Disclaimer: I do not own CardCaptor Sakura.
This is a story of a princess and a common boy; a story of two completely different worlds colliding… and making unity.
The Princess and the Pauper
The land of Accurian was a majestic one; 'The Land of Grace and Beauty' was its nickname. Flowers of all kinds showered this country, from lilies to roses, from cherry blossoms to sunflowers, and from magnolias to any breed of flowers there is on the planet Earth. Many fruit trees and vegetables exist, planted and being cared for by the farmers that occupy the land. The soil was rich and black, so fluffy and soft when being held but yet strong and mighty when producing its children. Still, that was not all to the alluring country.
Citizens of Accurian were happy of their land. None seemed poor, none seem hungry, all seemed satisfied of their lives and well-beings. During the morning after the rooster does his habitual alarm, varieties of businesses carry on in the streets of Accurian. Farmers ride their wooden wagons to the sidewalks of the large town, setting up their shops, waiting for their most faithful customers to arrive. Women gossip on the latest news and rumors that holds so many secrets to the land, laughing at jocular remarks, whispering like little girls. Children playing dear ol' tag, while other children sit on the carpet-covered ground, listening to the fantasy stories the jesters have to offer. Often gasps and awe would be heard, and laughter that would make any old man smiles.
And this is where the story begins.
"Hello children!" the jester, dressed in a funny gold, blue, and purple attire greeted as he danced all around the children who gathered to hear another story. His face was painted white, with one blue star pained on his right eye and a purple circle painted on around his left. His half-colored purple and blue lips rang out laughter in a uncanny but funny way.
"Hello Joker sir!" all the children greeted back with smiles and grins, their stomachs twisting and turning in anticipation.
"Have you ever heard the story of the Princess and the Pauper?" the jester asked, creating his face in a confused way, earning laughter from the children.
"No we haven't Joker sir!" the children answered, giddy.
"So let me tell you-woo-woo-woo!" the jester shouted, spinning and spinning. Suddenly, he twirled behind a wooden stand and disappeared. The children kept silent, wondering what happened to 'Joker sir'.
"ONCE A UPON A TIME!" a voice erupted from behind a wooden stand, "There lived a princess, who was indeed very, very lonely."
A puppet of a princess, being controlled by strings, fell on the little stage. She was a beautiful sight. She wore a pink dress that flowered her wooden legs and fit every curve of her body. Her golden curly hair bounced up and down as she was moved left to right. The children awed in her splendor.
"Her father, the king of the country, kept introducing her to all these ugly-looking princes, ogres you might say!"
Two other puppets appeared, showing two deformed prince puppets in eloquent attire that came close to the princess. The children laughed at the remark of the jester and the appearance of the princes.
"And with a might, and with a strong will, the princess kicked them all out of her life!"
The princess was then seen kicking the rears of the two princes, who flew unto the humid floor in front of the stage. Laughter erupted again.
"The father…" a puppet of a king with a large crown that kept on slipping down his face and with royal attire appeared on the stage, "…was not pleased with his daughter's pickiness. He said "Oh princess, why so fuss fuss fussy with the princes that came from all over the world?"" The jester imitated the king with a deep resounding voice.
"The princess said, "Oh father dearest, the reason I am making all this fuss fuss fussy is because none are within my interest!"" The jester imitated the princess with a high-pitched voice. The princess puppet then folded her hands, " "I am through with this father dearest! You must hate me! You must not love me anymore, seeing how you thrust all these lustful and distasteful men into my presence! Leave me be!"" And with that said, the princess puppet ran away, leaving the king to hunch forward, disgraced with himself. Sniffing and 'aw' sounds could be heard from the little audience.
"The princess," the jester said in his narrative voice, "ran away from the castle and into town, where she came to a corner and cried cried cried." During this, the princess puppet could be seen running from one side of the stage to the other side, where she dropped on her knees and held her wooden hands to her face. The jester then imitated her weeping.
"Suddenly! Dum dum dum duuuuum! A common boy, who finished doing his daily morning sales, heard crying close to him. So with the legs his mother blessed him with, he raaaaaaaannnn to the cry." A pauper puppet appeared on stage, running toward the princess who was still crying.
"The boy then saw the princess, but did not know that was the princess. Of course, he was still amazed at her beauty. The boy then asked, "Why do you cry, fair woman?"" An imitation of the pauper's voice was heard in a smooth tone.
" "Oh! My father trapped me inside a cage, making me meet mean people! So I ran! Ran! And here I am now… sad…""
"The boy, who was shocked to hear this news from such a girl like her, said, "Take my hand, and I shall bring back your happiness.""
"The princess, who had stopped crying, looked at the pauper, and saw the good in him, and she took his hand. And they disappeared from the town, and into the deep scary forest." The princess puppet took the pauper's puppet hand, and is seen running out of the stage.
Somewhere, a boy, who was the age of seventeen, watch the play attentively. He was outside selling food and other items, hoping to gain much money today so he can surprise his mother, who was in bed ill stricken. Sitting on a purple blanket with his items that were selling pretty quick today, listened to the story of the Princess and the Pauper. So fascinated with the story, he didn't hear his next customer.
"Excuse me?" a soft melodic voice said, trying to catch the attention of the boy.
The boy continued to watch the play.
The person then glanced at the play, and smiled, "Ah, yes, it is really a great play isn't it, sir?"
