Yuki-hime - bishoujosenshi_hime@hotmail.com - PG-13
The trunk opened to reveal a sword, book, and three magical amulets. Ihrie had to blink to make sure she knew what she was looking at. This was the great treasure that was guarded by a spell of protection? She knew that the others had walked up behind her, but she didn't expect Rasha to push her aside and try to grab the treasure. Ihrie didn't even have enough time to tell her that the spell wasn't broken before Rasha met the wall again. The others jumped back, they obvisiously preferred the ground to the wall.
Ihrie glanced back at the others. She still saw the grass in the wind, she still wore the blue dress and no one was making an attempt to move in on the treasure that set in front of them. Ihrie decided that it was her turn and closed the short distance between her and the trunk. She never expected to get thrown back, mainly because the feelings that surrounded her felt familiar. As soon as she touched the trunk for the second time, the three amulets floated in front of her, surrounding. The book found it's way into her lap, and the sword was in front of her. She glimsped around her and saw her companions with opening mouths.
Then everything went black and the magical items glowed.
Lyle stared at the wall, the wall that he'd been staring at for the past hour. It was the vision again. The woman stood on the hill about his castle and called his name again and again. He could never make out her face, but she seemed so familiar.
"Your majesty," a voice broke through the dream and brought Lyle back to his senses. He looked up at the speaker. The Secretary of State again, Troue Phillips.
"Yes?" he answered, a little annoyed.Troue never left him alone about what kind of condition Reon was in. It wasn't like he needed to be reminded every five minutes, he already knew. And he'd done everything in his power at trying to get it back to it's original status.
"Are you okay?" Troue asked sincerely.
The question threw him off of his guard. Troue was concerned about him? "Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking. Was there something you needed?"
"No Your Majesty. I was just worried about you."
"What do you want?" Ihrie's voice echoed through the blackness. She stared at the objects in front of her; the sword, book, and one amulet.
"The power within you," a female voice echoes around the sitting girl.
"What power?" Ihrie asks in a confused voice. She didn't hold any great power.
"The secret to magic."
"I don't understand what you are talking about. If I hold the power of magic within me, then why can't I lift the curse that's on me?" she asked in a frustrated tone.
"The power must be released."
"How do I do that?"
"A journey," the voice sang.
"To where?"
"The stones will guide you. They are called the Juilon. Read the Lancaster and use the sword, Galoia. But don't let anyone use these. The power within them can destroy if put into the wrong hands," the voice faded out, leaving Ihrie alone in the dark with the glowing treasures. The amulet split into three different stones.
"I don't understand," she whispered. The amulets closed in on her. The blue dress changed into a sorceress' outfit. The pants were tight-like dark blue, the top was the same type and color but laced up the front and v-d at the chest to open at the neck. A black belt wound low around her waist and another one adorned the Sword of Magic and hung along her hip. She wore black gloves and boots. The amulets glowed red; two appeared on her hands at the wrists and one around her neck as a necklace. The book floated in front of her. She held out her hands and it fell into them.
The blackness faded into the field of grass with the castle on the next hill. The man appeared again, only closer and a bit clearer this time. "Ihrie..." the voice played upon the wind. It seemed so familiar.
The image quickly died and Ihrie found herself sitting in front of the trunk in the sorceress' outfit. She stared at the chest, looking closely at the engravings. Some were on the door they had entered. She recognized the treasure now. A sword, book, and three stones of red. "But what does it mean?" she asked aloud.
"I don't know, but we all have a few questions for you," Shigeo's voice stated behind her and she jumped up.
"Shigeo," she whispered. "Everyone's here."
"Where else would we be?" Rasha asked sarcastically.
"I'm not sure," she whispered to herself. "Something feels out of place."
"What are you mumbling about? How did you change clothes?" Shigeo asked as he stepped in front of her.
A week later...
"Your Majesty, the small band of soldiers you sent to the southern part of Reon are back with news," a court servant annouced.
"Good, send them in," Lyle spoke in authority.
Two men entered the room; a captain and ranking officer who both bowed. "Your Majesty," the captain began. "We looked into the problem and have a few suggestions."
"Very well," he said, signally them to stand and speak.
"There were more bandits than we expected. They've captured the villages in the area. We came into no contact with them, but were threatened by the villagers."
"Why?"
"They spoke about a curse. They said that we would die if we stayed any longer."
"They also mumbled about a monster attacking them and killing everyone if we refused to leave," the officer stated.
"I see. Then I guess we have no choice but to handle this with care," Lyle said.
"What do you plan to do?" the captain asked.
"I want you to find some people for me. I think that they might be able to help a great deal," Lyle said as he wrote out four names and handed the captain the paper.
He looked at the names and nodded. "I'll see that these people are here within a two week period."
"Don't force them," Lyle spoke in the commanding tone.
Ihrie glanced at her friends. They took the news quite well, considering that she didn't.
*FLASHBACK*
Ihrie back up, afraid of what Shigeo might do. How was she going to tell them what happen? How would she explain it? And would they even believe her?
"Ihrie, you had better explain what the hell's been going on," Shigeo warned as he closed the gap.
Ihrie felt the back of the chest on her legs. No where else to go. "Well, where would you like me to start?"
"The beginning sounds pretty good to me," he replied.
"I had a strange vision that showed me a castle. Then I heard about this one and thought it might work out," she said as she looked at the man in front of her. "And before we opened the trunk, I had it again. You snapped me out of it, but I felt a pull towards the chest and then I had the vision again," she concluded, hoping that they would buy half a truth instead of the whole.
"Why do you have different clothing then?" Fam asked. She had been standing with Rasha and Miguel.
"I don't know," she lied.
*END FLASHBACK*
She looked back in the fire. She had read the book from cover to cover. She understood a lot more now, but not how to unlock her power. 'What did the voice mean?' she thought as she absently fingered the stone on her left wrist.
"Are you okay?" Shigeo asked. He sat down beside Ihrie and watched the fire dance.
"Yes, I was just thinking about something."
Shigeo shifted his gaze to her. She seemed distracted, not like the Ihrie of a week ago. She seemed more serious and weighted down. She seemed alot more things than the woman he meet almost three weeks ago. "Ihrie, I'm concerned about you. Fam and the others are worried too."
She glanced up at him before returning her gaze back to the fire. "Why?"
"You've lead us to almost twenty different towns in a week. Why?"
"I have my reasons."
"Okay, I'll let that one slip," Shigeo smiled at her. A knowing smile. "But I want my next question answered. None of this beating around the damn bush." Silence filled the air. He really hadn't expected to get anything from her. She still stared into the fire. "Fam and I have noticed that you seem to be praticing magic more often and not changing into a mouse."
Ihrie sat still, not moving as she looked into the fire. She hadn't realized that she hadn't turned into the mouse. But she also hadn't realized that Shigeo knew. Fam must have said something when she was concerned. Was that the key then? That she must pratice the magic of the book? That didn't make sense to her. 'The magic in the book is the same magic that I use.'
"Ihrie, are you even going to act surprised that I know your curse?" Shigeo asked. He'd become a little worried. Had she slipped off into the visions of hers again?
"It doesn't make sense," she whispered.
"What doesn't make sense?" he asked her, suddenly concerned.
"The same magic," she said as she stood and glanced around at the surroundings.
AN: I know it's short! But good right? ^^ So are any of you totally confused? I decided to stop and wait until the next chapter. Sooo, wanna review? Please! *puupy dog eyes* N-ways, I'll try to have chapter 4 out soon.
I'd like to thank Kat, QuistyGirl, and Lynderia (again ^.^ thanks for reading Tenshi no Tetsu, too!).