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Chapter Text

Love Stories From Starlight Kingdom

Prologue.

Far past the tallest mountains and through the deepest woods, there lies a kingdom touched by magic.

But it's not how you're thinking, I assure you. This is not a land of faeries and wishes.

This is a kingdom brushed by the tips of Misfortune's wings as it flew overhead - a land darkened by curses and tragedy.

From the wanderer just passing through, to the farmer selling goods, to the performers working the town, and even the royalty itself, no one is spared.

These are the tales of four cursed children - one for each season - and those who love them far too dearly.

A/N:  This is a compilation of fairytale-based stories I wrote nearly half a year ago. Anyone who's familiar with my fairytale RWBY fic Fated, this is essentially the same thing; chapter stories for each ship loosely based off classic fairytales.

And of course I give them plenty of my own personal twists. (And no, the titles aren't the fairytales, they're the characters involved in each tale).

I worked long and hard on this story, so I do hope you'll enjoy it.

Chapter Text

Chapter 1. The Knights And The Princess

Once, there was princess who was born into Starlight Kingdom, but she was born under a curse.

Her wealthy parents had been known to hoard their riches from those in need, and thus had been visited by a cautioning spirit. The spirit warned that their firstborn would suffer a cold, eternal sleep if the child should ever come to bleed for reasons unnatural.

The king and queen tried to bribe the spirit away with riches and money, but it only hissed a threat before vanishing.

The rich couple regretted and relented their curse, but they were determined to keep their child safe for the sake of their public image, if nothing else.

Some people said they deserved the curse for being so selfish, but others believed the child should not be the one punished. Others still said they should kill the child either before or after it was born so it would not have to live a life of fear and despair.

But the king and queen refused, no matter how tempting it might've sounded. They didn't want to risk their reputation, and perhaps some small part of them wanted to care for the child as well.

In spite of their riches and comfort, darkness surrounded them every day, up until their daughter was born.

And so they named her Hikari – their little light.

Their plan was simple – to keep her locked away inside a tower with limited contact from people, so that she would never be cut or come to bleed. They raised her themselves when she was a baby, kept her inside their castle at all times.

But it was very expensive to care for the child constantly – even for a king and queen – and their money began to dwindle. It wasn't long before Hikari's parents decided they did not want to care for her themselves any longer.

So they announced to the town that they would pay anyone who was willing to assist them with a plan. They wanted children Hikari's age to be her guards, to live with her in seclusion through all her years and keep her safe, while Hikari's rich parents would pay only for essentials and nothing more.

Immediately there were two couples unwanting of their children who agreed. They each exchanged a baby girl for a heap of coins and left without a second glance.

And so Hikari's parents raised and trained the two young girls – Karen and Mahiru – until they were old enough to understand Hikari's condition. They trained them to be her guards, so they knew no other purpose in life than to protect the cursed princess.

When the girls were all 15 years old, the weary king and queen left the castle one night and never returned, abandoning the three girls and taking what was left of their money with them.

Some say that, even though it was twisted and selfish of them, it was still a form of love for their only child.

And even though Karen and Mahiru had been given away by their own unloving parents, and conditioned to be what they were, they never saw it that way. They loved Hikari, and they wanted to protect her however they could.

And so the girls have lived alone together in that tower for three more years now...

. . .

. . .

Even though Mahiru and Karen had their own beds, they never used them, especially since the three of them had been left on their own. Hikari suffered from frequent nightmares thanks to her curse, so her two friends always slept together with her in the middle to make her feel safe and warm.

Because the nightmares often kept her up, Hikari tended to sleep in late.

So even after the curtains have been painted yellow with sunlight, she is still fast asleep. Mahiru and Karen wake around the same time as per usual and quietly greet one another.

"Good morning, Karen-chan."

"Good morning, Mahiru-chan."

Both of them smile and stretch out a little bit as they gaze fondly down at the girl in between them. Hikari's white nightgown and dark hair against her pale skin make her appear so frail when she sleeps. Luckily, her expression is relaxed and peaceful now. Karen looks at Mahiru to discuss things as per their morning routine.

"She woke up about 3 times last night."

Mahiru nods.

"Right. In total, she lost just as many hours of sleep."

"Poor Princess Hikari..."

They each rest a hand on Hikari's head and pet gently. When she might usually just continue sleeping peacefully beneath their touch, this time Hikari whimpers and her breath catches. Karen and Mahiru share a frown.

"Don't tell me she's having another nightmare."

"This isn't fair..."

They wait a moment, but Hikari doesn't seem to be getting any better. So her two knights come to a silent agreement to wake her. Slowly, they both lean over her and press soft kisses to her cheeks.

"Princess," Mahiru coos. "Please wake up."

"Princess Hikari," Karen hums. "Our Sleeping Beauty."

Hikari's brow furrows with discomfort and distress, and her fingers curl tightly into the sheets. Mahiru and Karen each take one of her hands and hold them gently.

"Princess-"

"You can do it!"

Another frightened sound escapes her lips, and she flinches a little, but eventually Hikari's eyes begin to flutter open. Her knights sigh in relief.

"Thank goodness."

"Princess Hikari!"

Frazzled and puzzled, Hikari blinks up at them until a spark of clarity lights in her eyes.

"Karen... Mahiru..."

They both keep trying to smile, but the sound of Hikari's exhausted voice – just from a night of trying to rest – makes them both flinch.

"That's right," Mahiru says gently. "It's us."

"Good job waking up, Princess Hikari," Karen praises her.

Hikari is still breathing a little harshly from her fright, but she does her best to smile. Karen and Mahiru both lean forward over her, wrapping their arms around Hikari's back to help pull her up.

They sit her up slowly, and Hikari makes a dizzy-sounding moan. Both of her friends support her, hugging her close until she's calmed down a little.

"It was just another nightmare," Karen whispers.

"That's right," Mahiru says. "You pulled through and woke up, just as you always do, Princess."

Hikari swallows thickly and does her best hug them both in return.

"Thank you..."

"There's no need to thank us."

"We'd do anything for you, Princess Hikari!"

After a moment, the trio eases apart a little. Hikari's eyelids fall shut again almost immediately simply from how exhausted she is. Karen and Mahiru share a glance.

"I'll go start on laundry and then breakfast," Mahiru offers.

Karen nods.

"Thanks, Mahiru-chan. I'm gonna stay with her a little longer."

Mahiru nods in turn. She kisses Hikari's temple again, then slowly gets out of bed. She crosses the room to gather her uniform for the day - vest, skirt, boots, and mace - before exiting the bedroom and closing the door behind her.

Mahiru is the one who typically cooks and cleans most around the castle, simply because she's better at those than most other things.

Karen, on the other hand, is a bit more skilled in terms of handling people and their emotions, so she tends to stay with Hikari to help her get ready.

But this morning, Karen can tell her princess is still shaken from the most recent nightmare. Having her get out of bed now would only cause her to be dizzy and unbalanced all day, and that only heightens the risk that she might get hurt and come to bleed. So for now, Karen comes to a decision.

"Princess, Hikari?" Saying her name rouses the other girl a bit, but when she opens her eyes they're glazed with exhaustion. Karen pats her shoulder for her. "I think it might be best if you try to sleep a little more for now."

Hikari swallows. There's still the underlying fear of the nightmares clutching her heart.

"Karen, will you... stay with me...?"

Karen pulls her close in a warm hug.

"Of course I will!" She can feel Hikari's pulse beating quickly against her chest, still scared of the things that haunt her. Karen eases back and kisses her forehead. "Please get some more rest, Princess Hikari. Your heart is still beating so quickly..."

Karen carefully lies her down onto her back, giving her the middle of the large pillow as always. She pulls the blankets back up over her princess and smooths out her long black hair to ensure it doesn't get stuck or tugged on.

Hikari exhales a shaky sigh as Karen lies down beside her. She drapes an arm over Hikari's stomach to help her feel more secure; when they go to bed each night, Mahiru would do the same thing from Hikari's other side so she would feel safest.

Hikari's eyes are already closing even before she's completely settled. Karen brushes her cheek against hers and kisses her nose, feeling the last conscious breath leave Hikari's chest. Her pulse gradually slows down, and Karen continues to monitor it for any signs of distress.

She stays with her tired princess and lets her sleep for about another hour this morning. Karen only rouses her again when she can smell that breakfast is ready.

"Princess Hikari," she whispers. "It's time to get up."

If she could, Karen would let her rest all day if it meant she could sleep in peace. But she wants her to eat something to maintain her health. So as Hikari opens her bleary blue eyes, Karen kisses her forehead.

"Good morning, Princess."

Hikari sighs, and her lips curve upward just a little.

"Good morning, Karen. Haven't I told you and Mahiru to just call me by name?"

"You have," Karen confirms. "But we're just so used to this! You are a princess, after all!" Karen slips an arm around her back and helps her sit up, smoothing her hair out for her. "It smells like Mahiru-chan has finished breakfast! Let's go eat."

Hikari simply nods.

Karen helps her out of bed and into the wash room so she may change and freshen up. Karen dresses herself in the meantime and secures her sword on her hip.

When Hikari emerges dressed in a blue gown and silver shoes, Karen dips into a bow and offers to escort her. They descend the staircase together and are greeted at the kitchen by Mahiru, who has tied a pink apron around her stomach.

"Good morning, Princess!"

Hikari dips her head.

"Good morning, Mahiru."

"Wow!" Karen beams. "Breakfast looks delicious!"

"Th-Thank you."

The three of them sit down to eat the plates of freshly-cut fruit and omelets.

As a precaution, just about all of the utensils in the castle are plastic, save for a few necessary silver cutting knives. Other than those, a few pairs of dull scissors, and the knights' weapons, there wasn't anything else Hikari could risk cutting herself on.

Either Karen or Mahiru would always escort her down the stairs in case she were to slip, and one or both of them was constantly beside her for anything.

Even the food they ate was checked and re-checked by Mahiru as she was preparing it. She would ensure they only ate soft things, nothing with nuts or hard shells, and nothing with bones.

It was a very challenging life to lead, but for Hikari's safety it was more than worth it to them.

They eat quietly this morning, only kicking up casual conversations.

"So Princess," Mahiru asks. "What books would you like to study today?"

Hikari chews slowly and thinks for a moment.

"I would like to read a bit more about history."

"Great choice!"

"Mahiru-chan," Karen says. "We've gotta do some sparring, too."

"Yes, you're right."

It's another calm spring morning as per usual. Their days don't typically consist of much, as doing most things in life could potentially cause some form of injury, and they just aren't willing to risk much more than reading and bringing Hikari along for slow, short walks.

It isn't always the most eventful or entertaining lifestyle, but it's the safest and best for their princess' wellbeing.

This morning goes as typically as most, until Hikari suddenly flinches.

As soon as it happens, the calm about the kitchen bursts into controlled panic. Both of her knights notice immediately and are up from their seats in seconds, each grabbing one of her hands in earnest.

"Princess!"

"Princess Hikari! What's wrong?"

Hikari shakes her head and swallows, trying to pacify them.

"It's nothing. I just bit my tongue a little..."

"Are you all right?"

"Can you taste blood?"

"N-No," Hikari mumbles. "I'm fine."

Her two knights let out a mutually-relieved sigh.

"Thank goodness..."

"I'm so glad..."

They let Hikari have her hands back. The princess folds them into her lap and fidgets, bowing her head.

"I'm sorry to have worried you..."

"N-Not at all!"

"P-Please raise your head, Princess!"

They pat her shoulders soothingly until she looks back up at them.

"You two are too good to me."

"Of course," Karen smiles. "We love you, Princess Hikari!"

"We do!" Mahiru agrees. "Our greatest fear is that you might get hurt."

"Gosh, I'll never forget the first time you lost a tooth," Karen says. "There was blood dripping down your lip and I was so scared."

"I was terrified!" Mahiru whimpers. "But since it was something natural, your curse didn't take effect."

"It was such a relief..."

Hearing them talk fills Hikari's conflicted heart with warmth. She's always known they love her, just perhaps not how dearly. That's probably an amount she can't even fathom.

They've kept her safe all her life, from anything and everything that could ever possibly hurt her in any way. She can't even begin to imagine just how difficult and stressful that must have been for them. After all, you never really think about all the things that can cause injury in life unless you've been tasked with protecting someone with such a tedious curse.

Hikari has often thought about all the things they must've sacrificed for her sake.

And all she's ever done in return is worry them.

Hikari lowers her head a little and eats the rest of her food in silence.

When they all finish, Hikari picks up her plate with hopes to bring it to the sink, but Karen quickly intervenes.

"I've got it, Princess Hikari!" She takes the plate out of her hands and carries it herself. Hikari's shoulders slump. She isn't even allowed to help with the dishes for fear one might break in her hands.

But she's determined to help out today. She wants to show her knights how much she appreciates their hard work.

"Mahiru. Karen," she says softly. "Please let me help today."

"Eh?" Mahiru pauses at the sink and looks to Karen with startled eyes. "P-Pardon my saying, Princess, but I'm not sure if-"

"I'll be fine. I'll wash them very slowly and with only a sponge." Her knights remain quiet a while longer, so the princess presses on. "Please. I want to help you both. You do so much for me, and I never give anything back..."

"That's not true!" Karen protests.

"Yes it is!" Hikari snaps. The other two are taken aback by her passion. Hikari narrows her eyes. "All I ever do is take from you and cause you trouble. I want to help, too. It is my castle, after all."

Her knights share another worried glance. But eventually, Karen gives a nod.

"Okay."

"Eh?" Mahiru yelps. "B-But Karen-chan, the King and Queen said-"

"The King and Queen abandoned us and Princess Hikari years ago. I don't think their rules still hold water here." Karen gives her a determined look. "As long as she's careful, Princess Hikari will be fine. We'll make sure of it, won't we Mahiru-chan?"

Mahiru stiffens, but eventually nods.

"Right."

So they both walk with Hikari to the sink while carrying their plates. Mahiru hands her a sponge and some soap, and instructs her on how to scrub and when to rinse. Karen is on standby, ready to lunge and pull Hikari out of the way if the plate should slip and shatter.

But with Mahiru's calm voice guiding her, and her own determination in her heart, Hikari manages to wash and clean the plate without incident. Once she's placed it on the counter to dry, both of her knights give a squeal and throw their arms around her.

"Princess! That was wonderful!"

"You did it!"

And Hikari doesn't react right away. She can't remember the last time she'd done something out of her usual routine, let alone succeeded in it. A smile quickly spreads across her lips, and she hugs both of them back in exuberance.

"Thank you Karen, Mahiru!"

The little victory boosts everyone's confidence for the day.

They first head to the study, where Hikari chooses which books she'd like to read in order to learn basic knowledge of the world. One of the knights always sits with Hikari at all times and turns each page for her to avoid the possibility of her getting a paper cut, and today that's Mahiru.

Meanwhile, Karen takes up the role of scouring the vast royal library in search of clues or references about Hikari's curse. There was no known way or any hints on how it might be broken, so whenever Karen or Mahiru have a moment to spare from all their other duties, they are searching for answers.

They've read thousands of books by now, researched different kinds of mischievous spirits and witches that cast all sorts of curses, some that have cures and some that don't.

But in all their years scouring that colossal library and making orders of new books as well, they've found nothing about Hikari's curse, nor of how to break it.

Today it's Karen's turn to search tirelessly for such a clue, but ultimately she finds nothing.

After a few hours, they head to lunch. After they eat, Hikari washes another dish without incident, and they hug her all over again.

Such a minor accomplishment is so massive to Hikari. She wants to try doing it every day from now on to make them proud.

In the afternoon, her two knights decide to venture outside to do some training.

They're always nervous about bringing Hikari outside, because even a scrape from a stick or an insect bite could seal her fate. That's why there are no trees or bushes within a certain radius of the castle, nor any flowers with thorns. It's a windy day, so the breeze will deter insects, so that's why they bring her outside.

They give her her usual seat on a cushioned chair, getting ready to head off a good distance away into the courtyard. But before they go, Hikari spots something in the grass.

"Oh! It's that little one-"

Her two knights look up to see a small black bundle underneath the distant bushes and instantly are both on high alert. The cat raises its head and gives a mew as it begins to trot over. But Karen and Mahiru step in front of it, gently deterring it and sending it away. Hikari watches them sadly.

"I wish I could pet it..."

Karen turns back and walks to her slowly.

"I know. But we can't take the risk of it biting or scratching you."

"I'm sorry, Princess." Mahiru bows her head.

Hikari sighs, but eventually shakes herself off.

"Don't apologize. It isn't your fault I was cursed."

Leaving the cat at a safe-enough distance, the two girls head back to the courtyard. Hikari gets comfortable in her seat near the castle doorway, eager to observe.

Karen and Mahiru are surely two of the most skilled knights in all the kingdom, especially since they began training at such a young age and were burdened with such an important duty. She's watched them train just about every day of her entire life, even if it's from inside the castle, and they never cease to amaze her.

The two of them stand apart and bow respectfully before drawing their respective weapons. Mahiru wields a heavy mace with such ease and elegance, and Karen is quick and graceful with her sword.

They both charge and begin sparring, the hard clang of metal on metal resonating around the property over and over again.

Hikari has always loved them for all they do for her. But she's always envied them, too; for their freedom, for their ability to train and move as they please.

She'd always wanted to learn how to wield a weapon too, in order to protect herself and the two of them.

But of course she couldn't touch any kind of blade or get involved with any kind of confrontation. All she could ever do was watch.

There had been times when people had come to the castle in search of her, often times to do her harm. Some wanted to see if the curse was real and have Hikari prick her finger. Some didn't like the rumors of their country's cursed princess and longed to get rid of her themselves.

That's why any person who approached the castle was met with her two knights, and regarded as hostile no matter the circumstances. Even deliveries of mail and food could never come into Hikari's hands until one of her knights had opened and checked everything first.

They'd had to draw their blades and fight people off before, and Hikari had evacuated into a secret, secure room underground. She'd once stayed there for an entire day until the coded knock had come to let her know she could emerge.

Karen and Mahiru went through so much trouble on her account every day. Some days it was loads of trouble, and others it was hardly anything. It's all Hikari can do to lessen their burden as much as she can, in any way she can.

But she is at least relieved to know they enjoy training together like they are now.

Both of them are smiling as they spar, giving pointers here and there, or otherwise trying out combination moves together.

Hikari watches them both fondly. She thinks they're both most charming when they're fired up like this, but not in actual peril, of course. Their hair and skirts flutter out behind them as they clash again and again. They're both so strong from being able to exercise and train, unlike Hikari who is almost pathetically frail.

The princess sighs and waves at the little black cat from across the courtyard, imagining what its fur might feel like after soaking in so much sun. She'd come to accept long ago that she could never do many things most people of her kingdom could do. But even now after eighteen years, she would still often suffer pangs of longing.

Hikari closes her eyes as the sounds of her knights' training fades into the back of her mind. She dozes lightly, not enough to invite nightmares, but just enough to give her body some sufficient rest.

They spend a good portion of the afternoon like this. Hikari wakes a while later to find the two of them still training at full enthusiasm.

She's almost about to doze off in the comfort of the sunlight again when she hears a noise that disrupts the tranquil soundtrack.

"Ah-!"

"Mahiru-chan!"

Hikari opens her eyes instantly to see what's happened.

Off in the center of the courtyard, Mahiru has dropped to her knees, her mace clattering beside her. Karen instantly sheathes her sword and crouches beside her.

"I'm sorry, Mahiru-chan! Are you okay?"

Even from here, Hikari can see the dark red dripping from Mahiru's hand, and her heart clenches. She's on her feet in seconds and hurries over.

"Mahiru!"

Mahiru looks up, flustered as her princess nears.

"Ah, i-it's all right, Princess! I'm fine! Karen, don't worry about it. It's nothing serious." She soothes each of them as Hikari reaches her. She can see the blood oozing from between Mahiru's fingers, but thankfully it isn't a lot. Karen is already pulling a roll of bandages from her skirt pocket.

"Geez, I'm sorry! It's all my fault!"

"It's fine, Karen. I got a little careless, too."

Hikari watches in silence as Karen begins cleaning and wrapping Mahiru's hand. Her eyes are drawn to the blood speckled on the cobblestone below.

She's almost never seen blood in all her life, and most people would assume that was for the better.

But to Hikari... she envies even this. She can't even bleed like they can, or be healed like they can...

"Princess...?"

"Princess Hikari?"

"Eh?" Hikari blinks to find both her guards looking worriedly up at her. Karen helps Mahiru to her feet, but all their attention is on her now.

"You look a little pale," she says with concern.

"I'm sorry," Mahiru bows her head. "I know the sight of blood must make you uncomfortable."

"Not at all," Hikari says quietly. "I'm just glad you're both all right. I wish there was something I could do to help..."

"It's all right, Princess!" Mahiru bows. "Please don't worry yourself! I'm fine! Karen-chan has patched me up wonderfully." She lifts her injured hand, now covered thoroughly in bandages. "It's a good thing I've trained to use both hands efficiently in combat, so I can still fight even as this one is recovering."

Mahiru's words reach Hikari, but she doesn't really listen all that well. There's a stinging feeling in her chest, one she can only recognize as guilt. If it weren't for her and her curse, Mahiru and Karen wouldn't have to do any of this...

Hikari reaches out to take Mahiru's hand, and silently brings it to her lips, holding a kiss to the bandages. Mahiru stifles a squeak.

"P-Princess?!"

"I'm sorry," Hikari says, gently letting go. "If not for my curse, you wouldn't have to get injured training like this." She turns to Karen and offers her hand. Karen tilts her head, puzzled, but eventually understands. She gives her hand to Hikari, and the princess kisses that too. Karen blushes.

"P-Princess Hikari..."

"I know you're feeling guilty about accidentally hurting Mahiru. You're both hurt in different ways, and it's because of me..."

"N-Not at all!"

"That isn't true, Princess!"

Both of her knights earnestly take each of Hikari's hands and squeeze, their eyes ablaze with honest passion.

"Please don't blame yourself!" Mahiru says.

"She's right!" Karen yelps. "Mahiru-chan and I do this because we want to keep you safe, Princess Hikari!"

"We want nothing more!"

"We love you, Princess Hikari!"

And Hikari wants to believe their words are true. But there's a dark shadow over her heart, one that makes her doubt. She can't look at either of them right now. Bowing her head, Hikari pulls her hands away from them.

"I'm tired..." she murmurs. "Let's go back inside..." A dreadful feeling of defeat seizes her and makes her movements stiff. Her knights share a worried glance before hurrying after her.

All the rest of the evening, Hikari barely says a word other than mumbles of gratitude to them, and she doesn't lift her head. They eat dinner in silence, get dressed in silence, and get ready for bed in silence. Karen brushes Hikari's long hair for her while Mahiru sits in front of their princess on the bed.

"Please, Princess," she says. "I just want to be sure you don't have a fever. You haven't seemed well all afternoon."

Hikari makes no protest as Mahiru rests the back of her good hand against her forehead. After that, she measures Hikari's pulse for a moment, but ultimately concludes she isn't ill.

Once Karen is finished with Hikari's hair, she puts the brush aside on the nightstand and moves in close from her side of the bed.

"Princess Hikari, it's going to be a bit cold tonight, so please keep close to us."

Hikari simply nods.

The knights share another worried glance, but in the end they lie down on either side of her as always. They adjust the blankets and the pillow to give Hikari the most of each, then slide in close on either side of her.

Hikari lies on her back, and Mahiru and Karen each drape and arm across her stomach in a loose embrace.

"Goodnight, Princess," Mahiru whispers, and rests her head beside Hikari's shoulder.

"Goodnight, Princess Hikari," Karen whispers, and does the same.

Hikari's eyes are already closed, and her response is thin in return.

"Goodnight, Karen... Mahiru..."

She drifts off more quickly than usual tonight. Her guards aren't sure if they should be relieved or worried, since she'd been acting a bit strangely today. But she isn't sick or injured, so for now they simply hope she'll be better by morning.

So the two of them murmur quietly to each other.

"Night, Mahiru-chan."

"Goodnight, Karen-chan."

They curl around Hikari to keep her warm against the slight chill in the air tonight.

For a little while, they all sleep soundly.

However...

. . .

Hikari finds herself in one of the usual nightmares.

She's in her castle, the only place she's ever truly known, but Karen and Mahiru are nowhere to be found. She searches everywhere and even calls out for them, but they never come.

But she's seen it so many times before, she's learned to push through it, for the most part.

The worst thing about it all is the gripping, almost nauseating feeling of loneliness. It weighs heavily in the pit of her stomach, making her cold from the inside out.

She patrols her castle like a spirit, calling out knowing full-well there will be no answers. It feels like she's been doing this for eons, for lifetimes, lost in this cold, lifeless castle, with no sound other than her own voice.

Not even a bird chirps outside the windows. Not even the wind blows. Not a single sound.

Not until she hears footsteps.

But they aren't Karen or Mahiru's. She'd know them, even in her dreams.

This is something she can't recall ever happening before.

Hikari freezes as her blood run frigid. She can feel her heart thudding harder against her chest. She turns and flees, running to her secret room and hiding in the corner behind a false wall, pressing herself into the darkness.

She can hear heavy footfalls and deep voices, shouts of rage and hurtful laughter. She hears things crashing and shattering.

They're saying her name.

They're hunting for her.

No matter how tightly Hikari covers her ears, the muffled voices get through. Her stomach turns itself inside-out for what feels like hours as she cowers in terror.

By the time the intruders leave, she can smell smoke.

She bursts free from her hiding spot, legs shaking, and finds the room clogged with flames and black smog.

And at the center of it all are Karen and Mahiru, lying broken and lifeless in thick pools of blood.

The smoke fills her lungs, and the red at her feet stains into her skin and clothes. She drops to her knees.

She can't move. She can't even scream-

"Princess!"

"Princess Hikari!"

Mahiru and Karen both wake in a panic when they realize something is wrong. Hikari is shaking violently, and her heart is thundering. They sit up quickly, both reaching down to help Hikari up as well, trying to rouse her.

A short scream bursts from her lips just as her eyes fly open. Hikari throws herself forward in her terror and confusion, but both of her friends are there to catch her.

"Princess!"

"Princess Hikari!"

They steady her as best they can, locking their arms around her so she can't thrash about and hurt herself.

"Princess!" Mahiru calls again. "It was only a dream!"

"It's okay!" Karen whimpers. "Princess Hikari, please calm down!"

Hikari wails and struggles in their arms, and tears pour down her face.

"No!" she gasps. "It isn't okay! N-None of this..." She tries to pry them away, nails digging into their clothes, legs kicking. But that only makes them hold tighter.

"Princess! Everything's all right! You're safe!" Mahiru desperately tries to take hold of Hikari's hands, fearful she might accidentally scratch herself somehow. Karen grabs Hikari's shoulders to prevent her from thrashing.

"Princess Hikari! Please be still! We don't want you to get hurt!"

But Hikari shakes her head roughly and sobs, pouring all of her feeble strength into her violent motions as she tries to escape.

"Of course you don't!" she cries. "That's what my parents hired you for, isn't it?! You two don't actually care about me! It's just what you were always forced to do-!" She tries again to wrench herself free, clawing at them now like a trapped animal.

But her knights are much stronger than she is, though they're trying painstakingly hard not to use too much pressure on her.

"Wh-What are you saying, Princess?" Mahiru cries. "That isn't true at all!"

"Don't lie to me!" Hikari shrieks. "I know! I know it's all a lie! You were both forced to do this your entire lives! You don't actually care about me! My parents made you do it! You don't actually-"

"Of course we do!" Karen shouts over her, holding firmly onto her shoulders. "Of course we care about you, Princess Hikari!"

"You don't!" she screams. "You can't-! H-How can you... when you're trapped here...? My curse... I've trapped you both here... I've robbed you of the lives you were supposed to have. It's all my fault..." Her voice and body lose energy all at once, almost entirely depleted now. She sways and slumps weakly. Both her knights frantically hold her up.

"Princess-!"

"Princess Hikari!"

Mahiru has successfully managed to take one of Hikari's hands and keep her from balling her fingers into a fist that might've let her nails pierce her palm. Karen holds onto her other hand now, interlocking her fingers with Hikari's to do the same. She runs her free hand up and down Hikari's back, feeling just how badly she's still shaking, just how roughly her heart is still pounding.

Mahiru reaches up to gently cradle Hikari's head against her chest, trying to wipe the sweat and tears away. Hikari chokes on her sobs, but is too weak to try and push the others away anymore. She just wails into Mahiru's collar.

"It's my f-fault... You're both w-wasting your lives in here with me... I'm killing you both-"

And Karen notices the sudden venom in Hikari's voice, this deep-rooted guilt directed at herself. She's never heard her sound like this before. It terrifies her.

Even in the darkness, she can see the very second when her princess decides to end it all.

Hikari opens her mouth and bites down as hard as she can-

"No-!"

Karen moves with desperate speed to thrust one of her fingers across Hikari's lips. The princess' teeth come down hard and instantly draw blood, but it's Karen's and not her own.

Karen flinches, but she can feel that Hikari's lip hadn't been split in the process.

Mahiru realizes what's happened and yelps in terror.

"Princess! Karen-chan!"

"It's okay..." Karen grunts. Slowly, she draws her bleeding hand to her chest.

And it's that horrible feeling – the taste of Karen's blood in her mouth – that finally snaps Hikari back into reality. Her eyes grow wide, and all of her anger fades into nothing.

"K... Karen..."

She swallows, and she can taste the salt of tears and the tang of blood go down her throat. Coughing, she grabs onto Mahiru, shaking as if she'd been put through a snowstorm, breathing erratically.

Karen wraps a sheet around her finger to stop the bleeding and then is instantly refocused on Hikari, rubbing her back.

"Princess Hikari, it's all right."

"Princess," Mahiru whimpers. "Please breathe. Please take a deep breath."

Both Karen and Mahiru do their best to comfort her as she continues to weep – bitter, guilty tears. Somewhere in between all the sobs, apologies spill from Hikari's lips.

"I'm s-sorry... It's my fault..."

Karen and Mahiru shared a tortured look. But it isn't their duty to protect Hikari that torments them; it's seeing her in so much pain like this. With gentle fingers, they comb through her hair, over her shoulders, down her back...

"Princess," Mahiru whispers to her. "Please don't apologize. You've done nothing wrong."

