Kingdom Hearts 1. Prologue

**A Tale of Three Princesses**

Written by Chiharu Tanaka

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A/n: The title is subject to change, because it's pretty crappy and straight to the point. However, I hope that you enjoy this little bugger that won't get off my mind these past few days! The story will be simple, with not too much drama, some magic (it _is_ a fairytale), friendship, family togetherness, and romance.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts nor Disney. They belong to Square-Enix and Disney.

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_Prologue_

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Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, stood a castle that faced the blue ocean over a small cliff. Waves occasionally crashed the beach that was just a short walk away from a small gate connecting it to the castle. The gate was located at the walls of the castle's interior garden, filled with roses, daises and lilies of every kind; which served as quite the delight to the eyes with its myriad of colours surrounding the spacious, well-kept area. A simple, white-domed gazebo at the centre was a place where one could just sit and watch the tranquillity of the gardens. Following a white stone-paved road, it would show the way to the large doors leading to the main building of the castle itself.

Within that large, multiple-towered building made of bricks of the finest quality, there lived a king and his three princesses. King Ansem was loved by his subjects, as he was wise in matters of the world and the kingdom, but kind-hearted as always cared for the well-being of his people. People of this small, but prosperous kingdom of Destin led happy, enriched lives thanks to their ruler, with most of them working as fishermen, farmers or merchants, even sailors who bring the goods of their fertile land and seas across the oceans to other countries.

The King was a man well into his fifties, with slicked back long blond hair and blood-red eyes that always instilled friend and foe alike with awe, reflecting his years and years of experience. His wife was the late Queen Marina, who had passed away just ten years before this tale began. She left the kingdom with three beautiful daughters; the three princesses of Destin that were the king's pride and joy.

The eldest princess was nineteen years of age, and her name was Naminé. She had blond hair just like her father, which she left cascading over her right shoulder, and the same bright blue eyes that her mother possessed. Her attire was always elegant and always white or a pale pastel shade. She was the most shy and demure of the three princesses, rarely speaking much and always following as she was ordered to. She found great pleasure in drawing and painting, one of the passions and talent that she inherited from her mother. Princess Naminé also frequently visited the people, trying to get along with them as well as her shy self possibly could. Her chamber was at the west tower, where the entire room was white in colour, as most of her furniture was, together with the many paintings and sketches she hung on the stark walls.

The middle princess was seventeen years of age, and her name was Kairi. She was the daughter that resembled their mother the most, because of her shoulder-length wine-red hair and the same blue eyes as Queen Marina's. She also resembled the late Queen because of her outgoing, spirited attitude, and she is often rebellious against the King. Princess Kairi would dress as vivaciously and prettily as she can, because she loved beautiful clothes, fashionable shoes and glittery jewelleries. Most people agree that she was the most attractive and extroverted of the three princesses, willing to debate with her father in a variety of matters ranging from the clothes she wore to the right for her to skip etiquette class. Her chamber was at the north tower, where the entire room was decorated with a cherry pink wall and velvety red sofas, sheets and mahogany tables, including her large closet and dressing table.

The youngest princess was fifteen years of age, and her name was Xion. She had short raven black hair, from her maternal grandfather, and the blue eyes that was the same shade as her sisters' and her mother's. She was the brightest and most composed of the three princesses, speaking only after giving much thought and although caring, never wants to show it. Because of her boyish look and attitude, her attire usually consists of simple, no-frills-or-laces dresses that always have the colour black in them. Even though she only spent time with her mother until she was five, Xion shared her mother's love for the sea, particularly in collecting seashells. Her favourite room in the castle was its library, which was filled with books about the outside world, and she was the one who most frequently visits the beach near the castle. Her chamber was located at the east tower, where her entire room was painted a sea blue, decorated with many of the large and small seashells she and her mother had collected over the years.

Our tale begins when the kingdom of Destin was under threat from the enemy empire of Vide and their cruel leader, Xemnas and his massive army of demons. Rumours have spread far and wide about how this cruel man started his reign of terror by summoning demons of the Darkness to do his bidding, claiming the many lands of which he did not own and became his from the conquering of these small countries. A messenger was sent by ship to their neighbouring land further northeast, the kingdom of Radieux; a country three to four times bigger than Destin in size, manpower and development. Radieux was approaching the industrial stage, and received many goods from the small fertile country. The southern border of their kingdom was connected to Destin by a few large hills, which was why the sea route was opted instead.

The messenger returned a few months later with a letter from the King of Radieux, Cecil, suggesting an idea which was to unite the two kingdoms to become one large nation that would surely be strong enough to fend off the Vide Empire, and ensure peace to their people. King Ansem asked his advisor whether this was a good idea. The frail old man gave the reasoning that the king was getting older and he had no sons who could ascend to the throne after him and that the kingdom of Radieux was very influential and powerful. In the end, the wise old King decided to go ahead with the plan to marry one of his daughters to the Radieux royal family – of which Ansem remembered that King Cecil and Queen Rosa only had one son.

Now, the question that troubled his wise old mind was – which daughter will be the one to marry the Prince of Radieux?

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_To be continued…_

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A/n: Okay! I hope that was quite the opening. Stay tuned to see the continuation! Read & review, thanks!

[EDIT 03 June 2010] I'm finding difficulties in writing the story, so I'm changing a few things. The story will retain the Namiku pairing, but I cannot assure you for the rest. Forgive me for putting up the whole voting system in the first place.

Also, there will be no OCs, except for those absolutely necessary minor characters (like Marina).

Destin, Vide and Radieux are French for Destiny, Void and Radiant – taken from the appropriate worlds from the game. (I don't speak French, so forgive me if I got it wrong).


	2. The Tale Begins

**A Tale of Three Princesses**

By Chiharu Tanaka

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Author's Notes: Finally an update! Sorry for taking so long to get my bearings straight on this story. The time era for this story is rather old-school Final Fantasy (FF3/4/5/6) and the characters are probably dressed in a mix of fairytale Disney clothing and Final Fantasy ensemble (but not the modern kind).

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy do not belong to me. It belongs to the great Square-Enix and Disney.

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_Chapter One: The Tale Begins_

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The blue-green colour of the sea never ceases to amaze, despite the countless times one may have looked at it. Even the cool, salty breeze was such a common scent that the air felt suffocating without it. To a sea-lover, the vast and wide ocean was a mystery and a familiarity at the same time. It was just a normal morning at the seaside of Destin, with the wind blowing towards the harbour, telling ships to come and dock at their bustling port. The seagulls cry above the many people working down at the simple wooden-plank commerce point, before soaring towards the balcony of the large stone castle that stood on a short cliff.

A young princess sat on the balcony that breezy morning, her arms resting on the marble railings as her chin rested on her white long sleeves. She sighed at the view of the ocean, because she was a sea-lover, like many in the country of Destin. Closing her eyes, she allowed the gentle wind to rustle her short black hair playfully before her attention was diverted by a knock on the door.

"Come in," she called loudly from the balcony, which was quite a distance from her bedroom door.

The heavy wooden door opened with a squeak of the hinges and a young butler with curly light brown hair entered, standing up straight to further accentuate his tall, lanky figure. "Pardon my intrusion, Your Highness. I was sent by Zexion to inform you about the arrival of the new books," said the youth dressed in the butler uniform.

The princess turned around and got off her chair before entering the sanctity of her marine-walled bedroom. "Really? They've arrived?" she asked. Books had always kept her company for many years, and every new addition to the palace library evoked a feeling in her akin to a five-year old getting a new toy.

"Yes, Your Highness," replied the butler.

