Royalty
"Hm?" Aladdin looked around curiously noticing the absent female "where is Atsukei-neesan?"
"She's probably wandering around" the old woman said while "watching" them have fun as they drink and eat a lot. "She always do that"
"She's not from here, right?" Aladdin asked while hugging his knees while staring at the fire, as it radiates warmth at his figure.
"You noticed?" Grandma let out a small chuckle while closing her eyes "she used to tell us stories about her travels to repay her savior"
"Savior?"
"She never told her past but I know she dealt a lot in it..."
"Talking about me, huh?" Atsukei said scaring Aladdin making him jump. She let out a loud laugh as she clutch her stomach.
"Nee-san!" Aladdin looked behind him in surprise and happiness seeing Atsukei behind him laughing while carrying food.
"Sorry I just took a walk..." she sheepishly said while putting her hand on her nape.
"You should join them" grandma said while grinning at her eating figure.
"Hmmmm" Atsukei shook her head as she kept eating, now sitting beside aladdin "I'll just sit hear with you guys"
"Besides" she gave a small close eyed smile at them "it's fun here"
"Nee-San!" Aladdin shouted while hugging her, his face rubbing towards her chest as he made a face of pure bliss.
Atsukei felt an irk mark on her forehead as she punched Aladdin's head hard. Making him cry crocodile tears at her.
"So mean..!"
Everyone saw what happened making them laugh as a heartfelt atmosphere radiates around them.
●●●●●●●●●●●
"Hmmm then you are the "troopers"?" Aladdin asked looking at Dolge in curiosity as Atsukei helped Toya milk the horse.
"Yes. We live, assist and fight alongside horses. Since the ancestors of antiquity." Dolge look at Aladdin with a smile "and when needed, I shall also fight bravely for the clan."
"Whoa, horse's milk is so good!" Aladdin said out loud as he continued to drink directly from the horse.
"You can't drink it directly!" Toya shouted in alarm as Atsukei pulled Aladdin back.
'He wasn't even listening...' Dolge thought while sulking.
"Goodness Aladdin" Atsukei pouted as she sat down on the grass with a defeated sigh, making Toya laugh at the girl.
"Woman and children really don't understand the blood's concept of a warrior...." Dolge said as he scratched his head while his face filled with pink tints on his cheek.
"You are stronger than before..." Toya muttered out loud as she sat on the rock "but I'm worried...I hope that there never comes the day when you're required to fight."
Atsukei hummed really not listening to them as she curiously look at Aladdin as he tried to ride the horse. She furrowed her eyebrows at him while sitting up.
What is he doing?
"I hope that we always can live with everyone like that, with happiness..." Toya looked at Dolge with a soft smile making him look at her in silence as a lump began to form on his throat.
"You don't need to worry, Toya. I'll protect you always."
"Well isn't that sweet" Atsukei said with a teasing grin on her lips as her black flew a little from the wind. "What a cute couple..."
"Atsukei-chan" Toya mumbled in an embarrassed tone as she hid her face with her hand.
"Hey hey how do I ride a horse?" Aladdin asked, breaking the atmosphere as he tried to climb up on the horse.
Dolge face paled a little seeing Aladdin trying to climb up "stupid! Amateurs don't ride horses!!"
The horse began to panic and took Aladdin as the horse began to run around disrupting almost everyone with their work.
"Someone stop the horse!!"
"This kid is gonna to die!!"
Shouts of worry began to stir the place as people tried their best to dodge the incoming horse, as Aladdin gripped at the horse in alarm as his body almost flew away.
"Watch out!" Dolge shouted in worry as Toya clenched both of her hand.
A figure appeared suddenly before Atsukei could do any move. The stranger pulled the reins of the horse making it completley stop.
"Are you okay, young boy?" The female stranger asked, looking at him softly. Atsukei's eyes narrowed, noticing the way the stranger dressed she's obviously a royalty.
●●●●●●●●
"Toya I'll help you." Atsukei said while taking the tray out of Toya's hand while giving a small smile at her.
"Thank you Atsukei-chan" Toya said with a smile as they went outside.
The stranger introduced herself as the Huang empire's first emperor's third daughter. Her name was Ren Hakuei, she wanted the Kouga clan to be part of the Huang empire making almost everybody grew tense.
"She wants to unify the world..." thinking of that made Atsukei almost scoff at that idea. "That won't be easy."
