Mirrored Love: Chapter 3
dun dun chapter 3!
Akira stood and looked up into the giant white steeds that all five of the princes were mounted on. She laughed on the inside at the thought that these were the typical handsome princes on a white horse. The five men looked down at her from atop their horses waiting for her to decide who she would ride with.
“Who do you wish to ride with?” Sho asked as he directed his horse over to Akira.
Akira stared up at the beast, her heart sinking, as she answered, “I’m not sure about this anymore, I just remembered that I haven’t had much luck with animals bigger than me.”
Akira shivered as she recalled some tragic and embarrassing incidents she had as a girl when she visited her uncle’s ranch in the countryside. Akira began to back away before Sho jumped off his stead and took a hold of Akira’s hand.
“It’s alright, there is nothing to be afraid of; we are here for you,” Sho tried to reassure her before leading her back to the horse.
He placed his hands on her hips before hoisting her up on his horse’s back. Akira blushed slightly from his touch and how easily he lifted her up onto the horse. When Sho hopped back onto the horse, sitting in front of Akira, she tried to ask him a question.
“Am I not that heavy?” she asked.
“Well, you’re not the lightest thing I’ve had to lift, but definitely not the heaviest,” Sho jokingly teased her as he smiled this very princely and charming smile at her.
Akira was going to say something back to him but the horse lurched forward as the five of them made their horses change from an easy walk to a gallop. Akira held onto Sho for dear life, terrified at the thought of being thrown off the horse. The boys yelled at each other playfully as they pretended to race and outmaneuver each other, truly having fun unlike Akira. When the horse finally slowed down Akira opened her scrunched eyes and saw that they were in a big field filled with beautiful flowers. The princes dismounted one by one, Sho helping Akira get off the horse’s back. Once back on the ground Akira looked around in pure amazement at the wonderful natural beauty.
“This is so awesome! You don’t see this much anymore, not unless you really travel out to the country,” Akira said in an excited voice as she ran around the field, taking in the fresh air.
The princes watched her from afar as she ran around the field like a child, kneeling here and there to look at the different flowers. Then Akira turned to them and smiled as she asked, “Want to play a game?”
The princes looked at each other in confusion before Jun asked, “What kind of game do you mean?”
“Let’s play hide and seek, I’ll hide and you guys come find me later,” Akira explained before yelling “Start!”
She ran off past the trees as fast as she could, her heart beating fast. Those idiots! I’m out of here, I just need to find that temple they were talking about and hopefully I’ll find my way back through the mirror Akira thought to herself as she wandered through the forest. She was surrounded by nothing but trees as she heard the voices of the men calling out her name. Akira knew she couldn’t go back, if she did she knew they wouldn’t just let her go back. She also didn’t want to accept their help since she was always used to doing things on her own.
“I was expecting so much more of a woman born of the sacred water,” a man’s voice echoed from the trees.
Akira looked around to see where the voice came from before a handsome man came out from behind a tree. He was tall, a lean body, and an incredibly handsome face with the most mesmerizing pair of dark chestnut brown eyes. He smiled this charming smile that made Akira’s heart skip a beat and yet made her body shiver, but not in a good way. He leaned close to Akira’s face, the smile still on his face as he chuckled at Akira’s expression.
“So this is the beautiful virgin siren? I was expecting a goddess, but you’re pretty cute,” the man told her as he locked eyes with her.
Akira took a step back as she asked, “What do you mean? Who said anything like that?”
The man took another step forward, backing Akira up against a nearby tree before answering, “It’s the talk amongst everyone in the country, and the rumor has spread like wildfire. Somehow, when it met my ears, it had become just that. You, the girl born of the sacred water, are the reincarnation of the virgin siren, sent to Arashi with a mission unknown to everyone. Of course, they also say that the virgin siren can bring you fortune beyond one’s wildest imagination which is why I have tracked you down. I also heard that if you bed with the virgin, she will grant any wish you desire, but honestly I’m not sure whether I want a wish or just to keep you so I can have all the money I want…”
Akira was confused and scared as the man grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head against the tree. Akira let out a loud scream as the man just smiled at her useless struggling. He leaned in close to silence her with his lips, but stopped when he heard a voice next to him.
“Unhand the lady now,” Ohno demanded.
