the time we waited. He agreed, obviously, and we reached the garden soon. While Kichiro sama took a seat, crossing one leg over the other, I walked through the snow-covered garden. I crouched next to the pond, the top layer of which had frozen. I knocked the ice with my knuckles and laughed at the startled reactions I got from the fish that swam below.

When Kichiro sama called me to return to his side so we could go for dinner, I did so without hesitance. I let him hold my hand again as we walked through the hallways and entered the dining room. Delicious aromas filled my nose and I took a deep inhale of them. As always, I took a comfortable seat in Kichiro sama's lap and we proceeded with dinner.

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Ah, beautiful guitar music to hypnotize you, Kichiro sama ^////^ I think he's falling more and more in love with Ruka, isn't he? UWU 'Nuff said!

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