Chapter 4: The Gifts

Ho hum hum, lets see what the faeries/water lights are gonna give Tintlet ^^ I'm still debating if I should change her name or not…oh and don't worry about the other two Dragon Knights. They're coming in soon ^^ Teehee! Enjoy =D *eats a double chocolate Milano* MMMMMMM…These are GOOOOD!!! @O@

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            Shian gasped and flew to Rune. "RUNE?!??! THE PRINCE RUNE??!?!?!"

            Rune smiled, sweatdropping a little. "Yes…that's me…"

            Hana-Kusuku looked up at him in awe. "Wow…" She blinked. "OH MY STARS!! I'VE BEEN TOUCHED BY THE PRINCE!!!" she yelled as she shot up and flew around in circles.

            Miyabi flew over to them. "Girls! Girls!! Calm down! You'll wake the princess…" She sighed when they continued flying around, yelling excitedly, and turned to Rune and bowed. "It is an honor to meet you, Prince Rune…"

            The faerie elf prince smiled. "Likewise. And who are all of you?"

            "I'm Mi—"

            "I'M SHIAN!" Shian yelled as she flew in front of Miyabi.

            "Shi—"

            "AND I'M HANA-KUSUKU!!" Hana-Kusuku yelled as she flew in front of Shian.

            Miyabi sighed and blinked when she felt a small pair of hands cup underneath her, making her stand. She looked up and saw Rune looking at her smiling.

            "And yours?"
            She blushed slightly. "Er…I'm Miyabi…"

            "I'm honored to meet all of you." He turned to Dealte and blinked in surprise. "Dealte!!" He ran up to her and hugged her. "Dealte!! It's been so long since I've seen you!!!"

            She smiled as she hugged him back. "Yes, I've been busy working, you know."

            "What brings both of you here?" Lykouleon asked.

            "To pay our respects, of course," the Elder said smiling. He placed a hand on Rune's head. "He may act old, but he's really very young."

            "How young?" Ruwalk asked.

            The elder just looked at him, his eyes shining. "That is for you to figure out."

            Raseleane looked down at Tintlet and noticed her squirming around. She picked her up and laughed. "It seems that she wants to meet everyone."

            Rune blinked and walked over to her. "Is she the princess?"
            "That she is."

            "She looks so small…though not as small as the water lights of course…" Tintlet turned her head and stared at Rune. He felt himself blushing and turned away, coughing. "Still, I can see that she will become a great Queen."

            Lykouleon and the Elder glanced at each other and nodded. The Elder walked over to Rune and bent down so that he was level with the small prince. "Is there a gift you would like to give her?"

            "A…a gift?" Rune asked blinking.

            Raseleane smiled. "Yes, I think that would be wonderful!"

            "But I don't…"

            Miyabi flew up to him and whispered something into his ear. He blinked and looked at her. She winked. "It's the perfect gift to give a girl, no matter how old she is."

            An attendant knocked on the door. "Sir, everything is waiting and the people are anticipating Princess Tintlet's grand appearance to the public."

            Lykouleon smiled and turned to everyone. "Shall we go then?"

            Raseleane stood up, still holding Tintlet. "I've been awaiting this day for such a long time…"

            The Dragon Lord put an arm around her and gently kissed her on the head. "So have I…"

            Alfeegi coughed and opened the door. "My Lady and Lord, everyone awaits."

            Everyone filed out of the room, Tetheus and Kai-stern in the front, followed by Lykouleon and Raseleane, Cernozura holding Tintlet for now. Alfeegi and Ruwalk followed behind them.

            "Ooooh! This is so exciting!!" Shian squealed as she and the other two water lights flew behind Dealte.

            "Teehee! I know!! I'm still not sure what I should give the princess though…" Hana-Kusuku said worriedly.

            "I'm sure you'll think of something," Rune said behind them. He glanced at Miyabi, who winked at him again. She flew up to him and after chanting a few words, a rose appeared in his hand. He looked at the water light and smiled. "Thank you…Miyabi…"

            She smiled. "Just go with the flow!"

            A loud roar of applause greeted them when the procession reached the platform the Dragon Fighters had constructed for the occasion. The royal couple stood in the center, Raseleane now holding the little Tintlet, as the Dragon Officers lined up in the back. Rune and the Elder stood to the right while Dealte and the water lights stood to left. Alfeegi strode forward and gave a quick speech, must to everyone's relief.

            When he was finished, the Elder nudged Rune, making the elf prince stumble forward. He straightened, gave a quick glare at the Elder, who was just grinning and giving him the peace sign. Rune sweatdropped a little and walked over to Raseleane a little stiffly. The crowd watched silently, wondering who the young boy was.

            Rune cleared his throat when he finally reached them and kneeled. "I, Rune, Prince of the Faerie Water Realm and of the Spirit Tribe, hereby give thee, Tintlet, Princess of Dragon Lord Lykouleon and Dragon Queen Raseleane, heiress to the Kingdom of Draqueen, a young rose, symbolizing your undoubted beauty which will grow throughout your life. May this special rose stay with you as long as you live." He looked up at the Queen, his face slightly red with embarrassment as he held up the rose.

            Raseleane smiled as she took the rose. "Thank you, my young prince. I am sure that my darling princess will treasure this forever."

            Rune blushed a little and hurried over to the Elder.

            "Longest sentence I've ever heard," the Elder muttered into Rune's ear.

            The young prince just stood there, his face still red.

