My daughter is marrying a Prince from a different world!?

 

Part 3: The biggest shock of my life, that is... Ferio VS Betsy

 

The high school St Anne had been closed for the first week of November: a short-circuit had caused a fire and would have needed one week for fix the damages. Fuu was not very convinced by this version... knowing her mother everything was possible.

 

" Well well well... what do I can present him? A tie? A bottle of cognac? A wrapping of toscanos...? No, these are for me. Or or... hei Fuu, come here!"

Betsy exclaimed showing herself in the corridor. Fuu ran immediately at her mother.

" What's happens?"

" Darling, could you suggest me a gift for your future fiancé? Do you think that he'll like this tie? I have also thought to a bottle of cognac... both will go well."

Fuu froze. A tie and some cognac? A half smile appeared on her lips when she imagined her Ferio with a tie while he drinks cognac.

" Ahem... don't worry to give him a gift, with all the things that he has..."

" Oh, but a gift is pleasant always!"

Fuu sighed: some times her mother was like a child. Mr. Houojii entered into the room.

" Kuu has called: she will join us at Tokyo Tower, she has some job to develop and she must take some films, she wants to do a real photographic service!"

" Seichiro Houojii! Is this the way to wear a tie?!"

Betsy exclaimed and began to rearrange it.

A photographic service?! Fuu almost fainted at the thought.

 

Kuu breathed difficultly: she had run much dragging her heavy bag, but she had arrived however late. Fortunately for her Hikaru was late, too. As always.

Umi noticed Betsy that squirted joy from all the pores: she seemed very childish, more than Hikaru. At least did she have a vague idea of where would they have gone? Then she looked at Fuu that was a little bit worried: she checked in her purse seeking something, when she had found it threw a sigh of relief.

" What is it?"

Umi asked curious with a whisper. Fuu whispered:

" Smelling salts: my father will need some when we'll arrive, he faints very easily."

" Your parents are the stranger couple that I has never seen. And I thought that only my parents behave in this way."

" You say this because you don't know uncle Alfred and aunt Maureen, who..."

" Ehi! I am coming!"

A known voice screamed among the crowd, it soon distinguished a red head, then a tall shape and then Hikaru -since when she had become Pillar, she had grown much- she apologized for the delay and she added:

" Ok, are you ready to depart? Good! Take for hand..."

" ... close your eyes... "

Seichiro, Betsy and Kuu looked at each other doubtfully and then did what the three girls asked.

" ...free your mind from each thought..."

" ... and concentrate!"

Nothing had changed, only a strange feeling: it was as fall in the void...

 

Kuu opened an eye, then opened wide both: they were really falling in the void! She turned toward her father and her mother: they were totally taken by the panic. Then she moved the look on her sister and her two friends: they were... calm as if it is an ordinary thing?!

" OH MY GOD, WE ARE FALLING!! YET I THOUGHT THAT TOKYO TOWER WAS SOLID!! B-BUT ONLY THE SIX OF US ARE FALLING!!!"

Kuu understood that his mother was right: only the six of them was falling.

" When we arrive I'll do a telling-off to Clef: why the damned big fish isn't still come?!"

Umi growled full of anger.

" Even if now Clef has put on the look of an adult?"

Fuu wondered. And as for enchantment, they landed on something soft and rubbery and that it had the scent of a... fish?!

" Fuhla! Nice big fish: is it much time that we don't see us ne?"

Kuu used ten minutes flat to understand that she had sat on an enormous flying fish. And that not only she wasn't in Tokyo, but quite in an other world.

 

Hikaru looked at the three travelers: Betsy was smoking a cigarette, Seichiro had fainted between the arms of his older daughter and Kuu was making sniff Fuu's salts to her father, but something attracted her attention and taking her camera she photographed all the panorama.

" This place is beautiful. I have not seen a such thing ever..."

She murmured photographing the mountains suspended.

" Girls," Betsy said trying to stay calm" tell me what's happening. Now."

