A Tale Of Two Kingdoms

A/N: This is an Okikagu fanfic, set in an inverted 'Cindrella' AU. Not that I'm too sure if that is the exact definition. Please read and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the awesome characters of Gintama, I only own my telling of the story.

Chapter 1: The Prince Who Did Paperwork

High stacks of paper were piled on a desk, obscuring the person behind them from view. Bright sunlight filtered through the diamond paned windows. The walls were hidden behind gilded cabinets, which held mysterious implements of torture and pain that no one ever wished to see. The floors were richly carpeted and a grand title was carved into the entrance, announcing the rank of the person behind the desk, resignedly doing paperwork.

Okita Sougo cursed the huge piles of documents in front of him for the millionth time. He devoutly wished he could just gather them all up and dump them straight into the nearest fireplace. Or better, to just slice off the heads of the duo who had given the papers to him in the first place. And blow up the whole room with his favorite bazooka. For he and everyone else, knew that it was just a rotten facade.

Okita Sougo was, in title, the third and youngest prince of the kingdom of Edo. However, he actually had no connections by blood to the former king or to his 2 sons, who now ruled the kingdom together. He was the heir of the Bushuu dukedom on the outskirts of Edo. But after the tragic death of his only relative and older sister, Mitsuba, when he was a small child, he had been adopted by the former king, Yoshida Shouyou and brought up as the third prince of the kingdom of Edo. Which was merely an illusion. In reality, Sougo was treated no better than a privileged retainer. He was given the duty of leading the police force Shinsengumi and also the rank of Commander. But the only duties he discharged were to break up petty fights in the capital, review endless piles of useless documents and to take the blame of his step-brothers' deeds.

Sougo briefly contemplated sneaking away and taking a stroll through the town, but he knew that Takasugi and Zura would definitely have his head for it. But hell, who cared anymore, it might just add a little spark in the horribly monotonous life he led. Just then, the door slid open and a plain looking officer, who was named Yamazaki, entered with the message that the kings wished for his presence.

"And why, Yamazaki? Do I have to take responsibility for another territorial infringement? Or is it because of overflowing brotherly love?"

Yamazaki flinched at the harsh sarcasm in Sougo's words and tone, but he couldn't blame him for it. Takasugi and Katsura, Shouyou's sons and the current rulers, had always given their young stepbrother more than enough cause for bitterness. Bowing, he replied," No, sir, I believe it has something to do with a grand event that is arriving soon. I'm sure you'll find out if you meet them…"

Sougo pursed his lips, cursing a long list of people under his breath. Throwing a dark leather jacket over his black and gold Shinsengumi uniform, he picked up his gold edged katana and went with Yamazaki to the magnificent throne room.

Two men were lounging on the thrones, resplendent in royal finery. One, with dark purplish hair with a bandage wrapped around his left eye, smoked a kiseru. The other had long, silky black hair, and was looking over a gilt edged scroll, his eyes gleaming with mad excitement. At Sougo's entrance, they looked up briefly, an expression of sheer contempt the only common feature on their widely varying countenances.

"There you are, little brother. Done with the paper work, I presume?" Takasugi drawled out, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"No, I'm not done. Still, you guys must be pretty terrible rulers to let these many complaints accumulate, am I right, Zura?"

"It's not Zura, it's Katsura! How many times do I have to tell you that?!"

"Stop it, Zura. Let Sougo say it. After all, the poor fellow must be rather frustrated at having practically no value, despite being called a prince and all."

"Prince? Really, he is just some brat that your father, the former king picked up. Please do not attach so much importance to him, Takasugi-sama," cooed Matako, one of Takasugi's numerous flatterers. Sougo merely gritted his teeth and wordlessly swallowed the insults, he had got used to them by now. No one was ever going to accept him as he was, so why bother about it and get hurt over and over?

"Is that the only reason you called me here? To indulge in royal mockery? If so, I'll send Zaki over with a figurine of mine that you can toy with. Now excuse me, I'll be off to read all that rubbish you've so kindly sent me."

" You're as harsh as ever, Sougo. You should be grateful that we've called you up here in order to discuss such an important affair concerning the wellbeing of our kingdom." Katsura intervened coldly, looking slightly angered. Clearing his throat, he continued," The Rakuyou kingdom, which lies just past our boundaries, is conducting an wedding ball for their sole princess, Kagura. All worthy suitors possessing royal blood are hereby invited."

"And as since her older brother and crown prince Kamui, has disappeared, she is set to be the next ruler of her kingdom. In other words, whoever marries her is set to become the next king of Rakuyou, the most powerful empire in the continent."

Sougo lifted his eyebrows in mock surprise. He knew where Takasugi and Katsura were going with this. Ever since Shouyou's death, they had been fixated on making Edo the strongest nation in the whole world. They were prepared to use any dirty trick that occurred to them and to crush anyone who even thought of opposing them. It was clear that they planned to use the Rakuyou princess and her power by wooing and wedding her. Now it was only a matter of whether they could get the girl to marry one of them or not. Measuring his words carefully, he asked," Well, so what do I have to do with your grand scheme of plans? Are you planning to make me go as a suitor too?", hoping against hope that they were. Even if they weren't, at least he'd be able to attend the ball and have some fun, with princes who were masochistic enough to satisfy the Prince of the planet of sadists…

"Sorry to break the castle you're building in the air, Sougo. I and Zura will definitely be going as suitors, and you're going to keep an eye over the castle and inspect the army in our absence. So stop fantasizing about attending the ball. Who'd even want a pretend prince like you?" Takasugi smirked mockingly, enjoying the controlled rage in the claret red eyes which were glaring at him. Zura spoke up as Sougo turned on his heels and marched out, "Where do you think you're going so abruptly? Have you no sense of respect?"

"I think I told you, o most honorable, respectable and utterly incapable kings, that I'm off to finish the paperwork."

Behind him, Takasugi crushed his kiseru to tiny bits and the scroll Katsura held in his hands was now torn into little fragments.

"YOU BASTARD PRINCE!"

A/N: So there ends the first chapter! This is my first time writing a multi-chapter fic and I do hope it's turning out well. I'm sorry for all OOC-ness. Please send me reviews, criticism, suggestions, anything you please, I am always happy to hear what you think of it!