A smile graced the princess's fair features. "That's splendid! Thank you, Hayner. You're dismissed," she said. Hayner bowed courteously before taking his leave, but she stopped him as he turned to the door. "By the way, when did you start calling me 'Your Highness' again? You're scaring me with the formalities."

Hayner turned around and sighed as he scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, Xion…it's not that I'm going against your order of being informal with you and all, but lately Ol' Ed's been scolding the bunch of us for our manners towards you…Your Highness."

The corners of Xion's mouth tugged sideways. Ol' Ed was the head of the servants in the castle, and being a strict old man, he did not take the youngsters' nonchalant manner with the three princesses lightly. It wasn't that the young servants were rude – it was just that the three princesses didn't have many companions their age and wanted friends instead of mere servants. "I'll talk to him," she said, sighing. "But thanks for the news. I appreciate it."

"No problem," said Hayner, before running off to his duties.

As soon as the young butler disappeared with a hurry, Xion turned back once more to look at the clock sitting on her desk littered with seashells. Deciding that she would go down to the library to pick up a book or two from the new collection and read a few chapters before lunch, her black-coloured boots made gentle clicking noises as she walked out of her bedroom and down the short tower steps, before landing herself on the second floor of the castle. Glancing upon a figure dressed in a white dress making her way down the common stairway to the main floor of the castle, Xion hastened her steps. "Nami!" she called out. "Nami, wait up!"

Xion's blond-haired eldest sister, Naminé, turned around to face the fifteen year-old coming up to her. She smiled as Xion stopped in front of her, breathless. "Ol' Ed will have a fit if he sees you running in the castle," she told her youngest sibling.

"Aw, he's just a noisy old badger," breathed Xion as she stood up straight to her sister's height. "Where are you going this time of day?"

"Father's asked for my presence. I don't know why, but…" Naminé explained, but turned to look sideways when the sound of footsteps against marble came towards them. They saw their other sister, dressed in a large maroon gown filled with jewels and elaborate laces. "Good morning, Kai," she greeted with a smile gracing her angelic face.

Kairi approached them and the grin on her sweet face was akin to their mother's. "Good morning, Nami, Xio," she greeted them back, one hand grasping her floor-length gown, lifting it slightly to ease walking. "I heard from Selphie that Father wants you in the drawing room. Can I tag along?"

Naminé nodded. "I'm sure whatever Father needs to tells me, he can tell you two as well," she said.

Xion grinned, holding Naminé's left hand. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's not keep him waiting!"

Kairi grabbed Naminé's right hand. "Agreed. Let's go, girls."

As the three princesses walked down the main stairway, a brown-haired maid of Naminé's age looked up from the bottom of the staircase and gave them a small curtsy. "Good morning, Your Highnesses," she said, her wavy hair tied into two braids left over her shoulders. She was a little taller than the three sisters (who were about the same height) and was wearing a white apron over her maid uniform. She also had a broom which she held in her left hand.

"Good morning, Olette," they greeted her.

"What brings all three of you together this lovely morning? I doubt it's practice – you're not in attire for that," asked the maid, switching her style of speech after checking that Old Ed the grumpy head butler wasn't in vicinity.

"Father called for Naminé," said Kairi. "We're just tagging along because there's nothing else to do today. Besides, it sounds rather important for him to be calling her in the morning instead of just discussing at mealtimes like he normally would. He must be hiding something from us."

Olette laughed nervously. She's heard rumours from the other maids, especially from the loud gossip Selphie who was Kairi's age – but she didn't want to say anything and risk upsetting the King (or worse yet, Martha, the head of the housekeepers) if the rumours were indeed untrue. "Oh, really?" she said, her grip on the broom tightening. "Well, you mustn't keep His Majesty waiting. I'll take my leave now."

Naminé and Kairi nodded and continued talking as Olette passed by them to head up into their towers to begin cleanup, but Xion stood there; watching the young maid disappear into the north tower with narrowed eyes. Xion – like her father – was sensitive to people's change of behaviour, even if it was the slightest bit. "Xio, don't just stand there, c'mon!" called Kairi from ahead of her.

"Coming!" she said, walking briskly to rejoin her sisters. As she walked beside Naminé and Kairi, her mind wandered off to Olette's unusual behaviour that both her older sisters did not notice. 'There must be something Olette knows and isn't telling us,' she thought. 'If what Father wants to talk about is that important, surely rumours would already be flying, and rumours being rumours – it should've reached Kairi by way of Selphie's blabbermouth...'

By the time Xion could think up of theories as to what the topic of discussion could be, they had already arrived in front of the drawing room. The guard pushed the door open for them and announced their arrival to the King who was sitting inside after a meeting with some delegates. "Good morning, Father," they greeted as they entered, before giving him a curtsy each.

"Good morning, my princesses," said King Ansem, who looked a little more stressed out than usual – Xion noted, like he was surprised to see all three of them there. The three took a seat at the long couch beside the fireplace as Ansem sat down on the large armchair. Two maids entered to serve them tea and some simple pastries, and left as quickly as they had entered. Once they were all alone in the cosy, well-decorated room facing the rose gardens outside, Naminé spoke up.

"You...wanted to see me, Father?" she began in her soft-spoken, dreamy voice.

Ansem gently stroked his short beard with his thumb as he rested his chin on his palm. "I would have preferred discussing this with you alone, Naminé, but since your sisters are here...I guess it's unavoidable."

Kairi's eyes narrowed. "Why is it that you prefer talking to just Nami? Because she's the eldest? I'm seventeen, Father, and Xio may be fifteen but she's way more matured than girls her age!"

Ansem shook his head. "There you go again with your mother's temper. It has nothing to do with your age, or Naminé being the eldest. I wanted to tell her first because she...she'd be able to break the news a little gentler for both of you."

Xion bit her lower lip. She did not like the sound of that – and neither did Kairi. "What do you mean?" asked the youngest princess. "What news?"

The king delayed their suspense by taking a sip of tea to calm his nerves. He didn't want to have to come to this – telling all three of them at once would definitely be easier than letting Naminé deal the blow to her two more sensitive sisters, but he knew his daughters – all three of them – would not like this news one bit. "Tomorrow morning..." he began after placing the teacup back on the table. "Prince Riku and his entourage are coming from Radieux. The castle is currently preparing a small ball to welcome him to Destin, and it is to be held tomorrow night."

Kairi breathed a sigh of relief, but Naminé's lips were pursed even as Xion's eyes were on her, as the latter two felt that there was more to this story than just a simple visit from the neighbouring country's prince. "Riku! We haven't seen him since what...when Xio was still a baby! That must be one long trip..." Kairi began babbling about how a sea trip from the capital of both countries will take days even on the Radieux-made engine-powered boat, but Naminé cut her off.

"Is it merely a visit?" she inquired carefully. After all, the last time the Prince visited was when she was seven years old. The King and Queen of Radieux had visited twice since then, as the Prince was supposedly busy studying and training that he couldn't afford to come and visit.

Ansem sighed as Kairi turned to her older sister, whose expression was serious – reflecting her inner wisdom and then to Xion, whose expression was doubtful and filled with curiosity. "Yes, it is one long trip. I had asked my advisor, who suggested that we invite him all the way here. There is a reason for all this, however. You three know that there are no male heirs to the Destin throne, so I have decided to unite our country with Radieux."

Naminé averted her father's gaze as Kairi suddenly stood up, as Xion pressed her fingers against her temples. "I knew this day would come," the black-haired princess mumbled as Kairi placed the pieces together in a split second.

"So...Riku's here to _marry_ one of us?" she exclaimed loudly.

"No, Xion is only fifteen; I won't allow her to marry that young."