"We're telling the truth," Karen insists. "We don't feel trapped, or like we're being forced to live an unwanted life. We love getting to spend every day together with you!"

"That's right!" Mahiru goes on. "Our parents gave us away willingly. Eagerly, even. If we hadn't gotten sent here to live with you, Karen-chan and I would surely be living miserable lives with our cruel families. But you saved us from such a terrible life, Princess."

"And maybe..." Karen tapers off, thinking carefully, then tries again. "Maybe it might seem that way. That we're only doing this because it's all we've ever known..." She lifts her eyes, seeking Hikari's. "But... to Mahiru-chan and I, we don't see it that way. We love being your knights, Princess Hikari. We love taking care of you and making sure you don't get hurt."

"And we love cooking for you!" Mahiru adds on. "We love reading with you, a-and eating with you, and we love getting to sleep beside you every night."

"All in all," Karen says softly. "We love you, Princess Hikari."

Hikari listens to every honest, heartfelt word they speak now, and feels awful for ever having accused them of anything short of genuine affection in all they did.

Gradually, the tears come to a stop; slowly, wearily, she lifts her head and looks up at both of them in turn. Her eyes are still watery and lined with redness, and there's a smear of blood on her lips. Karen carefully wipes it away. Mahiru kisses Hikari's temple.

"We do," she murmurs. "We love you, Princess."

"There's no other life we'd rather have," Karen says. She leans in a little bit, resting her forehead against Hikari's, brushing their noses together.

Hikari feels a throbbing in her chest, but it doesn't hurt like before. It flutters softly, seeming to make its way up her chest in the form of little hiccups.

"I-I..." She blinks, and two more tears drip free. "M-Me too... I... I love you too... Karen... Mahiru... I love you, too..."

And for the first time all night, the two of them smile.

Of course they've all always known how they feel about one another. It was in everything they did together, day in and day out.

But there's just something so special about finally being able to say it, and to hear it being said back.

"Princess..."

"Princess Hikari..."

"We love you!"

"We love you so much!"

They both throw their arms around her lightly, and Hikari manages to hug them both back. She cries, and this time they cry with her, with smiles on their faces.

They cry until there are no tears left to shed.

Mahiru gathers Hikari into her arms and helps her out of bed so Karen can bandage her finger up properly, and then replace the sheets.

All the while, Hikari holds onto Mahiru's injured hand, bringing it up to her chest. Mahiru wraps her free arm around Hikari's shoulders and nuzzles against her cheek affectionately.

"I'm relieved, Princess. Your heart isn't so troubled anymore." She can feel the soft pulse beneath her palm, much slower and steadier than it had been earlier. Hikari sniffles and merely turns to her for a small hug.

By the time Karen has finished with the clean sheets, all three of them are very tired. Karen takes Hikari's hands and guides her back onto the bed, while Mahiru supports her back.

Just as always, they lie her down in the center, where the pillow is softest and the blankets are warmest. As they settle in on either side of her, Hikari faces Karen and reaches for her injured hand.

"Karen, I'm-"

"There's no need!" Karen says. "Mahiru-chan and I will heal if we bleed. If it were you... that might not be the case. So we would much rather it be us."

Hikari nods.

"I'm sorry. I... I won't ever try to hurt myself again."

Karen leans over to kiss her cheek.

"I'm happy to hear it."

"Thank you, Princess." Mahiru kisses her other cheek in turn.

At long last, Hikari closes her eyes, holding Karen's bandaged hand in one of hers and Mahiru's in the other. Her knights snuggle close, gingerly resting their heads on Hikari's chest. Her heartbeat fills their ears, providing a rhythmic lullaby. But they only allow themselves to fall asleep after Hikari has slipped into slumber.

Karen and Mahiru stay awake a while longer to ensure she's all right. When they're absolutely certain, they both shift a little to kiss each other's cheeks softly.

"Goodnight, Mahiru-chan."

"Goodnight, Karen-chan."

Then they both turn to kiss Hikari's cheeks one more time.

"Goodnight, Princess. Rest well."

"We love you, Princess Hikari."

And with this, they rest their heads and close their eyes, and all three girls sleep soundly until morning.

For the first time in as long as she can remember, Hikari wakes feeling fully-rested. The sun isn't even up yet, and her guards are still asleep beside her, but Hikari feels as though she'd slept the entire night, as if the bad dreams had never haunted her at all.

For once she doesn't feel groggy or sluggish, and she doesn't just want to lie back down and close her eyes again. Energy is coursing through her like she's never known it to before.

Slowly, she pushes herself up, carefully untangling herself from Karen and Mahiru's loose embrace. She knows they must have stayed up most of the night taking care of her and making sure she was resting well, so now they're exhausted. She wants to let them sleep, and she wants to do something for them in the meantime.

Her heart feels light and happy as she recalls their honest words from last night, how they truly did love her and didn't feel at all pressured or trapped in their roles here at the castle.

They've both given so much for her. She just wants to give back, even if it's just a little bit.

Today, she wants to try something one step above washing a few dishes. Hikari already has a plan in mind. Gingerly, she leans down over Karen's sleeping form and kisses her cheek, then turns around and kisses Mahiru's.

After that, she meticulously slips her way out of bed without rousing either of them. She picks out a clean dress for the day and heads to her bathroom, carefully freshening up and showering as always. She knows her knights will be worried to find she's done everything by herself this morning, but she also knows they'll be delighted to discover she's successfully managed to make them breakfast for the first time ever.

With this thought fueling her, Hikari quickly gets dressed, dries and brushes her hair, and then scurries out the door. The sunlight is just beginning to trickle into the bedroom, telling her it's going to be a fine spring day.

Hikari makes her way toward the staircase and stops. Only now does she realize she's never gone down or up the stairs without one of her guards to hold onto, lest she slip and scrape her leg and start to bleed. She lingers nervously at the top, almost having second thoughts.

But she's determined to do this. It's the only way she can think of to pay back the two people who love her the most in the world.

So she grips the railing firmly with both hands and conquers one step at a time, planting both feet firmly onto the marble before descending the next. It takes her quite some time to make it down due to her legs shaking, but when she finally reaches level ground, Hikari feels excited enough to squeal.

But not yet. She wants to wait until she's prepared her knights' meal and seen the looks on their faces before she begins to celebrate.

So she makes her way to the empty kitchen and gets started right away.

She gathers all kinds of ingredients, including fruits, vegetables, and eggs. Omelets are some of the only things she knows how to make, so she's set on trying that this morning. They only require a flat, harmless spatula to flip, so she'll be safe from cuts.

She turns on the stove and prepares a pan, then begins cracking and folding the eggs when ready. The shells are soft enough that she doesn't have to worry about them. She'd watched Mahiru do it a thousand times, but trying it herself is rather difficult. They end up coming out a little sloppy and runny, but ultimately Hikari is satisfied with the results.

Mahiru usually puts out several cups and bowls of fresh fruits as well for each meal. So Hikari goes to the pantry and brings out some of the things that had been brought in yesterday's delivery.

She pulls grapes off their vines, washes them, and drops them into a bowl. She peels oranges and tangerines with only her hands, and pulls the slices apart. And she leaves a bundle of bananas at the center of it all.

The table looks nearly perfect, with all of their plates and omelets set in their respective spots, the purple grapes, oranges, and yellow bananas.

All that's missing is that splash of red.

Hikari knows Karen and Mahiru both like apples, but they don't always prefer biting into them whole. Instead, Mahiru typically cuts them up first.

So Hikari grabs an apple and brings it to the counter by the window. She takes out a plastic knife from the drawer underneath and puts in her full strength. But the tough skin of the apple barely breaks, and it doesn't cut the fruit underneath at all.

Hikari pouts. She wants this breakfast to be perfect for them.

So she tries again and again to cut the apple, but it's to no avail. The plastic knife just won't do.

That's when her eyes wander to a very dangerous place.

The only sharp knife in the castle is kept safely wrapped in the back of the drawer most out of reach. Mahiru hardly ever uses it, but Hikari has seen her when she did, and she believes she knows how to handle it properly.

So she draws in a deep breath and struts to that drawer. She opens it and finds the knife wrapped in plastic and a hand rag. Hikari reaches for it timidly before stopping herself.

Maybe she should stop here. Maybe she should just go wake them now.

But it's almost as if something is pulling her toward the blade with a magnetic force.

If I'm not confident, this will never work.

So she straightens up and grabs the handle as if she'd been doing this all her life. The knife isn't very big, but it's a bit heavier than she'd expected. She can't fathom how Karen and Mahiru wield weapons so much larger and heavier.

She carries the knife slowly with both hands back to the apple waiting at the counter, then unwraps it.

The blade is clean and shiny, catching in the first rays of morning sunlight coming in through the window.

Hikari draws in another breath. She isn't scared.

She lifts the knife and positions it on top of the apple, holding the fruit in place so it won't role. She tries to ignore how hard her heart is suddenly pounding now and stops her hands from quivering.

I can do this! For Karen and Mahiru-

Hikari musters up all her courage and her love for them, channeling it into her actions-

The knife cuts straight down cleanly, halving the apple into two perfect pieces. Hikari blinks, and then a smile spreads across her face.

"I did it..."

Karen and Mahiru are going to be so impressed, so happy, and she can't wait. They should be waking up any moment now.

Hikari decides to cut the apples slices just a bit smaller, so she cuts them each a few more times.

But then, something outside catches her eye.

It's that little black cat she always sees in the courtyard. It's climbing its way up a tree in pursuit of a squirrel.

Hikari watches it fondly, knowing it will probably have to give up, as the squirrel is already out of sight. She lifts her knife to make one final cut on the apple, and then her perfect surprise breakfast will be complete.

The cat leaps up for a branch-

But it misses.

Hikari's heart clenches.

"No-!"

The cat plummets, and her knife comes down at the same time. Hikari closes her eyes as a sharp pain shoots through her, as if feeling the cat's landing for herself.

When she finally peeks her eyes back open, she finds it has landed safely on all fours. It turns around and scampers off into the bushes. Hikari lets out her breath.

"Thank goodness..."

With the scare over now, she prepares to gather up the apples and arrange them onto the table.

It's then she looks down and sees something red on her fingertip. She tries to wipe the bit of apple skin off, but it smears, and then more drips down.

That's when she realizes it isn't part of the fruit.

Hikari's breath catches in the back of her throat.

"No..."

More blood pools at her fingertip and drips down onto the counter, her dress, the floor...

"No... P-Please no..."

She wraps her finger in her dress to try and stop the bleeding, but it's no use. Every beat of her terrified heart only seems to send more and more blood spilling out from the tiny cut.

Hikari staggers back, hitting the table and making all the glasses and plates rattle.

"No- no-! Stop!"

She collapses to her knees, head spinning, vision blurring. Her body feels cold.

Suddenly, she's extremely tired. More tired than she's ever been in her entire life.

Her eyes close against her will, and she slumps forward onto the cold marble floor. Her heartbeat echoes in her mind as her conscious fades, sapped away like dew in an oppressive desert heat.

All of her years together with them. All of her happy days and warm nights.

It's all over so quickly.

She just hopes she'll be able to dream of Karen and Mahiru one last time.

It isn't often the two knights sleep in. Typically, they're up even before the sun, and preparing the castle for the day long before the princess awakens.

But this morning there is no sun, or where it had once been, it's now been clouded over and has vanished.

They're both tired from last night. Hikari's nightmares and guilty tears had kept them awake even long after it had all come to pass. And so, they've slept in a bit longer than usual.

As they blink their eyes open, Karen and Mahiru each expect their sleeping princess to be the first sight they see. She always has been.

But not today.

Today, they blink in confusion at one another, and that confusion quickly transforms into fear. They're both awake instantly, pushing themselves up and casting worried eyes around the bedroom.

"Princess?"

"Princess Hikari?"

There's no response. Karen and Mahiru turn back to one another, terror already forming in their hearts.

"Perhaps she's in the shower?" Mahiru proposes anxiously.

So the two of them leap out of bed and make instant work of getting dressed and putting their weapons at their hips, ready to face any possible intruder in the castle. They rush to Hikari's personal bathroom to find the door ajar, and evidence that she had already used it this morning; a bit of water still in the bath tub, a damp towel hanging to dry. But the princess is nowhere to be found.

"Princess-?"

"Princess Hikari-?"

This time their voices are higher, more desperate. At the very least though, it appears she had gotten up and gotten prepared at her leisure. It doesn't seem like an outside party had intruded and taken her, or that she'd been in a panic. When they realize this much, the two knights share another glance.

"Perhaps..." Mahiru says. "Perhaps she simply... woke first and wanted to let us sleep."

Karen nods slowly.

"Maybe... But why isn't she answering us? E-Either way, let's search the rest of the castle!"

"Right!"

They make quick work of scouring the remainder of the top floor and the balcony, but Hikari is nowhere to be seen. And no matter how much or how loudly they call for her, there's never an answer.

Karen and Mahiru meet back at the top of the steps, anxious and scared, and shake their heads. They come to the same conclusion together.

"The kitchen..."

They race down the steps, jumping the final quarter or so, and run as quickly as they can. As they go, they notice no signs of intrusion in the rest of the castle, no evidence of a break-in or struggle.

They find themselves almost wishing that had been the case; that someone had come and taken her away, that she might be scared, but still all right. They would be able to come find her and rescue her soon...

But it's clear no one has come for her.

Which can only mean the worst of their fears has become reality.

Both of them are already crying even before they enter the kitchen, and scream.

"Princess-!"

"Princess Hikari-!"

And she's there, lying motionless on the floor, collapsed in all the fabrics of her dress, dark hair pooling out all around her. A knife sits on the counter above, stained with a speck of red, too deep a scarlet to be from the apple. Drops of blood smear the floor as well as Hikari's dress, all leading back to the tiniest cut on the tip of her finger.

It isn't just the feeling that time has stopped, or that the world has shattered.

It isn't just the feeling of immeasurable, nauseating sorrow.

It's a feeling of living inside a nightmare they know is real, and they know they can't escape.

It's a feeling that everything they've ever done in their entire lives has led up to this moment, and it's all ended in tragedy.

They've failed her, and so now they must pay the price.

Karen and Mahiru rush to her side and collapse to their knees in tears.

"No... no-!" Karen reaches for her bleeding hand and lifts it gently to her chest. She presses Hikari's finger to the bandages on her own wrapped hand, hoping it will somehow stop the bleeding. "N-No, please no! Princess Hikari!"

Mahiru quickly tries to wipe her eyes, but more tears just keep coming. She leans over Hikari and rests an ear against her chest, biting back her sobs to listen. She sits up a moment later with a gasp.

"Sh-She's alive! Karen, she's still alive!"

"Eh? B-But then what... what do we do...? H-How can we save her-?"

"I... I'm not sure..." Mahiru bows her head. More tears fall. She puts a hand to her mouth as if she's about to be ill. "We never... found a way to break the curse... Once... Once her heart stops beating... she'll be gone..."

Karen feels as though the entire castle has crumbled and fallen directly onto her. She shakes her head slowly, tears streaming.

"N... No... s-she can't be-"

"Karen..." Mahiru's voice has become drained and hopeless; lifeless. "We've... we've known it all our lives. We've always known this could happen... We've stopped it so many times in the past, but... just this time... just this one time..."

She can't say anymore. Mahiru breaks down, her voice rising up into a wail like nothing she'd ever cried before.

"Princess... I-I've failed you... I'm sorry..."

Those broken words are what make it final in Karen's mind.

This... This is really happening. After all this time, they've finally failed her.

Whatever she and Mahiru do for the rest of their lives now, they'll never have Hikari back. They've failed her.

"N-No... it can't be... it can't..." Karen chokes on a breath, coughing. "I-It can't end this way! It can't-!" She clutches Hikari's frail hand in both of hers, pressing her face into the soft, pale skin. "Princess Hikari, you can't leave us! Not like this..." The tears roll onto Hikari's hand and drip down her wrist. Karen sobs. "Not like this... we... we couldn't even say goodbye..."

Her heart is still beating. Karen can feel it in Hikari's wrist, very faintly. Which means they'd only missed saving her by mere minutes, perhaps even seconds. She's still alive, but only just.

If they knew how to break the curse, they could still save her, bring her back...

But as they are, the two strongest and most loyal young knights in all of Starlight Kingdom, they can do absolutely nothing to save their princess. They've fallen short of their one true purpose in life.

All those years of training and researching had been for nothing. All those mornings waking up beside her, the nights falling asleep together, the days of cautious fun and laughter in between...

How were they to know that yesterday would have been their last opportunity for all those things?

And now the two of them can do nothing but weep and lament as they feel the last of Hikari's warmth fading from her skin.

They leave tearful kisses on the backs of her hands, and lay their heads against her chest. The breath that comes and goes from her body is faint and shallow, and the pulse fluttering underneath is even more so.

But even though the cruel reality is right in front of them, Karen and Mahiru refuse to let her go. They'll fight until the very end, clinging foolishly onto the thinnest thread of hope that there's still a way to save her.

But as the seconds tick on, and Hikari's breathing stops, it becomes clear that foolish hopes won't help them this time. Her heart thumps softly one last time, and not again.

Karen and Mahiru lift their tearstained faces as the weight of their loss finally settles in. The least they can do is kiss her goodnight, one last time.

So they wipe their eyes to no avail, as more tears just keep coming, dripping down onto their princess' cheeks as the two knights lean over her. Their hearts beat sadly, aching, wishing they could give such movement back to hers.

Mahiru leans down over her princess and kisses her cheek.

"Farewell... Hikari-chan..."

If only she'd mustered up the courage to say her name a little sooner, so the princess herself might have heard it.

Karen, too, leans forward to kiss her.

"Farewell... Hikari-chan..."

Their lips and their tears paint her skin with the final traces of warmth, as their voices speak the words just as powerful.

"We love you."

"We love you, Hikari-chan."

Told too little, too late.

And so with one of Hikari's hands in each of theirs, the princess grows still and cold, just as her curse demanded.

And her knights, her guards, her two best friends, weep until they have no tears left to shed.

Some might think it a miracle they'd kept her alive for this long, though it was common knowledge throughout the kingdom that it would have been impossible for Hikari to have lived a full life with such a curse placed upon her.

For what she did live, though, it had been a good life.

Karen and Mahiru can only hope as much.

The last of their tears fall and seep into her dress.

What now?

What are they to do now...?

What kind of lives are they to live now without her...?

They can't even begin to imagine.

And it must be due to how desperately they are clinging to her hands, but it's almost as though her skin regains a bit of heat. Their minds play horrible tricks on them in that manner, making it seem as though some color has returned to her ashen face.

Karen and Mahiru don't allow themselves to be fooled by such trickery of their broken hearts. They share a silent, dutiful glance and come to the agreement that they cannot allow their princess to lie here on the cold floor any longer, as it would be a disgrace to her honor. She would be much better rested upon her own bed until they could make proper arrangements for a royal funeral.

So the two knights solemnly gather the princess into their arms together and prepare to stand.

What stops them isn't that strange warmth, but something else.

It's a movement, a pulse...

They both feel it in their fingertips, a weak, unsteady beat that doesn't come from their own heavy hearts. Tight breaths get lodged in the backs of their throats, and stinging heat rises up behind their eyes.

But Mahiru shakes her head.

"No... it can't be..."

Karen understands her unwillingness to be deceived by some cruel magic, but she's certain she feels that pulse beat again.

"Mahiru-chan, wait-"

Both of them are still for a moment with their fallen princess in their arms. Each of them slip a hand beneath Hikari's head to support her neck, and their other hands rest gently over her heart.

And they feel it again. A small, flickering beat that grows a little bit stronger with each pulse.

Eyes wide, they stare at one another, unable to find words, just as a small shudder moves beneath their palms. Hikari's chest rises with a sudden breath, and her lips part to inhale.

It can't be an illusion. It can't be...

They're both already crying again, even before Hikari's pretty blue eyes flutter back open.

"Princess-!"

"Princess Hikari!"

They pull her up into a loving embrace, one so warm and joyful it can only ever be given by those who had been shattered enough to lose the one they hold dearest, and blessed enough to get her back.

Hikari's mind whirls, but she would much rather have it do that than be still and dark in death. She lifts her trembling arms as best she can and wraps one around each of her knights, using her newfound breath to weep like they are.

"Princess!" Mahiru whimpers. "P-Princess Hikari!"

"You're back!" Karen wails in turn. "You came back to us, Hikari-chan!"

A part of Hikari still believes she's dreaming from the other side somehow. But the warmth and love of her two best friends is something so strong and pure she could never imagine it quite like it truly is. And she knows this is real.

"K-Karen... Mahiru..."

"Yes!" Karen sniffles. "You came back to us!"

"Pr...Princess..."

The three of them must cry for a dozen minutes or so, huddled up on the kitchen floor, hugging and kissing and thanking goodness. By the time the shock has settled and been replaced with wonder, Mahiru is the first to wipe her swollen eyes and voice her amazement.

"But... what happened...?"

"Was... was the curse broken...?" Karen wonders.

"How...?" Mahiru repeats. "Y-Your heart stopped beating, Princess. Surely, you must have been..." She doesn't even dare to say the word. Karen leans forward to brush their foreheads together.

"It's okay, Mahiru-chan. Princess Hikari is back now. One way or another."

"B-But-" Mahiru shakes her head, still unable to understand. She looks to her princess, frightful just to remember what had happened. "You were so pale, Princess. And so terribly cold..."

Hikari is quiet for a moment. She can only imagine the agony and terror they must have suffered upon finding her that way, of believing she was dead, of believing they'd failed...

"I'm sorry..." Hikari wraps both of her arms around Mahiru first and kisses her forehead. "I should never have done what I did... None of this ever would have happened..." She turns to Karen next and kisses her forehead as well, letting out a heavy sigh. But Karen nudges her cheek against Hikari's, having her raise her head.

"You're right, Hikari-chan. If you hadn't tried to make Mahiru-chan and I breakfast, we never would have broken your curse! So please don't be sorry."

"But... But I-" Hikari's tears begin to fall again, guilty and ashamed of what she'd put them both through. She begins to jolt and hiccup softly. But Karen and Mahiru each reach up to wipe the tears away and leave kisses in their place.

"Karen-chan is right," Mahiru murmurs. "I'm not sure how exactly... but your curse must be broken, Hikari-chan."

"It doesn't matter how," Karen sniffles. "All that matters is that Hikari-chan is here with us again."

Karen pulls them both in to her, and Mahiru hugs them both from her side. Hikari slowly lifts her arms to complete the embrace. Her heart beats steadily, strongly, as that wonderful warmth spreads throughout her body once again. It feels like sunlight spreading through her, thawing out cold, brittle petals to let them blossom. She cries, and suddenly she understands.

"I see..."

"Hm?"

"Hikari-chan?"

Mahiru and Karen look to her curiously. Hikari keeps her head bowed and allows the tears to continue falling, just for now.

"My curse..." she whispers. "If I were ever to bleed, I would fall into a cold, eternal slumber. But..." Her arms curl more firmly around each of her knights, bringing them ever closer to her. "But... who knew I would have people who loved me so much... they would give enough tears of their own warmth... to restore all of mine...?"

And so they had broken her curse.

The three girls cry together once again, but this time they smile.

It's finally over. All those years of walking on eggshells, of living in caution and fear of every little thing...

With the curse broken, now all three of them were free to live their lives.

Eventually, Karen and Mahiru help Hikari up, and they eat their breakfast together as the sun shines brightly outside. When she's finished, Karen sits back with a sigh.

"That was delicious, Hikari-chan!"

"K-Karen-chan!" Mahiru gasps. "Please address the princess properly!"

"Ehhh? But you called her Hikari-chan too, Mahiru-chan!"

"E-Eh? I did? I hadn't noticed..."

Hikari giggles. "It's all right, you two. I've always wanted for you to call me by my name. Please feel free."

She doesn't want to be a trapped princess anymore. She's no longer bound to this castle or her curse. From now on, she is free.

Karen and Mahiru happily agree.

So for the very first time that day, they bring Hikari outside, farther than she'd ever ventured before. She touches the flowers and the trees without fear of being scraped, and pets her little black cat for the first time. He purrs and licks the finger she had cut, as if apologizing for it.

They spend the afternoon outside in the courtyard, laughing and enjoying themselves together. Karen and Mahiru pick flowers for their princess. And even when Hikari pricks her finger on a thorn, no curse takes effect on her any more. And so they know it is truly broken.

Thus, Karen, Mahiru, and Hikari begin to live their lives to the fullest...

. . .

In the daytimes, the three girls venture into the market and meet the villagers, who are all amazed and humbled by their princess' presence. Children bring her toys and flowers, and adults shake her hands and bless her, overjoyed at the news that her curse has been broken.

And at nighttime, the princess and her knights return to their castle. They cook together, read together, and curl up to sleep together, just as they've always done.

Only now there is no need for crippling caution, no fear of every little object.

And for Hikari, there are no more sleepless nights, no more nightmares. She is no longer an ensnared, tragic princess. Rather, now she is a future queen, earning her place among her people day by day now as she prepares to one day claim the throne with her knights at her side.

But since her curse had been broken, Karen and Mahiru had become so much more than just her knights and her very best friends. The kisses they share every morning and night are no longer just on cheeks and foreheads, but unabashedly on lips as well.

One day, the kingdom would have not just one queen, nor two, but three.

But until then, Karen and Mahiru continue their duty as Hikari's faithful knights and lovers, teaching her to do all the things she'd been robbed of in her earlier years. She cooks, cleans, goes for walks, and even takes up a sword.

Now that she is free, the two of them live under much less stress and fear for her wellbeing, and they are able to enjoy themselves more than ever.

And Hikari now loves every second of the life she'd once dreaded. She loves petting her cat, meeting her people, and kissing her knights without fear or hesitation.

She loves living every day, not caring about a scratch on her arm or a scrape on her toe.

She loves breathing the air, and feeling the sunlight.

For a curse of cold and death – when broken – will lead to a life full of warmth and love.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2. The Gardener And The Spoiled Girl

Once, there lived two young girls whom the same tragedy had befallen. Their parents had been killed in freak accidents around the same time, and neither had any other family. They had lived together in Starlight Kingdom's orphanage from a young age, and had befriended one another before anyone else.

All her life, Kaoruko had been a bit sickly. She was sharp with her tongue, but if people got past that, she was no good in a physical altercation. So whenever the other children – mainly the boys – at the orphanage harassed her, she only had so many words to try and fend them off with before they got to her and started yanking on her hair or clothes. She'd usually have to deal with it until they got bored and left, telling herself she'd be strong, that she wouldn't cry.

But the day when the boys had been roughest with her, Kaoruko had sunk down to her knees and begun to sob, which had only made her tormentors more and more keen on their antics.

But that had been when her knight in shining armor had appeared. A girl with a bit of a shorter stature than Kaoruko herself, short-cut hair, and a delinquent's speech.

Her name was Futaba, and she'd chased off all the boys while quite literally kicking their butts. She'd saved Kaoruko that day, and ever since, they'd been looking out for one another.

They'd left the orphanage together at fifteen since no one had adopted either of them by that age. But Futaba had proposed they live together on their own with the money they'd saved up from their chores.

They'd started off being able to purchase a small cottage house at sixteen, and then thanks to Futaba's hard work at multiple jobs, had earned enough to upgrade to a larger house with more property.

By eighteen, the girls now lived on an orchard, one of the largest in Starlight Kingdom. The fruit sales drew in quite a nice income, and allowed them to live comfortably.

Well, perhaps one of them more so than the other.

While Futaba tended to the trees, plants, and flowers, as well as the cooking, cleaning, laundry and other chores about the house, Kaoruko seemed to take on few, if any, chores. She claimed it was mainly due to her poor health, and sometimes she really did fall ill or get hurt.

But most of the time it was just a fib to get out of doing the work. She spent most of her days lazing around inside reading, or wasting time in various other ways.

Futaba had always been the one to do all the work and take care of her, so Kaoruko was simply used to this lifestyle. Futaba never got sick or complained, so Kaoruko always assumed all was right with the world.

It was in the summer of their eighteenth year living as such that their peaceful lives were ruptured by a sharp, painful blow...

. . .

. . .

The morning is the same as every other she can remember. Futaba wakes to find Kaoruko nestled up against her, breathing softly. She can't help but grin at the sight of her sleeping face and messy, fluffy bed-hair.

Futaba had always thought she was like a princess, even if she was actually just another orphan like Futaba herself was. Kaoruko had always been so pretty, so haughty, so sharp and witty. But she was rather frail physically, which always made Futaba want to protect her.

What Futaba lacked in looks – at least in the eyes of the public – she made up for in brawn. She'd always entertained the idea of being a knight, though surely no orphan could ever train and join the royal guard. The princess of the kingdom already had her own two knights to watch over her anyway. And Futaba already had her own princess to tend to as well.

All she wanted was to be Kaoruko's knight, and that was more than enough for her.

As Kaoruko sleeps in this morning as always, Futaba runs a hand through her soft, thick hair. Futaba is always the one to wake up first and get to the morning chores, but her first one starts while she's still here in bed. She checks Kaoruko's breathing and temperature to ensure she isn't sick.

The few times Kaoruko has fallen ill in the past, she'd been ten times more of a pain to take care of than she normally is.

But Futaba hadn't minded any of that. What had troubled her the most was the thought that Kaoruko might never get better, might never stop coughing or shivering or sleeping...

She'd always gotten better, thank goodness, but Futaba's main priority is to prevent her from getting sick again.

Every time it happens, no matter how minor it may be, it always kills Futaba to look at her, weaker than she naturally is. She can remember every little cold Kaoruko's ever had, every cough and every stomachache.

There had only ever been a handful of really bad cases, most of which had occurred when they two of them had still been back at the orphanage, where there had been adults to help take care of her.

But the first time Kaoruko had gotten sick - really sick - after the two of them had started living on their own, had been the worst days of Futaba's life. She still remembers it with terrifying clarity, how Kaoruko had fallen so sick she had thrown up just about every meal she'd managed to eat, how she'd be up all night writhing and crying in pain, how she'd cough so hard she'd lose her voice, or blow her nose so much it would start to bleed.

Futaba had always been strong physically, but watching her best friend suffer like that had taken all of her strength to endure.

