Dreams of Paper Flowers

Chapter One

THREE DAYS EARLIER

"This outfit is so pretty!" Naomi clamoured. "No, I prefer this one!"

"Gaikoku are coming," Hinata sighed. "I must present myself well to these strangers. Nothing than the best will do."

"I hear gaikoku like their women to wear lots of jewelry," Naomi said, before giggling, "and they like some skin."

"Naomi-chan! How dare you!" Hinata laughed. "I will wear the traditional kimono that haha picked out for my twentieth birthday."

"But, that is so special! Your mother would not have you wear it when you are simply eighteen!"

"Father said to wear my best, and that I shall do," Hinata smiled. "It would bring disrespect to Akira-sama if I did not, as well."

"Why do you still call your fiance by his family name? Hina-chan, Hina-chan... What will we do with you?"

"I don't want to offend him."

"He calls you by your given name. It probably offends him that you don't call him Ryuu-kun."

"It is not appropriate, yet, as we are not officially married."

"Come on, Hina-chan!" The servant smiled. "Akira-sama descends from a long line of daimyo. The history of his nobility traces back centuries."

"This is a discussion for another time," Hinata shook her head. She held out the kimono. Naomi bowed before she slipped off Hinata's nightclothes and helped her into her new outfit.

"You have the most beautiful pale skin," Naomi murmured. "Some women would do naughty things for that beauty."

"I am but a weed compared to my mother."

"You sell yourself too short. See?" Naomi turned the mirror towards Hinata.

"I guess it's suitable."

"Akira-sama will love it! I better not catch Yuki-kun looking at you."

Hinata felt her cheeks growing warm and was grateful for the makeup covering her flushed face. She gazed into the mirror. Her hair was in traditional rolls, with the sakura-colored kimono bringing out a classic air.

"We must be going to the banquet. The gaikoku have brought their foreign foods," Hinata looked away from her reflection.

"It will be so exciting to meet them!" Naomi murmured. "I've seen the foreigners that come to the port every spring, but not these ones. They speak a different language than their brothers."

"Come, we shall make haste."

The two walked down the beautiful corridors of the palace. Beautiful block prints larger than the Emperor lined the walls, depicting the giant waves sent by kami and the same spirits dwelling in ancient Kuniga. "I wonder if these people know of our gods," Naomi chattered.

"My father says they do not speak of even the values of the religions from Chun."

"So there are spirits we don't know about? I wonder what stories they bring. What...?" Naomi stopped as she gazed out of the balcony.

Hinata froze. "What are those? They look like ships, but..." Even from their distance, the ships were noticeable and bigger than any boat either of the two had seen. They even outclassed the Chun ships in sheer size.

"Their gods must be powerful. But, if the winds did not create the waves to destroy them, it can't be bad."

"That's just an old myth, Naomi-chan. The tale of the kamikaze is for children. My father must be expecting us. Let us hurry."