Nathanael woke up and stretched his stiff limbs. He got up out of the bed and went to open the window to let some air into the room. He pushed back the curtains and turned the latch to open the window.
He had opened the window when a white dove wearing a fez fluttered down landing on the window pane.
"Hello, you are the new land god of this shrine, right?" the dove asked.
Nathanael blinked in shock and slowly nodded.
"Good, I am the familiar of my princess and I bring a message" The bird chirped "This evening the princess of the swamp will come to the shrine to greet the new land god"
"Princess of the swamp?" Nathanael muttered as he watched the dove fly away.
Nathanael busted into the kitchen in quite a fluster "Lila! There was a bird! A talking bird!" he exclaimed.
"Whatever are you on about?" Lila asked, she gently fanned herself as she sat at the table.
"A bird came and said that the princess of the swamp is coming this evening!" Nathanael said.
"Ah, she's the princess of the swamp called tatara, it is part of the land that Rose protected" Lila explained "After hearing a new land god has come it is only natural she would want to come and greet you"
"Then it's really important that I make a good impression on her, right?" Nathanael asked, nervously running a hand through his hair.
Lila fanned herself and glanced at the table in silence before speaking "You need not worry what impression you leave"
"Why?" Nathanael asked.
She snapped her fan shut and looked at Nathanael with a cold gaze "you will not be showing up, that is why"
"But she wants to see me!" Nathanael said.
Lila stood up and began to walk out of the room "I do not care, you will stay in your room and may only come out once I have seen her off" she walked past Nathanael and out of the room.
"That's hardly fair!" Nathanael exclaimed, following after the kitsune.
"Life is not fair!" Lila replied.
They came to stand outside Nathanael's room both glaring at each other.
"Now get into your room and don't come out" Lila demanded.
"You can't send me to my room! You're not the boss of me!" Nathanael growled.
"I can and I am!" Lila growled back.
They glared daggers at each other and finally, Lila sighed in annoyance "why are you such a stubborn tomato!?"
"Why are you such an annoying fox?!" Nathanael retorted.
Lila grabbed Nathanael's arm and shoved him into the room "I'm a Kitsune, not a fox!" she said before slamming the door.
Nathanael stood in his room glaring at the door. 'If I go out she'll just throw me back in here…probably lock it too…I'll just draw…but angrily so she knows she's not in charge of me' he stomped over to his desk grabbing his sketchbook and a pencil before falling down on the bed as he flicked open to a clean page and he began to sketch with angry strokes to the page.
"Welcome, please come in, Princess of the swamp" Lila greeted as she bowed her head in respect and moved aside so the princess and her entourage could come in.
'Princess Mylene…when Rose was still around she had a good friendship with her' Lila thought to herself.
"I must apologise as the land God isn't feeling too well, so he can not welcome you"
"What!" Princess Mylene's bodyguard, Kim barked out.
"Yes, I am incredibly sorry" Lila lied "but I have prepared some food to make up for you all travelling here"
She led them to a door which she pushed open revealing a room made to satisfy the princess with food laid out on a low round table and soft zabutons spread around it.
'Now that Nathanael has become the land god I can't let this peace be broken'
Nathanael stared out the window with a glare. He could see down the Princess and her servants enter the shrine.
"Lord Nathanael, please come away from the window," Nooroo said.
"Yes, if they see you Lila will be most displeased," Duusu said, pulling at Nathanael's top.
Lila had sent the spirits to keep Nathanael Company 'More like keep an eye on me' Nathanael thought in annoyance.
"What's so bad about them seeing me?"
"Well then they would know that you are able to see them and you would ruin Lila's plan," Duusu said.
Nathanael glared "Ah, of course, silly me, wouldn't want to go ruining Lila's plan now would we!" he hissed.
Duusu not catching on to his anger answered "So you understand now, that's good"
"Yes, I understand!" Nathanael snapped
Nooroo gasped and went to hide under the blankets on the bed.