The man looked around and saw that he was surrounded by the five princes, all of their swords drawn and pointed at him. Akira looked over at Nino as he said, “I’m extremely observant, there was no way I was going to lose you in the forest…”
The man dropped Akira’s wrists as he backed away, letting Akira run into the arms of the nearest comforting prince, Aiba. He stroked her head in an attempt to calm her even though she wasn’t crying he could feel her body shaking.
“Explain yourself,” Jun demanded.
“I was only trying to see if the rumors were true…” the man simply said with his gaze on Akira.
Sho turned to Aiba and told him, “Take Akira back to the palace, we will meet you there.”
Aiba nodded his agreement before leading Akira back to the field where the horses were waiting. Aiba helped her up onto his horse before jumping on and riding off with Akira hanging onto him. Akira looked back at the forest, wondering exactly what they were going to do with that man, but something told her it was best to not think about it.
Once they arrived back at the palace the two of them went to the parlor from earlier and waited for the others. Akira looked at Aiba with curiosity before asking, “Aiba-san, can you explain this virgin siren thing to me?”
Aiba looked away as he hesitated before he looked behind Akira and said in surprise, “Mizumi-san?”
Akira turned around and saw Mizumi from earlier, standing in the doorway looking at the two of them as she asked Aiba, “Shall I explain since you don’t wish to?”
Aiba’s smile disappeared before Mizumi turned to Akira and began to explain, “The tale is that there once was a girl who was born in the sacred waters of the temple. She was raised by the priests, and grew into a pure woman who never once spoke a word. They thought she was mute, but one day she went back to the sacred pool and started to sing. She was praying for some strange reason while singing. She prayed and sang for several hours straight supposedly and when she was done the priests found out that a ship with the king on it had returned safely. The king greeted his priests and told them that when a storm had engulfed the ship they had managed to find their way to shore by listening to the voice of a beautiful siren that guided them home.”
Mizumi paused momentarily as Aiba added, “Her voice reached the king’s ship and safely delivered him home.”
“After that she was called the virgin siren by the king who was extremely grateful to her. Then one day she returned to the sacred pool, after it was announced that the prince was going to wed her, so she could pray for a happy marriage. The priests watched her, listening to her heavenly voice, until suddenly the pool began to glow. She sunk into the water, disappearing for forever, taking only the necklace the prince gave her that day,” Mizumi finished explaining.
Akira looked down at her necklace then looked back up as she said, “My grandmother gave me this necklace, and she told me she received it from a man she once loved, but she ended up marrying my grandfather. There’s no way she could be…there’s no way I can be the virgin siren!”
Mizumi and Aiba exchanged looks before Aiba asked, “If there’s a chance that your grandmother was the virgin siren, would you believe that maybe you might have some of her power within you?”
“It’s impossible!” Akira snapped back as she clutched the necklace tightly.
The rest of the princes showed up just in time to see Akira remove the necklace and throw it on the ground as she exclaimed, “I don’t believe any of this! Take me back home!”
Mizumi turned to see the princes as she bowed and said politely, “Welcome back your highnesses.”
Akira turned to look and see the mixed expressions on all of their faces. She turned away, giving them the cold shoulder. Nino walked over to the necklace, picking it up and extending it back out to Akira. She looked down at his hands, but refused to take the necklace.
“We would love to let you go back home, but right now even we don’t know what to do. All we want to do is keep you safe for now,” Nino told her in a cold voice, his eyes quite serious.
Akira met his eyes briefly before taking the necklace back and saying, “I thank you all for saving me and I’m sorry if I’ve offended you. I’m just…”
Ohno walked up to Akira, placing a hand on her shoulder as he reassured her, “It’s alright. You’re just scared and it’s understandable, we should just all calm down and get something to eat.”
“I will tell the maids to ready dinner for us,” Mizumi interjected before walking off.
Mizumi turned away and walked off as Akira spoke aloud, “Mizumi is so wonderful, she has such a regal air to her.”
“Well, she is the daughter of a Noble who is trying to get Prince Ohno to take her as his wife,” Nino explained to Akira with a smile on his face.
Akira couldn’t quite describe it, but for some reason, when she heard that she felt this twinge in her heart as she looked over at the prince. He had been such a gentleman to her since she got there and honestly felt like such a great woman such as Mizumi would suit him. She unconsciously bit down on her lip as she looked away, Nino noticing such a thing as he smiled and thought to himself how cute she was…
Akira stood and looked up into the giant white steeds that all five of the princes were mounted on. She laughed on the inside at the thought that these were the typical handsome princes on a white horse. The five men looked down at her from atop their horses waiting for her to decide who she would ride with.