Hikaru, Umi and Fuu looked at the one the other. The sapphire-haired girl elbowed in the ribs the red head.

" Hikaru, you are the Pillar then you must give the explanations."

" Ahem... ok..." She took a depth breath " This place is called Sephiro, it is useless look for it on geography-s books because... well, because this is an other world, different from the Earth."

" An other... World?!"

Fuu's father fainted again.

" Was this the problem? Why don't you have told it before?"

Betsy asked, anger badly hidden in her voice. Fuu faced her with a tortured look.

" To not be believed? You don't imagine how many sleepless nights I have spent to find the better way for tell it, and this is the best: put you in front of it."

" This ocean is marvelous!"

Kuu said: the soul of the photographer was completely appropriated of her.

" You are right: if you have told me that your boyfriend lives in an other world, I would have entrusted you to Frank: he is one of the best psychiatrists of California. And I would have left the Old Houojii the freedom to choose your fiancé."

" That... that thing is absolutely /stupendous/!!"

Kuu exclaimed pointing out the complex of crystals, which was the Palace of Sephiro. Betsy chain-smoked, an ugly sign. Seichiro tried to don't faint and he held the smelling salts' vial beneath his nose. Behind the Palace the spaceships of Autozam, Pharen and Chizeta glimpse. And Fuu asked to herself if her parents would have accepted her relationship with Ferio.

 

The big fish landed, with big relief of Seichiro and Betsy and just some Kuu's annoyance. A group of people approached to greet them. Betsy eyed one for one: a lavander-haired twenty-years-old, wearing weird suit and an equally weird staff; a tall woman with a long blonde pony-tail; a boy with the eyes covered by the bang; a few dressed woman with pink hair and olive complexion; two men who seemed soldiers, a blond in blue armor and a mysterious guy with black hair and black armor. 'This is my guy! If I have not married and I have at least 25 years in less... ' She thought.  Followed few distance an old man and a 13 years old boy, both in Chinese clothes, and an other very, very short boy.

" Welcome to Sephiro: I offer to family of the Magic Knight of Wind the homage and the greetings of our Prince, more pressing affairs have held back him in room of the throne."

The lavender-haired guy told with a half bow. Betsy studied him yet and exclaimed:

" Magic Knight? Homage and greetings? Pet, speak as mama has made you and stop it with these absurdities: I could be your mother... OUCH!"

Clef hit her with his staff and cleared his throat:

" First: some respect. And then I don't know how you could be my mother: I have almost 750 years!"

" Ehi, lil'missies! Ya look fine, ne? Tell me Fuu, is this lady your mother? Hi, I am Caldina: Fuu has spoken me so much of you and I wanted to know you! And why that man has fainted? Am I really so fascinating?"

Caldina exclaimed pointing out Mr. Houojii sustained by his two daughters. Betsy extinguished the cigarette and began to smoke a Toscano: an ugly sign. Everybody went into the inside of the castle, but after few footsteps Hikaru fell to ground and she was soon held from Lantis.

" Hikaru... are you well?"

He asked worried. Hikaru nodded and smiled:

" I am only tired, it is sufficient that I rested a little bit."

" I should not have asked you to make come my family also, I would have found an other way..."

Fuu told afflicted. The old man in Chinese clothes drew near and said:

" Fuu-san is right: Aska-sama would have lent you one of our ships very gladly."

" Chan-an, thank you." Fuu bent the head and thanked " it will be so the next time that we will come: I don't want that Hikaru-san get tired."

 

The Houojii found arrangement in the palace's wing dedicated to the Magic Knight of Wind and after a quick shower they had accompanied by Presea and Caldina in the Royal Family's garden. Exactly as Fuu had foreseen, Betsy and Caldina had become friends immediately, even if with some reserve from part of the first. During the journey the Farle narrated them shortly how and why the three girls had arrived to Sephiro: Kuu understood why in the same period her sister was depressed and also what made her friendship with Hikaru and Umi so firm.

