The Princess and The Paige
By: The Dreaming Fangirl
Chapter Thirty-Four: The Gift
The two moved off the flowers, but as the young man stretched his neck, he gasped as pain surged along his spine.
Asa said, "Your neck is hurt."
"No, it's not!", he inhaled and he tried to turn his neck again. He twisted his head slightly and smiled, "See, I'm totally fine!"
The girl placed her hands together, "You are not fine. Let me see your neck."
"I already told you my neck is fine."
She held her hands out, "Then let me see it."
"You can see it from here, can't you?"
"I need you to get closer."
"I already told you it's fine."
"Then, let me see it."
The prince got closer, "There. You happy?"
The girl said, "A little closer."
"Like this?"
The girl smiled, "Perfect. Now stay still."
"What are you going to do?"
"Just stay still." She blew her hands, and it was not long before she placed them around the prince's neck.
"What are you doing?"
She smiled, "Just stay still." She closed her eyes, and the princess watched as the young lady steadied her breathing. A small breeze passed through the trees, and as it swept through the flowers, the whispers of countless voices filled the air and surrounded the couple. The breeze swirled around them, and at long last, the girl exhaled. She lowered her hands, and as Asa opened her eyes, the princess was shocked to find that the voices were gone.
The smiled once more, "Try moving it now."
The prince lifted his head up and down. Yep, that still worked. He moved his head from side to side. His eyes widened. No pain. He said, "What did you do?"
"Your neck got hurt because of me, so I fixed it."
"I can see that," he placed a hand up to the area," but how did you do it?"
"How?"
"Yeah, how? What trick did you use?"
"You don't have anything like this in the palace?"
The prince shook his head, "No way! Sure, we have doctors, but none of them could have done that. So, what's your secret? Magic? Some sort of secret doll training?"
The girl let out a little giggle, "Something like that." She moved back to the flowers, and as soon as the morning glories were able to stand up once more, she asked, "Most people tend to have a reason for coming here." She looked towards the prince, "So, what's yours?"
"Dad said that he had some business here. What about you? You don't look like one of the characters, but I've never met a doll that had a name before."
The girl looked down, "Actually, I'm just a doll-in-training. That said, lots of us have names."
"Really?"
"Uh-huh, though once we get old enough, we all lose our names eventually."
"And you can't do anything about it?"
The girl looked downwards, "That's just the fate we dolls have."
"Oh." For a moment, he put one of his hands up to his chin. His eyes widened, and it was not long before his attention scrambled towards the ground.
The girl chuckled, "What are you doing?"
The boy said, "I've got an idea." His head turned from side and side, and upon reaching a pile of pebbles, he stopped. He moved to his knees and picked up the first rock he found.
"Nope."
And with those words, he moved the rocks into another pile beside him. He picked up another rock, and he scrunched his eyebrows. "Too big."
He picked up another rock.
"Too soft."
"Nah-ah."
"Nope."
"Too broad."
Shin smiled, "Ah ha!" He held up a rock that was no bigger than the head of an arrow and just as sharp. He pulled the mouse figurine out from his pocket, and it was at that moment that the boy called out to Asa once more, "Do you know how to read?"
The girl nodded, "Of course I can read. That said, we don't get that many new books."
"Perfect." He flipped the mouse, revealing its wooden underbelly. His hand-movements were steady, and after ten minutes of work, he steadily made his way back to the girl again. "For you."
Asa's eyes widened, and as the princess's chair got closer, it was not long for Izumiko to see why. She looked up towards the prince and said, "This is…"
The boy smiled, "Your name. So, you won't ever lose it."
Asa's eyes misted, "Thank you." Her voice shook, "Thank you."
"Make sure you don't lose it, okay?"
The girl nodded, and it was not long before she moved the mouse back into one of her pockets. She asked, "What about your offering?"
"I have some of my allowance in my shoe." He whispered, "Don't tell my father though."
She nodded once more.
"Want to play some tag with me?"
She nodded once more.
Chapter Thirty-Five: Sneaking Around
The two ran around the garden, chasing each other through the trees and weaving their way throughout the temple's garden. Shrill screams echoed throughout the halls, and after twenty minutes of playing, the couple was cut off by an incredibly angry young man.
"Shin!"
"Kouki?"
The young man crossed his arms, "So, this is where you've been. Dad's been worried sick about you."
"I was only hiding for a few minutes."
