Ahiru: I tied up the author because she couldn't keep her mouth shut, so I'll be giving the notes today!!
Aneko: Mnph! -Tries to speak around gag-
Ahiru: QUIET YOU!! -Ahem- Well, here is the long awaited chapter 7! Enjoy! Oh, almost forgot-
Disclaimer: This author does not own Princess Tutu.
Chapter 7- Masquerade
"Ahiru! Are you ready to get prepared for the masquerade?"
Chare and Iris stood smiling before Ahiru.
"Eh? But it's not for at least four hours yet!"
"I know, that's barely enough time as it is!" Iris complained, grabbing Ahiru's hand and leading her towards the smaller door in her room. It was the first time Ahiru had gone over to it.
Chare pulled open the door, and behind it was a study area, with a large desk towards the windows. Iris pulled her past this and to another door. Going through, Ahiru gaped at the decadence.
It was a bathing room, but with a enormity like none Ahiru had ever seen before. It had to be (at least) as big as her bedroom. From a far wall, water gushed from a man-made aperture near the ceiling, and down into an already filled pool. The pool took up a fourth of the room all by itself, and the steam rose from it.
"It's heated?"
"Yes. The water comes from an underground hot spring beneath the castle."
Tall pillars bordered the pool every five feet, all the way around the edges.
"You take all the time you need, and come out when you're done," Chare instructed, as she and Iris left.
Ahiru quickly undressed and got in. The water was invitingly warm, and as Ahiru waded toward the far end where the water came from, the water went up to her neck. As Ahiru floated there in the deep water, she was suddenly aware of the stress that had stiffened her muscles. The warm water eased and soothed the weariness. It felt so easy to just let everything melt away. But even if it did…
Plip.
A teardrop landed on the surface, and Ahiru touched her face. Tears?
Ahiru could only stare at her reflection in surprise for a few moments, like a child who had suddenly been shown a new discovery, before she shook her head violently.
"No! I'll be living in this world. It's not so bad. Everyone's so nice…" She said, trying to convince herself.
But what if they knew I wasn't really a princess? A quiet voice in the back of her mind asked.
Ahiru shook her head again. She would get these depressing thoughts out of her head. On the ledge by the waterfall were many bottles of all shapes, sizes and colors. Ahiru opened each one, smelling each of the wonderful scents, until one in particular caught her attention. The label said chamomile and lavender. Ahiru poured a bit near the waterfall's base. Presently, the area began to feel gently sweet.
"There now! That should help!" Ahiru said, smiling as she leaned against the edge. She was beginning to feel drowsy as she inhaled that scent.
"Sleepy…"
Soon, Ahiru's eyes closed in sleep.
Ahiru stood in absolute darkness, helpless as she listened to invisible laughter.
"Puppetmaster-san?!" She called out, half-angry, half-afraid.
"Why, if it isn't the little hime-sama." Ahiru hated that mocking tone of voice with all her heart.
"You seem to be unaware of the eye always watching you."
"What?!"
"I am always watching you .So I guess you should know that there's something else I forgot to tell you. I just made up a new rule-- you no longer allowed to talk to the knight at all. "
"Why?! I didn't even-"
"Careful girl," she called, her voice becoming harsh, "you're playing a dangerous game. This is my game with my rules. I can't have you going and spilling everything to your precious knight now, can I? He would become an annoying thorn in my side, trying to take you home. Though I could always just kill him, I suppose…" she mused.
"No!" Ahiru shouted, before biting her lip and continuing quietly, "Okay, you win. I won't talk to him. Just don't…don't hurt him…"
"I knew you'd understand, my sweet little puppet."
Ahiru's eyes snapped open. She was still in the bath, the sweet, sleepy scent of chamomile and lavender filling the air. It was silent except for the water gushing into the pool.
Ahiru washed herself quickly, but she could not even try to enjoy herself anymore. When she got out, a huge fluffy white towel awaited her, and she was almost lost amid the folds. When she went back to the bedroom, she found Chare and Iris standing beside the vanity table.
"Come on, come on!"
Ahiru followed Iris to steer her to sit in front of the mirror. Ahiru stared at her reflection dully. The face that stared back at her was empty and broken. Behind her, Chare and Iris were talking about something or other.
"Here, we'll do your hair."
Ahiru felt the brush running smoothly through her hair.
"We're going to leave your hair down for tonight," Iris explained chattily as she worked.
Ahiru did not respond. Suddenly, the two maids who had been so friendly had become faceless people who she didn't know.
Fakir sat at the bar stool, ignoring the drink he held in his hands. He was still trying to figure out Ahiru's reaction- it didn't make any sense.
"Excuse me- is this seat taken?"
A man had approached the bar to Fakir's left and was pointing to the seat beside him.
"No, go right ahead."
The man sat down, and Fakir couldn't help but stare out of the corner of his eye.. From the wide brimmed hat that shadowed his face to his cloak to his feet, everything he wore was white. He even had on a pair of snowy white gloves. A corner of something stuck out from under the cloak.