"So Xion is exempted from this? I'm only _seventeen_ – this isn't fair!"

"You claim you are seventeen and therefore a young adult, so act like one!" Ansem said loudly, standing up abruptly to tower over his daughter. "King Cecil and Queen Rosa have already agreed to the marriage and the union of both countries – however an engagement will take place first to let the people assimilate to this union."

Kairi bit her lower lip so hard it almost bled, and stormed out of the drawing room without another word. Naminé looked up at her father who sighed before sitting back down, rubbing the temples of his head with his fingertips. "I'm sorry, Father," she said.

"You don't have to apologise on her behalf, Naminé," he said. "This is precisely why I wanted to let you know first."

"Still, Father...a union? Though it may be an advantage to both countries what with the Vide Empire pressing on us...this is _marriage_, Father; something you said you'd let us choose on our own," said Xion.

"I know, and I'm very sorry to all three of you for having to come to this decision so suddenly. It's just that I'm not as young and healthy as I used to be, and I want a future for my country and my people. You understand, don't you?"

The two princesses nodded. "Yes." Xion felt her emotions surging inside, but she understood her father's predicament and why he made such a decision.

"Father," Naminé began, feeling guilty for both her younger sisters. "It's not fair for Kairi to be pushed into this. I'll accept the engagement instead."

"No," he replied sternly. "I feel bad for pushing Prince Riku into this as much as I did all three of you, so I promised him and his parents I'd let him choose. If for some reason he chooses you, Xion, then you will have to be engaged too."

Xion gulped, suddenly hoping her lack of femininity as compared to her two sisters was enough to save her from this mess. She barely had any experience with boys, if none at all. "If that is the case..." she mumbled while trying to keep calm as her nerves trembled. "Then so be it."

A heavy silence fell over the three of them, and eventually Naminé and Xion excused themselves from the room to head back to the towers, where they hoped Kairi would be. Xion sighed as they said nothing while climbing the spiral steps to Kairi's bedroom. 'This explains Olette's behaviour, and Selphie's unusual silence. I don't want any of my sisters to suffer this fate, but neither do I...'

They found Kairi face flat on the bed as Olette and Selphie sat on the bed with her. Selphie was a maid of Kairi's age and her good friend, with short, curled-up caramel brown hair and bright bottle green eyes. "Oh...I knew those rumours were true!" said Selphie, crossing her arms as Olette patted Kairi's back while the delicate princess sniffed into her velvet cushions. "I can't believe the King is uniting the two countries! I mean...not that it's bad news, but by marriage? You're so young!"

Olette noticed the presence of the two princesses and stood up. "You three wanna have some time alone?" she asked, as Kairi wasn't taking in the situation too well, and Selphie's comments seemed to worsen her condition.

"Yes, please," said Naminé. "Thank you, Olette, Selphie."

"No problem, Nami," said Selphie, before patting Kairi's back. "Have a good chat with your sisters and wipe that snot off your pretty face, 'kay?"

The two maids left Kairi's bedroom to let the sisters have some privacy, closing the heavy wooden door behind them. Naminé sat down beside Kairi and gently brushed her silky red hair with her fingers tenderly. "I know you're upset, we all are..." she began, when Kairi snapped. She lifted herself off from her face-down position and sat up, glaring at Xion.

"Yeah, but Xion has it easy since Riku can't choose her because she's underage!" she said mockingly.

"Hey, I'm in as much risk as both of you! Father said he could choose any one of us – he just won't let me get married _while_ I'm fifteen!" Xion retaliated, her pent-up stress bursting out as she was worried of the prospect of marriage as much as her sisters were.

"Stop it, you two!" Naminé exclaimed, silencing both her younger sisters because after all, it was quite rare to see Naminé angry. "We are princesses of Destin, and being a princess doesn't mean we're only entitled to the privileges that come with that title. We have responsibilities too. If one of us has to marry a Prince to unite the two countries – for the good of our people – then we must do it."

Xion looked at the carpeted floor. "It's a _sacrifice_, that's what it is."

"If Mother were still alive, she would instantly object," said Kairi, hugging one of the cushions. The late Queen Marina told fairytales to her daughters before bed like any mother did, but she told them an important lesson: true love was something fate arranges, not anyone else. "I don't care if he's a Prince or whatever. I won't marry someone I don't love!"

The eldest princess sighed, pushing aside some of her golden bangs swept away by the ocean wind. "But we don't have a choice. This is our duty, unless you'd rather be a commoner."

Silence followed, and after a few minutes of it, Xion stood up abruptly. "This is driving me crazy," she said, crossing her arms. "I'm going to the library like I originally intended to. I need to get my mind off this madness." After that she just left, walking briskly towards the solace that was the Palace Library.

Kairi pouted angrily as she and Naminé watched her leave, and lay back down on her bed before turning away from Naminé's worried face. "I'm going to take a nap. Don't bother calling me for lunch, I'm not hungry," she stated; her statement muffled with her face half-buried into a downy pillow.

The blond-haired princess stood up. "Alright, but I'll get Selphie to send you lunch anyway. Don't get too upset about this. Mother would be worried for you," she told her younger sister, before leaving the room. Kairi felt the tears well up in her eyes at the mention of her beloved mother. Looking at her mother's jewellery box sitting atop her dressing table, she held back a sob as she continued to stare at it, before focusing on the sky reflected on the mirror.

_Nami does have a point...I'm sorry, Mommy._

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Zexion, a young man who seemed to be brooding all the time, what with his dishevelled layered blue-black hair and a hand always on his chin whilst immersed in a book, looked up from his subject of reading when Princess Xion unceremoniously barged into the library (well, he considered opening the door and marching on the carpeted floor 'barging') and turned to him sharply like she was going to eat him.

"Your Highness," the librarian addressed immediately, fumbling with his book as he stood up from the desk. "I take it you're here to see the new arrivals?"

Xion merely nodded, swirls of the previous conversation with her father and sisters still lingering in her muddled head. Zexion noticed her foul mood – and even if the youngest princess' temper was nowhere near as bad as the middle one, she still got mad frequently and becomes a silenced ice-queen when it happens. 'It's just one of those days,' thought the young librarian, taking heed from his friend Demyx the court musician.

Without a moment more, he rushed to pull out the trolley-shelf displaying the latest books. He figured she would be coming to see them after he relayed a message to Hayner, so he had them stacked nicely for her. He stood still and watched as her petite self browsed through the books, flipping through the pages and scanning line-by-line. After going through seven of them, she picked one and sauntered deeper into the library without another word. The librarian sighed, wondering what got her into a bad temper.

The carpet silenced her journey into the library, and she sat down on the sofa in her favourite, secluded spot in the library. She would always hide here whenever she was bored or tired, and the surrounding books and lamps as well as the large window facing the sea were reasons why it was her favourite. Flipping to the page she was previously reading, she began her ritual habit of 'relaxing' as she had put it to Kairi.

Still, even her favourite spot in the library with a rather interesting book in her hands were not enough to ease her anxious heart, which began thumping like turbulent waves as soon as her father confirmed her fear of having a chance of betrothal as much as her sisters did. She snapped the book shut and exited the library with the same urgency as when she came in, startling Zexion on her way out.

She ordered a passing Royal Guard, one she had seen quite often – she was tall with slicked back blond hair named Larxene – to go to get a butler or maid to bring her some chamomile tea. Larxene merely smiled her mischievous smile, which reminded Xion of the Cheshire Cat in the book _Alice in Wonderland_; before the woman excused herself and left Xion on her way to the gardens.

