House of Cards - K. Scaramouche
synopsis: Married to the house of Kamisato truly bears a balance of advantages and disadvantages, after being accused of attempted murder you found yourself captive of a short-tempered harbinger.
note: mentions of unrequited love, cheating, abusive society, violence, and more
also ayato is out-of-character only for the fsnfic, please note that this is a work of fiction and his behavior is not what he really is in-game. Thank you!
Prologue: Bitter Vows
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 𖥻 Kamisato estate
As dawn hits the island of Narukami, townspeople all gathered and talked amongst themselves. Chatter in every corner can be heard in the island as the new inaugurated head of the Kamisato Clan was announced to be wed. Fabrics and fast footsteps of servants is heared in the Estate of Kamisato as everyone was busy preparing the wedding of their master; Kamisato Ayato. He is to be wed to the Fukuoka Clan's heiress — Fukuoka Y/n.
The folks all wondered why he would choose to take a girl from a clan who's experiencing bankruptcy as his bride when he can choose all different girls from more established ones to strengthen his hold on his own.
Yet, he only smiled when the question is shot at a table. To those who hear it, it's a love story they all read about from the books in Yae Publishing House, fables and flowery words thrown at each other.
But in reality these are just bitter vows, this marriage only rubs salt to his injury. He can't marry the girl he truly loved. He was forced to take on his father's legacy for his sister's sake and those who depend on the Kamisato. Words do really mean nothing when you don't understand it, perhaps it's like telling someone "I hate you" in a language they don't understand which similarly can draw a silver lining between hate and love. His bride, his marriage, the vows — they are all meaningless. He thought.
With their parents passing away the weight of carrying a whole clan downed on his shoulders. From a distance, he could only watch the the servants busying themselves in dressing up his bride with expensive silks with golden embroidery that compliments her complexion as a noble daughter. In contrast to his perplexion, she wore a smile; a genuine one, and he knew it's because she is happy to be married to him. After all, when different clans heard about his intent on marrying someone they all sent him a letter endorsing their own daughters like its red light district. But he chose the Fukuoka Clan instead knowing they are less ambitious than most of the clans.
Alas, the hour of the ceremony has finally come. He snapped away from his thoughts and smiled showing his degree of status alongside with posture. He took her hands, she wasn't nervous at all instead her squeezed his hands hoping it will calm him down, that's when he realized how fumbling his fingers are.
The wedding was smooth, everyone congratulated the newly wed. Even though he tried to smile in the crowd, his eyes looked lonely and in agony. He didn't realize his — now spouse was looking at him in her peripheral view the whole time while greetings the guests. Her smile from earlier dropped slightly when she saw him staring at a particular person from a distance. Without words or evidence she knew exactly who it was. Eyes spoke louder than mouths will ever do anyways. She loosened her grip on his arm and promptly excused herself to have a chat with her parents.
Once they arrived back at the estate, she was greeted by his cold attitude. He didn't mean to behave like this but his emotions, his heart was in agony seeing that the girl he so longed for wasn't the one he married. After all, what would society say if he were to marry a commoner? Some officials still insist that he's just a boy without any knowledge on how to handle the Kamisato Clan and marrying someone who's a shrine maiden won't help a bit on the situation.
"We shall leave seperate lives, I won't meddle yours and you won't meddle mines." He spoke.
Before she could answer he left the room, guilt on his eyes but it washed away as fast as it came. So she sat on the bed, still in her wedding gown and looked down. She've admired him for so long now, she didn't know if he could still remember how he helped her up when other kids laughed at her. Perhaps a part of his inner child does but they don't really last do they? She sighed, wiping a tear from her cheek and she silently waited for the servants to knock on the door.
Rushing servants came in to help her removed the balloon of a gown and she put on a fake smile so no one would notice her shoulder of sadness. Laying down the bed she wondered how long will this type of arrangement last?
"If; the time comes he doesn't learn how to love me. Then, the lantern shall blow away with the wind." She spoke silently, looking out the window in preparation for how many years and nights can she handle being alone. Day after day she tried and tried to make him open up, although he makes sure to give her attention only when his sister - Ayaka is around so she won't feel anything out of order, she's still young after all. Soon, the people started to adapt to their new first lady at the manor. Y/n tries to make her husband be more responsive even for daily questions. When she did managed to take a response out of him, feels relieving and the goals achieved.
Smooth, life was smooth. A year, after a year, after another year, and a new year have passed. They developed a respectful relationship. All was well. But, life is boring isn't it if everything runs smoothly, conflict will arrive. It's inevitable.
Her hair is straight and like crystal, she wore a pink headress that compliments her maiden outfit. Y/n could only stare at the girl in question as the news of her residing at the estate befell. Ayato never mentioned this when she asked, and yet, it's as if all the efforts washed away like it was nothing in the first place. Perhaps, she thought, he can't really manage to call this as his home without her. Afterall, in their story, she's just a side character that hindered in the way of someone else's love story.
