Karmagisa: Our Fate Upon The Crown

02 | Ceremonial Greeting

<Nagisa: Reincarnated Queen>
The morning I woke up, the maids dispersed in my room like a punctured spider egg pouch. Two stormed into my closet and the others pulled me out of bed, made the bed, and drew the curtains to the side.

"Happy 6th birthday my Queen." One of the main servants took my hand delicately and brought me behind the screen to change.

"Today you'll be meeting the King, do be on your best behavior." She instructed.

"Which one?" I asked.

"Ah...well, aren't they both the same people?" She didn't know how to answer and continued to dress me up.

The thing is they forced me into a dress and all the feminine attire they could get their hands on. My parents told me it was for the best, until I could keep it this way until I turn 16.

"My Queen, hurry now." The servants bowed their heads and led me out of my chamber. We headed into the dining room where my parents and other relatives were already seated.

"Happy birthday." My father hugged me and kissed the side of my cheek.

"Happy birthday sweetheart." My mother spoke without affection.

"How's the princess on this fine morning?" My older brother teased me and pinched my cheeks very harshly. I think it left a mark.

"Getting older every second, now aren't you?" My uncle chuckled, "before you know it, you'll be sitting on the thrown." He patted my head.

"Your hands." My mother frowned at him. "Where are your manners? He's not your child."

"Hahah, sorry." Then he looked over at me again. "Sorry my Queen."

Queen this, Queen that. I get the whole gist of my role but they're making it sound like I'm untouchable. I don't get why this happened to me however, I can sense another body inside of me. Of course, it's the spirit of the original Queen.

"Are you ready to meet your soon to be husband?" My aunt from my mothers side gleamed.

"I-I..."

"She's only 6, keep that in mind." My dad still kept his protective antics with him.

"Father, you really think that Nagisa is the girl here?" My brother raised a brow, "remember he's a boy and the word husband, don't you think it degrades him?" He laughed along with my father.

"Just making your mother happy." He commented.

Husband? Marriage? I don't know what I'm supposed to be feeling.
I can't even balance a book on my head correctly yet nor remember the placement of silverware on the table. How am I supposed to be ready to meet my future husband?

In any case, do I have to lie to him too? That wearing dresses and makeup is all but an act? That I'm actually a boy? H-how will I prove it, if he asks?

"Nagisa dear, you haven't touched any of your food." My mother pointed at my plate.

"I-I'm not that hungry." I spoke.

"Are you sick?" Uncle brought up.

"N-no..."

"You must be nervous, meeting the King and all. You must be terribly in love with him. Even at the state that you're in." My aunt teased.

"Kind of gross when you think about it." My brother kept picking on me.

I really don't get it at all. I'm not me...I'm just the Queen aren't I? They don't see me as the child of the Shiota household. They only see me as the reincarnation. This is a curse, one that I cannot escape from.
• • •
<Karma: reincarnated King>
Instead of the butler who greets me every morning, my father showed up to my door instead.

"Now son, when the Queen comes I want you to be at your best behavior."

"Yes father." I nodded my head as I saw my little sister peek out from behind his legs.

I ignored her for a second and looked into his eyes with such vacancy. He looked like he wanted to say something but, held it in. We both walked out of my chamber together, with my sister trailing behind both of us. My hands by my side and my posture kept straight. I stared at his lonely giant hand, wanting to hold it.
• • •
The families had arranged our meetings this morning in the Royal gardens of the palace. I was the first to arrive and the rest of my handlers left me.

I sat on the white stoned bench and swung my legs. That was until a shadow covered my legs and then me entirely.
I glanced up to see a girl with long blue hair. It was as fair as the beautiful sky itself, if not better. She was holding camellias in her hands. Possibly, she must of picked them from the garden.

"Greetings, perhaps you are the impending Queen?" I hopped off the marble white bench and stood a few spaces back. I stuck out my hand and she lightly touched it.

"Then you must be the King." She tilted her head. She showed nothing but a fixed expression.

As she was wearing a dress, I could just barely see the white crescent tattoo. I felt the tattoo on my own chest, throbbing in a weird way.
I kissed her hand and laughed.

"It feels like we met before." I said.

"Well aren't we reincarnations?" She raised a serious brow at me. Like she didn't like jokes at all.

"May I ask for your name?" I asked.

"Nagisa, it's Nagisa." She replied. "What is yours? How shall I address you?"

I smiled and found it rather funny that she was formal with me. To me it may not be love but, she's the only person who can understand me. The suffering of being the reincarnated King.

"My name is Karma." I answered.

"Karma? That's quite a strange name." She pointed it out, "but I like it..."

"Well, Nagisa is a girly name too." I teased.

She seemed annoyed by that comment. She puffed her cheeks and pouted. She had this cherry red hue extending from or ear to the other.

"It's cute." I laughed.

"R-really?" She suddenly got shy and diverted her body away from mine.

In that moment, we both witnessed a line of Knights marching in one direction on the stone path, which was not far from us. All of them shimmering in their silver armor while they were followed by bishops and then two people locking arms. Their attire said it all.
The King and the Queen.
There was was covered by the Knights walking beside them, I couldn't see clearly.

Nagisa and I watched in awe, the nervousness that we possessed. Their faces were covered by head wear, draping down like curtains. For a slight second, I saw the King's head turn over at me. I couldn't see his facial features, but he nodded his head and moved on.

Like how my family describes it. He is me and I am him. We both possess the power of the Original King within our souls. Puppets we are.

"She's pretty." Nagisa said aloud, as she could only see the beautiful and goddess like attire.

"The Queen? You saw her?"
She nodded her head.

"Maybe when you grow up, you'll be as pretty as her." I beamed a smile.

Nagisa exchanged a slight grin at me and then kept her eyes on the line of Knights who were still making their way to the gates. I heard from my dad that until we turn 16, the faces of the current Queen and King are hidden from us.

As for Nagisa, eversince we met here, I've been feeling this selfish need to want to hold her. I don't know if this is my own heart or the emotions of the Original King but, I wanted to hold her hand.

I wonder if we were chosen for a more practical reason than this fate.