The garden was announced with a roar of water, nearby the fountain any people had sat: the same guys of the welcome plus the three girls; a twelve-years-old girl in Chinese clothes who chatted with Fuu and a green haired boy; two sisters in Oriental style dresses of who the one with a long braid bickered with Umi; a nice blond and a tall person with a crew-cut no evil -for Kuu's tastes- who joked with Hikaru and the handsome violet-eyed mysterious man.

Presea announced the Houojiis' arrival and the green-haired boy greeted them.

" I offer my homage at Fuu's parents, forgive me if I have not had the opportunity to greet you to your arrival: I am Ferio Constant Xephirine, Prince of Sephiro."

" Ahem... I am Fuu's father, Seichiro Houojii, and these are my wife Elizabeth and my older daughter Kuu. "

Ferio shook Seichiro and kissed Betsy's one.

" Oh... finally I know a prince! From an other world but he is always a prince." Betsy said to herself, then she added" And my future son-in-law, who is he?"

" Ahem... Mrs. Elizabeth... I would be."

Ferio answered smiling and scratching his nape. Betsy opened the cognac's bottle and drank a sip, Seichiro fainted, Kuu took him and started again to made him sniff the smelling salts and Fuu drew near Ferio and whispered:

" I am afraid that they have not taken it good. "

" I think it too, Fuu-chan."

Fuu-chan?! Betsy counted up to ten... up to twenty... up to one hundred... then burst.

" This is too much Fuu! Do you realize the trouble that you have combined? I am happy that you are in love, I don't deny it; that the boy who you love be a prince, it would be ok too, but that he is the prince from a different world this I could not accept! It is true that in my family promiscuity was been always approved - my mother was half Argentinean and half Mexican, my brother has married a Frenchwoman and as by - but you, my daughter, have exaggerated, exaggerated! And the Old Houojii, what would he say? Hiro loves you very much, you are his favored granddaughter, and even if he and I doesn't have a good relationship, it is sure that you will make to him come a hit to the heart!! "

" If you doubts my feelings for your daughter, I could assure her that..."

" You don't assure a thing! I know life very well and know how people of your rank behave in these circumstances! Initially everything is wonderful, one of those fairy tales, which are, told to the children for make them fall asleep, but when you are tired, a kick in the ass... " She kicked the air " and good night! Even I have had a similar story, when I studied at Oxford, and I don't want too my daughters to suffer for a stupid whim of a stupid guy!"

Fuu's eyes became watery, and then she ran toward the fountain and leaned the hands on the edge.

" How... how could you tell this to me? I thought that at least you would have understood."

" Honey... don't cry, if I have talked in this way it is because I love you: a mother doesn't want the evil of the own children, never..."

Betsy answered with sweetness and walked toward her daughter, but Ferio who looked at her with resentment stuck her.

" You don't dare to come near /my/ Fuu. I don't can and I don't want to allow that anybody makes her suffer in this way, even if this anybody is her own family. I love Fuu and whoever here could tell you how sincere and deep is my love. And I shown it too."

" Ah! And would you too be able to leave each thing here if live on Earth is the only way to stay with her?"

Betsy exclaimed with a sneer. Ferio exchanged her look, and he with air of challenge answered:

" My place is near her, and if going in the other world is the only way for be near her, for me it isn't a problem. After all I have not liked ever being a prince."

Seichiro examined the scene: that was the first time that anybody puts k.o. his wife. A true gigantomachia.

 

They looked long exchanging warlike glances, then Betsy turned around and taking her husband's hand she said:

" You have won the first battle, but before I could give my consent to this marriage I must be sure of your feelings: I won't leave my daughter at the mercy of anyone. Even if you are a prince, this doesn't mean that you must have each thing that you wish."

And she left.