Pulling a white chair out, she laid the book on the round marble table to resume her reading in the stillness of the rose gardens. She decided to sit there because she wanted a change of scenery, and the sound of waves only made her miss her mother more. Pretending to be absorbed in the book, her head spun with the many possibilities of the future of her and her sisters. 'I don't want this...why must Father come up with such a radical solution? Not that it's unheard of, but at least I'm glad Kairi is upset about it just as I am. Nami is always Daddy's little girl...following everything he says...'

"Your tea, Your Highness."

A youthful male voice surprised her, out of her train of thoughts and back into the real world. She looked towards the voice in reflex and met the sky blue eyes of a butler, perhaps about Hayner's age – no, much younger – probably Kairi's age. His sandy blond hair appeared scruffy, but was cleverly styled upwards to give him a cool and stylish look. He was wearing a butler's uniform as Hayner was, a formal ensemble of black and white, and also a stripe of turquoise on the tails of their black twin-tail jackets – the official colour of Destin. To add to Xion's already befuddled mind, this young butler was good-looking. He wasn't handsome as a 'Prince Charming' would be, but he would definitely turn heads if he walked down the street.

Instantly, Xion's cheeks turned red, flaring from the back of her fair neck. Her heart began pounding like the drums they played during the orchestra, and she quickly averted her gaze, looking at the cup of steaming tea in front of her. "Thank you," she said, curious as to why she's feeling flustered all of a sudden.

"You're welcome," the young butler replied with a smile.

Xion picked up the teacup from its saucer and took a sip. It burned her lips – because in contrary to her book-loving personality, it was Kairi who enjoyed warm tea more. Suddenly she regretted her decision (because Kairi told her tea calms the nerves) and wished she had asked for orange juice instead. Seeing her adverse reaction to the tea, the butler stepped forward from where he stood a little far behind her.

"Is the tea not to your liking, Your Highness?" he asked politely. Xion set the cup and shook her head, licking her lips as she did so.

"No, I...I'm just not used to tea," she admitted. Looking up at him, she realised something. She had certainly never met this young butler before, and the number of young butlers was countable by her fingers; in contrast to the maids – there were plenty young ones in the castle. His polite way of speaking confirmed it, as the other young butlers were used to calling her 'Xion'. "Are you...new here, by any chance?"

The butler's eyes widened in surprise; he had heard of Princess Xion being very sharp, but he had no idea she was this sharp. "Yes, I am. How did you know that, Your Highness?" he asked.

She picked up a spoon and began stirring the tea in attempt to cool it down. "That's because you're calling me 'Your Highness'. Didn't Hayner or Pence tell you that Nami, Kai and I are rather...casual with the servants your age?"

He seemed genuinely intrigued by her statement. "I'm sorry, Your Highness...I just started yesterday. Mister Edward had forbid me from speaking casually with the princesses."

Xion sighed. Honestly, she was going to have to summon that old badger and give him a piece of her mind. "Well, what he doesn't know won't hurt him. Just speak to us like how you would to your friends, really," she told him.

"Okay," replied the youth, refraining himself from adding 'Your Highness' at the end of his sentence. "If that's the case...then what should I call you?"

"Xion," she said, suddenly embarrassed that she was speaking so casually to this young man, even though she was already doing so with Hayner, Pence, and even Zexion. The butler smiled a cute lopsided grin that made her want to smile back at him.

"Xion..." he repeated. "Nice to meet you, Xion," he said, and she wondered why her name sounded so wonderful when it came out from his mouth. "I'm Roxas, by the way."

She smiled back as she couldn't help but do so, and forgot about what was troubling her so in the midst of conversation. "How old are you? You look younger than Hayner or Pence," she asked, curious.

"Seventeen," he replied.

"Seventeen? You're only Kairi's age...what brings you to work at such an age?"

Roxas shrugged. "I wanted to be independent," he merely said. "Seventeen isn't that young...I'm turning eighteen at the end of the year."

"Sorry, my question must've sounded rude..." Xion mumbled, blushing bright red.

"No worries," said Roxas. "You're not a tea person, right? Do you want something else to drink?"

Xion smiled sheepishly. "No, it's fine...I'll just wait for it to cool. You've got other things to do, right? I guess you'd better run along."

Roxas nodded, since he was wanted in the dining hall to arrange the flowers and decorations. "Yeah, I guess so. See you around then, Xion," he said with a grin, before running off into the castle. The young princess watched him leave with the smile still lingering on her face. Grasping her stomach, she wondered why she felt like there were butterflies in it when it wasn't even the public speaking exam.

_What is this feeling? I must ask Kai...no, maybe Nami._

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Naminé stood in front of a larger-than-life full portrait of her mother in one of the castle hallways, connected to a dome which provided indirect sunlight to illuminate the picture. Her hands clasped together as she looked up at her mother's beautiful face, she sighed before placing both her hands on her chest in unease. Closing her eyes she allowed herself to be carried back into time; a time when her mother was still alive.

"_Naminé," Queen Marina had told the nine year-old Naminé, while the two younger princesses were chasing each other in the gardens at a distance out of ear shot. "I don't have much time to live anymore," she said, holding both Naminé's hands with her own. "You know what that means, don't you?"_

_The blond-haired princess was already tearing up, but she nodded anyway. "I don't want you to go, Mommy," she said, voice wavering._

"_Listen, honey," Marina said whilst stroking Naminé's golden blond hair. "When I'm not around, you'll have to take care of your sisters in my place, okay? Promise me you'll be a good sister to them, and you have to listen to your Daddy and be a good daughter. You have to be strong, and I'm sorry I'm forcing all this on you when you are so very young..."_

"_I promise, Mommy," Naminé said, holding her mother's hand tenderly._

"_If anything bad happens, please protect your sisters. The three of you are my pride and joy, and Kairi and Xion are even younger than you are, so please mind them in my place, okay?"_

_Naminé nodded, biting her lower lip to force the tears back. She had to be strong – especially when she was the only one who knew of her mother's fatal disease at the time. Even when her mother was so pale and frail, she was so beautiful and she was everything to the three of them._

"_I promise," she said again. Marina smiled and extended a pinkie finger._

"_Pinkie swear?" she said childishly. Naminé nodded and twined her own small pinkie finger with her mother's._

The nineteen year-old Naminé sighed as she stared at her right pinkie finger. She had made a promise to her mother, and in the past ten years she had filled in her mother's shoes indirectly – learning of protocols, etiquette, law, business and worldly affairs as a Queen should; attending meetings with her father, even participating by sharing her thoughts and ideas with the much older, much wiser men and women of the King's Court; learning of magic and healing as her mother did as a young lady – to be capable of caring for her two more reckless sisters; and most importantly watching over them as they grew up into fine young ladies.

_I'm still keeping my promise, Mommy, but to protect them from this political marriage, I need your help. If you're watching us from the heavens, please...please make Prince Riku choose me._

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_To be continued..._

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Naminé, Olette and Pence are 19; Kairi, Selphie and Roxas are 17; Hayner is 20; Larxene is 23; Demyx is 21 and Zexion is 24.

I hope the story intrigues you so far. I've gotten some idea for this story, and there will be love triangles ahead, as well as more characters. I hope Xion wasn't too OOC, as I didn't get the chance to finish 358/2 Days. Her character is a little complicated here, but since she is the youngest – and therefore a teenager. She is also, rather, the focus of this chapter, isn't she? Maybe I should have more of Naminé or Kairi in the next chapter.

Are the nicknames (Nami, Kai and Xio) appropriate or odd? Let me know.

