England 1850: Yao Wang is worried about his Goddaughter's – Sakura – future and wants her to marry well. Upon receiving an invitation from his friend Alfred Jones, Mr Wang visits England. Although the Master of the house – Arthur Kirkland – has no knowledge of said visitation. Whilst the Englishman promises to teach Sakura about Victorian customs, his friend General Gilbert Beilschmidt encounters Elizabeta Héderváry the Hungarian cook in the Kirkland household, who disapproves the presence of the Prussian greatly. [Pairings: Prussia/Hungary ; England/Fem!Japan]
Several characters will appear; (I am sorry for the title of the story :'D I am so uncreative :'D my other story is 'One punk man' so I was really thinking about called this piece "One Gentle man" :'D)
A little guide (I really want to avoid misunderstandings or confusions :'D; sorry about that) :
- Arthur is a member of the Landed Gentry and he earns an Estate which is called "Greenstoke" in Hertfordshire (of course Greenstoke is a fictional name and does not exist :'D). His mother has a noble background, but Arthur himself has not inherited a title (because his father was not noble) but some will address Iggy as "Sir" (out of respect of course)
- Sakura's mother was the sister of Yao Wang and since her parents died, she stays with her uncle and Grandfather
- Alfred and Marguerite are Arthur's cousins; Arthur's mother married someone of the gentry, whereas Alfred's mother married a wealthy man without title. That's why Iggy has a title and Alfred not.
- Yao and Alfred are tradesmen (those were not accepted among some upper-class family, because working for your living was negative *yes, rich people logic :'D* except for those who were involved in politics army and/or were clergy members.)
- Normally one would not invite people who did not know the owner of the house to stay with them on the estate for weeks, but knowing Alfred, he wants to help his friend Yao and he will make Arthur understand :'D
- Gilbert is a high ranked army member (along with his little brother who also accompanies Gilbert) and is friends with Iggy ~
England 1850
"What is the meaning of this?" Arthur exclaimed loudly as he was reading the letter he had just received from his cousin. At the moment the Englishman resided in London due to some business matters he had to attend to. Despite his rather calm nature, his cousin Alfred succeeded in vexing the poor British man. "To invite foreign people in my home to reside there," the Brit hissed. It was indeed an uncommon circumstance to invite strange persons on a Gentleman's estate without notifying him. Alfred, who had gained his fortune by trading, is an enthusiastic character and the complete opposite of Arthur. The latter one continued his reading with narrowed eyes. "Dear Cousin, I know you will not be pleased by this letter. Years ago I was travelling to China and made the acquaintance of Yao Wang and his goddaughter Sakura Honda. They took it upon themselves to offer me a stay for a fortnight. Mr. Wang is involved with trading and a very agreeable man. He told me of his intention of settling down in England to expand his trading," Arthur breathed slowly and was astonished by this new occurrence. "I dare say I hope that he will not accomplish his plans on my estate." The British Gentleman certainly had not expected such a letter when he entered his rented house in London. It had been seven days since he had come to the big city. "I need to return as quickly as I can." Looking at the date of the letter, he decided to leave London within the next two days.
The streets of London were filled with crowds. Eligible gentlemen were strolling through the town while fortunate Ladies were purchasing new clothes for the upcoming season. They were of course accompanied by chaperons or members of their families. Arthur, observing the scenery from next to his carriage, waited for his coachman. Two days had gone by since the letter had arrived and the Brit was determined to arrive as fast as possible in his home. He felt uneasy about the unfamiliar people living in his mansion. His nervousness increased by seconds as he remembered Alfred's words, 'Years ago I was travelling to China and made the acquaintance of Yao Wang and his goddaughter Sakura Honda. They took it upon themselves to offer me a stay for a fortnight. "Indeed he had told me about it a few months ago, but he did not mention any names," Arthur concluded quietly, "If they had taken care of him without refusal, then they must be kind." It was not a daily gesture to tend to foreign visitors.
"I beg your pardon, sir. I am sorry for the waiting."
At the sound of a new voice, Arthur ceased his thinking and diverted his attention towards the carriage-driver. "Don't trouble yourself."
Minutes passed before the coach left the streets of London. The journey would take hours. "I surely do not condone his spontaneous action in inventing them on my propriety without telling me instantly," the British announced to himself, a frown adorned his visage. This was a trait the Brit man was well-known for amongst his acquaintances. He often spoke about his inner thoughts loudly. Some would describe him as a quiet and agreeable fellow; others considered Arthur to be very argumentative. The latter characteristic was always present when he was in the company of his cousin Alfred or the Baronet Francis Bonnefoy. "Oh in God heaven's, this frog will laugh at me. He will be jesting about it all day."
While the Brit was reflecting and watching the landscape the carriage was passing, Alfred was enjoying himself. He was dining with his guests in his cousin's mansion. Food was one of the enjoyments he consumed with passion.
