Chapter 3: Preparation for the Celebration!

Hey I rhymed! Lol. It's preparation time and everything is in chaos! =D Lets see…who should be the evil sorceress…or maybe I should make it a g----OOOOOOOOOO! MAJOR IDEA!!! O_o!!! *coughs* There's gonna be some more changes to this fairy tale! D!

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         It was finally the fifth day, and the streets were filled with music and partying as everyone prepared to go to the castle. Other royal families had arrived and were making their way to Lykouleon. Dealte was walking around the city, awed by its size and greatness. Everywhere she looked she saw signs of how much the people loved their Dragon Lord.

         As she walked past a store she caught a glimpse of one of the passing carriages that was heading to the castle. My there are a lot of royal families coming, she thought to herself. When another one passed she tried to catch a glimpse of its occupant. She froze when she saw it was, her the color draining from her face. She staggered and quickly threw out an arm to catch herself, only to feel another person holding her up from behind. She blinked and turned around to see the Blue Dragon Officer looking down at her, concern etched all over his face.

         "Are you all right, Ms. Dealte?" Kai-stern asked, his white eyes filled with concern.

         She nodded and straightened. "Yes…thank you Kai-stern. I just had a…dizzy spell that's all." She smiled at him.

         The Dragon Officer raised an eyebrow then pushed his glasses up a little to the bridge of his nose. "Well I was just passing by to return to the castle. You looked like you had seen a ghost." He glanced over at her.

         Dealte blinked. "No, no, no!" she stammered, waving her hands. "It must be the heat!" she said as she inched her way away. "I think I'll be heading back to the castle now! Bye and thanks!" She shot off to the castle, leaving Kai-stern to look after her bewildered.

         The Blue Dragon Officer just shrugged and glanced at his watch. There was still some time left before he had to go back to the castle. Eh, it's been a long trip… he thought as he entered the pub. He walked over to the counter and sat down.

         The bartender blinked and went over to him. "Well, if it isn't Kai-stern! Been a while since we saw you come in here!"

         Kai-stern grinned up at him. "Heh, yeah, I've been pretty busy, what with the princess and all. Just get me the usual."

         "Coming right up!"

         When his drink arrived, Kai-stern held the glass and looked at it thoughtfully. "Hey…has any suspicious characters been in here?"

         "Everyone is suspicious looking around here, haha."

         A small sweat bead formed on Kai-stern's head. "You know what I mean." He leaned in closer. "Any yokai been sighted?"

         The bartender furrowed his brows as he cleaned a glass. "No…that I rec—oh wait I do remember something."

         Kai-stern drank a little of his glass and looked at him. "Do tell."

         The bartender leaned over the counter and kept his voice low. "Word has it that there's a conspiracy going around the demon realm. My bet is that it has to do something with the little princess."

         The Blue Dragon Officer stared at him. "A conspiracy, eh?" Same thing as the other kingdoms… "Any idea on who might be behind it?"

         "Nope."

         "Thanks, anyway." Kai-stern downed his drink and paid the bill. "Catch you later," he said as he walked out. He stood in the doorway and looked at the castle. "I wonder…" He walked back to the castle, his head deep in thought.

         When he reached the gates he spotted Tetheus patrolling the grounds and walked over, only to be tackled by a white wolf demon. He laughed as the anime continued to lick his face repeatedly, knocking his glasses off in the process. "Crewger!! Get off me you big oaf!!"

         The wolf demon just continued to slobber the dragon officer. Tetheus strolled over, a look of amusement on his face. "I see you have met the welcoming committee."

         When Kai-stern finally pushed off Crewger he sat up and looked at Tetheus while scratching behind the wolf demon's ears. "Ugh, and I just took a shower, too! Oh well, Alfeegi would probably make me take another one." His looked hardened. "But Tetheus…there's something I would like to discuss. You've got everything secure around here right? There are no glitches in the shield or anything, right?
         Tetheus blinked. "Of course. Everything has been checked and double-checked." He looked at Kai-stern. "Do you think I am not performing my job correctly?"

         Kai-stern sweatdropped. "No! I was just checking for my own assurance…"
         The Black Dragon Officer turned and glanced down at Kai-stern. "Everything is secure, there is no doubt in that. Rest assured. Oh, and Alfeegi would like to speak to you about…certain cost matters?"

         Kai-stern flinched. "This is more than what I need." He stood up and dusted himself off. "Right, but I'm going to get myself cleaned up. Later." He jogged to the castle.

         Ruwalk blinked when he saw Kai-stern flash by him. "Hey Kai—"

         "Later!!" the Blue Dragon Officer yelled over his back.