Kouki shook his head, "Try a few hours. You were gone for so long I thought one of the snakes had eaten you."
The prince looked downwards, "I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize to me." He grabbed Shin by the hand. "Apologize to Dad." He pulled the little prince forward, but it was at that point that Shin turned towards the girl again.
He waved, "It was nice to meet you."
Asa smiled, "Nice to meet you too."
The two brothers walked off into the distance, but as the princess began to stroke her chair forward, the chair turned its attention towards the doll-in-training. She moved towards the temple and, upon arriving at the entrance, she sat herself down and held the mouse close to her chest. She rubbed her fingers along the mouse's underbelly and said, "Shin. Shin." She smiled, "I will have to remember that name." She held the mouse closer, but as the girl began to exhale, the princess noticed something strange.
A small wind passed through the girl's hair, and as the girl closed her eyes, a being of light emerged from the little girl's body. The princess moved her sleeve to cover her eyes, and it was not long before the light dimmed. The glow moved towards the side of the princess's sleeve, and it giggled as it said, "That was fun!"
The princess lowered her arm, and her eyes widened as the light clumped, twisting until, at long last, it took the form of a young girl. Her golden locks shimmered in the sunlight, and as the girl stretched her legs, the princess could only stare as the being's hair dropped all the way to the ground.
It was true that she had rarely been given haircuts when she was young; however, the princess thought to herself, her hair had never gotten that long before.
The girl's hair lingered on the tile, and her eyes widened, "Oops". She lifted what she could off the ground before a patch of grass sprouted from the gaps. "Stupid weeds", She dug her heel into the ground; however, as she approached the patch, her foot phased through the plant, and she groaned as the patch only grew bigger in size. She let out a sigh, and with a small flex of her hands, she levitated herself off the ground. She turned towards Asa and smiled, "I look forward to seeing how this new model turns out."
The doll-in-training rubbed her finger against the mouse's underside once more, and after moving her head from side to side, the girl placed the mouse into the nearest pocket she could find. She placed her hands together, and after offering a small prayer, she soon ran off into the distance.
The girl turned her head from side to side as well, and upon seeing no one, she smiled and faced the skies once more. She lifted herself up into the air, and the princess peeped as the chair followed her ascent. The two flew upwards into the air, and as the sound of drums echoed into the distance, the princess could only watch as the world below her was swallowed in the gray haze.
The chair rose up higher. Thunder crackled off into the distance, and after passing through the initial wave of droplets, warm air rushed to meet the duo, lifting them further into the atmosphere until, at long last, the duo stood at the entrance to a pair of gates. Two men guarded the entrance, and as the light shone down on the gate, the princess couldn't tell which was reflected brighter: the light coming from their azure-colored armor or the light emitting from their wings.
The girl sighed, "Looks like the bugs are still here." She retreated into the nearest cloud she could find and said, "Come on. Come on..."
The guards turned their heads towards the inside of the wall.
The girl smiled, "Yes." She headed towards the wall, and after moving a considerable distance away from the gates, she lifted herself up and over the barrier. She moved her head back and forth, and upon seeing no-one, she moved her way towards a cluster of clouds, placing her hands inside the mass. She closed her eyes, and the princess watched as the air surrounding the girl's hands disappeared. A gust of warm air rushed to meet the pair, and the girl smiled as a small wooden box was lifted into the air. She briefly glanced at the box's contents, and without so much as a word, she made her way off into the distance.
The pair flew for roughly a few minutes, and as the breath escaped from the princess's lips, she could only stare in awe at what came next. The clouds, which before had laid at the pair's feet, amassed themselves into a single area, soaring high into the air, until at last, they formed a massive tower that stretched up into the heavens. Surrounding the tower, a lush forest buzzed, the very air teeming with life. She spotted a deer; however, as the princess gazed closer, the deer was unlike anything she had seen before.
Its body was that of beautiful transparent crystal, and as the deer began to swish its head from side to side, its eyes were as verdant green as that of the forests with which it lived. The deer ran off into the distance.
A voice called out from underneath them, "Excuse me."
The girl looked down towards her feet, "Oh, I'm sorry about that."
The princess looked down towards the source of the sound, and her eyes widened as a white snake began to speak once more, "I simply needed to get past you, your grace. Lady Silver Feather has been expecting you." The snake tongue flickered, "Is that the new flavor of wagashi?"
The girl nodded.
"It smells wonderful. Please give my regards to Ser Sutoomu-Motarasu."