"I understand that for some reason Lila thinks that if they find out I'm the land God that it's some shameful secret!" Nathanael growled, "and you agree with her, don't you Duusu!"
Duusu blinked and then she started to tremble as tears appeared in her eyes, she started crying, large droplets of glittering tears tumbled from her eyes. Nooroo came out from under the blankets and rushed to her side to console her. "W-why are you sh-shouting at me!" she cried.
Nathanael cringed guiltily "Duusu, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that I just let my anger take over…I'm sorry"
"I-I can never forgive you!" Duusu cried theatrically as she flew through the door away from Nathanael.
Nooroo gasped and quickly followed after her.
Nathanael sighed and slumped onto the bed. 'I'm an idiot…even if I did show up I wouldn't know what to do…I'd only be a bother' "But I was chosen as the land God…not Lila…it's my job to do this, it's only right I show up!" Nathanael said standing up determinedly and rushing out the door.
Lila, the princess and her entourage were currently sitting on the soft Zabutons around the table. Lila had her orange fan open concealing the lower half of her face.
"Not even showing his face is an insult to Princess Mylene!" Kim growled, slamming his fist on the table shaking the plates and cups. Mylene sat there quietly, she blinked her large brown eyes.
Lila snapped the fan shut but faked a large smile "As I have said I am very sorry but once he feels better we will, of course, come to the swamp to greet you" she looked towards Princess Mylene.
Kim narrowed his eyes as he smirked "We heard the new land God is nothing but a human boy, weak and useless, could it be he took to hiding because he's shaking with fear"
Lila laughed despite the glare glinting in her eyes "Not at all, he was chosen by the previous land God so, even though he's Human he is in no means inferior to us" she lifted a cup of sake and brought it gently to her lips.
Kim glared at the kitsune and continued to talk "According to my sources the new land God was recently attacked by a yokai and instead of fighting he ran away in fear"
Nathanael crept through the hallway, he couldn't afford Nooroo seeing him and sending him back to his room. He came to stand outside the room where the princess was meant to be. He heard raised voices drift through the closed door.
"He's just a human. A frail little boy! To let someone like that be the land God is a joke!" a brash voice said "This shrine will fall to ruins"
Nathanael gasped 'I knew it they are disputing about me'
"No, no, you are mistaken even though Lord Nathanael may appear that way he has a strong will" he heard Lila's voice say. Outside the door, Nathanael's eyes widen as he heard Lila's kind words. "Some may say he'll definitely be able to make the flowers bloom" Nathanael thought back to his failed tries at making the flowers bloom and how depressed he had been over it. Hearing Lila's kind words put hope back in him.
Kim began to laugh "I See what it is now, you're a cowardly fox who's pushed around by that little boy"
Lila also began to laugh, she had her fan open again and positioned to conceal her face "Oh my you're being too harsh, saying that is no different than saying your princess who came all this way to see that little boy is inferior to him"
As quick as a flash of lighting Kim was standing behind Lila his sword positioned just along her neck "I've had enough of you" he growled, "Send that little boy out or your head will be detached from your body, You ignorant fox." He said, a cold glare in his eyes.
Lila fanned herself lazily as she smirked. 'Finally, I have a chance to end this banquet while also having some fun!' Lila thought. She began to slowly stand up "You're so hot-blooded but I suppose there's no helping it then"
Suddenly the door slammed open. "P-Please excuse me for being late" Nathanael called out.
Lila froze as she looked at Nathanael with wide eyes. Kim was looking at Nathanael with a confused glare and Princess Mylene looked towards Nathanael with an unreadable expression.
"I'm Nathanael Kurtzberg, the land God. I felt quite sick so I couldn't come out of my room so I asked Lila to keep you company" Nathanael said as he knelt on his knees and bowed to the princess "I'm very sorry for keeping you waiting so please put your sword away!"