 

" A prince... cool!" Kuu commented " But I don't know what I can say, in this situation my opinion doesn't have much importance. I don't give wrong to mama, however Prince Ferio if you show her that you really care my sister and that you will make her happy... perhaps she will consent. Or she could consent only to do a spite to grandfather."

" I could guarantee for Ferio." Aska told drinking her tea. "During the war, Fuu was my... ahem... prisoner and he risked his life to save her."

Umi then added:

" We must not forget the first time that we have met Ferio in the Woods of Silence: if it had not been for him now Fuu would have died and buried!"

Kuu lifted her head and after have looked them for any minutes she told:

" Hey! I think that you should give me any explanations... perhaps, if I know the /whole/ story, I could try to convince mama."

Hikaru, Umi, Clef, Presea, Caldina and Lafarga looked the one the other and then to turn told Fuu and Ferio how they have met and how one was evolved their love- they naturally left out the fact that Ferio is the brother of the Emeraude Princess. Kuu listened to in silence whole the story and when he had finished, she thought for a long time.

" Maybe I could do something. "

 

Fuu had taken herself off from the group: she would not have ever expected so much anger in her mother. She could also understand the shock to find in an other world -she too was shocked the first time that she had come to Sephiro- and to have known that her daughter would have married the prince of it, but she didn't understand from where originates all the hate with which he had addressed to Ferio. A hand was placed gently on her shoulder; Fuu lifted the look, Aska smiled her trying to throw her on of moral.

" Fuu-san, how many time will you stay in Sephiro?"

" One week: the school will stay closed for some pressing works."

" Don't worry, in a week many things could happen. You will see, everything will settle for the best. And if your parents don't consent... well, I consider you a sister and think that my opinion has been of importance. Come on, don't cry. " She dried her tears with the sleeve of her dress " you must be beautiful and happy for your prince! This evening there will be a ball: I want you to be nicest."

Fuu smiled weakly, embraced the young empress and thanked her.

 

The ball lasted up late in night. Betsy had not addressed a word to Ferio, she examined his behavior to try to understand how really the thing were -if his feelings were sincere: Fuu seemed to love him much and she tried to don't worry him; Ferio looked at her anxious and he asked her often if everything was ok. It looked as if he too cared much to her.

Even Seichiro observed the people and listened their dialogues, their gossips.

" ... but if the family of the Magic Knight of Wind is here, it means that it is almost official!"

" However Lady Arosa supports that the Prince is enjoying himself and that soon she will become his bride."

" Whoever believes in that liar? If she continues to dream she'll be much disappointed."

" Yet Lady Arosa is a Sephirian: are we sure that the Magic Knight give a heir to the Prince? A queen that doesn't assure the descent is useless."

" Are you convinced from the thesis of the Prime Minister? Melensa, you disappoint me."

" Why? What does Lord Kaal sustain?"

" He supports that the Magic Knight, as she originates from the other world, won't give the Prince a heir, and also if it happens the child has would be incapable to have children in turn."

" Lady Caldina has born in Chizeta, and soon Commander Lafarga will become father. I think that Princess Emeraude would approve this union: the Magic Knight of Wind is a woman so kind and polite, she is also respectful, warm, very intelligent and reflexive, but the more important thing is that she is humble and the Prince loves her much."

" Lady Arosa's exact opposite, I'm not surprised that His Highness doesn't deign her of a glance. But if he is let convinced from the Prime Minister, I swear that I go back to Thàgole to my mother!"

" I don't think that that will happen, His Majesty is too selfish to renounce the woman that he loves. I have been his nurse and know him more than whoever: he is able to give up all and renounce the throne though to be with her."

Seichiro decided that for that evening he had listened enough and he convinced his wife to go back in their room. Betsy launched a last glance to her two daughters: Kuu chatted with the crew-cutted man and Fuu danced with Ferio. She concluded that if she went to sleep, when she would have waked up, everything would have revealed a dream.