Just for an FYI (you can skip this rant); I actually have two younger sisters myself. My family has only three daughters. The idea of writing this story stems from the fact that the three of them (Naminé, Kairi, Xion) looked alike and I wanted them to be sisters instead of clones; and the fact that I have experience being in a three-sister family. However, my sisters and I are far from behaving like Naminé, Kairi and Xion. Some similarities do exist, but it pretty much stops there. Also, I try hard not to Mary Sue any of my traits into my fanfiction characters (I can't help in the aspect of 'drawing' though), nor am I a Mary Sue in the first place. Square-Enix and Disney made them that way, and I insist in keeping it that way. Anyway, my point is if there are any out-of-character traits (especially for Xion); feel free to comment/correct my mistakes in your review.

Please leave a review! As for flames – I will just laugh because the number of my review count on the site increased thanks to it.


	3. Arrival

**A Tale of Three Princesses**

By Chiharu Tanaka

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Author's Notes: Thank you all for the encouraging reviews! I'll try my best to update frequently, but you know...life comes first. Without further ado, I give you chapter 2!

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy don't belong to me. They belong to Disney and Square-Enix.

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_The story so far: Either Naminé, Kairi or Xion is going to have to marry Prince Riku of Radieux to unite the two countries. Kairi and Xion object in their own way, but Naminé is willing to accept the marriage._

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_Chapter Two: Arrival_

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The sound of footsteps against metal resonated as a young man of twenty walked across the deck of the S.S. Leviathan, the most powerful and fastest machine-powered ship in Radieux; capable of transporting its passengers from Lumina, the industrial capital city of Radieux to Asper, the port city of Destin in a matter of two days what would normally take a week or two. Silver hair billowing in the wind as the ship approached the port; the youth smirked as he spotted the welcoming committee waiting for him at shore. The port was a stark contrast compared to the one in Radieux; what with their simple yet sturdy wooden jetties and the port filled with fishmongers, merchants and sailors alike. Some more powerful machinery fleets hoisting the flags of Destin were most probably for military use – as Radieux had sold them those vessels for their protection against the Empire of Vide.

"Your Highness," said a voice from behind him. He turned around to see the Royal Guard who was an inch shorter than him, with beautiful long black hair, dark eyes and fair skin. She was dressed in a rather masculine outfit consisting of an elegant black vest over a long-sleeved white shirt and a pair of black trousers; despite her attractive feminine features.

"Ah, Tifa," he said to the woman two years his senior. "It's nice to know that Destin hasn't really changed much since I was last here."

Tifa smiled; a small curve of her lips at the Prince's nostalgia. "Captain Cid sent me here to inform you that we'll port in another ten minutes," she relayed the ship captain's message. "Also, Sir Leon is asking if you would like to go sightseeing around Asper or head directly for the castle."

Riku, the Crown Prince of Radieux and only child of King Cecil and Queen Rosa smirked as he turned back to the ocean. "Sightseeing can wait," he said. "After all, the sights I really want to see are those three princesses."

The brunette's smile faded, suddenly reminded of the Prince's true behaviour. Sure, the youth was good-looking and was pampered his whole life, but Tifa assumed it was exactly that which turned him into the cocky, overconfident young man he was. "Very well," she said, not the least bit taken in by his charming smirk as she had already spent a few years being his Royal Guard. "I shall take my leave, Your Highness."

She then left the Prince to continue admiring the ocean, and the Prince merely leaned against the railing of the deck, his gaze now fixated on the towering castle at one end of the shore. He knew well the reason of his trip to this neighbouring country, and since he couldn't care less of any of the young maidens he left heartbroken in his homeland, he agreed to this deal; knowing that he would probably ascend to the throne and control both countries someday. But for now, he was more curious about how the three daughters of King Ansem had grown since he last saw them as mere children.

_Today, after twelve years – we will all meet once again, won't we?_

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When word of Prince Riku's arrival at the port was relayed to the castle, Naminé was already opening the door to Kairi's bedroom, Xion following behind her. Once they stepped into the messy room, with clothes tossed everywhere – they found Kairi sitting on top of her bed, arms crossed and her hair tousled; which was very unlike her. "Kai, what's the matter?" asked Naminé, picking up the blouses and skirts one by one.

"No matter how much I think about it, this is nonsense! I can't believe Father would be so..._heartless_ as to marry his daughters off like this!" she screeched, slamming a fist into a downy pillow.

Xion helped Naminé picked the clothes up and together they set it on the table for the maids to fold later. The youngest princess was silent because she felt the same way, but Naminé remained patient as she sat down on Kairi's bed. "Xio, Kai, I have a solution," she said. "You don't have to marry Prince Riku. Just let me do it."

"But how?" asked Xion, sitting on the other side of the large bed. "I mean, Father said that Prince Riku will be the one to choose."

Naminé pressed her lips together. "It won't be a guaranteed method, but basically I would have to catch his attention and hold onto it tightly so he won't think of marrying you or Kairi."

Xion still frowned, but Kairi's blue eyes lit up before wrapping her elder sister in an embrace. "Nami, you're a genius!" she said, with a smile on her face for the first time since the day before. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Are you sure that's going to work?" asked Xion, doubtful. "After all, playing cupid isn't easy..."

Kairi clicked her tongue as she let go of Naminé. "Who said anything about playing cupid? All we have to do is look plain, and all I have to do is make Nami look fabulous! And of course, Nami, you have to do your part by being as flirtatious as you can."

A tinge of red flared up on Naminé's cheeks. "F...Flirtatious?" she stammered, astonished at the preposterous idea.

Kairi got off the bed to look for a suitable dress to change into. "Yes, and don't give me that naïve look," she said while searching through her closet. "You _do_ know how to be flirtatious, don't you?"

Xion gave a small laugh. "Nami...flirtatious? That's about as likely as Ol' Ed being nice to Hayner and the rest."

"I'll give you tips, then, Nami," Kairi said as she picked a dress. Pulling the foldable screen sideways to change, she continued talking. "First, eye contact. It's very important that you look at him, but not too long that he thinks you're desperate. Just long enough, and when he looks your way, you look elsewhere. Next, is conversation. I don't know what Prince Riku might like to talk about, but that's your forte, isn't it? And then there's the smile. Sultry doesn't really work for you, so your normal smile is fine, I guess..."

Naminé pressed her fingertips on her cheeks as they burned. Xion raised a sceptical eyebrow. "Kai...did Rikku teach you something extra during training sessions?" she asked, referring to Kairi's Royal Guard and instructor, the blond-haired, green-eyed lady named Rikku.

"How else do you think she scored so many boyfriends?" Kairi asked, her head poking at the side of the screen. "It's not my fault Paine teaches you too many boring stuff, and Yuna only teaches Nami magic."

"For a second there I thought you were talking about the Prince," said Naminé, giggling. "She's going to need a nickname if the Prince decides to stick around."

"Well, her current boyfriend called her 'Sunshine'. Maybe we could try that," said Kairi, finally emerging from behind the screen in decent clothing. She walked right up to the dressing table to comb her hair and put on some light makeup.

"Sunshine, hmm? Well...when you're done getting ready, we'll be going to the tailors. They've been calling us to see the gowns for tonight's ball," said Naminé in her soft-spoken voice.

Xion turned to Naminé, speaking up as she fiddled with her fingers. "Nami...do you really have to do all that for us? I mean...if you're not willing to marry him..."

The blonde smiled as she patted her sister's head. "I've made my decision. I promised Mommy that I would take care of both of you in her place, and since you're both too young to be wed, I will do it in your stead." Xion's eyes turned away from her sister's as she bit her lower lip.