"Hey- bartender!" The man raised a hand and his cloak moved a little to show that the item was a canvas
Noticing Fakir's stare, the man smiled, pulling it out to reveal a picture of a caged bird.
"Do you like it?"
"Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to stare."
"That's quite alright young man. I just finished this one. Her Ladyship recently saw it and-"
"Her Ladyship?" Fakir asked, doing very well in ignoring Kiru, who was swinging around in circles on his bar stool.
"The Princess."
"…Who are you?"
"Me? I'm just an old codger who likes to draw and paint. The King allows me to roam the castle, though for the life of me I don't know why…Where is that bartender? Oi, Cassius, is this how you treat an old friend?" He interrupted himself impatiently, leaning over the counter.
"Ha! You, calling yourself old? Have you looked in the mirror lately? You're not a day over thirty!" The young bartender appeared from the back room. He didn't look like he could be over twenty five.
"Some would consider that old," Reuben said, defending himself, "Oh yeah! That reminds me!"
"Don't 'oh yeah' me," Cassius said, disgruntled.
"I almost forgot," the man in white said, ignoring the comment," there's that masquerade ball tonight at the castle."
"Ball?"
"But do I have anything to wear? Why do I have to go, anyways? Now I'll have to find something appropriate to go in…" he was obviously talking to himself again.
Fakir stood up quickly, running out with Kiru calling and following after.
"Hey, kid, wait!" Cassius called, "You forgot to pay!"
"Don't worry about it, I'll pay."
Cassius turned to the man as he dropped a gold coin on the counter.
"You haven't been to these parts for a while, hmm, Reuben?"
"I suppose not. There's just so much to do in so little time, in this short life."
"There you go again, talking all fortuneteller-like."
Reuben laughed, "Is that so? Well then," he stood up, "I'll be taking my leave. Wouldn't want to bother you too much."
"Weren't you going to get something?"
"Nah."
"Where are you going, anyways?"
Reuben turned back, a smiled sparkling in his chocolate brown eyes. His voice took on a reverent quality.
"A masquerade- it is an excellent chance for an artist, is it not? A world full of color and festivity, and anything can happen."
Reuben left, his cloak swirling behind him.
"There, it's all finished!" Chare said, stepping back from her handiwork.
"No, wait! You forgot the mask."
"But let's make it a small one- we don't want to cover up too much of her face. Everyone should be able to tell it's her."
"Hold still, Ahiru."
Ahiru closed her eyes as the mask went around her eyes.
"Kiru, would it be possible to get into the masquerade?"
"It should be. It's usually open to everyone, and for all they know, you're just another Noble. Besides, you went to all the trouble of getting dressed up for the occasion."
People milled about the ballroom aimlessly, chatting with friends, until a trumpet call made everything die down.
"Announcing their majesties the King Oran the Just and Queen Hana the Fair, and their daughter, the beloved Princess Hikari!"
Ahiru descended the grand staircase nervously to applause, her left arm linked in Oran's right. She wore a pure white dress, a trued ballroom dress with a hooped skirt. The sleeves were long, nearly to her wrists and were made of a light, transparent material. Silver pearl beads had been woven into the front of her hair, which had been pulled back. The rest of it had been let loose, falling in a wavy, silky ripple down her back. A small mask adorned her face, matching her dress, and was only big enough to cover the area around her eyes.
When they reached the floor, they went over to three thrones that stood at one end of the room. Ahiru and the Queen sat, but Oran turned to speak.
"My people! We are here tonight to celebrate the return of my dear daughter! I hope that everyone will enjoy themselves on this happy occasion!"
Ahiru looked down, unable to meet anyone's eyes, lest they see the guilt in hers.
The orchestra started playing a charming tune in the background as people began talking again. Hana got up from her throne to go talk, but Oran stayed seated, surveying the room, and Ahiru felt more comfortable sitting beside him than wandering about. Eventually, though, Oran got up, and Ahiru followed, not wanting to be left behind.
From a corner of the upstairs balcony, an observer stood, unnoticed by the ballroom occupants below.
"My, look at all the people," he commented, "In this crowd, two people could probably be unnoticed by those who might be watching."
His paintbrush made another stroke of vibrant color upon the canvas.
The Puppetmaster screeched as she held her crystal ball in her hands. The picture had become a blank, milky white. There was a barely perceptible undercurrent of fear in her voice as she spoke.
"What? When did he get here?! Curse him- his presence nulls my power!"
Ahiru stood within the crowd, looking around helplessly. At some point she had lost sight of the King and now, despite his easily recognizable height, she was lost in the crowd. She had greatly underestimated the size, it seemed.
"Hime-sama?"
Ahiru turned slowly at the sound of the voice. When she saw the person, she drew in a breath.