 

Seichiro and Betsy were stretched on the bed, still dressed, and they watched the preciously inlaid ceiling. The husband turned around on a side and leaned on an elbow: his wife had the look lost in the void and whistled a Pink Floyd's song. Though almost in her fifty -she was three years older than him- Betsy kept her beauty and her freshness, also after twenty-three years of cohabitation Seichiro was spellbound from her way of being and of doing, so nonconformists.

" What you think Elizabeth."

She stopped whistling and she was silent for a long time.

" I think that I am becoming old. And I feel still older if I think that probably soon my little Fuu will get married."

" Do you have decided to consent?"

" I don't know it. She seems happy with him."

" Even if what I have heard this evening push me to agree at this marriage, I have decided to don't do it."

" Too absurd ne? At least we now could explain us all the secret that Fifì (well yes, Fuu's nickname is Fifì! Ndr.) hide. However I still think that I am becoming old."

Seichiro snickered and taking his wife by the waist; Betsy looked him astonished. He smiled:

" You are not old Elizabeth, you owe only give some anti-rust on yourself and go every so often to the body-repairer!"

" What? You would mean I'm becoming ugly beyond old?"

She answered understanding the joke. He laughed more and few after she imitated him.

" You are wonderful as the first day that I have seen you. You seem even younger than me."

He kissed her gently, hesitant as always. Betsy locked her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.

" And you are the usual landslide! You kiss still like the first time. At your age such things should be known how to do for well!"

 

Betsy waked up: she wasn't in her room at Tokyo, with her hers husband there were but that was not their bed.

" No Betsy, it is not a dream."

She said to herself and decided to do a small walk. Outside started to dawn: for the umpteenth time she decided that Sephiro was indeed a beautiful place while she entwined in a dressing-gown that she had found in the closet.

Following the run made the preceding day, she arrived in front the garden's doors but considering the hour, she thought about don't find any person and she decided to go ahead. But she after some turns to right or to left she understood to be lost.

" Oh my, how do I to go back in my bedroom? This castle is too big for my tastes! "

She tried to go back, but lost even more the orientation.

Arrived to a corner, Betsy hit against something... or anybody.

" Ouch, my poor little bottom is all bruised! Who go around so early in the morning trying to make an attempt to the life of a marvelous and beautiful woman as me?! Oh, it is you Mrs. Elizabeth: Why do you walk around in this side of the castle? The wing of the Knight of the Wind is in that side!"

" Ahem... I have lost myself. And you Mrs. Caldina?"

Caldina recovered her slipper and answered:

" Call me Caldina, you make me feel old. I am going to the kitchen to do a snack: I hope that some lùrima have advanced. Want to make me company Mrs. Elizabeth?"

Betsy smiled and winked.

" Only if you stop calling me ' Mrs. Elizabeth': call me Betsy!"

 

The kitchen was still desert and Caldina puffed because she must prepare the tea; Betsy laughed and proposed helping her: after all the kitchen was her territory. While the water was on the fire to get warm -Betsy felt nostalgia of her electric boiler- Caldina opened a closet and shivering taking a dish.

" I wonder how that thing could work without the electric energy. I have noticed that here there is not switches or earth plate, if I want to use my hair-dryer I don't know how do."

" Well, here in Sephiro is the will to decide everything. This closet, for instance, it is under a spell that allows preserving the food. Wow! This lùrima is with plug! Do you have tasted it last night?"

Betsy cleared up her voice and admitted:

" Really... I have not eaten much yesterday: I have tasted only what the girls ate, I didn't trust the other foods. Tea is ready."

The two women sat one in front of the other and ate the cake together -Betsy compared it to a her mother's cake of fruit and corn flakes- and they drank tea, but after a little bit Caldina felt ill.

" Oh My! Caldina, are you all right? Are you sure that is not the cake damaged?"

" No, the lùrima have not hurt me. Hell! If wait a child mean to have constantly nausea..."

Betsy wide her eyes and gave a glass of water to the woman whit pink hair.

