The Last Princess

by Marissa Craig

  “Don’t follow me,” I say to her.

  If I can get the pilot to wake up I should be there in a few hours. Breakfast can be eaten on the plane. I’ll have my clothes sent over later. My phone rings again.

  “Commander speaking.”

  “Are you trying to lose Chiyo-san?” father screams.

  “Huh?”

  “She says you’ve been being mean to her. If you’re going to visit your brother then she goes with you.”

  “I’m going on business,” I tell him.

  “She goes with you.”

  She called him that fast. She has the old man wrapped around her finger. He wants her money too.

  The plane ride is unbearable. She keeps talking about how she wants an interview of her own. She wants the people to know about our love. I just want her to go away.

  “What’s Morinaga like?”

  “Quiet.”

  “I had a feeling it was like that. It’s such a small country-”

  “No, you stay quiet.”

  I’ll gladly guard the princess if it means I can escape from my future wife. Chiyo-san takes a drink from the attendant. Maybe now I can go back to sleep.

  “You don’t talk about yourself much,” she says.

  “Ugh.”

  “Is it that you don’t have much of a personality?”

  “Yeah, that must be it. You really can do better. Now can you shut up so I can sleep.”

  “You’re so anxious to dream about her. I heard you say her name when you were asleep.”

  “So?”

  “What is it about her? You have to know she’s just a kid.”

  She keeps asking about her. It’s not her business. Probably I did say Yumiko-san’s name in my sleep. She admitted to the world that she loves me. I’ll be expected to respond. Not sure what to say. Things were so much easier when no one knew and we could sneak into each other’s rooms after dark.

  “Probably she just seduced you.”

  She’s still talking.

  “She’s inconvenienced us a lot. How are you going to respond when people ask what you feel for her?”

  “I’ll tell the truth.”

  “Kantarou-sama-”

  “You’ll never succeed in controlling me. You should just stop.”

  “I’m not the bad guy here. You promised to marry me and you’re thinking about other women.”

  So I’m the bad guy. I never said I loved Chiyo-san nor had any intention to. I was honest with her from the beginning. Now that she’s here she feels she can make demands to me and act like we’re in a relationship.

  “I promised nothing,” I say to her.

  “But-”

  “And if you keep talking back to me I’ll throw you off this jet!”

  She sinks down into her seat. Women are so damn annoying! This whole be married at thirty thing is a pain. I get the reason behind it. I have to command and my queen has to win everyone’s heart. Setsuna-san gets it; she was trained to understand it all. We talked about politics several times. She understands what a queen is there for. She would have been a good candidate.

  I’m told Yumiko-san had some of the same training; she should get it too. No….she’s not from Han. Morinaga can break tradition and have a foreign royal but I can’t do that here. Dammit! I keep going back and forth with this. I can’t be with her but I want to and I’m desperately trying to rationalize it.

  “You’re not very nice,” she says to me.

  “I know that.”

  “Can I just talk to you?”

  “All you do is talk.”

  “Please just listen.”

  She sits across from me nervously drinking. I can tell she doesn’t drink wine often.

  “I really like you. I always have ever since the king announced you would succeed him. I was there in the capitol on that day. You looked as sour then as you do now.”

  I was eighteen years old then. It was right after I finished the military academy. I had to greet the people but all I really wanted was to gain rank and become commander.

  “You stood next to your brothers and looked so cool. Kira-sama attempted to run off stage and you grabbed him by the collar and brought him back.”

  He cried about it. Back then father was away so much. Kira called me “father” for a few years. So what if she likes me; I don’t care.

  “What’s your point?” I ask her.

  “I…just want to be yours. Please consider me seriously.”

  I heard that once before. Back when I didn’t realize I cared for Yumiko-san.

  “I’m sorry but I like you,” Yumiko-san once told me. “I don’t want you to see me as a mistress. I want you to see me as good enough to walk beside you and sit across from you. When I kiss you…my feelings are real. I’m so disappointed when you stop.”

  “I should have known you couldn’t handle it.”

  “Please consider me seriously.”

  My mind keeps going back to her. She confessed to me and I denied her. I let her in but I never told her my feelings. I never made her feel secure. I only approached her like she was my mistress. I ruined it all.

  Chiyo-san hides herself behind her hands. I am the bad guy here.

  “Come sit next to me,” I tell her.

  She quietly gets up and sits next to me. Perhaps if I pretend I’ll slowly develop some real feelings for her. I put my arm around her.

  “Don’t talk so much and I’ll consider it.”

  “Really? Are things really over between you and her?”

  It has to be.

  “Yes. I have you now.”

  Chapter 70: Kira

  Everyone’s in Morinaga except me. When did that become the cool place to hang out? Everything Kyo-nii touches is cool. He turned that backwards country into the most interesting place in the world because he’s on track to becoming a lovable dictator.

  All the while I’m stuck at the academy. I’m so far behind. Setsuna-san was supposed to wait for me. When I finish up here she will see me as a man. She’s such a fickle girl. She won’t give me any attention after leading me on for so many years.