         Ruwalk stared after him then shrugged. "Must be trying to hide from Alfeegi…oh well back to work," he said to himself as he toward Lykouleon's office.

         "Where are you going?" a small voice asked near his ear.

         "To see the Dragon Lord," he automatically replied then blinked. He turned slightly and saw the three water lights flying around him. "I thought you guys were with the princess!"

         Shian just huffed. "We had to explore you know! It's not every day one gets to stay inside the Dragon Lords castle!"

         "I thought it was a palace…" Hana-Kusuku said.

         "Well…same difference!" Shian said. She turned back to Ruwalk. "Anyway, this place is huge! We almost got ourselves lost!"

         Miyabi flew in front of him. "Who was that guy that had ran past you?"

         "Oh, that was Kai-stern, the Blue Dragon Officer."

         "Oooooh he was CUTE!" Shian said giggling. She flew over to Miyabi and gave her a sly look. "I bet you want to meet him, don't you Miyabi?"

         Miyabi stared at her. "I do not! I was just curious! I've never seen the other Dragon Officers so I was just curious!"

         The blue haired water light just nodded. "Yep, yep, that's what they ALL say!"

         Ruwalk just stood there with a sweat bead on his head. "Er…um…can I…?"

         "Whee! This is fun!" he heard Hana-Kusuku say by his ear.

         "What is?"

         The water light just giggled. "Your hair is just long enough!"

         Ruwalk blanched. "What are you doing?!"

         Shian flew over and burst out laughing. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"

         "It's hard finding the right colors for you hair…but it's soooo pretty being two colors!!" Hana-Kusuku flew in front of him and smiled. "There! Now you look nice!"

         Ruwalk ran to the mirror and looked at himself. His scream could be heard all over the castle, even from the outside the castle gates.

         Miyabi flinched and slowly uncovered her ears. "Er…I don't think that was such a good idea…"

         Hana-Kusuku blinked. "I thought he looked nice with the ribbons on the end…"

         Shian just rolled in the air laughing.

         Ruwalk twitched as he tried to regain his calm. He stared at the green and yellow ribbons that hung from the ends of his hair then, with his eyebrow still twitching, he slowly turned back around. The water lights flew back a little.

         "Hehe…you do look nice you know…" Shian said, trying hard not to burst out laughing again.

         The dragon officer sighed and placed a hand over his forehead. "Right…anyway…shouldn't you three be with Dealte?"

         Miyabi flew over to him and started to undo the ribbons. "Yeah…but she left to explore the city some."

         Ruwalk glanced down at her. "How long ago was that?"

         "Um…" The water light looked up thoughtfully as she untied another ribbon. "An hour or so ago?"

         "An hour ago?! The ceremony is supposed to start in a few hours!!" He blinked then grabbed his hair as if he was going to tear it out. "AHHH! I HAVE TO SEE LYKOULEON!!" The flustered and frustrated Ruwalk ran down the hall, Miyabi clinging onto the ribbon.

         "Ruwalk!!" she yelled. "WAAAIIIITTT!!!"

         The two other water lights blinked and flew behind them, watching Ruwalk zip down the hallways, skid around the corner, and almost crash into some caterers. Shian was having problems flying straight. She was laughing at the ribbons that were streaming behind Ruwalk while Miyabi was hanging on for dear life. The two cringed as Ruwalk crashed through the doors of Lykouleon's office and slid on the ground.

         "Aaaaaaahhhh!!!!" Miyabi yelled as she flew across the room, only to be caught by a surprised Alfeegi. She blinked when she realized she was still alive and looked up into the puzzled orange eyes of the White Dragon Officer. "Er…hiya!" she waved nervously.

         Alfeegi blinked. "Miyabi?" His gaze trailed over to the unconscious Ruwalk lying on the ground, his eyes turned to big spirals. "…Ruwalk…"

         Lykouleon sat behind his desk, trying hard not to burst out laughing. He stood up, walked over to Ruwalk, stopped down, and poked him. "Ruwalk? Hey, are you all right?"

         The Yellow Dragon Officer came to and rubbed his head. "Ow…talk about a crash landing…" He stood up and shook his head, the rest of the ribbons falling off his reddish black hair. He coughed and straightened. "Lykouleon, I have just come back from the committee and the preparations are complete. We can proceed to commence the celebration whenever you are ready."

         The Dragon Lord smiled. "Thank you, Ruwalk." He turned and looked past him at the two water lights still hovering in the doorway. "Where's Dealte?"

