We reached after two and an half days of sailing.

As our ship reached the port of Kohoshi. The people of Kohoshi welcomed us. Apparently, they knew of our coming.

The city was decorated with lanterns and their native ornaments. It looked so colourful and beautiful.

My father asked, "Shall we go, Rose?"

I nodded and started to follow him. Behind, me my mother and our people. The knights were all lined up and we saw their knights had lined up as well behind an old man. His attire was a bit different but I saw the people behind him wearing the same kinds of clothings. They all were wearing robes that covered their whole bodies. The knights were wearing trousers but the had head bands and nearly everyone of them had really long hair. Including the old man.

My father said, "He is the former Daimyo of Kohoshi, Prince Hijiro. His son is Prince Daichi who is the current prince of Kohoshi."

I nodded and as we reached, I curtsied and he looked at me with blank face. My father gave a nervous smile as well as my mother and I saw they were bowing.

Then I recalled I had to bow.

The maid who was behind me tugged at my sleeves and whispered in urgency, "Bow..."

I immediately bowed to him and he started to laugh. I got flustered as people behind them started to laugh too.

He said something to my father and my father said something to him in their language. I had no clue as they both looked at me and the old man nodded with a broad smile. He wasn't displeased, was he?

I looked at my maid and asked, "What are they saying?"

"He said that he liked you because you were following your own tradition."

I was a bit confused and looked at the old man who felt my gaze on him and turned his head at me. He smiled and gave a nod.

I had to say a different kind of warmth was emanating from him. He seemed so kind and forgiving. My heart felt at ease that they were very good people maybe his son was like him too.

My father even swayed by the old man's welcoming behaviour.

They took us to their carriages and I saw there weren't any seating arrangements. My father sat on his knees on the cushion, his posture was different. He looked stiff but he held his head high. Seeing him, my mother followed the same position beside him and I asked the maid, "That's how we sit?"

She nodded and said, "Make sure your back is straight, my Lady. And whenever you see the higher ups, please bow to them."

I nodded and hopped on the carriage and sat before my father.

In my gown and hoop skirt, it was very different and the corset was making it difficult for me to breath.

I saw my mother was feeling the same as she said, "It is difficult to get air."

"That is why I had told you not to wear the corset..." My dad said as my mother pouted.

"But I arranged the best dresses in all Greatheart!" She complained, "Isn't my daughter is looking so beautiful!?"

My dad said, "But it is making her uncomfortable..."

"But a girl's waist must always look thin! So, I tightened her corset a bit..." She said and my father looked at me with worried face...

"Rose, are you sure you can breath?"

I nodded even when I couldn't breath at all. While sitting on my knees, the corset was pushed up and tightened around my lower chest. I felt suffocated but I didn't want to ruin their mood.

We reached their palace nearly after two hours and it was already past noon. I was sweating even when the weather there was cold. It wasn't snowing but it had humidity.

As we hopped down from the carriage, I saw many people gathering around us before the entrance.

But everyone else's eyes were on me as I felt a little shy...

I tried to hid behind my parents but my father said, "Don't hide. It will be called disrespectful..."

"But they are looking at me like they haven't seen a girl before!" I said.

"That's because they haven't seen anyone with golden hair like you..." He said, "They are calling you a doll."

I expressed my displeasure because I didn't like to be called a doll. I was pretty sure no one liked that either.

I got my father's hair colour but his hair was golden while mine was very light. I looked like my hair was graying... On the other hand, my mother had pretty brown hair.

As the old man came back, the others bowed to him and then to us and I was focusing on my parents to see if I should bow now or not.

The old man said something and the other men and woman who seemed to be their families looked at me and gazed me from tip to toe. Was Prince Daichi one of them?

I felt flustered as I only blinked at them. Should I smile or should I stay unmoving?

Helpless, I looked at my maid who was standing behind me. She understood my reverie as she said, "Don't worry, compared to Prince Daichi, they all have inferior status so you are not obligated to bow now."

I nodded as they took us inside. I felt breathless as now I huffed. The dress mother had put me in was heavy. Even the hoop skirt was so heavy that I felt my waist was about to fall apart.

But I had to say, my mother had a good taste in fashion since I was wearing a blue gown made of fine silk and the blue jewels of my ornaments matched my eyes.

My mother was wearing a deep shade of red and my father was wearing purple to show his status.

As we entered their halls, I saw everyone was waiting for us. They all looked same to me since men and women all had long hair. While the women had their hair tied with jewelries, men had loosened their hairs. Their hair was straight and silky.

But one thing was noted, they all seemed very disciplined. They weren't talking much and waiting for the old man to say something.

They felt a bit domineering to me as everyone of them carried themselves with grace.

My father said, "Rose, behold, your husband is coming..."

I nodded and tried to look everywhere but then suddenly, my head felt dizzy and I could barely able to breathe.

I felt the surrounding had somehow started to dance in a lazy way and my vision got blurry. I saw everyone's head moving toward somewhere and I moved my head as well.

Someone came but all I see was a dark silhouette coming and my ears had started to ring. And soon that dark silhouette covered my whole sight as everything became dark.

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28th November, 22
1178
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A/n: Err... I guess, it won't be over in just a few pages eheheh

Gomen...

I just couldn't hold myself to write down their meeting X(

So, bear with me and I promise, I will start the Vol 5 with an unexpected surprise or maybe with a blast! XD