"And done!" I point 'Take' in between Ito's eyes, signifying that I've won. 4-1. Not bad this time around.
"Okay okay, I get it. Get your water out of my face or you'll actually kill me." Ito swipes her hand to create some space between her face and her simulated impending doom. I dismiss her attempt at offending my cursed energy and guide it back into its vial. I safely store them back into my kimono.
"Thank you again." I outstretch my hand for Ito to grasp. She takes it and gives me a gentle smile. "Of course, you needed the break." She responds back. I nod in agreement.
Sparing is the only fun thing I can do around here, the only thing I'm engaged in. Though, it is hard to find people who would want to spar. Barely half of the staff here know jujutsu, and those that do are either too busy to spare me a minute or don't see me as an opponent worth fighting against. Insulting, considering my predestined future to be their boss.
Ito is the only one who gives me the time of day. Maybe it has to do with her being forced to teach me all I need to know, but I still appreciate how she tries to work with me even when I'm being difficult.
Our moment of relaxation comes to a close as a maid opens the door from the palace to Ito and me in the courtyard. She's panting as if she's been looking for us for a while now. "Excuse me, but the lord would like a word with his daughter." She states quickly, bowing her head down. I sigh, letting go of Ito's hand. I give her a sorry look and she whips back a reassuring smile.
"Meet me back in the study room, we can pick back up where we left off." Ito picks up the katana she was using and walks away to put it back where she borrowed it from. She always picks that one, I assume it's her favorite.
I walk up to the maid, all set to be escorted. She stands still, still bowing. I smile to myself, she's new. I clear my throat, indicating I'm ready to see my father. She gasps and bows her head again as if to mean she's sorry for the wait. "You're doing just fine." I comfort. I can tell she's nervous to be around me, but I know she's more nervous because of my name rather than my character.
I walk behind her patiently as she guides me to my father. He's in the congregation room, nothing new. The maid swiftly opens the door. "My lord." She prompts, bowing her head. I walk into the room, not making eye contact with my father first, but rather the maid. She's still nervous. "You are free to leave," I tell her. She nods her head and closes the door to give my father and me privacy. Well if privacy includes his officials then yes, privacy. I bow my head, "Your majesty, you asked for me?"
"You may rise," he tells me. I raise my head and stand firm. All eyes are on me. I cannot help but think back to the past few days, wondering if I did anything that would cause me to get in trouble. Even so, what's the worst my father would do? Ground me?
"I've called you here to make sure you are aware of the current situation in Hida." My father starts. I slightly raise my eyebrow but quickly level them, hoping I did not act out of place. "There is an uprising hero being supported in the province, and we have reason to believe that this supposed hero is a curse." Interesting, a curse and humans working together. It's not entirely improbable, curses are a source of power, who wouldn't want to take advantage of that?
"There are no current signs they will besieging us in the Mino province, but that does not mean we shouldn't prepare for one." He states. Incoherent mumbles are spilled around the room. I stay quiet, not much I can add to the conversation. "What that means for you," my father starts, eyeing me dead on, "is an extra hold on you to make sure you are here, where your safety is guaranteed."
An extra hold on me? As if his iron fist never targeted me as a priority in the first place? It takes everything in me to not scream, to not fight back, to not cry. I can already barely walk through the garden without at least one set of eyes on me to make sure my breathing is kept on record. I grit my teeth, hoping my defiance to what was said isn't readable on my face. "Of course father."
"That is all you need to know, you may leave." I give a court bow, and see myself out. I try and gather any sense of peace I can muster before dashing far from that room. I walk past the study room, fully knowing Ito is waiting for me in there. I'm not in the mood for seeing anyone right now. I just want to be by myself.
I brush past the maid from earlier, and we crash into each other. I hear something fall onto the floor, making a loud noise. I can't help myself from turning around to see what the damage was. Luckily nothing broke, just goodies from a basket she was holding. The maid is frantically picking up everything on the floor, as sorries are spilling from her mouth.
I kneel down to grab the items furthest from her. This was my fault, so it would be rude of me to not help out. "I apologize for bumping into you, I didn't see where I was going."
"No do not worry my lady, I should have seen you coming my way." She doesn't have to take the blame.
"Who gifted this basket?" I try and make small talk, get her mind off of her nerves being set ablaze from interacting with someone with high prestige.
"Oh- there is a small festival in the village tonight, celebrating the beginning of harvest season. And they gifted the emperor with a plethora of foods." She explains. A festival? A festival would mean that some of the sorcerers that guard the palace are out within the village to keep watch, making the security here a bit looser. I've thought of attempting an escape before, but there was still the chance of my father running in to me. As far as I'm aware however, officials are still in the congregation room with my father, distracting him for the time being.
"Interesting, that's so nice of them," I reply back. I'm still lost in thought, thinking about how this could be my time to leave. I grab the last few food goods and place them back in the basket. "Thank you for informing me," I say to the maid.
"Thank you my lady for helping me." she bows to me before leaving me to go back to delivering the goods. I look around, I'm by myself. For once I don't feel eyes watching me make sure I'm doing the right thing. I can't tell if I'm imagining this freedom, if this is a test set up by my father to see if I take his rules seriously.
I run to my room, changing out of my kimono into a more humble-looking one. It's not like the townspeople will recognize me, but it will be much easier to blend in so I don't attract any attention from sorcerers. I make sure to keep 'Give' and 'Take' on me, just in case. You never know what might happen. I look out my room window to see no one in my line of sight.
I jump through, hesitantly waiting as if I would get caught red-handed before I've had the chance to run. But nothing happens. "Now or never," I tell myself, as I climb up the unguarded fence and head towards the village.
The village isn't far from the palace thankfully, and I travel with no trouble. I doubt myself all the way through, wondering if it was even worth it to leave for a small festival.
It's hard to describe the bustling atmosphere of a village, but it's eye-boggling, to say the least. Everyone is so, happy. It makes sense as to why they would celebrate something as mundane as the beginning of harvest season because they want an excuse to come together as a community and have fun. I don't blame them, I could only wish for something like that in the palace.
I walk through the stands, being overwhelmed with the smell of delicious cooking and the sounds of music and laughter throughout the cracks of the town center. It's a shift to go from a quiet home where speaking out of line would result in punishment to a place where speaking is encouraged, practiced, and expected.
Why would my father shield me from a world like this?
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sukuna next chapter i promise
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Give and Take (Sukuna x Reader)
FanfictionCurses and humans are enemies, there's nothing more to it. But how can you be so sure of that if you've never met a curse yourself? (Can be read as either romantic or platonic) this book is highly inspired by 'Hell on Earth' written by @ryo_sukuna...