A Heart's Riddle: Direction of Affection~

"Oh, well that's good news. You had me half scared to death within the week of our marriage, I'd be hanging somewhere by angry mob. My powers are great but they might be greater than them in masses."

I smiled happily and kissed her cheek, and then her hand, promising to be the best prince I could possibly be. We were going to marry soon, it would be quite small and eventually we'd announce it to the kingdom. This was a joyous occasion. And then I realized her mother was there. Quickly realizing I showed the the Queen such disrespect, I hurriedly walked over to her and bowed before her.

"My queen."

"Oh Utena, you don't have to bow. I mean, when you do marry my little girl, I think you may be calling me your own step mother." She smiled happily while I giggled, helping Utena up on her feet while hugging her.

"This is going to be a wonderful wedding. I can't wait."I smiled hugging her still. "I'm glad you will dear. In fact, I believe I still have the two prince and princess crowns that your father and I wore. I think they will go perfect with you two's wedding clothes." she smiled as I blushed looking to her.

"Really mom?" I asked to see her nod. "That goes for Melli and her prince too. They already been talking about a wedding themselves."

I smiled and rubbed the back of my head, laughing a little nervously. This was the real deal, we were really getting married. But I looked, then, at the queen curiously, and then back at Mel and then back at the queen, my voice ringing out in a sudden slightly more solemn tone than normal, breaking the happiness once more.

"Um your highness, may I request a private audience with you? That is, might I be speak to you alone?"

I looked at Mel and then back at her again.

"How about a walk? I think you may need to know me a little better before you welcome me into your family."

I Looked quiet before my mother smiled, gently nodding yes. "Of course. Mel dear, could you stay here and help the others with the getting ready part for the wedding?" she asked me but I smiled giving a nod.

"Good girl. Alright Utena, please lead the way."

"Alright."

I began to walk out the door, holding it for her and being ever so kind to my future mother in law. She was a kind woman after all and quite the ruler, but it was true, she needed to understand me fully before judging me and allowing me in, it was only fair. And this was a feat that the king, previously, had failed to do.

We walked along one of the other vast gardens surrounding the palace filled with roses of all colors. It would be ironic that the roses grew here of all the gardens, I suppose that was a symbol that followed me around wherever I went. In any case, I continued to walk silently with her, and I thought about where to begin. Slowly, I began.

"Well, your majesty. My full name is Utena Tenjou. I may have grown up a little bit, but just previous to all of this, I was 14 and just starting out on my journey as a person, as a semi adult."

I paused. "Well, I've grown into this person. But to better be able to understand this person I've become and these dreams I have, I need you to understand me fully, my story, my legacy, my everything."

I looked at her making sure she understood before continuing the tale.

"Back when I was about 8 or 9, my parents died. Both of them, in a car crash that was never meant to happen. They both suffered severe damage to their bodies and of course, even with all the medical attention being given to them, died. I, got lucky. I lived on. And within a few good weeks, a month, perhaps a little more than that, they were able to correct my injuries, which weren't so severe and send me on my way. They say children heal faster than adults. They were right."

I thought about where to continue. And then I picked it up, wording it the best way I could. "I went on living after that, depressed, alone, orphaned. No nothing. I didn't have friends, I didn't have family, I didn't have a life. I was trapped in my own coffin it seems, a coffin that should have been for my death, but it wasn't. Anyway, eventually, this prince came along and wiped the tears from my eyes. He kissed them away and told me that I should never lose this same strength and nobility I have now, as a kid, even as I age. And then he gave me a ring and told me that this ring would lead me to him someday. And then he vanished. I can't recall my prince's face from so long ago, the memory is just so blurry to me, but I can recall that out of that, I was impressed by his actions and it inspired me... to become a prince myself one day."

I smiled and looked down at the ring that was still on my finger, lightly brushing some of my other fingers over it. It was special to me.

"And I've not taken this off since. This ring is way too important for me to lose. It reminds me who I am, when I'm in doubt. And it reminds that I've come this far, I can keep going. Anyway, how I became a witch, I honestly have no idea. That was something I guess I was just lucky enough to grow into. But, the swordsmanship came with time and practice. I've killed before, I've become so outraged that my powers were uncontrollable, I've destroyed lands and a lot of different other life on this planet. I don't mean to, but I can assure you it only happens when I'm trying to protect something I love from danger, or when I'm extremely angry and frustrated because that thing might as well be taken from me. But these powers of mine, they're for the use of good only and by marrying your daughter, I would only use them to protect her and not hurt her."

I sighed and then took a deep breath in. "Now that you know all of that, are there any more questions you have? Something I could clarify for you, explain?"

The queen looked half sad and felt bad for Utena having such a life of losing her parents so young, doing what she had to to live in this world but she did give her some credit. It's hard living out here no your own with no one by you but at least their are some that are willing to meet you, help you and show they care. "Hmmm, well just a few. One, do you know how or what caused the accident of the car crash? Did you ever see this prince again that gave you that ring? Are you happy with what happened so far to end up where you are today?" She sighed but looked up.

"Also, after your little quest, do you think you completed everything you were fighting for?" she asked gently.

I blinked, that was a lot of questions. Well better to take it one at a time.

"No I don't remember what caused the car accident and ultimately killed my parents. But I knew the years after that were followed by the legality issues of working me into which orphanage to live in. And I did live there, but I never made any friends. I just always used to run off to the coffin sights of my mother and father. Visit them, and lay in the third one meant for me, that was usually empty. I felt like I belonged there. Like why do we all go on living if we all have to die someday? That's the question I would always ask, till this prince came along. And ever since then, I haven't met him face to face again. I'm still hoping for that reencounter."

