"But mom~! I wanna go out and play in snowball fights too!" Complained a little girl. Her long (h/c) hair falling over her eyes.
"Not yet sweetie. You must stay here. There are many books that can be the same fun like the snowball fights. People are not yet ready to see you. You first must riseto their expectations,then I promise you'll have as much time as you want." Said the woman her, usualy cold eyes now softening as she looked at the little girl.
"Hmmmm... FINE but that better be soon." She said crossing her arms.
The woman just laughed as she hugged her goodbye before leaving the girl in her room and going to attend her business.
.
.
.
It was so boring Y/n could hear all the children laughing and playingwhile she was here stuck reading books. But luckily she was allowed to read fairy tales.
And this one was called The Golden Town. It was her favourite. It was about a girl and a boy who set of to find the golden town even though they're from two different worlds they help each other and don't mind their differences. Unfortunately one of them got cursed and turned into a tiny golden statue. The girl wasn't able to save the poor boy, but she vowed to always take care of him and keep him by her side until she dies. That was a 'thank you' for saving her and showing her the world and 'please forgive me' for not being able to bring him back. (read authors note at the end of chapter).
Then the girl heard a nock on her window, she quickly turned around and saw a bush of orange hair hiding under the window. She got closer.
"BAAAAH! " someone sudenly yelled causing the poor girl to jump back with terrified look on her face.
"HAHAHA GOT YOU! Now come play witb us, I saw you looking at us so I thought I'd come here to invite you!" It was a boy that looked around her age. His ocean blue eyes looked so innocent.
"Wait.. YOU SNEAKED INTO A CASTLE!? HOW DID YOU DO THAT!?" The girl was shocked. But the boy just gave her confused look.
"Well what do you think? I washiding behind every bush and every guard. Hah, I'm pretty skilled you know." He said crossing his arms and tilting his head up.
"By the way I'm Ajax, and you?" He said holding his hand for you to shake.
"Y-y/n..." She said shaking his hand. "But I can't come with you... mom won't let me. She says I should read as much as possible if I wanna be good.."
"Huh really..? Well if you don't wanna break the rules, how about.. I come see you every friday and you tell me what you read while I bring some games for us to play?"
"Really?"
"Mhm!" boy confirmed enthusiasticaly.
"You have to promise me!" little (e/c) eyed girl said.
"Really? Ok, sure." Ajax said giving her his pinkie while she looked at him confused.
"What? Didn't you want me to promise you? DON'T TELL ME YOI DON'T KNOW WHAT'S PINKIE PROMISE!" She just stared blankly while he was shocked.
"Haaah ok. So how this works is, we interwine our pinkies and say special words that seal our promise so we can't break it."
"Oh... I see, then..." luttle girl said intertwining her pinkie.
"You make a pinkie promise, you keep it all your life, you break a pinkie promise, I'll throw you on the ice. The cold will kill the pinkie that once betrayes your friend. The frost will freeze your tounge off so you never lie again!"
As he was saying those words,the girl stared in awe. For the first time she felt like he'll really do what he said and it made her smile.
"Ok, now see you soon!" boy said while wavig good bye and jumping off the window.
Once again, she was left alone, but this time she was full of hope and energy.
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As she was nearing the spot where she was supposed to meet the ginger Harbinger. She saw a bush of ginger hair aready there waiting for her.
"You're here already? Are you that eager to loose again?" She looked at him with a smirk. As he looked at her he was a bit shocked to see her, that wasn't surprising to her, after all it was his first time seeing her in her training uniform.
He soon got back to his sences and looked at her eyes "I fon't think so princess, I've practiced really hard for this, you would've been surprised if you saw all the things you can do in one day."
'Is he mocking me!? Oh he's done for now.'
"Well then.." The girl said and charged at him. But this time he dodged without much force.
He then proceeded to make some distance so he could attack with his bow, he only managed to soot one shot before she got close again.
He quickly stood on his feet preparing his hydro duble swords, she was only about two or three meters from him and was just waiting for him to make the first move. She started circling around him. If anyone were to watch this fight they woul feel like she's the predator mocking its prey. The Harbinger understood well what she was doing and got iritated, so he charged forward already expecting her to defend and freeze his swords. But she didn't and that was only thing needed for him to loose this battle.
