"Mieli…?" Tia asked, not knowing how to respond to my outburst. I had not intended so shout out so desperately, but found myself doing so.
"I'm sorry," I said as if I wanted to add something, but then had nothing to add.
Tia eyes me strangely as she says: "Yes, Duran WILL be there…"
I cannot let myself giggle, I cannot let myself jump for joy, I have to be….ah…what is the word? Something that Neaki is… uhhh… Oh yes! Cool! I have to remain cool and calm. I cannot let them know. Rempo was off being human, testing out his new abilities as a solid figure with elemental powers. Neaki and Ur were looking at me as Tia was. Ur had a look that suggested…
"I should work on those flowers!" I said, almost as loud and quick as my question if Duran would be at the party. With that I flew off.
Yes, it was unheard of, yes I know that, it was alright for Tia and Rempo because she was the chosen one. She was not just like everyone else. But neither was Duran… No! I am a spirit. On top of that, and ELVEN spirit! I cannot think of such things. It isn't right. No doubt Neaki and Ur have figured it out. No doubt Ur is worried about me, and Neaki is ashamed. I wondered what Rempo was doing, what advice he could give, he had loved a human…No I did NOT love Duran. I cannot love Duran! Even if I did what Rempo had done, I would still not be human without my shackles.
I flew as fast as I could to where he was experimenting with wood. He was testing his abilities, what he still had and what he was missing.
"Yo! Mieli! What's up?" he said, although in the body of a man he was still a childish spirit.
"I have a question," I said nervously, but Rempo took my tone of voice the wrong way. He thought I was angry again, about… what I had been angry about before ('Mieli gets Angry' if you wanna get the joke!)
"I swear! Nothing happened I didn't do anything to her!" he said raising his hands in surrender.
"No, not about that," I said, "I wanted to ask, how did you know you admired Tia?"
This calmed Rempo down, but he kept his hands ready to defend himself.
"I dunno, I just did," he said, "Why?"
My face went red. I started to blurt out reasons why I might want to know. This dumbfounded the spi-… man, and he held up a hand to stop me from talking.
"Do YOU like anyone…?" he said awkwardly.
I opened my mouth to babble again, closed it, and repeated the gesture a couple of times before…
"Yes…" I hung my head.
"Then why so gloomy?" he said cheerily, "When are you going to ask Tia to make you…" I stopped him with my finger.
"Don't you get it? If I become human, than D-…'He' might not love me and I will have given up everything for nothing!"
"Then ask Ur about a solution." He said simply.
"I CANT DO THAT!" I yell, startling Rempo, "If Ur looks down upon me then I don't know what I'll do!" That is when Ur taps me on the shoulder and asks why exactly he would ever look down upon me.
"UR! Um, ah, right I just was wondering on a solution to…" to what?
"Your dilemma?" he asks raising and eyebrow.
"Yes my- WAIT how do you know…?" I say fanatically.
"It became obvious when you showed attraction to Duran." He said calmly.
"You like DURAN?" asked Rempo shocked, "What could you possibly SEE in the guy?"
I blush very deeply.
"If your question is what I think it is, it is possible to go to him in a temporary elf form, you have done it in past worlds." He said wisely
Oh yes! That would work. But where do I go? How do I meet up with him?
"At the party tonight of course." Said Ur, as if he could read my mind.
With that I was off. A perfect plan! A wonderful plan! I can go as my temporary elf form! I fly to Tia, and beg her to let me into my old body. Once an Elf again, I search through her dresses to find one that suits me. My elf form is too womanly for Tia's closet to supply. I eventually find something, too excited to care what I look like.
The party would be held in honor for Princess Dorothea's birthday. She was turning seventeen, almost the age when she would become queen. I simply cannot imagine how she can become queen. She tries to be nice, but is not too good of a ruler. If only she had a smart man at her side, someone who knew everything and could see with his third eye. I forgot the matter. Tonight was for me.
