Palace Meeting
I followed Harumi to the conference room. “You let me do the talking, understand?” Harumi said.
I nodded. “What if I have a suggestion? Father is going to expect everyone’s opinion.”
Harumi thought about that. “Okay. But only if he asks you, okay?”
I opened my mouth to tell her that she was crazy but stopped myself. She was my older sister so I had to listen to her. “Okay.” We went into the room and sat. Father rarely has meetings so I started wondering what this was going to be about since Harumi and I are never allowed in these things. Mom smiled at me and I returned it. Harumi was looking at her fingernails. “You’re fine,” I whispered. “You just got those done this morning.”
“I know, but don’t they still seem a little long?” She whispered back.
I rolled my eyes at her. “Chill. Everyone here knows us.”
“Me as the beautiful princess and you as the...youngest.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You can’t come up with something more flattering?”
“Okay, okay. How’s pretty?”
I sighed. “Fine.” People finally stopped trickling in.
Our father stood. “Thank you all for coming. As you know the first Oni mask has been stolen. You all know that we have one here at the palace. We need to up our security measures until those responsible are in custody. Does anyone have any suggestions?” Harumi raised her hand. “Yes, Harumi?”
“I think we should invite the Ninja. They could keep us and the mask safe,” Harumi said. I raised an eyebrow at her and she smiled. “I just thought of it,” she whispered.
“Sure,” I whispered back. Harumi has always dreamed of meeting the Ninja in person. Now that dream might actually come true.
“I did.”
“Y/n?” Father said. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”
I pondered it for a minute. Harumi pinched me. I winced and shot a glare at her. “I think it’s an excellent idea. They keep Ninjago safe all the time. They’re the perfect ones for the job,” I said acting like I did not just get pinched to make sure I said those words.
Father nodded. “Alright then. Hutchens? Will you ask the Ninja?”
Hutchens stood. “Yes, sir.” He left the room.
“Girls, you may leave now,” Mother told us.
We stood up and left the room. “Why did you pinch me?” I asked Harumi unhappily.
“Because I wanted to make sure you agreed. When do we ever get a chance to make our dreams come true?” She asked.
“Never,” I muttered.
“Exactly! Now at least one of them will.”
I frowned at her. “Do you have a screw loose? The Ninja still have to accept. They could say no.”
She started heading to her room. “They won’t.”
“And what makes you say that?”
“Because it’s their job to protect Ninjago and the Palace is part of that.” She went into her room.
“They can still say no,” I grumbled. “They’re probably extremely busy these days.” I walked out to the garden and watched a butterfly land. I so wish I could go out and help people like the Ninja. Maybe I can ask Father to let me help in the hospital since I can heal people. I sat down on the bench then frowned. A ghost was just staring at a flower and crying. I brushed my fingers against my necklace and murmured. “Rest in peace.” The ghost disappeared. I hated it when people got stuck here after they died. They need to be able to go on to whatever’s next instead of being tortured by knowing they can’t move on.
Mom came and sat beside me. “You and Harumi did excellent in that meeting.”
I glanced at her. “What do you mean? Harumi suggested something and I agreed with her.”
“Yes. But you both helped your father come to a decision.”
“Was he already thinking to ask the Ninja?”
“Sort of. He was thinking that they could help but he wasn’t sure. You girls made him understand they could.”
“Hmm.” I started playing with my necklace.
“Y/n, is there something wrong?”
“Do you think Father will let me help out in the hospital?”
Mom blinked. “Why on earth would you do that?”
“Because I want to help people, Mom. I can’t do that here.”
“You are a princess. You can help by being the best woman in the world and marrying a nice young man.”
I bit my lip. “But...”
“No, buts,” she said sharply. “You’re job is to marry and have heirs. Understood?”
“Yes, Mom,” I said quietly.
She stood. “Good.” She left me alone. I got up and went to my room. Why couldn’t Mom and Dad have a boy so they could pick on him?