_You're right, but this isn't fair for you, too..._

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The amount of people gathering at the port to welcome Prince Riku's arrival was astounding, even if the King never intended for such a grand celebration. There were music, streamers and a whole horde of spectators divided into two large crowds by the patrolling officers at the port to give way for the entourage. The people of Destin were excited to see the Prince, and as Riku stepped down from the ship, followed by three elite Royal Guards that accompanied him on this trip, as well as a few personal attendants; young girls were waving and swooning excitedly at the sight of the handsome prince.

Fitting his narcissistic nature, he shot a wink at one of the girls, which made her blush furiously whilst feeling faint; and Tifa shook her head in disdain while Yuffie, the youngest member of the team of Royal Guards rolled her eyes sardonically. Leon, the captain of the dispatched Royal Guards team sent to accompany Riku paid no attention to this and was flipping through a book as he was doubling as a personal assistant – at least, until they arrived at the castle. "The ball will start at eight p.m. sharp, and I'll have the servants prepare your clothing beforehand. Before that, His Majesty King Ansem wishes to have an audience with you," he mumbled in a low voice, before continuing with the rest of the schedule.

Riku was only nodding, but he wasn't really listening to Leon as the four of them climbed into the carriage prepared by the castle. Yuffie crossed her arms as she sat across the cocky Prince, before uncrossing them and playing with her short black hair, and then readjusting the bandana tied around her forehead. She later fiddled with the hem of the shorts she was wearing – of which was much to Leon's disapproval. In contrast to the fidgety Yuffie, Tifa sat completely still, looking out the window at the charming, classy streets of Asper City.

Leon combed through his shoulder-length layered brown hair once, which was messed up by the ocean wind, before checking the area outside and around the carriage out the window for any signs of assassins or rogues intending to attack the carriage with the steel-cold blue eyes of his. The Prince yawned once, elbow resting against the windowsill and watched as they neared the castle.

Once they arrived, there was a whole row of butlers and maids prepared to greet him with a bow. The King had appointed an attendant named Sebastian to take care of Riku's needs as well as to inform him of the ball's itinerary in more detail than what was earlier sent to Leon by pigeon mail. As Sebastian went ahead to greet the prince and his entourage, he began briefing the Prince in the same way Leon did, only in a more annoying voice; while leading them into the throne room.

The two rows of maids and butlers bowed as he entered the grand doors of the castle. Once they all stood back up, Selphie elbowed Olette who was standing next to her. "Oh my gosh, did you see that hunk of a Prince?" she whispered at Olette, as Martha and Edward were still observing them. "One of those lucky three will actually marry him! And you say I'm stupid for wanting to be a princess." Olette merely sighed as she shook her head, though she had to admit to herself that the Prince was good-looking.

Pence, a short, chubby young man with short brown-black hair stood in between Hayner and the newbie Roxas. "Man, look at those clothes. It just screams 'Prince'," he mumbled under his breath. Hayner snickered at his best friend's remark. Roxas had heard of the news the night before at the servants' quarters and was surprised to say the least, as Pence told him that any _one_ of the three princesses could be the bride of the silver-haired Prince.

'And that includes Xion...isn't she way too young for that?' he mused as the Prince and his small group disappeared behind the throne room doors, and Edward began rounding them up to prepare for the Prince's belongings (and of course, his followers' things as well) that would be coming by carriage shortly. Roxas shook his head, putting aside the thought and focusing on his task ahead.

The moment Selphie finished her job (or rather, snuck away from her task and left poor Olette to do her share); she picked up the hem of her knee-length maid-uniform skirt and raced up the middle tower to find Kairi. Finding them missing, she asked a passing guard, who pointed her towards the tailors' workplace. She was breathless when she slammed open the door to the tailors.

"Why, I never!" said Flora, the eldest of the three tailors, with grey hair pinned in a bun and wearing an orange dress. "Selphie, didn't anyone teach you how to knock?"

Selphie stood up straight after catching her breath to see Xion standing on the round podium being fitted for a dress, pins sticking out from her dress at various places as Merryweather; the youngest tailor – a plump, black-haired woman – adjusted it. The dress was made of white satin, with two long sleeves and a rounded collar exposing her clavicles and the corset of her dress was made out of glittery silver material and white pearls. Several layers of chiffon sky-blue fabric with tiny pearls wrapped the dress from her waist downwards until the end of the dress. "Sorry, Madam Flora," she said quickly as she stepped inside. "Goodness, is that you, Xion?"

Kairi chuckled as she stood beside Fauna, the second tailor, who was a little taller and thinner than the other two and wearing a green dress, admiring her handiwork. "I know, surprising, isn't it? I was shocked too when Xion said she wanted this dress for the ball. It's far more feminine than what she always wears."

"You can say that again," said Selphie, looking up at the blushing Xion as she stood with her arms open wide. "I mean, you always pick out the plainest, or anything with black, and force the three Madams to snip any ribbons or laces off."

Merryweather nodded in agreement as she finished her job, beginning to remove the pins. "I'm happy you chose this one, Princess Xion, because I was thinking of you when I made this one. I was hoping you'd wear it, and here you are!" she said, clapping excitedly.

"So, what'll you be wearing?" asked Selphie, turning to Kairi. The redhead pointed to Flora, who smiled as she was tending to Kairi's dress. She held up the dress for Selphie to see, and the young girl gasped slightly. Although it was pink and made of tiers of satin, it lacked the external black cross-cross laced bodice Kairi usually wore, and it was high-collared and halfway sleeved, unlike the sexy off-shouldered dresses that Kairi usually wear to parties. "You're wearing _that_? A little more conservative than usual, don't you think?"

"I'm trying to get the attention _away_ from me this time," said Kairi.

Selphie slapped her forehead, suddenly remembering her purpose of finding the three princesses. "Oh silly me!" she exclaimed. "I came here to tell you three that Prince Riku is here! Like...in the castle! And he's drop-dead _gorgeous_!"

Kairi scoffed, flipping her shoulder-length red hair in the process. "So what if he's handsome? I'm not marrying him, and that's that."

"You're not? I thought he could choose either one of you?"

"Well, Xio and I are going to make sure Nami gets chosen," said Kairi confidently, her hands on her hips. Xion stepped down from the round podium as she twirled around in her dress as instructed by Merryweather, getting claps from the tailors.

"How are you going to make sure of that?" asked Selphie, curious of the plan. The sound of the rings holding up a curtain whooshing aside was heard, and Kairi pointed towards the dressing room Naminé had been changing in. The young maid's mouth hung open and gasped as she took a step back as Naminé emerged with bright red. Xion was also staring at her eldest sister in disbelief, as Kairi had picked the gown for her while she was being fitted and could not move. The three tailors merely smiled and clapped at the sight of their masterpiece on the eldest princess.

Selphie regained her composure and took a closer look at Naminé's dress. She then smirked, turning to Kairi. "I think I'll tell Ol' Ed to standby with a pack of ice, because the King will have a fit when he sees Naminé in this dress! Maybe I should tell the Prince to ready himself a handkerchief too, just in case...oh, y'know, he can't handle the _sexiness_ of this dress..."

"Selphie!" Naminé chided, slapping her arm. "But I guess you're right. Kairi, isn't this a little too...provocative?" she asked, feeling uncomfortable with all the skin she was showing.

Kairi approached her and patted her on the shoulder. "Aw, c'mon, Nami, you look _fabulous_. And Prince Riku won't be able to take his eyes off you, I'm sure of it!" Xion shook her head, while still wondering why she felt like going for something more feminine this time around. Naminé sighed, fiddling with her blond hair.

_At least, that's what I'm hoping for, Kai..._

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Saying that she had butterflies in her stomach would be the understatement of the year, Naminé thought as she walked with her two sisters towards the ballroom. It felt more like the butterflies were gnawing her insides with every step she took. She suddenly stopped in her tracks, which made her two sisters turn around to face her. "Nami," said Kairi, a hand on Naminé's gloved arm. "What's wrong?"