" You... are you pregnant?! Congratulations!"

Caldina coughed and breathed deeply twice.

" I hate the children and would not have wanted any: they are monsters! And if Laffy (well yes, Lafarga's nickname is Laffy! Ndr.) has not insisted, I would have run to Chizeta to..."

" Abort? You speak as me when I was twenty-five years old: but children are children, once born they are made to love. I bet that you after the first will want other!"

" This is Laffy's idea: a soccer's team. By the way of children... what do you have decided to do? Those two are made for each other."

" Who does assure me that it be so? If something happens to Fuu... on the Earth it would be easier: with the airplane I could reach her as soon as possible, but if she lives here..."

" Ferio would not allow that something happens to Fuu: he would prefer to die more that to see her suffer."

" This is easy to tell it with words, but with the facts..."

" When Fuu was Pharen's prisoner, Ferio has gone on their ship to bring her back. And also the last year, when she got sick, he scaled the Mountain of Storms to reach the Temple of Sky for ask to the Mashin where are the medicinal herbs are: nobody, if not a Magic Knight, could speak with a Mashin," Caldina's voice became solemn " it is forbidden even to him who is the Prince of Sephiro. However at the end he was able to find the necessary herbs. And the examples are many."

Betsy watched her own reflection in the cup and asked to Caldina to tell her everything. She listened each thing with interest and she asked all the particular of the event, but there was something hidden and she told openly to Caldina that she had skipped something. Caldina froze and blathered that nothing was hide.

" She Perhaps has not told you that Emeraude was my sister."

 

The two women turned toward the door. Ferio entered the room and, coming nearby the table, he soaked the finger into the lùrina with a gesture for nothing princely. Betsy and Caldina sweat-dropped.

" What are you doing Ferio?"

" I eat Cal: the lùrima is better the day after."

He answered with the finger still in mouth. Caldina winked.

" Is it a thing to do before your mother -in-law? You should do everything possible to convince her that you are the better catch for her daughter!"

" I didn't know that must I follow the etiquette in your presence too: have not been you to insist that I don't do it?"

Betsy laughed slightly: Ferio seemed an other person as regards the day before; he was more relaxed and amusing.

" I didn't know that the princes behave in this way! Yesterday he was too boring, while now..."

" Call me Ferio, at least when there is not much people around: being a prince is the more boring thing that somebody could do in life, so at the end you become boring too."

' Is this the true Ferio? Is this the man that Fuu loves?'

Betsy thought observing him: in morning early Ferio was different, the hair still ruffled and the clothes putted on carelessly and ating the cake with the hands from the dish of Caldina. She became infuriated and asked him to stop to eat her slice, he replied that if she continued to eat in that way she would have become a whale and that then Lafarga would have left her; Caldina punched him on the head.

" I'm with child, it is normal that I eat for two. You rather: if you fatten up Fuu won't want you more."

" However," Betsy interrupted " I don't understand which difficulty implicates the fact that Princess Emeraude was your sister."

Ferio and Caldina looked at her silent, then the boy told:

" I think that they yesterday have told you how and why the girls have come to Sephiro, but I don't think that they have told you how the events were truly gone. I have one request: don't ask ulterior explanations to Fuu, you would make her suffer."

" Yes, Miss Presea has told me that three years ago your world ran a big danger, and that to avoid it Princess Emeraude invoked from our world Fifì, Hikaru and Umi. She has told me that your sister died during the final battle, how it have happened I don't know."

Ferio spill a cup of tea, his eyes shadowed with sadness; he drank a sip and he told.

" Before Hikaru becomes the Pillar of Sephiro, my sister filled this role and during her kingdom things were different. Before, the Pillar was the only to keep this world in peace; she was its creator and Sephiro were the mirror of her heart. A day it happened that Emeraude understood to be in love, and this was the beginning of the end." he sighed. " The Pillar could think only to the comfort of Sephiro and pray for its stability; however my sister infringed this law and her only worry was the man that she loved's happiness: Sephiro began slowly to die, people's fears took form, also the weather began to change and at the end Emeraude decided to call the Magic Knights."