"Hmm" Toya hummed as Atsukei followed her from behind carrying the tray with her
" I got a little milk then. Why don't you come inside and talk calmly with us?"
"Oh, thank you!" Hakuei said with a smile as the tense atmosphere almost dissapeared.
Key word almost.
Atsukei noticed the guy looking at it with an unreadable face. She pushed Toya a little behind her as a gut feeling began to grew inside her. As Hakuei was about to take the bowl from the tray, Ryosa flipped the try upwards making all the hot milk to spill on Atsukei's hair making her grit her mouth in pain.
"What are you doing!?" Hakuei shouted in alarm while looking at Ryosa in anger.
"I have position for such an act." He said simply. As everyone looked at Atsukei in worry seeing her hair color began to change.
"I cannot permit the princess to take things from immigrants." He began to smiled smugly "In addition, in our country, horse milk is compared to a drink for dogs"
"Ryosa!" Hakuei shouted, her tone became a warning. Her eyes averted and looked at Atsukei who stood up and took the towel that was given to her and began to dry her hair.
Her hair began to turned pink with light blue at the end, as she fixed her bangs which made her mismatched eyes be more open to them. She looked back at Toya who looked down at the tray in sadness.
"This little..." Atsukei gritted her teeth as she held her pouch feeling her dijin burning from her rage.
"You cannot understand it, just use it for negotion."
"Hey you! This village will be part of the empire Huang. OBEY QUIETLY!" Ryosa began to point at people as his voice began to grow louder by the minute.
"Is it not good trading!? We are saving you..." he suddenly pointed at Toya who helped Atsukei dry herself up "from this disgusting stinking life, A MUDDY HORSE SHIT!"
"Toya..." Atsukei mumbled in concern as she hugged the trembling female. Toya's began to form tears at the corner of her eyes.
"You..." Atsukei glared at Ryosa making him flinch seeing her eyes filled with malice. Toya tugged her pants while shaking her head, making Atsukei sigh and look down.
"If you want to know how high is the level of human happiness... join our empire!"
As he was about to speak more nonsense he was cut of by Dolge cutting his back sharply. Ryosa looked behind him only to see a large hole on his back, hint of fear was seen.
"Stop, Dolge!"
"How dare you" Dolge clenched his hand on his weapon making his knuckles turned white "lower level of our family?"
"We won't be part of you. That look, filled with disdain for our lives!! We will only be ridiculed!!" His hands began to tremble as his voice became louder by the minute as people looked at him in silence and in shock "I won't allow invasion of our territory!! Kouga clan will fight against you!!"
People began to shout in anger as they threw rocks towards Ryosa, making Hakuei pull him back up and retreat.
"Let's go back, Ryosa!!"
Aladdin looked at the scene with a frown as he clenched his flute. He looked back at Atsukei seeing her go inside the tent as people began to look at her.
"This is bad." The Toya muttered beside Aladdin.
"Why?"
"That was her last dye to change her hair.."
●●●●●●●●●
Atsukei hummed a tune as she dried her hair, she gave a contented sigh knowing she was clean enough. She sat down and looked at the mirror seeing her own reflection.
"I'm still not used to my hair..." she mumbled as she fixed her bangs making her dual colored eyes to be seen. "And this is my second time looking at my appearance..."
"I changed a lot" Her hair was now longer as it reaches to her lower shoulder, her left eye being pink as her left is half pink and half blue. She was still confused by this. She always wear a white long sleeved blouse, but the sleeves are rolled to her elbow. She wore a loose black combat pants, with black shoes.
Looking at her small bag that was on the desk. She took it and opened it while wearing her metal vessel.
"Astrum" Atsukei whined while pouting as she lay down towards her bed her still wet hair sprawled to her pillow. "I still need to do something..."
The red gem glowed making her giggle as she raised her hand while clenching it. She looked at the book next to her as her she layed her hand towards that book.
"Atsukei-neesan..." Aladdin called out making Atsukei jump in shock. She quickly sat down seeing Aladdin at the end of her bed.
"Aladdin!" Placing her non dominant hand on her chest feeling her heart beating fast "you scared me"
"Ah, sorry!" Aladdin let out a sheepish smile while crawling towards Atsukei who patted a spot next to her. "But are you ok?"
Ah
She gave a simple smile as she patted Aladdin's hair. She pinched his cheek making him whine in pain.
