Like a Fairy Tale
By: DreamswithJoy
#1: Hair
Once upon a time, there was a princess.
Simple enough, right?
A pretty, pretty princess, like the usual evening tale always says.
Beauty, which was a burden for this princess, she never cared for her looks. She secretly just wanted to be happy and make people smile through comedy. Not those false smiles, the real ones. The smiles that come from the heart, the inner depth of every human being, those were the ones she wanted to bring out.
But beauty was the thing that ruined this child's dream.
One day, when the princess was young, people loved to see her. The smiles, the laughter, she could do that all. People were actually happy to see her. Sometimes, she would grace them a hello and a joke, where people would howl with laughter. Even her parents loved her jokes and smiles.
However, there were people who were too attracted to the princess, but for the wrong reasons. They did not care for jokes, only her body. That was all they ever did see.
A group of these people, who managed to kidnap the princess, who locked her up in a room she could never forget.
All those little girls, their sad smiles, and all she could do… was stare in horror as one by one, they were taken away.
The princess was soon rescued; it had only taken twenty three minutes and forty seven seconds. But, nothing would ever be the same again. The damage was done, and the whole kingdom changed.
She has not been outside for almost five years.
Although you may be more interested in knowing this princess, there is another tale that must be told before the full story can unfold.
Only months after said princess was born, a family of nobles was blessed with a baby boy. Something that would have been wonderful with any other family at the time was a curse for this one.
Some insisted on killing him, others wanted him left outside to die.
However, this boy's mother told a lie. A lie that although saved his life affected this boy in ways that we would consider bizarre; the truth was never an easy thing after all.
"I believe you are mistaken, for this child is a girl."
Because of one little lie, this boy, raised as a female in a dancing family, never knew his gender until the time our princess was kidnapped.
Twenty minutes and forty seven seconds after the princess was taken, this boy found out what he really was.
"It's alright Mother, I understand."
He said those words, yet by the time his mother came back from a performance, her son was gone.
He would not return for over five years.
Now, as the tales of these two individuals has been told, the intersection is not a long way off.
Five years after both incidents, they would meet.
She was looking outside the small window she was allowed to have. Blinds were pulled so no one could see her, although her hair could have done the same thing.
Her parents were currently having a huge dispute about the kidnapping, and she could hear them screaming from the bottom of the tower. Which was a long way down; perhaps that was why they made it so high.
But she knew the true reason, the reason that she was not "supposed" to know. Yet, it was so obvious, it made her sick.
They put her as high up as they could, so no one could reach her. And sadly, it worked.
Although for about a year, she had hope she could leave. But that had all faded out a long time ago. She shouldn't be so childish, that's what they always said.
Hearing someone walk over to the tower, she gasped.
Watching someone dance, she gazed in awe.
It was beautiful, lovely, and elegant. This person, whom she had never met, who could go outside, was now her only connection to the outside world.
The boy heard a girl sing softly from the tower, which was daunting to him, who was used to large estates. He had never been to this land before, and he found it rather strange how people talked about a princess in such a hushed tone. But the people seemed nice, he was thinking about finding employment here.
Dancing…something he never had much time to do. He knew his family was looking for a young woman named "Nadeshiko". But his mother was looking for a young man named Nagihiko. Stopping, he looked up to the sky.
"Oh…it's already night… I should really find somewhere to stay."
The voice spoke again from the tower window.
"Did you know that my hair's so long, it can almost reach the bottom of this tower?"
She didn't know why she said that of all things. Why something so juvenile, so silly? That person…they must be laughing at her right now. Just like everyone else.
Her parents were still shouting, and Rima could barely hear the person.
"Wow, you must have been in there for a very long time."
"I was."
The person frowned, "Can you come outside?"
"No."
"Then…"
She could no longer hear them, and sighed. Her parents just got louder.
"I can't hear you! Speak louder!"
"Then why don't you let…"
Again, the volume of her parents angered speech escalated.
"I still can't hear you!"
"Then why don't you let your hair down?"
"Good idea Dancer."
He watched it all unfurl, at an unreal length, it was beautiful, but that alone told him a lot about the strange girl that lived at the top of the tower. He walked slightly closer, tip toeing to feel it, if only for a moment. He wanted to say something else to the girl, he really did.
Instead, he said this.
"So, you weren't lying about the length of your hair."
"Why would I lie? Liars are the worst kind of people."
"Are they? I believe hypocrites are more sinful than any liar."
"Then you have not been lied to."
"But I have."
"Then you are a true fool."
"I can accept that."
"Can you? Or do you just want to come up this tower and smack me?"
"A little bit of both."
"Hmph. At least you can't attack royalty."
He smiled slightly, knowing the girl was educated. However, he only spoke to royalty once in his own kingdom. Talking to anyone of that status seemed surreal to the dancer.
"Why is a princess locked up in a tower? I can tell you're unhappy with it."
"Of course I am dimwit. And make sure my parents don't hear this, unless you want your head cut off right here right now."