Ferio was silent trying to suppress the pain that those memoirs gave him. Betsy sensed that the truth was not exactly as she imagined, but that it would have been very more tragic.

" You know what has happened after, but what you doesn't know is that my sister wished die rather than condemn Sephiro to destruction. And Fuu-chan, Hikaru and Umi granted her wish. Even if they have killed my sister, I could not blame them because this was what Emeraude wanted above each thing: be able to be with the person that loved, exactly what I want, share my life with Fuu. "

Betsy froze. Did he love her daughter even if she has killed his sister? This made to think. She knew that the truth often was hard to accept, but this was shocking and she was shocked.

" I.... I don't understand how Fuu has bore such a thing without tell anything. We had understood that something had happened to her, but I would not have imagined such a thing, that she has ever... k-killed anybody!"

Caldina laid a hand on her shoulder and addressed to Ferio:

" Go back to Fuu, I will think to her."

Ferio nodded and got out of kitchen. Betsy was not been still recovered from the shock and she had the look lost in the void: the biggest shock of her life. They had told her that her child was a murderer. The victim's brother had told it, the same man who sustained to love her Fuu. Was it spite? Or was it a way to tell that he loves her despite this misfortune? Why he did have asked her to don't do questions on the subject to Fuu?

Caldina embraced her and whispered:

" Don’t ask anything to Fuu: she too wonders why despite this he still loves her. Also Ferio doesn't ever speak of that, and this is one of Kaal's theses: but Kaal doesn't know what is really happened three years ago."

 

The week passed in hurry and well soon the three Magic Knights and the Houojii must return on the Earth.

Kuu had gone off many photos and had become great friend with Geo: he had told her that perhaps a day he would have done her a visit, also because he was curious to see the other world. Betsy and Caldina had become as sisters and the Magic Knight of Wind's mother had begun to consider the empress of Pharen like an adoptive daughter. Seichiro had spoken much with Clef and had spent whole the time in understanding the true nature of Ferio’s feelings. However the parents had not given an answer.

The moment to the greetings came; Betsy embraced Ferio and told him:

" Well sugar, from what I have seen and heard it looks as if I could trust you: after all a prince is always a prince, even if from an other world."

" Hey!" the Prime Minister exclaimed " How you dare address to His Majesty in this way!!"

Betsy looked at him straight in the eyes and pointing her finger she thundered:

"I call my son-in-law how Hell I want and like, do you have understood? And tell to that whore of your daughter to stay far from him, or the next time that I come here I treats her how she is owed!"

Everybody looked at Betsy, amazed from those words. Fuu's eyes became watery and she embraced her mother thanking her; Betsy caressed her daughter's hair and sighed:

" Little one, it is still soon for the thanks: I have decided, but your father no."

Fuu nodded and went back to Ferio. He took her hands and smiling bent to give her a long, sweet and passionate good-bye's kiss.

 

Tokyo, two weeks after.

 

The Old Houojii had called his son and his daughter-in-law to argue about something of important. On the way, Betsy wondered what the Old Hiro could want /from her/, their relationship wasn't idyllic. She smiled remembering the face that he had made when, about sixteen years before, he had seen his son went back home with this American woman and two children -Kuu was six years old, Fuu almost one and their two wasn't still gotten married. Initially Hiro hated Elizabeth, now he didn't like her even if she was the mother of his favored granddaughter, who had his mother's same name. Fuu.

The housekeeper greeted them cordially and conducted them in the old Mr. Houojii's study. Hiro met them and greeted Betsy affectedly. She whispered to her husband:

" I don't like how he have greeted us: when, for God's Love, does he have called me 'dear Elizabeth'? For me it is an ugly sign."

" Once that my father appears kind with you," he scolded her with low voice" you must think about the worse!"

