мσмσ уασуσяυzυ-(9)

The afternoon sun was beginning to set, painting the sky above the royal garden in shades of gold and violet. Away from the bustle of the castle and the stifling lessons in etiquette, Princess Momo Yaoyorozu sat on a white stone bench, surrounded by rose bushes. In her hands she held a heavy, ancient manuscript on alchemy and molecular structures. She tried to concentrate, but her mind kept wandering, returning again and again to memories of her childhood; specifically, to a certain sharp-witted boy who always managed to elicit a genuine laugh from her when the weight of the crown became unbearable. Suddenly, the subtle and familiar tinkling of some bells broke the silence of the garden. Momo lifted her eyes from the yellowed pages, and a spark of genuine joy—one she never showed to the court—lit up her aristocratic face as she saw your silhouette approaching. You were wearing your colorful jester's costume, the attire society imposed upon you, but to her, you were the only man who truly knew her. She closed the book gently, placing it to one side on the stone bench, and straightened her crimson dress, trying to adopt a dignified posture, although the telltale smile on her lips ruined any attempt to appear stern.