            Miyabi giggled and gave him the peace sign. She looked up at Dealte. "Who should go first?"

            "I'll go!" Hana-Kusuku volunteered excitedly.

            Dealte smiled. "Do you know what to do?"

            The water light nodded and flew over to the Dragon Queen. "Queen Raseleane, I too have a gift for the young princess!"

            Raseleane smiled. "Then what is your gift?"

            Hana-Kusuku spread her arms wide as she seemed to sparkle with white light. "I give thee, Tintlet, Princess of Draqueen, the gift of nature. Shall you always feel what nature feels and shall you be protected by nature's powers." A bright white light shot out from her and surrounded Tintlet. When the light disappeared, she relaxed and flew around excitedly. "I did it!!"

            The crowd applauded and cheered as the water light returned to her friends. They seemed to approve of her gift and showed it. Hana-Kusuku blushed slightly as Dealte smiled at her.

            "My turn!" Shian yelled as she shot forward. She flew over to the royal family and hovered over Tintlet, blue sparkles falling from her hands as she held them out in front of her. "I give thee, Tintlet, Princess of Draqueen, the gift of gentleness and devotion. Shall you always be kind to others and devote yourself to your loved ones, and to be willing to protect them with all your heart." A bright blue light shot out from her hands and entered Tintlet's heart, making the area glow a soft blue for a little while. She turned to everyone and grinned as everyone applauded and cheered for her.

            "Well done, well done," Dealte said smiling as Shian flew back. She turned to Miyabi. "Are you ready?"

            "Um…I'm still not sure yet," Miyabi said sweatdropping. "You go ahead…"

            "All right," Dealte said as she strode forward and stood in front of Raseleane. She placed a hand gently on top of Tintlet's body. "I give thee, Tintlet, Princess of Draqueen, the gift of water." Everyone watched in awe as water swirled around both her and the princess. Dealte stared with her deep green eyes down into the curious filled, light blue eyes of Tintlet. "May the powers of water and the Water Realm protect over you and give you the strength to endure the times to come."

            Rune blinked. "She gave Princess Tintlet the power of water?"

            The elder stroked his long white beard. "Interesting…" He blinked and looked up as dark black clouds swirled in the sky. "Odd…I didn't sense rain today…"

            Dealte jumped back as a lightning bolt struck next to her as Lykouleon quickly stood in front of Raseleane. The Dragon Officers and Dragon Fighters quickly surrounded them. The crowd was growing hysterical while security tried to calm them down.

            "Lykouleon! Raseleane! Are you all right?" Ruwalk yelled as he drew his sword next to the Dragon Lord.

            "Yes. But what is that?" Lykouleon asked as he turned to the swirling black winds in front of them.

            Everyone watched in horror as a figure in a black cloak emerged. She had long, silver hair with three long red markings on her face, one under each eye and one in the center of her forehead. Her deep red-purple eyes glared at the Dragons.

            "How dare you exclude me from this occasion!" she yelled, thunder booming around them.

            "Shyrendora!" Alfeegi yelled. "How did you get past our barriers?!"

            She turned to him and gave him a smile that made the dragon officer shudder. "I had…a little help from a nice Dragon Fighter…" She held out her hand and the bloody corpse of a Dragon Fighter flew to the ground.

            Everyone screamed while Tetheus remained emotionless. Rune covered his mouth in horror and backed up as the pool of blood streamed out from the body. The yokai turned back and looked at the Queen. "I too have a gift for your…princess," she said, her voice smooth and slick like oil. She raised her right hand and glowed a dark red. "Here me, foolish Dragons! I give your princess the gift of death!"

            Raseleane clutched Tintlet close to her breast. "NO!"

            Shyrendora just smiled at her. "No, immediate death would be too…merciful…" She turned to the horror stricken crowd. "Here me! When she turns eighteen, she will spy an innocent looking flower and pluck it from its place. But when she does, she will feel indescribable pain. She will try to kill herself but she will fail and in her vulnerable state, one of my followers will come out from the flower and complete the curse, killing her by flying right through her heart!!!"

            Everyone screamed as she laughed hysterically and disappeared into a whirl of ferocious black wind. Raseleane clutched her daughter and sobbed uncontrollably as Lykouleon placed a comforting arm around her.

Rune stared in shock. "She'll…she'll die?!" he yelled to his Elder. "She can't die!! She CAN'T!!" The Elder just looked down at him sadly and Rune clenched his fists, angry tears streaming down his face. When he looked up he saw Miyabi's gentle face looking into his.

"Don't worry, Prince Rune," she said, her voice sounding faraway as she glowed a soft pink, bright sparkles surrounding her. "I still have my gift to give…"

"Don't sacrifice yourself!" Lykouleon yelled as the water light hovered over Tintlet.

The water light just smiled at him and closed her eyes. "I, Miyabi, give thee, my fair princess, a gift that will counter Shyrendora's curse. Instead of dying when you pluck the originally cursed flower, you shall fall into a deep, painless sleep, along with the rest of the kingdom. She will awaken by a kiss from her one true love… " She turned to the speechless crowd and smiled. "And with my remaining power, I shall have everyone forget what has happened until one year before she turns eighteen…"

"NO MIYABI!!" Dealte screamed, tears streaming down her face.

"Miyabi!!" her two water light friends yelled as they flew over to her, reaching her just as a bright flash of light erupted from her.

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The spindle thing just doesn't work with me here . And so I made the curse a bit more…extreme .;;; So does Miyabi die? Or will a miracle happen? Read on to find out!