Hime

a Sarah story

Hime

Sarah sat with her needle work patiently threading a picture stitch by stitch. Soft silky white fabric covered her from the neck down in an adorned night dress and her hair fell freely in soft waves down past her shoulders. Sarah paused in her work and stared out the diamond window and the lively world outside. A world that she was not allowed to be a part of. 

"Your Highness? is something the matter? are you feeling unwell again?" asked Sarah's maid with concern. Sarah glanced at the girl, just a little bit younger than herself, and smiled.

"I am fine Miss. Wilder. Just thinking." Sarah assured her. 

"If you're sure then... Where would you like your breakfast today, your Highness?" asked her maid with a curtsy.

"Just on the table please." said Sarah, beginning to fold up her work as her maid began busying herself with preparing her food. The problem was that Princess Sarah was dreadfully ill, and had been for almost 16 years, with a strange sickness that slowly sapped the life out of her. However, Sarah was determined not to die. She was the heir to the thrown and if she were gone it would leave their country extremely vulnerable. For years she had been forced to try all number of medicine, but with no success. Until she got Miss. Wilder as a maid that is. 

Sarah glanced over at the girl and smiled. Miss. Wilder had been chosen as her maid-in waiting when the girl was just barely 14. She had come straight from the country and people speculated that if the Crown Princess was being assigned such an amateur than that must mean that the Lord Regent (the King and Queen had died years ago leaving the thrown in the care for their advisors until Sarah turned 20) had already given up hope that she would live much longer. Miss. Wilder however, had no intention of being useless. She immediately pronounced that Sarah's medicated food and potions were absolutely "revolting" and set about smuggling her in delicious fresh food from her family in the country for at least one of her meals each day. Surprisingly, it had an immediate affect, and Sarah began to slowly regain a little strength. 

"You know... I've been thinking about something." said Miss. Wilder slowly as Sarah settled herself down for a delicious breakfast prepared in secret by Miss. Wilder and one of the kitchen hands that had taken a liking to her called Miss. Lambert.

"Hmm? What about?" asked Sarah as her maid cut her food for her and she ate it.

"At the rate you're recovering, you may yet live to your 20th birthday and be crowned." said Miss. Wilder.

"What do you mean? of course I will live till I am 20!" said Sarah in surprise.

"Pardon my boldness, your Highness, but aside from myself and Miss. Lambert, no one else believes you will. There are all sorts of bets and papers set up for when you die and who will succeed you. But I think you may be getting better, though no one believes me. I am afraid to say that because no one has expected you to live this long, you are extremely unprepared to take the thrown." said Miss. Wilder a bit meekly.

"That is to bold." said Sarah feeling slightly offended, partially by what her maid was suggesting, and partially because because she had a sneaking suspicion that she might be right, "I was educated and everything. I it'll be hard at the beginning, but I'll get a hang of it-"

"You were taught how to read and write, yes. But you need more than that to become a ruler of a country. You haven't been taught about tax's or legislation or economics or even the most basic way your kingdoms affairs are generally managed. The Lord regent, forgive me for saying so your Highness, does not even bother to tell you of the current affairs happening in your own castle let alone you kingdom!" said Miss. Wilder earnestly.

"What are you suggesting Miss. Wilder?" asked Sarah pouting, she hadn't thought about it, but her maid was right wasn't she? she was extremely unprepared to rule the country. Forget dying and having it overthrown, she was likely to have it taken from her while she ruled from sheer incompetence for which she was not at fault. She felt suddenly extremely resentful towards the Lord Regent and the other Nobles in court. Had no one truly thought an invalid like her was ever capable of ruling? well, she would just have to prove them wrong. 

"I think for now, you should get a tutor. Someone very experienced and on your side. I am afraid you might not realize it, but the Crown Princess has a lot of enemies." said Miss. Wilder shaking her head. Sarah pondered it for a moment, it would certainly be to her advantage...

"Do you have someone in mind?" asked Sarah.

"Yes, I can call him over now if you'd like, your Highness." said Miss. Wilder looking relieved.

"Please do." said Sarah turning back to her food and hastily eating. HEr maid nodded with a warm smile and rose to make arrangements. Distantly Sarah could hear her conversation with one of the other maids, Miss. Hughes she thought she was called. 

"Yes Alana, please do. He should be with Lady Bethany and Lady Jaya. I am sure they would be glad to have a change." Miss. Wilder instructed her, "and while your at it could you send Siana up here? Her Highness needs to get ready for the day."

"Of course Rachel, what about you? do you need anything?" asked Miss. Hughes with a smile. Sarah felt a twinge of jealousy, because of her illness she had seen little of the Nobles who were considered acceptable companions for her. She loved all the maids who attended her but they were distant, separated by class and ordered by the Lord Regent not to converse with her more than nessicary or they would be punished. Still there were little rebels like Miss. Wilder, Miss. Lambert, and her other maid Miss. Berg who still talked to her and tried to help as best as their rank allowed (and sometimes more than their rank allowed). Still, she couldn't help but wish for a close friend... she wasn't even allowed to call her maids by their first names! and they must always submit to her. It was so frustrating!

"What do you mean by 'get ready for the day'? Why do I need both you and Miss. Berg to attend me at the saw time?" asked Sarah, though she was glad. The conversation was more lively when both her maids were here.

"Well, your Highness, I thought it would be a bit improper if you were to greet your new tutor in your nightgown." said Miss. Wilder with a smile.

"Oh... right." said Sarah blushing. She realized just how long it had been since she had seen anyone besides her maids... too long. Oh goodness, she was starting to get nervous. Sarah set down her fork no longer feeling particularly hungry, "Shall we begin?"