She doesn't like to remember it or think about it, but she'd probably nearly lost Kaoruko that time. The only thing that had saved her had been expensive medicine that had cost almost an entire month's budget to purchase, and ever since then Kaoruko has been a bit less inclined to move around much.

Futaba could never blame her, or at least she didn't ever want to.

But sometimes she got frustrated handling all the work herself. She'd find herself wishing Kaoruko would help her out sometimes, that she'd just push through the physical difficulties a bit and endure it.

But then she'd always remember how Kaoruko had looked lying there in bed, pale and thin and crying, gripped by a greater pain than Futaba could ever imagine. She never wants to see her like that again. Never.

The image flashes through her mind again now, but she pushes it away. As she rests her forehead against Kaoruko's, Futaba can tell her skin is slightly warmer than it should be, and her breathing is faintly labored.

The summer months have been getting hotter, and Kaoruko has always been delicate to the extremes. That was one of the main reasons why Futaba did all the dirty work on their orchard, especially at this time of year. Kaoruko had collapsed once just from going for a walk on a hot day. Yard and field work would probably see her bedridden for a week.

Already worried for her now, Futaba pulls the heaviest blanket off of her charge and gently rolls Kaoruko onto her back. She rests her head lightly onto Kaoruko's chest to asses her pulse. It's rhythm slow and heavy with sleep, but even then she can tell it's a little off.

Futaba sits back up and curses worriedly under her breath. If Kaoruko is sick, that could mean an entire day of work and production lost taking care of her. She'll gladly do it, too, but it'll probably hurt them financially for a few days.

Futaba sits in bed quietly for another moment, listening to Kaoruko's breathing. There's a bit of a wheeze to it, and when she touches her again, her skin is still warm. A soft moan comes from the back of Kaoruko's throat as her brow furrows, eyelids fluttering. Futaba smiles gently as she wakes.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you."

Kaoruko seems like she tries to say something, but the words get lost on a breathless exhale. She shakes her head and tries again.

"Good morning, Futaba-han..."

She already sounds sick. Futaba grimaces.

"Do you feel okay? Too hot?"

Kaoruko tiredly lifts one of her hands, and Futaba readily holds it. Kaoruko closes her eyes.

"I'm still rather tired," she murmurs. "Perhaps you could... stay with me a while, Futaba-han...?"

Futaba's eyes soften.

"Sure thing."

The orchard could wait an hour.

She shifts a little, pulling her legs up and kneeling on the bed. She carefully pulls Kaoruko's head and shoulders into her lap, petting through her bangs with feather-light touch. They'd always taken this position as kids out in the fields of the orphanage. Futaba knows it makes Kaoruko feel relaxed and safe.

To her relief, after just a moment of carding through her hair, Kaoruko is already asleep again.

Futaba leans down and kisses her warm forehead. She rests her free hand on Kaoruko's collar to feel her breath and her pulse. It's barely anything, but both are still just slightly off. Futaba can tell. She's been sleeping next to Kaoruko her entire life. She knows exactly how her breathing and her heart sound when she's healthy, and can discern even the tiniest discrepancy.

She rubs her palm in slow circles over Kaoruko's chest, gradually working her way down to her stomach. She hopes the removal of the blankets is enough to cool her off in time before any actual sickness can settle in.

Futaba stays with her a while longer this morning, until she feels Kaoruko's breathing has evened out a bit. She gingerly slips free from beneath her and lies Kaoruko's head back onto the pillow. Futaba quietly hurries out of the room and down the stairs to fetch a glass of cold water. She returns to the bedroom and leaves the glass on the nightstand for Kaoruko in case she wakes up parched. She then crosses the room to crack open the window to let in some fresh summer air and sun.

Futaba turns back and watches over her for a moment longer, satisfied that she seems to be more or less back to normal.

Then, to her surprise, Kaoruko rolls over and peeks one eye open lazily.

"Futaba-han... I can feel how worried you are from here. I'm fine, so just go. I want to sleep some more..."

Futaba almost laughs in spite of herself.

"Of course you do. All right then, I'll try to stop worrying. But no promises." She walks back over and reaches out to ruffle Kaoruko's hair gently. Kaoruko huffs and closes her eyes again.

With her concern ebbing away, Futaba leaves a kiss on Kaoruko's forehead before getting ready to start the day. She dresses in a flannel work shirt, along with pants and a skirt, then pulls her boots on over her socks.

She heads back to the window to look out over their property full of fruit trees, ranging from lemons to apples. There's also a vegetable garden that's producing plenty of carrots and tomatoes right now. It's a lot of land to maintain and care for, and a lot of crops to plant, water, protect, and harvest.

Futaba loves it all. After all, it's her own business she'd built from the ground up - literally.

But there's one more thing she's been wanting to work on.

She'd always wanted a regular garden – a flower garden. In spite of her appearance, she does still enjoy flowers, as many people in town find difficult to believe.

But she'd just never gotten the time to start on her little personal project. Between looking after Kaoruko, tending to the orchard and gardens, and selling their produce at the market, she had her hands full on a daily and nightly basis.

Maybe one day she'd get to grow a flower garden too. But for now she has to stick to what she's got.

She leaves Kaoruko to sleep in as always and heads downstairs to start on breakfast. She uses ingredients fresh from their property, as well as a few meats and spices she'd bought from town on her last trip. Her cooking skills are as superb as her gardening skills, and she's proud to know she's always serving Kaoruko the best quality foods.

Just as she's adding some finishing touches to this morning's dish, a knock comes at the door.

"Coming!" Futaba rushes to answer it. A familiar delivery boy stands there with a smile.

"Good morning, Miss Isurugi! Here are your orders from the market."

"Got it, thanks!" She accepts a slip of paper from him and closes the door. She looks the slip over, expecting the usual demands of roughly ten pounds per fruit and vegetable. But it appears her business partners wish to demand fifteen pounds now; for an increased profit on Futaba's end, of course.

Futaba whistles, her eyes lighting up at the prospect of a bit more money; they have enough plants and trees to fulfill fifteen pounds apiece. It was just a matter of gathering it all in time for shipment, but the profit margin was well worth it.

Excitedly, she rushes to the stairs and calls up for her partner.

"Oy, Kaoruko! Wake up! I've got some big news!"

Kaoruko typically wakes up on her own time, but this morning she's been in and out of consciousness for a couple of hours. Now, she's awakened fully by the sound of a voice calling for her.

She opens her eyes to find the same cold, empty bed; just once she wishes she could wake up with Futaba still next to her. She doesn't count earlier this morning, because the two of them hadn't gotten out of bed together, and Kaoruko hadn't exactly been feeling the greatest.

Part of Kaoruko wishes she could just get up out of bed every morning naturally like Futaba does. But still, the other part loves sleeping far too much, even when she isn't feeling sick.

Groggily, she pushes herself up. Futaba's tone hadn't sounded urgent or worried, so Kaoruko takes her time putting on her dress and brushing her hair. She doesn't even bother making the bed; Futaba always comes back up to do it later.

She takes her time in getting ready, and finally comes downstairs about ten minutes later. Futaba is just serving breakfast and grins at the sight of her.

"Morning! Feeling better?"

Kaoruko yawns and takes her seat.

"I suppose so. Now what is it you needed to wake me for, Futaba-han?"

"This!" Futaba excitedly waves the paper in front of her.

Kaoruko flinches and squints her eyes, tilting her head.

"The market's supply and demand list? What of it?"

Futaba shovels a mouthful of food onto her tongue as she elaborates.

"They wanna increase our demand!" she exclaims. "We're gonna make even more money! Enough to keep us going through the winter until the crops come back!"

Kaoruko blinks, then daintily cuts into her food and chews slowly.

"That does sound rather nice. But Futaba-han, please don't talk with your mouth full."

"Crap, sorry." She wipes her mouth on her sleeve instead of her napkin and wolfs down the rest of her food quickly. "I'm gonna get to work right away. Fifteen pounds is a lot to get ready by noon tomorrow, and I gotta weed out the spoiled ones." She heads for the door, but pauses to look back. Hesitantly, she makes a request. "Say, uh, Kaoruko...? Think you could gimme a hand with all this? I wanna make sure it gets done on time. It wouldn't be much, just picking a few things and droppin' 'em into the boxes."

She rarely ever asks Kaoruko for help, and when she does it's only when she really needs it. She hates to do it now when it's so hot out and Kaoruko is at a greater risk of heatstroke, but she doesn't think asking her to pick a few pears is that strenuous.

Kaoruko hums and ponders the question as she swallows her food.

"I would love to, Futaba-han. But I'm actually working on a bit of a personal project at the moment."

Futaba blinks.

"'Personal project?' What the heck is that?"

"Oh, you shall find out in due time."

Futaba heaves a sigh.

"Right, sorry. I forgot how 'busy' you are." She doesn't fully realize or even mean it, but a bit of an edge creeps into her tone. She sighs again and opens the door. "Well, all right then. If you need me, I'll be working."

With this, she steps outside and closes the door behind herself. She can only assume Kaoruko's personal project involves staying inside and napping or something like that. But that's the way it's always been, and she knows it's too late to change it.

Futaba heads to a small shed where she keep stacks upon stacks of boxes. She's to fill them with the appropriate amount and weight of each product, then meet the deliveryman on the designated day at the designated time. He comes by horse and carriage to pick up the boxes to bring them to the market, and in turn gives Futaba her payment.

Tomorrow will be the first time she'll be receiving more money than ever before. She imagines all the seeds she could buy, not just for the business but for her dream of a garden as well.

With these thoughts fueling her, she grabs two empty boxes and carries them into the vegetable garden, then sets to work.

She picks the usual amount of tomatoes, which she knows to be ten pounds, then brings the box to the scale beside the house to check. She continues filling it until it's an even fifteen. She hoists the box of tomatoes into the shed and covers it to keep them safe overnight, then heads out to do the carrots.

As she goes about picking the ripe foods, she also plucks off and tosses away the spoiled ones. She'd learned very early on that Starlight Kingdom's people were highly superstitious and wary of things that could possibly be cursed, such as spoiled foods. She can't blame them though; after all, their own princess had been cursed to fall into an eternal slumber if she should ever bleed, which is why no one has ever even properly seen her.

There are also tales of spoiled and poisoned foods being cursed by the same witch or spirit who had cursed the princess in an effort to spread more misery and fear across the land. Evidently, the cursed foods would turn purple or black, and whomever was foolish or unlucky enough to eat them would then suffer a curse of their own. Some rumors said you could get turned into an animal. Some said your skin would turn green and your hair would fall out. Others said you'd die a tragic death, and so on.

In one of Futaba's first ever shipments to the market, she'd sent a bruised pear in the bunch and been accused of trying to poison someone intentionally. She'd been forced to refund her profits that week, and had never made such a mistake again.

She'd also been certain never to use such spoiled fruits in her cooking, nor serve them to Kaoruko. She tends to taste every dish and meal herself first to ensure everything is all right. She believes she'd have a fighting chance against a curse, but Kaoruko is a different story.

So presently, she inspects every carrot and potato she pulls up, every bean and pepper she picks. Luckily, there are only a couple of each she has to throw into the forest, and she still manages to fill the fifteen-pound boxes and keep some extras on the vines.

She also makes note of where she'll need to re-soil an area, which vines or leaves she can cut, and what needs the most watering. These are all tasks she'll have to do after the delivery tomorrow to ensure she can send out an even better shipment next week.

By the time she finishes with the vegetables, she's worked up a fine sweat. She staggers over to the well to draw up a cup of water, drinking half and pouring the rest over her head. It's then she notices the time on the sundial.

"No way! It's noon already?"

Normally, she'd have several of the fruits picked and packed by now as well. The increased demand had really slowed her down. But her stomach is growling now, and she knows she needs to take a break for lunch.

Sighing, she dusts herself off as best she can and heads back inside.

She first goes upstairs to make the bed and tidy up the room, gathering all of Kaoruko's dirty laundry to bring down. With her arms full of clothes, Futaba heads back outside to rinse everything in the bucket, scrubbing each article down with a soapy brush before hanging them on the clothesline to dry. That takes another half hour, and her stomach growls again.

When she goes back inside she passes the study, which is where she finds Kaoruko, curled up cozily on the couch with a book in her lap and a carefree smile on her lips. There's a stack of books on the table beside her.

"So," Futaba grunts. "I take it this is the 'personal project' you told me about?"

Kaoruko looks up casually.

"Why yes, as a matter of fact it is related. Is it time for lunch yet?"

Futaba heaves another sigh.

"Yeah. Gimme a minute."

"Do take all the time you need."

Kaoruko isn't trying to be all high-and-mighty; it's just the way she talks. And Futaba knows that, but she's been a little peeved at her this morning for some reason, so it just feels like another pinprick in her back right now.

So Futaba heads into the kitchen and washes up a bit before she begins slaving away over a hot stove instead of under the hot sun. She thinks she hears the back door close at one point, but when she turns around she sees no one there.

"Kaoruko?" She calls out, but there's no response. "Too caught up in her book, I guess."

By the time lunch is ready, Futaba is starving. She puts both bowls of soup and plates of sandwiches onto the table and calls out again.

"Kaoruko! Lunch!"

She sits down to begin eating, but doesn't take her first bite. There's still no movement from the study. Futaba growls and pushes herself back up, then stomps her way over.

"Oy, Kaoruko! If you're so engrossed in that damn book, then-"

But to her surprise, the study is empty. The book Kaoruko had been reading is now closed at the top of the pile. Futaba steps back, confused and annoyed.

"That Kaoruko. Where the hell did she run off to this time...?"

She's noticed recently that Kaoruko has been disappearing at odd times, either at lunch or around suppertime. It's never for too long, and she always comes back before Futaba can worry too much. But she usually comes back with dirt on her dress or leaves in her hair, saying she'd gone for a walk and tripped. She says she's trying to condition herself and get stronger, but Futaba has never fully believed her, for some reason.

Recently, Futaba's just been letting her take her time and come back on her own. But she's already irked today, and now Kaoruko pulling her vanishing act is only ticking her off more.

Futaba storms over to the door and throws it open, preparing to shout for her just as Kaoruko is trying to come back in.

"Oh!"

"K-Kaoruko?!" Futaba bowls right into her and knocks her backward. Kaoruko yelps as she loses her balance, but Futaba reacts quickly enough to grab her and pull her back up. Kaoruko lets out a breath and smiles.

"Your reflexes are quick as ever, Futaba-han."

Futaba snorts and lets her go.

"Where the hell did you go this time? Out for another walk? In this heat?" She observes the grass stains on Kaoruko's dress and the burs in her hair.

"Correct!" Kaoruko beams. "I had a bit of a stumble, but that's all."

Futaba narrows her eyes. Usually she'd check and see if Kaoruko was all right and would patch up any cuts or bruises she'd sustained. But today, Futaba is just too heated to be concerned.

"So you have time to read all day and go for walks, and get all dirty so I have more laundry to do, but you can't help me pick a few apples?" More venom leaks into her voice than she'd intended, and Kaoruko visibly flinches.

"Futaba-han, I told you, I'm-"

"Yeah, yeah, a 'project; huh? Whatever, Kaoruko. Just eat you lunch and get back to your daydreams. I've got work to do."

Futaba grabs her bowl of soup from the table and drinks it all in one go, then grabs her sandwich and takes it with her outside to eat alone, slamming the door behind her.

She's already mentally making another list of things she'll need to get done today as she grabs an empty box and heads for the orchards.

She fills a box of pears, a box of oranges, and a box of lemons, tossing out a handful of each that had spoiled. She lugs each box back to the scale to weigh it, makes any necessary adjustments, and then brings them to the shed to cover them.

It takes her all afternoon to do that much, and by the time she gets to the apple orchard the sun has begun to set.

"Damn. I've gotta get started on dinner soon... and there's still the laundry and a bath... I didn't even dust today..." She shakes her head and gets to work on the apples while there's still sunlight to see them by. She eats one as she works - one that isn't the best nor the worst of the batch - and saves all the good ones for selling.

But she's only picked about the usual ten pounds' worth by the time the sun has gone down. She curses and hurries back to the house.

"Kaoruko!" She checks the kitchen and the study to no avail. Teeth grit, she storms up the stairs. "That girl I swear..."

Futaba throws open the bedroom door to find Kaoruko already lying down. The girl jumps and gasps as she sits up, clearly startled.

"Futaba-han!"

Futaba glares at her.

"Oy, Kaoruko, seriously? You're in bed already? And you didn't even change out of your dirty clothes?"

"You see, I-"

"Whatever. Listen, I only need your help for maybe ten minutes. Just help me finish the apples. Even you can handle that much."

Futaba turns to begin heading back out, but Kaoruko calls after her thinly.

"Actually... Futaba-han... I'm not feeling the best right now..."

Futaba stops and turns back around to look her over again. Kaoruko's skin seems a bit paler than usual, she's shaking a little, and her voice is meek and stammering.

But in contrast, Futaba's is harsh and loud.

"Seriously, Kaoruko? After all I do for you, now you're feigning illness just to get out of helping me? You're unbelievable! Spoiled, is what you are! Spoiled rotten like a black apple!"

Kaoruko flinches again and curls her hands to her chest defensively.

"Futaba-han, please-"

"All your little lies about a secret project? Gimme a break! You're just so lazy you can't even help me out when we have a little extra work to do!"

"Futaba-han!" Kaoruko raises her voice in desperation and ends up coughing a little. "Please, be reasonable and listen to me. I'm not lying to you. B-Behind the apple orch-"

But Futaba cuts her off.

"No, you know what?" she yells, voice rising, anger mounting. "I'm done listening to you, Kaoruko. I'm done being your slave and doing everything for you without any thanks! Pretend to be sick so you don't have to do any work! Sleep in all day, for all I care! Just do whatever the hell you want! I hate you!"

Futaba slams the door and rushes back down the stairs and outside. She runs across the property and finishes up the apples on her own, yanking them off their branches and throwing them into the box. She hoists it all the way back to the shed and gets everything ready for pickup tomorrow. She pulls the clean laundry off the line and folds it half-heartedly.

When she comes back inside she leaves Kauroko's clothes at the bottom of the stairs and takes her own with her into the common room. Futaba bathes, her mind still seething all the while, her anger at Kaoruko hot and ugly. She changes into her sleepwear and sleeps on the couch in the common room, not even bothering to check back upstairs.

It's the first night she's ever slept away from Kaoruko.

And little does she know it will be the last.

Kaoruko jolts and whimpers as Futaba slams the bedroom door at her and storms out. Kaoruko tries to call after her, but her voice hitches in her throat, and she ends up in a coughing fit. It leaves her breathless and dizzy, and she's forced to lie down and get her bearings. Her head and heart are throbbing, causing a terrible ache all throughout her body.

And as if the illness itself isn't bad enough, now she's upset Futaba like never before.

They've had their squabbles in the past - plenty of them - but never as bad as this one. She'd seen the genuine anger in Futaba's eyes, heard it in her voice. And never before in all their lives has Futaba ever expressed anything as severe as hatred towards her.

Kaoruko feels a pang shoot through her chest as guilt claws at her heart.

"I supposed I deserve it..." she rasps. "Sneaking around behind her back... of course I would get sick... I just hope Futaba-han can forgive me... for all the trouble I've caused her..."

There's a stinging heat behind her eyes, and tears start to drip down across her nose and onto the pillow.

Kaoruko waits for a long time, ready to swallow her pride apologize for her selfishness for once. But Futaba never comes in to join her.

Kaoruko shivers and cries softly all through the night, and all the while her heart feels as though it's being slowly crushed by some massive stone.

. . .

When morning comes, she barely wakes. Her stomach is hollow and her body quivers from the sickness. She hadn't finished her project yet, but she supposes she'll have to reveal it a little early. She just wants to add a few finishing touches...

It takes all of her strength to push herself out of bed and limp down the stairs, one hand holding onto the wall and the other clutching the ache in her chest. She notices the laundry waiting for her at the bottom and feels another pang in her chest.

Looking up into the common room, she finds Futaba lying on the couch, still asleep. She's turned on her side with her back facing Kaoruko, and for some reason it really bothers her to not be able to see her face right now.

Kaoruko had never imagined the morning she finally wakes before Futaba would ever be like this.

She staggers to the door and fumbles to unlock it, then steps outside barefoot, shuddering in spite of the season.

The morning is gray and misty as she makes her way toward the orchards. She passes by the lemon trees and the pear trees, where some have only a handful of fruits left on them for the time being. Her head pounds harder than her heart, but she pushes onward to the apple orchard.

This is where she'd spent most of her time recently, making sure only to come out when Futaba was inside the house.

But Kaoruko suddenly finds she can't take another step. She leans heavily against the nearest apple tree, panting as sweat drips down her face. An awful war of heat and shivers grips her, and she can do nothing to fend them off. Her first instinct is to call for Futaba, but she can't bring herself to do that now. The guilt churning inside her is far stronger than her desire to get herself assistance.

With shaking fingers, she reaches up through the thin leaves to pluck an apple. It's darker than the others, almost purple, but her hunger is so great she pays the fruit no mind.

She bites into it as hard as her shaking teeth can manage, letting the stinging flavors rush into her body.

But one bite is all she can manage.

Suddenly, her whole body begins to shudder from the inside out. Her blood seems to ice over, cold and hard, though there is still a stifling heat wafting off her skin.

Kaoruko chokes as she drops to her knees, but she doesn't have the breath nor the strength to try and cough up the fruit she'd swallowed. Her body trembles uncontrollably, in a way she's never felt before in all her sicknesses, and her vision blurs just before it blackens.

The last thoughts in her mind are of the last words Futaba said to her:

"I hate you!"

And Kaoruko wilts into the soil, the last of her tears seeping into the earth, and Futaba's name hanging from her lips.

Futaba wakes to what sounds like the door closing.

It takes her a few minutes to rouse herself and get her bearings. She quickly remembers that she isn't in bed beside Kaoruko this time. It feels strange waking up without her. Futaba is admittedly a little chilly.

The heat of her anger from last night has faded with sleep, and now only guilt lingers in its place. She heaves a sigh and gets dressed for the day, then quietly makes her way upstairs to apologize.

"It's not her fault she's spoiled," Futaba mumbles to herself. "If anything, it's my fault for spoiling her and not letting her try to be independent. It's because I don't wanna lose her or let her go. I've kinda made her be dependent on me..." When she thinks about it like that, it almost feels manipulative, even though that had never been her intention in any way.

Starting today, Futaba wants to help Kaoruko learn the ropes of chores and taking care of herself at her own pace.

But first she needs to apologize. If for nothing else, then for saying she hated her. She never should've let her anger consume her that badly, to such a horrible degree.

Futaba reaches the bedroom and knocks softly, then calls out even more softly.

"Kaoruko...?" It's nothing like the shouting and door-slamming from last night. Her voice is tentative and gentle. "Are you awake? I know I'm probably the last person you wanna talk to right now, but I just-"

As she pushes her way through, Futaba halts at the sight of the empty bed. Never before in all her life had she woken to find Kaoruko already gone.

The sheets are ruffled, but other than that, there are no signs of anything being disturbed. Futaba feels a slight tightness in her chest as she scours the room.

"Kaoruko? You here?"

No response. She whirls around and hurries back downstairs, noting the untouched laundry she'd left for her.

"Kaoruko!"

The call becomes a shout now as she checks the study, only to find the stack of books and nothing more. Futaba approaches the table where they're piled and picks up the top tome. It's a book about flowers and plants. The one beneath it is much the same, as is the one beneath that. Futaba shakes her head, puzzled.

"What was she doing reading these? But more importantly, where the hell is she-?" Futaba leaves everything as it was and hurries out into the main room again, calling for her repeatedly. "Oy, Kaoruko! Answer me!"

But the house replies with only an eerie silence. Futaba feels her throat closing up. She whips around and races to the doors, then bursts outside.

"Kaoruko-!"

The gardens and orchards are silent in the misty, wet morning. Futaba's mind is buzzing like a hive, each thought stinging her. Could Kaoruko have run away? If she had, Futaba can't blame her. But what if she'd been kidnapped, or something had happened to her?

Futaba can't rest assured until she knows for certain Kaoruko's absence was her own choice. Until she finds her or gets confirmation on it, she'll never stop worrying.

So she runs through the gardens and around the house, calling for her over and over again.

But the silence calls back every time. It begins to drizzle softly, and Futaba stops to catch her breath.

"Where the hell did she go? What happened...?"

The thought that she could've run away because Futaba's words had hurt her that badly makes her sick. Kaoruko would never be able to survive on her own, and Futaba knows that's partially her own fault for letting her become so dependent.

With the rain coming on, it's getting cold, and she can only hope Kaoruko has found good shelter, that she hasn't collapsed or gotten hurt somehow.

She makes up her mind that she'll go into town and ask around if anyone had seen her childhood friend.

So Futaba dashes back across the property and toward the cobblestone road that leads into town. She passes the shed where her boxes of foods are ready to be picked up. That's what makes her pause.

The food... Didn't Kaoruko try to tell me something yesterday...? 'Behind' something... Behind...-

Futaba gasps.

"'Behind the apple orchard-!'"

She whirls back around and hurries as quickly as she can, her boots pounding over the soil. She passes by the lemon trees and then the pears, swerving from her usual route and making a wider arc now to put herself outside of the trees of the apple orchard. She glances from side to side as she runs. She doesn't see anything noteworthy, but she doesn't stop.

"Kaoruko! Are you here?"

The mist is thicker here, and the air is heavy with moisture. She struggles to see through the thin fog, and still there's no answer.

She searches as best she can for any signs of her partner, for anything that might be linked to what Kaoruko had been trying to tell her. She searches until there's a wetness on her face, but it isn't from the mist.

"Kaoruko... Oy!"

She comes to a halt, head bowed in defeat. What if she's gone forever, all because Futaba had had a bad temper last night? She wipes her arms across her eyes and sniffles, shaking her head.

That's when she spots something unusual.

She isn't really sure what it is, especially in all this fog, but it's almost like a part of the orchard is different from the rest. The shadows on the ground there look... strange.

Bushes block her view, so Futaba has to draw closer, peering past the apple trees and a few bushels of wild plants. When she finally emerges on the other side, her jaw goes slack.

Colors. So many beautiful colors spread out at her boots.

Flowers of all different kinds, planted as neatly as inexperienced hands could manage. Wildflowers, seeds bought secretly from the marketplace, and anything else she could find, all growing together in a haphazard harmony. Tiny white dewdrop flowers, yellow lilies, purple snapdragons, red tulips, roses, dandelions...

And suddenly it all comes together.

Kaoruko's sneaking off and always coming back covered in dirt, the books she'd been reading, her secret project...

Futaba drops to her knees as tears spill down her cheeks. With shaking fingers, she reaches out to touch a few of the delicate petals. Kaoruko's message to her is loud and clear:

'Thank you for all you've done for me.'

Futaba chokes on a sob as she pushes herself back up, staggering, but refusing to waste anymore time. She needs to find her. No matter what.

She starts to run again, straight through the orchard.

But in the end, she doesn't need to go far.

Her boot kicks something that rolls, and when she stops Futaba glances down to see a horribly-rotten apple, the skin a sickening blackish-purple.

A single bite is missing.

"No..."

She whirls around, terrified of what she might find, praying she won't find it.

"No-"

And then a glimpse of fabric, of the same dirty dress she'd been wearing yesterday, and had been too sick and tired to change out of last night. Futaba screams.

"No-! Kaoruko!"

She lies perfectly still in the mud, her pale skin stained with brown, her hair unkempt and wet, eyes closed, and lips parted in the smallest cry of pain.

She looks just like she had that day in bed, after her worst illness, the one that had nearly claimed her life. Only now, she's even smaller, even paler - ashen.

"No-!" Futaba screams again and drops down beside her, gathering Kaoruko into her arms. Tears and rain are smeared across her cheeks, her limp, wet bangs clinging to her colorless skin. Pressing an ear to her chest, she listens for a pulse – anything, even a tremble.

But there's nothing. Nothing but the steady hiss of the rain around her.

"No... No! Kaoruko, please-!" Futaba pulls her in, covering her with her own body. All their lives, she'd protected her from everything; from annoying boys and bad men, from tricks and from scams, from bitter cold and sweltering heat, from sharp blades and hurtful lies.

But in the end, Futaba had been the one to do this to her, to drive her to this point.

She cries harder than ever before, harder than she ever knew she could. Kaoruko is motionless in her arms, cold and frail and blameless.

"Kaoruko..." Futaba whispers her name in a begging plea, thick with desperation and guilt. "I'm sorry... it's my fault... it's all my fault..." She eases back, cradling the girl's face gently, wiping the dirt and water from her cheek. She combs shaking fingers through the thick, messy hair, as tears drip from Futaba's eyes onto the backs of hers. Futaba feels a hollow, aching pain like none she's ever known or heard of. It grips her tightly, cruelly, and doesn't let go.

"I... I'm sorry... Kaoruko... I shouldn't have said those things... I didn't mean... any of it..." She brushes the bangs and mud away from her forehead, cradling her close. Futaba bows her head against hers gently, letting their foreheads touch. "I don't hate you. In fact... I..."

She bites her lip and swallows back another sob. Softly, she bumps her mouth against Kaoruko's in a fragile little kiss. As if something might come of it.

But as she rests her hand over Kaoruko's heart, she feels nothing.

Futaba sobs as everything she's ever worked for, everything she's ever lived for, and everything she's ever loved slips right from her fingers.

The rain falls thin and cold, draining the warmth from Kaoruko's body. Futaba covers her as much as she can, shielding her from it all, though her tears end up soaking through Kaoruko's clothes, much heavier and more bitter than any raindrops.

"I'm sorry-" she whispers again. "I love you, Kaoruko..."

She brings her close and sobs into her chest.

If only Futaba hadn't been so rash.

If only she'd believed her when she'd said she was sick.

If only she'd get to hear Kaoruko's voice again.

If only she'd get to kiss her when she could feel it.

If only she'd get to feel those gentle fingers through her hair one last time, curling and combing down to the nape of her neck where they'd then pause to trace tiny circles, as if clinging to her, pulling her closer.

It's almost as if she can actually feel them now - small, tentative motions caressing the back of her head...

Futaba's eyes fly open just as a gasp sputters up from Kaoruko's chest beneath her. She coughs, jolting upright in Futaba's arms and grabbing onto her shoulders for support. Futaba shrieks.

