The Princess and The Paige
By: The Dreaming Fangirl
Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Voice in the Fog
The drums were soft, and it was not long before the subtle "bum bum bum bum" echoed throughout the palace hall. Following them, an ancient and almost guttural hum reverberated throughout the room. The palace walls resonated with the sound, and as the princess continued to stare at the ebb and sway of the wood around her, she soon found a grey fog building around the stage. The fog trickled down towards the floor, creeping its way into every corner that it could find. It soon swallowed the audience, and the princess watched as their figures slowly distorted before completely fading away.
"Mother, what's going on?" The princess reached for the empress's hand; however, as Izumiko turned towards her mother, she was shocked to find the empress was gone. "Mother?"
No answer.
The princess stood up from her seat. Surely, her mother couldn't have disappeared, could she? The princess called out louder, "Mother?"
No answer.
The princess moved her hands towards her mouth, but, before she could speak, the empress grabbed her by the hand and shushed her. "Sit down, Izumiko."
The princess shook her head, "Mother, I-". The princess followed the hand towards the floor and said, "Mother, I can't see you. What's going on?"
"You're fine. Just concentrate on the show."
"There's too much fog. I can't see a thing."
"Can you hear this?"
Snap! Snap!
The princess nodded, "I can hear that."
"Focus in that direction. For now, keep your voice down."
"Is this normal?"
"Shush! No more talking. The show's about to start."
The narrator's voice was clear, like the beacon on top of a lighthouse; however, as the princess scanned the room for the man, she growled as she could not find the source of the sound. He said, "Once, in the days when man spoke with the divine, the land we know as Yukari no Go consisted of much smaller city-states. Each one fought for dominance, spreading their influence as far as they could reach. War spread through the land like wildfire, and the sparks of battle fanned the flame for even further conflict."
For a moment, there was a pause. The princess turned her head throughout the room. Oh no, she thought to herself, not the fog again. The narrator spoke once more, "Today, our story takes us towards one of the littler lands. The hands and the foundations of the empire. An anxious prince has business within the Emerald Fields."
Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Request
The fog gave way, and the princess's eyes widened as she soon found herself surrounded by rice patties stretching as far as the eye could see. The rain fell down and hit her clothes in a stream of steady showers, and it was not long before the princess's seat started to sink into the ground. The princess moved to stand up, but upon feeling her mother's firm hand, she stopped.
The princess said, "Please let me go, Mother. My clothes will get soaked at this rate."
"It won't work, Izumiko. Unfortunately, no matter how much you may try, it's impossible to interact with the stage completely. You're just going to have to bear this. Now, sit still and stay silent."
A spark of lightning crackled in the distance, and the sound of the thunder boomed, sending shockwaves throughout the room. The drums beat slower.
As the princess twirled her hair, she was stunned as she soon found her seat move towards the entrance of a palace she did not recognize. The hill that it sat on was small; however, as the princess gazed at the structure, she found that, for its time, the fortifications would serve their purpose.
Before she could examine further, a man riding a horse trotted past the area where she stood, stopping before he reached the main gate. The man's black cowl made it so that the princess couldn't see his face, and, within a matter of moments, he turned his head from side to side before placing his horse in the stable.
The princess's chair followed him, and after going through a bizarre set of hallways and corridors, the man stopped. He took off his cowl, and he lowered his hat. The princess looked to her side, and she was quick to make use of the towel that was presented to her, drying her hair with increased vigor.
The lights of the palace showed the man to be in his early twenties. His hair was glossy and tied in the manner the princess had only seen in illustration books. The man bowed at the door in front of him, and, at last, he spoke.
"King Kyou, I have come as you requested."
A man's voice popped through the other side of the door. "Ah, Jirou, come on in."
The door slid open, and the king stood at the divide with arms wide open. The two brothers embraced one another, and it was not long before the king spoke once more, "It is good to see you again."
The prince responded, "You've gotten thin."
"Was it that obvious?"
The prince nodded, "Your letter said it was urgent. What's wrong?"
The king sighed, "I have some bad news."
"What's happened?"
"I'm afraid the condition of my health has been declining faster than the doctors had anticipated. I fear I don't have much time left."
For a moment, there was a pause. He shook his head and said, "You're going to get through this."
