Thank you MichiyoYuki for reviewing last time!
I suggest listening to Sleepsong by Secret Garden for this chapter, especially for the portion with Tsuna.
I hope you enjoy this chapter!
"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will destroy my psyche. Keep that in mind the next time you throw your words around carelessly, lest the soul of a child break with your heedless actions used to destroy haphazardly."
Chapter Eleven
Escape plan number 27: A round of golf.
"FOUR!" Is all the warning I give before swinging down the club I had half-heartedly carved and hit the rounded out pieces of wood I had created- each embedded with hardening spells, along with something...extra.
The projectile leaves a trail of light behind it as it speed through the air, suddenly splitting into four pieces and breaking through the weak points in the castle walls. And now with the use of the shadow walker spell, I am free to move about unseen- so long as I move through the darkness. I have no worries. This kingdom is full of shadows for me to move through, especially seeing how the sun was setting.
Now. Let's see how far I can get.
"You know," Reborn drawled as we walked through the castle, "I get the distinct feeling that you aren't really giving it your all to escape."
"And I have the feeling that you have been using my escape attempts as a way to force the castle guards to fix up all those blind spots that have been left unattended for years despite the warnings they were given," I retort easily.
The man smirks in reply, but prompts me to answer his unstated question.
I sigh and think back to that wonderful sunrise I had been able to witness not too long ago thanks to my latest escape attempt, taking time to think how I should phrase my answer. "You are not wrong. Since my attempt to slip past four Arcobaleno, I have not given full effort since. My magic temperance is still unbalanced and it would be unwise to force my full abilities to the surface until I can recover. For the time being, I thought it best to gain a better understanding of the real world and to enjoy what little I can experience."
"Then how far does your abilities fall, I wonder."
Now it is my turn to smirk. "That is a secret best kept between the Lady of the Wood and myself."
"Speaking of the Elf Queen, I heard from Giotto that you taught him a bit of your kinds livelihood as well as some information about dragonborns."
"Dragon lore is a sad one," I hum. "It runs deep through the tresses of history for all mankind, laced deep with sorrow and unforgiving natures. Much experience is gained from that knowledge and it is a sin to trample on those experiences of others when you can learn from them to avoid a similar future."
"Much can be gained," the raven agreed. "Giotto can come out a much greater man than his predecessors with your help, should you choose to lend your strength and knowledge to him."
"A borrowed elf has no place in a human's kingdom, less so a banished half elf." I stop walking to level a steady gaze at the man. "Your king is already too far gone to be saved, but that is no excuse for him to seek enlightenment in his fading years from a source with no promise- it is but empty hope. My time in the academy was not by normal means and was most definitely not recorded properly. Elves had certainly agreed to give up a number of their young to the mages school, but I do not think that your kind thought carefully as to what kind they could send and for what cost."
Reborn returned my heavy stare, thinking carefully before answering. "Who are you?"
"I am whoever I need to be at the moment I live in. I have long since given up the right to be myself."
"Then what of your true name."
"It is something that can never be acknowledged unless I have gone past the far reaches of all outside desire."
The man sighed almost imperceptibly. "You are quite the sad case."
"No one ever said that every person would live happily. This is a world where sin rules and others must pay the price, that is life."
Reborn shook his head. "I think it is best if we leave it here for today, or I shall be tempted to wrangle more details out of you."
I allow another smirk to cross my features. "Only if you could. You would find that I would not so easily give up such valuable information. But I shall acquiesce your request. I think a nice nap is in order."
After a nod, I wandered off to look for a nice quiet spot for some sleep. Upon my little search I come across the youngest hatchling, who was receiving a harsh bout of belittlement from one of his many tutors.
"Honestly!" The man snarled. "How could a candidate for the throne be so inept in every way possible? I could teach rocks to sing faster than get anything through that thick skull of yours, you useless brat!"
"And I could easily send a molten hot grain of sand from your temple down to your toes," I cut in calmly, stalking up to the two slowly- in a way that the man would surely take as a predator walking up to its prey. "Such a weak willed and unknowledgable man, to be spouting such things in front of someone who has lived and breathed such information for a hundred years- 'tis an insult. And what does a man who was dropped by his own mentor know of the archaic arts, I wonder..."
The man spluttered, his face turning red and his heart rate skyrocketing.
I quirk an eyebrow, unamused. "Nezu, I would leave if I were you. I can clearly read your past and have no problems with sharing such information with the rest of the castle."
"Why-! You-! The king will hear of this!" The man shouted before running off.