"Kaoruko-!"

Kaoruko struggles for breath, her legs curling in against the mud as her fingers clutch Futaba's shirt. Futaba holds her up as best she can, desperately shaking her head to clear the tears away, the disbelief still stunning her. But the sounds of Kaoruko's struggling breaths snap her right out of it.

"Kaoruko! Oy, Kaoruko!" Futaba gives her back a couple of firm pats, rubbing her hands all up and down her shoulders and across her collar to keep her warm.

Kaoruko heaves a few more gasps before falling quiet and resting more calmly in her arms. Dark eyelashes kiss the pale skin of her cheeks before fluttering open, revealing quivering pools of summer-like hazel. There's a glaze over them at first, but as she gets her bearings it clears just like the mist around them does. A ray of sunlight breaks through and bathes the two girls in warmth, just as Kaoruko finds her breath.

"Futaba...han..."

"Oh, thank the gods-" Futaba throws herself over Kaoruko and pulls her up into a tight hug, but only for a second before she has to pull back to confirm her eyes are actually open, that this is actually real. "Kaoruko...?"

The mist fades, and the light grows stronger. Kaoruko shivers in her arms, but a faint smile curls her lips.

"I've got... an awfully bitter taste in my mouth."

Futaba wipes her eyes, looking back at the spoiled apple, then back down to her best friend.

"I think I can help with that."

She leans down once more and kisses her, a little tiny bit harder this time, just to ensure everything she wants to convey gets across.

And in spite of her condition, Kaoruko kisses back a little harder too, until it leaves them both gratefully breathless.

Futaba eases back, thumbing through the girl's bangs with a ginger touch. Her lips wobble, and her eyes waver again.

"Kaoruko... I-... I'm so sorry. I never should have-"

"Oh, hush." Kaoruko lifts one finger and presses it over Futaba's lips. "I'm the one who should be apologizing and we both know it, Futaba-han. After everything you've ever done for me-"

"That's not true!" Futaba shakes her head. "You don't need to apologize for anything! It's because I-"

"Enough, then," Kaoruko says softly. "Enough apologies. I'm already tired of it."

"Kaoruko, you-"

But Kaoruko pushes her finger to Futaba's lips once more.

"I-" she begins. "Feel like a mushroom, all wet and muddy. I'd very much like to draw myself a bath."

And it isn't much, but it's enough for Futaba to notice.

Not 'have you draw me a bath,' but draw one herself.

She blinks, and one last tears falls. Kaoruko smiles up at her, her eyes sparkling like swirls of honey under warm sunlight.

And suddenly Futaba understands that all is right between them. They both understand their own wrongdoings, and they understand each other's feelings. Everything is out in the open now, and neither of them is ashamed for anything they feel towards the other.

It's a form of blessing in and of itself, to suddenly just know everything somehow worked out all right. She supposes it comes with the territory when you've spent your entire life with someone.

Futaba dips forward and rests her forehead against hers again, nuzzling her nose to Kaoruko's. Kaoruko wraps both of her arms around Futaba's shoulders to keep her near for a moment longer.

"Thank you, Futaba-han. For everything. I promise from now on I will help you with all that I can. After all, this is my life, too. It's our life, together."

Futaba leaves a kiss behind on her cheek.

"Thanks, Kaoruko..." She brushes her lips over Kaoruko's again and kisses her there one more time before easing away. "Let's get you back inside. I'll wash your hair for you."

"Futaba-han, you don't have to-"

"I know," she grins. "But I want to."

Kaoruko's uncertainty eventually turns into a smile as well.

Carefully, Futaba gathers Kaoruko into her arms and lifts her up out of the mud. Kaoruko holds onto her shoulders and curls in beneath her chin. Futaba can still feel that she's shivering quite a bit and squeezes her a little tighter. She doesn't want to keep her out here longer than she has to, but she does bring her back behind the apple trees, just for a moment.

The secret garden of wildflowers is now vibrant under the sunlight, all varieties swaying in the breeze. A beautiful mixture of scents rises up to fill the air like a healing spell.

Futaba feels Kaoruko fidget in her arms as she rests her head against her shoulder.

"So... do you like it...?"

Futaba's response is to kiss her again.

"I love it, Kaoruko. It's more beautiful than I'd ever imagined. Thank you."

Futaba carries her all the way back to the house, where she lies Kaoruko on the couch and draws the bath for her in spite of Kaoruko's protests.

"Futaba-han, we just talked about this! I'll can do it myself..."

"Lemme think about it... No," Futaba calls from the bathroom. "Maybe next time when you haven't nearly just fallen into an eternal sleep, you can draw your own bath."

Kaoruko mutters something back and pouts. Futaba retrieves her and carries her into the bathroom, helping her out of her dirty clothes.

As soon as Kaoruko is submerged, she lets all her shivers out and eases into the warm water. Futaba washes her hair and cleans her back for her as always, gentle and loving. She does things as she's always done since they'd been little, shuddering to imagine that she may have never gotten to do this again if she'd lost Kaoruko today.

When she's finished, she leans forward slowly and wraps her arms around Kaoruko from behind. Kaoruko sighs and leans back against her chest in turn. Futaba can feel her heartbeat, slow and steady. She'd missed it last night, cold and bitter curled up on the couch all alone, unable to fall asleep for hours due to her frustrations. And she'd known Kaoruko must've been cold and crying all by herself too, not fully understanding why Futaba had lashed out at her so harshly.

Futaba sighs and presses a small kiss to Kaoruko's shoulder in silent apology.

Kaoruko is still for a while, until Futaba feels the tiniest shudder run through her. When she peers over Kaoruko's shoulder, she can see tear drops falling into the water.

"Kaoruko..." Futaba pulls her closer, reaching up to wipe the tears. Kaoruko sniffles.

"I'm sorry, Futaba-han... I truly am sorry..."

"I thought you said no more apologies," Futaba murmurs, resting her chin on her shoulder. "I know you are. And you don't have to be. Honestly." Futaba kisses her cheek again. "I love you, Kaoruko."

Kaoruko hiccups a shaky breath and nods.

"Me too... I love you too, Futaba-han..."

Futaba gives her a moment to let it all out, then coaxes her out before the water can get cold. When all is said and done, and Kaoruko is dressed in fresh clothes, she insists she return the favor. Futaba is hesitant.

"It's all right, Kaoruko. Maybe in a few days or something. But you've kinda been through a lot this morning."

But Kaoruko already has her heart set on it.

"That won't do! I want to start repaying you for all you've done for me, Futaba-han! Little by little! You've done so much it might take me my whole life to repay you, but I want to start now!"

"Dummy." Futaba goes to her and takes both her hands, giving them a squeeze. "It's not about repaying or obligations or stuff like that." She lifts Kaoruko's hands to her lips and kisses the back of each, then looks up at her once more. "Right?"

Kaoruko blinks, but clarity gradually forms in her eyes.

"I suppose... Fine. I understand, Futaba-han." She takes Futaba's hands in turn and kisses them both. "Then I'll do this because I want to."

Futaba nods in approval.

"That sounds nice."

So Kaoruko draws a new bath for her, with a few pointers and a bit of help from Futaba. Once it's her turn in the water, Futaba enjoys having her hair and back washed by her friend for the first time in her life. She lets out a long, grumbly kind of exhale, but it's a happy sound. Kaoruko giggles from behind her as she washes her back.

"What kind of noise was that?"

"Shut up." Futaba splashes at her playfully, and Kaoruko shrieks. She goes on to lather Futaba's hair for her, and once Futaba is finished and dressed, Kaoruko drains the tub herself. She then dries and brushes Futaba's hair, and Futaba is so relaxed she nearly falls off the stool. Kaoruko steadies her and grins.

"Even though it's my first time doing this, I'm quite skilled with it, aren't I?"

Futaba is too content to even roll her eyes.

"Yeah. You sure are."

And Kaoruko doesn't stop with just that. She helps Futaba with making their late breakfast, then helps her load the boxes of produce onto the delivery cart when it arrives – though she can only manage the lightest boxes for now, it's still a huge help.

They receive their handsome payment, which Kaoruko suggests they spend a bit of in town for their leisure, already making plans of little gifts she'd like to get for Futaba.

All the rest of the day, she insists on helping out in the gardens to help earn a bit of their income. Futaba only gives her as much as she can handle, especially since she's still recovering from quite the ordeal. But with her help, they manage to finish the daily chores with some time to spare.

That time, they spend out in the flower garden; Kaoruko on her back with her head in Futaba's lap, napping in the warm summer sunlight. Just like old times.

Futaba cards through her hair, and occasionally steals kisses from her lips.

They work on dinner together that night, and curl up for bed in a warm, mutual embrace. Futaba opens her arms, and Karouko slips into them perfectly. She nuzzles into Futaba's collar, feeling the familiar arms drape around her back and across her shoulders.

She feels so safe, so warm, so loved. She always has in Futaba's arms. Always. So now she wants to return the favor.

Futaba had been ready to close her eyes and sleep when she feels Kaoruko pushing herself up a little. Futaba blinks up at her curiously.

"What's wrong? You okay?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." Kaoruko scolds her, poking her nose. "You don't have to worry so much anymore, Futaba-han!"

"Right, sorry. Old habits."

Karouko nods, then rolls over to lie on her back. She lifts up her arms expectantly and waits. Futaba blinks.

"Uhh, Kaoruko? What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Kaoruko snaps, clearly offended.

Futaba snorts.

"It looks like your muscles cramped during a stretch and now you're stuck."

"Ugh! Honestly, Futaba-han!" Kaoruko grabs the pillow and throws it at her. Futaba laughs before putting it back into place.

"Okay, so seriously, what are you doing?" She has an idea, but she wants to hear Kaoruko say it.

Kaoruko stays frozen stiff in her position, arms outstretched and empty. Her face turns pink and she looks away to avoid eye contact.

"I... simply want to hold you, Futaba-han."

Futaba admits it makes her heart flutter at hearing those words. She smiles.

"I'd love that, Kaoruko."

So she lowers herself into Kaoruko's waiting arms, sinking softly on top of her. Kaoruko squeezes her back and hides her face in Futaba's hair.

"You meany, making me say it out loud like that..."

"Sorry, sorry."

"...You're forgiven, I suppose..."

Kaoruko pulls her as close as possible, enjoying the feeling Futaba's weight over her. It makes her feel safe to lie this way, too. But she loves the feeling of getting to hold Futaba, of making her feel that same sense of security.

Futaba sighs against her collar, resting her head sideways over Kaoruko's chest to listen. The pulse beneath her ear is quick and strong, embarrassed and healthy. Futaba smiles and closes her eyes to the sound.

"Night, Kaoruko."

Kaoruko is quiet for a moment before she mutters back.

"Good night, Futaba-han. Sweet dreams."

And they both rest better that night than ever before.

And in the morning, Futaba discovers it isn't just a short-lived desire to help out on Kaoruko's part.

She wakes up early - with Futaba - the next day, and together they prepare breakfast and get to work outside.

Since she'd cheated death, Kaoruko's health has improved significantly. She is no longer so delicate or weak to the elements, and believes that with Futaba's help in doing physical tasks, she can increase her strength and stamina.

She continues to wake up early with Futaba now to help out with the chores, everything from gardening to laundry and all else in between. And though she often makes petty complaints here or there about how tedious everything is, she always sticks to her tasks until they're completed.

Every day she's able to take on a little more, until she has come to split the workload with Futaba equally and fairly.

With the two of them working now, they get things done much more efficiently, and can even afford to take a day or two off per week and sleep as late as they please.

Kaoruko does her part and is proud for it, and even prouder when she can stand beside Futaba in the marketplace and kiss her for all to see.

And little by little, they add to their flower garden, until it expands across the hillside, and the symbol of their hard work and love for one another can be seen from miles away across Starlight Kingdom.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3. The Archer And The Loner

Once, there was a girl who was the most skillful archer in all the land. Her name was Junna Hoshimi, and it was said an arrow shot by her on one edge of a forest could pierce a falling leaf on the other.

There are plenty of other rumors about her skillful marksmanship, and most of them are true.

Junna lives alone in a humble house beside a small forest, not far from Starlight Kingdom's main town. Her family hadn't been the richest nor the poorest, but Junna had struck out on her own at an early age so as not to burden her parents.

She'd made her money by performing with her bow and arrows, entertaining the people and taking on bets that she could hit whatever object they decided on. She would hit anything that wasn't living – after all, she was an entertainer, not pest control.

She won every bet, of course, and earned a pretty penny in doing so. With her expert eyesight and sturdy posture, she'd find a trajectory to hit even the most obscure of targets that had been deliberately blocked off, and thus had made a reputation for herself.

But Junna has begun to notice that people have recently been getting a little bored with her. After all, once they've seen her shoot one impressive arrow, they've seen it a million times.

Therefore, she's been trying out new ways to bring in her income, and the main focus right now is to practice shooting at night. The plan is to amaze people with her aim in almost complete darkness, which is sure to keep the money coming in for quite some time until she can think of the next trick, or begin recycling old ones.

Therefore, in recent weeks, Junna has been waking early to start her days soon enough to have a few extra hours of night to practice by. She wakes well before sunrise and goes out to shoot falling leaves. Now that autumn is upon them, she has plenty of targets.

It's all the same techniques she uses to hit them during daylight, just with the added challenge of the movement of shadows all around her. She's gotten pretty good at it recently, but not yet good enough to consider it content she can show her customers.

This morning is no different. Junna wakes alone in her bed, which she's beginning to notice is growing colder by the morning. The fire she keeps going in the hearth can only do so much in the colder months, and she's laid out as many quilts as can fit on the mattress.

Sitting up, she puts on her glasses and stretches out her shivers, quickly changing out of her nightgown and into leggings, a skirt, a warm button-up shirt, and a shawl around her shoulders. She then ties a band in her hair and a light blue handkerchief around her neck. She prepares a quick breakfast in her little kitchen, eating in the quiet of the morning before even the birds are up and chirping.

When ready, she slings her bow and quiver of arrows over her shoulder and heads out into the chilly air toward the forest.

The moon is sliced thin and still glowing overhead, and the sky is dappled with gray clouds. She heads toward the little pond today, wanting to somehow work water and reflection into her next trick. Maybe to shoot her target only by looking at where it is based off the surface of the water? She still needs to think it over a bit.

As she walks, she pauses briefly to fire a few shots. She hits two of the leaves she'd aimed for, but misses the other. Heaving a sigh, she starts off to collect the arrows.

Retrieval is always the most difficult thing for her. While she may be good and standing still and pulling the string, she isn't the best at trudging through the woods to yank an arrow out of the trunk of a tree and then trudge all the way back. And oftentimes they'd get lodged too high up for her, and she'd either have to climb up to get them or knock them down with branches.

She ends up wasting a good deal of time this morning searching for one of her arrows, and by the time she finds it the sun has nearly risen and she's only shot those three arrows.

"Great," she mutters, shoving it back into the quiver. "The whole point of coming out here was to practice in darkness, and now the sun's just about up..."

She might as well just call it quits for the time being and try again at dusk.

But just before Junna turns to head back, a gust of wind carries over her. The perfect opportunity to aim at some crazily-spiraling leaves.

She's up for the challenge.

Drawing an arrow, she raises her bow to the lightening sky, where all of the trees overhead are rustling. Dozens of leaves come loose and dance through the air, most so quick they're gone in a blink.

Junna can barely discern one from the other, even with the sun just beginning to peek over the horizon. She has a few seconds left until the light shines through. She can still make one difficult shot in the dark.

She selects her target, a leaf that loops and twirls on the breeze, making sharp falls and rises as it goes. Junna pulls back on her string, predicts its next movement based on the wind, and fires right as the sun breaks over the mountains. She squints just as a ray gets in her eyes, but from what she can see, her arrow hits its mark.

And perhaps, more than its mark.

She can't be sure, due to the speed at which it all happens, and the light in her eyes, but it almost appears that her arrow goes beyond the leaf to hit something else.

She isn't sure until she sees something fall from the sky, something white like the clouds, something even her expert eye had missed.

"Oh no..."

She'd never shot an animal in all her life, denied every challenge for her to shoot down a duck or swan or sparrow, or to rid a garden of rabbits. It hadn't looked like a direct hit - perhaps just the tip of a wing to make it stagger and drop - but hopefully not enough to be fatal.

Either way, a sickening grip twists in her chest as she tries to discern where the creature falls. But there are so many leaves and clouds and trees-

Then a splash.

Junna hurries on toward the pond. She can see the water clearly now with the sun bathing down on it as she bursts through the bushes lining the bank. She looks for any odd shape on the water, any struggling form-

"Ah..."

A moan of pain sounds from nearby, but what surprises Junna is that the voice it comes from is definitely not that of an injured animal. It's unmistakably human.

Her eyes follow the ripples in the water all the way over to the edge. Junna stops dead in her tracks at the sight before her.

A human girl is crumpled at the edge of the pond, hunched over herself, clutching a bleeding hand that stains her white dress. Other than that dress, she wears nothing – no quilt or shawl, no shoes or gloves or hat.

Junna instantly forgets all thoughts of a fallen bird and rushes to the girl's side.

"H-Hey!" She pauses a few feet away from her, bow still in-hand, eyes wide. She's never seen this girl before. She has yellow hair that's tied into small twin-tails, and when she looks up at Junna, her green eyes are anguished and scared.

Before Junna can inquire anything more, the girl whimpers at the sight of the weapon in her hand. Junna quickly slings the bow over her shoulder and out of sight.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you. I just wanna help." She crouches down beside the girl, who's still bleeding from somewhere on her hand or arm. The water lapping at her bare toes is stained with drops of red that slip through her fingers. Junna offers out her own hand tentatively. "My name is Junna. Please let me help you."

The frightened girl sniffles and looks her over nervously, and all the while Junna just smiles softly. Eventually, the girl in white speaks.

"Junna..."

The archer nods.

"That's right. What's your name?"

The girl blinks, her shoulders slowly relaxing.

"Nana."

Junna moves a little closer.

"Nana," she nods. "What happened to you? Why are you out here by yourself at this hour? What happened to your hand?"

Nana shakes her head, and her whole body shivers. Junna slowly removes her bow and quiver and drops them aside, then takes off her shawl. She inches forward and gently drapes it around the other girl's shoulders. Nana sighs.

"I... I got lost. Something sharp cut me, and I fell..." She moves her hand aside to reveal the wound on her left palm. It's a long gash that veers off from the center outward toward her pinkie.

Junna grimaces at the sight of it. She quickly unties the handkerchief from her neck and holds it out. Nana cautiously offers her bleeding hand. Junna dips the handkerchief in the pond first and cleans away as much of the blood as she can. Nana flinches.

"Sorry," Junna murmur. "It might hurt a little." She's as gentle as possible with what she's doing, taking care not to aggravate the wound. After cleaning it, she wraps it up and ties the handkerchief in a secure knot around the back of Nana's hand. "There. That should do it until you can get it treated properly."

Junna looks around them as the sun shines down through the forest.

"Where did you come from? I'll take you back home."

But Nana quickly stiffens and moves away from her at the notion.

"N-No... I-I don't have a home. Not anymore..." She brings her hands to her chest as her eyes begin to water. Junna instantly softens her voice.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have assumed." She can only think this girl's house was destroyed by a fire or a storm, that something bad had happened that rendered her unable to return. Junna lowers her gaze. "Do you have... anyone you can go back to...?"

Nana just shakes her head. Junna sighs.

"All right then. It's settled." She straightens up her back and offers out her hand. "You're coming with me."

Nana peeks up at her in confusion.

"Eh?"

"You heard me. At least let me treat your wound. You can stay with me until you're well enough to travel on your own. It may still be good weather for now, but winter is around the corner. You can stay with me until spring if you need to."

Nana blinks, and the tears drip down her face, eyes puzzled as she tries to process the offer. Clearly, no stranger has ever been so kind to her before.

"Are... Are you sure...?"

"Of course."

"B-But I have no money to give you..."

Junna smiles. "Who said anything about money? You can help me with the chores around the house and that'll be payment enough. Sound fair?"

Nana is quiet for another moment. It looks like a million thoughts are buzzing in her head, but Junna lets her weigh her options. When she finally does reply, it's with a small, tight smile.

"All right. Then I'll stay for a little while. But... I think you'll find it's best if I move on quickly..."

Junna tilts her head, her outstretched hand still waiting.

"Why's that?"

Nana looks down into her lap.

"You see... I'm under a curse... and most people don't want to stay around me for too long... That's sort of why I was out here today..."

Junna bites her lip, but she doesn't recoil her hand. She's heard about people who've been cursed. There had been cursed crops that had nearly killed a girl on the other side of town, and their own kingdom's princess had been cursed at birth.

Junna had even heard rumors about an old castle high up in the mountains where a monster lives. Apparently, it had once been a person who'd befallen a curse, and now it allegedly slaughters innocent travelers.

Curses were certainly real in Starlight Kingdom, and they were nothing to scoff at. They were serious, and even life-threatening.

As Junna looks this ragged girl over now, she has to wonder what kind of curse Nana might be under, and what consequences that could mean for Junna for taking her in.

Nana is silent for a moment, and Junna can tell she's letting her mull it over, already expecting rejection. Junna doesn't want to be too nosy, but if she is going to take care of her, Nana's curse is going to become some of her business one way or another. So she treads gently with her words.

"Can you tell me... what your curse is?"

Nana shakes her head. Junna isn't sure if she's cursed not to be able tell, or she simply doesn't want to. But Junna can work around that.

"Will it affect me directly? Like... will I turn into a frog if I touch you or something like that?"

And for the first time, Nana actually laughs.

"Aha!" she chuckles. "Oh! S-Sorry! I didn't mean to be rude. That was just such an unexpected guess... But no. You won't turn into a frog if you touch me. You've already touched me, haven't you?" She lifts up her wrapped hand. Junna blushes.

"O-Oh yeah..." She clears her throat and lifts her chin. "Well then, if your curse isn't going to bother me directly, then I see no reason not to help you." She stretches her hand out a little further toward Nana. "So please. Let me help you as much as I can."

Nana's hand twitches, as if she's finally about to accept, but she pauses one more time.

"Just... one more question..."

"Sure."

Nana swallows. "Do you... always come out at night...? I mean, do you do any of your work after sundown? I've found that people who are around me tend to fall asleep very early and wake up rather late. I'm not sure if that's part of my curse or not, but..."

Junna blinks, then laughs outright.

"Ha! So you're saying your curse might make me sleep a little longer? I'd consider that a blessing!"

Nana flinches, but then slowly lifts her gaze back up to hers.

"A... blessing...?"

"Absolutely!" Junna grins. "I don't have to train at nighttime then. I'll just practice in heavily-shadowed areas and it'll be like the same thing. If having you with me means I'll get to sleep more, then I can't insist you come with me quickly enough. Ah, but don't get the wrong idea." Once again her voice and her eyes become soft. "That isn't the main reason I want you to come with me. I want to help you as much as I can. So... what do you say, Nana?"

Nana lets out a tiny gasp. There's a sniffle as she looks from Junna's eyes down to her hand. Gingerly, with the shaking fingers of her injured hand, she accepts Junna's.

"Then... if you'll have me..."

Junna smiles again.

"Of course I will. Now then, first thing's first. Let me help you up."

Junna takes her hand and helps Nana sling an arm across her shoulders. She hadn't noticed it when Nana was on the ground, but now as Junna stands up with her, she realizes Nana is a bit taller than she is. She's very shaky on her legs though, as if she'd forgotten how to use them for a while, so Junna is sure to keep her steady.

"Easy," she says. "We don't have to rush." She says as much, then adds on. "We... don't have to rush, do we? Is anyone... after you?"

Nana pants a little as she struggles for balance and shakes her head.

"No, thankfully."

"All right good. Then we don't have to rush."

Junna does her best to shift her bow and quiver to one side of her back so Nana can lean against her side. Once she feels steady enough to start walking, Junna begins at a slow pace, being mindful of the roots and rocks and the fact that Nana is barefoot.

"I'll run you a bath once we get back to my place," she says. "And I'll make you a little something to eat. You must be starving."

Nana hangs her head guiltily and nods.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could give you money..."

"Hey, we talked about this, right? Instead of money, how are you with cleaning?"

"...I can clean. And cook. And... I like to do laundry."

"Seriously-?!" Junna almost trips in her shock, but manages to right herself at the last second. "I can't stand laundry."

Nana finally cracks another little smile.

"Then please let me take care of it."

Junna lets out a sing-songy sigh.

"You might be cursed, but you're definitely a blessing to me."

And she can't be quite sure, but she feels like Nana leans a little closer to her after that.

As they make their way back toward her home, Junna ponders about what she'll do about clothing. Her old pieces are probably too small for Nana, but she won't be able to buy her anything just yet. Trading might be her best option.

"Say, Junna...san?"

"Huh? Sorry. Yes? What's up?"

Nana doesn't look directly at her, and Junna's a little thankful for that. Their faces are awfully close right now. The hair of one of Nana's twin-tails covers the side of her face as she asks,

"Do... Do you hunt?" Her voice has fallen quiet again, that same almost-scared sort of tone she'd had when Junna had first found her. Junna shakes her head.

"Oh, because of the arrows, huh? No, I don't hunt. I'm a performer. That's why I was out in the woods so early this morning. I was practicing my aim on some leaves in the dark. I thought I hit a bird or something by accident, but I never found a body, so I'm hoping it was just my imagination. Actually-" she smiles. "That's how I ended up finding you. My arrows led me straight to you, Nana. Now if that isn't fate, I don't know what is."

Nana makes a whimpering sound, and Junna can't tell if she's nervous or flattered.

"It... could have been my curse drawing you to me..."

Junna gives a pat to the other girl's side.

"Y'know, your curse isn't the only thing in the world. There are other things too, like accidents, coincidence, and even destiny. So don't chalk everything up to misfortune."

Nana falls silent and doesn't say another word all the way back.

When they finally arrive, Junna invites her right in.

"Here we are. Home sweet home. It isn't much, but it'll do." She leads her guest in through the wooden door to reveal the humble common room and kitchen inside. There's only a single couch and a few chairs, but Junna never really had guests until today.

She drops her bow and arrows to the floor, then leads Nana over to the couch and helps her sit. She tries not to chuckle at Nana's reaction.

She's absolutely marveling at the messy little house, her eyes wide in quiet wonder. It makes Junna wonder what other kinds of places she'd lived in, but she doesn't want to pry.

"Wait here," she says. "I'll bring you some water."

Junna hurries into the kitchen for a glass and fills it at the sink. For some reason, part of her almost expects Nana to have vanished upon her return. But she's still there in her ruffled white dress and Junna's shawl, with her handkerchiefed hand in her lap, gazing around like a starstruck child. Junna approaches her quietly and hands her the glass.

"Here. Drink."

Nana perks up.

"Th-Thank you."

But when she reaches up to accept the cup, her grip is a little too awkward to hold onto it, thanks to her injury. So Junna rests her hand over hers, helping Nana keep the glass secure as she drinks. She's glad to find that Nana isn't shivering anymore, and her skin isn't quite so cold and clammy as it'd been before. She finishes every last drop as if she hasn't drank anything in days. Junna offers to refill it for her.

"You can have more if you'd like."

Nana quickly shakes her head.

"No, that's all right."

But Junna returns to the kitchen to refill the glass anyway and brings it back to her. When she's offered more water, Nana shyly accepts.

After the second glass, she seems much more relaxed and relieved. Junna crosses the room to start up a fire in the hearth, then once it's going heads into the bathroom.

"I'll run you some water," she calls.

Nana simply nods.

As the tub is filling, Junna scurries up to her room to dig through her closet in search of something that might fit Nana. She manages to find a large hay-colored sweater as well as some leggings and a skirt. She also takes a pair of socks for her, because just looking at the poor girl's bare feet in the autumn weather makes Junna shudder.

She brings it all back to the bathroom just as the bath is filling and turns off the water, then retreats back to the common room to gather her patient.

Nana is still sitting on the couch, but this time she has her eyes closed, and she's leaning toward the direction of the hearth, as if seeking out the warmth. Junna doesn't call for her just yet. The bath needs to cool a bit anyway, so she lets Nana rest for a few minutes, unable to wipe the smile off her face at the sight of her.

When she feels the water has cooled enough, Junna tiptoes forward to the couch and taps the girl's shoulder. Nana wakes with a start.

"Eh? Oh! I-I'm sorry-"

"Don't be. You clearly needed a rest," Junna grins. "But now you need a bath. It'll warm you right up!" She takes Nana's good hand and helps her to her feet, then guides her into the bathroom.

There, Junna has her sit on a stool as she pulls out a small medical kit. She removes the handkerchief and tosses it into the dirty laundry pile in the corner of the room, then treats the wound a bit more professionally.

"This might hurt a little, but bear with me." Junna warns her before she pours a bit of disinfectant over the gash. But Nana doesn't even flinch at the sting. It makes Junna wonder just how badly she'd been hurt in the past for her to be completely used to such pain.

She dries the wound off, then wraps it in bandages, securing it with a tiny bow. "There. You should be all set. I'll change the bandages every day until it's fully-healed."

Nana blinks down at her hand and wiggles her fingers.

"It already feels so much better. Thank you, Junna-san."

"Don't mention it." Junna puts her supplies away and gets to her feet. "There are some clean clothes and a towel for you on the sink. Take as long as you'd like. If you need anything, just call for me."

Nana almost looks nervous again at the notion of Junna leaving her, but she nods determinedly.

"Okay."

So Junna takes her leave and closes the door behind herself, then heads back to the kitchen to begin making some food.

Now is when all the questions come back to her, wondering where Nana came from and about her curse. But Junna would rather help her recover just assuming she's a regular girl. She doesn't want to see Nana as 'cursed.'

"Especially if the worst thing it'll do to me is help me sleep," she chuckles.

She prepares some soup and sandwiches for the two of them, unable to recall the last time she'd made food for anyone other than herself. She places everything out on the little table, then heads back toward the bathroom.

"Everything okay?" she calls. She's worried Nana may have fallen asleep or something like that. But thankfully she calls back right away.

"Y-Yes! Everything is fine, Junna-san!"

Junna chuckles.

"All right. Your food is read whenever you are. Do you need any help?"