"Brother, I-"
The prince interrupted, "No! Those doctors just haven't tried hard enough! Maybe there's some new treatment we haven't heard of. You've got to keep fighting."
The emperor said, "The doctors have done the best that they can."
"Then get new doctors."
The emperor shook his head, "The doctors are not the ones at fault here. This is just how things have progressed."
"You can't just give up! There are people out there who need you!" The prince's breath was shaky, and his eyes brimmed with tears. "You have to get through this. Please."
"Jirou, just doing this is pushing my limit."
"Then you should be lying in bed-"
The king interrupted, "No. I wanted to do this, even if just this once." His feet staggered, but before he could fall on the floor, the prince caught him and set him gently onto the floor. After a moment of catching his breath, the king said, "I need your help."
"What with?"
"When I die,"
"Kyou, don't talk like that-"
The king's voice was firm, "Jirou, I need you to listen to me." He inhaled before he spoke once more, "When I die, I would like for you to take over and to serve as King Regent. My son," he wheezed, "-he's much too young to take the crown. He's not ready."
"Well, he is only two after all." The prince asked, "Why not let one of your advisors take on the position? I doubt I'm the only person you considered."
The king chuckled, "I would be lying if I said I haven't thought about it. That said, my decision remains; You would make a great king."
The prince sighed, "Maybe. I'll have to let Riko know. She's not going to be happy about this."
The king's eyes widened, "Oh. Right, the pregnancy. How long until she is due?"
"A little over six months."
The king let out a snort.
The prince said, "You're not allowed to die until you see him."
"How do you know it's a him?"
"I just know, okay?!"
The king smiled, "That's wonderful." He struggled to rise from his seat, but before he could stand the full way, the king was lifted onto the prince's back. "Wait! Hold on, what are you doing?"
"Carrying you," the prince said, "What does it look like?"
"Put me down! I-"
The prince interrupted, "You shouldn't have been walking. Let me get you to your bed so you can get some rest."
After a short moment, the princess's chair began to move once more, following the two brothers as they walked down an open hallway. On one side, the walls were gone showing the interior gardens and courtyards. The rain drizzled off the tile roof, making its way towards what the princess could only describe as a stone aqueduct before flowing on. The crackle of thunder sounded off in the distance. The drums beat slowly.
The king spoke, "To think the day would come when you would be carrying me. This is so embarrassing."
The prince responded, "And you're not supposed to be walking. You shouldn't worry so much. You would have done the same for me, wouldn't you?"
The king sighed, "Thank you."
The two stopped near a door, and it was at that moment that the king poked his brother on the shoulder. The prince said, "Hmm? Is there something that you need?"
"Can we stop here for a second? You can put me down if you wish."
The prince nodded and said, "Sure, I guess."
The door opened to reveal a little boy, his body sprawled out on the soft bed. Sleeping beside him, a young woman cradled the child in her arms. A few strands of hair fell out of her bun, and if her clothes were of any indication, the princess guessed the young lady to be a nurse.
The king smiled, "Poor Atsuko. She must have been tired."
"Kouki seems to be growing bigger every time I see him. He must keep you busy."
"Not as busy as you would think. I never seem to be able to get enough time with him these days. Every time I plan to do something with him, work always seems to come and take me away." The king's voice cracked, "He won't even be able to remember me when he grows up."
The prince sighed, "I'm not entirely sure how to answer that." He paused for a moment until, at long last, he turned his head towards his brother and said, "Perhaps, you should give him something to remember you by."
The king nodded, "You're probably right." And with those words, he waved his hand and gestured the prince to close the door. He spoke once more, "Look after him for me, won't you?"
The prince inhaled before he said, "I promise."
The king closed his eyes and smiled, "Thank you."
And with those words, the two brothers continued to move down through the hallways. They moved around corners, up a set of stairs, and, had the princess not known any better, she would've assumed the two men were lost. Finally, the king spoke, "So, do you have a name picked?"
Prince Jirou responded, "Not quite yet, but one name definitely comes to mind."
"Oh, which one?"
The prince took in a breath and answered, "Shin."
Chapter Thirty: To The Hall of Dolls
The drums rolled softly, and the princess watched as the two brothers were swallowed in fog. Her seat rose into the air, and her eyes widened as her body phased out of the palace, giving her a bird's eye view of the building below her feet. Horses and carriages moved back and forth from the palace; each little ant following his or her own routine. With each blink she took, new days seemed to pass by.
