This chapter will seem different, because it's in Bambi's perspective, and she obviously doesn't appreciate and notice the same things as Kaguya. If you don't like this chapter because of that, not to worry. It will be mostly in Kaguya's perspective for awhile, I'll be switching between their two perspectives, and as the story goes on, possibly even other people's. Gold, Seeu, or Kura might take a turn, or I might to a "meanwhile" segment about how everything is going with Kaguya's family back in Eden. If I've done a good job, it should seem as if a different person wrote this chapter than who wrote the first chapter and prologue.

Taken

Chapter 2: The Dam Bursts (Bambi's Perspective)

The girl I took in was somewhat amusing. It never ceased to amaze me how little she knew about everything. I could understand her not being up-to-date on the cultures and histories of the worlds, since she had been shut away in Eden most of her life, but lately she had been asking me to explain everything from Telenian political movements to how the water pump in the back yard worked. I realized not everyone knew these things, but what I didn't understand was why she even cared to know them. I knew them only because I had nothing else to fill my time and because Father taught me to revere knowledge in every form.

She was with me quite a lot once she got used to living in my home. At first, I think she was afraid to anger me by hanging around too much, but perhaps she realized it would take quite a lot to make me angry, and even if she did, I wouldn't do anything drastic. She might have thought I'd turn her out if I didn't like having her here, but I think I dispelled that notion as well. I had talked to her about the legends surrounding her person many times, and she should have understood why it was not safe for her outside. I had not decided if I personally believed the legends, but it hardly mattered. If she truly was the Princess of Choosing, I supposed she would choose how she liked, and I didn't care to influence her on it, but she would need to be kept safe from those who had no scruples about endangering or harming an innocent for personal gain. If she wasn't, then I would be protecting her from mistaken individuals who would enslave and threaten her for a fairytale.

I thought about those things often, and as usual, the very object of my thoughts came happily in to dissolve them. What new discovery would she regale me with, or what mystery would she request that I illumine? She would have been better company if she had mastered the art of silence, but as it was, she was satisfactory, I supposed. She was different than anyone I'd known, which was not many, really, so it was interesting to observe her. She must have had a life I could not imagine to turn out so. She probably held a lot of knowledge I could never understand.

It seemed today she did deign to be silent, since she sat down near me with a book and commenced reading. She threw her legs over one arm of the chair and leaned with her back against the other arm, propping the book against her thighs. It confused me that she insisted on wearing the short skirt in which she had come here. She knew there were plenty of clothes that would fit her reasonably well and that she could freely take, but instead she washed her own clothes daily, only changing out of them to don pajamas in which to sleep and then do her laundry. It made sense for her to want to wear clothes that belonged to her, but the same clothes every day? Perhaps it eased the strangeness of this world to her, but it couldn't have been too pleasant.

If I had minded and made it known, she would certainly have worn something more modest, but I didn't mind. I had not seen a feminine physique in person other than my own for many years, and for all its similarity, hers was very different. She was shorter, and her hair was thicker and more unruly. I knew my body was curvier than that of a man, but hers was more so than mine, and her face rounder. She had personality and individuality bubbling forth where I and all the pictures I had seen had deathly stillness. My observation of her had begun to make me think I was not alive.

The male anatomy had the potential to be equally interesting, but in a different way. Its curves were more subtle and its overall shape was different, once again in spite of overwhelming similarity. For whatever reason, I did not contemplate it as much, even though there was an equal abundance of representations of it. Even when both of my parents had been alive, long ago, and I'd been in the habit of venturing outside among other people, I had not understood why I was expected to find more pleasure in the male shape. It was certainly pleasing, but not to the degree of its counterpart, in my opinion. As I got older I had come to understand that most people found the opposite of themselves the most attractive, but had known I was not the only one to deviate from the general pattern. Anyway, how could it possibly matter to anyone other than me, and my lover, in the unlikely event I ever chose one?

Perhaps it was not entirely unlikely, except that I seldom had reason to seek acquaintance with the outside world. If I met more people, I might be inclined toward a relationship of that kind, but I had felt no need for them aside from the uprising of hormones during my earlier teen years and occasionally since then. Besides that, if I did meet someone I cared to associate with in that manner, the odds were rather slim that my feelings would be reciprocated. If it happened, so be it, and if not, it was fine with me. I was content to live my own way here where I was the mistress, and if the Girl of Annanai chose to join me in it, I would receive her.

I was enjoying our peaceful afternoon of reading and silence, but the bubble of a world that, for me, contained only this room was broken by shouts and clashes of metal. I thought I heard hoof beats as well. Kaguya seemed to recognize the noise of battle, or at least quickly surmised from my reaction what had happened, since she followed me swiftly out to where we could hear better, but were in too high a window to be seen or shot at accurately. The castle was surrounded. Mine was the only name they shouted in their demand, but Kaguya would undoubtedly dwarf me in importance if they discovered her. Gold appeared only a second behind us and was made aware of the situation. His directive being similar to mine, he cooperated willingly to my command that the two of them follow me, as did Kaguya.