"You don't have to do this, you know," Xion said, looking at her eldest sister worriedly. "I know you promised Mommy and all that, but..."

"No," Naminé said, cutting her off. "I have to do this. I've made it this far, I have to go through it."

Kairi nodded. "I can't even begin to tell you how much I love you for doing this for us. Really."

Naminé smiled. "I love you both too," she said. "Just...pray for me, okay?"

The two sisters nodded, and they resumed walking, this time hand-in-hand as they headed for the ballroom. Once at the entrance, the guards announced their arrival and the crowd below the grand stairway stopped to look at them. Even King Ansem, who was sitting at the throne area, which had been re-furnished to accommodate a seat for their special guest stopped talking for a moment, greatly surprised as his daughters approached him.

Although he was glad that Kairi was wearing something a little decent for once, and that Xion was wearing something other than black, Naminé's dress almost gave him a heart attack. It was a halter-neck pastel cream dress with pearl and crystal embroidery, with a plunging neckline ending at the end of her sternum – showing a significant amount of skin. She wore a pair of white gloves that reached the middle of her forearms. The back of her gown was mostly bare, and the skirt of her gown was the same length as Kairi and Xion's. Her face was adorned with a little more makeup than usual, making her look like an angel that descended from the heavens.

Ansem merely coughed, making a mental note to query rather than chide her choice of attire that evening, as it was the first time his eldest daughter had dressed so provocatively. "So, Riku," he said, turning to the young man sitting beside him, dressed in an elegant black suit with a dark blue and gold vest beneath the coat; his long silver hair tied into a low ponytail with a black ribbon. "You haven't seen them in a while...my three daughters, Kairi, Naminé and Xion."

Riku stood up and smiled. "Truly, a pleasure to meet all three of you once again," he said, before bowing slightly. The three princesses gave him a curtsey as he did so. The other two turned to Naminé to do the talking.

"Yes, it is," she said, holding out her hand. Riku took it and gave it a brief kiss on the back of her gloved hand, and he looked up to her to see her still smiling sweetly at him. He then proceeded to do the same to Kairi and Xion, and they all sat at their assigned seats. King Ansem stood up and gave a small speech, welcoming Riku and his entourage to Destin, and then the party began with a slow tune from the orchestra.

Riku stood up and offered his hand to Naminé. "Would you like to dance, Princess Naminé?" he asked.

"Just call me 'Naminé'," she said, taking his hand shyly before they both joined the crowd of dancing nobles. Kairi grinned excitedly and turned to Xion, who was watching them anxiously.

"He looks like he's interested!" said the redhead. "This is a good sign."

Xion bit her lower lip. "Well, I hope so. But I kind of feel bad for Nami...she shouldn't have to go through this. She should have the freedom to choose whoever she wants to marry too."

"I know," Kairi said with a sigh. "But I guess we should feel lucky that we have such an understanding sister."

The brunette rolled her eyes. 'You're so selfish,' she thought, one hand on her chin as her elbow rested on the armrest, and when she turned sideways she noticed Roxas, holding onto a tray of drinks and serving them to the nobles who were sitting down around round tables. Their eyes met for a moment, and Xion quickly turned away, her heartbeat escalating as she realised what she was wearing.

"So that's him?" asked Kairi, which almost made Xion jump from her seat.

"H...him? Him who?" asked Xion nervously in return. Kairi merely smirked and pointed to the young butler.

"That blond-haired one...he's the new guy, right? Selphie told me about him. He's kind of cute," said Kairi as she observed him. Xion felt her heart drop to her stomach. Between the three sisters, Kairi was obviously the most attractive, and she could make any guy fall and worship at her feet. Suddenly her heart felt like it was boiling, and she had a desire to cover Kairi's face with the long sleeves of her dress so she couldn't see him any longer.

"Too bad he's not really my type," Kairi finally said, which Xion suspected that her 'type' meant being rich in addition to being good-looking. Kairi turned to look at Xion, who was still looking at her. "You look like you're going to eat me. Are you hungry?"

Xion relaxed her facial muscles, surprised that she had been holding such a fierce expression for so long on someone that wasn't her opponent. Or maybe in that case, Kairi was her opponent until she said Roxas wasn't her type. The youngest princess clutched her forehead, suddenly attacked by a headache that came out of nowhere. Kairi could sense that she didn't look too well, and proceeded to wave at the young butler, beckoning him towards them.

"Yes, Your Highness?" Roxas asked, completely forgetting Xion's earlier statement at the presence of the King. Xion's head shot up as she heard his voice near her, and blushed as he shot a glance at her and smiled.

"A glass of cold water please. No, make that two," Kairi said, feeling thirsty herself. Roxas gave a small bow and took his leave, leaving Xion at an even more befuddled state. "You seem to really dislike this party, don't you? I know you're not much of a party person, but you look even more stressed out than usual. Is it Nami you're worried about? Or is it someone else?"

Xion pressed her lips together. She didn't know whether or not to tell Kairi, but she knew Kairi had a lot of experience in these kinds of things. Perhaps it was time for her to seek advice from her less 'clever' sister. "I'll...tell you later, when the party is over," she said, barely a whisper.

Kairi winked. "It's a promise, then."

Meanwhile, Riku and Naminé were already twirling around the ballroom, the other guests dancing around them in a waltz. Naminé felt her cheeks searing from the gaze he was giving her – so much so that she probably didn't need the powdered blush on the apples of her cheeks. Whatever it was, Selphie was right – the young man standing before her was handsome, even more so than she could have imagined.

But still, it did not mean she was in love with him.

"You've really grown," said Riku, a smirk across his lips, looking at the way her blond hair was tied back into an elegant bun with some falling curls, showing off her large dangling diamond earrings. "For a moment, I didn't recognize you. I would've come much sooner had I known how beautiful you've become."

Naminé felt flattered, but her experience dancing with many young lords and listening to their praises made hearing his words a little uninteresting. Still, she was here to make him like her enough to want to marry her. _What would Kairi do in this situation? Think, Naminé, think!_ "Oh my, you're too kind," she said with a giggle, her blue eyes directly gazing into his aquamarine ones, remembering how Kairi used to flirt around the ballroom. "I would've come to the port myself had I known you were this handsome."

In reality, Naminé felt embarrassed to say the words out loud; especially to a Prince she has not met in twelve years.

"You've gotten a lot bolder, I see," Riku said again, glancing down at the amount of cleavage she was showing. He had to admit to himself, she had a nice body as well as the looks to go with it. Naminé tried hard to keep herself composed and refrained from slapping his cheek with her gloved hand for even indecently looking at her bare skin – but that was her fault, really. "I guess time really does change a person. Why, the last time we met you were a shy little girl."

Naminé smiled (albeit nervously). _Truth be told, Riku, I am still an introvert of sorts. But you don't have to know I'm doing this for my sisters._

"So, what have you been doing all afternoon? I didn't get to see any of you three until just now," he asked.

Naminé thought for a while, formulating a reply Kairi would answer. "Oh, I've been picking out my dress. Tonight is a very special night, so I must look my very best," she answered. "And then I was helping my sisters pick out their dresses. You may not know it, but we put in a lot of effort to look beautiful."

Riku raised one silver eyebrow, amused. "And all that takes a whole afternoon?"

"Why yes, of course!" Naminé replied in her most Kairi-like voice (which isn't annoying, just dripping with girly sweetness).