A man (or a teenager—she couldn't tell which) stood not three feet away from her. He was dressed so elegantly that Ahiru guessed he must be one of the Noble Oran had talked about/ He wore black pants, and over a white dress shirt he wore a royal blue jacket with intricate silver trim. His face intrigues her most, not because it looked funny, but because she couldn't see it at all. From his nose to his forehead, his face was covered in a mask of simple craft, in light silver leafing.
"May I have the honor of a dance?" He asked, bowing to her.
"Y-yes," Ahiru replied, remembering to curtsy.
She didn't know him, but, she felt, as she heard the conductor of the orchestra strike up a new piece, that this moment was important.
His hand slipped around her waist as his other led her in the slow waltz. Ahiru turned even clumsier than usual—she didn't know how to ballroom dance.
"Don't be nervous. It's just a dance."
Ahiru nodded silently, and they continued. So subtly it was almost unnoticeable, the pair's dance began to shift into something else, something Ahiru knew very well. Ballet. There was a dreamlike quality to their dance that made Ahiru feel like she was being swept away.
"Hime-sama, why is your dance so sad?" He asked quietly after she allowed him to lower her in a drop.
Ahiru, her eyes closed, frowned slightly, sadly.
"I pushed away someone I care about very much…"
"Why?"
"Because…if I don't, he'll get hurt."
Ahiru kept her eyes closed, allowing herself to get lost in the flow of the dance.
Why…? She wondered as he lifted her into the air. His hands…his voice…they seem so familiar.
Bringing her back down, he lifted her hand above her head and led her in a simple pirouette as the dance ended.
Ahiru opened her eyes as people applauded the song, but the sound was far away in her ears. She and the masked man stared at each other until, finally, the man bowed.
"Thank you," he said, before backing away and disappearing into the crowd.
Ahiru, unconsciously raised her hand, reaching after him, feeling as though a part of her had just gone missing.
Ahiru entered the darkness of her room, closing the door behind her. The music had long since faded from her ears, but she was just now returned to her room, so the candles had not yet been lit. Ahiru walked towards the French windows as the white light of lightning filled the room brighter than any lamp. Thunder rumbled slowly behind it, still a gentle, distant presence. The rain had not started to fall yet, but as Ahiru looked out, she could see droplets beginning to spatter the gray stone. Soon it was running down the windows in blurry trails. Ahiru was watching it, until a noise (it sounded like a thump) alerted her. She whirled around to face the darkness.
"Who's there?!" She asked, slightly afraid.
There was silent for a moment, then, as another flash of lightning illuminated the room, Ahiru stepped back in surprise.
"F-Fakir."
It could be no other. He stood there, still in the masquerade clothes, the silver mask held in one hand.
The rain outside subsided, and a full moon made an appearance from behind a swathe of clouds.
Ahiru turned quickly to face the window.
"What are you doing here?" She remanded, trying to sound cold.
Fakir stared at the creature before him, in her stiff gown of silk and lace and with straight back. This was not Ahiru.
This is my room. You shouldn't be here."
Ahiru waited for Fakir's reply, but there was none. She waited so long that she thought he hadn't heard her, when she felt him.
In one movement Fakir came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her backwards and close to him. He held her firmly, but so gently that it made her want to cry. Ahiru was paralyzed for a moment before she remembered that she wasn't supposed to be talking to him.
"Fakir, let go of--"
"No."
His automatic response left her speechless again, but only for a moment as her mind worked franticly.
"I said let go of me!" Ahiru said, pulling away abruptly. Immediately, the absence of his warm arms around her made her feel cold and vulnerable.
"Just leave me alone, Fakir. I never want to see your face again!"
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Ahiru felt like she had just hit herself in the gut. She wanted to take it back, tell him that all she wanted to do was protect him.
"If that's what you want."
Ahiru's eyes snapped open. She turned to look at him, but he was gone.
Had she imagined it? No, she couldn't have. The French window was swinging back and forth after being opened, and she could still feel the ghost of his arms around her.
"Is this really okay knight-sama?" Kiru asked as he flew by Fakir's horse, racing away from the palace.
Fakir nodded. "Yes. I'm not leaving her. Something's wrong."
He could not forget that while he had held her, she was trembling.
Finally losing the little strength she had left, Ahiru slid to the ground, the tears she had kept inside surfacing and falling down her face.
"Hime-sama?" A quiet voice asked.
Kiru was sitting beside her, looking at her with an expression she couldn't name.
"Kiru-chan…what have I done? I…I don't know…what to do anymore. It hurts…"
She buried her face in her hands, sobbing. Ahiru did not see the boy's response. His beautiful green eyes grew dark with sorrow, and a single tear slid down his cheek, a silver pearl in the moonlight.
"I'm sorry…"
Ahiru:-with tears in eyes- W-well, that's all for today. N-no more spoilers, so…-releases Aneko-
Aneko: I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I think I nearly killed myself writing this chapter, but I promise, I promise things will start getting better-runs away to write-