~***~

I can't make up my mind.....I really can't. I was never good at making decisions in the first place...I mean, seriously, I'm the one that was always torn between tomàto or tomaeto!! Yeah, I know, sad really..........sighs Hitomi always chose tomaeto...frown

Well...I don't know whether I'm happy to be here..or whether I'm dying to get home...I really can't make up my mind...

On the one hand, I spend almost everyday with Allen..the Heavenly Knight...oh and he is sooo heaven-sent. We ride sometimes on beautiful horses. Allen said that I could choose one for my very own! I chose a mare, with a shimmering white coat. Her name is Gwynne. Its wonderful, Asturia is full of pastures and fields, it's a beautiful place...no pollution..no noisy cars..

But on the other hand......I have been gone from Earth, well...it must be at least 3 weeks now...Certainly my parents must be searching for me! Oh and I miss my friends, and even my parents...a bit... But especially Hitomi, I wish she could be here with me. She would love this, she'd think this one whole adventure..laugh softlyThis is exactly what she dreams of....odd that I'm the one that gets to live it eh?.....

~***~

"This is impossible!" Yukari exclaimed, sucking on her bleeding thumb. Her embroidery fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. Eries, Millerna's older sister, looked up, frustration eminent in her eyes. She bent over and picked up Yukari's embroidered handkerchief. She dropped it in Yukari's lap.

"Over and under and cross twice! Its not that hard!" Eries exclaimed, turning back to her own work. Yukari rolled her eyes, it was so boring! Almost worst than English class! She traced circles on the plain white fabric. She couldn't count the number of pricks lining her thumb and forefinger from the damn needles.

"Princess Eries...couldn't...we please do something else?" Yukari asked hesitantly. Even now, Yukari could hardly keep the tremor out of her voice when speaking to the older princess. Eries was so proper, Yukari felt more than a little bit terrified of her.

"Oh Eries, stop forcing that godawful work on the child, surely, be merciful!" Millerna's voice rang, and she laughed. Yukari turned and looked at Millerna. The younger princess was seated by the open window, staring out at the pouring rain. Eries made a face, but ignored the remark. With a wave of her hand, Eries dismissed Yukari from The boresome work. Yukari stood up and stretched. The tight top of the dress stretched, she felt binded. She approached behind Millerna, watching the rain washing down in torrents from the heavens. Millerna didn't acknowledge her presence, but she spoke anyway,

"I love the sound of the rain hitting the water. It makes such pretty patterns in the water," Millerna gazed out through the window at the dark, sloshing sea in the distance. Yukari listened to the slap of the water hitting water. She nodded,

"Yes, it is very peaceful."

Millerna turned, and looked at the younger girl. "Come with me, Yukari, lets take a walk." She stood. Yukari stared at her,

"In the rain?"

Millerna glanced at her, "You said it was peaceful."

Yukari nodded, and followed The princess out.



They strolled through The wet grass, getting their shoes dirty. Millerna provided cloaks so as to keep The rain out. They walked in silence, but it was a compatible silence. Finally, Millerna spoke,

"How do you like it, here in Asturia?"

Yukari hid a smile, how many had asked her that.

"I am becoming accustomed to it." She replied shortly. Millerna nodded.

"And of The knight?" She asked, her eyes hiding everything. Yukari blinked, and blushed a rosy pink. Millerna took note of her reaction, but, it wasn't unusual. Almost every young girl, from kitchen maid to princesses of other countries, always fell head over heels for The dashing Allen Schezar. The trick was knowing whether he returned The feelings. Yukari withdrew into The hood of her cloak.

"He's very nice." Her voice was high. Yukari hated herself for betraying all her feelings, but she knew that she had The biggest crush on The Knight of Asturia, and she felt guilty, for Millerna was so nice to her. And to repay The princess, Yukari was falling in love with Millerna's guy. Yukari blushed again. Millerna hid a smile, Yukari didn't even realize it sometimes, but her actions were so blunt, so easy to read. Everything about The girl was so easy to read, from the emotions that flitted across her face to the very actions that she did.

"Yes..tell me, where does he take you?"

Yukari stared at the princess in alarm, then calmed, realizing The innocent question asked.

"We..ride sometimes, through The pastures. Sometimes, he reads or tells me stories of The war. He likes talking about that..." Yukari paused, studying The princess's glazed look, but Millerna shook her head, signaling her to continue. Yukari took a breath, "Sometimes..we just walk, through The gardens. We just talk."

"What about?" Millerna asked sharply. Yukari shrugged,

"Just..stuff I guess. He always asks me how I feel, and I tell him truthfully, that I miss my friends, my family. Sometimes he asks what my world is like, he always asks that. I tell him about my world, my school." She shrugged again, "Just stuff."

Millerna nodded, silent.

Yukari wrung her hands under her cloak. She hated this awful tension that was building.

~***~

...what am I to do!! I like Millerna, she's been nothing but kind and compassionate since I got here! I don't want her to think that I'm stealing her guy! fretful

..But am I?...

No way, I mean, Allen is a Knight and I'm..I'm just some girl that landed in his world. Well...we do spend a lot of time together....

No..no there just isn't any way. Allen just likes to hear of my world, and he's just being nice. I think he sees me as a sort of little-sister figure..although, I see him as MUCH more than that..

And anyway, why would he even think of me if he could have Millerna. She's...she's just so perfect. She's beautiful, and she's funny and intelligent. Not to mention that if he marries her, he'd be King!