The girl waved, "I will." She headed off towards the tower, and as soon as she reached an open window, she smiled, "Jackpot." She lifted herself up into the air once more; however, as soon as she touched the floor of the tower, she was caught off-guard by the sound of a small pop.
The princess looked down towards the floor, and it was at this point that she raised one of her eyebrows. Acorns, the princess thought to herself, what are these doing in here? She looked around; however, to her surprise, she found no traces of dirt anywhere she turned. Did the wind blow them in here?
The girl made her way through the hallway; however, just as she was about to make a turn, she was interrupted by a man's voice, "Princess Asago!"
"Ser Sutoomu-Motarasu!"
"You're late. Just how long were you planning on making Prince Kō Shōgo wait for you?"
"I'm sorry. Things were so fun back there that I guess I got a little carried away."
"You were in the human world again?"
The girl nodded.
"How many times do I have to tell you that that place isn't safe? There is no telling just how many mortals would kill to have a goddess of your caliber on their side. If you're going to go down there-"
The girl interrupted, "I know. I know. I need to make sure I bring an escort with me."
The man sighed, "Why do you always insist on making me worry?"
The girl smiled, "Just doing my job." She winked, "Shall we get going?"
Chapter Thirty-Six: The Arch-Doors
The duo made their way through the hall, and after passing a small set of doors, the duo continued until they reached a small arch covered in ancient glyphs. The duo moved closer; however, just as they reached the entrance, they stopped.
The glyphs changed from stark black into a smooth olive green, and it was at this point that the words flew off the arch until they formed one distinct paragraph. Ser Sutoomu-Motarasu turned towards the princess deity, "Whenever you're ready, your highness."
The girl nodded.
"Please read the text."
The girl raised up her right hand as she said, "As we step into this great hall of knowledge, we understand that, as with all tools, what we have learned can be used for purposes both good and ill. We solemnly swear, on the seal of the great embers, to wield this power responsibly, and as we bear witness to the passage of time, to continue to govern the domains with which we reign with a firm and gentle hand. For the glory of the heavens."
The man nodded, "For the glory of the heavens."
The glyphs glowed brighter, and Izumiko covered her eyes as the glyphs flashed one last burst of light. She placed her hands to her face, and it was only after several moments that of blinking that she could see what happened next.
Resting on each of the deities' raised hands, there stood the markings of a small fire, like that of a brand. The fire burned a beautiful subtle brown, but as the princess looked closer, beautiful golden flecks flickered into the corners before, at last, fading off.
The duo walked through the arched gate.
Chapter Thirty-Seven: Lady Silver-Feather
The doors of the arched gate opened to reveal a massive library. Its edges curved like that of an egg, and as the princess looked at the sides, she could see several windows lining high into the sky. Winged serpents bustled through their tasks, each of whom carrying various items through the library's halls. Some were busy returning books to their proper places, but as the duo moved towards the center of the library, the princess noticed that another portion of the serpents were busy at work tending the chimney fire.
Burning the same color as that of the brands, the fire continued onward at a steady pace; however, for each new log that was added to the flames, it grew twice its original size. Those serpents who were not turning the logs then quickly set out to gather the ashes, and after placing what they could into a series of cans and small jars, they rushed out the library doors.
A small giggle echoed throughout the library, but after taking a moment, the giggle turned into a boisterous honking laugh. Various serpents rushed to the sound, carrying what ink and quill pens that they could find. A woman rose up into the air, and as she clutched her stomach, she kicked her feet, almost hitting one of the book-shelves.
"Lady Silver-Feather, please calm yourself!"
"I can't! Ha-ha Ha-honk! Ha-ha-ha!"
The princess deity smiled, "Looks like Goose is up to her usual antics." She closed her eyes, and after taking a moment to inhale, she lifted herself up into the air as well. She moved towards her friend, "What's so funny?"
The woman's eyes widened, "Asa! You won't believe what just happened." She inhaled, "There were these two twins."
"Yeah, and?"
"These kids were discussing as to which of them had the other's sock; however, since they were babies, they sounded like this," Her voice broke up into a higher pitch, "'DA DA-DA DA DA-DA!'"
Asago snorted, "And you can understand them?"
"I have to be able to." The woman sighed, "It's little moments like these that makes this job worth it." She looked closer at the princess's box, "Oh, sweet mercy! You brought the mochi."