"I think I'll be all right."

Junna stays nearby just in case something happens, but Nana doesn't call for her assistance. After several more minutes, the bathroom door opens and she steps out wearing the fall leaf-colored sweater, the black leggings, and brown skirt. Her hair is down, wavy and damp, and Junna is dumbstruck at the sight of her. She's absolutely glowing now, clean and warm and happy with a blush across her cheeks. Nana waits for a moment, fidgeting in her new clothes.

"Do I look okay...?"

Junna snaps out of her trance.

"Yeah! Definitely! You look great!"

"Thank you."

Junna brings her back to the kitchen where they sit across from one another and begin eating. Junna keeps an eye on her for a reaction. She knows she isn't the best at cooking, but Nana doesn't seem fazed. She digs into the sandwich and drinks every last drop of the soup within minutes.

"Wow." Junna blinks. "You must've been hungry."

Nana sighs and smiles back at her, but then without warning her eyes begin to water and drip. Junna nearly chokes.

"H-Hey! What's the matter? Does your hand hurt again?"

Nana shakes her head and wipes her eyes.

"No... I'm just... so grateful to you, Junna-san..."

Junna exhales, glad they aren't the bad kind of tears.

"Geez, you scared me... You're a bit of a crybaby, huh?" she says, not unkindly.

Nana sniffles and wipes her eyes some more. Junna finishes her food with a smile.

After that, she tries to insist Nana take a rest, but the girl is determined to start repaying her debt to Junna right away. She washes and dries all of the dirty laundry herself without needing to be shown any pointers, and then washes the dishes and dusts the house.

All the while, Junna watches her in amazement. Not only does Nana do the chores much more quickly than Junna herself ever did, but she does them much more efficiently as well. Junna helps where she can as well.

By the time they're all finished dusting and sweeping, it's mid-afternoon. Junna makes her an offer.

"You're really good at all this stuff, even when your hand is hurt. Do you wanna take a rest now? I was going to head into town for one of my shows."

Nana perks up instantly with a sparkle in her eyes.

"A show? Like with your arrows?"

Junna nods. "Yeah."

"I want to see! Please, can I come, Junna-san?"

"S-Sure. If you're feeling up for it. Lemme find you some shoes first..."

So once all is said and done, and Junna has given her some old boots and tied her hair for her, she gathers up her bow and arrows and leads Nana to the door.

"I'll make it a bit of a quick show today," she says. "I want you to get plenty of rest tonight."

"Okay!" Nana is much more lively now after she's bathed, eaten, and gotten into some fresh clothes. She smiles and scurries after Junna, excitedly taking her hand in glee. Junna blushes, but doesn't let go.

She leads Nana out through the small patch of woods that will take them into town. Junna steals a few glances at her companion to gauge a reaction.

Nana marvels at the little shops and buildings not as if she's never been here before, but as if it had been a long, long time since she had. As they walk, Junna hears the excited murmurs of people as they recognize her.

"Look! Hoshimi-san the archer is here!"

All it takes is a handful of people to spread the word, and before long there's a bit of a crowd following behind.

Junna leads Nana and her audience to a certain part of town near the outskirts. There's a wide field here, speckled with a few trees, logs, and other potential targets. Junna pauses where cobblestone turns to grass, and finally turns to Nana, who is bursting with quiet anticipation.

"It's not much," Junna murmurs. "But it's enough to keep food on the table."

She releases Nana's hand for the time being and has her step back, then faces the gathering crowd. Most of them are families with children who are excited to see her fire the impressive shots, while only a few are people she doesn't recognize.

There are always one or two people who challenge her to hit some impossible target for a handsome amount of money, and when she does make her mark every time, the witnesses in the audience never allow the challengers to go back on their word.

Junna is satisfied with today's crowd. She clears her throat and lifts her arms invitingly.

"People of Starlight Kingdom. I visit you once again with arrows sharpened. Today's color is red."

A shocked murmur travels through the crowd. Most people know by now that one of Junna's main acts is to hit leaves free-falling through the air, which seems impossible enough. But she had recently increased the level of difficulty by limiting herself to only hitting leaves of a certain color.

Saying she would only hit green or yellow or orange leaves was typical on her average days, as the majority of leaves were often one of those colors, and she was more likely than not to hit them.

She only chose red on her best days. And with Nana eagerly watching her with the same twinkle in her eyes as the young children gathered here, Junna is feeling confident today.

As the crowd mutters their skepticism, Junna counts her arrows behind her back. Fifteen, meaning she had twelve to do with as she pleases.

She begins with several exaggerated tricks, first firing one with a bit of a twirl, so that when it soars up through the air it almost looks like a flying snake. There are gasps of awe from the children and a few adults as well, but what amuses her the most is how Nana is trying to hold back her squeals.

Next, Junna fires five arrows in succession, all at slightly different angles, a pattern that ultimately looks like rising fireworks, only without the colorful payoff. The crowd claps and talks, but everyone knows the real challenge is hitting those leaves.

Junna uses her final arrows on generic tricks she'd invented herself, until the wind blows. She turns back toward the field to where the forest trees beyond are swaying in the wind. In a second, dozens of leaves are suddenly let loose on the air, yellows and greens spiraling altogether in a mix, dipping and rising randomly, unpredictable on the breeze.

Junna spots only one red leaf in the bunch and never takes her eyes off of it as she draws her next arrow and raises her bow. The audience quiets down, though she hears a few of the usual, "no way she can do it" comments.

But in contrast to the nonbelievers, she can feel Nana willing her on, and that's all she really needs.

Junna pulls back on the string and waits, following the tiny red leaf spinning wildly far above the field. She exhales, then lets the arrow slip free. It shoots sharply in a perfect line, missing every other leaf in the bunch and hitting its intended target indisputably.

The people behind her gasp and cry out before they begin the applause. Some start to toss their fares at Junna's boots already, but most of them know this is only the start. Her first shot is always the most basic, while the second and third are more and more impressive.

Junna spares a moment to glance at Nana to find her jaw has dropped. Junna chuckles.

"You look like one of the kids."

Nana closes her mouth and smiles.

"That was amazing, Junna-san!"

"Thanks. Stick around, though," she says with a wink.

The next gust of wind comes, and again only a single red leaf is spotted. Junna draws her second-to-last arrow and follows it. But this time, she lifts one foot off the ground, balancing only on one leg as she aims. The people mutter in amazement and disbelief again, but Junna barely trembles at all. She maintains her balance and her aim, and when she releases, she strikes the red leaf perfectly.

Another chorus of cheers goes up, and more money is tossed to her. Junna takes a bow and reaches for her final arrow.

The next breeze comes, and it's a much stronger gust. Twice as many leaves come free and nearly cover the sky. Junna spots her red leaf and takes aim, but then someone calls out from behind her.

"There's two!"

When Junna looks away for a split second, sure enough she spots another red leaf. She's down to her last arrow, so common sense would dictate choosing one. But a man in the audience reads her mind.

"Hit em' both!"

He says it with a laugh, and most others laugh with him. But Junna smirks.

"My thoughts exactly, sir."

Nana and the group of awestruck children gasp incredulously.

Junna keeps her arrow following one red leaf and her eyes following the other. They both move quickly and often get blocked out by other leaves. She waits, watching the way they both dip and flutter on the current. The people behind her scoff and say things about giving her double the money if she makes the hit.

"I'll hold you to that, sir," she calls out.

She waits and waits, seconds that feel like hours, until the two red leaves travel closer. They're still a good ten feet apart when she fires. Some people laugh and some boo her, as the arrow looks on-course to hit only one. But at the last second, the other leaf makes a sharp arc and overlaps the first. The arrow pierces both at the same second, then flies off into the valley.

The crowd is awed into silence, but not for long. Nana is the first to break free from the trance.

"Wow! You did it, Junna-chan!" She throws her arms around Junna and nearly knocks her off her feet. The crowds behind them cheer and applaud, the children jumping up and down as their parents pay for the entertainment. The men who'd scoffed at her are jostled to the front and made to cough up the money they'd promised.

Junna wraps her arms around Nana and laughs before facing her audience.

"Thank you all! Enjoy your evening!"

As the crowd disperses, Nana finally lets her go, still beaming. Junna crouches down to begin gathering her earnings.

"I'm glad you liked the show," she said.

"Yes!" Nana claps. "You were amazing, Junna-san!"

"Aw..."

"Eh? What is it?"

"You went back to 'san.'"

"Eh? Did I not say that earlier?"

Junna gathers the last of the coins and puts them into her pocket before standing again.

"It's all right. You can call me whatever you like."

Nana clutches her hands together in nervous excitement.

"Th-Then... Junna-chan?"

"Yes?"

Nana smiles.

"Junna-chan!"

Junna smiles back.

"Thanks for your support. I think you really got the kids more excited, which had the parents inclined to pay a bit more. We can buy you some new clothes with the funds."

"Really?"

Junna nods. "But now comes the worst part," she sighs.

"The worst part...?" Nana frowns.

Junna looks across the wide field and grunts.

"Arrow retrieval."

Nana blinks. "Oh..."

"Yeah. Shooting them is all fun and games, but then you gotta go hike around to collect them. Can't risk letting some kid find one and getting hurt."

Nana hums in understanding.

"Then please let me help you get them."

Junna smiles up at her.

"That'd be great."

They head off into the field and begin hunting down the arrows one by one. Junna couldn't be more thrilled to have Nana helping her search. She's never enjoyed this part, but Nana doesn't seem to mind one bit, nor did she seem to mind the laundry or cooking or cleaning.

Junna has probably done about half the amount of work she typically does today thanks to her guest, and yet she suddenly begins to feel oddly tired. It's still a ways before sunset, which she finds strange, but then she remembers what Nana had warned about her curse.

"Guess she wasn't kidding," Junna mutters beneath a yawn. "We'd better get back before I fall asleep out here. Nana!" She raises her voice to get the blonde girl's attention. Nana has gathered up several arrows in her arms and hurries over to hand them to her.

"This is all I could find."

"That's fine. We got most of them. We can always come back tomorrow." Junna gives her a tired smile as she puts the arrows back into her quiver. Nana had been smiling just about the entire time they'd been in town today, but now she starts to frown.

"Junna-chan... are you feeling tired...?"

"Just a little bit." Junna tries to sound more lively than she feels, but Nana must see through her. She hangs her head, shoulders slumping.

"I'm sorry. I bet there are many more things you wish you could've done this evening, but being around me is making you want to sleep..."

"Hey, it's totally fine." Junna steps up to her and gently takes both of her hands. "It's been a bit of a crazy day, so I don't mind getting some extra sleep. Don't feel guilty about it or anything. I really don't mind."

Nana peeks up at her and manages a tiny smile.

"Okay."

"Good. Now let's go home."

Junna doesn't think she's ever said those words to someone other than her own parents when she was a small child. It feels oddly comforting to say them to Nana now.

And Nana doesn't say anything, but there's a look in her eyes that conveys she's been wanting to hear those words for a very long time.

Junna keeps hold of her good hand and leads her back through the town, trying to ignore the sagging, tired feeling filling her limbs. She's amazed she manages to make it back to the house without dropping. She doesn't even know if she'll manage to prepare dinner.

"All right," she yawns, putting away her bow and quiver. "I'm gonna hop in the bath, then maybe I'll be able to make us something to eat..."

"Don't worry!" Nana says. "I'll make dinner."

"You sure?"

"Yes! That was our deal, after all."

So as Junna groggily disrobes in the bathroom and sinks into the warm bath water, Nana determinedly chops away at some meats and vegetables in the kitchen. By sheer force of will, Junna manages to dry off and change into her sleep clothes, then join her to eat. But she feels herself nodding off at the table, even before the sun has set.

"Crap..." she mumbles. "Sorry, Nana. I'm really feeling it now..."

"It's all right." Nana hastily gets up from her side of the table and goes to Junna, putting both hands on her shoulders to keep her from swaying. "You've taken care of me so much today, Junna-chan. I'll take care of you now."

Junna hums and leans back in her chair a little, into Nana's touch.

"I'm glad... I'm glad I met you, Nana..."

Those are the last words she manages before she falls asleep at the table.

Nana's heart twinges, and she can't tell if it's in a good way or not. She's enjoyed every second of being with Junna, but she still can't shake away this awful guilty feeling that she's stealing time from her.

Her curse makes people close to her fall asleep a while before sunset, and stay asleep until a while after sunrise in order to protect Nana's secret. It's to protect herself, but it affects the people around her, and she always felt like she was robbing them of precious time in their lives - time they could still be awake and enjoying, if not for her.

She blinks, and two tears drop down to land on Junna's head. Nana can tell by the slant of sunlight that it's almost time.

She quickly gathers Junna into her arms and heads up the stairs to the bedroom. She lies Junna down and covers her, then takes a long moment to gaze at her. More tears come.

"You've been so kind to me... Thank you, Junna-chan..."

She lifts Junna's hand to her lips and kisses it, then backs away. She turns and rushes down the stairs, then out the door, leaving the kitchen still unclean from supper.

Nana runs as far out into the woods as she can before the sun sets. Her plan is to disappear from Junna's life and never return - for both their sakes.

But as the sun sets and her body changes, her heart remains the same.

When Junna wakes the next morning, the sun is already up and flooding her room. She mutters a curse, remembering she'd wanted to get up early from now on to practice shooting her arrows in the dark.

But as she pushes herself up, the rest of the memories come back.

She looks around sharply for Nana, but doesn't find her in the bedroom. The mattress beside her also shows no signs of being slept in; though Junna hadn't gotten to offer to let her sleep there before she herself had fallen asleep.

"Nana?" she calls. But she hears no response or movement throughout the house.

Junna jumps out of bed and rushes to her closet. The sweater and skirt are missing, which means she'd given them to a real person and not just an image in a dream.

She gets dressed and hurries down the stairs, calling for Nana again. She finds the table unclean from last night's supper, which worries her. Nana had been so clearly enthusiastic to help with the chores, Junna finds it odd that she would've left things like this after Junna had fallen asleep.

"Nana!" She shouts as loudly as she can, but there's still no reply.

Junna begins to pace. She doesn't know what to do. It doesn't look like anyone had broken in and kidnapped her, but she can't understand why Nana would have left in the middle of the night. Junna holds her head in her hands and sighs.

"I mean... I guess it's her choice to go wherever she wants... I didn't wanna force her to stay with me... But I wanted to make sure her injury was fully-healed, and I wanted to at least say goodbye..."

She lifts her face and looks back to the table and its dirty plates. Maybe she'd been foolish to think Nana would want to stay with her. Maybe she'd been foolish to enjoy the company of a girl she'd found barefoot in the woods whom she knew nothing about...

Junna heaves a sigh. "I just hope she's okay..."

She limps over to the kitchen table to begin cleaning up, already missing the sounds of Nana moving around in some other part of the house behind her, her soft little hums and her joyful call of-

"Junna-chan!"

Junna looks up in shock just as the door opens, and a familiar girl hurries in. She's dressed in the same clothes she'd been wearing yesterday, and she's a little dirty, but overall she looks exactly the same. Junna drops the plates back onto the table and hurries to her.

"Nana!"

Both girls are too overjoyed to hold back, and throw their arms around each other. Relieved, Junna takes a step back to look her over.

"I thought you'd left me." She says it quietly, sadly, in a way that makes Nana's heart hurt. She looks away.

"I... To tell the truth, I was going to... My curse has never been good to anyone, especially those closest to me... But I just..." She lifts her face, and there's guilt in her eyes. "I wanted to see you again..."

Junna reaches out to take her injured hand, still wrapped in the bandages. She kisses it.

"Well, that's good. Because I wanted to see you, too."

Nana can't help it. She smiles, and then bursts into tears.

Junna holds her gently.

"Listen..." she murmurs. "I don't care about your curse. I... I want you to stay with me, Nana. However that works for you. Whatever you need to do, then you can do it. Just... please come back to me in the end. Okay?"

Nana can't speak through all the sobbing, but she nods. She clings to Junna with shaking hands and buries her face in her shoulder.

And so the terms are set.

Nana will stay with Junna and earn her keep through chores, doing whatever her curse demands of her so long as she stays by Junna's side.

And Junna will accept the consequences of the curse, light as she believes they are, and take care of Nana however she can.

And so the two girls continue living together just as they had that very first day.

Junna always wakes rather late nowadays due to Nana's curse, and when she does open her eyes Nana is never in bed beside her like she hopes she might be. The bed never shows any signs of having been slept in.

It doesn't take her long to figure out that Nana's curse must activate at night, and that whatever it is, Nana vacates the house to go elsewhere until sunrise. Junna's imagination goes wild wondering what she could be doing, where she could be sleeping…

But she never asks, because as much as she cares for Nana, she knows full-well that discussing her curse only embarrasses the poor girl. It may be best to let her keep her secret as she pleases.

Nana is always back in time to begin on breakfast, which the two of them enjoy together. Then Nana gets to her chores as Junna goes out to practice her skills. Sometimes, she goes to town to perform alone, and sometimes Nana accompanies her.

By evening, Junna always becomes sleepy about an hour before sunset, so they've learned to have their days end sooner. They eat dinner, and if Junna doesn't make it to bed herself, Nana carries her.

And never once does Junna complain or interrogate Nana about her curse. She's so different from all the other people Nana has met in her life. She can tell Junna's feelings are true and pure, that she really cares for her as much as Nana does for her.

And that's what causes the guilt.

Horrible, heavy, tear-inducing guilt that often brings Nana to her knees when Junna is out and unable to see her.

She despises the feeling that she's tricking Junna somehow, and that her curse is stealing her life away. Not in the literal sense that some curses steal life, perhaps, but in the sense that Nana is stealing away several hours from each of Junna's days. She makes her sleep much sooner than she needs to, and much later than she wants to.

And though Junna never says anything, Nana knows it must be hurting her.

It hurts Nana even more; that awful guilt that churns away at her a little more each day, and especially at night when she leaves her.

She wants to sleep beside Junna in her warm bed. But instead she's forced to leave and go far away from her even on the most bitter cold of nights. All because of a curse that was placed on her before she was even old enough to speak.

"It's not fair…" Nana whispers to herself over and over again as silent tears fall; sometimes when Junna is outside or in town, sometimes when she's in the bath or in her room. Nana cries, and she laments, and she regrets. "I'm sorry, Junna-chan…"

The air outside grows colder as more and more leaves begin to fall.

Junna's performance business is better than it's ever been, and with Nana there to help collect her arrows and clean up the house while she's working, Junna has had plenty of time to do things at her own pace.

She loves this new life she's found together with Nana. Curse or no curse, she knows she'd enjoy just getting to be with her every day, even if not at night.

But it's as autumn nears its end and winter approaches when she starts to worry the most. She doesn't know where Nana goes at night, but she has to hope it's someplace warm and safe from the elements.

Junna has tried a few times to feign sleep and keep herself awake, just so she can see where Nana goes, but it's never worked. The curse is always too strong and has her fully asleep in minutes.

She gets to enjoy the days, though, cooking together with Nana and folding laundry with her, going out for walks in the forest and to the pond as the changing leaves flutter around them.

And more than once their hands have come together, at first by accident, but more recently on purpose.

Junna's been giddy in love without even fully realizing it.

Today in particular, she'd done well in town and had decided to buy Nana a new dress. She'd had her eye on it for a while now and had been saving up money on the side for it. It resembles the one Nana had been wearing the day they'd met, long and white and ruffled, but this one is much fancier. Just imagining her reaction makes Junna smile.

She hurries all the way home that day with the dress concealed in a bag on her arm, already calling out before she's reached the door.

"Nana!"

Junna is about to push in when she realizes the door is slightly ajar. She holds back another call of her name and curiously peers through.

And that's the first time she sees it. Nana collapsed on the kitchen floor, sobbing into her knees, stifling herself as much as possible.

Junna panics, but sees no blood, nothing broken, nothing disturbed or stolen. And she knows right away why Nana's crying. She just has to wonder how many times this has happened without her knowing about it.

A shudder runs through her when she realizes Nana must cry alone like this every day, every night…

Junna wants to go to her. She wants to go to her so badly. But she knows it will only make Nana hurt more if she's found crying.

So Junna decides here and now that she's going to put an end to this. Tonight.

She steps away from the door and waits, hiding herself until Nana has stopped sobbing.

It takes a long time.

It's nearly evening by the time Nana gets back on her feet and gradually begins cooking. Junna gives her another minute, then enters the house as if she'd seen nothing.

"I'm home!"

Nana jolts at the counter, then quickly wipes her face and turns around.

"Welcome back! How did it go?"

"Pretty well." Junna jostles the bag on her arm as she puts down her bow and quiver. "I even got you a little something."

"E-Eh?" Nana nearly drops the tomato she'd been cutting. "J-Junna-chan, you didn't have to do that!"

"But I wanted to! Consider it a 'thank you' for all the stuff you do around here. It's the least I can do." Junna steps close to her and takes both her hands. The injury on her left had healed by now, allowing Junna to give it a little squeeze as she has Nana put the vegetables down. She can feel her trembling slightly, fingers quivering and cold. Junna looks up into her eyes and smiles softly. "Please, Nana. It's okay."

A flash goes through Nana's eyes as if she's about to break down crying all over again. But she powers through, wiping her hands on a dish towel before accepting the bag from Junna.

Slowly, carefully, she reaches in and pulls out the long white dress. A gasp forms on her lips as her eyes sparkle, marveling at the soft downy fabric as she holds it up against herself.

Junna can't stop smiling.

"So?" she prompts. "What do you think?"

"Oh, Junna-chan…" she chokes. "It's so pretty… I love it!"

Nana throws her arms around her gleefully. Junna hugs her back.

"I'm glad!" She holds onto her for a long moment, even after Nana's happy jitters have died down. Nana doesn't let go of her either.

For a moment they're just quiet, pressed up close and warm, breathing together, feeling things they can't quite put into words. They only part when the soup begins boiling over and Junna takes the dress from her so Nana can tend to the food.

"I can't wait to wear it!" Nana says over the stove. "Junna-chan, do you think you could watch the food for a minute so I can go put it on?"

"Sure thing," Junna agrees. Nana squeals in delight and scurries off.

A moment later, she peers around the corner shyly. Junna encourages her.

"Come on, let me see!"

Blushing, Nana steps forward in her new dress. It's a lovely, shining white, fluttering almost all the way down to her shoes, and it fits her perfectly. She shuffles her feet and fiddles with her fingers.

"So? Wh-What do you think…?"

Junna grins, feeling a warmth spreading through her chest.

"It's perfect! You're beautiful, Nana!"

Nana absolutely glows.

"Thank you, Junna-chan!"

Nana twirls past her back toward the food, getting ready to serve it.

Junna is about to turn and take off her boots and jacket to get ready for supper when a sudden dizzy spell hits. She sways as blackness rings her vision, and a heavy fatigued feeling grips her. She begins to fall, and Nana only just manages to whirl around and catch her.

"Junna-chan!"

Junna clings onto her for balance, her eyelids suddenly feeling too heavy to keep open.

"Crap… sorry…" She knows it's the curse. Depending on Nana's emotions, it might take hold on Junna sooner on some evenings than others. Nana knows it too, and Junna can already see the joy in her eyes being eaten away by guilt.

"No… I'm sorry, Junna-chan…"

"Don't be…" she yawns. "I don't care if I miss dinner. I can't wait to wake up tomorrow… and have breakfast with you…"

She means it. She really means it, and she wants Nana to understand that.

Because the look in Nana's eyes is scaring her. She looks so sad, so upset, so guilty. All of the excitement from a moment ago has completely vanished. For some reason, Junna feels like something might happen, something bad…

"Nana…" She struggles to stay awake, fighting the curse with all her strength, both mental and physical. "Nana… please- don't blame yourself…"

But Nana shakes her head. Junna can already see the tears dripping.

"But it's my fault… It's my fault you're like this, Junna-chan… That you can't even stay awake to talk to me when you want to…" Slowly she kneels to the floor and cradles Junna in her lap, hugging her softly.

Junna doesn't like it. It feels like this is the last time, like she won't ever get to hold her again…

"Nana-"

"I'm sorry, Junna-chan. Even though you just got this lovely dress for me... I… I can't continue to let you suffer like this-"

"I'm not… suffering-" Junna protests groggily. "I just-"

"It's okay…" Nana leans back and looks down into her eyes sadly. So sadly. "Thank you for everything, Junna-chan. I know you really cared about me. I can tell your feelings were genuine. And mine are too. That's why…" Her voice breaks, and the tears fall faster. "That's why… I've got to free you from this curse… I'm breaking our promise, Junna-chan. I won't come back this time. I'm sorry."

Junna hadn't even realized when she herself had begun to cry as well. The tears are clouding her vision, making it all the more difficult for her to keep her eyes open as the curse drags at her consciousness.

"N-No…" she whimpers. "Nana, please… don't go… I-"

But at that moment, the sun sets, and the last few rays of light vanish into darkness.

And then, another light flashes across Junna's vision.

That last thing she sees is Nana, enveloped in light, crying.

And then it all goes black-

No… No… No!

Junna refuses the darkness. She refuses to let Nana go. She refuses to lose her.

Because she knows that's exactly what's going to happen tonight if she falls asleep.

She's going to lose Nana. Forever.

So Junna fights.

Fights like she's never fought for anything before. Her mind is filling with darkness, all except for one small piece.

The only light she can find is Nana, crying and in pain.

Her words tell Junna not to follow her. But her heart says just the opposite:

Please come find me…

Junna will be damned if she doesn't go to her. Right now.

She claws through the darkness toward that one little sliver.

She can feel her senses coming back to her; the smell of the dinner Nana had cooked for her, the feeling of the kitchen floor where Nana had so carefully lain her down…

The light begins to grow, bit by bit, and the darkness shrinks. Junna runs to her and screams her name.

Nana-

"Nana-!"

And suddenly it isn't all in her head anymore. She's awake, jolting upright on the kitchen floor, still in the same clothes she'd come home in, the food still warm and ready on the counter.

Nana is gone. The door is just clattering shut.

Junna jumps to her feet, all traces of fatigue gone - banished. She'd broken through the curse. Now she just needs to catch her.

"Nana-!"

Junna rushes out the door and into the cold twilight. The first flurry of the season has started to fall, giving the wind a bitter, bitter chill. Junna whirls around, eyes wide and searching. She'd trained in the dark for her performances. Her eyesight has become keen.

But she doesn't see her anywhere. Nana is a tall girl, not the type who would be able to hide so well so quickly, especially not in her anguish.

"Nana!"

Junna's voice echoes throughout the woods. There's no reply.

She curses, stomping her boot into the light layer of snow, feeling hot tears rising up and falling down.

"No, no, no-! I can't lose her!"

She chooses a direction and just runs. She doesn't even know where she's going. She doesn't even know what Nana's curse is. She could be teleported to another kingdom every night for all she knows. She could be forced to appease some nameless man, or slay monsters for some coward king, or made to work until her hands bleed. She could already be gone.

"No!" Junna's voice rises up loud and scared, the pounding turmoil inside her chest a haphazard contrast to the quiet, sleeping forest all around her. "Nana! Nana!"

She runs. Continues running until she begins to recognize where it is her feet are taking her. The crystalline pond is in sight on the other side of some bushes, the water glowing silver in the moonlight.

The very place she'd first met her. Junna still remembers it as if it had been yesterday. She'd pushed through a few brambles and found a girl lying there in the mud, wet and bleeding.

Her mind repaints the picture as she slows to a nervous walk and parts the very same bushes.

"Nana…?"

But it's not a girl that looks back up at her this time.

Sleek, snow-white feathers glow faintly in the flurries and moonshine. Webbed orange feet like fallen leaves, and a beak to match, with a single line of black to outline. Two scared marble eyes look back up at her - and it's a long distance for her to look up in this form.

The swan cries out and flutters back, lifting her beautiful wings in preparation to fly. But Junna drops to her knees, hands clasped together in a plea.

"No-! Nana, wait-!"

The bird freezes and turns her head slowly back to the girl. The trembling wings sag back into place on her back, and the orange beak parts.

"Junna… chan…?"

"Oh, thank goodness!" Junna scoops the swan into her arms and hugs her as gently as she can, cradling the back of her head and stroking all down her neck and feathers. "Thank goodness…"

Nana coos and whimpers, but she doesn't try to get away. Junna is warm. She lays her head against her shoulder and nuzzles her cheek.

"Junna-chan… but- h-how are you awake…? How did you know-?"

"I don't care," she rasps. "I don't care how any of it happened… but it did. I'm here, Nana. I'm not letting you go again."

Nana is quiet, still. She can feel Junna's heart beating quickly, fearfully. She'd been worried about her, scared for her…

"No one else…" Nana whispers. "No one else has ever…"

Junna hugs her a little closer. Nana lets her, and she tells her story at long last:

"I… I was cursed when I was just a baby. I don't know how or by whom… or why it was a curse like this… But my parents couldn't handle it. They eventually broke through the sleep spell too, and they discovered what I became. They left me, and anyone else who ever tried to be my friend and broke through the curse, only to see me like this left me, too… There were times I'd found hunters out at night and considered letting them kill me, just so it could all be over… But I was too much of a coward.

"The only person who wanted me was a man running a traveling circus. A freak show. Everyone avoided me all day long so they wouldn't get affected by the sleep spell. Then they'd come to my cage at night and gawk at me after I'd turned into a swan. I stayed there because I got food and shelter… But it was so lonely…" Her voice breaks. "There was no one who would talk to me, o-or hold my hand… No one… until I ran away… and met you…"

Junna listens. She listens, and her heart aches terribly. She can't even begin to imagine that pain, that loneliness, that suffering she must have endured. All alone, cold, frightened…

"Nana…" She says her name so softly, so tenderly.

For a moment, Nana gets caught up in it all. She's almost willing to stay here in Junna's arms… Until she remembers just what she truly is-

"No-" She opens her wings and flaps them at Junna. Junna gasps and only lets go of her for fear of hurting her. Nana jumps from her arms, and Junna reaches out desperately.

"Wait! Please don't go-! Please-!" Junna curls in on herself sobbing, distraught at the possibility of losing her again.

Nana's wings tremble on the snowy breeze, but she doesn't lift off. Instead, she lowers them once again, tilting her head. She walks up to Junna, who is wailing with all her heart. For the sake of a bird. Nana shakes her head.