The town central was elaborately decorated for the occasion. Everyone, even that Rex, was dressed up. Dorothea was smiling at her guests and waving. She was the most beautiful girl I have ever seen tonight. I almost forgot she was a complete brat for a moment. Many of the town men offered me to dance, I was wearing a long skirt so no one could see my shackled feet. I was having enough trouble walking, let alone dancing. I don't want yet another reminder of how much I miss dancing. I was the best dancer before I became bound to the book. Back in the original world where the spirits flew freely and without purpose.
I see a man coming up to me. He is wearing a flowered hat that is tipped so I cannot see his face. I know who he is.
"Who might you be, damsel?" Duran asked.
I saw his face. He was not drunk, but not in his right mind either. He had every right to be drinking, I saw Rempo doing it too a bit to experiment. Spirits don't drink.
"You are very pretty damsel." He said, in control of his words so he did not slur but not very smart to say this to an elf he barely knew. I could not help but be excited though. He thought me pretty! I knew as a spirit I am attractive, but he thought me pretty!
"My name is Mieli," I said nervously. I had never known how to speak to others I did not know.
"Such a pretty name," he said, "For such a pretty damsel." With that, he was gone. To drink some more and become more drunk. I can see Rempo getting dangerously closer to the wine barrel. I laughed a little, seeing him walk strangely and speak nonsense.
This little contact with Duran is all I have with him the whole night. He, Rex, Rempo, and even Valdo get roaring drunk. I choose to leave and go home. MY little plan proved my point. He did not admire me, he thought me pretty in his drunk phase, but that is all. When at home I wait for Tia to put me back in the book. Ur comes to me.
"How did it go?" he asked.
"Fine, it turns out Duran doesn't love me after all." I said.
Ur shrugs and floats back into the book. The book that Tia left behind. I soon heard the sound of a ruckus. I never thought I would see it, but still not find it surprising.
Tia and Rempo, leaning on each other to stay steady, both drunk out of their minds. I put them straight to bed, I know that Tia is in no condition to work the book. I guess I will be sleeping tonight in an elf body.
The next morning I had to go out again, still as Mieli the elf. Tia and Rempo had hangovers, so I was to do the daily living chores. It would be fun to see the town from an elf point of view before being sucked back into the book. I still wear a dress that covers my shackles. Not the same one, but just as long.
I am stopped by many more men, some of them holding cold bits of cloth to their heads. They all recognize me, and want to know my name. I tell them all I am Mieli, the friend of Tia. My first mission is going to the sword master, telling him miss Tia will not be coming to practice today. He looks me over and accepts. When I tell him my name, his eyebrows rise.
"My son has been saying something about a girl named Mieli" he said.
He had thought of me! Duran was thinking about me! I then calm myself. I was simply a new face in the town. Nothing more or less.
"…Called you the most beautiful thing he has ever laid eyes on." He continued.
This stopped my attempts to modest myself. I looked at him.
"Is D- your son in today?" I asked.
"Yes, out in the garden again."
I ran towards the garden where Duran was picking flowers for his hat.
"Mieli!" he said surprised. It flattered me that he still knew my name.
"I am at a disadvantage," started cautiously, "You know my name and I have no idea as to yours." This was a lie of course, but it was a beginning too.
"Duran, my lady," he said, "I noticed that you barely danced last night with anyone, do you detest dancing?"
"Oh no, I do adore dancing," I said foolishly. It would save an explanation if I had said I hated it.
"Then," he said holding out a hand, "Care to dance with a fool who missed his chance?"
I was about to say no, but then I shifted my feet. They moved easily against each other. I walked to where he stood, and I did not danger myself of falling over. My shackles… They're gone!
I agreed to the dance, it was wonderful. I did not mind too much that the shackles were gone, but in my happiness I did wonder…
Far away Tia dropped the book.
"Too much brainpower…" she mumbled, "MY HEAD HURTS!"