The word 'sir' finally caught the boy's attention, and he stood straight up and bowed in respect, "I'm sorry for my inattentiveness, please, take an item free for my rude behavior."
The person giggled and the boy stared at the person, who was a girl. Standing a foot shorter than him, he could see her long luscious multi-colored auburn hair that was in a braid, and lay across her chest going doing to her waist. She was in a white cloak, which made it difficult for the boy to see all of her face and her body. All that she had was a straw basket, and a very amiable aura.
Even so, she still struck him as a pretty girl.
"No no! That won't be necessary!" the girl exclaimed, refusing his offer, "I will--- ah! Look at this little treasure!"
The girl held up a glass white rose, which shined in the sunlight. The girl lift the rose up, and scrutinized it. Then she moved the rose left to right in the air vigorously, staring at it. The boy was amused at the girl's way of studying, and his lips curved up.
"I want this beautiful rose!" she shouted softly, excited over such an item, "How much does this rose cost?"
The boy sighed, realizing that the girl will not take up on his offer, "I will not tell you the price, because of my offer."
The girl pouted, "Fine! Then I won't buy it then!" The girl then swung her body around and folded her hands, her back to the boy.
A snicker came from the boy's lips, but not loud enough for her to hear. Her childish behavior lifted his soul, and he started to laugh softly. That was the first time he laughed so purely in a long time. He closed his eyes and chuckled to himself.
"You have a handsome laugh sir."
Surprised, he stumbled back, causing his arm to fly and knock the girl's hand.
"Oh no!!" the girl gasped, "The rose!"
The rose fell slowly to ground, causing a kaleidoscope of colors everywhere the light reflected. The girl closed her eyes and covered her ears, not wanting to hear the shattering noise of the rose.
Yet, it never came.
Opening her eyes slowly, she saw the boy's arms stretched out across the ground, and in his hands was the rose safely caught. She gasped in delight only to see the boy's face tightened in pain. She fell quickly to her knees grabbed the rose, placing it not to far away, and then pulled the boy's arm up to her with ease. The boy was surprised at her strength. Blood slowly dripped from his cut, which was from his elbow half down his arm.
"Look at this!!" she yelled, "You bruised yourself trying to catch an non-important thing! You should of let it break instead of hurting yourself over it! I'm so very sorry if I forced you to catch it for me! I'm very sorry! Oh! Here! I have a large handkerchief that would help your cut! Wait! Let me dab some alcohol on it so it won't be affected!"
The boy was just silent at the girl's outburst of concern and worry. He could not say anything because it was usual for him to be injured like this, especially when he's selling. Clumsiness often leads him to come home with many bruises, and none of his customers were willing to tend to his injuries. The girl was the first one who took her time to care for him, and by this he was deeply touched.
The girl, already having a cloth on one hand and a bottle in the other, placed the cloth to the opening of the bottle, turning the bottle upside down so the cloth will soak in some of the alcohol. After a few seconds, she turned the bottle downside up and covered it with the cork.
"This might sting a little." She warned the boy.
He kept silent, allowing the girl to touch his arm gently and wipe his cut. Her touch was enough for him to ignore the pain. She had small little fingers, tiny and gentle. He smiled at the thought.
Busy at work, the girl wrapped her white handkerchief around the boy's arm and firmly so the blood flow from the cut would lessen. She tied a secure knot and patted the boy's arm, "There! All done!"
The boy looked up into the girl's face, and for the both of them, all of time stood still.
The girl stared at the boy's features. He had strong soft chocolate eyes, and a roughly grown mustache and beard. His jaw line and cheekbone were so distinct, and his tan skin glistened with sweat in the sun's rays. Even with all his cuts and bruises, he still remained handsome and stately. Weirdly, she could not stop looking into his eyes.
On the opposite end, the boy was speechless of the girl's eyes. Emerald crystals, as he described them, penetrated his every muscle and joint in his body. Her creamy porcelain skin brought about a smell of carnations, which caused his blood to boil with anxiety. Knowing himself, he would be disgusted if any girl came to his little shop, for all they do is just stare at him even lustfully or distastefully. Yet, this girl was different and unique, and he could stare in her eyes for all the day.
Finally, the girl blushed and looked away, "I-I'm sorry for staring at you in that manner. Please forgive me of my actions."
The boy did not say anything.
"Um… here!" she said, handing out a bag of gold coins, "It is my gift for saving the rose! Don't refuse it please!"
Without a fight, the boy just took the bag, still embarrassed of what happened.
Without shame, the girl placed her hands over the boy's. He took a sharp intake of breath but did not move his hands.
"I will come back tomorrow." The girl said, "And visit you again."
Just like that, she lifted herself up, brushed off the dirt from her cloak, took the rose and grabbed her basket. She ran off into the crowd, still having the boy's eyes locked unto her until he couldn't see her little frame in the area anymore.
Then, a thought came across his mind, and he looked back at the play.
"And the princess and the pauper, now the prince, lived happily ever after!" the jester popped out from behind the stand, his arms spread out and a large grin in his face. The children and adults who watched the whole entire episode applauded thunderously.
The boy sighed, slumping his shoulders, 'In fairy tales, it is reality, but in reality, it is just dead ambition.' And another thought came to mind, and he smacked his head for not doing so.
He forgot to ask the girl her name.