A/N: The ending chapter of the first arc is short, but I have to say I cannot put in so much infomation in what is going to come in the second arc. I hope it will keep you in suspense like always. Then again, I will not hinder,

'Fujino-hime?'

I looked at the tall and muscular man that stood in front of me, his tall figure blocked out the early rays of the summer sun. His eyes widened at me and I gazed at him, who was this princess was he talking about? The Kuga household has no habitant called Fujino, as so he speaks. My eyes glanced at his attire and I realised that he was a messenger for a shrine. His kimono kept pristine white and his hakama dyed of the colour of dark blue. The sleek black hair of hair pulled tightly into a top knot and his dark eyes staring at me in shock.

I pulled my hands away from the wooden frame of the door into the Kuga household and wondered again, who was this Fujino princess that he had questioned.

I am Shizuru.

I am no princess, only but a servant to Kuga-sama.

'Are you looking for Kuga-sama?'

I asked him rather politely after the strange silence took over us. I placed my hands in front of me and gazed over to the page boy that held the brown horse of this man before me. My voice somewhat broke that infinite daze of the man that loomed before me and he stuttered out,

'Yes…yes.' His speech then soon became clear,

'I am a messenger from the Grand Shrine of Ise; I have come to relay a message to Kuga Natsuki. '

I nodded politely at the man,

'Wait here, I will call for Kuga-sama.'

Before I could turn to move back and walk back through the courtyard, my skin picked up the comforting aura that my master now gave off and my nose was filled with the freshness of the ocean and the light smell of fall. I knew my master was near and I turned to expectedly find her walking out of the sliding doors of the second entrance of the house and towards my direction. I had wanted to call out to her, but all of a sudden, I felt a strong grasp land onto my arm. The messenger's voice whispered,

'Fujino-hime, why are you…?'

My master hand gripped hard onto the man's wrist and I managed to pull my arm away. I eased away slightly from the messenger before me and moved over to stand next to my master. My master's eyes darkened under the sunlight and her presence made the atmosphere somewhat cold and unpleasant, like always, I am already used to it. My master's spoke coldly,

'Do not touch her.'

The messenger's face blanked for a second or two and his face turned pale after that. I watched a shiver run through his arms and the horse behind him became somewhat restless all of sudden. His dark eyes had lost its colour and it widened more at the sight of my master. He hastily pulled his hand back and glanced at me in disbelief. Out of the blue, the messenger pulled into a low bow before my master. His voice was trembling; no matter how hard to hide his fear, it came out so evidently in the way he spoke.

'Good day Kuga-sama,' I felt my master's hand rest on my shoulder and I briefly glanced at my master, 'I have a message for you from the Grand shrine of Ise.'

My master moved her head to gesture me to leave her side and I gave into a bow. As I pulled back up, dark eyes of the messenger looked at me in doubt and his mouth turned into a frown. It was as if he was scared at me, terrified of me when I have done nothing but give a presence before him.

What is there to be terrified of?

I am only Shizuru.

A mere servant of my master…

My master.

A/N: The first arc of 'Paper doll' has officially ended. I hope that one has enjoyed it and will continue to read 'Paper doll'. Sad to say that there's no preview dialogue for the continuing second arc, so one will just have to wait. Soon, but very soon.

For the info: One must remember that I never introduced Shizuru as Fujino Shizuru, in the story and in the summary. So that explains why Shizuru is questioning. That is all I can give at the moment. The second arc to come will bring more questions, but also more answers.

Then again,

Cheers!