"I would rather not. I still have a life to live as a young man of these times and circumstances."
Silence.
"You're a man?"
She laughed at the silence, and the fact that this purple person was a man. Or a boy, because he looked around the same age as her, although you never do know until you ask, something she didn't want to ask a random stranger dancing near the tower (she never considered it a home, even though she had stayed in it for quite a while). She could barely see him, but that purple, it stood out like a sore thumb.
But somehow, she ended up liking it. Even though she never was a fan of the color, it suited him.
Although he was incredibly annoying, she enjoyed the little banters they had that day. Her parents yelling, her lonely self, her broken heart…none of those things mattered at the moment.
As he left, she called out to him.
"My name is Rima!" "You better come back! It's rude to keep a princess waiting!"
He smiled, "My name is Nagihiko. It's a pleasure to meet you Rima." "Don't worry, I will."
Every day, the princess and the dancer talked, regardless of weather, time, or any other circumstance.
He thought he was a girl for most of his life.
She fell in love once, but he never came back.
He had a best friend, she had pink hair.
She had a little sister, who she had only met twice.
He knew how to fight.
She knew how to entertain a crowd.
He was unhappy, because he was lied to.
She was unhappy, because fear was fed to her like fuel.
One day though, was different.
The princess had fallen ill, and doctors from all over the kingdom had come to try and cure her. However, the king and queen were too fearful to invite any of them into the tower. So, they decided to hire a maid. Someone who could watch the princess at all times, someone who could fight off anyone who tried to harm her, it was rather silly, but fear can be a controlling emotion.
It was easy for one to say Fujisaki Nadeshiko was overqualified. However, the king and queen wanted someone perfect, too good to be true. Just so they could lessen their fear just a little bit. The dancer was hired in a matter of two hours.
It was too good to be true, because Nadeshiko didn't exist. There was Nagihiko, but he wouldn't be welcomed.
When they saw each other up close for the first time, Rima had laughed.
"Crossdresser…I never knew you wanted to be a girl!"
This resulted in a small glaring contest, then arguing. When her parents came in, they pretended they were getting along perfectly. Which they were, but the way they got along would not appeal to her parents' ideals.
For weeks, the dancer took care of the princess. There were no large arguments, just a strange sort of calm. Rima didn't really like the tense feel, but she liked spending time with Nagihiko. She was far too stubborn to admit it though. She never liked to be wrong.
When said boy came into her room—at the very top of the tower, he saw her, hanging her hair out the window.
"Rima?" he asked in his female voice. There was no response it was as if she was in some sort of trance.
"Rima." He said in his normal voice. She turned her head to him slightly.
"It…can touch the ground now." She said it as if it was the best thing that had ever happened to her, although she did not jump for joy. He could hear the glee in her voice, the quick movements of her fingers to contain her excitement.
"Rima…what's going on?" reverting back to a female persona, he walked closer to her.
When her parents entered the room, Rima quickly gathered her hair.
"Nadeshiko, may you brush my hair again today?"
"Yes, Princess."
Her mother walked away, satisfied. Her father followed. They had seen enough, they knew Nadeshiko was the perfect servant.
Too bad she didn't exist… she'd be perfect if she did.
Nagihiko had a day off.
A day where the princess was talking to suitors, every Sunday of the time she was locked in the tower. This was a typical routine. He would still visit her, just during that small opening between dinner and the next suitor.
He knew she was about to finish eating by the time he got there. The guards would be fine with it, because he was Nadeshiko, not Nagihiko. So, he would stand there, saying one thing.
"Rima, Rima, let your hair down!"
She would call him stupid, but would still let it go out the window, laughing and talking to him.
This was one of those days, and he was standing there.
"Rima, Rima, let your hair down!" he said it in a teasing manner.
No response.
He tried again, to get her attention. Every time, she did not respond.
"Rima? Where are you?"
Silence.
"Right here, stupid!"
He turned, only to see her hanging from the tower.
"I'll need you to catch me when I fall, and get all the other stuff I dropped."
He smiled up at her, "So that's what you were waiting for."
"Correct crossdresser. Now, hurry up and catch me, because I will jump off."
"Sure thing princess, your wish is my command."
So she jumped (clumsily), and he caught her (barely), but they didn't care for the details. The overwhelming feeling that Rima was outside the tower was too much.
"Nadeshiko?"
He twitched at the mention of his female side, "Yes?"
"Cut my hair, will you?"
"With pleasure, princess."
He cut around three fourths of her hair. It was still long, just not as long. She stuffed it into his pockets.
"This can sell for a lot."
He didn't argue with her. Instead, they walked away.
"Nagihiko?"
"Yes?"
"Call me Queen."
END
So...the first installment in Like A Fairy Tale is here! :3 This was originally a one shot that I typed up a month or so ago, but when I started thinking of other ideas, I thought I should make it into a short chapter story. Each chapter will focus on a tale and one or two characters.
I hope you liked this, and that you'll read the next chapter!
~DwJ