  The break is over so I’m back in class. Back with the so called future defenders of my country. The first days back are just a gossip fest. Everyone keeps talking about my brother’s stupid interview.

  “Can you believe in a month he’ll be married?”

  “I wish I was Setsuna-sama. She gets to marry our handsome prince.”

  “Kyoya-sama is the most handsome, isn’t he?”

  “Definitely.”

  “Shut up!” I scream.

  So much damn chatter. The girls look back at me.

  “What’s his problem?”

  “Probably jealous.”

  They have no idea who I am. Who I am doesn’t mean anything. I’m the third prince. I’m so far in age from my brothers that I have nothing in common with them. I met Setsuna-san, a royal that could understand me, and she’s captivated by Kyo-nii like all the rest. Somehow she’s captivated by the captain too.

  All those girls up front and none of them look back at me. Handsome runs in the family; I’m just as handsome as my brother but no one bothers to look at me.

  At break I head to the telephone lounge. We’re not allowed to have phones so this is my only connection to the outside world. My one call a day normally goes to mother but…I feel like it can’t hurt to try someone else.

  I dial Kyo-nii and feel stupid for doing it.

  “Kira, is everything okay?” he says on the other end.

  I don’t normally talk to him. I don’t know what to say.

  “Um…”

  “Did you call for Setsuna-san?” he guesses.

  “I-I’ll speak with her but I wanted to talk to you first.”

  “Really…figured you still hated me.”

  “Hate? I-I don’t hate you.”

  I never said I hated him to his face. It’s starting to get loud in here. More people crowd the room to get a phone.

 
“I hate it here,” I say to him.

  “Too tough?”

  I hold the phone closer. If anyone were to hear, they would call me a coward. I…I want to give up.

  “It’s meant to be tough, you know. Only thirty percent of my class made it to graduation.”

  “It’s not that it’s too tough, I just…don’t belong here.”

  “You’ll never know where you belong. It’s up to you to create that place.”

  “But I-”

  “Kan-nii wanted to be a commander because he always wanted to be in charge. He created that environment for himself. Strived for it.”

  “I don’t want to be a commander. I don’t even want to be king. I just want to be important.”

  “You’re plenty important,” he tells me.

  “You know I’m not.”

  “What do you think boys do to feel important?”

  I’ve been watching them. They brag about how far they made it with girls. I tried that. Made it seem like I slept around and knew how to satisfy a women. I’ve never even kissed one. Setsuna-san was my first kiss. It was so easy to talk to her and feel like I was somebody around her.

  The girls here won’t even look my way.

  “You’ll figure it out,” he tells me. “I’ll have to introduce you to someone when you come for the wedding.”

  “She’s going through with it?”

  “What makes you think she wouldn’t?” he asks.

  Cause of all the terrible things I said about him.

  “Congratulations, I guess.”

  Just cause she marries him doesn’t mean I have to give up on her. Kinda feels that way though.

  “Don’t be so jealous,” he tells me.

  “I’m not jealous-”

  “Kira-kun?”

  That’s her. I straighten up. She’s really here. All I wanted was to talk to her while I was away but she would never talk to me. She must like me again.

  “S-setsuna-san?”

  “How are you? How is school?”

  “Everything is going well of course. If you heard otherwise they’re lying.”

  “Hehe. I envy you.”

  “Why’s that?” I ask.

  “You get to make a name for yourself independent of your title.”

  That’s not the case. She probably sees me as a hero. I can’t let her down.

  “How many friends do you have there?” she asks.

  None.

  “A few. It’s hard to trust people when everyone knows I’m a prince.”

  “You have to be selective. That makes sense.”

  “Why are you talking to me now? You avoided me for so long?”

  “You are not my biggest issue,” she says to me.

  “Uh…”

  She breaks my heart instantly. I’m not even on her radar anymore.

  “I guess you have bigger issues being a princess. Like your wedding.”

  The boy next to me immediately looks over. I said a buzz word.

  “Don’t remind me. You’re coming, aren’t you?”

  “Of course I’ll be there, princess. I’ll be one of the groomsman.”

  “Since when do you call me “princess.” Did you forget my name?”

  Another person looks over. I think I found a way to get some attention. I know the princess. Being the third prince hasn’t given me much but being Setsuna-san’s brother-in-law is getting me tons of attention. I hear whispering.

  “That’s Kira Niwa. He’s related to the royal family, right?”

  Damn right.

  “Have you gotten over that little crush you have on me? We should clear that up before you get married.”

  “Huh?” she says confused.

  I lean back in my chair and all eyes are on me. More whispers arise. If I’m good enough for Setsuna-san, I’ll be a treasure to any one of these girls.

  “I gotta go. And don’t worry. I’ll make it to Morinaga for your wedding.”

  “Um…okay,” she says to me. “I’ll see you then.”

  I hang up the phone and they all look at me. I can milk this even more. I have pictures of Setsuna-san from the birthday party. Everyone continues with their conversations; I leave out and slam the door behind me.

  I walk quickly back to my dorm. Where are those pictures? They’re from mother’s personal collection; never released from the public. I know the masses will be here any minute.