"Why…?" She stands there at the edge of the water and turns to see her reflection. "How? How did you break the sleep curse? How can you care so much…? How can you still come for me when you know what I am…?"

"Because I don't care!" Junna cries. She lifts her face from her lap, glasses smeared with tears as more fall down her cheeks.

Nana is stunned at the look in her eyes. It's like fire. Not the angry kind, but the warm, comforting kind that keeps you safe during the first snow of the season. Junna's eyes burn in desperation, as the fire in her heart burns.

"I don't care how it happened," she chokes. "I don't care- if you're cursed o-or if I get cursed, too. I don't care if you're a swan or a cat or a frog. I don't care about any of it! All I care about is you, Nana!"

A flash of light suddenly bursts through the night. Junna has to cover her eyes, but she still tries to reach out for the swan at the edge of the water.

"Nana-!"

She feels the feathers, and she pulls her into her arms.

Only, what ultimately ends up cradled against her chest isn't a bird.

It's a girl.

A tall, blubbering, twin-tailed girl in a long white dress.

Nana cries against her shoulder, wrapping her arms around Junna, clinging to her as if for life itself.

"Junna-chan! Junna-chan-!" She wails her heart out as years upon years of pain and secrecy finally come undone.

So many years she'd spent alone. Every night she'd turn into a cold white bird that people only stared and pointed at. No one would ever touch her. The ones who'd wanted to try would just fall asleep and leave her in the morning.

For so long she'd been alone. For so long she'd been cold. Trapped in that cage like the animal she was - like the animal people told her she was.

She'd prayed for a miracle every night, not truly thinking anyone would listen to the hopes of a bird.

But somehow, Junna had found her. Junna had been her miracle.

Junna's warmth, her acceptance, her love. It had broken - no - shattered Nana's curse.

"Junna-chan!" Nana sobs and shakes in her arms, the layers and layers of ice around her heart now melting away one by one.

Junna locks both arms around Nana's back tightly, relief and love bursting free and flooding her heart.

"Nana… Nana-! I love you… I mean it. No matter what happens, o-or what you become… I love you."

Nana nods vigorously, nestling into her shoulder.

"Me too… I love you too, Junna-chan!"

They both cry out loud at the edge of the forest, the quiet snowfall gently fluttering around them. When Nana is finally able to lift her head, she peers into the reflection of the pond. She's human. Finally and truly human.

When she turns back to Junna, her shimmering eyes are full of love.

"Thank you, Junna-chan. You saved me. My curse is... broken… it's finally…finally…"

Nana kisses her, honestly and joyfully. Junna can't kiss back quickly enough.

The moon watches over the two girls, and a gentle wind blows. Light as it is, it reminds them both of the snow. They part from the kiss - their very first - and brush their noses together. Junna reaches up to wipe away the last of Nana's tears. She smiles.

"Let's go home."

Nana closes her eyes and leans into her touch.

"Yeah."

With Nana far too cold and weak with relief, Junna scoops her up and carries her, just as Nana would carry her to bed whenever she fell asleep too soon. She blows the snow out of Nana's hair and keeps her close, using the moonlight to guide her path. Nana cuddles up to her chest, loosely hugging her around her neck, burrowing her face into her shoulder.

"You know…" she murmurs. "I'd always felt something different about you, Junna-chan. Ever since we met, you never called my curse unfortunate or bad. You never pitied me for it. You always said it was a blessing, just because it was a part of who I was." She leans back to look up at her, eyes sparkling. "I think I fell in love with you right from the start."

Junna blushes faintly and looks back to the house in the distance.

"W-Well that's good then. Because I think I might've loved you from the start, too…"

Nana giggles and sighs into her shoulder.

They finally make it home, where dinner has gone cold, but can be salvaged for the morning. The fire is still crackling in the hearth, filling the house with warmth.

Junna carries Nana up the stairs, and finally lies her down on the bed. For the first time she can remember, Nana curls up on a clean warm bed as a human girl.

Junna slips in beside her and covers her with blankets. Nana hugs her and cries. She cries, but it's with a smile.

Junna takes off her glasses and wraps her arms around her, kissing Nana's forehead, feeling her pulse beating softly against her own.

And finally they sleep; warmly, safely, and together.

Chapter Text

Chapter 4. The Wanderer And The Monster

Once, there was a kingdom sprinkled with magic. But unlike most others, this magic was dark and cursed.

Claudine had heard of the tales; a cursed princess, poisoned fruits, a girl that turned into a swan by night…

She'd never heard much more than rumors in each instance, fleeting mumbles from passerby and whispers in the crowded streets and open fields she traveled.

But none of those are the reason she's headed for Starlight Kingdom.

She'd struck out on her own years ago, leaving behind a family that wanted nothing more than to pressure her into marrying some young wealthy man. Claudine had never wanted anything to do with men, especially not spoiled rich ones she'd never even met before in her entire life.

Leaving her snobby parents and uneventful hometown hadn't been difficult at all; she'd simply packed a few bags in the night, left a note, and crept out her bedroom window to find horizons of her own.

She'd been traveling for nearly three years now, evading any and all mention of the search for her whereabouts. She'd spent nights at little run-down inns and cottages here or there, gotten fleeting jobs waitressing and used her earnings for food, clothing, and lodging before quickly moving on. She never lingered for too long in one place for fear of someone recognizing her.

She'd forged her own path, found her own adventures, braved battles with her sword, and the elements with her wit.

But for all her moving around, leaving behind nothing but fading footprints, there was a part of her that longed to settle down and rest her head.

She'd tried it once or twice, moved into abandoned little homes and cleaned them up, lived there in secrecy for as long as she could.

But something or another always had her leaving. Sometimes it was nothing more than a feeling - the feeling that this wasn't where her journey was supposed to end. Not alone in some old little house outside a kingdom she barely knew.

In spite of the fact that she'd run off to avoid an arranged marriage, she'd always longed for love. The kind she'd read about in storybooks and seen in the theatre.

She's never found it, of course, not even to this day eighteen years later. But what she fails to find in the love for another person, she channels into her love of adventuring.

And that's what had eventually led her to Starlight Kingdom.

From what she'd heard of it as a child, it had seemed like a far-off fantasy land, a fragment of a dream.

And yet, when she finally arrives at the gates and pays the traveler's entry fee, it seems just like every other kingdom she's been to.

The first thing she notices upon her arrival to the bazaar is how oddly she fits in, even in her foreign clothes. The people of Starlight dress much better than anywhere else she's been to. Claudine fits right in with her warm wool sweater, her short plaid skirt over thick black leggings, all cozied up in leather snow boots and a shawl. Even with the sword at her hip, no one stops her or stares for too long.

She's glad she'd managed to arrive before winter. So far there had only been a few flurries of snow, but she'd beat the worst of it. She knows she'll probably have to spend the season here somehow, and as she traverses the streets now she keeps her eyes open for the inns and lodges. The buildings are quaint but well-made; sturdy. From all she'd heard about magic and curses, the place seems to be fairly normal.

"Disappointing…" she mutters, kicking a small pebble with the tip of her boot. Her stomach aches from hunger, and she briefly recalls that she hasn't eaten since last night.

She makes her way to a small bar and orders a meal with some of the last of her earnings, making a mental note to seek more temporary work here soon.

As she sits in her corner of the establishment and keeps to herself, the chatter from the bar reaches her ears, though thankfully the scent of beer and smoke don't get that far.

"That's a load o' crap!" one man blurts. "Ain't no such thing as monsters."

"Them's the words of a fool," another replies. "Saw it myself the other night. Was out huntin' deer up in the mountains and I saw the beast with my own two eyes."

At this point, Claudine looks up from her soup, intrigued and invested. A waitress saunters to the men and chimes in on the conversation.

"I've heard of it," she says. "That old mansion has been up on that mountain for centuries. No one's even sure if it's considered part of the kingdom or not. It's just on the border. That beast's been living there for the past ten years or so. Never been much of an issue in the past, so no one hardly knew about it. But as of late, people say they've been seeing it more and more." She lowers her voice, and Claudine strains to eavesdrop. "I heard it snatched up a girl and killed her a few years back. That, or made her its prisoner. Someone said they saw a girl up there one minute and a monster the next. Must've eaten her whole, poor thing."

The men whistle and shake their heads.

"Damn shame. The princess should give an order to send troops up to kill the thing."

"Not with winter comin'," the other answers. "Snow and wolves on that mountain'd kill ya sooner than the beast. If it's still causin' trouble come spring, I'm sure Princess Hikari will have somethin' done about it now that her own curse is broken."

The conversation tapers off just as Claudine finishes her soup. She wipes her napkin daintily across her smile. Rather than working menial shifts for petty paychecks, why not earn her dues from the Princess herself?

If she could find and slay the beast, she'd surely earn enough to live easily for a few years. Or if she could rescue the kidnapped girl, perhaps the family would reward her handsomely.

Typically, Claudine wasn't concerned so heavily with money, but with her only just having arrived in a new place and winter on its way, she has to have her priorities straight.

After all, she is a very skilled fighter, and has won her fair share of battles with other swordsmen and women across the country. Surely slaying a single monster would be child's play for her.

With her mind made up and her stomach full, Claudine makes preparations to scout out the mountain a bit today. She'll return to town at nightfall to find an inn to sleep at, then set out tomorrow morning to slay the beast and free whomever it had kept prisoner.

Claudine thanks the staff for their hospitality and heads for the door. The day still has several hours of sunlight left, more than enough for Claudine to scout out her path and return.

So she sets out, getting information and directions from the natives as she goes. And each and every one of them gasps when they find out where she is headed. But Claudine smiles at them and gives the same vow.

"I'll defeat the monster and save the girl. I swear it on the name of Saijou Claudine."

By the time she reaches the base of the mountain, half the kingdom has heard whispers of the peculiar traveler who seeks to slay the beast.

Claudine had traversed the stretch of woods separating the mountain from the kingdom, and now looks upon the mountain itself. It's visible even from outside the gates of the kingdom, but up close is intimidatingly larger. The trees are dark and thick with foliage, mostly evergreens, which explains how dense they still are in spite of winter just beginning.

Even in broad daylight the shadows are thick here. The grasses are tall and unexplored, the plants and soil untouched and untainted by people.

Claudine will proudly be the first.

She inhales the crispness of the air and tastes the faint tang of snow on the wind. With the shadowy forest and unknown mansion before her and the kingdom at her back, Claudine steps into the woods.

She marks her trail as any expert would, slashing the trunks of trees with her sword or making lines in the soil.

The earth wastes no time with its incline, leading her upward. She pauses now and again to catch her breath, hardly noticing that her air has turned white. The thrill of her newest adventure clouds her judgement, and even when the flurries begin to fall, Claudine pressed onward.

With the sun sinking now, she knows she should turn back, but her curiosity to glimpse the mansion fuels her onward.

She can't discern how dark it truly is. Thanks to the blockage of the trees, it already seems like nighttime here. Her steps become slower and heavier, and her breath becomes shorter and clipped.

But she's stubborn if nothing else.

She climbs onward, her original plan of turning back to find shelter for the night gradually fading from her mind. The snow continues to flutter down around her, soft and quiet.

Everything's quiet here. No birdsong, no small animals rustling in the undergrowth. Nothing.

She presses onward, and at some point or another it feels less like her own stubbornness, and more like something is pulling her in. The wind pushes at her back, beckoning her-

Claudine gasps suddenly and stops. She looks around wildly, as if she's just woken from a dream. Her mind doesn't remember coming this far, but her body aches the truth. The forest is dark all around her, and the fragments of sky above are black.

"When…?" she pants. "When did it get so late…?" She doesn't remember. She can barely see anymore. If not for the grey glow of the snow, she'd be entirely blind. It sinks her at least an inch down.

She looks forward again, squinting through the outlines of tall dark trees. It almost feels like they're watching her, but she can't tell if they're telling her to come closer or turn and run.

She isn't sure what she should do now. Night has fallen, and the snow has likely covered her markers. She's much closer to the top of the mountain than the bottom.

Perhaps the mansion is just some uninhabited hut. The peoples' rumors could very likely have blown things out of proportion. There probably wasn't even any beast or any captive girl to speak of. And even if it was true, she could simply slay the beast tonight rather than tomorrow.

So Claudine decides to keep going, to find the mansion and the answers she seeks.

As if to further confirm her decision, a low, distant howl suddenly shatters the cold night air. Claudine clutches her shawl closer to herself and pushes onward. Her steps have become trudging and unsteady, and her breath has become labored.

Soon, she hears nothing but the unruly heaving of her own breaths, the ache of her pulse in her skull, and the echo of a howl. It sounds closer than the last one had.

The wind blows hard now, until it's all but lashing at her back. Eventually, it gusts so hard it rustles every tree in the forest. And all the burden they'd been holding.

Layers upon layers of freezing snow come loose now, falling all around and on top of Claudine. She shrieks and stumbles backward, slipping on something, then tripping on another. She feels as well as hears something crack in her ankle, and sharp pain shoots through her even stronger than the numbing cold. She buries her sword into the earth as a crutch to keep herself from rolling.

Now that the breeze has cut through the canopy, the snow falls more quickly. The wind slices right through her, making her shudder almost violently.

Claudine hisses, teeth chattering as she tries to heave herself up with the support of her sword. Her ankle burns in protest, but the rest of her knows she'll freeze to death if she doesn't keep moving.

The mansion is her only hope now, and it could very well be her end.

Either way, death seems to wait for her.

But she'd rather risk it in some monster and four manmade walls than in the cold fangs of the wilderness.

So in spite of the pain in her foot and the numbing chill in her chest, Claudine fights onward. Her pace isn't even a quarter of what it had been when she'd started. On top of the elements and the injury, the worst thing of all has started to set in.

Fear. Of all things, that's the one that spells certain death for most people. The fear causes irrational decisions, and the rest seals the deal.

Claudine refuses to fall victim, to die out here in the woods where no one knows her or will miss her, without having truly made anything of herself.

The trademark stubbornness rears its head and forces her onward, upward. Step by step, she limps through the snow, her lungs freezing more and more with every passing second. She's getting close to the top now. She has to be…

"Damn it…"

The first words she's spoken in hours seem to draw even more cold air into her body. She can't see anything other than snow and shadows, and her head has begun to spin. Her heart is in her throat as it is, her breathing both heavy and thin at the same time. Those are the two things she's been hearing the most, those and the wind, and something else…

A howl splits the air. Then a growl. Then a snarl.

Claudine whirls around and nearly falls again if not for her sword. The shadows move around her and bare their fangs.

Claudine yanks her sword from the snow and faces them. They charge, and she swings - blindly - missing more than she hits, and even then it's only enough to push them back. They're already upon her, and she turns to flee. But her ankle gives out after only a few steps, and she collides with the freezing, hard earth.

Pain. Cold. Fear.

If she'd known these would be the last things she ever felt, she never would've left home. She should have just been a good girl and kept quiet, gone off with her husband and lived a boring normal life. Instead, now she'll die a fool - a lonely, stubborn fool.

The wolves charge and pounce, snarling. Claudine can't even see them. She just hopes it'll be quick. Her pulse rushes in her ears, frightened breaths on her lips, howling wolves and winds all around her.

But then, a sound she hasn't heard before.

Rather, two.

First, it's a crash and a rattling, like a heavy door being flung open.

And then it's… something much more terrifying.

A roar is all she can describe it as.

Deep. Guttural. An explosion.

It cracks the air and shakes the mountain.

The wolves skid to a terrified halt and whimper, as if in fear of something bigger, more dangerous.

What…? Claudine's mind races, lest it fade altogether. What could possibly… best them on the food chain…?

Some unknown apex predator.

A beast. A monster.

The wolves turn tail and flee. Claudine hears them scrambling back to the confines of their own territory, deep in the shadows.

She can't find the strength to move just yet, but she at least opens her eyes. Even that is a struggle, since the lashes have nearly frozen shut on her cheeks. Even the tears she hadn't realized she had shed have turned to ice on her skin.

Everything is gray and black - mostly the latter. The sky, the trees, and the looming shape of something else.

The locals had called it a mansion.

But this… this is a castle.

Sharp spires, old-fashioned shutters, gargoyles on the gutters…

And at the flung-open doors, standing in the faint yellow light of a foyer beyond - a girl.

She's shrouded in shadows, so much so that Claudine can only make out her general form; she's probably Claudine's age, her hair is long and brown and a bit frazzled, a bit wild. She wears a blue dress rimmed with silver lining, and doesn't seem at all fazed by the snow or the wolves.

In fact, she's perfectly still, perfectly calm.

Claudine desperately tries to push herself up, scouring the area for the beast that had made the booming roar to frighten off the dogs. She expects to see some deformed monster, some horrible, ugly thing.

But she sees nothing of the sort.

Only that girl, half-hidden behind the door frame, staring. Just staring.

Claudine drags herself forward, coughing harshly, trying to get her attention. She forces out a rasp of her voice and calls out.

"Please-! H-Help me-!"

The girl's eyes widen and she takes a step back, as though shocked Claudine is still alive. Claudine sputters and calls out again.

"Wait, please-"

She doesn't know where the monster is, or if it exists at all. She doesn't know what entering this castle might mean for her, but it's better than freezing to death and having her bones picked by dogs.

Her vision blurs as she meets the eyes of the girl at the door. Claudine has lost all feeling except for the pain in her ankle.

"P-Please…" she croaks.

She's afraid the girl will flee and slam the door.

But she doesn't. She just continues to stare, as if she's never seen another girl her age before. Or anyone, for that matter.

Claudine drags herself a bit closer, but the last of her strength is draining from her limbs. Her chin hits the snow and her eyes blur again.

Silence.

Wind.

Cold.

And then-

"You…"

A voice, one that rasps like her own, as if it hasn't been used in a very long time.

Claudine looks up at her meekly, listening.

The girl inches just a bit further past the doorframe. It looks like something moves or shifts behind her, but Claudine can't make much sense of it. The girl in blue speaks a little louder.

"You will run."

Claudine's frozen heart sinks.

"What… does that mean…?"

The other girl remains still, quiet. Then-

"You will run like they did… when you see what I am."

Claudine exhales the last bit of warmth in her body.

"I won't. I couldn't… e-even if I wanted to…"

"You will," the girl says surely. "In spite of all your pain and fear, your body will find some way to move."

Claudine - even on the brink of death - never backs down from a challenge. She pushes herself back up in spite of the fact that she can't even feel her arms or hands, and looks the girl dead in the eyes.

"Try me."

The girl in blue's eyes widen, and she dips her head.

"Very well."

Claudine watches her step fully into view, into the minimal light of the moon and the lamps from within the castle.

And clearly, she is no ordinary girl.

Two tall, brown, animalistic ears stand atop her head. Long claw-like nails glint in the moonlight from each finger.

And the tails.

Tails.

Five, six…

Claudine counts at least nine of them, large bushy reddish-brown tails, each one tipped with white like snow.

Claudine is stunned by her appearance to say the very least. But fear isn't what grips her heart. It's more astonishment, wonder, a cautious intrigue. Perhaps a dash of fear, but just a dash.

The girl descends the castle steps slowly, like a predator prowling, sizing up its prey. Her face is expressionless, her eyes cold.

"Well?" she prompts, tone unchanging. "Surely you are terrified. Enough to fight through your pain and run back to where you came from."

And in spite of it all, Claudine manages a laugh.

"Ha!" She coughs immediately afterward and sputters, but the grin remains on her lips. "You th-think… a f-few extra ears and tails will scare me off? Don't be… so full… of yourself…" The cold and the pain are beating her now, winning over her stubbornness. Claudine coughs again. "I don't know… what you are… but you are no killer… and if you don't help me now, my death is on your hands…"

The girl steps into the snow without showing any signs of feeling its bitter chill. She walks across the distance that separates the two of them, her bare feet leaving neat prints behind her, while the tails swish in the falling flurries.

She approaches, but Claudine feels no need to run. Maybe this girl wants to come off as frightening, but Claudine isn't about to fall for it. She wouldn't have run even if she could've.

The strange girl walks right up to her and stops, looking down at Claudine. Claudine gazes back up at her with fire in her eyes - the last bit of life she's got left in her.

"Let me in…" she grunts. "I dare you."

Whether she means the castle or something else, neither of them can be entirely sure. But the girl in the blue dress crouches down beside her in the snow. She reaches out, and Claudine instinctively flinches. But the clawed hand comes to rest on the fallen sword instead.

"You came here to kill me, and now you're giving me orders?" she says in a low voice.

Claudine scoffs.

"I came here… to slay a monster and save a girl..."

"And what if we are one in the same?"

Claudine doesn't waver.

"I see no monster. Only a girl with a few extra tails."

The girl blinks slowly, and her nine tails swish.

"You aren't like the others. I can tell. Who are you?"

Claudine chuckles a rasp.

"Usually… you're supposed to introduce yourself… before asking someone else their name…"

And she can't really be sure, but it almost seems like the expressionless girl's lips curve upward on one side, into the faintest of smiles. But when Claudine next blinks it's gone.

"Very well," the girl replies. "But you leave your sword at the door."

"Fine… Even better, I'll leave it here… because I can't even carry it to the door…" Claudine sputters off into another coughing fit and can't say anything more.

The fox girl crouches down and slowly slips her arms beneath her. Claudine can't feel the warmth of her skin or the texture of her clothes, but she feels the shapes of the girl's arms, the loose grip of her fingers in Claudine's clothes. She doesn't cling too hard because of her claws; she doesn't want to hurt her.

Claudine feels her head loll limply to one side as she's lifted up carefully. The pain in her ankle has become a dull throb up her leg. Once the girl has finally gathered her, Claudine can't help but curl towards her, seeking her warmth. She fades in and out of consciousness as she's carried to the door, and inside at last.

The howl of the wind is cut off as the door closes behind them, and a quiet, lonely castle fills her ears. She can see lamps aglow here and there, silver moonlight cutting in through stained glass windows, long spiraling stair cases, paintings, furniture…

The girl carries her into a red velvet room. The carpet, the couch, the chairs, the rugs, the tapestries, all red and lined with gold. A fire crackles in the hearth, but Claudine can only imagine its heat. She feels she can pick up on this girl's scent, though, and while she can't put words to it, she knows it's nice.

She's laid down on the couch, stunned at the inside of the castle, how neat and inviting and… normal it is.

The fox girl gingerly removes Claudine's boots, and is wary of her injury without needing to be told. She dusts the snow off of her clothes and hair, then pulls a thick warm red blanket over her shivering form. Claudine shudders and sighs, her eyes still fighting to stay open.

"Thank you…" she whispers.

The fox girl just blinks.

"You shouldn't thank me yet. I'm sure I'll scare you off soon enough."

Claudine chuckles dryly and repeats her challenge.

"Try me…"

And now, that flash of a smile once again. The fox girl swishes her tails.

"Maya," she says. "Tendo Maya."

Claudine exhales, and her eyes finally fall shut.

"Saijou...Claudine..."

And she falls into a deep slumber in the castle of a rumor.

Maya can hardly believe her eyes.

Even though it's been several minutes since she'd found this girl crumpled in the snow, talked with her, and agreed to bring her inside, Maya still can't believe what's lying in front of her on her couch.

Claudine. A young, beautiful girl with pale skin - much paler than it should be, thanks to the blizzard. The snow wasn't supposed to hit until tomorrow. It certainly was a stroke of bad luck for it to have come as this girl was making her climb up the mountain.

On top of that, she'd hurt her ankle and been attacked by the wolves. Bad luck seems like an understatement.

Her hair is silvery-blonde and curly, though the ice has stiffened and frozen it over for the most part. Her clothes are what the villagers typically wear on a winter day when snow isn't anticipated.

But even so, Maya doesn't think she recalls ever seeing this girl before.

She's been here in this castle for as long as she can remember, sitting and watching the people far down below. She surely would've known about a girl this stunning and daring.

But in spite of the blanket Maya has lain over her, she can still see the girl shivering in her sleep. Her lips are bluish, and when Maya reaches out to touch her cheek with her knuckles, her skin is still very cold.

Maya has encountered people before - most of them men with weapons come to put an end to her. She'd scared them all off in minutes with a few roars, snarls, and lies about cursing them if harm comes to her.

But never before has she seen another girl up close like this, let alone needed to take care of one.

Her keen ears flick at the sound of a straining pulse just from sitting near her. Maya's lack of socialization with people has left her more or less expressionless on the outside, but she still feels the twinge of worry wiggling in her chest.

Maya shifts herself, lifting the girl's head and torso slightly so Maya may sit there instead. She lets Claudine lie in her lap and pulls the blankets up to her neck. Maya curls her tails around the girl as much as she can like this, then reaches out carefully to stroke her fingers through the stiff frozen hair. She's slow and tentative, hesitant and nervous to snap or pull a strand, or to accidentally unravel her fingers and scratch her.

Maya is careful, so so careful with this strange beautiful girl, one foolish enough to venture out in this weather alone to take on a monster. She must have been strong and tenacious to make it as far as she had on her own.

And yet, she is so delicate and frail, still shivering pitifully in Maya's lap.

Maya sits for a moment, the fire crackling calmly beside her as the girl in her arms exhales choppy little breaths. Maya is worried for her - far more worried than she should have any right to be.

She could sense right away that this girl was different than any person she'd ever encountered before, but not just because she hadn't run away or been afraid of Maya. She'd sensed the same aimlessness in her, the same loneliness in her eyes. Or maybe she was just imposing things.

Either way, Maya doesn't want to let her die.

So she gingerly scoops Claudine up into her arms and holds her up against her chest, sharing her warmth as intimately as possible. The girl shudders against her, pulse racing, and a moan slips from her cold lips. Maya wonders if she should kiss them to warm them, but decides against it for now.

She wraps her tails around her a bit more, keeping her hands flat across the girl's back, being mindful of her nails.

She holds Claudine for a long while, until her pulse has calmed and her shivering has stopped. But even then, Maya doesn't let go of her.

She's... never been this close to someone else before, close enough to breathe in their scent, feel their pulse or their warmth, faint as Claudine's may be. And her closeness is doing Claudine some good as well.

So Maya keeps the girl in her lap, surrounded by the fur of her tails. She looks over her pretty face once more, and wonders what will happen when morning comes.

Maybe Claudine will have run off. Maya wouldn't be able to blame her if she did.

Maybe she'll have killed Maya. If that will be the case, Maya would accept it; she'd rather be killed by this girl than anyone else.

Or maybe - just maybe - Claudine will still be here with her.

Maya closes her eyes. Only morning will tell.

Warmth.

It's the first thing Claudine can make sense of when her conscious eventually comes back to her. She can't comprehend why, being her dreams had only showed her visions of wolves and snow and monsters.

She can't remember where she is, which kingdom she'd wandered into, which humble little inn she'd paid for a room at last night.

Little by little, her senses return to her, and before long the throbbing in her ankle does as well.

And then the rest.

Gasping, her eyes fly open as she throws herself forward, sitting up so quickly she nearly falls back down from the dizziness it causes her.

It hadn't been a dream, or even a nightmare.

The fox girl sits right here with her, calm and peaceful in slumber until Claudine jolts. The tails around her rustle; the fur Claudine assumed to be tough and bristly is actually very soft.

The dull, emotionless eyes flutter open, and the clawed hands over Claudine curl slightly as if to keep a hold on her so she won't fall off. The tall ears twitch as Maya looks up at her now, unreadable.

Claudine's heart is in her throat again, not in fear but in shock, confusion. Her mouth hangs open in disbelief, but another pang in her leg confirms the reality of it all.

"Y…You…"

What to say? What to do? She hasn't the slightest idea. The tails swish around her as Maya withdraws her hands, curling her claws in. When she opens her mouth to speak, Claudine notices she has fangs as well.

"Claudine," she says almost robotically, as if reciting the name. Her ears flick again. "Your heart is troubled. Is something wrong?"

Claudine squeaks and clasps her hands to her chest.

"Y-You can hear it?"

Maya nods.

"I can hear many things, if I choose to. And even many when I choose not to." She looks down into her lap, at her hands that end in a beast's claws. "I hear what the people in the kingdom say about me. I hear that they plan to kill me."

Claudine suddenly feels that her own uncertainty has been eclipsed by the fox girl's sorrow. Or at least, Claudine has to assume it's sorrow, because Maya isn't expressing it very clearly. Claudine exhales and tries to get ahold of herself, not sure of what to say.

"Well… thank you… for saving me last night. We both know you didn't have to…"

Maya looks back up at her stoically.

"Do you feel better?"

"For the most part," Claudine replies. "The ankle will take some time. But I can probably make it down the mountain on my own in daylight."

That comment gets the most reaction from Maya so far. She shifts as if a thorn is poking at her back, and her tails sway.

"You're leaving?"

Claudine slowly pushes her legs off the side of the couch, wincing as her bad foot hits the carpet.

"Isn't that what you want?" She looks back over her shoulder. "I vowed I would save the girl who was trapped here, but not if it isn't her wish. If you want me to go, I'll go."

Maya's nose scrunches just a little.

"I never said that. But if you want to go, you may go."

The two girls stare at each other for a moment, Claudine glaring and Maya trying to mimic her with little success. Claudine doesn't feel any threatening energy from her. Just something neutral.

She's no monster.

"Well," she says, clearing her throat. "I suppose the snow has gotten rather deep by now…"

"Then you must stay," Maya declares. "Until the snow has melted and you have healed."

Claudine smiles a little.

"If that is your decision, then who am I to oppose?"

Maya tilts her head.

"You are Saijou Claudine, are you not? That's what you told me."

"It was a rhetorical question," Claudine sighs. Maya blinks and tilts her head, ear flicking. Claudine shakes her head. "Never mind. In any case, thank you for saving me…"

Maya's lips twitch at the corner.

"Your intention in coming here was to save me, was it not?"

Claudine tries to reflect the grin, but she lowers her head instead.

"It seems I won't be able to do that..."

Maya says nothing. Claudine pushes herself up, clutching the couch for support as she gets her bearings. Maya stands with her and offers her hands, then seems to remember her claws and retracts them. But Claudine reaches out and takes them anyway.

"I don't mind," she mutters.

Maya's lips twitch again.

She guides Claudine to a small closet, going slowly as Claudine hobbles. Inside are folded blankets on shelves, jackets on hangers, and piles of slippers on the floor.