"I must say Sir, your home is very comfortable," Alfred's male guest commented. "I did not know this mansion was in your possession."
"I thank you, but it's not my home, but my cousin's," Alfred admitted, "He will be very upset with me. I sent him a letter a few days ago. But worry not, you are welcome here."
Upon hearing this declaration the young female, who sat on opposite side of the table looked up. "Pray, excuse me. I assumed that it was your lovely home. I hope the master of the mansion is not too vexed about our stay," She spoke quietly and Alfred's twin sister, Margarete gulped loudly. It was a sign of inner unrest. She was aware of his cousin's reaction but did not speak about it. Margarete was pleased to be in the company of these guests, having befriended Sakura very quickly.
"Well I did not inform him about your arrival the day you arrived, Miss Sakura."
"Oh," Sakura murmured as the diverted her eyes towards her food. She was a silent woman but took pleasures in many activities such as reading, walking and drawing. Despite her shy nature, she enjoyed being with her relatives and make new acquaintances. Nevertheless Sakura felt that the Landlord will not be amused by their presence. Although Alfred had ensured that their stay would be welcomed, Sakura intended to avoid the master of the mansion as often as possible. She would not want him to feel provoked in any kind.
Unbeknownst to them, the owner of the estate was in near distance. Before he could arrive, Arthur decided to let the horse of the carriage rest a bit. The fresh air hit his face as he climbed out of the carriage. Unfortunately, the Brit did not realise how slippery the ground was. Within seconds the poor man lay in the muddy puddle which stained his clothes completely. "Blimey!"
Arthur's rage was justified. He would soon meet his 'guests'; he wanted to make the best first impression.
"Sir! Are you alright?" the carriage-driver rushed to his side and prevented himself from slipping too.
"Yes… Well my clothes are dirty," Arthur muttered. His attire as well as his hair and part of his face were adorned with mud. He had no fresh clothes in his suitcase. "I will enter my home through the backdoor. Otherwise they will see me in this improper attire." The decision had been made. The owner of the mansion would 'officially' arrive at home after he had cleaned himself. "I understand Sir."
Meanwhile, Sakura had left the dinner room and walked to the backdoor of the house. The garden was decorated with beautiful flowers and a fountain. Since she had arrived in the mansion, she wanted to explore it. As Margarete had explained to her, it was a good spot to rest. The calm atmosphere promised a relaxing afternoon. As she opened the door, she saw a man walking angrily towards her. He was wearing a white shirt which was stained. His complete attire was dirty. Although these were not the first features which caught her eyes. It were his green eyes which fascinated her. Even if his look was adorned with a scowl, Sakura was mesmerised by his facial features. As he came nearer, she heard him muttering curses. This led her to believe that the man was a footman and under the service of his master. He was walking alone and did not perceive his observer until he stopped in front of her.
Arthur had not expected to be seen in the back-entrance of the manor. Especially not by a beautiful foreign woman who observed his figure with her brown eyes. It surprised him that she was not inside the house. She was one of the visitors and Arthur's nervousness grew by the second. His first impression was an important factor; therefore he would present himself from his best side if he was in the company a beautiful woman.
"Oh," Arthur whispered. For him, this occurrence was very inconvenient and her blushing cheeks did not lessen the discomforting situation. Nevertheless he was not prepared for her answer.
"I beg your pardon. I did not want to surprise you," she said softly, "Mr Jones is in the dining room. I hope I did not disturb you in any kind."
"Disturb?"
"I thought you were working in the gardens which I wanted to visit."
At that moment, the Brit was realising his position. 'She thinks I am a servant of the house,' he thought shockingly. His dirty clothing was not presenting him as a gentleman.
"N-No, you did not di-"
"Iggy!"
At the sounds of Alfred's voice, the pair turned its attention towards the American. Sakura did not comprehend her actions until Alfred approached the two. "I never thought you will return today," his eyes observed Arthur's form. "But good God in heaven, what has happened to you?"
"An accident."
The English man's eyes wandered back to the Asian woman who stared at the ground.
"Mr Kirkland," Yao declared happily, ignoring Arthur's apparel. "I am glad to make your acquaintance. I thank you very much for your kindness."
This meeting presented an odd situation in which the four persons were in; Sakura was ashamed of her behaviour towards the master of the house. She had thought him to be a servant and her objective of not burdening the Brit was unaccomplished. Whereas she thought that he disliked her, Arthur could not deny that she was a mysterious and wonderful creature. The thoughts of him being a gardener, made him laugh. Acquainting her would be a wonderful experience.
[A/N: I hope it is okay so far :O, Hungary will make her short appearance next chapter, but after that, she and Prussia will get more screening time :D. This Chapter is more of an introduction :'D]