I smiled and then recalled her other questions and continued on with my answers.

"I think right now, I'm trying to be, just me. And be the best person I can possibly be. Of course I still hang on to the dreams, so I guess I can say with the friends and things I've made and achieved, grasped. I can say I'm happy. I've fought for a lot in my life, and I can honestly say, I'm glad I made it. Because if I didn't fight for all of those years and do all of that training and all those quests, I might not be standing here before you today."

I smiled.

"I see you are doing alot to complete what your goal was, Utena. Do you think you will be happy with my little girl when you both seal the deal together of being husband and wife?" She asked gently to her but the queen wanted to be sure Utena and Me were happy together.

I blushed. Seal the deal? It took me a moment before I was able to meet gazes with her and clear my throat. Once that was done, I tried to speak as levelly as I could.

"Yes, I know I'll be happy with your daughter. I think the happiest I've been since I met the prince."

"Then you have the honor of the light kingdom with you, Prince Utena tenjou. May the light always be with you." She smiled happily to her before patting her shoulder.

"Well, I wanted you to get to know me and accept me for who I am."

I smiled and bowed.

"You are a kind queen."

I picked one of the roses, a yellow one for friendship and offered it to her, whilst in the bowing position. I knew Mel was going to be looking for me any moment now, but staying around the palace all day is not something I wanted to be saddled with. Boredom was what it was, and I needed adventure. My own kind.

The queen blushed a bit before gently smiling, her fingers reaching down to take the yellow rose from Utena's hand. "Thank you, Prince Utena. I just hope you will be okay within the light kingdom family." As she said that, I was calling out for her and my mother.

"Mother! Utena! We are all set! The wedding is ready now!"

"You're welcome."

I smiled and then turned when I heard the voice of my beloved calling to us. It was Mel searching for us to say all the preparations had been made. And that things were a-go. Finally, things would be working out for the better for me, and the gleams in my eyes told anyone who wished to know, so.

"Oh my, guess it's time. come on you two, we have to get you dressed and ready for the wedding." My mother smiled to Utena while I was happy waving at the two of them to hurry up, laughing.

"Uh, your majesty, might I ask who is dressing who?"

I blinked and pointed to her, and then at Mel, looking away from her. As it was bad luck to see the bride before the wedding. I just wanted to know who was going to dress me. The queen, the king, or Bryant, or someone else?

"Oh, well did you want some of our subjects dressing you two? I would help your bride to be, but I have to help my husband." She said before two servants took me inside to get me ready.

"Hmm. You know what, problem solved."

I looked around to check that no one was watching besides the queen, and that Mel had fully gone inside so she couldn't see me. I took both of my hands and snapped, a very regal outfit, fit for a prince, and in some respect, king, replaced the normal clothing I had on just a moment ago. It was clean and seemed like it'd just been fit to my form, it was perfect.

The fabric color was a dim red, and the things that normally hung off my shoulders when dueling were now golden. The pants I wore were black, and there was a white slash that went across the front of this new uniform, of course, white fabricated lines outlined the fabric's borders. It was much alike to my other uniform, only more royal and in a slightly different style. And for more special occasions. There were pockets of course, stationed on this new one where they were on my old one, and there, in my pocket appeared a white rose, held in place by one of the fancy thorn clips used during my duels. I smiled.

"I think I'm ready."

The queen was looking but then was really impressed to see such magic. She smiled looking to Utena gently. "Oh my, that looks wonderful on you. I'm sure Mel and the others would agree. Now come along, the wedding is about to begin." She turns to lead them both to the main throne room where the backyard garden was. The wedding was going to take place in the backyard.

"Oh she is NOT going out there lookin' like that. Nu-uh. She look like a hot mess."

A female with such incredible character to her seemed to yell out of nowhere. And just in time too, to stop me and the queen both in our walking strides. I turned around curiously and blinked. Who was she?

"My name is Kikyo, and I'm one of the gardeners here at the palace. And the reason I'm doing this job is because hair stylists are in such short supply. But, I am able to design leaves and make them art, so I can do hair and turn it into something fabulous. And you're getting married from what I hear. Better let me do it."

I blinked and watched as she made her little speech. I looked at my hair and then placed one of my hands in it. Was it really that bad?

"Uh hi Kikyo. My name is Utena, and I'm the groom. I'm not sure you can do much with this short little cut."

I laughed nervously.

"Hun, I could do a million things on that short head of hair of yours. So what do you say? I can make you look like such a regal prince."

I smiled nervously, and then rubbed the back of my head.

"Uh sure, I guess."

"GREAT! Follow me. Oh and don't touch ya head. It messes up my surveying of the project."

And we walked to a certain room, her room, where she kept all of her hair cutting and styling tools. So this was it huh?

"Oh dear, Kikyo strikes again. *laughs* Though, I'm sure she will be fine." The queen turns to check up on some other things before she was going to see her husband for the wedding. Melli was laughing seeing her future husband and her father eating some food together, her eyes closed and hearing some giggling.

"Mama's going to be so surprised seeing you like that papa."

"I did this before when I was hungry. Though, I did it to make you laugh and it still works." he laughed wiping his mouth gently before looking around. "Did you check on your sister?" He asked seeing Melli nod once. "Yeah, and she's really pretty in her dress. Their just finishing up a few more things and she will be ready."

"good good. You and your love are all ready, the guests are all here, and we all ready." he laughed.