Maya pulls out a pair of footwear for her, and Claudine slowly steps into them. Maya begins leading her elsewhere, and Claudine soon finds herself in the kitchen. It's spacious and clean, just like the rest of the place. The tables and chairs are made of polished wood, and the counters are topped with fine marble.

Claudine is helped into a chair, then left at the table as Maya goes to make food. Claudine had never expressed that she was hungry, but she figures Maya's ears must have heard the growling in her stomach with ease.

Claudine watches her quietly, how she moves fluently and with ease, her body much more expressive than her facial features. Things just don't add up with her, more so than just the tail and ears, and overall it's quite amusing to observe her.

Claudine believes she can read her quite well already though, in spite of only just meeting her and knowing so little about her. Her tails, ears, and posture give away what her eyes and face don't.

The pantry is full of food from what Claudine can see, and she can only assume Maya must keep a garden of sorts somewhere nearby, since she clearly doesn't go down into the market. She has so many questions, but keeps them to herself for now as Maya prepares a pair of fruit salads and a couple of sandwiches. She places one of each in front of Claudine with a neutral look in her eyes, then takes her own seat across from her.

Maya picks up her utensils, gripping her fork awkwardly thanks to the claws, and begins to eat.

Claudine watches her for a moment before she realizes she's staring, and begins to eat her food as well. Maya's face may be deadpan, but her ears and tails twitch in what Claudine can only assume to be curiosity. She realizes Maya is a bit nervous, and wants to know how she thinks the food is. Clearly, since Claudine can assume she's never exactly had a guest to eat a meal with before.

So Claudine swallows a mouthful of apples and pears and wipes her mouth with her napkin.

"It's very good," she says. "Exquisite."

Maya's tails swish.

"That's good. I'm glad it is to your liking."

Claudine hides a smile behind her napkin.

The two of them eat in an awkwardly-comfortable silence. Claudine feels immensely better aside from her ankle. She makes a move to get up and bring her bowl to the sink, but Maya takes it first.

"Sit," she says. "You're injured."

Claudine obeys, and treads carefully with her words.

"You've got a beautiful castle."

Maya doesn't turn back to look at her.

"Thank you."

"Do you tend to it all on your own?"

"Yes."

"That must be difficult."

"There isn't much else to do."

Claudine falls silent for a moment as Maya gets to washing the dishes, still trying to gauge her emotions.

"Have you tried singing?"

The fox girl pauses and doesn't move for a moment, not even a single tail. Then, she slowly turns her head back to peek at her guest.

"Singing…?"

"Or dancing," Claudine elaborates. "To pass the time. Some people find it best to do with a partner, but it works just as well if you don't have one."

Maya's lavender eyes are unblinking at her until she turns away and continues washing.

"What kind of monster sings and dances…?"

Claudine's heart sinks. She'd thought she was getting somewhere. She scrambles to try and think of something else to say, but before she can, Maya continues.

"I read."

"Pardon?"

"Books." Maya turns off the water, puts the dishes aside, and turns back to her. Claudine smiles and tilts her head.

"I could assume as much. I meant… where? Where are your books?"

Maya's tails swish. Claudine is starting to understand that means she's getting excited.

"In the library."

Claudine chuckles.

"Of course. And where is the library?"

Maya turns her face and lifts her chin. Claudine follows her gaze out of the kitchen, across the foyer, and up to a long staircase. Claudine grimaces.

"Unfortunately, I don't think I'll make it all the way up there."

Maya's tails droop ever so slightly, and Claudine is torn between thinking it's pitiful and thinking it's adorable. She quickly continues.

"But I'll try. I would love to see your library."

The tails perk up again just like the ears, even without the sparkling eyes or bright smile to match. Claudine can only imagine what she'd look like expressing herself fully.

Maya walks to her and offers her hand, tilting her fingers downward as much as possible so the nails won't scrape. Claudine takes her hesitant hand with a confident one and pulls herself up.

"Thank you."

Maya says nothing, but her ears flick.

They go slowly, taking their time limping out of the kitchen and across the main hall. The lanterns hanging from the wall and lamps on the little tables give the place a sort of eerily-calm glow in contrast to the crisper, brighter winter light beaming in from the high windows.

From what Claudine can tell it might still be snowing, and any thoughts of making the journey back to town are banished from her mind.

They reach the bottom of the stairs and Maya takes the lead. Claudine follows more slowly, bringing both slippered feet onto the step at the same time, leaning onto her host. Maya's balance is flawless thanks to her tails, and she even goes so far as to rest several of them at Claudine's back to steady her.

Step by step they ascend. Claudine tightens her hold on Maya's hand and feels the clawed fingers gradually tightening their grip. Maya never pulls or tugs on her wrist, nor does she move any faster than Claudine can handle. She is patient, observant, gentle. Nothing at all like what the rumors say.

It takes some time, but they eventually reach the top without incident. Once she's on solid footing again, Claudine glances back down over her shoulder at the impressive spiral they'd just bested. Maya guides her away from the edge and checks her over.

"Are you all right?" There's no concern in her tone, no hint of worry. But Claudine knows in her heart she means it.

"I'm fine," she replies. "Thank you."

The tails at her back swish.

Maya begins leading her around the second floor, keeping a grip on her hand and her tails at her back. Claudine marvels at the architecture once more; even the high ceilings are absent of a single cobweb.

They pass by several doors, all of which are closed, and she has to bite back a dozen questions as Maya leads her on. The largest doors by far are the only ones that are open, framed by dark mahogany etched with spiraled patterns. Beyond it, Claudine can already see shelves upon shelves of books.

Maya brings her to the entrance and pauses to let her catch her breath. When she breathes in, Claudine smells ink and old parchment, the earthy tang of leather-bound covers and worn fabric bookmarks. She's eager to go inside.

But Maya hesitates again, and Claudine can feel the claws on the back of her hand loosen their grip. Claudine looks away from the books and back to Maya to notice her ears have tilted downward a bit. Claudine's smile fades.

"I'm sorry. You never said you'd let me in. You've shown me, and that's more than enough." She squeezes Maya's hand back to get her attention. "Thank you."

Maya lifts her head, and her ears stand up again. She swallows, but her eyes and voice remain emotionless.

"No…" she mumbles. "I… want to… let you in."

Claudine feels something bloom in the top of her chest, something fuzzy and soft. They're the same words she'd said to Maya last night out in the snow.

Claudine feels the fingers in hers curl a little tighter. She takes that hand in both of hers now and lifts it up between them with a smile.

"Then, if you'll let me…"

Maya blinks, and for a split second Claudine believes she can see a glint in those dull eyes.

The fox girl then slowly turns and guides Claudine into the library. Claudine hobbles behind her as they enter, marveling at the shelves and shelves of books. There must be hundreds, even thousands. She exhales in wonder, awestruck at the sight.

The room gives off a nostalgic kind of feeling, even when Claudine has never been here before in all her life. She scours the titles of the books as they pass and recognizes many of them. What surprises her is that most of them aren't regular books at all.

"Plays…" she murmurs. "These are plays. You like theater?"

Maya pauses and turns back to her slowly, eyes glazed as usual.

"Yes." Her tone is flat, but her ears flick in curiosity. "You… know them?"

Claudine nods.

"I'm familiar with many plays. I've seen quite a few in my travels."

Maya hums quietly. She looks up at the tall shelves around them, and even though Claudine is here with her, Maya suddenly seems very very lonely. The tails stop moving, and the claws curl gently into Claudine's skin.

"I'd always wanted to be an actress when I was a little girl…"

For a second, Claudine thinks she can see another half-smile forming. But then Maya turns away suddenly, her hair covering her eyes.

"But that's impossible now."

The serene feeling in Claudine's chest is sliced by a sudden pang. Maya lets go of her hand, and Claudine stumbles without the support. She yelps as she staggers, but Maya quickly whirls back around to catch her. Claudine grips her arms firmly, leaning heavily against her chest. When she looks up, Maya's face is awfully close.

"I'm sorry," the fox girl mumbles.

"I-It's all right." Claudine clears her throat and straightens up, tossing a curl of hair back over her shoulder. "In that case, why don't we read a few scenes of something?"

Maya blinks.

"Pardon?"

"You heard me," Claudine says. "Surely, with those ears of yours. I said let's read a few scenes of a play together. I'm not the most skilled, but I could definitely show you a thing or two."

Maya's ears flick again.

"I would like that."

So they sit together on a little couch by the snowy window and chose a play, one about two girls who met at a summer festival. Claudine reads through the parts of Flora and has Maya read Claire's lines. All of her words are monotonous and flat, but Claudine gives her pointers as they go.

"You can stress certain words for emphasis," she advises. "Change your pitch a little if you can. It gives emotion to the act."

Maya listens well and tries her best to obey. Her voice doesn't change much, but after mimicking Claudine's inflection several times, she manages to stress her words a little differently every now and again.

Claudine laughs and praises her, then demonstrates once more. Maya repeats and repeats, changing her tone as much as possible as they read on through the play.

Claudine narrates in her normal voice and reads Flora's lines with flare, encouraging Maya to do the same. As time passes, her tails begin to sway and swish against Claudine's back.

They read through the entire play, until Maya's tone is fluctuating, nearly as emotional and expressive as Claudine's own.

"Flora!" she says, still a little stagnantly. "Flora!"

"Louder!" Claudine coaches her. "She's your best friend, the love of your life, and she's just fallen off the tower in front of your eyes!"

Maya inhales sharply and tries again.

"Flora!"

"That's it!" Claudine claps. "Wonderful!"

Maya's lips twitch upward, and this time they form almost a full smile.

They read through the rest of the play, engrossed in the story. When the final page is turned, and Claudine reads the finale, Maya's tails stop swishing. The little light in her eyes fades away, as if the spell the play had cast on her had been canceled.

"It's over?"

Claudine closes the book gently and rests a hand on hers.

"Yes. Sadly, it is a tragedy." Her heart aches a little. Maya's liveliness hadn't been much, but it had surely been more than she'd ever expressed in many years. And now she's back to her old self, dull and expressionless.

"I see…"

Claudine frowns, tracing her fingertips gently over the backs of sharp claws.

"You read wonderfully. I think you have a knack for acting."

Maya is quiet. One tail twitches, as if she wants to say something, but decides against it.

"It doesn't matter. I can never be an actress… when I am this…" She curls her hand into a fist beneath Claudine's palm. Claudine moves both her hands into her lap and gingerly tries to unroll Maya's fingers. But Maya stands suddenly, sharply, and the book falls to the floor.

"Enough. We're finished here." She walks swiftly and stiffly toward the aisles of books without so much as a glance back.

Baffled, Claudine bends down to pick up the book, then staggers to her feet.

"Wait-!" She limps to catch up to her, but Maya is already nearing the exit, her shoes tapping harshly on the marble floor as she leaves the carpeted library behind.

Claudine curses and puts the book back on its shelf, then hurries after her, leaning mostly against the wall. The pangs that shoot up her ankle are less painful than what's in her heart now. She'd gotten a peek at the girl inside the beast - the girl that had wanted to be an actress.

Claudine can't lose her now.

She hurries onward as Maya continues strutting, her body almost entirely cloaked by all the tails. Claudine scrambles to keep up with her, nearing the top of the stairs.

"I said wait-"

Maya stops and whirls around. But her eyes aren't the same emotionless pools of lavender as before, nor is her mouth the same neutral line. Rather, her eyes have slanted downward, and her lips have pulled back in an expression Claudine hasn't seen from her yet.

Anger.

Maya takes a threatening step toward her, baring her fangs, curling her claws.

"And why should I do that? Why should I wait?" Her words become scathing, hot. "So you can slay me with your sword? That is why you came here in the first place, is it not?"

Claudine takes an unsteady step backward.

"H-Hold on. Where is this coming from? I would never-"

"Never?" she snarls. "Are you sure? Not even if I was after your life? Not even if it was your only choice?" The fangs snap at her face, and Claudine staggers.

"Wh-What are you saying? You wouldn't-"

"And how can you be sure?" Maya growls. "I am a monster, after all- a monster!"

And then the sound comes again, the one from last night that had frightened off the wolves. That ear-splitting, bone-rattling roar.

Claudine gasps as the image of a massive red fox appears around the girl, crimson smoke manifesting and taking shape in the air.

It lunges, and Claudine shrieks. Her ankle gives, and suddenly there's nothing beneath her. The winding staircase yawns back at her, awaiting her fall, ready to shatter her bones.

Her heart freezes, her eyes squeeze shut, and a desperate plea falls from her lips:

"Maya-!"

And in an instant, the red fox is gone, leaving behind only a terrified girl with tall ears.

"Claudine-!"

That horrible, sickening feeling of falling is heavy deep in the pit of her stomach, dragging her down. Claudine waits for the impact. But it doesn't come.

Instead, clawed hands and firm arms wrap around her, digging firmly into her back, pulling her forward and up. Even with all her nine tails, Maya stumbles back and falls to her knees with Claudine in her arms. Claudine clings onto her, breathing in shallow, rapid gasps, shaking. She holds tightly to Maya, seeking the same warmth that had kept her safe last night. The claws in her back gradually loosen their grip.

"I'm… I'm sorry…" Maya's tone drops back to its usual pitch, the height of her anger already dashed like a flame in a rainstorm. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

Her voice doesn't let her sound like she means it. But as Claudine finally lifts her head and opens her eyes again, she can see the pain in that lifeless gaze, the agony she's suffering silently, the guilt gnawing away at her from the inside out. Claudine steadies her breathing and swallows, praying she doesn't look half as frightened as she feels.

"It… It's all right," she says thinly. "It's all right. That… That wasn't you just now. I know it wasn't."

The real Maya is the girl she'd seen a few minutes ago in the library, the girl trying to read and laugh and live. Claudine tries to seek her gaze, but the fox girl deliberately looks away.

"But it was," she says, and though there is no change in her tone, it is still somehow laden with misery. "This is who I am. This beast and I… we are one and the same." She bows her head in shame, making her hair hide her face. "You should go. Get your sword and kill me if you wish. I deserve it…" She begins to pull away, making an effort to stand.

But Claudine doesn't let her. She grabs Maya's arms and keeps her there on her knees in front of her. She gives a tug, but Maya still doesn't look up.

So Claudine lets go of her arms and reaches out for her face. She hesitates, not because she's afraid, but because she isn't sure if it will hurt her somehow.

But in the end, Claudine steels herself and goes forward. She lifts her hands, fingers no longer shaking, carding away the soft brown hair. She clears it back, tucks it behind Maya's shoulder, until she can brush her fingers softly against her cheeks. She holds Maya's face gently in her hands and turns her head, having her look into her eyes. Claudine smiles.

"I refuse."

Maya blinks, but doesn't try to pull away.

"But I am a danger. To you, and to anyone else who comes here. I should've let those men kill me years ago…"

Claudine doesn't waver, not in her words, her eyes, or in her heart.

"And I'm glad you didn't let them. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to help you."

Maya blinks again. Her ears twitch.

"Help me…? But wasn't your intention to-"

"My intention," Claudine recites. "Was to slay a monster and save a girl, remember? But now that I know all of this, I must change my words." She holds Maya's gaze sternly and honestly. "I'm not going to save you. I can't. I can only help you. Because you've got to save yourself."

This time, Maya breathes in, slowly and deeply.

"How… How can I do that…?"

Claudine lets her go, resting her hands over Maya's in her lap instead.

"I'm not sure. But maybe you could begin by… telling me… about yourself? If you can. If it isn't too painful."

Maya doesn't say anything for a moment, but Claudine can feel her fingers kneading into her blue dress.

When she's ready, Maya helps Claudine to her feet, gentle and careful, just like she'd been last night, all traces of the angry red fox gone. Claudine stands with her, but the fright from nearly falling still has her knees weak, as does her sore ankle. She can't stay up for long, but Maya doesn't let her fall. Just like last time, she catches her, and instead scoops Claudine up into her arms.

Maya carries her down the stairs and back to the red velvet room. She sits her on the couch, feeds the fire, and then turns back around, as though unsure of where to place herself. She begins heading for one of the cushioned chairs, but Claudine calls out softly to her.

"There's plenty of room here," she murmurs, patting the spot next to her.

Maya dips her head, tails dropping a little in what Claudine can only assume is a mixture of relief and guilt.

Maya sits beside her rather heavily, and though Claudine feels the need to be close to her now, she gives her space.

And she waits. She waits a long time, listening to the fire crackling and the wind blowing through the snow outside. And at long last, Maya begins to speak:

"My father was a hunter. But he didn't kill because we needed it. He killed for sport. He was famous for shooting an entire pack of wolves, herds of deer, and many many foxes." She pauses, and Claudine sees the claws dig into the dress at her knees. She reaches out silently to rest her hands over them. Maya continues:

"He nearly exterminated the foxes in this kingdom. I was still very young, but even then I never liked his killing things without reason. He wanted to show me how fun it was. So one day he took me with him into the woods. We found a cave of foxes and their babies. I begged him to leave. But he didn't. He shot the babies first, and then the father.

"But before he could kill the mother, I pushed the muzzle of the rifle away, and his last bullet missed. But the mother fox died of grief and fear in that instant. She rose up out of her body in a red mist and cursed my father. She said she would punish him by hurting his offspring, like he had hurt hers.

"She took hold of me, and her rage burned into my soul. She gave me her ears, and a tail for every one of her babies. She said I would never be loved or accepted by any human, that I would live my life suffering and alone, like she would have to live hers. She hoped to hurt my father by hurting me…"

She stops again and breathes, but still no emotion comes into her features.

"My father was terrified by how I looked, and he abandoned me in the woods. And ever since, the fox's curse has been a part of me. I only feel her rage, and her anger. So I've spent years trying to suppress my emotions, to just feel nothing at all. I would rather feel nothing than that awful, destructive fury." She exhales, long and weary. "I secluded myself to keep others safe… but it's so lonely here…" She tapers off, and by the end of it all Claudine is hiccuping softly, wiping tears away from her eyes.

Even crying is a luxury Maya doesn't allow herself, so Claudine feels guilty for being able to shed tears in front of her now.

How cruel. How horrible. For an innocent girl to be cursed and made to suffer for the sake of an uncaring father who - in the end - didn't even reap the proper punishment. Instead of anguishing over ruining his daughter's life, he'd run away and forgotten about her. Essentially, Maya had been cursed for no reason, and with no outcome other than to bear the burden of her own senseless suffering.

Maya - a girl who had wanted to be a lively actress - had been forced to distance herself, and suppress herself and her emotions for the sake of others, for the sake of people she didn't even know.

Claudine hisses another curse under her breath, one meant for the retched man who'd caused all of this. She wipes her eyes once more and looks up to the girl in blue.

"It isn't fair," she growls softly. "I won't allow it."

Maya scans her face silently for a moment.

"I'm sorry for saying," she mutters. "But I don't think it matters what you will and will not allow."

"It does!" Claudine snaps indignantly. "It does matter, because I'm here with you now!"

Again, the ears flick, and again the tails swish.

"But-"

"No!" Claudine huffs. "I won't hear it! I'm going to stay here and help you break your curses and that's final!"

Maya tilts her head - a little something she'd picked up on from Claudine during their acting practices earlier.

"And what if my curse can't be broken?"

Claudine huffs.

"Then I'll just be staying here with you forever, won't I?"

"…Forever?" Maya repeats. "That is quite a long time."

Claudine shrugs and smiles.

"And that's time I've got," she replies. "I have no one waiting for me down that mountain. I have nothing."

Maya picks her head up from the tilt now and shakes it from side to side.

"You're wrong." She lifts up Claudine's hands and tries - really really tries - to move the corners of her mouth. They wobble and twitch, until her lips curve upward in an awkward, but unmistakable smile. "You have me now, Claudine."

Claudine's heart flutters, and a smile finds its way to her lips once again.

"And you have me, Maya. That's a promise."

Maya dips her head.

"A promise."

And so they make their pact - their honest, tender vow, with nothing but the fire as their witness.

Maya soon gets up to begin on supper, and Claudine rests her ankle to have it heal as quickly as possible. Maya brings her to the kitchen where they eat and clean dishes together. She then leads her to a large bathroom, offering her the shower and a change of clothes. As Claudine bathes, Maya washes her attire and hangs it up to dry.

Claudine dries off her hair and dresses herself in the long pink dress Maya had provided for her. It's soft and warm and smells like her.

Maya then helps her back to the couch and bathes herself, emerging later dressed in black.

The fire continues burning in warm contrast to the wind outside. More snow has begun to fall, making the fire all the more pleasant. Claudine has grown drowsy at her seat by the hearth, and by the time Maya comes to sit beside her, she finds herself fading.

"I'm all right," Claudine tells her, knowing she's about to start fretting. "You should go to bed."

"I will," Maya replies, sitting down. "Right here."

Claudine crosses her arms.

"Surely you have a nice bed of your own upstairs?"

"I do," she nods. "But you don't, and it's cold tonight." Maya shifts closer to her, moving her tails to curl around her. Claudine can't help but lean in against her.

"It's going to be awfully cramped."

Maya takes the red blanket from the back of the couch and begins to lay it out.

"That means it will be warm."

Claudine rolls her eyes, but doesn't protest further. She lies down on her side with her back against the couch cushions, figuring Maya will have room for all her tails on the open side. Maya pulls her legs up and lies down as well, facing her possibly-permanent guest.

Now that she's settling in, Claudine realizes it's a bit closer than she'd been expecting, and for a moment the image of a red fox returns to her mind, fangs glinting. She shakes her head to clear it away, and only Maya remains.

Claudine waits patiently as her host gets situated, draping the blanket over the both of them, but more over Claudine. As she lies down, Maya ends up face-to-face with her. Claudine curls her hands up against her chest, uncertain. Their knees knock together a bit, and she can tell Maya is doing her best to avoid bumping her ankle with her feet. She can also tell the poor girl is about to roll right off in trying to keep her distance.

So Claudine opens her arms and pulls her in swiftly, hugging her torso and tucking her head into Maya's collar. Maya seems to stiffen for a moment, but eventually puts her arms around Claudine as well. Claudine feels the tails swishing a bit more than usual. She has to admit, it is very, wonderfully warm. Even warmer than last night.

She clings to Maya with bated breath, hoping the awkwardness will dissipate sooner rather than later. Of course, Maya doesn't seem fazed - at least not in any way Claudine can discern, aside from her tails - and that irks her in an innocent kind of way. Claudine buries her face in Maya's shoulder and just tries to sleep. But Maya's hands start twitching on her back, the claws gliding so lightly and mindlessly they end up tickling, and Claudine jolts, trying to suppress a giggle. Maya responds to the movement.

"Claudine? Are you all right? Should we… perhaps not do this after all…?"

"I'm fine," Claudine assures her.

"Are you sure?" Maya's embrace on her tightens, ears flicking. "Your heart is beating very quickly."

"It's-" Claudine exhales. Her face feels warm. Warmer than she knows it should. "It's nothing. I'm fine. Honestly… Are you?" She peeks up at her as best she can. Maya simply closes her eyes.

"I am fine, so long as you are."

Claudine sighs and lets her eyes fall shut.

"Good. Then… goodnight, Maya…"

And even though Maya can't even remember the last time she'd had someone tell her 'goodnight,' she still remembers that it's something she needs to say back.

"Goodnight, Claudine…"

It takes a bit of shifting and sighing, but eventually they both fall asleep, enveloped in the heat of the fire, and the comfort of a promise.

The following morning, the two girls wake and repeat what they'd done the morning before in the beginnings of forging a routine of sorts. Maya makes breakfast as Claudine changes back into her own clothes, which are now dried and clean thanks to her host. They eat together, do the dishes, and then decide on what to do with the rest of the daylight hours.

Firstly, Maya ventures outside into the snow to retrieve Claudine's sword. Just like before, she doesn't so much as flinch upon walking into the snow with nothing but her simple shoes and dress on. She dusts the blade off before bringing it back to its owner.

When she accepts it, Claudine takes it by the bladed side rather than the handle to silently convey that she doesn't intend to use it. Maya's anxious tails relax as Claudine leans the weapon up against the corner near the front doors.

"We'll use it for self-defense," she declares. "Nothing more."

Next, Claudine insists on helping Maya clean the place up, as she knows that's what Maya must spend most of her time doing. Her ankle is still sore, but better enough that she can stand and move and walk on it by herself now.

As they tidy the place, Maya gives her a brief tour of a few other typically-unused rooms along the second floor. They even proceed to clean the various secret rooms on the top floor, which all just turn out to be leisure spaces, another bathroom, and a few rooms that are mostly vacant aside from some rustic knick-knacks, old paintings, and lonely pieces of furniture.

They dust off the library's book shelves as well, letting Claudine understand the vastness of the room.

But her favorite discovery by far is a little greenhouse on the lower level that connects to the main castle. Maya explains she has gardens outside as well, but during the off-seasons she grows her food here. The next task on their list is to tend to the indoor gardens, weeding and watering and gathering the ripe vegetables.

As they go about the day, Claudine finds herself humming and singing softly to pass the time. Whenever she does, Maya's ears perk and her tails sway.

After the gardens, it's back to the kitchen for lunch, and then a bit of laundry.

When they've finished all of their chores, Claudine proposes something a little more fun. She takes a slice of Maya's self-made bread from the pantry and peels off the crusts, then pointedly heads out toward the back doors. Maya follows her quietly, but her tails rustle in curiosity.

With her help, Claudine pushes open the heavy back doors and steps out into the little snow-covered patio Maya had showed her earlier. The snow is still falling, but not heavily, and the breeze isn't too strong, so Claudine is fine without any extra layers for now. Maya walks up beside her and peers down at the bread crusts in her hand.

"Claudine, what are you doing?"

Claudine turns to her with a spark in her eyes.

"Watch."

She crumbles up the bread crumbs into tiny pieces, then sprinkles some out into the snow. She then takes Maya's hand and they ease back a few paces. Claudine crouches down a few feet away and has Maya do the same.

"Shh…" she whispers. "Just wait."

And so Maya waits, her eyes focused entirely on the tiny crumbs atop the snow. Claudine's hand is warm in hers and she gives it a little squeeze.

After a few chilly moments, there's a fluttering sound. Maya can discern it isn't just Claudine's excited pulse this time.

Birds. Tiny little songbirds appear seemingly out of nowhere and begin hopping around, pecking up the little bread pieces and chirping happily.

Maya is stunned - Claudine can tell by the way her jaw drops ever so slightly.

"I've never been so close to them before," Maya mumbles.

Claudine looks down to the remaining bread in her free hand and smiles.

"Then just you wait. I'll show you something even more amazing."

She crumbles some of the bread into her open palm and then reaches out her arm. She whistles, and the tiny birds turn their heads and continue hopping around, but she notes at least one of them had seen her offering.

The little brown sparrow hops cautiously toward them. Claudine can feel Maya stiffen instantly, like she's about to run. She has to stop herself from laughing, lest she scare the bird away.

"It's all right," she whispers to her. "It won't hurt you."

"That isn't what I'm afraid of…" Maya brushes her claws against Claudine's knuckles as a reminder. Claudine huffs.

"You won't hurt it either. I know you wouldn't."

So Maya grasps onto Claudine's belief in her. She holds her ground as the bird approaches Claudine's lowered hand. It chitters and turns its head from side to side, pausing, then hopping closer again. Claudine can tell Maya is holding her breath.

At last the tiny bird hops directly into Claudine's hand and pecks up the bread crumbs. Maya's whole body tenses up with quiet, suppressed excitement. Claudine can feel her fidgeting, her tails going wild in wordless amazement, her hand squeezing tighter.

"Incredible," she says. There is no wonder or awe in her tone, but Claudine understands she means it. She must be feeling those things somewhere deep within her heart.

The sparrow finishes the food and then flutters away to the rest of the flock. Claudine wipes off her hand before offering the last of the bread to Maya.

"You can try it too, you know."

Maya's expressionless mask cracks for a second, and her brow furrows.

"I couldn't. They would never come to me. All they would see is a predator trying to trick them into a trap…"

"Really?" Claudine looks her over pensively. "They got this close to you already. I think all they would see is a girl giving them a treat."

Maya has no reply. She's never had anyone be so confident in her - as a person, not as someone possessed by a fox. So she lets Claudine pour the remaining crumbs into her palm, then mimics what Claudine had done earlier, reaching her hand forward and keeping it low.

Claudine keeps one hand on Maya's back and one on her shoulder to keep her steady. She whistles again, and again the birds seem to notice the food. A moment passes, and none of them move. Claudine can feel the energy draining from Maya's body. But she gives her an encouraging pat on the back.

"It's okay. Don't lose hope."

She whistles again, and this time one bird breaks away from the flock. It bounces over in a zigzagging pattern, cocking its head as it follows the scent of the food. Maya is so stiff with anticipation that Claudine has to hold back another little chuckle.

The sparrow pauses just in front of the unnaturally sharp fingernails, and Claudine sends out a silent prayer. Maya holds her breath and trembles.

The sparrow peeks its head over her palm and pecks up one crumb. Maya's tails fluff up. And then the bird hops right into her hand and begins gobbling up the crumbs.

Claudine has to refrain from squealing in joy.

And while Maya may still not be the greatest at expressing her feelings with her face, the rest of her body says plenty for her excitement. Her tails swish softly, and her free hand grips Claudine's shirt tightly. And it's only for a second, but Claudine notices the tiniest sparkle flash across her eyes, and a tiny, tiny smile to match.

The bird finishes its snack and hops away, and before long the flock flies off. Claudine is beaming quietly, watching as Maya inspects her hand in deadpanned disbelief.

"It… touched me…"

"Yes!" Claudine can't contain herself any longer. She throws her arms around Maya gleefully. "You did it, Maya!"

This was a clear message for her: that she was more girl than beast. If even a biased prey animal could see that and still trust her with its life, that knowledge must be worth something.

Maya lifts her arms to return the embrace, nodding into Claudine's shoulder.

"Yes…"

It's a momentous victory for the both of them.

They linger outside a bit longer, then stand and head back in before the cold becomes too much.

The rest of the day is spent cooking and finishing up chores before they can spend more leisure time reading and acting in the library.

And all the while, Claudine notices that Maya's lopsided little smile comes back more and more often, and eventually is there to stay. Her eyes become a little more animated than they'd been yesterday, and her body movements and posture are just the tiniest bit more expressive, too.