The weird thing is, why does Millerna always look so mad at me whenever I speak of Allen to her, or when I return from riding with him! Its like she's jealous or something...but, why should she be jealous of me! I mean..ME!

sigh..I'll just ell her she has nothing to worry about...I want her to go back to being my friend, she really is very nice..

~***~

"Millerna," Yukari started, turning towards The princess. Millerna looked at Yukari, her eyes attentive. Yukari smiled hesitantly, "Princess Millerna, I don't want you to think that there's anything more than friendship between myself and Allen, because there isn't."

Millerna nodded, masking her emotions skillfully. Yukari continued,

"So..you have nothing to worry about."

Millerna raised her eyes, a look of surprise,

"Who said I was worried?" She asked, an edge to her tone. Yukari stared at The ground. Millerna turned, heading back towards The castle.

"Its getting dark." She said, without a backward glance at Yukari. Yukari watched The princess, her cloak trailing after her. She gulped, she hated this whole drama.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Yukari blinked, her eyes opening slowly. The next morning had dawned bright and sunny. She sat up slowly, her legs dangling over The edge of The bed. She stretched, then stood up. Crossing The room, she opened The door, entering The outer chambers that connected her room to Millerna's, as wells as to all The other handmaidens. She stared around in bewilderment. Dozens of ladies stood around, surrounded by even more servants and girls of every sort. The ladies were down to their undergarments, and were being measured and fitted. Millerna was in The midst of The fray, directing incoming and outgoing traffic. The princess looked up at Yukari, and a huge smile broke out. Yukari was glad that Millerna wasn't going to stay upset at her. Millerna grabbed Yukari and grinned,

"C'mon Yukari! You have to be fitted for new gowns!" She exclaimed, her golden hair shimmering. Yukari stared at her, almost dragged by Millerna.

"Wha...what? What's going on?"

"Why, Father is going to throw a ball! Kings and queens and duchies of all over will be attending!" Millerna grabbed a tailor and brought him over. Yukari looked at Milllerna. A ball? Wasn't that some sort of dancing.....

"Wait." Yukari stopped The tailor from taking The measurements. He scowled at her, very busy and ticked off that Yukari wasn't cooperating. "Millerna, I...I don't know how to dance..." She trailed off. The princess shook her head, and tossed her hair,

"That's alright, just go there and.....smile and nod a lot!" Millerna was obviously in a good mood. Yukari decided not to pursue, and stood around placidly while her measurements were taken.

Finally, she was allowed to go free. She exited The hectic chambers and wandered down The halls. Asturia's palace was so medieval, something out of a story or a movie. Yukari still almost couldn't believe that she was here, transported back in time...or...was it even back in time? She still got confused over some things, but she had learned to shove The ones that disturbed her most to The back of her mind.

She bumped into someone. She looked up,

"Allen!" She exclaimed. Allen smiled down on her, and it was like sunshine.

"How are you doing Yukari?"

"Same as yesterday." She replied. Allen smiled. Yukari's replies were so odd, so different. Talking with her never got boring. "Allen, Millerna tells me there's going to be a ball."

Allen nodded,

"Yes, its in a few weeks. Are you looking forward to it?"

Yukari blushed, her eyes downcast demurely,

"I can't dance."

Allen laughed, "I'm sure you can."

Yukari shook her head, somewhat sadly, "No, I can't. Really..." Yukari's face twisted in a wry smile, "Last time I tried, I fell all over myself."

Allen narrowed his eyes in confusion. "You fell all over yourself?" He asked, trying to imagine it, but not really succeeding.

Yukari giggled. He was so cute when he tried to decipher her phrases. She often forgot that everything was so different here. She shook her head,

"Nevermind, anyway, are you going to the ball?"

Allen shook his head, "Dancing and social gatherings have lost their sparkle for me." He answered.

"Why is that?"

Allen shrugged, "As a young knight, I often prided myself in charming the ladies, in being the king of the ball. But now, it all seems so pointless."

Yukari gazed at him wistfully, almost wishing that Allen was going, to give herself a reason to go. She nodded, not really understanding, but trying to make it look like she did.

"I see."

"You should go, it is a lot of fun." Allen chided her. Yukari looked away,

"Yet not for you?"

Allen was silent. Yukari sighed, then smiled up at him. She could hardly begrudge him for not attending a ball.

"Well, I'll see you around."

Allen nodded,

"Are you up to riding, later on?" He asked. Yukari broke into a grin,

"Of course!"

Allen smiled too, "Meet me at the stables."

Yukari nodded, and he was gone.

~***~

A ball! A real live ball!!! Oh my god, I can't wait! Only a few more weeks, and I'll be dressed in a beautiful gown, mingling with kings and queens....and although not dancing, I'll socialize maybe! I can't wait!!!

...if only Allen would go...

sighI can just imagine him there, dancing..whirling and waltzing around. He'd be so dashing, so handsome.. and all the girls would want to dance with him...smile inwardly ..but he would come straight towards me, and he'd take me in his arms....and we'd waltz around. Around and around, in his arms....

No...I shouldn't think that. I shouldn't even get my hopes up.....first of all, Allen said he isn't even going to the ball, second, if he did, he would go straight for Millerna...dressed in glittering jewels, the princess of the ball...

sigh

Oh...but is it so wrong to dream?

~***~