The three sat on the couch and Seichiro asked his father the reason of that call.

" For as divergent our opinions could be, we agree in willing the good for my little Fuu."

' "My little Fuu"?! ' Betsy thought.

" Wanting her good and her happiness, I have thought about make so that she become the happier girl in this world."

" Father, speak clearly: we are not able to understand what you want say."

Hiro laughed loudly and then coughed for the hard laugh.

" I know that she doesn't have a true social life and that she has few friends, among whom a cousin of the president of the Ryuzaki Industries..."

" Umi and Fifì are not friends to favor the business between your company. Moreover Fifì has a lot of friends!"

" Elizabeth, I have not finished. Therefore, knowing this and wanting her happiness above each thing, I have thought that for her has arrived the moment to get married."

 Seichiro and Betsy froze: didn't the Old Hiro know that Fuu wanted to attend the university and that she perhaps would have gone to Oxford as her mother? Besides she could not forget Sephiro: Fuu had intention to live in an other world after the degree! Seichiro tried to explain to his father that Fuu wanted study to become doctor in England, but he interrupted him.

" Do you remember Gen Hasegawa? He works in Kyoto, he is a known lawyer: he is the perfect husband for Fuu. I and his uncle have already talked about their probable marriage, Fuu would be very fortunate and happy... and she would make more concrete a fusion between our group and their. I hope that you /both/ agree with me."

 

Gen Hasegawa? Certainly that Seichiro knew Gen Hasegawa, known lawyer and playboy: he wasn’t seen twice with the same woman and traveling much through foreign countries it was sure that he has lovers anywhere. Besides he had twice Fuu's age.

Seichiro thought: Ferio and Gen. Gen and Ferio. Ferio was very older than Fuu, however he showed around twenty-three years; Gen showed all his thirty-two years. But Gen lived in Kyoto, and Kyoto was /much/ nearer to Tokyo than Sephiro. But did Gen love Fuu or would he have married her for the family's interest? Ferio seemed to love much Fuu, and she loved him. He didn't like both, but Gen more than Ferio.

' A prince is always a prince.'

Betsy's word echoed again in his mind as a revelation.

" Father, I don't think that Hasegawa is the man right for Fuu. Therefore I could not agree to these wedding, above all because I'm sure that Fuu would not want them."

" What?!"

Hiro thundered standing up from the couch and looking menacing his son. Seichiro continued with calm.

" Besides this discussion allows me to announce you that Fuu is engaged. It is not still official and we have known him around two weeks ago and..."

" ... and for Fifì's birthday he will come to visit us, so you too will know him."

Betsy finished before Hiro could tell other.

 

The couple was jammed in highway; the traffic in that hour was terrible. Betsy smoked peeping at her husband.

" Therefore it is a yes."          

She told after a quarter of hour of waiting.

" Mmmh? Ahem... why do you ask it?"

" Because you had told that you wouldn't ever have consented. What have made change you idea?"

Seichiro leaned against the steering-wheel and puffed:

" Gen Hasegawa is the more /horrible/ man that I know. He is not only a free and easy lawyer, but also a playboy and I don't think that he loves our Fuu. At this point I prefer the Prince from the other world."

Betsy caught fire an other cigarette, but Seichiro took it and threw it from the window.

" How many times must I tell you to stop to smoke? And an other thing: how you will do to make to come the Prince Ferio for Fuu's birthday? My father was furious when we have gotten out of his study."

She frowned at her husband's gesture.

" I will find a way."

 

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It's me again! We are already to the third chapter and I am caring more and more this story.

I beg pardon for how Betsy has spoken, very probably anybody of you will have disturbed -everybody- however I couldn't help: Betsy must speak in that way!

Ok folk, I hope that you, despite this small annoyance, have appreciated my job, which is - as always- made with so much love.

Write me, write me, write me! I wait your letters to the usual address:

patchan83@hotmail.com

Pat-chan