“Who do you wish to ride with?” Sho asked as he directed his horse over to Akira.
Akira stared up at the beast, her heart sinking, as she answered, “I’m not sure about this anymore, I just remembered that I haven’t had much luck with animals bigger than me.”
Akira shivered as she recalled some tragic and embarrassing incidents she had as a girl when she visited her uncle’s ranch in the countryside. Akira began to back away before Sho jumped off his stead and took a hold of Akira’s hand.
“It’s alright, there is nothing to be afraid of; we are here for you,” Sho tried to reassure her before leading her back to the horse.
He placed his hands on her hips before hoisting her up on his horse’s back. Akira blushed slightly from his touch and how easily he lifted her up onto the horse. When Sho hopped back onto the horse, sitting in front of Akira, she tried to ask him a question.
“Am I not that heavy?” she asked.
“Well, you’re not the lightest thing I’ve had to lift, but definitely not the heaviest,” Sho jokingly teased her as he smiled this very princely and charming smile at her.
Akira was going to say something back to him but the horse lurched forward as the five of them made their horses change from an easy walk to a gallop. Akira held onto Sho for dear life, terrified at the thought of being thrown off the horse. The boys yelled at each other playfully as they pretended to race and outmaneuver each other, truly having fun unlike Akira. When the horse finally slowed down Akira opened her scrunched eyes and saw that they were in a big field filled with beautiful flowers. The princes dismounted one by one, Sho helping Akira get off the horse’s back. Once back on the ground Akira looked around in pure amazement at the wonderful natural beauty.
“This is so awesome! You don’t see this much anymore, not unless you really travel out to the country,” Akira said in an excited voice as she ran around the field, taking in the fresh air.
The princes watched her from afar as she ran around the field like a child, kneeling here and there to look at the different flowers. Then Akira turned to them and smiled as she asked, “Want to play a game?”
The princes looked at each other in confusion before Jun asked, “What kind of game do you mean?”
“Let’s play hide and seek, I’ll hide and you guys come find me later,” Akira explained before yelling “Start!”
She ran off past the trees as fast as she could, her heart beating fast. Those idiots! I’m out of here, I just need to find that temple they were talking about and hopefully I’ll find my way back through the mirror Akira thought to herself as she wandered through the forest. She was surrounded by nothing but trees as she heard the voices of the men calling out her name. Akira knew she couldn’t go back, if she did she knew they wouldn’t just let her go back. She also didn’t want to accept their help since she was always used to doing things on her own.
“I was expecting so much more of a woman born of the sacred water,” a man’s voice echoed from the trees.
Akira looked around to see where the voice came from before a handsome man came out from behind a tree. He was tall, a lean body, and an incredibly handsome face with the most mesmerizing pair of dark chestnut brown eyes. He smiled this charming smile that made Akira’s heart skip a beat and yet made her body shiver, but not in a good way. He leaned close to Akira’s face, the smile still on his face as he chuckled at Akira’s expression.
“So this is the beautiful virgin siren? I was expecting a goddess, but you’re pretty cute,” the man told her as he locked eyes with her.
Akira took a step back as she asked, “What do you mean? Who said anything like that?”
The man took another step forward, backing Akira up against a nearby tree before answering, “It’s the talk amongst everyone in the country, and the rumor has spread like wildfire. Somehow, when it met my ears, it had become just that. You, the girl born of the sacred water, are the reincarnation of the virgin siren, sent to Arashi with a mission unknown to everyone. Of course, they also say that the virgin siren can bring you fortune beyond one’s wildest imagination which is why I have tracked you down. I also heard that if you bed with the virgin, she will grant any wish you desire, but honestly I’m not sure whether I want a wish or just to keep you so I can have all the money I want…”
Akira was confused and scared as the man grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head against the tree. Akira let out a loud scream as the man just smiled at her useless struggling. He leaned in close to silence her with his lips, but stopped when he heard a voice next to him.
“Unhand the lady now,” Ohno demanded.