"I'm fine!" She said while giving a warm smile.
"It looks weird,right?" Aladdin looked at her in pure curiosity as Atsukei tied her hair with a small dark blue ribbon. "I got my appearance from my parents."
Aladdin shook his head making Atsukei look at him in shock" I think it's really pretty!"
"I-idiot.." Atsukei's face flushed in embarrassment from the compliment.
"It really suits you" Aladdin laid his head on her lap while staring at the book beside her "what's that?"
"Oh, this?" She took the book and opened it for the blue haired magi to see "it's just a book that I saved."
"Saved?"
"Hey, Aladdin. Can you keep a secret?" Atsukei looked down meeting Aladdin's dark blue eyes.
"Secret?"
She nodded as she guided Aladdin outside, looking up she saw the clouds having orange tints meaning, it will nighttime soon. She made a small hum again making Aladdin wonder what she was humming about.
"Do you know the empire Fudoketa?"
"Fudoketa..?" Aladdin made a thinking face, but shook his head with a frown. "I don't, I'm sorry"
"That's fine. Not everyone knows that..." resting her arm on her thigh while putting the side of her cheek on her hand "it's abandoned now"
"A-abandoned..?" Aladdin looked at the female girl in shock and sadness.
"Yeah..." she let stood up while stretching her arms "having a royal blood is tough"
"Eh~! You're a princess Atsukei-neesan?" Aladdin sprang back up in shock as the female began to laugh.
"I'll tell the details someday Aladdin, I promise. Ok?"
"Then I'll tell you my secret too!" Aladdin yelled as he tugged Atsukei's pants a little.
"I'm going to talk to miss Hakuei!"
"Eh?"
●●●●●●●●●●
"Goodnight elder sister." Greeted Aladdin as Atsukei tried her best to hide her face feeling the cold wind nip her skin as they floated from Aladdin's cloth.
"Who..who are you!?" Shouted Hakuei as she took her sword in alarm.
Atsukei jumped as her feet landed to the ground as Aladdin tucked the turban back from his head.
"You..." Hakuei looked at Atsukei in surprise seeing her real hair color in wonder.
"Hi" Aladdin interrupted "my name name is Aladdin. I am a traveler. This is my friend Atsukei" Aladdin pointed towards the quiet female.
"Nice to...meet you" Atsukei mumbled as she rubbed her arms in comfort.
"Thanks for rescuing me this morning." Aladdin waved as Hakuei looked shock, still trying to process what was happening "I'm a little interested in you, so I came."
Isn't that the boy from before!?
Hakuei thought as she narrowed her eyes at the piece of cloth from Aladdin's head.
That cloth...could it be...
And that girl....she seems familiar
Atsukei could only hide behind Aladdin as she noticed the quiet atmosphere. She could only look down as she stared at her metal vessel.
"I would like to talk to you for a while..." Aladdin said while pointing a chair behind Atsukei "can I?"
Hakuei let out a smile and nodded as she stared one last time at Atsukei's form.
"Are you not a child from the village?"
"Yes, I am a traveler"
"About just now...it really is a magical cloth"
A warm atmosphere was filled as they talked calmly. Atsukei chose to stand still awkward from Hakuei who kept looking at her hair back and forth.
"This cloth?" Aladdin rested both of his hand behind his head. His smile not disappearing." Magnificent, isn't it? As long as I contribute my belly's power to it, though not that quickly, it can fly up."
"Is it the "maze prop"?" Hakuei asked as Aladdin looked at her in curiosity.
" a "maze prop"?" Atsukei asked her eyes glinted in interest making Hakuei smile at her direction.
"It is a magical prop that my country also owns. A number of them, in fact." Hakuei continued to speak as Aladdin and Atsukei listened "it has the ability to fly and to be in the ground, obscuring a power beyond that of a human's. If you ever want to get them..."
"Interesting..." Atsukei mumbled. Feeling satisfied for the extra knowledge from the princess.
"The only way is by returning alive from the "maze". Is it possible that a child like you.... also got them from the "maze"...?"
Hakuei's tone filled with curiosity .
"Well,no. This is a thing that I already had."
"Already had?"
"Hmm. From the moment I left the "rigid room". Is there..."the maze"?
"Hmm...I also do not know."
Atsukei began to zone out and listened to other important stuffes from their conversation. Having a small smile as she heard Hakuei not going to kill anyone made her heart to not be heavy anymore.