This time she decided to fully dodge his attack without freezing his weapons. This made him confused for a second and it was enough for her to trip him down and kick his swords out of his hands putting one legon his chest while her arm held her sickle on his neck.
"Well I gotta say, you did improve quite a lot, but let me teach you a lesson: Don't think you know how your opponent fights if you only had one battle against them."
He looked at her dumbfounded, but she was right and he had to admit it.
"I'll keep that in mind for our next sparring session. Bookwarm." He said bluntly while getting up and heading back to the castle leaving her with shock all over her face.
'How could he..? No. He's bluffing, he has to be.. yeah.. He heard it from Pierro or Dottore.. yeah...don't worry about it Y/n. Don't worry.'
Later while the confused lady was returning to her castle someone tugged her leg. She looked down and saw same eyes she saw few days ago.
"Hey! You're that nice lady from the palace! Did you tell some more stories to my brother?" The little boy asked eagerly.
"Uh- stories?"
"Yes! You're the story telling princess-lady right? My big brother always talks about you and stories you tell him that inspire him for making new toys!"
At this point the poor girl got even more confused. "Oh.. yeah, I.... did. Would you mind telling me what stories your brother mentioned to you..?" The princess said while leading him to sit on ome of the benches that was a bit hidden from eyes of people.
"Well, there are many! But his favourite was one that's called The Golden Town. It's about a girl and a boy and they travel together but the boy was turned to golden statue after saving the girl so she promises to keep him safe until she dies! I also love that story."
Y/n looked at Teucer speachless. The Fairy tale didn't originate from Schneznaya and it was a really rare and expensive book. All the thoughts she tried so hard to push away came at her.
'Is he really Ajax... my Ajax..? No.. he died.. that's why he broke our promise... it has to be.'
"Haha it really is an interesting story, but I must go now, I'll see you some other day."
She exclaimed before taking her leave, surprisingly oblivious of s pair of ocean blue eyes observing the whole scene. He smirked to himself.
Few days later...
Y/n was getting ready for another match with the Harbinger. As she was nearing their usual spot, a memory made its way to her eyes.
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"Wow, you have so mamy books! You're such a book warm..." The little ginger exclaimed entering her little library in her room.
"Well I have to entertain myself somehow. Now let me tell you one of my favourite stories, The Golden Town!It' s about a girl and a boy who set of to find the golden town even though they're from two different worlds they help each other and don't mind their differences. Unfortunately one of them got cursed and turned into a tiny golden statue. The girl wasn't able to save the poor boy, but she vowed to always take care of him and keep him by her side until she dies. That was a 'thank you' for saving her and showing her the world and 'please forgive me' for not being able to bring him back."
When she was done Ajax's eyes were wide open. "Wow, that story is so cool!"
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"Hello there, my lady."The girl stopped once he greated her, 'does he come oup with new name every time?'
She stared at him silent wich of course cought him offguard. "Is everything ok?"
"That kud from the other day... he's your brother right?" She said, cold gave piercing through his eyes.
"Uhm.. well, yes. Why the sudden question?"
"Did he mistook me for someone else that day?" the girl continued.
"I don't think I can answer that princess, I don't kniw what he's thinking inthat creative head of his." He sid ending with a slight chuckle.
"Who's 'the story telling princess' ?" Now that was the question he least expected.
He stayed silent, knowing Teucer probably told her everything amd she just needed final evidence. But he couldn't have that.
"I'm aftaid I don't know, your majesty."
"It was all my fault, you ended like this as a price for protecting me. So I'll take care of you as long as I breathe."
The princess said, before attacking tha yound Harbinger. This time he lasted 5 minutes longer than before. But that sentance was what damned him this time.
That specific sentance was the one she always adored and the one he would always repeat in his head.
'She knows...'
Merry little late Christmas everyoneee!! Also I hope you all have a wonderful New Year!
-The story 'The golden town' in one of old stories I grew up with, but unfortunately I couldn't find the book anymore so everything mentioned about it is from my raw memory. That's about 10 years since I've last read it now so bare with me.