         "She's gone off exploring," Hana-Kusuku said as she flew over to him. She hovered close to his face. "Wow…you're really cute…"

         Lykouleon blinked. "Er…thanks…I think?"

         Ruwalk stifled a laugh as Shian flew over and whacked Hana-Kusuku. "You can't talk to the Dragon Lord like that!!!"

         Hana-Kusuku rubbed her head. "But it was a compliment…"

         The Dragon Lord smiled. "It's alright." He looked over at Raseleane, who was trying very hard not to laugh. "I suppose once Dealte comes back when can begin the celebration."

         At that very moment, Dealte burst into the room, followed by Kai-stern. The two leaned against the walls, trying to catch their breath.

         "I…won…" Dealte said in between breaths.

         "Did…not…" Kai-stern said.

         Alfeegi looked at them, Miyabi now sitting on the dragon officer's shoulder. "And what have you two been doing?"

         The two newcomers blinked and looked at Alfeegi, who had his arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. "Uh…" They pointed at each other. "It was his fault," Dealte yelled as Kai-stern yelled, "It was her fault" at the same time.

         Alfeegi sighed. "In that case, it's both of your faults. Where's Tetheus?"

         Tetheus emerged from a corner of the room. "I have been here the whole time."

         Everyone jumped and looked at him. "You were?!" Ruwalk yelled. "God that's freaky when you do that!!"

         Tetheus just looked at him. "I'm just doing my job."

         Hana-Kusuku flew over to him. "Are you the Black Dragon Officer, Tetheus?"

         He blinked. "Yes…"

         The water light flew around him then stopped back in front of his face, her wings fluttering rapidly. "You're cute too!"

         Tetheus blinked again. "Thanks…I think…"

         Shian flew over to her and whacked her again. "WHAT IS WITH YOU AND TELLING THEM ALL THAT THEY ARE CUTE??!?!?"

         The poor water light cringed, looking like she was about burst into tears. "But…I was just telling them the truth…waaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!" She flies out of the office crying.

         "Hana-Kusuku!!" Miyabi yelled after her as she flew off Alfeegi's shoulder. She glared at Shian. "Look what you've done!!!"

         Shian looked away and crossed her arms. "Well she was! It was very disrespectful, not to mention annoying!!"

         As the two started arguing, a small, young voice was heard talking to Hana-Kusuku. "You really shouldn't run off like that. I'm sure your friend didn't mean anything."

         "But…"

         Alfeegi blinked and looked outside to see a young boy talking to the little water light. He was dressed in blue royal garments, his long blond hair reaching his waist, and was holding Hana-Kusuku close to his face. The dragon officer blinked and stepped outside. "Hello? May I help you?"

         The young boy looked up at him. "Oh, hello. You must be the White Dragon Officer Alfeegi."

         Alfeegi blinked. "Yes…" It was then that Alfeegi noticed that the young boy looked like a faerie elf. "Would you like to speak to the Dragon Lord?"

         "Er…" The young boy looked around. "I…I guess so…but I need to find the Elder first…"

         Elder…? Does that mean that this boy is…?! Alfeegi looked at him. "Are you—" He was cut off by a yell.

         "There you are!! I've been looking all over for you!!" An elderly but strong looking man ran up to them. He bent over, catching his breath. He was also dressed in royal garments, though it was all white. His hair was just as long though, and very white.

         The young boy looked at him. "Oh there you are, Elder. Where did you go?"

         The older man looked past Rune at Alfeegi and straightened. "White Dragon Officer Alfeegi!"

         "Elder…?"

         "Hey, Feeg! What's going on out there?" Ruwalk yelled from inside. Little bits of laughter could be heard from inside the room.

         The dragon officer twitched. "It seems we have some visitors…"

         Lykouleon stepped outside, suppressing a smile as he passed Alfeegi. When he saw the two newcomers he blinked. "It's been a long time since we've last met. Would you please come in?"

         The elder smiled. "Why yes, thank you. Come along," he said to the boy, who was still holding the now calmed Hana-Kusuku in his hands. As they re-entered the office, Dealte stared at them wide-eyed. The elder winked at her and stood behind the young boy, both hands on his shoulders. "May I present you, Prince Rune, prince of the Faerie Water Realm and the Spirit Tribe."

         The young boy bowed. "Pleased to meet you."

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Teehee ^^ That was fun . Poor Ruwalk! XD! Anyway, the actual celebration is the next chapter, in which the faeries will give their gifts…and when the evil sorcerer or sorceress will come and attack!!! O! Okay, just curse, but yeah well…R&R!