Today was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. I was supposed to be married today. Married to someone I hardly knew. I was always told this ceremony was the most sacred of them all. When you undergo this ritual, you’re happy because you’re no longer alone. Personally, I’d rather be alone than be married to someone I just met, but my country’s customs won’t allow me to do so. I already promised my people that I would marry the Shogun’s daughter. As the Emperor of Japan, breaking that promise would be an ultimate dishonor.
I’m currently sitting in my chamber all alone. The bride I wished to marry is gone. I only have myself to blame. I was warned by the court elders not to ever see or speak to her again. The law forbade us from being together. They told me I was going to marry the Shogun’s daughter like I promised I would. A servant girl could never be made a bride to any lord or court member. There was no way out of it. The court warned me that if anything were to go wrong in regards to this ceremony, they would have my love killed. I obeyed their orders since I feared for her life. However, she fiercely fought the traditions knowing this would end grimly.
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Her name was Keiko. I met her about eight months ago in the main stairwell. She was chasing after a wooden bracelet that rolled down the stairs and while she went after it, she tripped and was going to fall. I ran out to help her the moment I saw her trip. But, once I caught her, her momentum caused us both to tumble down. After she left with her bracelet I felt something that I never felt before. I knew that there was something special about Keiko, but I didn’t know what. I thought it was harmless to catch her. Who would let someone fall like that? I never thought such a simple act would affect my life. After various unexpected meetings we became good friends and talked more, instead of apologizing. I found myself falling in love with her which I knew was wrong. I was devastated. How could the one thing in life that made me happy be forbidden to me?! I tried to avoid her, forget her, but what I was really doing was running away from my true feelings. And Keiko knew that. Keiko knew that I needed her and she waited. She waited for me to come to her when I was ready to. In time I did, and for the first time in my life, I was happy. But the date of my arranged marriage with the Shogun’s daughter was coming. And that’s when they found out. That’s when the courts forbade us from being together, from even being friends. That’s when they gave their warning.
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It was hours before my arranged marriage was to take place. I was in my chambers putting on my ceremonial robes, when my friend, Mayumi, came in to talk to me. She told me that Keiko was going to try and stop the arranged marriage from occurring and that she tried talking Keiko out of it and had failed. I knew this would end gravely if Keiko even stepped a centimeter onto the temple grounds. I told her to keep Keiko in her chambers no matter what it took. Mayumi nodded and left with a pale face. However, mine was paler. I knew my request was pointless.
Later, at the wedding ceremony, Keiko burst through the doors and declared that the wedding was wrong. My heart almost stopped; my hands were shaking. Time seemed to stop in its tracks. The court was infuriated with the both of us. Their eyes glared fiercely at us, and their they’re anger filled the air. Keiko was right about the wedding, but since she had come, they were going to take her away from me, forever. Guards grabbed Keiko and me and they her dragged her away. I fought with all my might to stop them, but they were holding me, preventing me from saving her. I begged and pleaded with the courts that it was my fault that she came and that she shouldn’t be punished for my attachment to her. I knew my cries were pointless; they only angered the courts more. Then they declared that we should both be punished. The guards were instructed to take me to her. My sentence was to watch them beat her to death. The lesson to be learned by watching this was to never fall in love again. I was chained up and locked in a cage so there was no possible way I could save her. I closed my eyes, since they were already blinded with tears. Her cries of pain echoed throughout the dungeon chamber we were in. I couldn’t bear to hear them. In time, the echoing became fainter until they completely dispersed. I knew at that moment I had lost her. At that moment I died too. My life had become empty. My heart and soul were broken. Eventually they let me go and everything seemed to move slowly.
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I sit in my chambers all alone. Today was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. But now, now it’s the last day.