Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own characters.
Once Upon a Dream
I flitted high above the ground, trying to lose them, but they, even though they could not fly as high as I, still stubbornly stayed on my tail, calling out my name.
"Usagi, Usagi!" they cried, attempting to pull me to the ground with their powers, but I flew every higher, just to annoy them. I was Princess Serenity, daughter of Ana, Queen of All Fairies. My mother dressed in elegant dresses that weighed her down so, that she could not fly for the weight. I preferred my short dress, made of bits of leaves and feathers. It revealed most of my body, but it allowed me to fly without restrictions.
I spun to avoid a bird and lurched to the side to avoid a branch. I felt them, my royal entourage, try to pull me to the ground again. They could fly only just above the ground. I flew ever higher. I was almost in the realm of the cloud people. I popped above the clouds to skim just above them and wave to the few I knew. Then, I plunged deep down into a lake I knew was just below me. There, I saw Gwragged Annwn, the lady of the lake, and her daughter, Rusalka. Rusalka was a good friend of mine, as we had grown up together, dancing in the moonlight, flowers flowing in our hair, while sprites, smaller than fairies, threw flower petals at us. I, however, could not stop to chat with Rusalka. I was on a mission to lose my entourage, simply so that I knew I could. When I resurfaced from my dip in the slightly chilled lake, they were skimming across the water, right behind me. I made to fly around a patch of reeds, but suddenly, I was flat on my behind, and staring up at the most wondrously handsome fairy that I had ever seen. How it had come to pass that I had never met this fairy, with his dark hair and brilliant sapphire eyes, I did not know. He helped me up, and the touch of his hand sent shivers down my back.
"In a bit of a hurry now, are you?" he asked. I nearly drowned in his voice; it was so deep and rich.
"Yes, I am," I replied. My cheeks were still flushed, and a smile split my face as I peered around the reeds. I watched my entourage set down and begin to scratch their heads.
"Are you hurt at all?" the other fairy asked. I grabbed his hand and pulled him into the reeds, being careful not to rustle them at all.
"Shhhh," I said, putting my finger to my mouth. I shook my head in answer to his question.
"What are we doing in here?" he whispered into my ear.
"Hiding," I grinned.
"From whom?" he asked. I pointed at the fairies currently looking very confused. His eyes lit with understanding and glee. Suddenly, my entourage was pushing through the reeds and calling out.
"Usagi! Usagi? Where are you?" I took his hand and exploded from the reeds straight up into the sky. He looked very confused.
"I'm trying to escape for a day!" I laughed, exhilarated to have an accomplice.
"If that's the case…," he smiled and began pulling me forward. I was taken aback by this. Only royal fairies were supposed to be able to fly so high. Perhaps it was different in his troupe.
We flew for a quarter of a mile, and when we set down, he immediately began pushing into some grass and weeds. Confused at what he was doing, I asked him. He simply smiled back at me and told me to follow him. I trusted him, so I did as he asked. Soon, we happened upon a door, and he pushed it open and entered. I entered right behind him and heard him calling out to someone.
"Auntie Befana! It's me. I've brought a guest for you!" he called out. A kindly old woman came bustling out from what I can only assume was a kitchen, for it smelled of fresh baked bread and biscuits. She came and embraced my companion with thick arms.
"Mamoru! How nice of you to drop by. And to bring such a pretty visitor!" She turned to me then. "And just whom might she be?" she asked.
"My name is Usagi, ma'am," I said, giving my nickname before Mamoru could fumble.
"How nice to meet you, Usagi," Befana said, clasping my hand in both of her own. "Now, how 'bout you two have a seat, and I'll get some tea going," she said, leaving with a grin. Mamoru led me to a table and sat me down, before sitting opposite of me.
"Now, Usagi, to be formally introduced, I am Prince Endymion, son of Mab, Empress of the Fairies. I am known also as Mamoru, and that is what I prefer to be called. How was it that you came to be fleeing from those fairies?" he asked. I was astonished for a moment. Prince Endymion? Son of Mab? So that was why he was able to fly so high. I had, of course, heard of him, and possibly caught glimpses of him at banquets in the past, but apparently none as memorable as now. I had met his mother, Mab, quite a few times and found her quite agreeable.
"I am Princess Serenity, daughter of Ana, Queen of All Fairies. I was simply trying to escape from my royal entourage so that I could enjoy a day of flying," I grinned at Mamoru. "I am also called Usagi, because of my love of rabbits," I said, my smile getting wider. "How was it that you happened to be behind those reeds at that particular moment in time?" I asked.
"Well, you see, I was in search of a leprechaun to make me a new pair of boots, but I got quite lost and was trying to get my bearings when you so rudely slammed into me," he laughed, poking fun at my expense. I laughed as well, although I turned slightly red as I was doing so.
"Do princesses always go around in such revealing clothing?" Mamoru asked, once he had stopped laughing quite so hard.
"No," I blushed deeper. "It's comfortable for flying. Not so restricting, see?" I said flying up a bit.
"Ah, yes, I see," Mamoru was about to say something else when Befana came out with tea and biscuits. I enjoyed them very much. When we were done, and I was sure that I had lost my entourage, we wished Befana farewell and left her house, pushing out past the grass again. As we stood on the gravel, I began to grind my toe into the dirt, feeling nervous, as if I was just learning to fly again.
"Well, I suppose we should both get going," Mamoru announced after glancing around uncomfortably and clearing his throat. "Perhaps I'll see you around," he said.
"Yes, perhaps," I all but whispered in the general direction of the ground. I felt a little wind, and when I looked up, Mamoru was high above me. I didn't feel like flying anywhere else, and so I took off and headed for home, home being a beautiful sprawling castle in the high mountains.
When I returned home, I opened the huge wooden door just slightly, crept inside, and then picked my way across the main hall. I knew my mother would be in a mood from my leaving, and would probably call on me later, but I wanted to delay that for as long as possible. Unfortunately, "as long as possible" wasn't very long at all. Almost as soon as I had entered my room, a knock sounded on my door and I was summoned to my mother's chambers.
"Princess Serenity, your Highness," the butler bowed at my mother and then left the room. I rather wish he hadn't. My mother had a look on her face that could kill thousands. I bowed at my mother, simply because curtsying is rather hard when your skirt is only half way to your knees.
"That dress!" my mother fumed. "And running away! How could you?" she asked as she rose from her throne. "You know that we have a banquet to prepare for in a few days time, and I already told you that I need you to set a good example!" she yelled at me.
"I am sorry mother," I said, keeping my head down. Humility was important in front of her. "It was perfect for flying today, and you know I can't resist a good fly! However, speaking of the banquet, I have a request," I knew this would at least change the subject.
"Yes?" she asked, barely containing her anger.
"Might we invite Empress Mab and her son, Prince Endymion?" I asked in a low voice. My mother looked at me curiously.
"Mab is, of course, already invited, but Endymion? How do you know him?" she asked.
"I ran into him today while I was out," I stated.
"You two used to hate each other. He would tease you mercilessly and you would hit him right back. I remember you gave him several black eyes," she said.
"I did?" I said, looking up. My mother nodded. So that was why he had teased me so about running into him. "I guess I blocked that out of my memory,"
"Well, rightly so. It was horrendous how he teased you, and you were only just five or six. However, now that you are seventeen, I suppose it is time to start looking for a suitor for you, and if you have taken a fancy to him, Prince Endymion is just the perfect one," my mother stated.
a/n: love it? Hate it? It's rather long, I know, but, let me know if I should continue writing, because I'm rather enjoying writing it .