"Pleasure to meet you, Lady Y/n." The maiden greeted and she bowed her head as well to show respect.
"Welcome to the estate, although Ayato has never mentioned anything—." She was cuttee of by ayato who cleared his throat.
"She will be staying here for good, please mind your attitude when talking to her." He warned, although it's spoken in a flat tone, the idea was there 'don't make her upset' that's what it says.
Days later, it's like she's an invisible individual on the estate, her servants, all catered for the girl her husband took into their estate without even thinking of her. She was left with her personal maid; Even the officials won't acknowledge her anymore. Now that his seat as the head commisioner is sealed, no one would dare question their relationship.
"Did you hear that? The Lord Kamisato just took home the love of his life!" A fan draped over the woman's mouth as she talks alongside her friends.
"Mhm! I heared that he never really loved her wife, can you believe it? It's a shame we all thought they are in love with each other." Another voice also exclamed as she walked on the streets to purchase daifuku because she's craving it.
"Are you okay m'lady?" Chūso, her personal maid asked her. She just nodded in response.
"I'm fine, Chūso. You should not worry about me. Your mother is still sick, why don't you go visit her at Kondu Village for a while? I won't mind." She smiled, tapping Chūso's palm.
"Really!? M'lady you're too kind!" She exclaimed squeezing back her lady's palm back while her other hand hold's the umbrella.
"Yes, I'm thinking about, leaving Narukami for a while.. to think about something. It's been 5 years, yet you're the only one who notices my shortcomings and my problems, the one who cares for what I feel. So you deserved it." Y/n smiled at her and Chūso smiled back. They continued chatting and soon they are back at the estate.
The maids are in rush, and some of the officials are there as well. Y/n looked around for what is happening and yet like invisible wall, no one answered. Ayato looked like he could murder anyone at the moment and the elders looked at her with disappointment.
"Ayato? What seems to be the prob—"
Yet she was caught of guard when he grabbed her tightly.
"Ayato! It hurts!" She was trying to make him let go but he wouldn't budge.
"Why did you do it?" He asked her, voice dropping and furious. "Did what? I didn't do anything! Let go of my wrist—!"
"Don't lie to me! The servants saw you putting something on Maya's drink! Couldn't you think?! She could've died from what you did! She and my child!" He shouted at her face. She flinched, so all this time, that's why he suddenly brought her here, that's why all the maids are treating her like she's fragile glass. All this time. Y/n, the fool with the slowest and greatest heart. First to be blamed, last to know.
"What.. But! I didn't put anything in her drink! I didn't even know she was pregnant! Why would I even do such thing!" She also shouted back.
"You don't know? Oh I know! Perhaps because you are afraid your little clan will be in shambles once Mr. Kamisato decided to divorce you. Now you have to be a desperate little cunt to put pills to kill the baby on lady Maya's stomach!"
One of the elders pointed out their finger at her, she shook her head and told them that she has nothing to do with it but no one listens.
"Don't lie, a lot of servants saw you! Go on, ask them yourself." A chief told her.
She turned to the servants and asked them lowly. "Did you.. saw me? Trying to kill Maya?" She spoke slowly.
They all nodded in response, and her shoulders fell as well as tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Even if that's not the truth.. huh? I guess.. I wasn't generous enough? Or, you can feel that Ayato never favors me, and you decided to side the latter who received more attention?" Y/n told them. Wiping her tears and they all looked down on the floor. If the walls of the estate could speak, it could tell how much kind she was with them and yet, with a little bribery, they all turned their backs.
"I see. To think I was still in the wrong position when my husband got someone else pregnant wasn't an issue makes me think, I wasted 5 years for treating people nicely." That's all what she said, then the guards dragged her out the estate for good. She knew this would happen, but she didn't expect that they would accuse her of murder. That's something she would never do.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ៹ 𖥻 Chinju Forest
She sat down on one of the rakan statue, looking back at her life, everything faded. She laughed bitterly
"I guess, this what happens to those who hope, is this my sin? Taking someone else's place in that wedding, taking someone's heart that doesn't belong to me?" She asked, after minutes the exhaustion downed on her and she fainted in the forest. Amidst the blackness, she could hear footsteps and a soft jinggle of bells.
Kami-sama, have you decided to send someone to properly bury my body?..
- this is my first fanfic lmao 🥹 idk if the things I said made sense but hopefully it does 😭. I've been wanting to make a fanfic about this because I don't see one that's why here I am! Please don't be afraid to correct my grammar, I'm more than happy to receive opinions since this is my first. The blog is a little plain, I'll try to make more designs in the future :>>