It was not long before a series of processions slowly rolled their way in and out of the palace, though she was too high up to tell what sort of occasions these would be. The seasons changed, and every so often, the little black dots at the palace seemed to be a little busier. She wondered how many years had passed, and it was not long before her chair lowered itself back to the ground again. She moved her hand to touch the surface, and she was surprised as to just how unnatural it felt to her. Her gaze shifted towards the garden and interior courtyards, only to find that the area was completely changed. Huh, she thought to herself, a new groundskeeper?
Her chair kept moving through the palace and past the variety of halls and winding passages. It went through the initial gates until, at long last, it sat itself inside of one of the carriages. Like a cat, the chair kneaded the wooden floor, moving its legs back and forth before settling right in. She leaned her head back against the carriage and let out a breath. It wasn't bad. She knocked her fists against the seats. That said, it would still probably take them a good while before they got any good upholstery.
She looked towards her side, and she was happy to see a window, but no matter how hardly she tried to pull the window, the sucker just wouldn't open. She tried again, and she let out a huff. No luck. She let out a sigh and sat herself back down. What exactly was she supposed to see here anyway?
The princess's legs began to turn numb, and she let out a small gasp as she moved them into a more comfortable position. Pins and needles stretched out all over her toes, and she inhaled as she tried to move her feet in a circle. For a moment, she stayed like this, but after she got the chance to rub her feet, she finally felt her legs return to normal. She exhaled.
It was not long before she heard the scurry of feet begin to swarm the carriage. Orders were short, and her face blanched as they shouted in a language that she did not recognize. She leaned her head out of the door, and she watched as a stocky brown midget, who she assumed was the leader of their group, yelled, "Eeez hup!"
The sound of knees, and every fiber of the princess's body froze as she could feel the corners of the carriage fidget, until, at long last, they settled down. She stretched her body to see the outer edges of the door, and upon seeing the faces of three men, she hid herself behind the window again. How ridiculous, she thought to herself, they shouldn't be able to see her. She held her breath. Could they? Her face blanched, and their feet got closer and closer.
Finally, the first person spoke, "Do we really need to go to The Hall of Dolls? It smells weird and the kids there never play any fun games."
"We're not going there for a social visit, Shin. Dad just has some business with the oracles."
The two boys ran into the carriage enthusiastically, and as the elder child helped the younger one get up onto the seat, the young prince said, "Thank you, Kouki."
The other boy smiled and sat himself onto his seat. "No problem."
The two boys had managed to sit themselves next to the princess, and as they got closer, she let out a startled peep. She froze; however, she soon found that it was not to her that the children's attention was focused on, but rather an older gentleman that soon followed them inside.
The years had taken their toll, and the princess smiled as she saw the beginnings of wrinkles stretch across his forehead. Grey hairs checkered his mustache, and there were bags under his eyes, but after seeing that the two boys were settled, the princess saw the young prince had the same smile he had all those years ago. He sat across from them, and his eyes fell upon a set of sticks laid below the children's feet.
The king said, "I knew you guys would need something to keep yourselves entertained." He picked up the sticks and passed them to the boys. He said, "There is plenty of space for you guys to play there." He winked, "Just make sure not to poke any eyes out please."
The boys nodded, "Yes, Dad."
"Did you two remember your offerings?"
Each of the two boys pulled a small round object out of his pockets, and within a matter of moments, the boys opened their palms to reveal little figurines made of wood. The king leaned forward and asked, "May I see that, Kouki?"
The little prince beamed, "Of course, Dad." He handed the piece over to King Jirou, and as the king continued to examine the piece, his legs kicked back and forth.
The king asked, "Why a wasp?"
Kouki answered instantly, "Because wasps are cool!"
King Jirou returned the piece back to his son, and he let out a smile, "Nicely done. You have a way to go, but if you keep working hard like this, you'll be an expert in no time."
The elder prince nodded.
Shin said, "Take a look at mine, Dad! Take a look at mine!"
The king said, "Oh. Let's see what we've got here." He took the object from the younger child's hand, and he said, "Hmm. Very nice. A fine little mouse."
"Thank you, Dad."
And with those words, the king returned the mouse to his son. He said, "You did well. Now, let's get going." He waved his hand to the men outside, and within a matter of moments, the carriage was up and moving.
