[hider=The Story of Princess Naga]
[b][u]The Story of Princess Naga[/u][/b]

Princess Naga loved her life. Perhaps it was safe to say that she enjoyed being a boring person. She did not perform risky sports, and she found all the fun she wanted in playing games with her family as a child.

Her father, Prince Robato Nagasaki, led the capital of Japan, Vala. Her mother, Princess Pushira Tsuya, was the faithful wife of Robato and had exceptional musical talent. Together, they led a happy life while protecting the emperor’s rule. Though the occasional spies who desired the emperor’s throne popped up once in a while, Nagasaki was no fool to leave his emperor be. Many battles he fought with sharp delicacy were recorded by excited authors. Meanwhile, those who misunderstood the emperor’s intentions in building a safe country were enlightened by Tsuya’s wise words. Naga always looked up to her parents when she was young. She wanted to be like both of them, the thought of missing out a single detail somewhat unappealing to her.

But Princess Tsuya passed away when Naga turned five years old. For an untold illness fell upon her one day, and the doctors could not do anything to help her.

“Naga had grown strong and gently,” her mother told Naga as her time ticked away. And she told her daughter to not give trouble to those who nurse her, as well as those who are a part of Naga’s family. And if her father remarried, Naga was to accept them as her kin. Lady Tsuya made a promise with the young Naga- that the child will be submissive to those who are superiors to her, kind to those who are under her, and merciful to those who defy her.

And her life faded. But her legacy did not.

There is a proverb that says “As the soul is at three so it is at one hundred.” Shira Nagasaki, who received a part of her mother’s first name and her father’s full surname, grew up to be a strong, gentle soul. She was too young to realize the loss of her mother at the time. Robato Nagasaki and his servant, Aberu Rokurota, the father of Benjiro Rokurota.

Seven years later, on a decisive day for the growth of her maturity, Pushira Nagasaki was trained by her father to become a swordsman like him. Rather than learn “how to win,” she was educated on how to make the enemy submit to her.  She grew up to become a skilled swordswoman, but she also learned how to play the koto, just like her mother did. And yet she remained silent, not a single brag leaving her mouth. Her father felt regretful, as though she matured well, she had surely been affected by the missing presence of her mother. He told her that her hair was sanguine, just like her mother’s. She came to love the word “Sanguine” due to its connection with her and her mother. The young swordswoman-in-training eventually stuck with a penname she made with affection- [i]Sangue[/i].

Another seven years passed, her father remarried with a noble lady named Princess Siren. And she certainly screamed at Sangue like one! Though the new princess bore a son, she gave Sangue no forms of affection. Sangue, who had become a young, quiet soul, gave way to no temptations in lashing against her mother. Because she had to treat any part of the family as if it were her most important fragment.

One day, the Festival of the Cherry Flowers arrived, and Sangue unintentionally enraged her step-mother. For she and Princess Siren were called by the emperor, Ozpin, to perform for the festival. While Princess Siren played horribly with her flute, Sangue poured out the years of effort she built up in front of her emperor. Delighted by her remarkable musical talent, the emperor praised her and claimed that he would call upon her again for her soothing koto tunes.

Princess Siren felt hatred for Sangue, for the emperor did not give the same kind of love to her son. [i]Take her life,[/i] the thought echoed in her mind, and follow it she did. Soon, the wicked stepmother decided it would be best for Sangue to die.

During a walk in a beautiful forest filled with bamboos, Sangue encountered ten men, each and every one of them surrounding her. Her father always told her to carry her blade, but her mother told her to show mercy to those who defy her.

The red-haired woman responded to the unsheathing of katanas with her own blade. She ducked and slashed, dodged and attacked. She responded to violence with swift reactions, counter-attacking the blows the men tried to use to kill her. She flew gracefully, their sanguine contents flying by her side. The skies were filled with streaks of red for split moments, and her artful handling of her katana soon had nine of the men lying down in eternal sleep.