"You're done?" asked Miss.Wilder in surprise.

"Yes, you may have my left overs when you're done dressing me." Sarah said rising to her feet.

"Erm... thank you, your Highness." said Miss. Wilder with embarrassment. Sarah laughed, she knew that her maid had an enormous appetite, so she tried to find reasons to feed her every chance possible.

The two girls walked over to the dressing room where Miss. Wilder began to assemble the may pieces required for the Princesses outfit. Sarah herself slid out of her nightdress and into a new set of bloomers and chemise. Though many of the Nobles scoffed at the idea of dressing any part of themselves (apparently it was "sooo middle class") Sarah and Miss. Wilder had agreed that she needed as much forms of exercise as possible, even if it was only walking around her from and putting on  her own underclothes. 

"Let me help you with your corset, your Highness." said Miss. Wilder, "Your quite thin, so you don't really need one, but unfortunately this dress requires one. I shall not tighten the laces as much as fashion requires however."

"I do not know how the other Ladies breath when they tighten these things so much." said Sarah with wonder, Miss. Wilder laughed in agreement as she fastened the thing onto her and then went to retrieve the under dress, then the petty coat, then the actual dress. 

"Your Highness, you have my respect for being able to balance and walk in that, in any of the dresses of court really, for I am sure should I attempt to I would parish immediately." said Miss. Wilder dramatically.

"More like trip and fall down the stairs." grinned Miss. Berg coming in to do Sarah's hair.

"Ah Siana, you give me far too much credit; you know I would fall before I even managed to stand up." Grinned Miss. Wilder.

"Well, hopefully I won't do either." said Sarah flushing in embarrassment at the thought of doing such a thing before a guest.

"Of course you won't, your Highness," assured Miss. Berg combing through her hair, "Rachel here is just uncommonly useless as a noble."

"Hey!" said Miss. Wilder pouting as she be gan putting on jewelry for Sarah.

"It's quite a chaste dress you picked out for her, by the way Rachel. Don't you know that it's court fashion to show as much chest as possible while still whirring cloths? Don't want our lovely princess to look out-dated do we?" teased Miss. Berg as she twisted Sarah's hair up in coils.

"Yasmine picked out the dress." admitted Miss. Wilder, "Though I agree to a degree; the new tutor is quite a flirt. And though I believe he is harmless, else wise I would not have allowed him in the same room as our princess, I think it is foolish to tempt fate."

"Indeed." agreed Miss. Berg, "Though our Princess is so lovely it might just be tempting fate even if we dressed her in a potato sack. Well your highness? what do you think?"

Sarah allowed herself to be turned towards the mirror and caught her breath. She so rarely had any visitors or left her room so she almost had trouble recognizing her refection. Sarah wore a beautiful white gown of silk and diamonds that's sleeves were slit and turned into trailing pieces of sheer material around her elbow length gloves. The neck, as Miss. Berg had mentioned, was not low, but rather a beautifully woven lace that went up to her throat. More diamonds dripped from her ears and hair that was pinned and twisted in a complicated fashion in the middle of which was securely placed her crown. 

Everything was pure white or silver.

"I look like a White Queen." breathed Sarah.

"Indeed. This is what we get for leaving Yasmine in charge of your outfits, little racist." said Miss. Berg with fondness. There was a knock on the door.

"Oh, that must be him." said Miss. Wilder running out quickly.

"Come your Highness, shall you have a seat in the drawing room?" asked Siana leading Sarah into another part of her rooms with comfortable chairs and stylish tables. But Sarah was feeling too nervous to notice much, she strained to hear the voices at the door.

"As lovely as ever dear Rachel. That reproving expression particularly brings the stars in the heaven into order." said a lilting voice dripping with charm. Sarah felt her heart beat faster.

"As shameless as ever I see. Please do try and control yourself around the Princess though, or I fear you will once again be under the wrath of Miss. Lambert."

"Ah... yes. Sweet Yasmine is truly a terrifying beauty is she not? I nearly drop dead at her sight every time. Do not fear, I shall be the upmost gentleman to our dear Princess."

"He better be." muttered Miss. Berg as she settled Sarah.

"Right this way Sir." said Miss. Wilder coming back into view, "Your Highness? May I present to you Sir Jack Vessalius."

Sarah raised her eyes and caught her breath as the man came into her sight. He was tall with long blond hair tied in an escaping braid, his face was that or a prince out of a story book and his eyes were emerald. He stared at her just as startled, blinking, his mouth opening and closing but no sound coming out. Sarah felt as strange tingling warmth spread through her at the sight of him. Neither said a word but stared at each other in awe as if they had both been struck over the head.

"Well..." said Miss. Berg breaking the electric silence, "Yasmine will certainly have a thing or two to say about this development."

"Indeed she will." agreed Miss. Wilder with a smile.

Author's Note

short chapter for Hime that came out of a random inspiration. Might draw a picture for this one. Haven't decided. Siana's is acutely first and pretty much finished but I am waiting to publish till she gets back from her trip :) Hope you enjoyed! No telling if there will be a sequel or if this was a oneshot. Depends if I get inspired again!

Reviews

[Imagination-mage]

...i do get to attack him right? of course good read but i am just asking...there is always room for some violence in romance:)

[PokemonFan#1]

*flails* M-MORE!! DX AH!! I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!! DX (well, when you get inspired that is)
I'd love a drawing!!

[StillShorterThanYou]

AWESOME!!! that was REALLY CUTE!! >///< and by the way: FIRST REVIEWER!!!!!