Chapter Thirty-One: The Gateway
After what felt like hours, the group finally arrived at the Hall of Dolls. The two boys jumped out of their seats, and the princess placed her hands in front of her face as the two boys rushed towards her window. She braced for impact; however, as the children's feet met the princess's body, she felt nothing as the children fazed right through her. The two boys were quick to open the windows, and the two boys cheered, "We're here! Dad, we're here!"
The king said, "So we are."
It was at this point that the princess got to look outside. She took in a breath and her face crinkled as the smell of salt filled her sinuses. She looked outside. What was that, she thought to herself. The water frothed, leaving behind bubbles within the washed-up sand, and the princess squinted as the water moved back and forth like the breath of an ancient animal. The cries of unknown birds echoed in the distance, but before she could look for the source of the sound, her eyes stopped at a gate.
The wooden structure was massive, adding to its already considerable presence. At its base, there were two large stones, and as she looked closer, the pieces reminded her of the legs of a guardian, stalwart and strong. Beneath the gate, there was a bridge; however, as the princess tried to look to see where it goes, she scowled as she saw nothing but fog.
The carriage lowered itself to the ground, and it was not long before the door to the carriage rushed open. An erhu played in the distance, and the drum moved into a more playful beat. The two boys sprinted forward, but just as they were about to run into the water, their father called out to them, "You guys can run into the ocean later! Now come back before your feet get too dirty!"
"But Dad!"
"No 'but's. Get back here!"
Shin looked to the water, "But.."
Kouki pulled on to Shin's arm, "Let's just get back. Dad said we can play later."
The younger child looked down, "Okay."
The king rose from his seat before he got down onto his knees and looked under his box. He opened the doors, and as the king lifted a black jar, he smiled as the princess heard the familiar clink of metal. He stepped out of the carriage, and it was not long before the princess's chair stretched out its legs and followed him. He gestured towards the two boys and he made his way towards the bridge.
Chapter Thirty-Two: The Race
Huh, she thought to herself, so this is the ocean. She had managed to get a couple glimpses of it when she was up on top of Tamakura's mountain, but as she looked around, she couldn't help but wonder how closely this image matched to the real thing. Well, she thought to herself, at least it looks the right color. She continued to look around, but before she could think any further, a boy shouted, Last one there's a rotten egg!"
"Hey, wait for me!", the other boy yelled.
The two boys took off with the speed of a gust wind, running across the bridge as fast as their little legs could muster. The princess's chair readied itself, and as it sprinted after the boys, the princess did what she could to hold on for dear life.
After a few seconds of trying to get the proper footing, the chair managed to return itself to a manageable speed. The fog cleared, and out of the two boys, it was Shin who was able to make it there first.
"Ha," he panted, "I won."
Kouki said, "You started ahead of me, you cheater. If you had played fairly, I would have won."
"No way. Just because you're bigger than me doesn't mean you're faster than me. I would have won either way."
"Fine. Let's go again then. See which one is faster."
Shin moved himself towards the edge of the bridge. He got into a crouch and said, "I'm ready at any time."
Kouki crouched too, "Ready…"
The king warned, "Boys…"
The two princes rose from their positions, "Yes, Dad."
"This isn't a good place for you two to be running around. If you make too much noise, the Black Hoods here will eat you."
Shin took in a gulp, "Are the snakes here really that big?"
The king's face changed into a wicked grin. "Oh yeah," he said, "and they're trained too."
The little princes squirmed, and with a laugh, the king made his way into the main hall. The two boys looked over their shoulders for a moment, and it was Kouki who spoke first, "I think the coast is clear."
"You sure, Kouki?"
The prince nodded. "Uh hmm. How about we play some hide and seek instead?"
Shin said, "Okay. So, who hides first?"
Kouki pointed his head towards his hands, and he held a palm below a closed fist. The younger prince's eyes widened, and within a moment, he nodded and followed suit.
Kouki said, "Ready?"
The younger boy nodded.
The boys yelled, "Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot!"
The two boys showed their hands.
"Haha, yes!" The older boy said, "Rock for the win!"
The younger prince looked down at his scissors, "Aw, dang it!" He said, "Best two out of three."
The elder brother shook his head, "Not this time, Shin." He turned himself around, "You have thirty seconds."