But she soon realized she had taken nine of their lives, for her father did not know how to show mercy upon her foes. Mercy upon strangers who sought out after he life, after all, was harder to give than anything else.

Devastated, Sangue fell on her knees as one man far away pointed a poisoned arrow at her direction. As soon as he fired the arrow, Princess Siren’s son emerged from the bamboos and pushed Sangue. He had been there with no weapon, stricken with fear by his stepsister attacking men in the same woods he took walks in. But he was given the misfortune of getting hit by the arrow by his chest.

Sangue chased the man off after disarming him, but though she brought her stepbrother to exceptional doctors, they were unable to do anything to bring him back to his normal condition. Soon, he died, and Sangue fell silent once more.

Perhaps this was punishment for Princess Siren, for she fell into grief when she heard that her son was murdered. Her hatred for Sangue grew when she overheard a conversation that the red-haired girl was with her stepson at the time of his death. Even after the death of Siren’s son, Sangue continued to impress the emperor. When he fell ill, she called upon the Heavens by a roaring river, and the river fell silent. Emperor Ozpin, who recovered his health, rewarded Sangue with the rank of Chinjo (Lieutenant-General), and her name soon spread to be loved by all.

She eventually sent Benjiro Rokurota, a young man who did not know much of her intentions, to kidnap Sangue and have her rot in the wilderness. Benjiro claimed to obey Princess Siren, but he knew of Sangue’s lack of greed, so Siren’s orders came across as outrageous to him. But he could not return to the Princess until he killed Sangue. With that said, he determined himself to bring Sangue out into a solitary location, where she could wait until things are sorted out.

Fear spread across the Nagasaki household as the rumor of Sangue disappearing spread like wildfire. Though Robato’s fears were filled to the brim, he contained the rumor to prevent a scandal from rising and searched everywhere for Sangue, but could not find any trace of her. She had vanished.

One day, Prince Robato Nagasaki decided to have a hunt with his men. Assembling their mounts and equipment, they moved down the same trail Benjiro went. He moved far ahead of his men and soon got off of his mount, admiring the scenery of mountains and forests blending together.

He noticed a small, poorly-made house sitting the middle of the beautiful scenery. He heard a beautiful voice reading aloud. Curious, he made his way to the cottage, only to find that his daughter was the owner of the beautiful voice.

When he spoke, Sangue was broken from her trance as she reunited with her father. Benjiro had brought Sangue out and built a cottage for her to stay in until something could be done with Princess Siren.

Princess Siren quickly ran away from the household when news of Sangue’s revealing of the situation was brought to light. Even though Robato’s household could have hunted her down, however, Sangue firmly told them not to take her life. For after experiencing the killing of her could-have-been murderers and the death of her stepbrother, she realized the truth behind her mother’s words. And she still treated Princess Siren as if she were her family.

A year later, with peace returned to her household, Sangue eventually came to love the man who saved her, and another year passed by as she married him. She laid her weapon aside; for she had no need for weapons she could not control, especially when it could take the lives of those around her. She, her husband, and her family lived to old ages and had a rewarding life.[/hider]

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[b][u]Character References[/u][/b]
Benjiro = [b]Benjamin[/b]
Robato = [color=ed1c24]Robert[/color]
Pushira = [color=f49ac2]Priscilla[/color]
Aberu = [color=6ecff6]Abel[/color]
Siren = [color=fff79a]Siren[/color] [color=9e0b0f](Grimm)[/color]
Ozpin = [color=00a651]Ozpin[/color]
Shira = [color=ed1c24]Sangue[/color]

[hider=Notes]**The actual story, The Story of Princess Hase, does not have the princess drawing swords, as this story simply references upon Sangue’s swordsmanship. The actual ancient capital of Japan is not Vala (which is basically Vale with a different vowel), but Nara. Hase's father's servant is actually the one who brings Hase to a safe location, but this event is replaced with Hase's servant's son, who is not mentioned in the actual story.[/hider]