Nathanael looked down at the ground 'I came in here without thinking but I couldn't just stand there while a sword was pointed at Lila…I was scared for her but right now…I'm scared of her!' Nathanael thought as he could feel Lila's cold glare of fury pierce into him.
"Nathanael" Lila quietly hissed.
"Y-yeah" Nathanael replied not daring to look up.
Lila came and knelt beside him "You idiot!" she took his hand and entwined it with hers "why did you come out?" "Now, whatever happens, I have no choice but to focus on protecting you!" Nathanael glanced at his hand that Lila was holding 'She says those words so harshly but she holds my hand so gently' a light dusting of pink spread across his face.
"So you're the land God," Kim said breaking Nathanael out of his thoughts "it appears the rumours are true your nothing but a frail, weak little boy" he sneered.
Kim turned his attention back to Lila "For those insults towards Princess Mylene I'll make you pay with your own blood, fox"
"Sorry, but even though my Lord is here I will not go easy on you," Lila said in a strong calm voice. "So please don't hate me even when I kill you," she said in mockery, her fox ears lowering in fake sympathy.
Nathanael's face went pale at her words 'Kill? She's joking right!? What should I do?'
"That should be my Line!" Kim growled, he raised his sword in a fighting stance.
Lila rolled her eyes and flipped out her fan with a devilish smirk as Kim tried to aim the sword in a slashing direction to her chest only for Lila to deflect it with her fan causing an orange flash.
Nathanael's eyes widened in horror "Hey, let's um maybe stop fighting!? I think if we um just um sit down and talk we can sort out this misunderstanding!" he anxiously said. Nobody listened to him. He glared "Hey Lila-" he started but he was silenced when Lila shoved him away, quite forcefully.
"You're in my way!" Lila growled
"Wahh!" Nathanael said as he fell to the floor but fortunately landed on some soft cushions.
"Take this!" Kim roared as he ran towards Lila brandishing his sword which glinted in the light.
Lila gracefully leapt over him and kicked him in the back as she did so. "I've decided," she said landing on the floor effortlessly. She glanced at Kim with a smirk and delicately held an orange leaf in between her fingers "I'll make fried fish for dinner, how delicious!"
She flicked the leaf which landed in the centre of Kim's Forehead "huh?" Kim muttered before there was 'poof' of orange smoke.
Nathanael's eyes widened in a mixture of fear and curiosity 'What has she done now!'
When the orange smoke cleared Kim was no longer there but there was a fish lying on the floor wriggling about helplessly.
Lila started to laugh, somewhat manically, as she walked over and picked up the Kim-Fish by the tail, he wriggled frantically "Just heat with fire for five minutes and you'll make a lovely side dish!" she raised her left hand and orange flames appeared from her hand, she grinned as she started to hold Kim over the flames.
Nathanael gasped in horror and his eyebrows furrowed in anger as he realised what Lila was going to do. "Lila!" he growled, hands clenching into fists as he stood up.
"How unfortunate for poor fishy, how does it feel to be slowly burned alive by my foxfire!" she laughed.
"Let Him Go!" He shouted.
Lila gasped as his words whacked into her and she dropped the fish, eyes widening as she dropped to her knees. She bowed her head.
Nathanael stomped over and put his hands on his hips "Lila, You overdid it!" he glared "Now apologise!" Nathanael roared.
Eyes wide with fear Lila gently took Kim's fin and gently shook it.
Nathanael raised an eyebrow in confusion "Hmm, you're being awfully obedient for a change…where are the usual rude comments? Or the usual snarky attitude"
"Heh…so this is the power of a land God" a sweet melodic voice spoke.
Nathanael looked up and realised that the Princess was speaking, he had forgotten she was even there she had been that quiet.
"Looks like you truly are the land God," Princess Mylene said.
"Huh, what are you on about?" Nathanael asked.