"I certainly hope he does," I huff loud enough for the retreating man to hear before turning back to the young hatchling. "Do not take what he said to heart young one. For someone who claims such high standing as a mage, his ineptitude is pitiful if he lacks the sight to see the full power burning within you. You have quite the potential- should you ever decide to act on it."
I yawn and look around, deciding to leave the conversation there in favor of much needed sleep. But as I was about to walk away, I feel a tug on my robes and look down once more, this time taking a knee in front of the child.
To my surprise (quite a feat for someone so young) he wraps his arms around my neck and buries his face into the crook. "Thank you."
It is slightly foolish of me, but… It has been so long since I have seen my younger brother, and this child is so much like him. For the first time in a long, long time...I miss home.
I hug the child gently. "As long as your heart remains kind and true, you are always more than welcome."
"Lay down your head and I'll sing you a lullaby; Back to the years of loo-li lai-lay; And I'll sing you to sleep and I'll sing you tomorrow; Bless you with love for the road that you go..."
"NíSöra, are you sure this is okay?" The young child asks hesitantly. [pronounced: Nee-soo-ra]
Funny, how this child had taken to such a dangerous being as myself so quickly. But he seems to have the latent hidden ability to be able to read the hearts of others. The humorous part though was that he asked for a form of endearment in Elvish. How he could tell that the first word I gave him (MënSöra) was the formal way of referring to an older female one respected, was beyond me. Perhaps he also has the ability to see through lies? It would make sense since he was a descendant of the first king. [pronounced: Mayn-soo-ra]
"May you sail fair to the far fields of fortune; With diamonds and pearls at your head and your feet; And may you need never to banish misfortune; May you find kindness in all that you meet."
Looking down at the child I grin. Even in dragon form, I'm sure that he can see my smile (borderlining smirk) quite easily. "Are you afraid of heights? Or perhaps, you're afraid I'll drop you?"
The child shook his head immediately. "I trust NíSöra, I know you won't drop me, but..."
I roll my shoulders and lean down to pick up the child in my maw, depositing him on my back. "Little Manwë, you should be grateful that a dragon would allow you the privilege to ride them and worry less about what the other fools of the court may attempt when they find you missing a few inadequate lessons." [pronounced: Mahn-way]
"May there always be angels to watch over you; To guide you each step of the way; To guard you and keep you safe from all harm; Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay..."
With that, I take to the air, spiraling up in a gentle ascent so that the hatchling would not be in danger of falling off. I could feel him tighten his grip on the horns protruding from my head and burying his face into the mane running down my spine so that he wouldn't chance the risk of looking down. We land on top of the highest tower, where no guards ever patrolled (I checked, they all believed that there was a poltergeist hanging around, moronic fools). But, just to be safe, I allow a portion of my body to lay across the doorway on the ground, seeing as I would be maintaining a dragon form for the most part while I was up here to keep the hatchling warm and comfortable during our nap. Pulling the child down to rest within the nook of my foremost arms and then curling around him, I watch as he makes himself comfortable and bury his head near my elbow. Without really meaning to, I started to sing a lullaby from a long distant past that I had given up.
"May you bring love and may you bring happiness; Be loved in return to the end of your days; Now fall off to sleep, I'm not meaning to keep you; I'll just sit for a while and sing loo-li, lai-lay."
This small child so full of light and purity, despite the harshness that had befallen him, it reminded me so much of… No. That is no longer a privilege that applies to me. Perhaps it is not quite coincidence that this is the first lullaby called to the front of my memory, for all the blessing and wishes whispered in Elven tongue is meant to fullest degree. I truly hope that this light will continue to shine bright and overcome the darkness that creeps closer in the future, because then perhaps there shall be hope for this world. I look down at the child, his wide amber eyes slowly closing to a tune so unfamiliar to any he had ever heard before. His light is so bright that I fear to look into his future to see what becomes of him. I have not felt the brush of a tendril of hope in so long, it would be a bitter affair to lose that again.
"May there always be angels to watch over you; To guide you each step of the way; To guard you and keep you safe from all harm; Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay."
This child and the blond one, may you keep that light burning bright and lead this world to a new day. Perhaps then the whisper of my true name shall return to me, and then... maybe I can come upon the chance to face 'them' again.
"Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay…"
Even after we awake, Tsunayoshi and I stay on top of the tower. It is easy enough to entertain the child with little bursts of magic, such as dozens of tiny balls of light dancing around in the evening air. It also proves easy enough to teach the child what the fake professor had failed, the child had an amazing learning curve as it turned out. The hatchling was currently chasing bubbles I had created, popping them and giggling when a burst of rainbows, lights, or other surprises I had enchanted them with came forth.