First, I had to stop in the first bedroom I found to get different clothes for all three of us, just in case we'd been seen. Kaguya's clothes had been seen by whomever had attacked her, and one never knew if someone had escaped to tell what they'd seen. That might even be the reason there were soldiers there then. I had to make sure to get something that could cover our faces and that would not make our builds too obvious, especially in Kaguya's and my cases. With Kura, emperor of Geo, looking for a new wife, every female under sixty was being kidnapped by immoral people hoping to cash in on the money Kura would give to the "family" of whomever he chose to be his bride.

I was no fool; I knew I was a special target. Kura's brides did not only have to be beautiful enough to please him, they also had to pass an intelligence test, and my academic skills as well as my appearance were well known. I also had no doubt that Kaguya would be his choice regardless of beauty or intelligence if he were to find her. I had found no suitable clothes, and the door was straining under the efforts of the soldiers. New measures had to be taken.

"Kaguya, find a bedroom and look for clothes that will cover you so well even I couldn't recognize you. Gold, you do the same. When you find them, run down through the basement and wait for me there." I had what clothes I had found under my arm, and I hastily changed as I ran toward the stables. I had to divert the soldiers if any of us were to escape.

I put my knowledge of germs out of my mind and threw myself to the earth, rolling around to soil my torn clothes and disguise my face and hair as much as possible without looking terribly suspicious. Thoroughly appearing as a stable boy, I hoped, and grateful as never before for my skinny figure and small breasts, I led my only remaining horse out into the sunlight at a leisurely pace, hoping it would appear to the soldiers as if I still kept many more.

"Looking for Miss?" I asked politely of the ones beating on the door. "She's out today, but I'll tell her you came."

"Are you related to Ms. Bamviverie? Your eyes look like hers."

"I wish I were. I'm told sometimes I resemble her. Who knows? People have affairs with their servants all the time; maybe one of her family did intermix with mine before they died."

"Eh. Where's your mistress gone?"

"Oh, she never tells me what she's about. Went that way, though," I pointed in the direction opposite of the way I intended to go. I had no idea what lay in that direction, which was why I was going the opposite way, into the forest I knew.

"Really? That was easy. C'mon, boys, stable hand says she went that way!"

They would realize soon enough I was lying, but at least we'd have a head start by then. If this disguise had fooled people who'd been sent to look for me, surely it would be sufficient to deceive the masses who might only see me by chance. I had only to meet up with Gold and Kaguya. They had not yet reached the basement, which I supposed was because they had taken the entire time looking for the clothes I'd told them to find, but they had them and I ran ahead to lead them through the house and out an entrance the soldiers couldn't see if they were following the false lead I'd given them.

We ran through the corridors, down spiral staircases, and took shortcuts through what had once been the servants' quarters. I imagined Gold could keep up with me easily, but I slowed my pace for Kaguya's benefit. I didn't want her getting lost and then left behind, because even if we escaped in time, the soldiers were sure to loot the place. They would probably find clues that Kaguya and I had both been there, but they wouldn't know which direction we'd gone or what mode of transportation we were using. If I played my cards right, for all they knew, we might have left days ago on horseback. If I left clues that I'd barely escaped, and on foot at that, then we wouldn't have quite so great a chance.

We finally reached the basement, and I didn't know whether to be annoyed or grateful that the castle was so big. On one hand, its size had required us to run a marathon to get there, but on the other hand, it was probably causing the soldiers a lot of trouble finding us. We ran through the freezing maze of the basement, and Gold came dangerously close to seeing the secret enclosed in ice. I recalled him to the present and we escaped, but before leaving I pulled the lever I had been told to use in an emergency if I ever had to escape the castle. A hidden floodgate somewhere was released, and torrents of clear, cool liquid flooded the basement. It would all be frozen over as well if the soldiers didn't get there soon.

I tore my eyes from the waves and led my two guests away from the castle, into a wilderness I had known as a child. For many years, I hadn't been out in it, but had kept up and increased my knowledge of the survival techniques required to live in it. I would probably never return to my home now; it would never be safe. Perhaps when I was very old I would decide it was safe and come back to find only charred ruins, or to find someone else living there. Perhaps I would even find it still standing and unoccupied, but a shadow of its former self with no one caring for it, full of animals and their droppings, spider webs draping over the windows like curtains. I would never want to come back.

-Author's Query: Is ANYONE reading this story? are you out there? I'd really appreciate a review, even if all you o is let me know you're reading.