Hideko Ametsuchi

**Hideko Ametsuchi** was the second daughter of High King Kana, and was a Prince during the Seventh Epoch and early Eighth Epoch of Izana, Neo. She had three sistersーAmaya, Kazumi and Yumiーand was engaged to be married with Hive native Lord Pious Skor in order to unite the two planets. She was considered to be rather silly, materialistic and shallow, albeit she was not aggressive nor particularly cruel. She was not well-liked by her subjects, who rejected her for her showing of wealth during a time where poverty was the norm amongst her people. She was twenty-five at the time of her death.

## Early Life

Born during the month Fool's Errand, Hideko was the second-to-heir. It was common practise to have multiple children, due to the fact assassins often targeted the heir. Thus, Hideko was considered quite highly important, having a near-direct line to the throne, direct if her sister should pass before her time. Before her education began in full, her younger sister Kazumi was born while she was four years of age. As she turned five, she was educated in several subjects and taught in the conduct of the High King, should she ever come to rule. However, she was always a child more interested in the material side of things rather than the practical.

## Education

She began studying at the Ametsuchi Academy of the Arts at the age of sixteen, earning a diploma in History of Arts before beginning a dual degree in the viola and art history. She graduated at twenty-two. Described as "unmotivated but highly talented" by her teachers, tentatively as to not incite the wrath of her mother, she achieved moderately good grades. Should she fail to become the High King, her desire was to become a performer or a lecturer, though she was not particularly ambitious.

## As High Prince

Her general apathy towards her studies also applied to her duties as a Prince. She enjoyed the life of wealth and abundance that being royal afforded her, and mingled often with high society. She was described by angry subjects as "flaunting her wealth", for she was not shy of her good standing, and seemed completely oblivious to the suffering of her people. Whether or not she would have helped had she been aware of the true scale of tragedy throughout the land is unknown, for she died before she could do anything about it.

## Arranged Marriage

At the age of twenty-three, Hideko was bethrothed to Lord Pious Skor of Hive in an arranged marriage. Romantic at heart, she was hardly against the union and though her prospective husband intimidated herーand on a level, repulsed herーshe was all the same enamoured with him, more attached to the idea of being married than she was to who she was marrying. When she suspected that he and her sister were involved in an affair, she confronted them to seek the truth and while they evaded an honest answer, she accepted that her husband-to-be could have mistressesーeven among her sistersーas long as he did not publicly disgrace her.

## The Coup D'etat

She did not ever live to see herself fully married, for she was killed by Kazumi before the time of the wedding. She was the first to die, and did not fight. For while she had suspected an affair, she had no idea that her fiance and her sister had been conspiring against the throne, and had pleaded with them to spare her. Unfortunately, her pleas were not heard.

## Personality

Hideko was described to be shallow and materialistic, enjoying pretty things and spending her money. By her educatorsーand her auntーaccounts, she was unmotivated and lazy, but gifted. She had a genuine interest and passion in history, knowledgeable particularly in the development and culture of art, particularly how music was ingrained into Umushi biology and, thus, Izana's culture. So she was not dim-witted, however Kazumi recalled her to be, but rather simply ignorant of what was going on beyond her fixation on the past. As much as she might have been unlikable for her shallowness and her trivial daily pursuits, she was kind and lacked the judgemental nature of her elder sister Amaya. She was fond of animals, particularly chickens. Had she been aware of the dire straits of her people, it's possible she may have been a great philanthropist.

She was also greatly romantic and idealistic, drawn to the idea of marriage, though not particularly interested in her fiance as a person, nor his faith. She was particularly involved in the wedding planning. Hideko also appeared to be rather forgiving, for when she discovered that her fiance and sister were involved in an affair, she allowed it so long as it was not publicized alongside her future marriage, so that she may avoid disgrace. This awareness of her fiance's needs and tastes may suggest she was wiser than she acted, for it showed a great understanding of diplomacy.

She treated children particularly well, being fond of the twins Hato and Karasu in their infancy. During her last moments, she asked that they do not harm the children, for they were truly innocent.

## Relationships

### Kana Ametsuchi

Kana came close to doting on Hideko, giving her free reign to spend whatever she liked and indulge herself as she pleased. Hideko brought out a rather soft side of her usually harsh mother, who could not help but baby her, much to Taka's disapproval. However while Hideko grew up idolizing her mother, she became quite fearful once Kana had her aunt executed for a small mistake, always fearful that she would be treated with the same behaviour, growing ever more avoidant of her mother towards her later years.

### Taka Ametsuchi

As mentioned above, Taka disproved of Kana's indulgence when it came to Hideko, thinking it unwise to raise her so foolishly when it was highly possible Hideko could become High King, and she did not want such a "silly little King" on the throne. When Kana did not listen, Taka counter-acted Kana's parenting by being extra harsh and unforgiving in her training of Hideko, which no doubt demotivated her further. Towards later years, she did lighten up and encouraged Hideko to follow her talents into academic success, but did not survive to see her succeed.

### Amaya Ametsuchi

Amaya, as the older sibling, often taunted and teased her younger sister, who would describe Amaya as a "tactless brute".

## Appearance

Hideko was the shortest of her sisters. She had a long, round face with smiling eyes and a round button nose; her face was clustered with light coffee-coloured freckles, and her skin was a light tawny shade. Her mien was framed by short-cut blunt bangs and the majority of her hair, which fell to the base of her spine, was tied up. She kept her grooming subtle and minimal, and had clear skin. She was incredibly lovely to look at, for she radiated a soft nature.

She often wore light colours and pinks, and enjoyed large, eclectic jewellery. She had many different outfits, which she wore oftenーit was incredibly rare to see her repeat an outfit. She laughed often, and loudly.

## Trivia

* Hideko is a Japanese name meaning "*splendid child*", and is the name of one of the characters in Park Chan-Wook's *The Handmaiden*, being a sensitive noble woman who concealed another side of her entirely.
* In Western tropical astrology, she would have a Cancer Ascendant, a Taurus Sun (in the eleventh house) and a Leo Moon (in the second house).
* She inspired partially by Lydia and Kitty of *Pride and Prejudice*, as well as Marie Antoinette.