  “Excuse me.”

  I look back at my door. How did a girl get into the dorm? She’s a tall one too.

  “What is it?”

  “I overheard you in the phone lounge. Are you Kira Niwa of the Han royal family?”

  “I am.”

  The rooms floods with all types of people. Girls and boys looking everywhere. I pull out my desk drawer and as the girl comes towards me she notices the pictures.

  “Is that the princess?” she squeals.

  “Uh, yeah. It’s the album from our birthday party. Did you wanna see?”

  I think I did it. I created an environment where I can feel important. My room is full of my people. They’re gawking over me…well mostly Setsuna-san. They know who I am now.

  “You kind of look like Kyoya-sama,”a girl tells me.

  “No, he looks like Kantarou-sama.”

  The chatter goes on as the pictures circulate. There’s one girl that doesn’t look enthused. She sits in the corner looking at one picture angrily.

  “It’s getting late,” I announce. “You all should go before curfew.”

  The room clears out and I go to the girl in the corner. She’s too distracted to see we’re the only ones left.

  “Hey,” I say to her.

  “The princess should have died that night.”

  “What?”

  “No good has come from her surviving,” she snarls.

  “What do you mean? Kyoya is the leader of Morinaga. It’s basically our country now.”

  “You want a country to vacation in, that’s fine. But he’s pulling Han forces away from his own people. Why should I be here fighting and studying just to end up protecting the princess’ people.”

  I never heard someone talk so angrily about the princess. Han has plenty of forces; we’re not stretched thin. I guess Kyoya hasn’t communicated that the countries will merge.

  I can’t get a good look at her. She has blond curly hair covering her face. No one should hate the princess; she’s harmless.

  “There are plenty more that think just like me,” she says.

  “I doubt that…”

  I watch on as she crumbles up the picture.

  “She should die,” she says again.

  “Kyoya will still rule her country.”

  “Then it’ll be a conquering and we can purge their people out. What he’s doing to those people in Highland Row, he’ll do everywhere. And all that will be left are survivors pledged to Han.”

  Does she realize who she’s talking to? I won’t let anyone hurt the princess. We’re not conquering anyone. Kyoya is just fulfilling a promise. Seeing their interview, I understand what he was doing. I understand the importance of their love even thought I don’t like it. I can’t let anyone speak against her.

  But I’m not tough enough to make an impact. This girl seems hardcore.

  “You should go,” I tell her.

  She stands up and moves her hair away. There’s an actual girl under all that hair. I turn my head away. She’s….kinda cute.

  “If you don’t fit in with the Han royal family you can just join another. I’m Naoko.”

  I would never betray my family.

  “Leave,” I tell her.

  “I’ve known who you are this entire time,” she says at the door. “And I know you feel like an outcast. I’ve watched the last three years.”

  I lift my head up see her. I’m not that kind of outcast.

  “Whatever group you are a part of, I will stop them. No one will harm Setsuna-san.”

  “We’ll see how that goes. I’ll visit you ag
ain. Goodnight, prince.”

  Chapter 71: Kantarou

  “It’s nice to see you,” Kyoya says to me.

  “I wish I could reunite with you without the shrieking.”

  “Oh my gosh, Kyoya-sama, it’s so good to see you. You were amazing in your interview,” Chiyo-san squeals at him.

  He nods at her but before he can speak to me she squeals again.

  “Setsuna-san was amazing too. Kantarou-sama was talking about getting me an interview. I’m sure you have connections at-”

  “Very nice to see you, Chiyo-san,” he cuts in. “Can my brother and I have a minute? You’re welcome to go wherever you wish.”

  “Sorry, I can’t do that. I stay by his side.”

  She grabs my hand. He looks over at me with his eyebrow raised. I really don’t know how to handle this girl. I shake her off.

  “Go,” I tell her. “Stop interfering in my business.”

  “But we’re a team. Whatever Kyoya-sama has to say to you he can say in front of me.”

  “Go!”

  “I-I’ll just have a look at the gardens.”

  She clams up and heads back out the front door. I hold my forehead but it doesn’t stop throbbing.

  “Very interesting relationship.”

  “I don’t know what I’m doing,” I admit to him. “I hate her. I really hate her. She’s the most annoying thing I’ve ever met.”

  “But….”

  “I’m trying to play the gentleman.”

  I sit down on his couch. She’s supposed to be queen so it shouldn’t matter but it’s so hard to sit next to a woman I despise. She tries to take my control away. Trying to say what I should wear, who I should talk to and how I should treat her. When she quiets down I remember the girl I met in the marriage meeting. Quiet, gentle, and with a cute laugh.

  “Nothing is public so just deny her.”

  “I figured I would pretend and feelings would come.”

  I sat next to her on the plane and put my arm around her. She went on and on about how we should have a palace for the two of us.

  “You know, you’ve never had a steady girl. You always said they were annoying or didn’t understand you.”

  Except Yumiko-san.

  “Maybe you’re better off alone than feeling miserable.”

  “Since when are you the big brother. I’m supposed to be giving you advice.”

  “Could you?”