He raised his hand holding hers and she twirled beneath their joined hands, before resuming their original dancing position with the most seductive smile she could make. And for Naminé, it was no easy task. Their ten minutes dancing felt like an eternity to her, and she had to withhold her sigh of relief when Riku turned to see the throne and said, "I can't make your sisters jealous now, and I'm sure you must have many others who would like to dance with you."

Riku escorted her back to the throne, where he planted a kiss on the back of his hand and she giggled with her fingers touching her own lips ever-so-slightly. Naminé sat down one seat away from her father (in between them was Riku's empty seat) with a sigh, as Riku turned to ask Kairi to dance with him. Ansem said nothing as he observed his eldest daughter's behaviour, and her change of manner from being flirtatious like Kairi to her usual self as she sat down next to him and asked a passing maid for a glass of water.

Kairi confidently walked hand-in-hand with the Prince towards the dance floor. _You are going to think I'm the plainest Jane to ever dance with you._

"So, Kairi," said Riku once they started dancing. "I guess pink's your favourite colour." Kairi merely nodded shyly, averting his gaze. "I guess time's changed you too," he said with a smile. "You were so...chirpy when you were young."

_Oh boy, you have no idea how 'chirpy' I still am. _Kairi smiled a little, and nodded again. "Time does change people," she said softly. "I see it has changed you too."

"Yes, it has..." he mumbled, looking down at her. Her straight red hair was tied simply into a half-up, half-down do and she was wearing only a ruby necklace and a matching ruby bracelet. She appeared a lot less striking than her elder sister was, but there was something about the way her eyes shyly averted his that made her look sweet. She was a lot more natural, too, with less make-up than Naminé had.

"Is there something on my face?" she asked, her eyes finally meeting his. Riku gulped unconsciously, because her eyes were a sparkling shade of indigo-blue under the ochre light of the grand chandelier. He found her attractive, but he was a playboy – and playboys do not get their heart stolen at any instance.

"No, not at all. You're just too pretty, that I can't take my eyes off you."

Kairi resisted the urge to roll her eyes in disgust. Although she would normally giggle and come up with a flirtatious reply, the mere thought of being married to this man (no matter how handsome he was) sickened her. Instead, she smiled bashfully and looked down at her feet – like an innocent maiden. "Oh no, I'm not..." she mumbled, in the impression of denying. Deep down she was glad that he found her beautiful despite her 'unusual' attire.

"Say, what do you like to do in your spare time?" he asked, just to start a conversation.

Kairi hid her smirk. She had anticipated this question before the ball began. "Oh...I do a little bit of cross-stitching...a little bit of painting...a little bit of this and that. I like arts and crafts, and reading, too." _Hah! See if you don't find me boring now!_

"Really, now..." he mumbled off. "You don't go outdoors?"

"Oh, sometimes I garden, too. My late mother loved roses, so I wanted to take care of them."

Riku was mildly surprised. The spoiled little princess he met twelve years ago was this perfect example of an ideal woman? What happened to her tantrums and tears? Suddenly she was this grown-up, mature and ladylike woman?

"I think I'll give the others a chance to dance with you too," he said, before escorting her back to the throne. Kairi curtsied politely and pretended to be blushing silly as he kissed her hand, and sat down beside Xion. She watched as Riku then asked Xion to dance, who appeared nervous and glanced backwards once towards Kairi as he pulled her towards the dancing crowd. Kairi gave her a thumbs up before leaning back in her seat, sighing.

Ansem leaned sideways to speak to his second daughter. "I have no idea what you girls are up to," he began, suspicious that Xion herself was wearing something more...colourful for a change. "But I sure do hope for your sake and mine that you aren't pulling a prank on Prince Riku."

Kairi smiled as she turned to her father. "It's nothing serious, Father. And it's not a prank...it's a diversion of sorts."

The King frowned, unsatisfied with her answer. Either way, he was going to have to marry off one of his daughters by the next season, so he decided to watch their plans go along.

"I don't believe you were even able to remember me," said Riku as he felt Xion stiffen at his touch. "You were what...three years old?"

Xion nodded; her face still neutral as she looked at him. She, like Naminé, agreed with Selphie that the Prince was indeed handsome. Nonetheless, the thought that he might (in the crazy instance that he fancies short-haired tomboys like her) choose her as his bride daunted her. "I remember you used to be so attached to the late Queen, bless her soul," said Riku. "And now...here we are."

Xion's blue eyes turned away from him momentarily, thinking about her mother. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to bring up such a sensitive subject."

"No, it's alright," she said and looked at his apologetic face. "I mean...I miss her, but there's nothing I can do about it."

Riku released his right hand from her waist to cough, before putting it back to change the subject. "I heard from your father that you're good with a sword. What made you interested in swordsmanship?"

Xion looked up and was beginning to feel at ease with him. "Well, three of our Royal Guards are proficient in different skills. Yuna, Court Magician Braska's daughter, is Naminé's guard. Rikku...I don't mean you, her name has a double 'k'...she's Kairi's guard. And Paine is my guard. Before she became my guard, I've seen her in a sword-fighting match. I was smitten by the way she fought and I asked my father if she could be my tutor. That's pretty much the story."

"Interesting...not many girls are sword-users. How long have you been training?"

Xion paused for a while as she looked up at the ceiling. "Since I was...eleven, I believe. That makes it four years."

"Four years, that's good. I was wondering if you're not too terribly busy, would you be interested in a match with me? I'd like to see your skills in person," he asked, fascinated by this young fifteen year-old and the way her unusual short black hair framed her cute face appropriately.

She looked genuinely surprised, which he found adorable. "Well, I guess that can be arranged," she stammered. "I won't go easy on you, though."

"Oh, please don't hold back," he said with a smirk.

Xion smiled, and as she twirled, caught a glimpse of Roxas standing at one end of the room, watching her dance. All of a sudden she felt self-conscious and quickly turned back to Riku. She didn't have to wait long for him to end the dance; however, as he felt tired from dancing with all three sisters and both went back to the throne to sit down. Xion breathed a sigh of relief as she sat next to Kairi.

"So, how was it?" asked Kairi, whispering to Xion.

Xion turned to Kairi with a small smile. "It wasn't so bad. He's kind of nice. We talked about swords and stuff."

"Does that mean you're willing to take Nami's place?"

Xion narrowed her eyes. "I feel sorry for Nami, but no. Not in a million years."

Kairi smiled, suppressing her laughter behind her lips. "Let's just hope our plan works, then."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the throne, Naminé felt nervous again as she smiled at Riku when he sat down. He returned the smile, and King Ansem turned to Riku to ask, "What do you think of my daughters?"

"They're very beautiful, and lovely. You must feel very lucky, Your Majesty, to have such wonderful daughters," Riku replied.

"I hope one of them is to your liking, Riku," said Ansem.

Naminé, Kairi and Xion peered to look at him as he nodded. "Of course," he replied, a knowing smile etched on his lips. "But I'd like to spend more time with all three of them before I make my decision."

Naminé and Kairi sighed in their seats, while Xion looked apologetically at her two elder sisters. Sure, she had been herself this evening, and she was pretty sure that Riku was not as (romantically) interested in her compared to her two more attractive sisters. With a hand on her throbbing forehead, Naminé bit her lower lip.

_So we'll have to keep up the charade until he chooses..._

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_To be continued..._

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A/n: I do realise that the princesses (and sometimes Ansem) don't talk the way royals should talk in a classical-style fiction. Unfortunately, I am not an expert (not even a novice, I daresay) in writing classical English, so just bear with it. Besides, I think most of you would prefer dialogues that you can understand easily so that you won't have to read it twice, am I right?

Please leave a review!


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Kingdom Hearts, Drama, Romance