"But that's way too short."
The older boy closed his eyes and said, "One, two, three…"
"All right, fine. I'm going!" The princess's chair followed as the young boy disappeared into the underbrush.
Chapter Thirty-Three: Running Through
The prince made his way east around the entrance, and the princess's chair followed him as he ran through out the island, his brother's voice fading into the distance. The drums and the violin increased in their tempo, and as the prince bolted off the main paths, the princess marveled at the scenery that stretched out before her eyes.
The first place that she ran into was a forest of bamboo. The green shoots stretched up into the heavens, and as she looked around, she could not help but get the imminent sense that she was being watched. Inscribed upon each of the stalks, there was a character though she did not know to whom these names belonged too. She gulped. Could this be a graveyard?
Monkeys chittered and jumped through the trees, though neither the princess nor the prince could determine where the sounds were coming from. Another rustle broke through the trees, and then it stopped. A golden ball nestled itself firmly onto the branch, and it was at this point that it extended one of its hands and proceeded to chew on one of the leaves.
The prince smiled and placed a hand over his mouth, He said, "Don't tell anyone I'm here."
The monkey smiled back at the boy, but shortly after finishing off his leaf, he pointed behind the boy and disappeared into the upper trees.
The princess said to herself, "I wonder what that's about."
The little boy let out a scream, and he ran his way back to the forest path.
It didn't take the princess long to see why.
Behind her, she saw the visage of a woman surrounded in black fog. Her feet did not reach the ground, and as the princess looked closer, she found the woman's hair reached the forest floor. She willed her breathing to remain steady, and at last, the woman spoke, "Where are you going, little boy?" She shifted her hair towards the other side of her face, "Don't you want to play?"
She moved closer towards the princess, and the princess forced herself to remain calm. Tears welled up in her eyes. The prince has already gone, the princess thought to herself, why hasn't the chair moved yet? The woman got closer. It's okay, it's okay, the princess repeated, it's all part of the play. She shouldn't be able to see me.
The woman got closer and her face twisted into a maniacal smile, "And what about you, little girl?"
The princess looked around. Her face blanched; there was no else around.
The woman looked right at the princess's face and said, "Would you like to play?"
The princess screamed, and she slapped her chair. The legs burst to life, and the princess clung on as they sprinted after the prince's path. The bamboo shook in the air around them, a violent whistle rustling through the trees, but the princess did not dare to turn her head around. Instead, she decided to keep her head forward, and she watched as she passed through waves of trees. The chair skipped along the river stones with ease, though the princess did not care much for how the motion bumped up against her backside. The chair kept running, and it was not long before the princess saw another gate.
The prince wheezed as he sat against the wooden structure. The instruments slowed their tempo, and the little boy rubbed his legs back and forth.
The woman's voiced called out from the forest, "Where are you going, children? Come back and play with me."
The prince shook his head and continued along the path. The road in front of the princess was pristine, and her eyes widened as she saw a gorgeous temple. The perimeter was surrounded with chestnut trees, and as the princess got closer, the sandy brown bark gave way to the sight of blooming purple and blue morning glories. Standing at the center of this display, there stood an exquisite mirror. Around the edges of this fine glass, the area was adorned in complicated patterns of silver and gold. The base of the mirror was lined with the woods of various trees and sea-shells, but as the princess continued to look closer, she could not help but feel that she had seen all of this somewhere before.
For a moment, the prince stood in awe; however, it was not long that, after clapping his hands and saying a quick prayer, the boy began to search for a place to play. He made his way towards one of the trees, but before he could climb all the way up, he was stopped by a voice.
"Don't step on the flowers."
The prince looked behind him to find a girl. Her arms were crossed, and her cheeks were red. The prince said, "Excuse me?"
She looked down at his feet, "Don't step on the flowers."
The prince looked down at his path, "Don't step on the what-". His hand slipped, and he groaned as he hit the floor. "Ow."
The girl asked, "Are you all right?"
The prince let out another groan, and it was at that moment that the princess heard a flute begin to play.
His eyes brimmed with tears, but he answered, "I'm fine."
The girl said, "You don't look fine. Can you get up?"
The prince responded, "I should be able to."
The girl gave him her hand, "My name's Asa. What's yours?"
The prince rose onto his feet and said, "Shin."