Hakuei's voice became more determined as she look at them in pure determination, voice filled sincere. "To achieve this goal, I only beg that the villagers can give me a hand! Please believe in me!"
"The rukh beside elder sister...do not have a trace of confusion."
"Huh?"
"Should we leave now Aladdin?" Atsukei asked while playing the chains of her metal vessel.
"What's your name?" Hakuei asked with a gentle voice.
"Atsukei Tsushigi" she said with a nod.
"I want to apologize that Ryosa did that to you.."
"No,no." Atsukei waved her hand in a dismissing matter making her metal vessel to be seen "it's fine, as long as he didn't hurt Toya"
"You seem familiar..." Hakuei said out loud making Atsukei flinch behind Aladdin "have we met before?"
"I believe not Hakuei-San."
"Oh...I see" Hakuei let out a small frown as she eyed the metal vessel at Atsukei in shock.
She conquered a dungeon?
"Maybe I looked familiar because I almost got engaged to one of the prince in the kou empire" Atsukei said with a sheepish smile while giving a small smile."Does the Fudoketa empire ring a bell to you..?" Atsukei asked, her voice filled with hope.
"I believe not, I'm sorry."
Before Atsukei look down in sadness she saw Hakuei look at her.
"But I hear rumors ..."
"Princess I brought you your nightgown..." an unfamiliar voice said as the person entered.
She looked at the new comers in shock making her stumble a little at her step. Making her drop what she was carrying.
"Wah!? Who is that child?"
"Elder sister, I understood." Aladdin took the turban from his head and flew up leaving Atsukei to the ground "about your words just now, I'll tell grandma and the others!"
Noticing Atsukei still at the ground, Aladdin scooted over a little waiting for her.
"Wait for me!" Atsukei shouted with a smile, adrenaline coursing through her veins.She stomped at the ground hard forming a crack at where stepped at. She leaned back while doing a squat and jumped high, her face filled with glee. Aladdin clapped seeing Atsukei lay down to the cloth.
"That was fun..!" She breathed out while peering down seeing Hakuei and the other in shock seeing a large crate. "Oops."
"Bye! I'm very interested in you, elder sister... I think that we will meet again!" Shouted Aladdin while waving his hand fast.
"Hakuei-san!" Atsukei shouted to the female"thank you for the extra info!"
Her voice faded away as they flew far.
●●●●●●
Aladdin kept talking to Ugo as Atsukei decided to look above looking at the moon. Her eyes became heavy seeing the rukhs fluttering around her. Aladdin looked at Atsukei in curiosity seeing her being quite.
"Are you ok Atsukei-neesan?"
"Yeah..." she craned her neck up to look at him "just tired."
"Ne, Aladin" she called out as she sat up and leaned her back to Aladdin's "you'll go on an adventure huh? That sounds fun..."
"You can come with me!" Aladdin shout
"Hmm~ we'll see about that" she leaned as darkness consumed her.
●●●●●●●
"Atsukei wake up"
Huh? Where am I?
Looking around she could only see pure white , sitting down she looked down. Much to her shock she was floating. Looking at her hands with scales--
WAIT SCALES!?
"W-what the..!" She looked every part of her arms only to see light violet scales surrounded her body.
"Pretty..." she breathed out as she touched the scales.
It was hard.
"Atsukei..." a soft voice called her.
"Who are you?" Atsukei asked, her tone laced with hostile seeing a giant light blue sea serpent.
The sea serpent's voice was deep but soft. It reminded her father's voice, Atsukei's face soften as she let her guard down as the serpent began to change form.
It was human.
Seeing the familiar blue eyes and hair, with clothes fit for a king. She let out a gasp as tears began to drip to the corners of her eyes.
"F-father..?" She shook her head as she grip her hair, tugging it hard "no, I must be dreaming right?"
Her voice cracked as the blue haired man hugged her. She let out loud sobs that echoed throughout the white room.
"I'm sorry I ran away..!" She gripped her father's sleeves as he patted her hair.
"It's okay, you were meant to run away..." he pushed her shoulders slightly making him too look at her appearance. "You've grown so much.."
"Of course! I don't want to let you and mother down!"
"Atsukei" his voice firm as his face became serious "I have a favour to ask you"
"Anything for you father!" She shouted with a smile as she wiped her tears away.