Suddenly he pauses, holding a bubble and turned to look at me. "NíSöra, do you have any fairy blood in you?"
This question inspires a small smile, even if I am a little confused where he came up with such a notion. "What makes you think that hatchling?"
"Mama used to tell me stories about fairies. She said that if you could catch one, they would grant you any wish- as long as it was within their power. Mama says that there are a lot of magical creatures that try to grant wishes, but it's a fairy you want for a powerful wish because fairies are born with the widest range of magic."
I nod. "It's true. Fairies, being born from the earth itself, have the widest skill range that differs from a normal elf or mortal. It is said that fairies use an ancient magic that has long since been lost to all mankind and their elven neighbors. But this does not answer why you believe that I have fairy blood flowing through my veins."
Tsuna bounces the bubble gently, cupping the small transparent orb. "Ever since Papa sent me away, I've been wishing to meet someone who would be as nice as Mama, who would care about me without lies and bad thoughts. And when I met Giotto, I also started wishing that he would spend more time with me rather than staying away to protect me...And you...And NíSöra granted me both wishes..." The child glances through his bangs with a shy, but very warm smile.
I was wrong. This child and my little one are not the same, but neither are any less endearing. It is a shame that I cannot...That I…
"Let me tell you a story that my mother used to tell me when I was much smaller." I beckoned the child forward and seat him on my lap with his back leaning into my stomach. "Long ago, in the times where dragons still roamed the land and fairies were a common sight, there was a young prince of the fairy race. One day he met a young wood elf wandering through his forests and decided to pursue her. The wood elf denied him on several occasions, telling him it was for not and they they were never to be. The fairy prince still kept trying, not able to understand why the young maiden refused him entry to her heart, even when she had already started to fall for him. It soon came to light that the young elf was not a wood elf at all, but a high elf in disguise. The elf was actually meant to ascend the throne to be queen soon and had disguised herself as a lesser race so that she could enjoy the remnants of her freedom."
"What happened?" The hatchling asked breathlessly.
"The Prince decided that he would not give up his chosen love and cast away his right to the throne. But it was still for not, because the Elven Queen is not given the privilege to choose outside her court for a lover. She begged the young Prince to return to his people so that she would not have to bear through the heartbreak and guilt of leaving behind not only her family, but her beloved. However, the Prince was stubborn and refused, promising to wait in that glen where they first met for all of eternity if he had even a chance to see her once more…And- just before the elf could take up the title of queen- she ran away to be with the Prince."
"What happened to the two of them?"
"An elf who is to be the next ruler and willingly gives up the throne is banished from their land and their home, never to return. However, it is said that they mingled into the human world and lived a life of comfort, content with each other's presence. Their children married other humans and their bloodline became diluted until it disappeared."
"That isn't fair!" Tsuna exclaimed, twisting around to look at me. "Why do they have to banish elves who don't want to be king or queen?"
"Elven rulers have to fight for that position, to turn your back on that is to turn your back on your people. That is the way it has been for thousands and thousands of years."
"But if it keeps them from their family or loved ones, that's not fair!" The child argued. "Everyone deserves to be with who keeps them happiest! No one has the right to take people from their friends and family. That just makes them bad people."
I reach up and brush away the tears from amber orbs. "Sometimes choices must be made for the good of others, even if it hurts. Each elf who makes a chance for the throne knows what they must leave behind and the sacrifices they must make for that position. The ruler of the elves are taken away from their family for a good reason, though I cannot say because it is a secret for only my people to know. After making those sacrifices, it is considered a sin to turn you back on your people and responsibility, even if it is for a good reason."
The hatchling turned around fully and wrapped his arms around me tightly. "Then why is your heart breaking, NíSöra?"
I smile bitterly and look up into the sky. "I would allow them to banish me to the farthest reaches of the world if it meant that the only people I care about would live safely. I will always selfishly choose their safety over their happiness, because then at least I know that they are alive- even if they will not forgive such actions."
To guard you and keep you safe from all harm; Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay…
Soundtrack: Sleepsong by Secret Garden (Disclaimer: I do not own, duh)
MënSöra (Mayn-soo-ra): formal way of referring to an older female one respects
NíSöra (Nee-soo-ra): an endearment meaning elder sister, not necessarily used for blood-relations
Elven male name- Manwë [pronounced: Mahn-way] meaning pure
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