"That was the power of sacred word binding was it not?" Mylene asked "A Power the land God has that makes sure the familiar obeys every word"
"Sacred Word binding?" Nathanael muttered. Then Nooroo and Duusu came tumbling through the door.
"Lord Nathanael!" Nooroo cried "An order that the God gives becomes one with power that the familiar must obey" he explained "The more powerful an' order, the stronger the force is"
The power's control had long since vanished from Lila but she had kept her head bowed. Her eyebrows were burrowing into a scowl as her lips became a tight thin line.
"A familiar is bound to obey those words…that is the contract between a God and a familiar" Nooroo said.
Nathanael's eyes widened in surprise and then he started to grin.
"You stupid little thing!" Lila cried, jumping up and grabbing Nooroo, she started to shake him "I told you to keep it a secret, now look what you have done!" she cried pointing to Nathanael "He is happy!"
'Maybe this whole Land God thing won't be so bad if I have these powers!' Nathanael thought his eyes brightening as he grinned.
"Lady Familiar" Princess Mylene called out, standing up her long colourful kimono weeping the ground as she gracefully walked over to stand before Kim, who was still a fish. "Kim, My bodyguard is still quite inexperienced so would you please forgive his impoliteness"
Lila stopped shaking Nooroo and let him go, he dizzily fluttered away from her. She looked towards the Princess her green eyes hardening into a suspicious glare.
Princess Mylene continued "I did not come here to quarrel I came here…to ask the Land God to grant my bond-tying wish"
"B-bond-tying," Nathanael said, anxiously rubbing the back of his neck "so it's about um love"
"Tell us about it" Lila instructed.
Princess Mylene fiddled with her long sleeves as she looked at the floor a purple tinted blush appearing on her pale blue skin.
"I only met him once…ten years ago at the edge of tatara swamp…I fell in love with a human boy" she said "His name was Ivan Bruel, he was from the new residential area"
"I'm scared!" a young Ivan cried by the side of a pool of water, his tears dripped down his face and hit the surface of the water causing ripples across the surface.
The water broke and the top of Mylene's body surfaced "What is wrong" she asked in a sweet voice.
Ivan sniffed and looked up to see her concerned blue face with wide brown eyes brimming with empathy.
"I'm scared" he repeated, rubbing at his eyes.
Mylene reached up and gently patted at his head "It'll be okay, I'm here for you…always"
"His crying face was adorable," Mylene said, she pressed her webbed hands against her blushing cheeks
'Are all Yokai sadists?' Nathanael thought.
"In the human world he must have grown into a handsome young man by now," Mylene said. "But sadly I cannot go into the human world in this form and so I cannot see him" she sighed. "I want to finally tie the bond between Ivan and me…and so I must ask…Nathanael, would you please grant my wish?" she bowed her head.
Nathanael's eyes widened at the request 'I'm not too long at this God thing…I've never granted a wish before…can I even do it?' Then he saw her eyes filled with sadness as she could not be with the one she loved and his heart softened 'I have to at least try' he was just about to agree when Lila cut in…
"He won't"
Lila sat reclined over the futon, her head rested in her hand, she looked at Mylene with a cold glare "Romance between a Yokai and a human is taboo, you must know that Princess"
Nathanael's eyes widened at hearing this.
Mylene kept her head bowed as her eyes filled with tears "I do…I do know" she whimpered.
Nathanael felt his heart hurt at the sight of Mylene so upset 'If I was in her position I'd want someone to help me…'
"I understand there is not much I can do" Nathanael started "But I'm going to at least try my best!" he said with bright eyes.
"What!" Lila exclaimed, nearly falling off the Futon.
"Thank you!" Mylene said, joyful tears falling down her face.
Nathanael smiled 'No matter if it's a human or a Yokai we all deserve love…'
For those of you who are reading this fic, I want to make sure that you know how happy that makes me. the fact that people actually read my stories (any of them) will always be important to me. I hope you are all having a wonderful day, lovely readers 3
