Yuriko Nishidera- Don't worry, it's not really Ulrich's life that the dragons are after. None of the attacks are meant to be fatal they're just...Oh, I'll give away my plot, darn it all! Keep reading and see!
Luna- I shall spread the word!
Mewberries- She gets drags back in all of my fics, doesn't she? I guess Yumi just seems like the 'running away'
type to me.
Trake- Yay, at least one person is keeping up on my idea! Have you figured out Ulrich's secret yet?
Trillinka- I'm glad I know where I'm going with this, lol. Normally I just kind of write, I actually planned this fic out chapter by chapter.
Not Your Average Fairy Tale by Ransomed Heart
Chapter Five: In which more questions develop
Yumi stared glumly into the tea cup, swirling the tea around and trying to avoid the almost unnaturally happy gaze of the other princess.
"You can't pout forever," Aelita noted cheerfully, pouring steaming water from the banged-up kettle into her own cup. The phrase was spoken through her insistent humming of a rather repetitive song, and it was taking all of the maidservant's control not to say something rude.
"Why don't we find out more about each other," Aelita offered, sitting down in the chair across the table from Yumi. "I'm glad Ulrich finally found a princess."
Yumi shifted nervously. Why was she happy that another person was kidnapped by a dragon? It seemed an odd thing to say. "Why don't you start?" It was Yumi's way avoiding the subject.
Aelita smiled happily, obviously unaware of her hostess's discomfort. "All right. I'm the princess of Jeremie, the King of the Dragons. I'm doing it as part of a deal, to help my family."
Yumi's head shot up. "They wanted you to be captured by a dragon?"
The calmness with which she spoke on the subject was alarming. "Yes. It's really no trouble though, Jeremie is very good to me."
The maidservant could hardly believe her ears. "You mean to tell me that you just let yourself get carried off by a random dragon simply to please your family?"
Aelita pondered that for a moment as though she herself had never thought of it that way, but nodded. "I suppose that is about right, yes. Though it wasn't really a random dragon."
Yumi was left dumbfounded and forced herself to stare back into the tea. "What about you," Aelita asked.
Yumi jolted, realizing that she had never prepared a story to tell anyone. Nobody had asked, they simply assumed that she was a princess.
"Well, let's see...I was going for a walk in the palace garden when Ulrich attacked. In the chaos he grabbed me and took off before the guards even had a chance to stop him." It was sort of the truth anyway.
Aelita laughed. "That sounds like Ulrich. Act first, ask questions later. For all he knew he might not have even grabbed a princess!" More laughter. "Wouldn't that be something?"
Yumi twitched nervously. Did she know? How could she? "Yes, that would be pretty wild," Yumi confirmed.
The sound of beating wings echoed through the caverns. "Ulrich's back," Yumi said.
"Good, I need to speak with him," Aelita said, rising to her feet and heading towards the front. Before she even reached the archway marking the entrance to the kitchen, Ulrich poked his head in.
"Ah, I thought I smelled you, Princess Aelita," the dragon said lightly. "You've met Yumi then."
"Yes, we were just having some tea," Aelita said congenially. "But that's not why I'm here. Jeremie asked me to come an check up on you. It seems there have been some rumors of attacks, and judging by your fresh scars I'd say they are more than rumors."
Ulrich visibly stiffened. "It's none of King Jeremie's concern."
"Of course it's his concern! It's my concern! He promised you sanctuary as part of the deal!" Aelita's voice jumped up practically an octave as her volume increased as well.
"Who said I liked this deal? It's caused nothing but grief for everyone! Ulrich was shouting now too, seemingly egged on by the princess's anger.
"This agreement is the only thing keeping you alive. You would be dead right now if it weren't for King Jeremie, you just can't deal with this alone!"
It was by far the oddest sight Yumi had ever seen. She imagined that this must have been what her earlier argument with Ulrich had looked like; a tiny human facing off against a full-grown dragon, shouting in anger and frustration. Both princess and dragon seemed to have forgotten her presence as they stared each other down. Yumi got the distinct impression this wasn't the first time Aelita and Ulrich had squared off in this manner, the battle lines very clearly and familiarly drawn.
"I hate this, I hate all of this," Ulrich roared, looking around the cavern wildly. His eyes rested on Yumi for a moment, a whirlwind of emotions that the girl couldn't place. "I hate living this way, feeling so helpless!"
Yumi stepped forward uncertainly. "I'm not sure I understand," she said slowly. "But I'm here for you. I am your princess after all, right?" Liar, liar, her mind screamed at her. She was no princess.
Ulrich seemed to look at her for the very first time. The tenseness vanished from his large frame and he relaxed.
Aelita smiled. "Yes, you are his princess, and a very fine one at that." She turned to Ulrich. "I have seen all I need to see. Yumi, please come by and see me tomorrow, I believe Jeremie would like to meet you."
"All right," Yumi stammered out, confused by the request. Why would the King of Dragons want to meet her? Surely he had better things to do that entertain false princesses."
"Take care you two, I can see myself out." With that Aelita was gone, leaving as swiftly and as silently as when she had first approached Yumi on the mountain path.
A long tense silence settled over the room, until Ulrich finally shattered it.
"Thank you," he said hoarsely. "Your support means more than you could ever know." He paused. "I need to rest, I will see you in the morning."
Yumi watched as the dragon moved off to his living chambers. "Yes, in the morning."