The man looked around and saw that he was surrounded by the five princes, all of their swords drawn and pointed at him. Akira looked over at Nino as he said, “I’m extremely observant, there was no way I was going to lose you in the forest…”
The man dropped Akira’s wrists as he backed away, letting Akira run into the arms of the nearest comforting prince, Aiba. He stroked her head in an attempt to calm her even though she wasn’t crying he could feel her body shaking.
“Explain yourself,” Jun demanded.
“I was only trying to see if the rumors were true…” the man simply said with his gaze on Akira.
Sho turned to Aiba and told him, “Take Akira back to the palace, we will meet you there.”
Aiba nodded his agreement before leading Akira back to the field where the horses were waiting. Aiba helped her up onto his horse before jumping on and riding off with Akira hanging onto him. Akira looked back at the forest, wondering exactly what they were going to do with that man, but something told her it was best to not think about it.
Once they arrived back at the palace the two of them went to the parlor from earlier and waited for the others. Akira looked at Aiba with curiosity before asking, “Aiba-san, can you explain this virgin siren thing to me?”
Aiba looked away as he hesitated before he looked behind Akira and said in surprise, “Mizumi-san?”
Akira turned around and saw Mizumi from earlier, standing in the doorway looking at the two of them as she asked Aiba, “Shall I explain since you don’t wish to?”
Aiba’s smile disappeared before Mizumi turned to Akira and began to explain, “The tale is that there once was a girl who was born in the sacred waters of the temple. She was raised by the priests, and grew into a pure woman who never once spoke a word. They thought she was mute, but one day she went back to the sacred pool and started to sing. She was praying for some strange reason while singing. She prayed and sang for several hours straight supposedly and when she was done the priests found out that a ship with the king on it had returned safely. The king greeted his priests and told them that when a storm had engulfed the ship they had managed to find their way to shore by listening to the voice of a beautiful siren that guided them home.”
Mizumi paused momentarily as Aiba added, “Her voice reached the king’s ship and safely delivered him home.”
“After that she was called the virgin siren by the king who was extremely grateful to her. Then one day she returned to the sacred pool, after it was announced that the prince was going to wed her, so she could pray for a happy marriage. The priests watched her, listening to her heavenly voice, until suddenly the pool began to glow. She sunk into the water, disappearing for forever, taking only the necklace the prince gave her that day,” Mizumi finished explaining.
Akira looked down at her necklace then looked back up as she said, “My grandmother gave me this necklace, and she told me she received it from a man she once loved, but she ended up marrying my grandfather. There’s no way she could be…there’s no way I can be the virgin siren!”
Mizumi and Aiba exchanged looks before Aiba asked, “If there’s a chance that your grandmother was the virgin siren, would you believe that maybe you might have some of her power within you?”
“It’s impossible!” Akira snapped back as she clutched the necklace tightly.
The rest of the princes showed up just in time to see Akira remove the necklace and throw it on the ground as she exclaimed, “I don’t believe any of this! Take me back home!”
Mizumi turned to see the princes as she bowed and said politely, “Welcome back your highnesses.”
Akira turned to look and see the mixed expressions on all of their faces. She turned away, giving them the cold shoulder. Nino walked over to the necklace, picking it up and extending it back out to Akira. She looked down at his hands, but refused to take the necklace.
“We would love to let you go back home, but right now even we don’t know what to do. All we want to do is keep you safe for now,” Nino told her in a cold voice, his eyes quite serious.
Akira met his eyes briefly before taking the necklace back and saying, “I thank you all for saving me and I’m sorry if I’ve offended you. I’m just…”
Ohno walked up to Akira, placing a hand on her shoulder as he reassured her, “It’s alright. You’re just scared and it’s understandable, we should just all calm down and get something to eat.”
“I will tell the maids to ready dinner for us,” Mizumi interjected before walking off.
Mizumi turned away and walked off as Akira spoke aloud, “Mizumi is so wonderful, she has such a regal air to her.”
“Well, she is the daughter of a Noble who is trying to get Prince Ohno to take her as his wife,” Nino explained to Akira with a smile on his face.
Akira couldn’t quite describe it, but for some reason, when she heard that she felt this twinge in her heart as she looked over at the prince. He had been such a gentleman to her since she got there and honestly felt like such a great woman such as Mizumi would suit him. She unconsciously bit down on her lip as she looked away, Nino noticing such a thing as he smiled and thought to himself how cute she was…