"Go back to our home"
"W-what?" She flinched as she took a step back."But I thought it was in ruins?" She asked while looking at his father who shook his head.
"They're waiting for you."
"Who?"
"Your people."
"My people? Don't you mean ours?"
"Your mother and I are already dead."
So blunt.
I don't understand...
Her face turned into a bitter frown as she clenched her fist in pure bitterness.
"You know why." He patter her head as he crouched down towards her height while putting his forehead on hers "they're still waiting for you..."
"Ah!" She panicked as the room began to shake rapidly.
"Tsk" he clicked his tounge as he began to disappear "I'm running out of time"
"You've been asleep for 3 days straight now."
"WHAT? B-but how?"
"Don't forget..." his next line was in pure silent making Atsukei tilt her head. She suddenly began to fall as her hair began fly in any direction.
"We love you"
●●●●●●●●
"Ah!" Atsukei shouted as she sat up, as a wet piece of cloth fell from her forehead.
She looked around in panic seeing an unfamiliar room, she sighed in relief seeing her metal vessel still with her. She looked at the small table beside her plain white bed seeing her own small bag and book.
"Where am I..?" She mumbled looking down seeing a small bowl filled with water, she dipped her finger to find it cold."Its new.."
Her eyes adjusted at the darkness seeing her room in plain white as the window is open having it her source of light. As she left the bed she suddenly tripped on a piece of cloth making her wince. She took the cloth and examined it, only to see a black cloak that reaches until her waist and big enough to hide her hair.
The door suddenly slammed open making her jump in fright. She turned around as Atsukei took a fighting stance, only to see a girl with pink hair and eyes. She wears a short white dress with a rope tied around her waist, her eyelashes are long and unique.
"A Fanalis" Atsukei said out loud as another footsteps could be hear running.
"Atsukei-neesan!" Aladdin tackled her in a hug making Atsukei slap him in shock.
"Itai! Aladdin shouted as his cheek had a red hand mark. The red haired rushed towards Aladdin in worry. Atsukei stared at them too shock to comprehend.
"W-what..." she suddenly slapped herself hard wincing as a bruise began to appear.
"Nee-San!" Aladdin shouted in worry.
"Aladdin!" Atsukei shouted while rushing to his form and hugging him. Making his face crash towards her chest "I'm so sorry!"
"No, it's ok!" Shouted Aladdin as he leaned a little towards her chest while making a blissful face.
"What happened..?" Atsukei asked as Morgiana, a female Fanalis, forced her to sit on her bed.
"You see.."
Aladdin began to explain to her what happened from her passing out, all of the female in the Kouga clan was took away from slavery but was saved from Dolge and the others, having grandma shot by an arrow, Aladdin summoning Hakuei's dijin and having grandma died.
"I see..." Atsukei mumbled as she clenched both of her hand into a fist as she looked at her lap "so grandma died, huh?"
"Yes..." Aladdin smiled sadness glinted a little at his eyes.
"But grandma gave you a gift and she requested for you to travel with me" Aladdin said while giving Atsukei the black cloak.
"I didn't even said goodbye to her..." she met Morgianna's eyes. " I hope she's in a happy place."
"Um..."
"You must be Morgiana right?" Atsukei asked with a smile as she changed the topic to remove the gloomy atmosphere.
"Yes. Are you..." Morgiana scratched her cheek slightly "a Fanalis too?"
"Yes I am" Atsukei let out a small laugh feeling happy that she met a pure Fanalis "even though my hair have blue streaks."
"Ah.." Morgiana blushed in delight as her eyes shined a little, happy that she met another Fanalis like her.
"Well, a friend of Aladdin is a friend of mine" Atsukei stretched her hand towards Morgiana "what do you say Morgiana, can we be friends?"
"Uh...." Morgiana turned around as she squished her cheeks a little as her ears turned slight red.
"That must be a yes then!" Atsukei said while tackling Morgiana with a hug while laughing loudly.
"Morgianna defeated a bunch of thieves and carried you here" Aladdin said while jumping at Atsukei's bed in glee.
"Eh~ Morgiana is really strong!" She grinned still hugging Morgiana "we should spar someday!"
"Spar...?"
"Yeah! As a Fanalis I want to have a friendly fight with a Fanalis again too."
"Mm." Morgiana nodded still holding her cheeks.
They all went to sleep with a smile on their face.