She called towards the serpents, "Quickly, someone! We need to have some tea."
Chapter Thirty-Eight: Tea at Noon
"Uh, uh, uumm!" Lady Silver-Feather hummed, "Delicious as always. One of these days you have got to get your cousin to teach me how to make these."
"Knowing Nousagi, he'd tell you that these-", the princess deity squeezed one of her snacks gently, "are a trade secret. That said, it's not like he's doing this on his own. He has plenty of help. Maybe they can teach you."
"Yeah," the woman sighed, "but those bunnies never give an inch. I want to know! I am one of the goddesses of knowledge. I should be allowed to know!"
"But I thought you only govern story-telling though…"
"I am the one in charge of maintaining all of history. You know how easy it is to forget the things that I don't write down. I've searched every ounce of the library, and I have yet to find any records from him whatsoever, aside from business expenses and a book of silly haikus." The woman sighed, "That boy is mocking me."
"Well, perhaps he simply enjoys riling you up."
Lady Silver-Feather sighed once more, "Maybe so. What about you? You're rarely ever late. Did something happen?"
Princess Asago let out a small giggle, "I went to see the human world."
"What?" The woman answered, "Tell me everything!"
The trio continued to have their tea, and as the princess deity continued her story, she paused, "Oh, I almost forgot." She released a small breath, and as she closed her eyes, a beautiful white orb sprouted forth from the young lady's body. The sound of a flute danced in the background, and the orb shifted to the form of a small animal, though as Izumiko looked closer, the brilliance of the light prevented her from seeing its true shape.
The princess deity smiled, "Please tell my brother I said, 'Hello.'."
The orb nodded, and with a flash, it rushed its way out of the library. It was Ser Sutoomu- Motorasu who spoke first, "No matter how many times I see it, you always find a way to impress me. If a lesser being was to look at the ember of light, that one would surely lose their sight."
"It just helps to be naturally bright," she placed one of her hands at the back of her head, "That's all."
The bodyguard nodded, "Uh huh."
"What? It's the truth."
"Uh huh."
The princess deity scoffed.
It was at this point that Lady Silver Feather spoke up, "So then, what happened next?"
The princess deity spoke of her game with the young prince; however, as Princess Asago finished her story, Lady Silver Feather's eyebrows began to scrunch up as she said, "So you never left The Hall?"
Princess Asago nodded, and the woman let out a burst of laughter. "Asago, sweetie," she wheezed, "you were never in the human world. Not really."
"But the Hall of Dolls is built on soil in the human world," the princess deity responded.
"Yes, but that place was built in the human world to resemble our world. While the Hall of Dolls may have foundations in the human world, it isn't all that human anymore. The real human world lies beyond the gates."
Ser Sutoomu-Motorasu clenched the table, "And just what are you suggesting, Lady Silver Feather? You're not seriously suggesting that my lady leave the Hall, are you?"
"Even if it was just for a little bit." She turned her head towards the princess deity, "Princess Asago, if one wishes to maintain a wise and peaceful rule, one must be able to understand and seek out new perspectives in response to various problems. The humans have their own way of doing things, and while I admit, they are not perfect, they are constantly seeking new ways to improve themselves and reach even greater heights."
"Have you ever been to the human world before?"
"Of course," the woman smiled, "I am the goddess of story-telling after all. That said, from how it sounds, it seems you've made a good first step, haven't you?"
"In what regard?"
"You performed a character possession, didn't you?"
"A what?!", the body-guard gasped.
Princess Asago blushed, "How could you tell?"
"Whenever one performs a character possession, that soul works in tandem with the soul of the vessel to accomplish various tasks. To do this, the two souls have to temporarily blend together to form one cohesive unit. That said, once the possession is over, both souls tend to leave something of themselves back with whom they had previously blended. As a result, you were able to sample a truly primal force."
"What was it called?"
"Raw emotion. Your giddiness gave you right away. Just be careful, if you go fuse for too long, it's possible that you'll never be able to separate ever again. You'll become someone else."
"Like who?"
"I'm not sure."
The princess deity lowered her head, "Oh. Have you ever been to the human world before?"
"Yes, I have." The woman smiled, "Several times at that. They have some of the most fascinating stories."
The bodyguard raised one of his eyebrows, "Don't their stories get rather repetitive?"
Lady Silver-Feather reached the air around, and after pulling a feather from her back, she smiled, "It can be, but sometimes, all they need is a little prick of imagination."