That evening, after they've both bathed and eaten, Claudine makes her way for the red velvet room to rest. But Maya wordlessly takes her hand and guides her away. Claudine follows quietly - trusting.

Maya helps her up the stairs, even though Claudine can manage on her own now, but she doesn't complain about the hand on hers.

They reach the top and then make their way past the several closed doors until they reach the only one Claudine hasn't seen inside of yet. Maya opens it slowly and brings her in.

Claudine admires what she can only assume to be Maya's own bedroom. There is a mantle, vanity, dresser, chairs and a desk all made of the same fine wood as the library's intricate archway. The walls and carpet are a soft lavender and violet, respectively. There's a fireplace across from a large bed, and a single window beside that, allowing in a faint silvery winter glow.

As Maya escorts her in, Claudine feels her heart rate spike up for the first time in a while. Maya clearly notices and pauses, turning back.

"Claudine? I'm sorry. If you don't wish to stay here-"

"N-No!" Claudine blurts. "I want to, i-if it's… if it's with you…" She tightens her grip on Maya's hand, but is painfully aware of the fact that her fingers are quivering. Maya steps close to her and looks her over.

"And what if it wasn't with me?"

Claudine snorts.

"Then I'd want to be staying wherever you were."

And this time, Maya's lips turn into almost a full smile. She lets go of Claudine's hand to allow her to settle in at her own pace as Maya herself crosses the room to start the fire.

Claudine tentatively pulls the covers back from the bed and sits down, watching Maya. Her ears and tails are set at comfortable angles, causing her to wonder if Maya is as flustered about sharing a bed with her as Claudine is. She knows she has no right to be feeling such… warm feelings for this girl - Claudine is supposed to be helping her break her curse, nothing more. She inhales a deep breath and exhales slowly as the fire sparks.

Maya feeds it a few logs until it springs up, already filling the room with a cozy kind of heat. When she finishes and turns back to face the bed, Claudine feels her heart jump up into her throat. Maya's ears flick.

"Claudine?"

"I'm fine!" She puts her hands up defensively. "I just feel like I'm… imposing… This is your room, after all…"

Maya tilts her head a little bit. Claudine begs she won't make her say any more than that. Her face feels as hot as if she'd been sitting next to the fire all day long.

But luckily, Maya seems to understand her dilemma. She approaches the bed and sits down on the opposite side. She turns to Claudine and then lies down on her side, pulling the blankets up over as much of her tails as she can. She looks up at Claudine and pats the space beside her.

"Sleep."

Claudine exhales, a bit more relieved now that Maya has gotten in first. She would've felt horribly awkward if she'd lain down in another person's bed before they did.

So Claudine pulls her legs up and under the blankets, muttering apologies when her bare feet accidentally bump Maya's. Maya is unfazed as usual, watching her with dull eyes, but Claudine doesn't miss the corners of her lips still curling up a little.

Claudine isn't sure if she should face Maya or not, if it would be too bold to do so or too rude not to. So she settles for lying on her back, pulling the covers up slowly, staring up at the dark purple ceiling as the fire crackles across the room. She bites her lip, feeling Maya's eyes on her, watching her every move.

She knows Maya is just curious and also getting used to sharing her bed for the first time ever, but her expressionless features make Claudine feel like prey somehow. Not in a bad way, just in an awkward way.

The silence is killing her, and before long she closes her eyes and croaks out a whisper.

"G-Goodnight, then…" She just hopes this will be enough.

But of course, she feels Maya shifting, hears her tails brushing against the mattress. Claudine reopens her eyes and glances over to find Maya's hand innocently outstretched toward her - hesitant, nervous. When she notices Claudine has spotted her, Maya gasps and quickly curls her nails in, ears going flat. But Claudine smiles and reaches for that hand, carefully uncurling Maya's balled-up fingers.

"It's all right," Claudine murmurs. She brings Maya's hand to rest across her stomach, silently giving her consent to touch.

Maya doesn't move for a moment, but when Claudine continues to reassure her with an honest smile, Maya eventually slides closer to her.

Claudine feels the fox girl's arms slipping around her back and over her waist, coaxing her onto her side to face her. She can feel how painstakingly cautious Maya is being with her claws, never tightening her grip too hard.

Claudine moves as she interprets Maya wants her to, slowly enough that she can stop her if she wants to, but she never does.

Maya blinks up at her one more time before quietly burying her face into Claudine's nightgown, nestling in against her stomach. Her tall, soft ears swivel and press over Claudine's chest, and her embrace becomes a tender sort of clinging.

Claudine wraps her arms lightly around the girl's shoulders, cradling her head against her collar. Her fingers move in small, experimental stroking motions through Maya's hair, remaining tentative for the moment. But when Maya makes a sound somewhere between a hum and a sigh of relief, Claudine knows it's all right to keep going.

Maya moves closer, as close to her as possible, and becomes a little bolder with her embrace. Claudine reciprocates, hugging her tight until there's no space left between them. Maya makes another sound in the back of her throat and nuzzles against Claudine's stomach, hands spreading across her back as if to touch as much of her as possible.

"Warm…" Claudine hears her sigh. "You are… so warm, Claudine… Your heart is very nice, too. I like listening…"

Claudine chews her lip in contemplation at the comment.

"Thank you…" she says, deciding it was probably meant as an uncertain kind of compliment. "You're very warm as well, Maya."

Silence comes over them, but it's a comfortable silence. Odd, but comfortable.

Two girls who have never shared a bed before, never been pressed up close to someone else before, never met another person so oddly brave and let down their defenses for them.

One is trusting a girl possessed by an angry beast.

And the other is trusting a girl who had originally come to kill her.

The fire cracks softly, filling the room with its quiet melody.

But the warmest place isn't at the hearth.

It's here - Claudine knows it. Here on this stiff old mattress, in the arms of a monster.

In the morning, Claudine wakes wrapped in a soft tangle of blankets and arms and tails. The fire had tapered out in the night, but she's never felt warmer.

When she opens her eyes, she finds Maya in the same position she'd fallen asleep in, nestled up against her, breathing softly. Claudine feels an immediate softness curl up in her chest.

When she's sleeping is the only time Maya's face shows her emotions naturally. Years of conditioning and training herself to be stoic had been a conscious effort, but when she sleeps the mask falls away and the act is put on hold. Now, her brow is relaxed, and her lips are free to twitch however they please without subconscious monitoring.

Claudine can't help herself. She hugs Maya gently, gingerly, cradling her head, and without thinking presses a tiny kiss into her hair. Once she realizes what she's done, however, Claudine's pulse takes off and her face turns pink. Naturally, Maya wakes due to the internal noise, blinking sleepily.

Claudine hates that she can see the emotions draining from Maya's features as she rouses herself, but in the end she's happy to see her eyes opening. Even if Maya never learns how to express herself properly, Claudine knows she'll always be able to read her.

Maya unwinds herself from Claudine and pushes herself up, shaking the loose strands of hair out of her face.

"Claudine…?"

"Good morning," she says quickly, praying she hadn't felt the kiss. "How did you sleep?"

Maya rubs her eyes and blinks.

"Better than I ever have in my entire life." Though her face and tone don't incline any truth to her words, Claudine knows she's being honest.

"It was the same for me," she replies.

They both sit in silence for a moment, searching each other's eyes, unsure of what they're searching for, or what they end up finding.

In the end, the two of them climb out of bed, and start the day.

It goes as yesterday had gone - breakfast, cleaning, gardening. Then the majority is spent in the library. Reading. Acting. Singing.

Claudine continues teaching Maya how to express herself, how to convey her emotions, how to wear her heart on her sleeve.

They spend a bit of time outside feeding the birds again, and then it's time for dinner, and finally bed.

And step by step, day by day, their tentative moments together become bolder, more confident, more comfortable. The intangible barriers that had existed between them upon their meeting melt away under the warmth of their newfound bond.

The light returns to Maya's eyes as she remembers all the feelings she'd locked away deep inside her heart. Little by little, she begins to smile.

And little by little, Claudine realizes she's falling in love with her.

And it isn't long before she understands that isn't something she needs to hide.

It's in the library one bright afternoon, when they've just finished reading through another play, when Maya suddenly breaks out into a beaming smile. She pulls Claudine into a spritely dance all around the room, laughing like Claudine has never known her to before.

And she kisses her, softly and unabashedly.

And Claudine kisses back in a heartbeat.

When they part, neither of them say a word.

But they feel they don't really need to.

Two weeks go by as the winter colds rage on outside the castle.

Somewhere along the lines, Claudine realizes that she'd lost the motivation or desire to return to the kingdom at the bottom of the mountain. She would love nothing more than to stay here with Maya for as long as her heart wishes for it.

But some part of her knows it can't be that simple, not when Maya is still burdened with her curse.

It hasn't been much, but the anger of the fox has shown itself briefly over the past few weeks. Sometimes it would manifest at the slightest inconvenience, such as Maya dropping a utensil or misreading a word in one of their books. It was always sudden, and the anger rose to unwarranted levels in split seconds.

It always shocked Claudine, and she'd scramble to get Maya in control of herself again. Whenever it happened, Maya always became despondent for a while afterward, as if wallowing in guilt for it.

Claudine has to wonder if this had ever happened before she'd come to the castle. She has to wonder if her presence here is doing Maya more harm than good.

She dwells over the thoughts at supper that evening, stirring her soup more than sipping it, until it's turned cold and unappetizing. Maya, who has by now re-learned how to raise her eyebrows and change her tone, notices.

"Claudine?" she says, sounding rather natural in inquiry. "Is something the matter?"

Claudine quickly drinks a spoonful of cold broth.

"Nothing," she assures. "Sorry. I got lost in thinking about how much better you've gotten in your readings."

Maya's tails swish, and her mouth curves into a grin.

"You really think I've gotten better?"

"Exceptionally!" Claudine praises. "Your dance and tone are incomparable!"

"Much like your beauty, no?"

Claudine sputters. The flirty comments are a rather new development in Maya's progress.

"Honestly…" she mutters, blushing behind her napkin.

Clearly proud of herself, Maya stands and brings her bowl to the sink. Claudine finishes her soup quickly and joins her.

As they clean the dishes, Maya leans against her shoulder, sighing.

"I still can't believe it," she murmurs, and her voice lowers into a genuinely affectionate hum. "That you've come into my life like this. That you've done all of this for me…"

Claudine leans back into her equally.

"I find it hard to believe as well," she says. "And yet, here we are, and no one is complaining."

Maya hums again and pulls her in by the waist, kissing her cheek. Her ear flicks.

"Forgive me for saying it, but your heart seems a bit erratic tonight. Perhaps we should retire early."

Claudine lifts her chin indignantly.

"F-Fine. After a shower."

"But of course."

"Goodness. I must be an incredible teacher because your act is getting quite infallible."

"It's not an act." Maya turns honest, sparkling eyes to her. "What you first walked into - that was the act. The hollow shell I'd taught myself to be, so much so that I'd forgotten my true self." She presses another soft kiss to Claudine's temple. "But you've helped me find myself again, Claudine. And for that, I can't possibly thank you enough."

Claudine dries off her hands and rests them on either side of Maya's face, bringing their foreheads together.

"You don't need to thank me."

"Then what would you say to a kiss?"

"I suppose I wouldn't say no."

They lean into each other's lips, sharing a soft chuckle into the kiss.

They wrap up the evening a bit early and take turns bathing, and are curled up in bed before long. They've found themselves copying the same position they'd used on their first night ever since, and tonight is no different. Claudine hugs her shoulders as Maya loops both arms around her waist, cuddling up to her collar.

"Such a lively lullaby your heart is giving me tonight," she teases.

"Quiet, you…"

It isn't long before they fall asleep together, breathing softly, nestled in warmth.

Not knowing of the cold to come.

. . .

. .

.

. .

. . .

The pain is so sharp and sudden that it rips Claudine right out of her slumber. It's deep, burning, filling her mind with the images of snapping red fangs. She screams herself awake, her jumbled mind and racing heart believing the pain would stop after she'd woken.

But it doesn't stop. It only gets worse.

Claws.

Claws are digging into her back, sinking in through the fabrics of her clothes, tearing through and scratching skin. She can feel all ten punctures in her back and sides, buried in as far as they can possibly go.

Her screams echo throughout the castle, throbs upon throbs of agony searing through her body in violent waves. She gasps, trying to catch her breath and find her words, eyes squeezed shut. She barely manages to squint them open.

She wishes she hadn't.

The same red fangs snap back at her. The entire form of the massive fox crouches over Maya's unconscious body, growling her crimson fury - sheer hatred. Maya sleeps on, unknowingly.

Claudine knows this will break her. But she has no choice. Curling her fingers hard into Maya's back, she shrieks.

"Maya-!"

And Maya hears that cry of heart-wrenching horror, and she is smothered by the unspeakable terror of understanding what's going on, what her own body is being made to do.

Claudine forces her eyes back open, forces her screams down, and only lets out a strained, sobbing whimper.

"M-Maya…"

And she sees the horror, the terror, the soul-crushing fear in her eyes. Those eyes that had always been so dull, so empty.

The eyes Claudine herself had helped give life and light to. The eyes she'd only just begun to see twinkling with joy and love.

And now they're drowning as the realization of what she's done slams over her.

Horrified, Maya wrenches herself away from her, trying to get back as quickly as possible. But the desperation of her panic only causes Claudine to cry out again as the claws tear free.

Claudine tries her damnedest to swallow back the scream, but she isn't strong enough. Her arms fly to her stomach, crossing tightly around her sides to cover the wounds as best she can. She can feel blood seeping through.

No- no- stop, stop, stop-!

"No!" she yelps, already feeling it as Maya leaps out of the bed to distance herself. Claudine lifts her head sharply, wincing past the tears that have begun to fall. Not as much because of the pain of her wounds, but because of the pain it's causing her to see Maya like this.

Maya backs away, shaking and pale, ears flat. And her eyes…

"W-Wait-" Claudine pushes herself up, only to collapse back down onto the mattress, sputtering.

But Maya doesn't wait. She just backs away, shaking her head slowly, heavily. The red glow around her fades away. She backs into the door so hard that it clatters. Forced to stop now, she raises her trembling hands and looks down. Her nails are coated in red. Claudine's blood is smeared all over her palms and drips down her wrists.

Claudine knows this might be her only chance. She pushes herself up past all the aching agony shooting through her back, grabbing the blankets and throwing them aside. Panting, she lifts her head as tears spill down, calling for her.

"Maya, wait-!"

But it's too late.

Maya clutches the door with her blooded hands, pushes through, and runs.

Claudine is gripped by a deep, twisting nausea, something dreadful and sickening in the bottom of her heart.

It's the feeling that she's going to lose her. The knowledge that she'll never get to see Maya again if she doesn't go after her right now.

The burning scratches across her back scream in protest as she forces herself up, stumbling out of the bed and onto the carpet, hissing. Her vision blurs with stinging tears as the echoes of Maya's frantic footsteps patter through the castle.

Claudine forces herself up, ignoring the feeling of blood dripping down her back. She races to the door and rams her shoulder into it, sending it flying.

And she runs.

Faster than she's ever ran before, barefoot down the cold marble hallways all the way to the top of the stairs. She limps down them as quickly as she can, hearing the reverberating slam of the back doors as Maya flees.

She isn't running just to get away. She's running to disappear.

Claudine won't - can't - let that happen.

She stumbles down each step so quickly she eventually trips on the ends of her nightgown, only barely managing to grab onto the railing to prevent herself from falling the rest of the way down. She catches herself and quickly moves on, pulse pounding throughout her entire body, from the back of her skull to the tips of her toes.

She scrambles to reach the bottom, jumping down the last few stairs and breaking out into a desperate run, tears and sweat and blood falling in her wake.

She follows Maya's panicked path to the back doors - the same doors where they'd sat so many afternoons together feeding the birds, watching the forest, enjoying their time together.

Now, as Claudine flings the doors apart, she runs right past the spot where they'd used to sit, straight into the white blizzard raging outside.

The winds blast all around her, whipping her hair in every direction, freezing her to her core in a matter of seconds. She hardly manages several steps before a powerful gust knocks her clean off her feet, bowling her over, down into the hard frigid snow.

She gasps, breath thin and white, wheezing as she looks frantically around in the gray darkness. It's the same as that very first night; the same harrowing forest, the same deep shadows, the same bone-shaking chill.

The only thing that differs is the fear.

It isn't the same fear she'd felt on the first night - not fear of the unknown. It's the exact opposite.

This is the fear of knowing exactly what's happening.

She's losing her. In fact, she may have already lost her.

Claudine tries to get up. She puts every remaining ounce of force into her hands and pushes herself up out of the snow, but only gets as far as her torso. She can't find the strength to move her trembling legs; the snows covering them in a numbing deadweight. She can feel the tears freezing over on her face, eyes searching wildly in the darkness.

She can see footprints leading away into the forest, footprints that are already being filled in by the falling snow.

Even the pain in Claudine's back has been numbed by now, so only the anguish in her heart remains.

When she breathes in, it doesn't feel like enough air to sustain her, and the wind seems to steal her breath too quickly from her lungs. She coughs, fighting an internal battle to muster up the last remnants of her voice, drawing it up her throat and to the back of her lips to produce a cry that rings throughout all of Starlight Kingdom.

But it doesn't draw in the one it's meant for.

Instead, it draws in the same hungry shadows she'd encountered once before.

Low growls and barks rumble in the snow-laden undergrowth as paws shuffle closer. To them, she's a gift. A bleeding treat being served, running straight to them without the safety of her guard. With the apex predator gone, she's theirs for the taking.

If Claudine had had the life left in her, she would've tried to run.

But with Maya gone, she doesn't see the point.

Helplessly, she watches them prowl closer, their bodies taking shape, outlined in the dull grey glow reflecting off the snow. The wind howls louder than her heart.

She can't get up. She can't.

The snow and the wind drag her down, and nothing is left to pick her back up.

Nothing.

"Ma…ya…"

She whispers the name, and the wolves pounce.

Maya runs.

She runs, and she hopes Claudine won't follow.

Not after what Maya had done to her.

Ever since she had first laid eyes upon the strange girl who had stumbled to her doorstep, she'd felt an odd attraction towards her, an indescribable kind of pull. And when Claudine hadn't run away, but had started spending time with her instead, Maya had felt that feeling becoming stronger.

She'd wanted to be with her. She still does.

But she knows she can't. Not anymore. Not after this…

All her life, Maya had never had other people by her side. She'd chased them off for her own good as well as theirs, but a tiny part of her had always hoped someone might stay, might come back.

So when Claudine had actually done that - had actually planted her roots here with Maya - it had excited and terrified her.

Maya loves her. She loves Claudine, and that's why she can't stay. Hurting her in that one moment had been the ultimate sin, more excruciating than a decade of her curse had ever been.

She runs as quickly as her bare feet can carry her, body numbed by a heated, pounding fear. She wants to keep running until she can't anymore, and then keep running beyond that.

But she hears them. She hears the beasts in the shadows, and she hears where they're going.

She hears that soul-shattering cry split through the harsh winds.

And of course, she hears even that tiny, feeble whisper of her name.

And in that instant, Maya understands that the strength of her love for Claudine is only matched by the fear of losing her.

Teeth grit, she turns tail and races back, pelting through the trees faster than the four-legged shadows, her vision turning red. She sprints back to the castle, to the snow-covered courtyard, to the shaking form of a bleeding girl fallen in the snow.

The wolves leap. Maya bears her fangs and roars.

The mighty red fox lunges forward, bidding to her will, knocking each of the dogs off their paws, swiping and snapping. Though it's only a spirit, Maya's fury manifests strongly enough to give it real power, allowing the beast to land solid blows. She lets it loose, beast against beast, and throws herself over Claudine, gathering her limp weight up into her arms.

"Claudine-!"

The animals snarl and tussle violently around them, the wolves charging tactfully as the fox defends. Maya blinks away tears as she looks over Claudine. Her eyes are closed, and for a moment, Maya's heart freezes.

But after a gentle shake to her shoulders, Claudine's eyelashes flutter open weakly, dizzily. For a second they are dull, like Maya's had once been. But then they light up with a quiet, grateful spark - the deepest, most profound joy, the most heartfelt relief.

"M… Maya…" Her lips quiver and her voice trembles, but Maya's ears tune in. Hearing her voice sends a wave of warmth through Maya's body, a comfort that trickles through every vein, touches even the darkest recesses of her heart.

Maya's features soften, the same mixture of love and pain reflecting in her eyes. She curls herself over Claudine, kissing her forehead, squeezing her into the tightest embrace she can muster. She spreads her fingers to cover the wounds she'd inflicted as if to erase them, wishing she could heal.

"Claudine-" She chokes, and with all the noise going on around them it's a miracle Claudine hears her at all. Maya pulls her up against her chest, shielding her from view of the ravenous animals. "Claudine…" she whispers. "You have to run… Please go… far away from here… from me…"

And the foolish part of her heart believes Claudine will deny her, that she'll refuse and stay with Maya until the bitter end.

But when Maya lets her go, Claudine staggers to her feet. She looks down at her, clutching herself as she shivers.

And for once, it's Claudine's eyes that are unreadable.

Maya swallows, and for a moment she can feel every throb of her heart stinging through her chest. She'd told her to go, but she wants her to stay.

So she knows she has no right to feel such horrible pain when Claudine turns and runs without a word.

Maya almost calls her back. Almost.

But she bites it down, lets the anguish of her loss mix with the desire to protect her until the very end.

As Claudine runs, Maya covers her, willing the fox to clear a path for her, keeping the wolves at bay until she reaches the castle doors. Maya watches her go until the last curl of silvery-blonde hair has vanished.

She rises, slowly and heavily, as if her body is made of crumbling stone. The wolves turn to her, sensing her weakness, feeding off of her draining will to fight. Now is their chance to take her down once and for all, and they know it.

So they charge. Maya turns to face them, and the fox rears up behind her. She fights, slashing with her own claws, tossing them off when they leap, wrenching herself free from the biting jaws.

She fights until they bring her to her knees, feeling warm blood dripping from too many places to count. And when she'd only just learned how to feel again, now she can't feel anything anymore.

Even the fox shrinks away, drawing back into her as her willpower diminishes under the beating chill of the wind. Head bowed, ears down, she waits for the finishing blow.

And with all her vigor gone, her senses have dulled enough that she doesn't notice the shift in the wind. As the breeze pushes down on her, something pushes back.

Metal cutting through air-

Maya opens her eyes and raises her head.

An angel appears.

Claudine stands with her blood-soaked back to her, sword in-hand, deflecting the deadly fangs of the largest wolf. She cries out defiantly as she pushes it back, then swings at another, forcing it away.

Maya can't believe her eyes. Her heart soars and more tears jump up to the rims of her eyes, but still cannot fall.

With the wolves temporarily at bay, Claudine turns back to her, panting, eyes alight with fire and love. She reaches out her hand, and Maya takes hold.

And they fight. Claws and blades slashing, battling through the cold and the pain.

Until Claudine's fingers are too numb to keep a grip on her sword.

Until Maya's claws break off one by one, and none remain.

They fight. For life, for love, and for each other.

And at long last the wolves retreat, bleeding and limping, back into the shadows.

The blizzard has calmed into a light flurry, and the winds have died down.

Maya exhales long and deep. But when she leans backward, she doesn't feel Claudine's weight pushing lightly back to support her.

There's a thin breath, a soft thud, and a crunching of snow.

Maya turns - too late to catch her as she falls.

"Claudine-?"

She drops down beside her, gathering Claudine into her arms once again. The fox inside her stirs and moans, and a pang of sickening nostalgia washes through their shared body.

"Claudine…?" Maya shakes her gently, but her eyes remain closed. She doesn't stir. Not one bit.

"Claudine-?" She angles her ears, but she can't pick up on anything like she'd always been able to. Even when she drops her head down onto Claudine's chest and listens, she can't decipher even a flutter of a pulse. She isn't breathing, and the wonderful warmth she'd always shared with Maya has faded into a horrible, stagnant chill.

"No…"

Hollow doesn't even begin to describe the feeling that takes hold of Maya now. It's numb, but it still hurts. It's suffocating. It's agonizing. It consumes her.

"No… No, please… Claudine…"

She'd had every chance to run. Maya had willed it on her. She'd had every chance to sneak away or give up on Maya, to let her live out the rest of her miserable life in cursed solitude.

But she'd stayed. Through it all.

She'd taught Maya how to express herself again. She'd listened to her story - to her dream - and done her best to help her live it. She'd let her feel again.

And even after Maya had hurt her, even after she'd been in such danger, such peril, Claudine had come back for her. She'd come back - to fight for her, to protect her, despite the odds and despite her fear. She had gone to such lengths to show Maya just how dearly she loved her.

And now, all Maya can do is say it to her, in a voice laced with more emotion than she's ever known before.

"I love you…"

Frozen tears fall at last as Maya sobs, after all the years she was unable to. She weeps from her very core, clutching Claudine's unmoving body. She wraps her tails around her as she'd done on that very first night, and holds her close. Bitter, bitter tears, thinking of all the things she'd never gotten to say to her in her newfound voice, all the expressions she'd never gotten to show her, all the emotions she'd never gotten to convey.

As she weeps, she can feel the fox within her stirring - restless. Maya feels her grief, like a boulder weighing her down from the inside.

They mourn together; regretting, lamenting, remembering. The sadness takes hold and doesn't let go.

And for once, Maya can't feel the anger. That subtle, underlying fire that had always seemed to be boiling and churning within her soul is nowhere to be found now.

Suddenly, as Maya cries, the image of the fox appears behind her eyelids. Swathed in a red mist, she stands perfectly still, projecting herself into the forefront of Maya's mind. Maya watches as she parts her jaws and speaks in a way only Maya as a vessel can understand.

"Enough," she utters. "Enough of this grief. Enough anger. I understand now it won't bring my babies back to me."

Maya tries to speak, tries to apologize for what her father had done so many years ago, but the fox already seems to understand. She shakes her head and dips it low.

"I was wrong to punish you. You were nothing but a babe yourself… But you've taught me that anger grants us nothing but tragedy in the end. It's love that will save us."

Her image begins to fade, swept away on an invisible breeze...

And then the fury of the red mist vanishes for good.

Maya opens her eyes.

Snow is still falling, spiraling down in slow, soft dances. Claudine is quiet in her arms.

But Maya can feel something. Something she's never felt before.

Her broken claws are retracting - no… disappearing. They shrink down and shift into human fingernails, round and smooth, allowing her to feel more of Claudine than she'd ever been able to before. Her ears flicker and fade, then reappear in a much more humanlike area on her head, and with a much more humanlike shape. And her tails sway one last time before dissipating one by one into a light red mist.

Her curse is broken.

Maya lifts her face to the sky as the soft glow of morning bathes the distant horizon. The red mist lingers, then gradually begins to float downward. It settles over Claudine, sharing its warmth and its life with her, healing her wounds.

And then, all at once, it's gone.

Claudine opens her eyes just as her chest dips with a delicate breath. Maya's fingers curl hopefully into her clothes.

"C-Claudine-?"

Claudine's eyes shift into focus, recognition. She inhales, trying to remember how to use her voice.

"Maya…"

Maya blinks, eyes wide in shock, disbelief-

"Claudine!"

Joy. The purest, deepest, most genuine joy she's ever known.

Maya pulls Claudine into her arms and doesn't let go, wailing her name like a prayer. Her voice trembles, thick with raw emotion, things she never even knew she could feel before. She feels Claudine's arms around her, folding with a gentle firmness - tender and strong.

"Maya…" Claudine hiccups against her shoulder, nuzzling her face into the side of her neck. "Maya…"

Claudine can't believe her eyes. Maya's ears have turned human, and her tails are gone. When Maya curls her hands into protective fists at Claudine's back, she can feel the claws have vanished, too. There isn't a trace of a scratch or scrape from the battle left on her.

And she can feel that her own wounds have been healed as well. The pain is gone, and even the sting of the cold comes second to the blossoming warmth thawing their hearts.

They cry as the sun rises and showers them in golden light.

At long last, Maya is free - free to live and love and express herself however she pleases.

And as Claudine eases back and beams a tearful smile up at her, Maya knows there's no one else she'd rather do these things with.

Claudine reaches up to cradle Maya's face in her hands, and Maya does the same. Claudine leans close, brushing their noses together.

"I love you, too."

And they kiss, soft and loving, just as the sun shines down its very warmest light over Starlight Kingdom.

Chapter Text

Epilogue.

The dark days that had hovered over Starlight Kingdom for over a decade came to an end that year. With each passing season, and each broken curse, the days became brighter, warmer, and more joyful.

In the spring, the people rejoiced at their princess' health and the loyalty of her knights. Together, the three of them now visit the town and greet the people on a daily basis, accepting gifts and kind words as the princess uses her status and skills to settle controversies and make peace.

In the summer, the two farmer girls known for their lavish orchards come into town together bearing amazing crops, the quite literal fruits of their labor. They always walk in hand-in-hand, equally ruffled from the work, and always smiling as they bring the people the best foods they've ever eaten.

During the fall, the archer girl who used to come alone to the town's square now comes with whom she calls her new assistant at her side. Together, they are able to give even more outstanding performances than ever before, and fill the people's hearts with fun.

And at the end of winter, the news of the beast locked away in the castle at the top of the darkest mountain trickles down into town. The rumor that had terrified so many for so long had turned into a story of hope, acceptance, and love. The girl who had secluded herself for so many years ventures into town at last with the wandering swordswoman on her arm, telling their tale of how they broke the deadly curse, giving the people more hope and reason to love than ever before.

The veil of curses that had once stifled the air is finally lifted, allowing the sunlight to shine down over all. Peace comes like it's never come before, settling over the hearts of every person no matter how young or old, how rich or poor, how lonely or loved.

On a lucky day, you'll be able to meet the princess and her loyal knights in the morning, purchase amazing food from the farmer girls at noon, watch the archer and her assistant's act by evening, and hear the wanderer and the former monster tell their tale by nightfall.

Starlight Kingdom is soon known not for its dark magics and curses, but for its tales of virtue and triumph.

All nine souls troubled with tragedy rose above the odds, bested the impossible, and challenged fate itself.

All for love.

And the sun shines warmly to this day.